I have read all of Tarah DeWitt's books so far! I love her writing style and the stories she tells. This story is about Sage, who lives in a small town named Spunes. A New York City chef (Fisher) moves to town to get his life together with his niece Indy. These two strike a deal to ultimately benefit them both. This turns into a small town romance after they soon realize they have feelings for each other. Though they know that their time together is short, as Fisher and Indy will be returning to New York.

Will their love survive?

This is an amazing strangers to lovers story. I absolutely fell in love with all of the characters in this story and felt that I related well with Sage.

From the cover to the storyline itself, this book was gorgeous. This was an ARC copy, so this book will be available to everyone on May 21st!
This was my first book by Tarah DeWitt and it will not be my last, her writing was so beautiful.
This story follows Sage and Fisher, both of whom are working on their mental health and have dealt with grief in their lives. Trust me when I say that you will feel their emotions through this story. The grief representation in this book was so well done. You witness the characters learn about what they want and need in their lives.
If you’re a fan of books with animals, then you’ll love to know that Sage has tons of animals on her property. As well as gorgeous gardens of flowers, fruits, and vegetables. The scene was set perfectly for this book.
This story also has many unique side characters who each add their own charm to the book.
I think my favorite part though was the banter between Sage and Fisher, they were so funny together and truly brought out the best in each other.
I definitely think you should all add this to your TBR for next year!

Read If You Like:
🪿small town romance
🪿slow burn
🪿next-door neighbors
🪿single guardian MMC
🪿grief representation

I loved Sage and Fisher's story. This book was so good. It had everything you'd want in a small town romance. It was tender, funny and had moments that tugged at your heart. The side characters were good too. Definitely recommend.

What a wonderful book! I am not much of a crier when it comes to romance novels. But this book touched me. Fisher and Sage are just so real. The grief that they share. Old and newer grief (off page previous to book). It made them compelling and complex. The third act breakup happened for a valid reason. Which is really what broke me. I was right there with them. And didn’t know how they would get to there HEA. (Spoiler they do). I read an ARC so there were typos that I am sure will be fixed). But I can’t wait to read more by this talented author. Kudos Tara DeWitt.

This was my first Tarah Dewitt book, and I need to read her others immediately.

This book had me wanting to up and leave to a small town, and take in a ton of misfit farm animals!!

The love story between Sage and Fisher reiterated why I love reading romance. I was laughing out loud at times at their interactions, and all of the sweet puns! There were messages in the monologues that were super relatable and real. The story didn’t feel forced, and I found myself breezing through the pages because I couldn’t get enough. This book was the whole package for me, and my emotions were everywhere. I’m hoping we get more of the Byrd family in the future!!

Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

✨Savor It by Tarah DeWitt✨

“Tell me what you’re thinking,” she says.
That fate is cruel and wonderful. That I am already so twisted up in this maze and don’t want it to wash away. “That you’re very, very beautiful, Sage.” Her color heightens, and it only emphasizes the point.

Sage Byrd & Fisher Lange. She loves animals and carries her heart in her fist. He is a Michelin-starred chef who is visiting the small town of Spunes, Oregon from NYC while raising his teenaged niece, Indy. This story is full of sweet moments, tender moments, and spicy moments. The scene in the library?! YES, CHEF! Savor It will leave you wanting more of Spunes, Oregon and its delightful characters.

🛶 Small town romance
🛶 Dual POV
🛶 Rescue animals
🛶 Compulsive robe buying
🛶 Teacher x chef
🛶 Puns
🛶 Canoe lessons
🛶 Oregon

“I think your laugh could maybe defibrillate me.”

This was certainly a fun, heartfelt, and enjoyable read. While the primary trope was a fake relationship, it also leaned heavily on the found family trope.

Sage was a sweet, and lovable FMC. She was a true ray of sunshine, always on the ready to help someone in need, and basically housing all of the animals and flowers that she possibly could (and more) in her home.

