Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for an ARC of Savor It in exchange for an honest review.

I had heard of Tarah Dewitt's work because Funny Feelings was a bookclub pick although I did not read that. I heard great things about that book and The Co-op, which made me want to read this book.

The place setting was what stood out in this book. It really transported you to a small town and the various characters that one might encounter. They were funny, nosy, hardworking, and protective of their own. The side characters were what made the book enjoyable for me.

The romance between Sage and Fisher was...fine. It's an opposites attract situation with some tension leading to a buildup where they finally get an HEA. There was something missing for me. I think it was more context for Fisher and Indy. We get snippets of what went on that led to their strained relationship but I needed more with them two because it greatly informs how Fisher approaches his relationship with Sage. I needed more of Freya and Indy; and Freya and Fisher as well. We get more of Sage's background and family than we do of Fisher so I felt like I knew her more than I did him.

Savor It is a small-town romance set in a coastal Oregon town with Sage, a woman determined to live her life in her hometown on her own terms, and Fisher, a hotshot chef from NYC who finds himself burnt out and grappling with raising his teenage niece after his sister’s death. Renting the house next door to Sage’s hobby farm, Fisher and Sage find themselves continually drawn to each other, despite knowing they have only a short time together. Determined to make the most of their time together, they try to set boundaries, but rarely does life follow any well-laid plans. Filled with colorful characters, misfit animals, and enough angst and emotion to fill an ocean, Savor It worth… well… savoring.

This book was sooooo close to perfect for me, I think the only reason it is 4 out of 5 stars for me is that I read this in tandem with Funny Story and the theme of broken people supporting one another is big in that one too. It was just sliiiiightly higher tier for me, I think the only thing I did not like (in comparison) was how some of the spicy parts came not out of nowhere necessarily but was at level 200 when the scene we were living in was at a level 20.

Fisher owning his struggles and clearly communicating with Sage was EVERYTHING to me. Responsibility and accountability is my kink so I was here for that. I also did NOT like being called out for putting myself down (like Sage) as a defense mechanism. Him saying "I don't like that your brain is bullying you because I dont know how to fight that". SIR. SIR WHY?!

Genuinely, this book was so enjoyable. I was lucky enough to be able to get an e version as well as an audio one and they were both spectacular.

Take some time to savor this book!

4⭐️

I Will admit I was having a hard time getting through this one at first, as the beginning felt very slow to me. It’s your typical small town, girl meets guy, falls in love type romance. However, I loved the banter between the two main characters, and I loved the dual POV. The author made this book so descriptive you felt like you were actually there. The ending was quite predictable but I mean who doesn’t love a happy ending? My first book from Tara DeWitt, and I would gladly read another of hers. If you love sappy love stories and small town vibes, I’d recommend this one for sure!

Such a cute read! Loved the dynamic between the main characters, as well as the cute secondary characters (looking at the goose!). Thanks so much for the advanced copy and happy almost release day!

Hallmarkesque story ( charming small town Spunes Oregon) about a young woman who desperately needs a win. As lovely as she seems to be sometimes life just isn't fair.
Enter New York chef Fisher who also needs some redemption and will be consulting for the summer at an upcoming restaurant in town. Meet cute and insta attraction for this pair and romance blossoms. Yet they listen to each other and put in the work, something you don't always see in these rom-coms. Two people growing and changing together makes you want this summer fling to last. Thank you netgalley and St Martins Press for this charmer.

Savor It is a cute and functional small-town romance. Sage is getting over her breakup with the golden boy at the same time Fisher is getting over being fired and taking custody of his neice.

Sage and Fisher seemed like they were almost meant to be grumpy/sunshine, but it didn't quite happen. That dynamic, though, quickly resolves into quirky (predictable) banter. But that is my main hangup with the book; the narrative started chasing its own tail after a while. That, combined with the multiple rambling soliloquies to unveil backstory, took a lot of the momentum out of the narrative.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

"You once told me you thought you were a lot of nots. I want you to know that to me, you're everything."

Tarah DeWitt continues to produce beautiful, fun, hilarious characters and stories with depth and realness. Savor It follows Sage Byrd and Fisher Langue during their journey of loss, love, burnout, and self-discovery. I especially enjoyed that the characters communicated heavily and helped each other through their issues.

