Book Review: Savor It by Tarah DeWitt

Savor It, set in the quaint coastal town of Spunes, Oregon, is a heartwarming tale of self-discovery, healing, and love. The protagonist, Sage Byrd, is a lifelong resident of Spunes, cherishing her life among the town’s unique characters and her hobby farm animals. Her tranquil life takes a turn when her long-term relationship ends. Her ex, Ian, quickly becomes engaged, leaving Sage seeking a triumph to regain her pride and silence the town's pity.

Enter Fisher Lange, a former acclaimed New York City chef, grappling with grief and the sudden responsibility of caring for his niece, Indy. After losing his passion for cooking and his prestigious Michelin star, Fisher, along with Indy, heads to Spunes for a summer sabbatical to aid in a restaurant opening. However, Fisher's clash with the townspeople and a spontaneous kiss with Sage lead to unexpected complications.

Sage and Fisher, both needing a win, strike a deal: Sage will help Fisher improve his reputation and resolve his professional obstacles, while Fisher agrees to be her partner in the town’s annual summer competition, the Festival of Spunes. What starts as a strategic alliance evolves into a series of romantic encounters, healing emotional scars and teaching them to cherish every moment. As their relationship deepens, they realize that the summer – and their time together – is fleeting.

Savor It is a delightful journey through the ups and downs of finding love in unexpected places. DeWitt masterfully blends humor with poignant moments, creating a narrative that is both entertaining and emotionally resonant. The characters are well-crafted, with Sage and Fisher’s development being particularly compelling. Their individual struggles and growth lend a depth to the story that extends beyond the typical romcom fare.

The small-town setting of Spunes, with its quirky inhabitants and scenic charm, adds a layer of coziness to the narrative. The dynamic between Sage and Fisher is engaging, filled with witty banter and a palpable chemistry that makes their romance feel genuine and heartwarming.

This book is perfect for readers who enjoy contemporary romance with a blend of humor, emotional depth, and a picturesque small-town setting. Fans of romcoms looking for characters with realistic struggles and growth will find Savor It particularly satisfying. It's also a great pick for those who appreciate stories about starting over, healing, and the unexpected paths to finding love.

One of the most striking aspects of Savor It that resonated with me personally was the relatability and charm of Sage’s character. Not only did her struggles and insecurities mirror many of my own experiences, particularly in her reflections on her past relationship with Ian, but her wit and thoughtfulness towards those around her added layers of depth to her character. This combination of qualities made her incredibly endearing. Learning about Sage’s history, I found myself deeply empathizing with her, intensifying my connection to her character and having me root for her happiness from the beginning. I also found myself laughing out loud with the humorous banter shared between Sage and Fisher.

In contrast, Fisher’s character brought a different yet equally compelling dynamic to the story. I appreciated how DeWitt portrayed a male character who was emotionally aware and proactive in addressing his mistakes and working towards personal growth. Fisher’s journey of self-improvement and emotional openness was both refreshing and inspiring.

Another element of the book that I adored was the mutual growth and the beauty that emerged from Sage and Fisher’s interactions. Their evolving relationship highlighted the best aspects of each character, showcasing how they complemented and supported each other’s growth. This interplay of personalities and the growth they inspired in each other added a rich layer to the story, making their journey together not just romantic, but also a journey of mutual self-discovery and improvement.

Overall, Savor It by Tarah DeWitt stands out not just for its charming storyline and picturesque setting, but also for its deep, relatable characters who reflect real human emotions and growth. My personal connection with the characters, especially Sage with her wit and thoughtfulness, and the unique qualities they brought out in each other, made this book a truly engaging and heartwarming read. It’s a testament to DeWitt’s ability to create characters that readers cannot only fall in love with but also see a part of themselves in. A story that balances humor and depth, Savor It is a standout in the contemporary romance genre and a testament to DeWitt’s storytelling prowess.

It was an absolute pleasure to read.

𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦, 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘺?” 𝘈 𝘴𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘭𝘦. 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘺’𝘴 𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘺 𝘷𝘰𝘪𝘤𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘺𝘪𝘯𝘨, “𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘤𝘭𝘦.” 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘴𝘦.

witty, sexy, and so charming, 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵 was the perfect read to start my year off with (and my first tarah dewitt novel to boot)

sage and fisher are honest, open, and such a breath of fresh air — like whatever the opposite of the miscommunication trope is? that’s sage and fish

I found such peace in the physical setting of this book: the fictional (but very much real in my heart) town of spunes, oregon. the perfect mix of coastal pnw
and small-town farm, spunes proved the perfect backdrop for these two sometimes messy, but beautifully vulnerable characters trying to find their way back to themselves (and ultimately towards each other)

there are a few forms of grief explored here (romantic, familial, self) and I found tarah’s interpretation very well done — different for each character, hard to explain, even harder to understand, but so real

tarah dewitt is easily an addition to my running auto-buy author list

thank you netgalley and gryffin for this advanced copy of savor it

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!
This book is so sweet and cozy like a warm blanket you never want to get out of! I loved both of the main characters so much. It was refreshing to read a MMC who had real problems he had to work through and overcome. Very highly recommend!!

