This is my first Tarah DeWitt novel.

Small town, Hallmark feel.

The story itself was enjoyable, a deal struck between to people that leads to wanting more.
It was cute and sweet, but lacking.

It was good, not necessarily memorable.

This was very much about grief and self-discovery, but I would say this book lacked a bit of excitement. It was hard for me to connect with this because of the lack of engaging dialogue and depth in the characters and plot. I did really love the amount of communication between the main characters, but overall, I think the book wasn't very gripping.

Loved the small town setting, but sometimes felt more invested in side characters compared to the two leads

It took me three months, but I did it. I finished.

And it’s not that this book was bad — in reality, it was <i>good.</i> It was. Tarah’s writing is beautiful and she comes up with some of the <i>best</i> lines: “<i>I thought being with Fisher would be like cut flowers in a vase. Something lovely I let in, even knowing it couldn’t last forever. The problem is, I messed up and planted him here in all my places. I gave him my dirt, my heart, my home, and now he’s been uprooted again and I’m left with the upturned mess of it all. </i> MY HEART!!!

The problem I had with this book was the pacing. I never felt like I had time to enjoy each place the characters were in. The slow burn was INCREDIBLY slow, though I will admit the emotions I believe I was supposed to feel between the two characters were <i>felt</i>.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC. ✨<i>Savor It</i> released May 21, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book, it’ll definitely be in contention for my favorite romance of the year. This small town romance in Spunes, Oregon was so so charming. The town felt like its own character in the story. The main characters had a genuine connection that was complicated by very real circumstances out of their control. I felt like the conflict was handled realistically and the couple acted with maturity in the mark of a truly great romance novel. I loved the cooking scenes (my only complaint may have been wanting more of them). I will absolutely be recommending this to my audience.

I wish I could give feedback but I am still participating in the boycott of St Martin's Press. I look forward to them doing more to work with influencers of color and diversify the representation in these fields.

I really enjoyed this book - page turner that kept me entertained from the beginning. From the first pages I could feel that author has a plan for this story and every action had been well thought.

I’m giving 4 not 5 starts because I couldn’t dive in fully first 20% in this book, besides that it really amazing storytelling and romance.

This was seriously one of the cutest books, and I was swooning the entire time I was reading it. Everything I could have wanted in a small town romance wrapped up in the perfect spicy summer package. There was so many unique parts about this book from his job and reason for coming into the town, to her obsession with all the animals. I adored it and have been raving about it to all my friends.

My first Tarah book, but definitely not my last.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

𝙎𝙪𝙢𝙢𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙡𝙖𝙨𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧.

📍 Read if you like:
• Summer Romances
• Grumpy/Sunshine
• Fake Dating
• Small Town Settings
• Dual POV

Ahhh this book has been so highly praised from so many of my bookish friends, and there’s a solid reason to it. I honestly didn’t know what to expect going into this book, but oh my, it was exceptionally phenomenal.

I absolutely loved the small town setting in this book and Fisher & Sage were amazing characters. The chemistry between the two was 💋chefs kiss💋

I did a combo of the ebook and audio, both were phenomenal picks. You honestly can’t go wrong with the way you read/listen to this book. I loved every moment of it, it was very heartwarming!

I loved the writing of this story and the themes between grief and healing. This book was splendid! While it didn’t give me the five star feeling, I absolutely loved this cute story!

Thank you so much NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the review copies in exchange for my honest review!

Every now and then you read a book and it touches you in a way that you were not expecting. This was that book for me. It had me all in the feels, feeling giddy inside, and laughing out loud through the whole thing. No notes. It was perfect. My only complaint is that I left it on my TBR for way too long.

We have two characters here that are each going through it. Watching Sadie and Fischer work through their own problems while also finding each other in the process just felt so natural and relatable. When you add in Fischer, who has custody of his niece Indy, coming into his own as a guardian of a teenager, you really have something special here. Don’t get me started on the animals. The goose loving Indy and Fischer bringing home goats was hands down some of my favorite parts of this story.

This story is heartwarming, hilarious, and just feels like a warm hug. I wish I could read it for the first time all over again. Please add this one to your summer TBR pile!

I will forever be reading Tara DeWitt from now on. I can’t wait to see what she is working on for us next!

Fisher is a Michelin-star chef who is going through a career crisis. His boss sends him to a small town on the Oregon coast to help open a new restaurant and find new inspiration. He brings with him his niece who is now in his custody after the death of his sister. His rental home is next door to Sage, who grew up in the small town and knows all the locals and the dynamics of the small-town politics. They strike a deal that Sage will help him navigate the roadblocks his restaurant faces if he will help her partner in the town's annual summer competition. Fisher has plans to return to NYC at the end of the summer and his niece can't wait to experience big city life, but what happens when Fisher and Sage develop feelings along the way?

This was a sweet, small-town romance with lots of food references. Fisher was a well-developed character but I thought the author could have spent more time developing Sage as she fell kind of flat to me. Loved all the animals in the cast of characters.

