This book was such a fun time and so cute! The perfect small town romance that you will not be able to put down. Love all the character and the pacing was perfect. I will definitely recommend!

4! Savor It is a heartwarming small-town romance set in the picturesque coastal town of Spunes, Oregon, told through the dual perspectives of Sage Byrd and Fisher Lange. Sage, recovering from a public breakup, finds her life intertwined with Fisher, a Michelin-starred chef from NYC who is seeking a fresh start while caring for his grieving niece. Their slow-burn romance, initially a strategic arrangement, deepens as they navigate themes of grief, loss, and self-doubt with authenticity and sensitivity. The well-developed secondary characters and enchanting setting add to the story's charm, making it a deeply moving and satisfying read. This book beautifully handles emotional complexities and leaves a lasting impression with its realistic portrayal of love and healing.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This sounds like it would’ve been about 4 stars, but it was ultimately a DNFfn (dnf for now) but not for any negative reasons, just because I read something really similar recently, and the two storylines sort of clash in my head and I couldn’t make any progress (weird I know). I love the idea of this, and I plan to revisit it in the future! I enjoyed the author’s style and look forward to more books from them in the future!

Thanks for the ARC!

I WILL NOT BE POSTING THIS ON ANY REVIEW WEBSITES UNTIL ST. MARTIN'S PRESS SPEAKS OUT ABOUT ITS MARKETING DEPARTMENT'S RACIST RHETORIC

3.25 stars.

I was genuinely very disappointed with this book. It was sweet, and it had Tarah DeWitt's signature charm, but it was kinda...... bland. Like, there was no *oomph* that kept me coming back for more like her other books do. My feelings aren't strong enough to say much else one way or the other.

A beautiful, touching, and heartfelt summer romance. I loved the way the book seems like it’s just funny and a good time but once you’re done you realize how deep and moving the story truly was. There was so many things packed into this story, dealing with grief, starting over, learning about life, and so much more.

“Flowers might fade but I think I’ll enjoy them while they’re here”

Tarah DeWitt is such a darn QUEEN! All of her books have the perfect mix of romance, humor, and emotion which makes her one of my autobuy authors. This book is my new favorite by her, and I couldn't be more obsessed!

Love love love all of Tarah Dewitt’s books so I was ecstatic to get an ARC of her latest book. I really enjoyed Savor It and loved following along with Sage and Fisher over their summer in Spunes, Oregon!
 
Savor It follows Sage, a native of Spunes, Oregon. After a breakup with the town’s golden boy, she’s looking to have a memorable summer along with all her rescues (a dog, cat, horse, geese, etc.) and take care of her neighbor’s house and its new renter. Enter Fisher, renowned chef and guardian to his teenage niece. Fisher needs a change and his boss sent him to help set up a new restaurant in Spunes. When he meets Sage, he’s both attracted to her and a little on edge with her kind and helpful personality. When she agrees to help him with recipes and to get on the good side of the townmembers, he agrees to help her try to win the annual Festival of Spunes. Obviously, sparks fly, and this book is full of the classic Tarah Dewitt humor and steam. I loved it so much and can’t wait for her next book!

I don’t have words good enough to express how much I love this book. I actually started reading it a while ago and had to stop because I didn’t want it to end.

I loved all of it, from the small town to the quirky animals. Most of all, seeing characters finally find their place together and in the world. The relationship between Sage and Fisher felt so natural, they brought out the best in each other while also appreciating the worst. Their communication was a joy to see and I felt their chemistry from the second they met.

Indy was a highlight for me too, she made me cry more than once and I’m so happy with how she evolved throughout the story.

Such a beautiful book, my favourite from Tarah as of now.

This was a cute dual POV romance with all the usual small town / etc tropes. Unfortunately it was a miss for me as it set up for big emotions but never really delivered on them. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advance copy.

