Some fine-tuning of the voice here and there would be nice, but the story was beautiful and Sage and Fisher are both messy and beautiful and I love them. Loved the parts with Indy, and I’m crossing my fingers that we see more Spunes people in coming books??
Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy!

Rating: 3/5
Warnings: workplace burn out, death of a parent
Steam: 3/5

Thank you to SMP and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

~and this is a VERY honest opinion~

I'm giving Savor It a 3-star rating overall, breaking down to 2.5 stars for the initial 70% and 4 stars for the concluding 30%. And settle on 3 at the end of the day.

Part of me pains to say this because I was so excited for Savor It but I’ll be honest a large chunk of this book as painfully bad. A significant portion of the book was disappointingly choppy, leaving many loose ends that felt incomplete. I found myself frequently going back to reread sections, only to discover missing pieces or thoughts without a clear origin.

Here are my other qualms:

Despite the premise involving an MMC with guardianship over his niece, the actual depiction of their relationship was surprisingly minimal. More emphasis on Fisher building a connection with Indy or even exploring their past could have added depth to the narrative.

There were an overwhelming number of side characters, it’s like Stars Hallow exploded and I needed a map to know who was who. While I understand the intent of world-building for a potential series, it consumed a substantial amount of page time with minimal impact.

The storyline involving the two main characters preparing for a competition lacked cohesion, with references to two of them during a separate part of the competition left unexplored…where was our cooking competition and trivia portion?

On a positive note, there were some really sweet parts and I really loved the last bit. The foodie parts where excellent. And Wren and Ellis need a story, I’m more interested in them that I was Sage and Fisher.

I had pretty high expections of the author after Funny Feelings but I'm unsure if it was a fluke of perfection, as this one, fell short in several aspects.

This was a cute romance that dealt with loss, guardianship, and grief. It's my first book by the author, and it was a good small-town read with funny farm animals, a chef mmc, and a sweet fmc. The mmc Fisher was a well-known and talented chef but lost his job after a blowout with a food critic. He is the guardian of his niece and goes to Sage, the fmc small town, for a summer job. Sage and all her farm animals help Fisher get to know the town and help him find his love for cooking and creating food again. I loved how the relationship developed it was a slow burn, and the author spent a lot of time developing the main characters' relationship. I also loved the farm animals and the chef plot. The food was described in such a way that made me a little hungry lol. The beginning was a bit slow, and I wanted more from their relationship at times, but overall, this was a good read that I would recommend. Thank you to the publisher for this arc for an honest review.

Read if you like:
- Small-town romance
- Slow burn
- Angsty romance
- Guardianship
- Some steamy scenes
- Fake dating
- Opposites attract
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Next door neighbors

Thanks so much for the arc!

Sage Bryd lives in a small town in Oregon. Her next door neighbors rent out their house to a man a teen girl. The man turns out to be Fisher Lange. He’s temporarily living here to help a restaurant get off the ground, as he’s a chef.

This book was full of small town feels. Sage had all the animals- her brothers were the local police- there were nosey ladies- a charming library- town hall meetings. Of course the small town elders were not a fan of Fisher starting some new restaurant. This is when he must enlist the help of Sage to win them over. In the meantime she recruits him to be her partner in the town festival competition. They must train to row & cook something.

Throughout their journey of figuring out who they each are & their purpose they find peace in each other. Fisher is raising his difficult teenage niece (who also happens to be a big fan of Sage’s nephew). Watching Fisher and Sage fall in love was sweet. They have some hurdles to cross as Fisher is only here temporarily.

Sage gave me old-lady vibes. She lives in this old house and feeds all these animals. She wears corny “pun” filled t-shirts. She gardens & doesn’t seem to have a filter when she talks. I guess I struggled to relate to her. I didn’t love the random terrible migraine bit or the hospital emergency situation. They felt rushed and only placed in the story for a challenge. Also the word “savor” was used way too many times. This book gave Hallmark movie feels. It all seemed a bit unrealistic. I don’t think I’m the right audience for this. I love a good rom-com but this was too Hallmark for me.