Fisher was an interesting MMC. I wasn't sure how to feel about him at first, but he drew me in around 30%. Once you learned about his background and what he was hoping to accomplish, you knew that there was so much more to him than what was on the surface.

Sage and Fisher started off as a little off-kilter and messy, but once they figured out how they could help each other out, they developed the sort of camaraderie that neither of them had seen coming. But, what was truly remarkable about them was how once they finally realized their feelings for each other, they didn't hesitate to admit them to the other, despite the fact that their time together was ending.

The plot ended up being somewhat predictable, however, it was a lot more realistic than you would've expected from the onset of the story. And this is what made it relatable and truly enjoyable.

3.9 ⭐️

I typically accept only occasional contemporary romance slander but I need you to know that Tarah DeWitt has grown so much as an author and there will be none of that here. Fisher and Sage smacked me across the face with their imperfect situationship and like a heat wave in the Anthropocene, thawed my ice cold heart. I am a puddle of a woman.

It’s 5 stars.

Renowned chef Fisher Lange and his niece take a sabbatical in the quiet coastal town of Spunes, unaware that their lives are about to be forever changed by the charming town and their next-door neighbor, Sage Byrd.

Despite their limited time together during the fleeting summer, Sage and Fisher find themselves unable to deny their attraction. As they spend time healing and finding solace in each other's company, emotions begin to surface.

✨Thoughts✨
This book reminded me of everything I adore about small-town romance. Tarah DeWitt's writing is like a warm, cozy hug capable of stirring every emotion.

One of the aspects I loved about this book was the exceptional maturity displayed by both Sage and Fisher. Their evolving friendship, which blossomed into something much deeper, was a true delight to witness. It was a beautiful connection. And let's not forget about the farm animals and the townspeople that add to the overall charm of the story.

There is an undeniable magic in small-town romances. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to those who enjoy stories about newfound family and friends-turned-lovers.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with the ARC of “Savor It”.

I’ve never read anything by this author prior to this book, but I think I will definitely go looking for more of her books. This book was well written and the characters felt very real. Their emotions, flaws, etc all felt very real. I felt very happy with the ending and very pleased overall. Definitely would recommend.

4.5 stars
Dual POV, fake dating, small town setting.

Fisher is a chef from the city & Sage has a farm and garden in a small town. Also, can we talk about the cover art??! STUNNING!

Sage lives in small town, Nebraska. The story starts when a chef moves in next door with his niece for the summer. He’s been sent to open a new restaurant in town and clashes with some of the nosy locals.

Soon, we find out that the town hosts an annual tournament that includes a boat race as well as trivia. Sage’s ex (who got with her friend: rude!) wins every year. Sage has been studying up and really wants to win this year.

Fake dating starts around the 50% mark: he needs to get in the good graces of the town so construction can resume on the restaurant & she needs a partner for the town competition. Real feelings follow. <3

Many laughs:
A goose bonds to Fisher’s niece, there’s a town busybody, and a three legged cat.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced digital copy!

Tarah DeWitt is an auto-buy for me. I have read every single thing she has published and have not been disappointed. She has a way of creating characters who are flawed, but they feel like real people. They are not perfect, but you are still rooting for them nonetheless. She also has the ability to incorporate laugh-out-loud moments. The banter between her characters is always so fun.

One of the things I like about Tarah’s writing is how she builds the main character’s relationship. To some it might feel slow but it does feel real. I also love that she doesn’t rely on common romance tropes like miscommunication. The couple just has to deal with real life and not some type of forced romance trope.

I loved the setting of this story. A summer romance in a small town. I think many people can connect with the feeling of wanting summer to last forever, but knowing that there is a real end date. The town of Spunes is also so fun and there are a lot of quirky, unique side characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for giving me an ARC copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Savor it? More like devour it! I wanted to take my time because like all Tarah Dewitt books I am transformed/wrecked/hungover (in the best ways possible) after I read them, but I just couldn’t! Her writing is too wonderful: every word feels pondered over and placed with meaning.

