There was just something so peaceful about that book. It has the small town vibe all the way, it's cozy and funny at times but emotional and deep at others and it's beautiful.

READ IF YOU LIKE
Small town
Summer romance
Fake dating
Single guardian mmc
Grumpy/Sunshine
Funny rescued animals of all kinds

This story is on the slower side and definitely more emotional than what I usually read but it was still enjoyable for me. I get the hype, I truly get it. The characters were beautifully written, you just can't help falling for them. I loved all the rescued animals that always made for funny things to happen and especially loved their names (Legoless has my heart).

Even though this book delved into some deeper subjects such as death of loved ones, burnout and more, I feel like the writing was always bringing a smile or making you laugh out loud just when you were about to get all teary (so really that saved me, haha). The funny vibe and banter was great and the relationship between our main characters went seamlessly from fake dating to casual hooking to deeper things. It was easy to follow and enjoy. The spice was great and a perfect amount to my taste!

If you are looking for endearing characters, an unproblematic relationship full of trust and honesty, a perfect summer read with a soft and slow story that truly lets you savor every bit of your reading experience, you should definitely try this one!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my eARC. All opinions are my own.

clearly I did not *savor it* as I devoured this romance in less than 24 hours! this was my first tarah dewitt novel & it didn’t disappoint!

now if I’m being honest here, I wasn’t entirely sold on this book in the first half. I was expecting more depth with our mmc & some more scenes to simply connect with. this is a calm romance, there’s not too much going on andI think you should know that before picking it up. savor it is the perfect book to mindlessly read this summer.

what to expect:
•small town romance
•the girl next door
•friends with benefits
•dual pov, looove
•opposites attract
•summer festival events
•silly goose antics- literally!

but this ending, omg. as I wasn’t as heavily invested in the romance, I just thought the ending would be mid. when I tell you I WAS SOBBING my way through the last few chapters before the epilogue… I was. idk what came over me but it was so heartfelt that I couldn’t help myself.

two takeaways: my love for geese has grown three sizes & why is the name fisher kinda hot? asking for a friend. 4 stars! 🧸

Savor It

"I can hear giddiness buzzing in my veins, even in the silence."

Oh what a DELIGHTFUL story! I can HEAR the giddiness buzzing in my veins after enjoying it! I absolutely adored Sage & Fischer's story. I did not savor it like I should have, instead I just flew through it in less than 24 hours because I could not put it down.

Set in small town Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington), Fischer and his niece Indy move into the rental next door to Sage's farm for the summer. Fischer is help set up a restaurant and, tasked with winning over the town, fake dating Sage goes a long way to earning their hearts. Nothing is ever fake, but the two agree to savor their time together before Fischer and Indy have to move back in the fall for her school year. Sage is the most precious ball of sunshine and I absolutely loved her energy. Fischer did too and I don't bame him!

An absolutely beautiful story of finding your people and purpose, and enjoying life along the way.

I highly recommend this one! Especially if you're looking for:
Fake Dating
Neighbors to lovers
Single Uncle
Small town
Meddling brothers
Dual POV narration
A menagerie of unique pets on a farm.

I mean - a mischievous, three-legged cat named Legoless? SAY LESS.

I tandem read and listened to this one. The audio was absolutely amazing. Especially the male narrator was a perfect fit for Fischer. The female narrator brough Sage's sunshine energy to life so well and I loved it.

Thank you to Macmillian Audio and St Martins Press for this ARC/ALC. Savor It is on shelves May 21, 2024. My opinions are my own.

This had a lot of potential, and I love small-town romances, but this felt so disjointed and unorganized. There were moments when I had to reread sentences just to make sense of them.

There was also little to no chemistry between the main characters until about 75% of the way through the book, and that's also coincidentally when anything exciting happens. There were also a lot of random time jumps mid-chapter and I would have to double-check that I didn't skip a page.

I'm bummed because I really enjoyed Funny Feelings, and there's no denying this cover is STUNNING. I just wished the inside of the book matched. Sometimes I wonder if I'm reading the same book as everyone else, especially when all of bookstagram seems to adore a book. Alas, this one just wasn't for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Tarah Dewitt for the complimentary advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely ADORED the small town vibes of this book! the found family aspect for Sage was so precious! all of the animals as side characters made the book laugh out loud funny. this book explored so many topics; grief, trauma + family. I thought it was well layered + the romance between Sage + Fisher built so beautifully over their time together! Can't wait to read more by Tarah!