4.5 Stars

Savor It was my first read by Tarah DeWitt, and I'll definitely be coming back for more. Summer romances with an "expiration date" are not usually my preferred trope for a rom-com, but Tarah hit every note with polish, even if the path to the characters' happily ever after was a little predictable.

Ultimately, what makes this book special is that it has a lot of heart. Sage and Fisher both feel like very fleshed out, real characters, struggling with similar feelings of grief in different ways. Many of their conversations together had me welling up with tears. The larger cast of characters also feel very well thought out. I really enjoyed Sage and Fisher's interactions with Sage's family and with Fisher's niece, Indy.

The things that made this not a full 5 stars for me are all subjective and matter of personal taste when it comes to tropes. I'd definitely recommend this heartwarming read to anyone who loves a good summer romance!

This was such a cozy love story and pretty emotional too! I really like this book. It was able to pull you in with both the romance and the characters themselves. I love it when the romance is just as intriguing as the character development. This was great!

"Savor It" by Tarah DeWitt is a delightful romcom that brings together two individuals grappling with personal challenges in the picturesque coastal town of Spunes, Oregon. Sage Byrd, a small-town girl with a love for her quirky hobby farm, and Fisher Lange, a former hotshot chef from New York City dealing with grief and a loss of passion for his craft, find themselves in proximity as neighbors for the summer.

The storyline, while entertaining and filled with fun and passionate twists, follows a predictable trajectory. As early as page three, the reader can foresee the inevitable romance blossoming between Sage and Fisher. The familiar small town versus big city lifestyle dynamic adds a charming backdrop to the narrative, akin to a spicy Hallmark movie translated into the written form.

Sage, having recently ended a five-year relationship with the town's golden boy, Ian, is in need of a win to prove her worth and shake off the pitying looks from her fellow townsfolk. The Festival of Spunes presents the perfect opportunity, and she requires a partner. Enter Fisher, a chef seeking redemption and a fresh start after losing his Michelin star and his love for cooking.

Their strategic alliance, born out of a deal to navigate town dynamics and win the festival, evolves into steamy rendezvous. As they work together to improve Fisher's image and overcome obstacles, emotional wounds begin to heal, and a genuine connection develops. The summer romance unfolds with a mix of spicy summer fun, small-town charm, and a dose of Big Feelings.

The characters, including the misfit animals on Sage's hobby farm, are entertaining and would undoubtedly be fun companions for a day on the farm. However, the overall predictability of the storyline might leave some readers craving a bit more complexity and surprise.

Despite the predictability, Tarah DeWitt skillfully weaves a tale that captures the essence of summer love and healing. "Savor It" is an enjoyable read, offering a cozy escape into a small-town world where love, laughter, and redemption unfold against the backdrop of the Festival of Spunes. If you're in the mood for a spicy romantic comedy with a touch of small-town charm, this novel is sure to hit the sweet spot.

Ummmmm… Hello. Tarah DeWitt has done it again. I’ve read her all books but Savor it tops the list.I always enjoy myself reading her books, but Sage and Fisher’s love story is so wonderfully tender.

At its core, it’s a story of deciding what life you want to live. Of making choices that leave you full and content. Of choosing people that do the same. Of ultimately constructing the reality that suits your fancy. And the characters did just that. It was a gift to peer into their lives.

Kooky Coastal small town vibes meets sexy chef. What more could you ask for?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Tarah DeWitt for creating this small town masterpiece , St.Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for the arc! I can guarantee people are going to be blow away.

Two individuals, each dealing with their own demons, get brought together in proximity (neighbors) for the summer & as predicted from page three of this story, they fall in love. The characters are entertaining & would definitely be fun to hang out with for a day on the farm, but overall, the storyline was incredibly predictable.
Savor It by Tarah DeWitt is pretty much a spicy Hallmark movie in the written form. Small town vs. big city lifestyle & all the fun, passionate twists along the way.
Thank you, #NetGalley, for the ARC & I do hope to read more Tarah DeWitt soon.

