tarah dewitt is quickly growing to be one of my new favorite authors. savor it has so much heart and is just so cute. dewitt is genuinely one of the authors that has made me like dual pov, she is just THAT good. i loved this and i will definitely be tuning in to her future releases.

thank you to macmillan for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinions!! ♡

This is the perfect book to read to welcome the summer months. It was a refreshing palate cleanser between fantasy reads. It was light hearted even though both characters had some past suffering, dealing with their own forms of grief. The main characters have strong chemistry which is evident on the page from the moment they meet.
Fisher’s a chef with several Michelin stars. After his sister dies, he obtains custody of his niece, but doesn’t know how to raise her. He loses his job after a poor reaction to a food critic. So, small town-turned-city boy comes to a small town to develop a menu for restaurant and for a chance to get away to recharge.
Sage is a small town girl that works as a school teacher, has a small hobby farm, and enjoys the farmer’s market. Throughout the story she refers to a journal her mother left her after she passed away, referred to as Sage advice - this is actually quite sweet. Fisher is renting the house next door to hers and they strike up an easy friendship. After some force-proximity and a single kiss, which occurs under a fake-dating scenario, they can’t stop thinking about one another and the relationship takes off from there. The only drawback - he plans on returning to the city once the summer is over.
The dialogue in the book is well written and provides some light humour along with a significant amount of wit. There are few light sex scenes to sate the spice lover.
I recommend this to anyone that enjoys a sweet rom-com and is looking for their next summer read.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-arc. The opinions expressed are honest and my own.

This was a great book. I connected with the characters. I felt engrossed with the plot. I would read another book by this author.

DNF at 40% I’m just bored. There’s quite a bit of inner dialogue and unfortunately, I’m feeling zero chemistry.

Holy moly, Tarah Dewitt can’t be stopped!

I fell in love with Tarah’s writing with her debut, indie published novel, Rootbound, the month it released (a nit so humble brag, im dang proud to have watched her career take off) and I haven’t been able to stop reading her words since! I've read all of her works multiple times and can say with absolute certainty that 'Savor it' is without a doubt my new favorite book of hers, and that’s saying something as I’ve loudly championed every other book written by Tarah!!

Its taken me a week to write this full review because my initial reaction was "No words, no notes, read the dang book everyone!" but i'll do my best to put out into the world how this book made me feel!

Let's start with the plot: Sage Byrd (my new fictional bestie) has lived in the costal town of Spunes, Oregon her entire life and quite frankly its a dang good life. She is beloved, she runs a quaint, if not eclectic hobby farm, and she has some beautiful friendships.. but after her relationship of 5 years with the town golden boy ends and he immediately gets engaged, Sage needs a win.

Spunes hosts an annual summer festival, a summer competition that is the perfect opportunity to prove to the town that she's doing great and they can all stop pitying her.. but first, she needs to find a partner.

Fisher Lange (my new fictional book boyfriend) was a hot-shot chef until the shocking loss of his sister left him numb, grieving, and responsible for a niece, Indy. With Fishers grief comes an apathy towards cooking and he looses his Michelin star as well as his job. Fisher finds himself in Spunes with Indy, taking a much needed sabbatical, and consulting on a new restaurant opening in the small town!

Unfortunately for Fisher, small towns can be hard to settle into as an outsider and after clashing with the townspeople and then kissing his new neighbor, dating rumors begin to fly. Sage sees and opportunity to fix Fishers image AND secure herself a partner for the competition.. what's a little mutually beneficial deal between new neighbors anway!?

This book is so heartwarming and I think might just be Tarah's softest book yet, in the best way! My heart was a tear stained puddle by the end of this story. Fisher and Sages love is healing, steamy, emotional, supportive, revelatory, and just plain lovely to read about! The puns are fantastic, the jokes and innuendos are hilarious and endless, the relationships all the way around are heartwarming, and the one lines had me dying to get my hands on my pre-ordered physical copy asap so I could annotate to my hearts content!

The characters are where this book shines! Sage is a homebody, she's grounded, settled, a little self deprecating, a bit of a people pleaser, and the one the everyone comes to for advice because she loves deeply, immensely, and she shows it. Fisher is on a mission to figure his life out, and as he is healing, and confronting the hard things he's incapable of falling in love with sage, with the town, and with his passions again. Fisher shows you over and over agin how much and how deeply he loves Sage, it so moving you feel it, their love literally leaps off the page and weaves its way into your chest!

All this to say- 5 stars and easily a top romance of the year for me (literally to no ones surprise!) its going on my forever favorite shelf as soon as it gets here. I believe what makes reading so lovely and unique is the way books can make you feel seen. Tarah did that for me with this one.

