Rating one of Bookstagrams popular books, Left of Forever by Tarah Dewitt. Wren and Ellis find themselves divorced for five years but unable to move on from each other and what they had, so they ensue on a roadtrip together after dropping their son off for college to see if they can find their way back together. Read on to see my overall review, and let me know what you thought of the book!

This book was one I seen constantly popping up as one of people’s top reads and I finally on a whim decided to read it! I felt that this story had so much potential but fell a little flat for me. The beginning was a little confusing at first because I wasn’t sure when we were back in present time or in the past, but once I figured it out all was well! Below is my full review, but overall I rated the book 3/5 stars.

**Spoilers ahead!**

The Characters

The Baker & The Firefighter

Ellis and Wren, I felt heartbroken for them the whole book because they wanted to be together but felt they couldn’t be happy together after the downfall of their marriage following infertility and an ectopic pregnancy almost resulting in Wren’s death. I can see where Wren was coming from with how Ellis withheld any emotion from her trying to be the “strong” one, but I also felt at times she was a little unfair to him.

HOWEVER, I feel had they not divorced he may not have worked to change to become the man that she wanted him to be. I did think that it was a lot of pointing the finger at him being the reason for their divorce, and him working hard to get Wren back, but felt that she also had some growing to do as well.

I liked Ellis’s background as a firefighter and felt that it really added to the storyline with him being the caregiver for his siblings and his younger brother being hurt in a fire. It gave into his hero complex of having to be stoic even when he was crumbling.

Wren being a baker and sending letters with treats to the fire crew to ask about the missing horses, I thought was a fun sense of fate. But I also felt that it was unrealistic that she wouldn’t have a clue that her ex husband was working that fire. They mentioned several times that the two were still nice/friendly to co-parent their son together and that she was best friends with his siblings.

The Plot

Dare I say.. too much smut??

Wren and Ellis had an accidental pregnancy at 17/18 and were married young. Growing up together to become parents they were also tasked with being the caregivers for Ellis’ siblings after his father passed away, adding to their already full plate of trying to navigate their newfound life together. After 15 years they end up divorcing after being unable to find happiness together again. With their son graduating high school and headed off to college they decide to try and see if they can rekindle what was broken with a roadtrip alone on their way back home. Love, lust, and hilariousness ensues on their journey back to find each other.

You guys… this story had so much potential! I was telling my friends the second I started reading it that I was just waiting for this book to destroy me because there was so much heartbreak and emotion from page 1. BUT… It fell flat for me! I was so disappointed because I had seen so many reviews and posts of people saying it was one of their top reads, but personally for me the plot got overshadowed by the smut. I am ALLLLLL for some smut, but there are times when I feel that it overpowers the story line, and felt that’s what happened in this case.

When Wren and Ellis go on their roadtrip together I thought that there would be more of them reconnecting emotionally, with the build up of them discussing how they would need to talk about a lot of things before they could consider getting back together. It seemed that they had a tiny conversation and then were together again. The big conversation didn’t really happen until the end of their trip, and even then it didn’t seem monumental. I liked how it started out with Wren writing her journals and him reading and responding in emails but it was short lived because the story became more focused on the smut, than their journey back together.

My Review

Overall I rated the book 3 out of 5 stars. I think the plot and story was there, but it just got overshadowed by the smut.

I would love to hear what you thought of this book in the comments!

XOXO, Kkeev