What a fun book! I don’t know how you can go wrong with adding quirky farm animal into any story. Relocating with his niece to this small town is just what Fisher needs to regroup. Having had issues with his career and dealing with the loss of his sister Fisher is in a losing battle in his current life. Landing in Spunes, Oregon is just the reset he needs. Forming a mutually beneficial team , Sage and Fisher find themselves learning from one another. Full of funny mishaps and sexy times this is a great summer read. Thank you to NetGalley for this free advanced copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily

Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Tarah DeWitt for the eARC of Savor It in exchange for an honest review.

This book felt like coming home. The characters, setting, and plot were so well described and thoroughly fleshed out that it was easy to feel like part of the small town community Sage grew up in and feel the pull that people feel to their home. I definitely felt Gilmore Girls Stars Hollows vibes from Spunes with the festivals and the tight knit community that comes together for their own.

Fisher and Sage are wonderfully written characters. Flawed, honest, magnetic. They are easy to root for and sympathize with. You truly wanted to see them succeed. Their backstories were tragic and I, as a reader, wanted to protect them at all costs. The supporting cast of characters were all interesting, from the animals Sage has on her small farm, to their family members, to the members of the community. There are a lot more backstories there where this came from, and I am hoping Tarah DeWitt elects to write more about some of them.

The burn between Fisher and Sage was a slow burn, but it burned so good. I loved reading about the development of their attraction and their relationship. It felt genuine and desperate in a sense, but so organic and cautious at the same time. It was sweet to follow them as they became team mates for the town festival's games and as they formed a strong bond through their close proximity and shared interests. I highlighted so many quotes from this book dealing with love. One of my favorites is, "Love is breathing. A sweet, deep aching relief. And it's somehow even more disorienting."

I ended up purchasing a physical copy of this book the second I was done with the eARC. I cannot wait until it is released and I can add this beautiful story to my bookshelf. Thank you for writing such a wonderful book, Tarah!

A fun, flirty, albeit trope-y small town romance that's got a bit of a serious backstory for both Sage and Fisher. She's a teacher, she's got three brothers, and her romantic live just went bottoms up. Fisher's career as a chef has tanked, he's responsible for his teen niece Indy, they're both grieving the death of his sister, and they're Sage's new neighbors. Can these three people form a found family? They do become friends, with Sage helping Fisher with the new restaurant he's meant to be working on. Then they fake date. Then there's a bit of spice. The characters are good, the small town vibes right (there's a canoe race), and the storytelling is fine. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A light read to make you smile.

This was one of the best audiobooks I've ever listened to! The dual narrator's did a phenomenal job and I couldn't stop listening. I adored all of the characters and was rooting for them throughout the whole book. Highly recommend especially the audiobook!

I gave this 4* instead of 5, only because I struggled to get into it. There’s not a lot of action or twists and turns, so I had to focus more on the dialogue. When I did, and thought about DeWitt’s choice of a dual POV, I was so thankful. This romance wouldn’t have been nearly as compelling and heartwarming if readers hadn’t been privy to Fisher’s thoughts. I can’t think of any love story I’ve read in the past few years that comes close to Sage and Fisher’s honesty and vulnerability. It is so refreshing to witness two people who have faced tragedy and its subsequent damage to the mind and soul, and who care enough to help each other overcome their personal challenges and navigate the way to a better, mentally healthier way of living.

Yet, despite this description sounding like this is an emotionally heavy story, it’s actually not. Over the summer they get to know each other, Sage and Fisher share a plethora of punny comments (many with sexual innuendo), bond over a bunch of unique and engaging adopted farm animals, cook and share some amazing meals (doesn’t hurt that he is an award-winning and 3 Michelin-starred chef), train for the small town’s annual festival competition, and create ephemeral sand labyrinths that the town is famous for and which are a metaphor for the impermanence of their relationship (before Fisher and his orphaned niece Indy return to New York City), but the enjoyment it can bring in the meantime.

Set is the fictional Spunes, OR, DeWitt mostly avoids the small town cliche of everyone being in everyone else’s business by focusing on the colorful and ever-evolving life on Sage’s hobby farm, Fisher’s struggle navigating his new role as parent to a hurting and angry teen, and the inherent goodness and selfless concern and caring of the two main characters. There’s plenty of steamy scenes between Sage and Fisher as well. Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from St. Martin’s Griffin through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

Extremely enjoyable. Loved the spicy library scenes. Perfect for fans of small town romance with realistic adult problems and healthy communication. Some grumpy sunshine, some fake dating, lots of lovable characters. The conflict was moderate surface level - predictable - so it's like a comfort read. You know what's going to happen so just enjoy the ride. There were some scenes I audibly cackled. Mostly involving the farm animals.

Did I mention the library? 🥵

I think it's an extremely relatable story, it could easily be a movie, and was laugh out loud funny at times.

This is my first book by this author and I can't wait to read more.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for the gifted copies of Savor it, out 5/21.