I loved this book! It was so beautifully written! It was amazing to feel like you were a part of Sage and Fisher’s love story. They were open to learn and grow and fall in love even though they knew there was an end date. They learned how to savor life. Great read!

This book, how do I even begin to describe it. This book is going to be one of my best reads for the year I already know it. The connection between fisher and sage is something people dream about, I loved them so much. This small town romance made me laugh, made me cry and made me want to get an assortment of random animals to love forever. I loved all of Tarah Dewitt’s books but this is the best yet.

4.5 stars, maybe a little slow at first for me but I fully enjoyed it, really loved the character growth.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

Thanks to netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC!

This was my first read by Tarah Dewitt and I just fall in love with how human both Sage and Fisher are. How smitten the two are with each other and how they communicate and are there for each other. Fisher is a michelin star chef who is trying to find his way back and Sage is a sweet quirky small town girl who is full of love and sage advice just waiting on the right person to share he life with. Savor It is a sweet and heartfelt story of two people facing their grief in different ways and finding each other.

Savor It was an enjoyable and heartwarming read. I would recommend this as a light summer book- you will enjoy the characters (and pets!) and have a HEA as well. I read this in two days- so it definitely kept my attention!

It was missing a little something for me- the ending a little too fuzzy and passive for my liking, so it gets 4/5 stars.

Unfortunately I did not this book. It wasn't particularly bad, but I really could not connect to the fmc, Sage or the mmc, Fisher or any other side character if I am being honest The only characters I felt myself rooting for was Indy, she was so sweet and I really felt for her and Ellis and Wren's unsuccessful marriage!! their tension was great.

The book lacked good dialogue and depth of the characters. I can see attempts that have been made with Sage being this independent happy go lucky girl and Fisher the man who hit his peak to young, unhappy with life and his career. But both of them lacked personality and while I did find their banter fun at time, I needed more of it. There was so much inner dialogue and description that had me bored and skim most of it.

The story also did not capture my attention. I really did not care for that festival or even the people of the small town and the small town trope is one of my favourites! The friends with benefits trope is one I also usually enjoy and the spice was definitely hot at times but I think my lacking of caring for these characters made me even skim the smut which is so sad!!

I felt the author tried too hard and unfortunately did not succeed. Sage's migraine came out of nowhere, jsut thrown into he story and what was the point of Ian? He didnt do anything for the story.

I don't think it was badly written or anything was bad, the characters just were boring. I am looking forward to be reading more of this author though!!

Thank you Netgalley for this arc!

Hello Book friends!

Today I’m reviewing Savor It by Tarah DeWitt. In this summer romance we follow high school English teacher Sage Byrd and Michelin star chef Fisher Lange, who, after losing his sister and his career, is in need of a fresh start. Moving across the country to Oregon to help coordinate the opening of a new restaurant, Fisher finds himself in uncharted territory when his new next door neighbor barges (ever so sweetly) into his life.

And romance readers, you NEED (yes all caps) this book in your life. (I know, this is repeat from my last post, but it’s relevant to this one too).

Slow and savory, Savor It (which is the perfect title btw) has all the enticing flavors for this immensely satisfying story of two people falling in love. Think of how a piano draws out those soft tones of a love song. Playing a melody similar to the rhythm of our own heartbeat. Adding an incandescent cadence of pure joy that stretches out a lifetime. Collecting the sounds that sooth and ache in equal measures. Creating a symphony of the human experience. Including those moments when you break and shatter into millions of tiny shards, but quietly be put back together with the help of tender hands and a beautifully knowing soul.

I’ve found a new favorite author.

DeWitt took me on a belly laughing, heart breaking, swoony journey that made me feel all the feels.

Go add this one to your cart book friends. You’ll be glad you did.

Happy Reading ~ Cece

Tarah can do no wrong when it comes to creating masterfully developed characters, epic lines, and heart wrenching scenes. I loved this book from start to finish. She never fails to make me fall in love with the FMC by page 2 and to root for her through out. This was such a sweet and lovely read.

This was a cute read with playful banter and enjoyable character building. One of my favorite parts of the book was all of the nuances of each of the characters brought out by the details included.
I went through wide range of emotions during this read - I laughed, smiled, groaned, and was close to tears.

Tropes:
*Small town romance
*Playful banter
*Close proximity
*Fake dating
*Slow burn

Overall Rating: 5/5
Spice level: 2/5
(There is a small amount of spice, but no descriptive language included)

I wanted to love this so much, but was left a bit underwhelmed.

It felt like I was reading the script for a grumpy sunshine, save the small town Hallmark movie. That could do it for many people, but wasn’t riveting or original enough for me.