Read this if you love:
-Forced Proximity
-mutually beneficial arrangement
-a "just for the summer" romance
-Single guardian
-hot chef
-quirky animals
-caretaking
-steamy romance with plenty of hot on page intimacy
-training for a competition

ARC Review:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

First off thank you to NetGalley for granting me this ARC. Savor It by Tarah DeWitt was a solid 4 stars for me.

Fisher (a Michelin star 👨‍🍳) moves to Spunes, OR for the summer and falls for Sage, a small town girl with a love for all things flowers and animals The middle of the book was fast paced and I was fully invested but the beginning and the end of the book felt slow and fell a bit flat to me.

The bulk of their romance seems to settle around Fisher working on a new restaurant and Sage enlisting Fisher’s help to win a town wide canoe race. Although a lot of the story surrounded these two events we only got a small glimpse at them towards the end of the story and I wished we got more details regarding how each took place.

Overall, I still enjoyed the story and loved how their romance played out. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves small town cute romances.

DNF @ 52%

My Issues:
- The pacing felt extremely choppy. Sections went by so fast that I became confused about what was actually going on. I wasn’t necessarily bored per se, but I felt myself become detached from the story because the timeline was inconsistent.
- I was not a fan of the writing style. With the pace and POV, I had a hard time getting into the book. The detachment led to me not really feeling anything for either character.

Based on the reviews I have seen, this seems to be common for DeWitt's writing, so if you have loved a book of hers in the past, I would recommend this one! I did love the storyline; the execution just wasn't for me.

4.2 🌟

Oh to live in a small town, on a little farm, where I tend to my animals and fall in love with a chef. Sage and Fisher’s story was so wholesome and beautifully written. I loved their direction and growth so much. Definitely tugged at my heartstrings quite a bit. They are the kind of characters you truly hope have it all by the end.

— Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Fisher was a newcomer to Spunes and trying to get past some road blocks to get his new restaurant opened. Sage wanted to beat her local golden boy ex in the annual town competition but needed a partner. In hopes of accomplishing both tasks, they banded together, but would they be able to keep their growing feelings at bay?

This book was so fun and sweet! It started with such a comic bang, and Dewitt did a great job keeping those laughs coming. The humor was something that really shined. Almost every interaction with Sage's brothers was mayhem (even when it shouldn't be), and there was this one scene with Sage and some animals that needed a home. And the animals! I adored their antics. Like I said, lots of fun.

I also adored Sage and Fisher. They were too adorable together. This was a grumpy-sunshine pairing that won my heart. Sage's last relationship was pretty toxic. Fisher was everything her ex wasn't. He was supportive and didn't mock the things she loved. He championed her dreams and just treated her properly. It was the love Sage deserved.

Fisher had a LOT going on in his life. This was his second chance to prove himself to his boss, as well as to his niece. He had crashed and burned in New York, losing his job, and feeling a bit lost. There was something about Spunes that revived him. His food muse returned and he was making some inroads with his niece. A lot of this was due to the friendship (and more) he was building with Sage.

As much as Fisher was thriving in Spunes, he still didn't trust small towns due to his past experience. But this town was a special place for Sage, orphaned at a young age, she was raised by her three brothers with some help from many of the town's residents. There were so many people who supported her and continued to support her. It was all very heartwarming, as was the case in the way the folks of the Spunes also grew to embrace Fisher.

In my heart, I would love more books set in this town. First of all, I loved EVERYONE and the town really was a lovely place. But mostly, I want to see Sage's brother and bestie reconcile. In my heart they belong together.

Overall, I absolutely LOVED this book. It made me laugh, cry, and swoon while also touching my heart.

I haven’t read any Tarah Dewitt before, but for some reason, I decided it’d be a great idea to pick up this ARC a couple days before it’s released. I was so pleasantly surprised by this book! I honestly fell in love with the setting, the characters and the romance. Everything about this book gave warmth, comfort, hope, and joy. Even with the emotional and mental struggles the characters were dealing with, reading this book felt like receiving a hug from your most trusted friend. I absolutely adored Sage and Fisher; their relationship developed so beautifully from strangers to friends to lovers to soulmates and I didn’t want it to end. I would’ve loved for the ending to be a little longer; the resolution felt very quick for how intense the separation was. I also would’ve loved to see Fisher and Indy’s relationship shift and grow more on the page (even though it’s not the point of the book haha). Overall though, I really enjoyed this book and genuinely want this to become a companion series because I NEED to know more about Spunes and its residents. Looking forward to trying more books from this author.

This was my first book by Tarah DeWitt and I enjoyed it! Thank you to St. Martin's Press for the digital copy. My review is honest and voluntary.

Fisher Lange was the hottest chef in New York City until the sudden and tragic loss of his sister left him grieving and responsible for his niece, Indy. When Fisher loses one of his Michelin stars after a bad review, along with his job and, honestly, his love of cooking, his boss sends him across the country to help open a new restaurant in small town Spunes, Oregon. Fisher is hoping this break will help him not only reconnect with his love of cooking, but also with Indy.

