Another 5 star book by Tarah. A small town romance featuring a chef and his neighbor, this book has the perfect blend of steamy, cute, funny; and heartwarming. You simultaneously feel like you are being wrapped in a warm hug while pondering life’s biggest questions about identity, confidence, and happiness.
Sage is the type of FMC you want to be friends with. She is so relatable with her moments of sass and caring personality. I admired how she owned all her quirky traits and was unapologetic in who she is.
Fisher’s character development in this book is spectacular. Separating one’s identity and worth from the success of a career is no easy feat and Tarah’s writing treats this growth journey with grace.
I was laughing at so many points throughout this book, the jokes are abundant and made for such an enjoyable read.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this advanced readers copy.

This was my first book by this author and it won’t be my last. It really helped get me out of a reading slump. It took me a little while to get into this one, but then I loved it! As soon as the library scene hit- I was all in.

There were a LOT of names in this book including animals and that did hold me back in getting into it initially.

I loved the background of the characters. I think people who love Abby Jiminez books will also love this one! The big highlight of this book… THE CHARACTES ACTUALLY COMMUNICATE AND ACT THEIR AGE!!!! Wow, what a treat that was!

Also, there was no grand gesture at the end of this book which I really appreciated. It had some heavy moments but I would describe it as a cozy, swoony, heartfelt romance.

I can’t wait to read what else this author writes!

4.5 out of 5 stars
3 out of 5 steam level

First, the names of these characters is so cute and unique, I love it! I have never had the pleasure of reading Tarah DeWitt before and I loved every word of this masterpiece! It's definitely a feel good with spice during the summer in a small town! Sage and Fisher's chemistry is so enticing with real emotions and struggles. Big feelings is an understatement! I think if haven't read this book or anything by the author this is definitely one to try and talk about! Thank you NetGalley, Tarah Dewitt and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to SAVOR this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this one was not for me. I have heard positive feedback from other reviewers I follow, so this is a "it's not you, it's me" situation. I just did not click with the characters. They were overly quirky to me and I didn't buy into the plot - it all felt very contrived. I also do not like books that involve kids and while the one in this book was a teen, it still didn't work for me.

2 Stars

I was so excited to read this book because I had heard really good things about the author, Tarah DeWitt! Unfortunately, Savor It just didn’t work out for me. I tried so hard to get into it and by the time I had trudged through to 75% I knew I just couldn’t keep going.

I seem to be in the minority though as it has great reviews so don’t let me deter you! I also noticed the author has a Pinterest board for this book which was helpful when it came to casting & imagery! Savor It reminded me in a way of Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score which I was also in the minority about, so if you like that I would say definitely check this out!

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

A perfectly portioned story. All romance, part vulnerability, part witty banter, simmered in some grief and heartbreak—and with more than a dash of spice.

- You are not silly.
- You are not “too” nice, or too anything for that matter.
- The things that make you happy are important - simply because they make you happy.
- Wear what you want.
- Cook what you want.
- Ask for what you want.

Just a little taste of what’s in store for readers of Savor It.

DeWitt’s book has some serious Stars Hollow vibes in terms of setting and the cast of characters. I think readers who enjoyed Ashley Poston’s The Seven Year Slip and Abby Jimenez’ Part of Your World will LOVE Savor It.

In short, this book was fantastic and stands out among the romance ARCs I’ve read this year. It’ll have you by the heartstrings and the tastebuds.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Tarah DeWitt for a eARC of this book.

Tarah DeWitt, again, nails a romance book that will make you feel so much. This one had me laughing, crying, and most importantly, swooning. I love the way she crafts her characters; they feel real, unique, and memorable. This story touches on heartbreaking loss, guilt, and what it means to find your people, Some of my favorite tropes were included in this book, and they were done so well. I will always recommend her books!

It was giving Hallmark movie… He’s a Michelin star chef from NYC, she’s a small town teacher. He moves to said small town for the Summer with his niece whom he is now the guardian for since his sister’s passing. He’s overwhelmed, burnt out and uninspired when he meets the quirky girl next door who wears crazy robes, has a passion for gardening and a farm full of adopted (and also quirky) animals. He (and his niece) are adamantly anti-small town but over the course of the story… I think you can guess where this is going.

It was cute. This will hit the spot if you’re looking for a low stakes, cozy, small town romance with a little sprinkle of spice.

Thank you to Net Galley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an ARC!

A big ol' romance with small-town charm.

First, there's Sage - she's got a menagerie of rescue animals, teaches at the local high school, and loves her small town with all of her heart - even if that heart was broken relatively recently. Then there's Fisher - a former Michelin-star chef trying to get his life back together but, more importantly, trying to help his niece Indy find her footing after losing her mother. By way of introducing him to the town and helping he and Indy feel useful, Sage teams up with Fisher for Spunes' annual town festival and competition. But of course, along the way, they connect about a lot more than just town trivia and rowing.

