Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest, spoiler-free review!

Themes: Grief
Representation: Grief
Content Warnings: Grief (mentioned), sexual content
Spice: 3/5 🌶️

Premise: Sage Byrd needs someone to compete with her at the Festival of Spunes, especially because she broke up with her ex. Fisher Lange, meanwhile, needs a change of scenery after a workplace incident caused by his grief. When Fisher and Sage meet… will sparks fly?


Personal Comments


I read this book every day, which is not a good idea. After all, according to the title, I’m supposed to “Savor It.” However, even though I read it in pretty much one go… I enjoyed this book.

Although I found the beginning to be slightly confusing, I fell in love with the characters as I continued to read on. I loved how Sage was so comfortable being who she was without caring too much about what others thought or bringing others down for being “basic.” And I loved how much Fisher genuinely cares about those he loved, making an effort with his relationship with both Sage and his goddaughter.

Also, the scenery was just delightful! The “small-town” vibes were there without being overtly obnoxious, representing small-town America without playing too much into stereotypes. As a lover of nature and scenic things, the setting is pretty important for me in books, which is something Tarah DeWitt does well, in my opinion.

Finally, the book was a SLOW BURN. I ended up liking it because I prefer books where the author doesn’t rush too much into the romance and then adds a whole lot of unnecessary drama after. For me, I found that the first kiss and all the smut scenes were done well in this book. I am neutral towards smut. However, I do feel like some romance books have too much of it. And Savor It, I feel like doesn’t overload on the smut factor, which, in my eyes I liked.

Rating: 4/5


Characters


Sage Byrd: If you could use one word to describe Sage, it is “quirky.” Sage is a ball of sunshine. And again, Sage is the type of character who does what she loves without caring too much about what others think. However, she is also kind, offering to help out with the community when she can. She loves her hometown, being a teacher, and her farm of cute animals. However, Sage is also a character that grieves and struggles. For example, although her breakup is amicable, she still feels that people need to stop pitying her for that. Given her past, it is understandable why they do so. Overall, Sage’s story and character arc (without spoiling too much) revolves around her “gaining wins” and figuring out that she, too, deserves “a partner.” One criticism I have is that I wish there was more backstory to Sage’s past.

Fisher Lange: Fisher is kind of grumpy, no offence. However, given that at the beginning of the book he is forced to move away from his home to a small town that kind of reminds him of his grief, he has reason to be. Though he is grumpy and unhappy, he does his best to make light of his situation. He does his best to fulfill the task that his boss sent him to do. He does his best to form positive relationships with his goddaughter and Sage. Eventually, he changes and goes through a positive character arc. He realizes that maybe what has happened to him has led him to some good. Same as with Sage, I do wish I could’ve gotten a bit more backstory on Fisher.

Their Relationship: Sage and Fisher are pretty cute together, in my opinion. They balance each other out. Sage supports Fisher’s grief and helps him care for his goddaughter. Fisher reminds Sage that she is great and deserving of good things. They also have pretty good chemistry, which is shown through their interactions. Finally, their communication is amazing. In romance novels, characters tend to conceal things and/or react badly when another character tells them some important news. However, this is not the case with Sage and Fisher. There is no miscommunication trope and overall, they have a pretty healthy relationship.

Other Characters: Although Sage and Fisher’s story is front and center, the other characters are important as well. Fisher’s niece Indy is in an absolute mood and helps Fisher with his character development. Sage also has a pretty good relationship with her friends and family. Finally, the farm animals are adorable and are 100% important characters in this book! However, I’d say that sometimes, the amount of side characters can feel overwhelming, and I wish they were a bit more developed.


Rating: 4.5/5


Plot


Beginning: I’d say that for maybe the first two chapters, this book was a bit hard to get into. I felt like too many characters were introduced at once and I kept having to go back and reread just so I didn’t forget who was who. But after that, the story sucked me in, especially because the chapters focused on mainly Sage and Fisher. There were also a lot of hijinks and antics that occurred in the beginning that made me keep wanting to read it. So, rough start, but sucks you right in afterward.

Middle: Like with many books, the middle had its ups and downs. In my opinion, they were mostly positive. And perhaps some parts felt slow because I practically read this book in one sitting. But… who knows? Anyhow, more hijinks occur during the middle of the book. More sweet moments between the characters. As well as character growth. To me, the middle of the book can be described as a “nice, cozy hug” with a lot of nice moments. So if you want some fluff… then here you go!