Sage Byrd is a teacher and hobby farmer in the small town of Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington - HA). Raised by her brothers after being orphaned at 12 and recently dumped by her boyfriend of 5 years, Sage can’t escape the town’s pity. Winning the annual Festival of Spunes competition would show everyone that she’s doing fine, thanks very much, and doesn’t need anyone’s pity.

Fisher Lange, a chef de cuisine at a Michelin-starred restaurant in NYC, is in Spunes for the summer to prepare for the opening of his backer’s new restaurant. Bowed by the pressure of maintaining culinary perfection and raising his recently orphaned 16-year-old niece, Fisher has lost his love of cooking and can’t snap out of his funk.

When Sage and Fisher strike up a friendship, they agree to help each other get the wins they need. Fisher will compete with Sage in the festival and Sage will help Fisher navigate town bureaucracy to get his restaurant going. As their friendship evolves into something more, Sage and Fisher are determined to savor the summer they have together before… (sings) August slips away into a moment in time… cause you were never mine (SORRY I CAN’T HELP MYSELF!).

I definitely Savor(ed) It! After finishing the audiobook, I immediately jumped into the print version. I knew I loved it, but as I re-read, I was struck by how remarkably authentic it all is. In most rom coms, there’s SOMETHING that feels forced. Whether it’s how they meet, the premise of their initial romance, or the reason for the third act break up – some plot point usually feels manufactured or overly fortuitous. In Savor It, every scene and every moment between the characters feels real.

Part of it is how good Sage and Fisher are together. They’re complex, multi-dimensional characters with a lot of baggage to work through. Sage is taking in wounded creatures left and right in an effort to soak in every minute of goodness from life, at the expense of going after what she really wants. Fisher is dealing with the fall out of a years-long functional freeze where he avoided change at all cost because he didn’t know what he wanted. Instead of focusing on building a romantic relationship, they’re focused on helping each other: him increasing her comfort with the unknown and wanting more, her teaching him how to relinquish control and hold on to less. Helping each other become better versions of themselves, they become each other's happy place and their relationship flourishes.

Other random things I loved
-It’s funny! There are so many great hilarious scenes. Some with physical comedy, some with banter, but it’s all quite entertaining.
-The reference to Farley from Funny Feelings when Fisher sees her book in the library entitled, “Farts and Arts: The Craft of Lighthearted and Life-Changing Comedy” lol
-The small town charm! There’s a town hall meeting scene that’s straight out of a Gilmore Girls episode, except ~spicier~.

I ate this one up so fast. Loved it so much. But it's Tarah DeWitt so that's no shocker. I loved these characters on their own just as much as I loved them together. There was so much more than a romcom romance and it was so well balanced. This was one of those books where I didn't want it to end.

3.5 Stars

This is a classic small Town, slow burn, friends to lover, summertime romance, so basically everything you'd want from a summer read!

I loved that Sage & Fisher communicated so well, and the tension release between them was so great. I personally just didn't connect to Sage and that's the only reason I didn't rate this one higher; I sincerely think this will be an easy 5 star for romance lovers. Also, Fisher is definitely going to be a new book boyfriend for many!

It was sweet, quirky, funny, emotional and a wonderfully savory read. Definitely recommend!

Thank you so muxh to NetGalley & St.Martins Press for access to this ARC.

I loved this story so much!!

Sage is a small town girl who’s dealt with the loss of her parents and feelings of unworthiness because of her ex-boyfriend, the town Golden Boy. Fisher is a renowned chef dealing with the repercussions of career burnout while also trying to step in as a parent-figure for his niece after the death of his sister. The story of Sage and Fisher begins…with a roomba. Ha! Add a cup of small town politics, a generous helping of teen girl angst, a dash of misfit farm animals, and top with a canoe and you’ve got a story that made me laugh and cry in equal measure.

Sometimes small towns come with big problems. Sage loves her hometown of Spoons, WA but feels a bit stuck…especially since she has to share it with her ex-boyfriend l, Ian and his new girlfriend Cassidy. Her life is quaint enough but the town gets a big shake up when new renters arrive, bringing a chef from NYC and his niece, grieving together from the death of his sister. The theme of grief and healing weaves beautifully throughout Savor It, something that will resonate with people who have experienced death, recently or in the past. Tarah DeWitt creates such a scenic town in Spunes, Oregon that no reader would even think of choosing Forks over Spunes to visit. Fun, witty, romantically adorable, and relatable, Savor It has a little bit of something for everybody and it is impossible to not smile while enjoying this book. Beautifully written, this is a real gem that tackles some of life’s biggest challenges with a spoonful of sugar and the right amount of spice!