When Fisher Lange's culinary career takes a plummet and his only chance to pick up the broken pieces is to help put together a new menu for his boss' new start up restaurant, he takes his chances and head out to the small town of Spunes. In this quirky little land of nowhere, Fisher meets Sage Byrd, his neighbour for the summer and the one that's about to rock his world. Sage is a typical small town girl that loves her animals of all kinds, wears her heart on her sleeve and loves with her whole being. She's still working to move on from her last breakup and seeing Fisher appear before her, a summer fling could be the answer to her current problems. There's so much wrong going on for both Fisher and Sage that it perhaps they can get one thing right by just being with each other, even if it's temporary and messy.

This is my first novel I've read from Tarah Dewitt and it was extraordinary in many ways. I enjoyed how Fisher and Sage were both characters with so much emotion and feelings, both communicating with each other the best ways they could and helped one another with their issues in genuine manners. I loved Indy and think she's one of my favorite kid characters ever, side characters and all. The hard topics addressed in this story was done well and balanced with humour, small town goodness and heart. It's a romance but also a story about trying to fit in, trying to find oneself and just overall trying in life.

What really sucked for me was I seriously couldn't get into the love aspect of this one. Fisher and Sage were great people, but I honestly didn't fall or buy into their love. They behaved more like friends rather than lovers or FWB for more than half the book and the only time I did love them as a couple (If I can even count it as that) was the last two or three chapters? It felt like a slow burn that didn't have enough angst for me, and when it appeared it felt like it teetered on and off. I hate admitting this but that's probably why I couldn't love this book otherwise.

I am happy to finally read something from this author and do eventually want to read her backlist!

Special thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing a digital reviewer's copy in exchange for my honest opinions of this book!

Quick Summary: A rich and savory romance

My Review: Savor It by Tarah DeWitt is a contemporary romance fiction novel that was released on May 21, 2024.

About the Book: A down on his luck chef and his grief stricken niece temporarily relocate to Spunes, Oregon. Before they get a chance to fully settle in, they find themselves unexpectedly accosted by local policemen, a questionably clad and extremely colorful neighbor, various animals, and a host of community personalities. Although the goal was for them to simply spend the summer in a home away from home, they soon find more than they bargained for.

About the Characters:

Fisher -> Michelin-starred chef who suffers a professional loss, grieving, hesitant caregiver who is trying to do what is right by his niece, broken by life's challenges, seeking his most authentic self/identity

Sage - > Teacher who marches to the beat of her own drum, colorful and quirky, able to see others clearly but not so much herself, caretaker in nature, searching for something special

Indy - > Angsty teen who is hurting due to a significant loss, scared of settling, broken but secretly wanting not to be, emotionally raw

Wren - > Business owner, best friend and confidant, history of heartbreak

Ellis - > Older sibling, law enforcement, had to wear the mantle of responsibility early on in life, history with sister's best friend

Sam - > Teen nephew of Sage, honorable, willingness to help when asked, patient


My Favorite Scenes (coded, so as to avoid spoilers):

- 4 A.M.

- Mating for Life: Goose Tales

- Saving & Savoring at the Library

- Canoe Lessons

- Playing to Win

- The Journal

My Final Say: This charming story explores three distinct relationships - that of uncle (Fisher) to niece (Indy), that of niece (Indy) to neighbor (Sage), and that of neighbor (Fisher Lange) to neighbor (Sage Byrd). It is a story where those who are lost become the found, where those who are hurting become the healed, and where those who are willing to love find love.

Other: There are sweet lessons and sage advice sprinkled throughout the pages of this book that readers will find most endearing. Although this novel seems to be a standalone, there is definitely more there that can be developed. Spunes and its residents sneak up on you and steal your heart, to be sure. Most assuredly, I will be on the lookout for more.

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status/Level: 🍬💛💌💬
Cover: +

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin), and to NetGalley. Thank you for granting access to this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own and have been voluntarily submitted.