I liked but did not love either of the main characters, but did enjoy the tension between them and found them endearing. There were quite a few declarations that had my heart palpitating, but I didn’t really buy into their chemistry or longevity as a couple.

That being said, I did love the supporting cast (including all of the animals), laughed out loud in a few places, and finished the book with warmth in my heart and love for Tarah’s open door scenes 🌶️🤣🤷🏼‍♀️.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Give Silas his own book!!

I am so hopeful that this book will be developed into a small town romance series. This story is exactly what you want from a romance and had so much good steam. This was my first Tarah DeWitt and I'm already dying to go back and read her other stories!

A cozy small town romance, perfect for your TBRs when the mood strikes you for this exact vibe. This is the book for you!

Lovable, smart, reasonable characters. A relationship that feels organic and believable. I would definitely recommend this read!! I’m keeping this review simple because this is simply a great romance to recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted (free) ARC

Before I get too into my review I would like to add (on my kindle it says LOC 2163 chapter 16 Fischer - there is a line where it says hand in mind. I’m unsure if it’s supposed to say hand in mine.

My review

I absolutely loved it. I loved the character development, the plot, the characters and the small town vibes. The way that grief is heavily portrayed in this novel is exceptionally done. I appreciate the way the epilogue was written, with an homage to the past year instead of jumping right into a new space of their relationship. I cried very heavily for about 1/4 of the book.

This book is a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me.

All my best,
Emma

This was a wonderful read! A great balance of sweet and spicy.....great characters and an ending I had hoped for!

This book did what recent Hallmark-esque movies have failed to do -- make me want to move to a small town with quirky traditions. Sure, it was technically predictable, but it was still cute. This book did what recent Hallmar-esque movies have failed to do -- make me want to move to a small town with quirky traditions. Sure, it was technically predictable, but it was still cute.

This book was amazing! I was hooked simply by reading the description and it did not disappoint! I really enjoyed the characters in this book and how connected the residents of Spunes are to one another. The setting in this book is so well developed and described it made me want to crawl into this book and live in this relaxing small town and take life slowly. The banter back and fourth between Sage and Fisher was fun and made these two characters super loveable. They communicate so well with eachother and they have lots of fun togerher. It was great to see how well they overcame different obstacles in their personal lives and how they helped eachother through those challenges. I love how carefree Sage is and how she choses to live her life, we could all benefit from taking some of her sage advice about life!

This was my first book by Tarah DeWitt and it definitely won’t be my last! Savor It is exactly what I want from my romance novels. There are corny jokes and absolutely heartrending moments. There are the insights into human nature that I love and universal lessons on loss, grief, and love that are easily accessible. And it’s spice and fluff and puns galore. I absolutely get why this book is on all the romance books of 2024 lists I’ve been seeing.

Thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

I thought that the introduction for both of the leads was really stellar. We get an insight into their struggles and past, without everything immediately delineated. The whole book does a good job of not bulldozing the narrative with exposition. Sage’s character is fun and quirky, without being stereotypical quirky. She wears funny clothes and loves to take care of people and animals, but she is self-aware and well-intentioned. This book has angst, but there are respites. It does not feel weighty with it or overdone, rather it is appropriately placed in terms of the narrative and character development. Both leads are honest about what they want or not knowing and they really just try to communicate and work through their issues.

Sage and Fisher really try to get to know each other authenticately. Yes, this is a romance and on a faster timeline than I myself would pursue in real life, but it’s sweet and they care. They work on communication and make mistakes that they struggle with, but they apologize and try to do better. I want my romances to be realistic and imperfect, but loving and kind, and Sage and Fisher definitely fit the bill. And the jokes in the book are so cute, it definitely mixs funny and serious well. And the hot moments are hot. They fit into the story and the timeline of the relationship and feature tension and simmer and partnership. The book is clearly in touch with trends and modern stuff (fanfic and charcuterie = adult lunchable) and touches like that make the book sing.

Ok, there were a few things that didn’t absolutely wow me. I think the timeline of the book was a little unclear at points. I didn’t always feel that days had passed in the narrative and then it would say that four days or so had passed. But it wasn’t terribly distracting. The side characters got a little lost in the pursuit of passing on lessons to the main characters through their comments and actions. For Sage herself, who has been placed into a specific reputation within her hometown that she struggles to accept or see the truth in parts of it, I felt that she, at times, was moving into making her choices out of spite. But I understand where she comes from with that attitude and I don’t think it leads her towards anything she wouldn’t actually want.

I appreciate the frank discussions of emotions, grief, and mental health, and mental health work. The characters feel like people. Fisher and Sage are not separate from the real world, though their story is a perfect escape for me. And the stresses throughout the book on the importance of small joys are so special to me. The last quarter of the book just flew by for me. I loved how fluffy and sweet this book is, while also handling some real, sad emotions and complex situations. I really enjoyed this book.