End: The end of the book was nicely wrapped up. Both Sage and Fisher have big realizations and their character arc comes to an end. There is an epilogue and it’s very sweet and it’s just great to see them together. One thing I’d say is that I wanted a bit more out of the epilogue. But overall, it’s nicely wrapped up.

Rating: 4/5


Other


Format: The book is written in first-person present tense with alternating points of view between Sage and Fisher. The chapters are a medium-length. As I’ve said before, I don’t have a preference between past and present tense as well as first versus third person perspective. However, I think that the alternating first-person perspective allows you to understand the internal workings of the two MCs better as well as see how they view each other. And I think many romance books of today tend to be written in the first person with alternating perspectives. So… I think it’s fitting. But if that’s not your cup of tea… that’s alright.

Themes: Although the grief took more of a backseat, I think it was still well explored. I especially liked how positive and understanding the characters were towards the grief. And that attitude is refreshing to see.

Smut: In terms of smut, this book had multiple (three, I think) open-door smut scenes. However, the smut scenes tend to be fairly brief so I only rated it ⅗. I didn’t note which chapters but I’m pretty sure the smut happens around the last third-ish of the book so do what you will with this information.

Rating: 4/5


Final Rating


Personal Rating: 4/5
Characters: 4/5
Plot: 4.5/5
Formatting: 4/5
Final Rating: 4.1/5 (round to 4 stars)

Date Read: January 6th, 2024
Date Reviewed: January 7th, 2024

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

"You once told me you thought you were a lot of nots," he says. "I want you to know that to me, you're everything. I love that you're full of terrible puns that you're not afraid to follow with profound wisdom." He thumbs my temple like he's caressing my mind. "You're all the shapes made perfectly to hold me, and you're all my favorite colors."

This was a delightful, fast read. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the FMC and MMC, though I think the relationship as a whole could have used more development.

I also thought that there would be more delving into Fisher's profession (chef) and what he was doing in the town in the first place. He was discovering more about what he wanted to do on a personal level, but the decision made toward the end of the book didn't really make sense to me.

There is a third act breakup, but I don't mind this type, where it's a mutual, loving break because of each other's circumstances instead of someone inevitably doing/saying something dumb. BUT the reasons here didn't really land for me. He says he needs to go back to his profession, but he constantly admitted he wasn't enjoying it anymore. He also said he had to go back for his niece, but she just had a thing about small towns, so I wasn't thrilled that she dictated what choices were made (please also keep in mind I'm not a parent so I don't have experience with people making decisions like this 😅)

But overall I enjoyed this one and look forward to more from TD.

ARC received from NetGalley

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I've read all of Tarah's books and Savor It was as lovely as the rest. She's the best at writing falling in love butterflies and feelings 🦋

The grief was heart wrenching, the banter was witty and flirty, Sage was awkwardly charming, and the small town folk were fucking bonkers in the best way. The guinea pig line made me bark out a laugh.

The ending was also perfect, top tier resolution and epilogue. For as much as I laughed, I also shed a tear or two (read: blubbered) 😅

I have a lot to learn from Sage about being happy with the here and now, it was exactly the type of character I needed to meet at this time in my life 🫶

If you like Tarah's other books, or a good small town romance with lots of quirk and adorable animals, you'll want to savor this read 😌

"Sagebyrd," he says, like bluebird or blackbird or like I'm some exotic, rare species he's just discovered and named. Just like that, it's officially the only nickname I've ever loved.

"Sweetheart, I'm finding when it comes to you, I don't know what I'm capable of, but I'm happy to test those limits."

"It's been a privilege to fall in love with you, Sage."

-small town romance town, single dad, friend to lovers, dual pov
-such a cute love story for Sage and Fisher 🧑‍🍳👩‍🌾🪿💐
-this is how you do a dual pov!! The library scene?! I ate it up 😭
-they had the best friendship that developed into something so lovely 🩷
-the small town vibes were everything and how amazing were all the characters 🥹
-will we be getting a second chance romance for Ellis and Wren?? 👀
-thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

4.3⭐️

2.5 ⭐️

I'm really sad that this one didn't work for me. I've read one of Tarah's other romances, which I really enjoyed, and based off the cover and synopsis I thought this would be a hit. The pacing was very sporadic, the plot lines completely fell flat for me, and I just did not connect to any of the characters. Multiple times while reading I thought "I SHOULD swoon over that", but then really just felt nothing at all LOL. Sage was quirky but it felt really surface level, and we could've gone so much deeper into Fisher's trauma and subsequent growth. Three plot points came up in the very beginning - the ex, the trivia/race, and the restaurant - but I felt no significant build up/conflict/resolution for any of these. There were so many people we met from the town that I couldn't keep track of and some character attributes that I didn't feel added anything to the story. There was a lot of filler, some random scenes that didn't connect to the direction of the plot, and I ended up pretty bored by the ending. Sad that it was a miss!