Synopsis
Fisher's job is moving him from a big city to a small town, where he meets Sage. Fisher is the single Uncle of his teenage niece after a family tragedy and is learning to navigate parenthood while juggling his career as a chef.

Sage, the bright-eyed, fabulous sunshine welcomes her new neighbor, Fisher and his niece, Indy. Fisher has been through a lot over the last several years, developing a tough exterior. That's until he meets Sage and starts taking her sage advice.

This was more of a Hallmark-level book than an HBO Max-level book.

I prefer not to reveal too many tropes, as requested by my followers.

My Opinion
This is a feel-good, sweet book about overcoming loss and leaning on a support system. I found the slow burn to be appropriate, but there were times that I felt the two main characters were best friends and not lovers. This was a great story, but I would love to read more spice between the characters to show they were more than just best friends.

I did find there were unnecessary chapters, creating filler. I prefer a story that is captivating with every word and during every chapter.

Overall, I will be recommending this book to my audience and recommend to others. However, I will not be re-reading this book, myself.

Rating
4/5 stars. I enjoyed the book and will recommend to my audience.
2/5 spicy pepper emojis. Few spicy scenes and were very brief.

Small town romance fans rejoice!!! Single caregiver fans take note! Let me introduce you to your next favourite romance with heart, a feast for the senses, and all of the small town feel-good-ness of Stars Hollow.

This book!!! Small town romance mixed with grief and life’s other many challenges. I laughed. I cried. One of the most relatable romances I’ve read. I loved Sage and Fisher’s story so much. Also, 🌶️🌶️🌶️.

3.5⭐️

This was a small town romance book that hit all the marks. The great chemistry between our FMC and MMC along with all the side characters. I loved all the animals too.

Also I want to see a book on Ellis and Wren ASAP!

3.5 stars rounded up.

I've read all of Tarah Dewitt's books (except her holiday one), and I think Savor It is her best yet. I loved the setting of a small town in coastal Oregon, and Sage was a super sunshiney heroine to out grumpy chef hero Fisher. This has found family, meddling brothers, fake dating, and lots of yummy cooking. Oh, and farm animals aplenty! Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC for my honest review.

Well written steamy love story that makes you think about relationships with others. Great story. I loved the small town setting and dilemma involved with it. Good depth to the characters as well.

Everything Tarah DeWitt writes sparkles with so much love and beauty and characters that feel real, and Savor It absolutely continues that trend. Sage and Fisher’s story is everything I want in a romance and more: a gorgeous location, natural and realistic character development, and incredible side characters (including the animals).

WOW Tarah does it again!!! This book made me swoon so hard while kicking my feet in the air. It also talks about experiencing all the difficult things and made me absolutely attached to the characters. I could NOT put this book down. The plot? Perfect. The characters? Incredible. The romance? SWOON.

I loved it all. Highly recommend.

Tropes: small town romance, closed proximity, friends with benefits arrangement, expirationd ate
4⭐️
2🌶️

Big city boy finds himself in a small town in this delightful new book by Tarah DeWitt.

These characters have insecurities, struggles to work through, worldly desires, to sum it up they are human.

While Fisher is struggling with burnout at work and anxiety over guardianship of his niece, Sage feels out of place in her own town.

What you'll find in reading this book is a delightful small town, with characters full of depth, interesting secondary characters (I hope there's a book for Wren and Ellis) and a romance that develops naturally (and lots of endearing animals).

While reading, I did feel that it was a bit longer than strictly necessary, but didn't drag on either.

I was really looking forward to the story, because I’ve enjoyed other novels from the same author. The story started off really dynamic, and I sped through the first half, but I struggled to stay connected with the characters of the story continued. Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

One of my absolute FAVORITES of 2023. What a book! It's my first by Tarah but it won't be my last. I need to go through her entire catalog now.

There is something so special about how Tarah writes. I had an instant connection to all her characters. She is absurdly witty and relatable. It feels like I'm reading a journal written by my best friend (if my best friend was an incredible author with a heart of gold).

Will be recommending this for the foreseeable future to anyone who will listen.