Fisher's rental house is next door to Sage, a quirky teacher who can't say no to rescuing farm animals. When Fisher hits roadblock after roadblock with the restaurant, he strikes a deal with Sage to fake date to help improve his image in Spunes and in return, he will partner with Sage for the annual town competition.

My thoughts:
Overall, I did enjoy this book. Maybe I'm in a romance-rut, but I felt like there were things missing, like the plot wasn't complete. Sage and Fisher have a wonderful relationship and I loved seeing Sage take Indy under her wing. But, to me, it just felt like the story was just skimming the surface and the depth that could have been there just wasn't in many places.

Summary: Sage has lived in her small hometown all her life, and absolutely loves the life she has created. Despite her love for her town, she's tired of all the pity after her 5-year relationship ends with the town's golden boy and then suddenly gets engaged. Sage desperately wants a win and what better place than with the town's annual summer competition? But who can be her partner? Enter Fisher, a hotshot chef from New York City. He and his niece move from the city to Spunes, Oregon to hopefully save Fisher's career. As Sage and Fisher get to know one another, they strike up a bargain: Sage will help Fisher's image with the townspeople and Fisher will be Sage's partner for the competition. It'll be just for the summer, but time is moving much faster than they anticipated.

Thoughts: This was such a fun summer book!! Fisher certainly wasn't expecting to even like the small town where he and his niece moved to, but as their summer continued, he realized how nice it was to live in a small town again. Sage was such a fun character and a rock for Fisher as he navigated being the guardian of his niece. I loved her heart of gold for people and animals, along with her competitive spirit. It was nice to hear Fisher's thoughts to see him changing as the summer continued. Sage broke through both his and Indy's hard exteriors by just showing she cared and how to care for her animals.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the #gifted copy of this book.

Lovely. I’m just so happy to read a romance where the main characters communicate with each other! No miscommunication tropes here. Consensual, communicative adults. We have characters dealing with various stages of grief and their mental health.

As will happen when I read small town novels, I started to forget who the minor characters were in relation to Sage. There’s one I need to go back and figure out who they were again. It’s still delightful and heartfelt. Spicy open door. Hopefully there will be more from Spunes.

To me, Savor It is the kind of book that makes its way into your heart and never leaves. As soon as I finished, I wanted to pick it back up and start reading all over again.

📱🎧 read on kindle + audio (arc)
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♾️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

💭 overall thoughts:
I love the way Tarah writes, the way she describes everything is just so beautiful. I adored this lovely story - it made me laugh, swoon, and tore my heart out and put it back together.

Fisher needs the support of Sage’s small town on a project, and she needs a partner for a summer competition (against her ex and his new fiancee). They team up (with a little fake, soon to be real dating), and it quickly heats up between them.

Sage & Fisher (and Indy!) have stolen my heart.

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

Sage is just the kindest human, and deserves all the good things in the world.
Fisher is grieving the loss of his sister, and still figuring out his new life path raising his teenage niece (Indy).

🎧 audiobook thoughts:
Karissa Vacker + Zachary Webber did a phenomenal job bringing Sage & Fisher (and all the side characters) to life.
This narration added so much to the story for me.

tropes + topics:
🤍 single guardian
👨‍🍳 chef mmc
👩‍🏫 teacher + farmer fmc
🏠 neighbors
🥸 fake dating
🌳 small town
💞 dual 1st person pov

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for advanced copies. All opinions are my own.

Well, I did not expect to tear up over a goose. 

I wish I could be friends with Sage. With her flowers and garden and ragtag group of animals. I loved her outlook on life and being present in the moment.

I liked the playful banter between Sage and Fisher. It was well-balanced with sweet moments, and a few spicy. 

A small town setting is always a win for me. I love the little moments where you see how much people care for each other. That happens in a big way here and it was so sweet. 

It’s been a while since I’ve read a Tarah Dewitt book. She definitely has a distinct voice in her writing, and I will admit it took me a little bit to adjust. There were a lot of words that I had to look up definitions for.

This book was soft and sweet like a big hug. It made me laugh, swoon, and even brought tears to my eyes.

Summer romance ☀️
Forced proximity (neighbors)
Small town
Single guardian MMC
Friends with benefits
He’s a chef 🔪
Animal friends 🪿🐈

4.5 stars! I really adored this, don’t wanna give anything away since it comes out soon.
The only reason I gave it .5 less is because the first 80% was such an in-depth dive into the characters and we learned so much, but in the last 20% I felt like everything needed to be wrapped up and she sped through it. Like the race and restaurant (iykyk), I feel like could have had more detail that we missed out on. Nothing was left open tho so I did appreciate no loose ends!
This was just a very sweet, well loved book. This author put her heart into it and you can really see that from how much emotion is felt on and off the page!