4.5/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Review is posted on Goodreads and final review will be on Instagram ahead of the publication date!

I love dual POV books, and this one was well executed, He’s from the city trying to restart his culinary life and bond with his teenage niece that he took in when his sister passed, and runs into the neighbors. He doesn’t like small towns cause everyone is nosey, but is sent there for work to help set up a new restaurant. I still give this book 4.5 stars, cause while the story was cute and well paced, I just didn’t see the mmc as very likable.

Savor It is a small-town summer romance following Sage, a woman content to spend her summer caring for her farm animals and garden, and Fisher the renowned chef who moves in next door to her for the season after losing his job and becoming a full-time guardian to his teenage niece. When the two meet after a little mishap involving a vacuum, Fisher agrees to help Sage out as her partner for the town's festival competition if she helps improve his image with the locals. While the two grow close as they train for the event, they find themselves in limbo as they want to explore their connection but know Fisher is only there for the summer.

I loved this sweet and summery rom-com so much; the writing, characters, and romance all came together to paint such a tender and passionate story. Fisher and Sage were absolutely beautiful together, I loved how Sage was so supportive and there for Fisher to work through his issues, never pushing but always encouraging. The way Fisher was so enamored with Sage was adorable, it was so obvious that he was just completely smitten with her and the way she thought of the world. I loved how the two came together and while the slow burn absolutely burned heavy, the romance was all around light and airy while touching on deep topics.

Read If You Like:
🌷City Boy x Small Town Girl🌷
🌷All The Farm Animals🌷
🌷Care Taking Scene🌷
🌷Summer Festivities🌷
🌷Help Me Make My Ex Jealous🌷
🌷Opposites Attract🌷
🌷Forced Proximity🌷
🌷Coastal Small Town🌷
🌷Friends W Benefits🌷

I can’t lie, I 100% initially wanted to read this book because of the gorgeous cover (and the fact the guy looks like Pedro Pascal). I hoped it would be a case of the insides being as beautiful as the outside - a sentiment that has burned me time and time again - and boy, did Savor It deliver. This book is like a happy sigh and a swoon and that chest-clutching ‘aww, OMG’ feeling all rolled into one, and I loved every moment of it.

I appreciated that this was a story about two broken, imperfect people (three, really) overcoming life’s obstacles - fears, self-doubt, mistakes, trauma, heartache, unhealthy patterns - and learning how to heal in ways that worked for them. I loved watching Sage and Fisher figure out their lives separately and together, and ultimately finding that sense of belonging and home in each other. Watching these two fall for each other was a joy; there were so many special little moments between them that made me laugh, cry, and feel all the feels. I felt like I was right there in Spunes with them, able to picture it all so clearly, taste Fisher’s culinary creations, and fall in love with the small town like Fisher did, despite his best efforts. I was so emotionally invested in their story, and wanted to see them get their hard-won happily ever after.

If you’re looking for a beautiful, funny, heartfelt, swoony, and steamy romance that’s perfect for summer (and any other time of the year), be sure to pick up a copy of Savor It. I already know this one will make it onto my list of 2024 favourites.

Goats, Chefs, and Romance, these are a few of my favorite things. Actually, I think goats are my new favorite romance trope. It started with Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez. Big fan of the goats in this book. And looking forward to goats in Happy Medium by Sarah Adler. All around a great time to be a goat lover and a romance reader. But, I digress. Let's discuss Savor It by Tarah DeWitt

Fisher Lange had it all as a beloved chef in his early twenties with accolades and Michelin stars to boot. But, it all comes crashing down with a tragic accident takes his sister. Wading through grief, he not only loses a Michelin star, he loses himself. Sent on a cross-country assignment to help bring a new restaurant to life (and build a relationship with his niece who he is now full-time care taker for) he arrives in Spunes, Washington and just across the meadow from Sage Byrd and her menagerie of animals. The "golden girl" of Spunes is willing to make a deal. If Sage can help rally the town around this new restaurant, Fisher signs on to help her win the beloved town canoe race? But, it's possible that small town will do more than reignite his love of cooking, it may ignite a brand new outlook on life.

I wanted to love this. But, to be honest, I almost DNFed at ~30%. It is a very slow start, and not in that slow burn kind of way - in a kind of way where you're not sure where the plot from the blurb is. I wanted to read rich descriptions of decadent dishes made by Fisher. I wanted to deep dive into the beauty of a small town festival with Sage. But, somehow we never got enough of either of those things. That being said, Tarah DeWitt is artful at going beyond a trope. She deftly weaves in real character issues without belaboring or belittling them and brings a beautiful, heart-filled approach to her characters (that she makes you fall madly in love with). This one is a like not a love, but I will continue to pick up Tarah's works time after time!