I was excited to read this one because I have heard such good things about the author however it didn’t work for me. There was not enough dialogue and too much random sideline stuff going on to be able to emotionally connect to the characters or story line. I felt like I didn’t understand the purpose and just wanted to skim until the two main characters were interacting.
I will say I have seen raving reviews so I would still read if the plot interests or if you are a fan of the author.

I don’t know if I can explain how much I loved this book. I related so much to the fmc, Sage, that it made it a somewhat emotional read, I ugly cried a couple times yet also was laughing out loud. Tarah Dewitt has such a unique way of storytelling, I was immediately sucked in. The characters and plot were unique and (again) relatable and you could truly feel their raw emotions as if you were right there with them experiencing everything.

Please tell me there are some interconnected books coming after this, because I would love to go back to the small town of Spunes, Oregon! I’m already thinking up HEAs for the side characters!

This was my first book by this author and it won’t be my last! I adored falling in love with Sage and Fisher in Spunes. We got a small town romance with an expiration date. He is a chef, only there for the summer to try and get back on his feet after he loses his job and his Michelin star in NY. She has a small life she loves and doesn’t want to leave her farm or her animals. They know it can’t last, but they can’t help but fall anyway. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time.

I loved the forced proximity of them being neighbors, and that they are also training for the town race together. It was a slow burn with some open door spice. The romance was so natural, and pulled you in with the strong emotions of the characters. They both knew they could get hurt if they gave into their feelings and had to separate at the end of the summer, but they also wanted to try and find some bit of happiness for themselves in the present. I loved the theme of staying grounded in the present and living for the moment, because you never know what the future holds.

There was so much acknowledgement of trauma and loss and also healing from it as well. I loved the mental heath normalization in this and the openness of talking about therapy. Fisher lost his sister and so he is also taking care of his niece Indy and adjusting to a new role of being a guardian. Sage had also lost her parents at a young age and has her own hardships from growing up being raised by her brothers. Grief and loss were prominent themes that was handled so well in the book.

Also, did you know Geese mate for life? I do now, and I know that reading about a goose being depressed because his person leaves is what made me cry the most in this book! All the animal companions in this book were such a big part of the story that I fell in love with them all too.

I was a big fan of Funny Feelings, so I was really looking forward to this book. In some ways, it delivered— I loved Sage, and the small town feel, and of course Fisher. I was a little distracted by the double earrings because that’s not my cup of tea, but I was able to overlook it. I also always like an “accidental parent” story- meaning one of the characters inherits a kid they didn’t plan on. However, I do think in this book the author tried to do a little too much out side of the development of the romance- between the festival, all the canoeing and running, the niece and nephew, the sister-in-law and brother-in-law thing…. I’m thinking that maybe she is trying to set up a sequel or two? I just found a lot of it distracting. I would have liked more of the focus on the relationship. That being said, if there WAS a sequel, I would read it. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the e-arc.

Uuuugh Tarah’s books are just the best. I am never able to put into words how much I love her stories and writing. They make me feel so many things. Her characters are flawed and perfect. She writes with so much wisdom and advice I always feel like I left great therapy session.

You know a book will be good when it starts off with a banging playlist! This was my first Tarah DeWitt and I don't think it will be my last. It was cute and spicy. I really loved the small town vibe and setting. The dual POV is also the best. I would love a book with the other characters!

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was so wholeheartedly impressed with this read that I am now on a mission to fall down a Tarah Dewitt rabbit hole. I love that the plot was relatable so that you could connect on any given level. There were no outlandish struggles, no over the top issues, just straight forward and well lived experiences to dig yourself into. And the romance? TOP NOTCH. I was giggling and kicking my little feet constantly. The spice? It was everything I could want. Everything was so immersive and beautifully described that I was a blushing fool even now, hours after finishing. This currently is amongst my top 2 contemporary romance novels. All I have to say is...for the love of god...GIVE ME A SECOND CHANCE ROMANCE FOR ELLIS AND WREN. I need more of Spunes. I need more of it all!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this amazing ARC read!

I’m adding this to my list of books I love by Tarah DeWitt. This book was the perfect mix of thoughtful, sweet, spicy, and meaningful, I’ll be recommending it to so many people!