[𝙱𝙾𝙾𝙺 𝚁𝙴𝚅𝙸𝙴𝚆]
𝑺𝒂𝒗𝒐𝒓 𝑰𝒕 𝒃𝒚: 𝑻𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒉 𝑫𝒆𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒕
𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: ⭐️4/5 🌶️3/5
𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁: 1st Person Dual POV, Grumpy x Sunshine, Opposites Attract, Small Town, Single Guardian, Close Proximity, Girl Next Door, Fake Dating, Slow Burn, Banter, Quirky Farm Animals
𝗧𝗪𝘀: Mentions of Loss of a Loved One, Career Burnout

This was an amazing reminder of how Tarah is masterful with her humor! I loved the wit, banter, and deadpans - it was perfect.🥰 The characters were lovable and interesting. I loved the farm animals and their quirkiness 😂 they definitely brought this book to life in addition to the wonderful description of the landscapes around Spunes and its quirky small town residents.

Fisher is one of those MMCs that have a subtle sexiness to them. He’s one of the quiet ones 😏 and I love how refreshing that feels. We can also appreciate a man who knows when to seek help - i love that he takes the initiative to do therapy. His relationship with Indy is what you would expect. It was realistic and evolving. As for Sage, she was the star of the show! Her compassion, kindness and ability to see the light in any situation is what will draw you to her.

The slow burn between Sage and Fisher was really good. I also loved how they were very upfront about the circumstances of their relationship and how they accepted it and chose to live in the moment. The maturity that was given to our MCs was captivating - we can only wish that this is how people are in real life.

This book was very enjoyable and refreshing! Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC opportunity.

Set during the summer in the small town of Spunes, OR, this is a story full of emotion, delightful charm, and spice. This is a book that made me forget I was reading. I couldn’t put it down and just adored the writing and the characters!

Some of my favorite aspects of this book were the raw vulnerability and honesty that Sage and Fisher showed each other. They both have grief and loss that they continue to navigate and I loved how they handled that together. They had great chemistry, amazing banter, and the mutual pining was 🤌🏼!

Fisher was one of those grumps who cared deeply for his people and made room for their feelings. Sage was such a bubbly sunshine character and I want to be friends with her and her little horde of rescued animals!

𝐕𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐬:
•small town
•forced proximity (neighbors)
•the sweetest hobby farm
•grumpy/sunshine
•chef MMC
•single guardian
•friends with benefits
•dual POV

If you enjoyed 𝙄𝙣 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙚𝙙𝙨 by B.K. Borison, give this one a try as well!!

Savor It is a charmer of a book. The perfect read for a lazy afternoon while summer comes and warms us up, Tarah DeWitt did a wonderful job with this unexpected kind of love story. Both Sage Byrd and Fisher Lange are feeling stagnant in vastly different ways yet somehow their sudden friendship of sorts allows them to seek a way to feel unstuck, both together and in the privacy of their own thoughts. The Michelin-starred chef is now sole guardian of his niece Indy and as they trek across the country to the small town of Spunes, Oregon, what they find is exactly what they both needed even if it took more than 8 weeks to realize it.

The sleepy town of Spunes is full of fabulous characters and DeWitt uses them beautifully. I loved watching as Fisher felt completely out of his element yet couldn't quite help his curiosity as to why so many would want to stay in such a close-knit community when a whole world was waiting to be explored. But the more time he spends with his wonderful neighbor Sage shows Fisher that despite all of his worldly ways that he still had plenty to learn when it came to living a life that could be fulfilled in a myriad of ways.

Sage is a wonder. Such a giving person who can't help but feel inadequate when it comes to matters of the heart as well as forever needing a push to want more than just her current existence. I loved her menagerie of unwanted animals, the town's vet's first person called when yet another creature needed saving. Sage cares with her whole heart whether for her bestie Wren, her nephew Sam, her decidedly incorrigible brothers or her 3 and 4-legged friends. She deserves someone who will love her as is and with Fisher she finds just that but for how long?