Ahhh! Tarah is a romantic genius and I loved this book so much. I loved the grumpy/sunshine vibes, and the way that she made this book make me contemplate so much about life. I truly love Tarah as an author and cannot recommend her enough for those who love romance and emotionally deep books. The depth of the characters was so well done, I felt like I knew them as my closest friends. I could relate on so many levels to both of them, and it made me feel like the book was speaking to me personally. I loved it and I cannot wait for her future work!

I loved this book. Loved it! Sage and Fisher were fantastic characters that I found myself needing to know more about.

The very beginning of the story had me slightly confused and ready to toss my phone out the window—the characters talk about something without truly explaining what they’re talking about, and it made me want to not care. But I’m so glad I pushed through that initial confusion because the rest of the story was fantastic.

I loved Sage—her big heart and her horrible puns. I loved her menagerie of pets and felt seen in every one of her hurts and fears.

I loved Fisher, too—loved seeing him own himself up, not just to Spunes and Sage, but to the whole world.

This story was great and I couldn’t put it down. A definite five stars!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

2/5 stars.

Honestly, I probably should've DNF'd this one. I really tried to get into this book but I just couldn't do it. When the mc's first meet it's very instalove-y but then... just, nothing happens. They had very little chemistry after that and it felt like they barely even interacted. Almost nothing happens for the entirety of the first half pf this book and I found myself trying to pick through the hundred half-developed plot points trying to figure out what was actually important. For example, it seemed like a main plot point was going to be Fisher consulting on the new restaurant but that was barely in the book.

I could tell that the characters were supposed to be complex but they felt so one dimensional. It was like the only personality trait they were given was their problems and it was just so hard to connect to them. This was an issue I had with the book as a whole - it felt so shallow, like I was being told things were happening but not shown. Every time something almost interesting happened the book would jump forward several days.

There were also plot points that felt like they were either abandoned early on or thrown in at random.
Early in the book they make a big deal about the fmc using outdated vocabulary but then that never comes up again. And then, close to the end of the book, the fmc has a migraine and its mentioned that this is something that shes been dealing with since a child but its only brought up in that one scene, never before and never again (it was also a very lackluster scene so... not really worth it)

All in all this book just did not do it for me. I felt like it fell so flat and I was always waiting for something to happen but it never did

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for the ARC

This is everything I needed in a book and more. I found Tarah DeWitt’s books last year and when I saw I got an ARC of her latest, I was so excited! The way that Tarah writes characters and settings is unbelievable. I am immersed in the world wholeheartedly, I want to live in Spunes and be friends with all the characters! Sage and Fisher are my favorite, the way they communicate and love each other is amazing. Sage and her ways of loving herself and the simple joys in life make me want to go out and buy fun punny tshirts and robes! Fisher and his ability to cook, and the way he carries all his new creations he’s so excited about to Sage’s house! Fisher wanting to be the best he can be for Indy, everything about this book is swoon worthy. I’m just grateful even the animals get a HEA and no longer have to be depressed! Tarah is an auto buy and auto read author and will forever be recommended to anyone who needs a great book! Thank you again for the ARC! ALL THE STARS!!!

WOW wow holy WOW! We are already starting the new year off amazing with this book. I know I have 12 months ahead of me but I’m calling it now - this will be in my top five books of 2024! Okay so Sage? Love her. Fisher? Love him. Sage and Fisher may be my new favorite couple, I adore them. This book is set in Spunes, Oregon, and hello I don’t care if this place is real or not, I want to live inside this book. The small town vibes are immaculate. Sage is adorable and has a slew of adorable animals and grows flowers and can I just be her and live her perfect little farm life?! Fisher is new to town (with his niece) and only there for the summer. Speaking of, I am an autumn girl through and through and I usually don’t like summer books, but Tarah Dewitt wrote this so well that it even made this girl crave a little bit of summer. Anyway, Fisher is a professional chef and I don’t want to spoil anymore about why he’s there or what happens, just trust me, this book is so good. I liked Funny Feelings a lot, but this one is 10x better in my opinion. I’m so thankful for being able to read it early and I can’t wait to purchase a copy for myself!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley in exchange for a review and opinions are my own.