I didn't care for this book that much. I thought I'd enjoy it because it was a small-town romance set in a location similar to Washington (Oregon), The characters didn't feel fleshed out completely and I couldn't feel the chemistry between the two main characters. I wanted more townfolk meddling, something that's always included in the small-town romances. I will say that I'm not the biggest fan of the fake dating trope unless it's done perfectly and I didn't find that in this book. All in all, I think this book just wasn't my cup of tea, but other people have really enjoyed it so I'd still recommend it for the romance readers to give it a shot.

I think I love small town romances more than anything. Having experienced one myself, I think this book had me a little nostaligic in the best way possible.

I saw a lot of my mutuals posting on goodreads about how much they enjoyed this book and I knew I had to check it out. This is my first book by this author, but certainly will not be my last! The characters are easy to fall in love with like and I appreciate that they were able to communicate and open up to each other. These days, I feel like some romance authors glamorize toxic relationships where the main characters can't communicate AT ALL and then wind up together in some fairy tale ending.

There were also a lot of good life lessons and a beautiful journey towards healing that felt realistic. Fisher's relationship with his niece was pretty stand out and I loved reading about their interactions.

I can't wait to recommend this to my friends in May 2024.

Well done!!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and the author for an eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Highly recommend to romance lovers. I loved the small town setting and that Sage lived on a hobby farm. The animals was one of my favorite parts. I also appreciated that miscommunication wasn't the source of conflict. It's not often that I wish a book was longer, but I felt like we didn't get to go deep enough into the plot points. And the steamy scenes escalated very quickly and were a little jarring to me for that reason. But I loved the characters. They felt very real.

This book was like a really good meal (yes, that is a reference to the fact that Fisher is a chef), I wanted to inhale it and drag it out at the same time, and believe me, this was a book to be savored. Savor it follows Sage and Fisher in the small town of Spunes, Oregon as they fall in love in the most spectacular way.

This book had everything I loved; some tension and bickering, cute little animals, the single-parent trope, and such immense love and adoration from both of them. Everything about this book had me grinning or crying because it was just so sweet. Sage and Fisher were such enigmatic, fleshed-out characters and I loved watching them interact with each other and just bring out the best in one another. I really think that they complemented each other so well, I loved that they did not expect the other to change and just loved each other for who they were completely.

I thought that the writing was beautiful and made you keep reading while also asking you to savor each word and really take in their story. Dewitt created this incredibly memorable small town and I thought that the town and the minor characters each had such distinct voices that just made you fall deeper in love with the town of Spunes and also with Sage and Fisher as she shows him around this town that she loves so much.

I really did not want this book to end and I stretched it out as much as I could. This book was incredible and I honestly just wish there were more of it.

"Savor It" by Tarah DeWitt is a delectable journey into the world of culinary passion and self-discovery. The novel follows protagonist Ava as she navigates life's challenges through her love for food and cooking. DeWitt's prose is flavorful, weaving a narrative that tantalizes the senses with vivid descriptions of dishes and the emotions they evoke. The characters are richly developed, and the story explores themes of resilience, friendship, and the transformative power of pursuing one's passions. "Savor It" is a savory blend of culinary delights and heartfelt moments, offering readers a delicious escape into the joys of savoring life.

I finished this absolute gem in gut wrenching happy sobs. It has been a long while since I took this long to read a book but I did exactly what the title said and I savored it. Sage and Fisher were amazing, their story mixed with all the hard stuff that life throws made me feel like I was living in spunes right alongside them. Plus I loved every single side character that was introduced (I totally need an Ellis and Wren redemption story). I was absolutely enamored and there's literally no other possible rating than 5/5 stars.

Sage and Fisher are are love interests that remind me why I love romance so much. They’re unapologetically human and came off as authentic people that were smitten over each other.
I love how Sage’s mind works. I can’t wait to get a physical copy of this book so I can highlight some of Sage’s dialogue because it felt like she was putting words to feelings I’ve had my entire life.
As we’ve established before, I love the single parent/guardian trope and I love a man that can cook, so Fisher checked multiple boxes for me right off the bat. Romance heroes aren’t always incredibly multifaceted, and while I don’t mind a generically hot love interest, I really appreciated the depth to his character. His anxiety and how he handles it (and doesn’t handle it sometimes) made me feel seen.