A summer never seems like enough as the days and weeks go by and I could sense the feeling of dread as Fisher and Sage become closer than they ever planned. But again, those pesky feelings were all of sudden hard to dismiss and I could only hope that there would be some way that these two caring souls could find a common ground between the bright lights of New York City and the sweet town of Spunes.

With plenty of wit including many adorable puns, I really enjoyed Savor It and to be honest, I took the title quite literally by taking my time in reading this well-written book. I'm glad I took the chance on this new-to-me author and I won't hesitate to read her again in the future.

4 big stars!

Savor It was one of my favorite books so far this year, I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to receive an ARC! Honestly, I just loved this book so much.

What I loved:

Since everything is too broad, I’ll try to get specific here:

- I loved Fisher. I loved his personality, his dedication to Indy and his heart! Major book boyfriend goals, in my opinion!
- Sage is a literal ray of sunshine. Just listening to her sage advice made me happy .
- The small town setting of Spunes. I love a small town romance and this one is perfect.
- I am fighting the urge to reread this book already. I know it’s going to be a major comfort read for me!
- The banter between August and Natalie! It was just so perfect and kept me entertained.
- I feel like there was a lot of character development in this one both with Sage and Fisher.

If you’re in the mood for a small town romance, definitely definitely give this one a try!

Read if you like: fake dating, small-town romance
-
This book was so good and is perfect for summer. Sage and Fisher seem like an unlikely match, but when Fisher comes to Sage's small town to consult on a new restaurant, they pretend to be dating to make things easier for the two of them. They can't deny their chemistry, but Fisher is leaving at the end of the summer.
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Sage and Fisher were so cute together. They had great chemistry and the tension was done so well. I really liked reading from both perspectives and couldn't stop reading!

“Welcome to Spunes, Oregon. (Not to be confused with Forks, Washington.)”

This book is interesting because while it’s a little “Hallmark-y” the characters are well aware of this and either embrace it or ridicule it mercilessly. Personally, I found this kind of charming. I liked that although many of the townsfolk filled stock small town roles, they all had their own flair. There’s one part where Sage is called the town’s golden girl and she vehemently disputes this charge. I liked her arguments for why she has adopted her personal worldview and owns her own choices. She may be Miss Sunshine, but she’s no manic pixie dream girl. On the flip side, Fisher may be a hotshot big city chef, but he has some very valid reasons for resenting small towns.

I also appreciated all the puns. I mean, there’s a three-legged cat named Legolas. That’s top-tier word play if you ask me.

This is a romcom, but there are definitely some serious themes and moments. Specifically, death and/or injury of family members. Also, there is one scene where a character has a minor meltdown over a goose, and not gonna lie, I teared up a little.

This was such a great storyline that was unique and it while it wasn’t a single dad trope, it was more of a single uncle trope, which, honestly, is kind of even better.

The spice was perfect along with the storyline and the balance of “I need you” and “I can’t allow myself to have you” was delicious.

I highly recommend this book and if you love a good small town romance, I REALLY recommend it!

There was no savoring this, just the need to keep listening. 💜

I started this one evening & then had to stay up & finish it. It is SO GOOD.

I loved every minute of this. And now all I want is to live in a small town on the Oregon Coast on a hobby farm with a handsome chef.

Special thanks to @macmillan.audio for the ALC.

Small Town, fake dating,summer fling and lots of adorable pets. If any of those appeal to you then this book is for you!!!

Savor it follows Sage and Fisher who are complete opposites but end up being neighbors for the summer is the small town or Spoons Oregon. Tensions rise and the two of them find themselves in situations were they could use each others help, so why not start a fake dating bargain!

The writing of the this book was done absolutely well and the story made me laugh, cry and blush. The only issue I had was it was a bit slow and the main conflict between the two main characters didn’t sit well with me. But the ending was perfect!