Don’t read this book if you’re hungry!! Unless you’re hungry for love, in which case this latest story from Tara DeWitt is a perfect meal. Fans of DeWitt’s Funny Feelings will be so pleased with her latest novel. It gave me a little bit of Hallmark vibes but with more edge, making it a more realistic and relatable story. This will be a perfect addition to your summer reading list.

This was everything I was expecting from Tarah DeWitt!! It rivals Funny Feelings for my favorite. Sage and Fisher’s relationship felt so genuine. This was the perfect mix of everything you want in a romcom.

I wasn't able to read this completely through because it was extremely triggering and traumatic.

I did read the synopsis however sometimes it's the characters backstory and not the forefront of the story itself.

A cute and wholesome small town romance. This was an enjoyable read that delved into some tougher topics such as grief but was also filled with so much hope and love throughout. This story reminds us of the importance of appreciating the little things in life and finding people who appreciate and respect you for who you are. At the beginning Fisher and Sage are both dealing with their own internal struggles but eventually connect on a deep emotional level. I love how much Fisher and Sage really cared about each other and brought out the best in each other. The ending was my favorite part and I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future. My only critique is that the pacing was a bit slow at times but the main characters are so well fleshed out it’s hard not to fall in love with them.

Cute good writing and I loved the author and the character. Adorable cover as well as the story it fits the vibe of what’s written

"Savor It", by Tarah DeWitt, is about a young woman named Sage who lives in a small Oregon coastal town. Sage loves the small town feel she's surrounded by, and loves her farm filled with a variety of interesting animals. However, after being dumped by her long-time love and having to see him parade his new girlfriend all over town, she needs a win. Sage decides her town's annual summer competition is the perfect spot to get her win. Before she can really start training, her small town receives some new inhabitants: Fisher and his teenage niece. Fisher moves in to the small cottage that Sage lives next to, and when the two cross paths, sparks begin to fly. Fisher has some problems of his own: his niece is angry over the loss of her mother and is taking it out on him. However, Sage's fun and sweet personality wins her over and helps Fisher develop a relationship with his niece. Along the way, Sage and Fisher fall in love and start to train for the summer competition.

This was a sweet book, but I felt like it was missing something that I can't put my finger on. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

There’s just something about a book with characters learning to love their life for me. Fisher is grieving and trying to find a way back to himself but a healthier version of himself. Sage and him understand each other and their banter made me laugh out loud multiple times. Sage was a breath of fresh air, she lived her life her way with what brought her joy and I loved seeing that. The small town setting just takes it up a notch. Nosy townsfolk , funny history lessons, and town traditions made the setting so real. I appreciated the lessons that each character was learning about life throughout the book. The writing captured the characters and their emotions perfectly and I couldn’t put this book down. Fisher and Sage complimented each other so well and I loved seeing them get the care they deserved.

TARAH! This book was so lovely. I love the strangers to friends to lovers trope apparently?? Fisher and Sage gave me all of the feels. The banter was on point, the yearning was on point, the tears I cried were on point. So excited for everyone to meet the cast of characters in Spunes!

I’ll admit it took me a bit to get sucked into the story. Had to restart a few times but this story was warm and cozy like a hug on a rainy day. I loved the characters and the dynamic with the main characters and each other as stand alones. I love it when a book has the potential to have a sequel with another set of characters. I don’t know why I waited so long to break in Tarah but I’m glad I have more to dive into on my shelves. 4.75 out of 5 for me.

𝘚𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳 𝘐𝘵 follows Fisher - a highly accomplished, yet recently unemployed chef escaping the hustle of New York and his kitchen to Spunes, a small town in nowhere Oregon, with his niece as they both grieve her mother.

Sage Byrd has spent her whole life in the same town and she's content but why does it feel like s̶̶o̶̶̶m̶e̶̶o̶̶n̶̶e̶ something's missing?

As the two confide about their grievances and nurture each other's strengths, a love flows that might just bring their smiles back.

- ~ -

Sage and Fisher's story made me nostalgic for a life I haven't lived and a town I've not visited. I applaud the author for creating a town so filled with love and antics I wish I could live there.

I hope we can all find a love as calming as theirs and a million more.

And I know for a fact that Ellis and Wren's story is coming soon and I can barely sit straight because I just know I'll be all up in the feels <3

- ~ -

3.94 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.