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.

Absolute Perfection.

This is Tarah’s best work yet, I was deep in my feelings for this one, so many tears shed. I swooned so hard not only for these two but also for the town of Spunes.

Wonderful non problematic love story with the most amazing setting and supporting cast.

5 enthusiastic stars

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Sage Byrd’s life takes a turn when her long-term relationship ends, and her ex, Ian, quickly becomes engaged. Eager to prove herself and put Ian in his place, Sage sees an opportunity in the Festival of Spunes, the town's annual summer event. To participate, she needs a partner. Enter Fisher Lange, a former hotshot chef from New York City grappling with grief and responsibility for his teenage niece, Indy. Sent to Spunes for a summer sabbatical to consult on a restaurant opening, Fisher's clashes with the locals threaten his chance at redemption. A strategic alliance with Sage, sparked by a kiss and fueled by a deal, is formed. As their arrangement transforms into steamy rendezvous, emotional healing ensues, and they attempt to savor each moment. However, the fleeting nature of summer becomes apparent, prompting Sage and Fisher to confront the passage of time and their evolving feelings.

This is one of the best contemporary romance novels I have read this year. Sage and Fisher were breathtakingly easy to fall in love with. And Spunes? Sage’s sunroom? The meadow? The robes? The DUCK? 13/10. Tarah DeWitt’s character development was so well executed. Though Sage and Fisher really do not change fundamentally at all throughout the story, they do grow to love and accept themselves in a healthy way. The best part? They communicate well and often. It was tropey without being too tropey, sexy without trying too hard, and perfectly seasoned with enchanting details. I enjoyed every second I spent with this book.

4.5 stars

Tropes:
-small town
-foodie
-neighbours
-slow burn


I will admit, in the past, I have found all of Tarah Dewitt’s other books to be very unique, and this one wasn’t quite as unique. Which explains why I took off half a star. I think I was expecting more unique, this felt very familiar, but not in an annoying way. I still really liked it!

It still had such a great romance though! I really felt like I could feel the love between Sage and Fisher, especially near the end. I loved Sage’s animals. I loved how Fisher put Indy first even when he didn’t want to. Overall, just very heartwarming!

I’m really hoping we get more books set in Spunes, all the characters who live in the town were so wonderful!

This book was an absolute dream! Tarah has such a beautiful way with words that makes you connect deeply to her characters. I was rooting for Sage and Fisher from the beginning. Complete with a cast of delightful side characters (whose stories I already want to know), this book has the perfect balance of heart and heat.

Absolutely loved it!!! Such a cute story and I could not put this book down! Tarah's books always bring me such joy and I fell so hard for Sage & Fisher!

This small town/fake dating story was perfect and I am also a huge sucker for an adoption trope! The relationship between Fisher, Sage and his niece was so precious. I laughed, I cried, and I never wanted this story to end. Highly recommend!

Tarah’s specialty is articulating indescribable thoughts and feelings through monologues that make me think, “me too” word for word. I always love her romances without a doubt, but the part of her writing that truly grips my attention is the messages beyond shared love that make me analyze my own mind and experiences.

Savor It felt like a taste of Summer again. The reminder of warmer days and all the waves you go through before the leaves start to fall once more. Sage and Fisher develop a fun dynamic during their short time together. It was ease reading their connection grow effortlessly with such vulnerability, honesty, and emotion. The maturity Tarah’s characters convey are always so refreshing.. like wow this is what it is suppose to be like.

Tarah Freaking DeWitt, you’ve done it again, and have quickly become my favorite author in this genre.

Rom-com books are a dime a dozen, even reasonably well-written ones. They follow their beats: girl meets guy, eventually, they hit it off, there’s some conflict or another that threatens the relationship, but it gets resolved and everything ends with a ‘happily ever after’.

There are a few authors, however, that imbue these familiar plotlines with as much emotion and meaning as Tarah DeWitt. I know that anything she writes will stick with me for a while; haunt me in the best way.

Staying on theme, it’s like this: You can eat at McDonald’s. Hell, you might even be craving McDonald's, and when you eat there, you’ll be fed. But you won’t be nourished in the same way you’d be if you ate a four-course meal. This book nourished something in my soul. A solid five stars.

Full disclosure: I received an advanced reader copy of this book through NetGalley, but I will happily buy it when it comes out (and recommend that others do as well.)