Fisher and Sage were some of my favorite MC's ever. Sage was so genuine, strong, selfless and funny, but and she really portrayed the sense of community in her small town which I loved. Fisher is going through a huge change in his life, losing his sister, taking custody of his niece and losing his love for his job. He wasn't afraid to talk about and express his feelings and emotions in a healthy way too. He also finds the time to take care of Sage, and be there for her while going through all his own stuff (your honor I need him).

Overall, one of my favorite books in 2024, and I will continue to read anything Tarah DeWitt writes !!

If you like:
♡ small town
♡ grumpy x sunshine
♡ friends to lovers
♡ farm animals !!!
♡ dual pov
♡ gilmore girls vibes (lots of nosy neighbors, quirky community)
♡ pacific northwest vibes
♡ big city chef x small town teacher

My top read for May! I absolutely adored this book from start to finish. I felt like I was living in golden hour while reading this. Fisher and Sage’s chemistry was palpable from their first page together and it only got better from there. The animals? Loved. The disgraced chef? Loved. Indy and her teenage attitude and her very real fears about getting stuck? Adored.

At a glance:
- A renowned chef recovering from burnout—and who has recently been knocked down a peg—moves to a small coastal town in Oregon just for the summer
- With his teenage niece, of whom he has recently gained custody, in tow
- Moves in next to a sunshiny high school teacher / gardener / animal menagerie owner
- Who is dealing with her own grief
- Their time together kindles romance (of course) but helps both to rekindle their joy for life and confidence as well
- Bonus points for mental health and migraine rep

I especially enjoyed the last 30% of the book and want to move to a plot of land with a bunch of animals, a garden, and a hot chef next door. (Do you think my husband would mind?)

Highlights for me:
- A ton of puns
- The goose choosing his mate
- Sage’s eclectic robe collection (all of Mrs. Munty’s creations, tbh)
- Sage's journal and the wisdom it holds
- Her house, especially her sunroom (I would live in it if I could)
- The food descriptions
- “I might love the library” 😏

I received an advance copy of the ebook from St. Martin’s Press. All review opinions are my own.

Perfection. Literally a favorite of the year. Sage and Fisher had the best chemistry. I adored their story… it was romantic and heartfelt with a dash of humor.

This was such a fun romance! I knew from the first chapter that I was going to love this one and it did not disappoint. I loved Sage and her farm lifestyle. She had a great outlook on life too, despite loosing her parents at a very young age, which I found refreshing. On the opposite side we had Fisher who was still grieving the loss if his sister and his job and was in way over his head with the care of his life teenage niece Indy. I loved how these characters grew together and although the romance struggles at times it was always achingly sweet. I look forward to what Dewitt writes next!

Savor It is my first Tarah DeWitt book and I enjoyed it!

It was a cute and charming small town romance set in Spunes, Oregon (not Forks, Washington obviously). Sage is a small town girl who loves her town and life, while Fisher is a man who is struggling personally and professionally.

I really liked Sage, she’s quirky but in a good way, not in a “not like other girls” way. Fisher is burnt out on life and Sage helps reignite his spark. They were so cute together as they prepared to compete in the town’s annual festival.

Other things I enjoyed - I loved Fisher’s relationship with his niece and how it grew throughout the book. The townspeople were fun, I loved all the supporting characters, and it made me laugh out loud several times.

Do I think this is the most unique, unforgettable book ever? No. But it was cute and I enjoyed myself while reading it!

5 ⭐️

What an enjoyable, heartfelt, spicy romance. I loved this! It was my first Tarah DeWitt and it won’t be my last. This romance is free of cheese or eye rolling, and full of personal development arcs, a cute (but of course quirky) small town, 🌶️🌶️🌶️, and the ideal balance of imperfection and beauty. Highly recommend!

I sadly did not enjoy this one. And it seems that I'm definitely in the minority but I just couldn't see what everyone was loving so hard?

I'm completely transparent in saying that I was bored and the story progression was bland.
I immediately had trouble getting into the story. It was like I was missing something that happened previously...
The so-called summer fling direction was barely a thing. I was excited for the single guardian trope, but that also fell flat because there wasn't any bonding. The only time something sparked was near the end, but apart from that, Fisher basically just allowed Indy to do whatever...
And this is 100% just a "me thing," but I truly do not care for a side story about quirky animals.
I can't even mention anything about Sage and Fisher except...predictable and savorless (ironic innit).

I've read and enjoyed Funny Feelings by the author, so maybe this was just an "off" one for me, but I'll definitely still read her other novels.

*𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳, 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘵. 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯-𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸*

I really liked Fisher and Sage as characters and thought this was really cute. A great summer read for anyone who likes a cozy romance!

I’m not sure what all the hype was about….this was not a favorite for me whatsoever {the prose was atrocious}. Sage and Ian felt very disconnected during the entire time and the plot dragged on in hopes of something exciting happening. But all we were left with was wanting more.

Savor It was one of my anticipated releases for 2024 and it exceeded all of my expectations. The writing, characters, and atmosphere were just so lovely to read. It's set in a town filled with quirky and nosey townspeople who make up this wonderful community. At the center of it are Sage and Fisher, who join forces in order to win the annual Spunes festival competition.

Not only is this a love story, but it's also about a story about grief and healing. I loved Sage's and Fisher's journey towards healing their past wounds and finding a home within each other. If you love the whole sunshine small town girl brings out the best of people and grumpy city boy finds that he's obsessed with her because she's making him realize how amazing life is dynamic, this one is definitely for you.

I think TD also did such a phenomenal job in capturing that feeling where summer is open to so many possibilities yet so little time, so you savor every possible moment you have.

It's short, sweet, spicy, and does have a third-act breakup (but not one based on miscommunication!!! they actually communicate so well!!). Highly, highly recommend picking this one up when you have the chance this summer!

A Michelin star chef who not only got fired but is dealing with the grief of losing his sister, being the new godparent to his niece, and trying to find his love for cooking again finds something even more when he moves to a little town to work over the summer, the love of his life. Fischer Lange was a famous chef in New York City, he had three Michelin stars... but then began to lose his love of cooking and when his sister died in an accident leaving him to become the guardian to her daughter, he falls even more out of sorts. Fischer doesn't now the first thing about parenting a teen who is grieving just as much as him, he can barely fix himself, how is he suppose to look after his niece? When his boss offers him a second chance only if he helps consult for her upcoming restaurant that has been dealing with clashes with the locals, this is his chance to get a fresh summer start with his niece and try and find his passion for cooking again. Then he meets Sage Byrd, a free spirited, sweet, and intelligent woman who has him falling for her. Sage grew up in the coastal town of Spines, Oregan and adores her town, what she does not adore is the fact that everyone knows everyone and when her 5 year relationship with the town's golden boy ends... she just wants everyone in town to stop pitying her. With the annual Festival of Spunes coming up, she is determined to win it but needs a partner... and who better than her very hot new neighbor. From going out on errands, to learning to cook, and fake dating... Fischer and Sage begin to fall for one another and see that they are the perfect pair, the only issue is that he was never meant to stay past the summer. Can they make a relationship work against all odds and has Fischer finally found the home he's been looking for all along? This was an absolutely charming and amazing small town summer romance read. I absolutely adored Fischer and Sage together so much and they both were such great protagonists for the story. They were both dealing with a lot of their own grief, pains, and they both grew throughout the book. I adored their romance but most of all I adored all their bonding and the bonding with Fischer's niece as well as with all of Sage's farm animals. This book was an absolute delight and I can't wait to read the next one!

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I've been really into cozy reads lately, and while I've mostly been reading cozy mysteries, I recently discovered a cozy romance that I loved. This is the first book I've read by DeWitt, and I've added more of her works to my ever-expanding to-be-read list after reading this one. "Savor It" follows two characters, Sage and Fisher. Sage lives in Spunes, Oregon, a small town that is trying to improve its tourist appeal. During the non-summer months, Sage is a school teacher, but she also has some side projects including gardening and taking in abandoned animals. Fisher is a chef who is dealing with career burnout and grief over the loss of his sister three years earlier. He is now parenting his teenage niece who refused to live with her grandparents any longer. Fisher was sent to Spunes to help set up a restaurant and took the opportunity to spend the summer connecting with his niece Indy. Fisher and Sage meet and become friends, and then more than friends. As they navigate the summer together, they learn more about themselves and help each other in ways they couldn't imagine.

I found the book sweet, and though Fisher went to this town in part to connect with his niece she was very much a background character. The town itself was a character as well, bringing a homey vibe to the atmosphere. The romance was not instant, and though the main characters were attracted to each other, it took a month before it felt like more. I liked the ending as it brought the main characters and the niece into play because everyone matters. This book brings a bit of spice, but it's not too explicit, and it has a ton of heart. Plus, there are farm animals and a 3-legged cat. What's not to love? If you are looking for a book to cozy up with and fill your heart up, this is the one you should read.