I loved how the characters were flawed from their own life experiences but they were willing to improve themselves without wanting to change each other. The relationship between Sage and Fisher was so fun to experience.

Like all romance novels, there’s the promised HEA, but for the life of me, the way Tarah Dewitt writes always makes me question how they’re going to get there, and I LOVE that feeling (the unknown of how they’re going to get there but known that they MUST get there because it’s the genre!).

I would equate this best to Rootbound, my favorite…although Savor It is giving Rootbound a run for its money. I would categorize Tarah Dewitt with authors like B.K. Borison, Amanda Gambill (all whom I love!).

Oh man, this was a difficult read for me. I was excited by the plot line--two characters who are down on their luck and band together to prove naysayers wrong and fall in love in the process. It sounded right up my alley. Then, I started reading and there was just too much going on. So many ancillary characters, plodding storylines, and nothing that I really felt connected to at all.

Fisher is a Michelin starred chef who lost his star and his job when he put a pie in a critic’s face. He’s raising his niece Indy, who lost her mother in a car accident. They head to a small town on the west coast in Oregon for the summer to help get a restaurant on its feet. Insert Sage, who loves her small town and her small farm. She’s avoiding her ex and his new fiance, and she reaches Fisher from her brothers - accidentally on purpose. Sparks fly between them, but it’s also a slow burn. Yes Yes Yes.

The puns were so good - made me laugh out loud. Sweet moments were sweet as hell.

This is my new Roman Empire. I’m in love with both Sage and Fisher and I loved Indy and the animals too. I cried and cried and cried. I am pretty sure I highlighted half of the book on my kindle. I need a physical copy for my shelf. I need it like I need air. The kisses 😮‍💨🔥🤌🏻 the sexual tension 😏🥵😏 the declarations of love 🥰😍🩷. The epilogue!? I’m done y’all. I can’t anymore.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved Funny Feelings by Tarah Dewitt, so I was excited to jump into her latest book. For some reason, I had trouble getting into it—and at points, I was tempted to DNF. The first third of the book was a bit slow and a bit overwritten at parts.

Sage and Fisher’s characters kept me going, and I’m glad I didn’t give up. I loved the realness of them and thought Dewitt’s portrayal of grief was very realistic.

I did like the small town setting, but it was a bit too quirky for me at points (Bert and Ernie may have been a step too far). It seemed like a distraction from the MCs, which is what I liked the most about the book.

Ultimately, I think this was a good romcom that could benefit from some editing.

Read if you like:
🩵 Small town romance
🩵 Grumpy and sunshine

Thanks so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the eARC! Be sure to read this book when it comes out on 5/21/24!

3.5 stars because the beginning was slow for me (i’m in a reading slump) but by 50% I was invested! i only wish the angst was more drawn out for fisher and sage. very short and sweet read even when involving deep topics!

I love that I could see into her mindset and read exactly what she was feeling when she thought out situations. Her thoughts flowed well and moved the book along very quickly. Cassandra's narrative voice is wonderful. She is serious at times, but also very witty, which makes for an engaging read.

Tarah once again gives us relatable leads who I want to root for. I was instantly invested in Sage and Fisher - both are written as beautifully flawed and human.

I love that there was an emphasis on trying, trying to be better and do better, even if you aren’t always successful.

The setting and side characters were endearing and interesting, and I finished the book wanting more of Spunes - especially Wren and Ellis.

Tarah Dewitt is an auto-read author for me. Since falling in love with Fee and Meyer in Funny Feelings, I have felt such a strong connection with Dewitt's writing style and humor. It's rare that a book literally makes me laugh-out-loud, but Dewitt manages to do just that every single time I read one of her stories.

Savor It perfectly balances the tough stuff with laughter, joy, banter, and growth. The characters (of both the human and animal variety) were beautifully developed, the pacing felt *just* right, and I was truly rooting for the main characters to fall in love.

Thank you, Tarah, for this beautiful story. Thank you, Netgalley, for the opportunity to read it. I loved every minute of it and can't wait to see it on reader's shelves on pub day.