Small town romances are usually something i find overdone and therefore not worth my time, but I think Savor It pulled it off perfectly. It was such a cute read and Sage and Fischer's story pulled me in immediately. While I admit I initially only picked this up because I judged it by the cover (it's gorgeous, can you blame me?), I was delighted to find the contents being everything I could ever hope for in a romance novel. No notes, utter perfection.

I am thrilled when I read a book by a new-to-me Author and am completely blown away by how much I love it. Savor It is one of those books for me! Tarah DeWitt completely slays it with this beautiful rom-com that will capture your heart, break it and put it back together again all while keeping you smiling, laughing and turning the pages with wild abandon.

Fisher and Sage are a couple for the ages, both dealing with their own insecurities and demons, finding their way forward and right into each others hearts for what is supposed to be a brief summer fling. Unfortunately, life is never easy nor does it ever go as planned.

Fisher and Sage were so human and relatable, reading their thoughts and feelings made me feel like I was a part of the story and knew them personally. This was no doubt attributable to the excellent writing from the author. My emotions were on overload by the end, tears were running down my face at times and I couldn't wipe the smile off my face at other times. I was left totally blown away by an ending that left my heart bursting. I definitely did what the title suggested and savored it, reveling in all this story offered me. I'm so glad I did. This is one exceptional read that you do not want to miss. If it's not on your TBR list, it should be!

this book was so quirky, cozy, & emotional. sage is so beautifully herself. she is a nurturer at heart and truly spends every second of her life making sure she’s living it filled with joy. i love how sage makes even the little thing feel so monumental. i’ve truly never read a character like hers before.

fisher needed to break out of his funk. things were not going well for him and after being sent to spunes, oregon to help oversee the development of a new restaurant he’s able to let the stresses of life go, fall back in love with cooking, and just breathe again. i loved getting to see him feel more comfortable in his role as indy’s guardian. and seeing indy making friends and discovering her self was everything to me. i think both indy and sage really helped fisher grow.

the most beautiful thing about this book (outside of tarah’s detailed descriptions) was getting to see every single character grow. they all helped each other open up so much. the storyline was so unique and fun but i definitely think this is a character driven book. i really enjoyed all the deep dives we got into the internal monologues of sage & fisher. seeing the way they viewed life and the way they viewed each other was truly beautiful.

i truly enjoyed this one

Fisher and his niece Indy move to a small town in Oregon after escaping drama in New York. Spunes (not to be confused with Forks) is a small town where everyone knows everything about each other. Sage lives near the house that Fisher and Indy are renting for the summer. A high school teacher, Sage grows flowers and tends to a small animal menagerie in the summer. Sage helps Fisher when he can’t track down Indy and an alliance is struck when they realize fake dating could benefit them both. Fisher is only in town until the end of the summer, so can Sage and Fisher make a (fake) relationship work or will they have to be content with savoring their summer?

I absolutely loved Sage and her small menagerie of animals. While Sage has been told that she’s too nice, she resents this because it implies a lack of agency. I loved how Sage had confidence in herself and her choices. Fisher and Sage are the epitome of a grump/sunshine couple, with strong Hallmark themes. Sage and Indy also develop a great relationship; Sage helps give her purpose and grounds her. There’s a strong Gilmore Girls vibe- this is a small town (with town meetings!) where everyone is in each other's business but they always want the best for each other.

I thought Sage’s internal dialogue was hilarious and it quite literally made me laugh out loud. Sage and Fisher make a lot of excellent jokes about Hallmark movies, despite some strong parallels to their meeting and relationship. I appreciated the mental health rep and portrayal of complicated grief. Readers who enjoy grump/sunshine, fake dating, and small town romances will love this book. Savor It is a cozy, warm romance with an excellent heroine. Looking forward to more stories from Tarah DeWitt!

Thank you to Tarah DeWitt, St. Martin’s Griffin, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Instagram, Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc

Tarah is one of my favorite authors and this book just proves that over again. I absolutely fell in love with Sage and Fisher! Their chemistry and respective personal growth was spot on, and this book both broke my heart and put it back together again. Absolutely recommend reading this book!!
Thank you NetGalley for this arc!