Sage Byrd is a teacher who lives in the small town of Spunes, Oregon. She loves her life, but also feels unsettled as her boyfriend of 5 years broke up with her the previous year. Fisher Lange is a chef with issues of his own who moves to Spunes to consult on a restaurant that is being opened there. Fisher and his niece, Indy, rent the house next door to Sage’s farm, which is how they meet. The two form a friendship and then agree that Fisher will help Sage win the town’s annual canoe race in exchange for Sage helping ease Fisher’s way for the restaurant with the townspeople.

I adored Sage and Fisher and the residents of Spunes. This book reminded me of a Hallmark movie and even poked fun at those at times, but it was so much more. This was a book about enjoying the small moments and savoring the joy the world gives you, even just a little at a time.

I read a lot of romance books and there are certain authors that just know how to write characters. Tarah DeWitt is one of them. Savor It is so special and her characters just leap off the page. They become real friends and family you want to know.

Sage and Fisher’s story has so many layers. It’s moving and heartfelt, it’s also hilarious. Filled with quirky characters, loveable townspeople, and a menagerie of animals. The story and the two MC’s are so lovable you will want more of them!

Fisher is in town trying to get his career back on track. He was recently fired from his head chef position at a Michelin starred NYC restaurant. The small town life is something he dreads because of past experiences. He’ll soon come to realize that the place he’s landed is going to become a huge part of his life.

Sage just oozes kindness. It’s like she carries sunshine around in her pocket. Together these two form the most incredible pair and the romance is off the charts swoon worthy!! This is the perfect summer read

Rootbound was my first book by this author and I will cherish it because it’s such a memorable read and introduced me to her work. Savor It, well….it may have just taken top spot! I read the book and listened to the audio simultaneously. With Zachary Webber and Karissa Vacker narrating you cannot of wrong

Overall this is a story about finding your people, your community, and your person. This book made me fall in love with small town romances all over again. Tarah DeWitt can write people and the best love stories with couples you don’t want to let go of. Loved it!! 5/5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Savor It was such a sweet summer romance! Absolutely perfect to start my spring/ summer reading. I loved the small town vibes and the cast of characters that made it up. This is the first book I have read from Tarah DeWitt and I can see why so many of my friends recommend her writing. This book was fun and easy to read.

Our MMC, Fisher is struggling. He is raising his niece and going through some things professionally. I really adored him as a main character.. I appreciated him trying to communicate and loved his POV, seeing how he navigated the newness of his family dynamic, the small town and his relationship with Sage, our FMC.

Sage is the kindest character! She is fun and sweet and watching her and Fisher fall in to love was an absolute joy. When I first started reading this book, I wasn't sure if I was going to like it but as the book progressed, I started to enjoy it more and more.

The star for me was the culinary masterpieces that were highlighted in the book. Wonderful job describing these works of art.
Also, a huge shoutout to Gary the goose. I fell for you too.

Thank you so much NetGalley for this ARC!

Savor It by Tarah Dewitt
Narrators: Karissa Vacker; Zachary Webber
Rating: 5 stars
Steam: 2 chilis
Pub date: 5/21

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for my free copy and to Macmillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook.

There’s something about Tarah Dewitt’s writing that I just adore. I have read and loved all of her books so far, and I’m excited to add Savor It to that list.

Sage Byrd has lived in the tiny town of Spunes, Oregon her entire life. When her five year relationship ends and her ex finds a new someone right away, Sage really needs a win. Who knew it would come in the form of Fisher Lange, a former chef from New York who’s in Spunes to help his boss open up a new restaurant. The townspeople aren’t too excited about this, which is causing problems for Fisher, who is just trying to get some semblance of his life back after the death of his sister. He’s now the guardian of his teenage niece, and he feels like he’s failing.

Sage and Fisher have a hilarious meet-cute involving a robot vacuum and an accidental 911 call. What follows is a heartwarming and hilarious story that had me laughing out loud and crying at times. These two couldn’t be more perfect together, and I loved their grumpy/sunshine dynamic.

DeWitt skillfully navigates the complexities of grief, redemption, and the healing power of love in this small-town romance. The chemistry between Sage and Fisher leaps off the pages, and the steam is just the right amount and adds to the story. This book is filled with relatable characters, misfit animals, and a fun festival that becomes the perfect excuse for Sage and Fisher to spend time together.

I went back and forth between my ecopy and the audiobook, and Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber did an amazing job (as always) of bringing these characters to life.

This highly anticipated rom-com surpassed my expectations, cementing Tarah DeWitt's place as one of my favorite romance authors. With its engaging plot, well-developed characters, and the perfect balance of emotional depth and lighthearted moments, this was an easy five stars for me.

Read if you like:
*summer romance
*animals
*small town
*slow burn
*dual POV
*open door steam