Left Of Forever

*NetGalley ALC Review*

Wren and Ellis have known each other practically their whole lives—and have loved each other just as long. But what happens when you get pregnant, marry your high school sweetheart, and find yourself in your 30s, divorced for five years, and dropping your only child off at college? Naturally, you end up on a road trip with your ex.

From the very beginning, Left of Forever had me tearing up. The emotions hit from the start, carried through the middle, and absolutely wrecked me by the end.

I don’t typically go for second-chance romances—it’s not a trope I gravitate toward—but watching Wren and Ellis find their way back to each other was something special. Their story felt raw, real, and heartwarmingly authentic.

Both characters were incredibly well-developed, and the emotional growth on both sides was palpable. I also loved seeing familiar faces from Savor It, and getting a deeper look at the other Byrd brothers—I’m guessing we’ll be getting more stories about them (fingers crossed!).

The book also had its lighter, funnier moments—the cooking class pepper incident? If you know, you know. This story gave me the full emotional range: laughter, joy, heartbreak, and even a few tears.

And if you’re like me and didn’t totally fall in love with Savor It (I know it worked for a lot of readers, but for me, it was middle of the road), Left of Forever is on a whole other level.

Those who know me know I don’t hand out five-star ratings lightly—but this one? It’s getting all five. It checked every box I didn’t even know I had. It’s not always light and fluffy—it goes deep emotionally—but that’s what made it so beautiful.

Heartfelt, heart-filling, and heart-achingly beautiful—Left of Forever is everything.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️

Blurb:

Wren and Ellis Byrd fell in love as kids, had their son Sam when they were only teenagers, and built a life together in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon. They were made for one another . . . until they fell apart. Now divorced and in their 30s, Wren runs the bakery in town, while Ellis works as a firefighter. They live separate lives, though they are hardly off each other’s minds.

When Ellis and Wren move Sam into college, Ellis convinces Wren to take an extended road trip back to Spunes to see if they can give their relationship one last chance. Amid the gorgeous California coastline and the intimacy they have missed for years, Wren starts to think it just might be possible. But can the past truly be left behind? When words fail and old wounds resurface, it’s a soul-baring letter that could finally reveal the truth—or close the door on them forever.

Xoxo, Melissa