Overall 3.75/5 rounded up
Spice 2/3

DeWitt is the queen of writing chemistry! She makes us believe in her couples like no other.

Contrary to many contemporary romances, the main character here is the MMC. Fisher's the one who has the biggest journey to go through, from finding himself again in his career to dealing with his grief over losing his sister. On the other hand, Sage's journey isn't that complex but that doesn't take away from her arc. She's an amazing protagonist to follow, and watching her and Fisher fall in love was a gift!

Someone in my book club defined this book as a special romcom episode of The Bear set in Stars Hollow, and THAT'S IT!

Wow. I adored it. What a lovely, heartwarming romance— complete with a swoonworthy small town setting. A+! No notes!

Sage and Fisher are perfection… a slow burn turned wildfire romance, but with MATURE COMMUNICATION. I could cry.

My first Tarah DeWitt novel and I’m now an enormous fan. To the backlist I go…

ɴᴇᴛɢᴀʟʟᴇʏ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ || SAVOR IT [thank you to @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my #gifted digital copy and @macmillan.audio for my audiobook!]

Title: Savor It by Tarah Dewitt
Genre: Romance
Format: Audio
Star Rating: ★★★★☆
Narrator: Karissa Vacker, Zachary Webber
Narration: ★★★★★

ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ:
Sage Byrd, a lifelong resident of Spunes, Oregon, seeks a win after her five-year relationship ends and her ex quickly gets engaged. Enter Fisher Lange, a former NYC hotshot chef, now grieving and responsible for his niece. Sent to Spunes for a sabbatical, Fisher faces challenges with the locals and rumors about his relationship with Sage after a kiss. They form a strategic alliance: Sage will help improve Fisher’s image, and Fisher will be her partner for the town’s annual competition. As their partnership heats up and emotional wounds heal, they find themselves savoring their summer together and dreading its end.

ᴍʏ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛꜱ:
This book - oh, be still my heart. I laughed, I cried, and I could not stop myself from falling in love with Fisher alongside Sage. A friend described this as Abby Jimenez meets The Bear and I think that’s a pretty accurate description (and probably why I enjoyed it so much). I loved how Sage was unapologetically herself and she didn’t care who knew it - and that Fisher was absolutely in awe of her for it. This review is junk, but just read it and you’ll know why I’m speechless.

ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
Small Town Romance
Opposites Attract
Quirky FMC
No Reservations (the movie)
Dual POV
Open Door Romance
Chef MMC
Single Guardian Romance

ᴅᴇᴛᴀɪʟꜱ:
GR: 4.07 ⭐️
# of Pages: 336
Pub Date: May 21, 2024

“It’s been a privilege to fall in love with you, Sage.”

Solid 4.5 ⭐️ This has everything I want in a contemporary romance! Banter, friends to lovers, self discovery and stunning quotes 🫶 I devoured this, it had me giggling and kicking my feet. I even listened to the audiobook after it released and I loved it even more. Tarah is quickly becoming a favorite author!

Some of my favorite quotes:

“But it feels good to speak plainly for once. To worry a little less about making my feelings smaller to spare someone else the discomfort.”

“I don’t know how to defend you from yourself, though, Sage.”

“I think finding the right people—finding your people—can be the thing that makes anywhere feel like home,” I say.”

“Don’t worry so much about the clouds that you miss the flowers at your feet.”

“I just know I’ll never be the same, and want to keep going nonetheless.”

Love is this. Love is breathing. A sweet, deep, aching relief. And it’s somehow even more disorienting.

“That’s my girl, I think. Flexing her courage muscle.”

What to expect:
- Dual POV
- Friends to lovers and fake dating
- Adorable banter that had me giggling
- Gilmore Girls / Stars Hollow small town vibes

Savor It is a cute story about Sage and Fisher, who embark on a journey together to win the summer competition in a little town of Spunes. It's a cute novel that hits all the romance tropes and will leave you wanting more.

I always love reading Tarah's books. She has such a way with her words and characters. I felt so at home in Spunes. This book deals with grief and the unknown. Finding your path in life. All of which I can heavily relate to. The way these topics were talked about and portrayed within the characters made me feel so seen. I definitely teared up a time or two. Fisher and Sage find a connection unlike any other before. I love how they supported and loved on each other. Such a beautiful love story. The perfect summer read. I will read anything Tarah writes.

Savor It is a great summer read for anyone looking for a cozy romance (with some spice). The premise was cute and felt very Hallmark with a small town and all of the expected drama that goes with it. The characters were likable and believable. (Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC)

I loved the focus of being present in your life and really finding happiness where you're at - this was such a charming and cozy book and gave me Hallmark vibes! <3

Wow, I didn’t expect this one to hit so hard. This was definitely an emotional romance. It was fantastic though when I think sometimes the most emotional ones are the ones that stay with you the longest because they leave such an impact I really loved both of the characters and just feel their struggles and they triumph.