If you love quirky small towns, romcoms with heart and emotion, geese, three-legged cats, and sage advice ("Courage is a muscle - you strengthen it with use"); make sure this one's on your list.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the arc!

Tarah. You did it again. Tears and smiles, every single emotion. This book was beautiful and everything I wanted to be. Please never stop writing

💜 small town
💜 fwb turns true love
💜 chef x gardener
💜 moves across the us

Quotes I enjoyed (could change by pub date)

“Until I started spending time with you, it was like I forgot how to just be present.”

“Courage is a muscle.” You strengthen it with use.”



This book was seriously adorable. I truly enjoyed it so much. I found myself wishing it was longer so we could have enjoyed even more of Sage & Fisher.

Sage got out of a long term relationship a year prior and her ex is already engaged and of course the new fiancée is nice. She is still sad but puts herself into her life of being a teacher, a caregiver for animals who need somewhere to go & always willing to lend a helping hand.

Fisher is a Michelin star chef who was sent out of town to work on a new restaurant for his boss because he was fired after shoving dessert into someone’s face at the restaurant.

Fisher has a niece who he is raising, since his sister sadly passed away, and they both move across the country for the summer to help get the restaurant going in town. The first night at 4 am they think someone’s breaking in and call 911 when it’s actually just the robot vacuum running.

They quickly meet the neighbor Sage and all of her animals. Sage has a nephew who is going to take his niece, Indy, under his wing around town and get to know his friends and feel welcome.

Sage & Fisher immediately are taken with one another. They agree to compete in the towns competition at the end of summer & and over a short time they grow closer than they thought they would. Knowing the summer will be coming to an end and they’ll be going back to New York they agree to a FWB situation that ultimately ends in them falling in love.

This book is filled with humorous dialogue, funny scenes and love. I really enjoyed it as i said above and if you are interested I definitely recommend picking this one up on pub day.

Thank you NG & the author for this book!

I'm not always a huge fan of romance, but I loved this one! Sage and Fisher are both on the road of self discovery and they find each other and love along the way. Each character had depth and I enjoyed watching them find their place in the world and with each other. Fisher's relationship with his niece was adorable and heartwarming. I loved watching the progression of their bond. This is one romance not to miss!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for a digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, St Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the advanced copy of Savor It.

I did not want to put this one down! I loved it so much! Easy, breezy, beautiful! This was such a sweet book. It had it all: small town romance, single dad, grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, mini donkeys!! And don't forget the geese!!

Sage Byrd has lived in Spunes, Oregon her entire life. Her parents have passed away, her brothers are firefighters in the town, and her ex is the golden boy police officer. When Fisher Lange is needing a change after the loss of his sister and one of his Michelin stars, he is given the opportunity to see to the construction of a new restaurant far from NYC in Spunes, Oregon. Packing up his and his niece's life seems like just the break they need to hit the reset button. When the townspeople are not too happy with the new restaurant and when Sage needs saving from her ex and his fiance (an old friend of hers), the two decide to strike up a deal and fake date. No feelings involved, right? Sure! We know how that goes!!

Tarah DeWitt is without a doubt one of my comfort authors. If I see a book by her I'm going to pick it up. As a small-town girl myself, her writing style gives me feelings of home and nostalgia. Savor it is yet another hit from Tarah. From the small-town feel. Seeing the two characters, Fisher and Sage, learning to communicate and trust one another while both of them were dealing with their individual internal battles was refreshing to see and made the relationships feel more real.

A huge thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin’s Press, and Tarah DeWitt for the early access copy of Savor It <333

I don’t think Savor It is part of a companion novel series, but it certainly reads like it. There are a lot of characters introduced at the beginning of the novel that I had a hard time keeping them straight. It was a funny introduction to Fisher and his niece to the town and an even funnier meet cute between Fisher and Sage, but there were too many other people involved. I still had a hard time keeping all the characters straight at the midway point of the novel.

I didn’t enjoy Savor It as much as I wanted because there are pages upon pages of the main characters’ inner monologues that do a lot of telling rather than showing.

On the other hand, Fisher and Sage didn’t talk enough. I certainly knew how they felt about each other based on the pages of inner monologues. However, this caused their relationship to feel forced rather than genuine because readers rarely see the characters interacting firsthand.

Sage is an almost all knowing small town girl that everyone can’t help but love. There’s nothing that I can point to that I disliked, but I couldn’t connect with her. I’m all for communication and boundaries, but I don’t think she knew what a fling was since she kept trying to set rules and restrictions.

Their eventual coupling had the cliche ‘this has never felt like this before’ which is hard to believe since it felt like they barely spoke to each other.

Savor It features themes of mental health as Fisher deals with grief, sudden parenthood, and the loss of his career and passion.

Spice level: 🌶️🌶️

Overall, Savor It is an okay romance set in a small town where a hot shot chef from the big city, who has a lot going on, falls for the small town girl.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾☆ 4.25 savory stars ☆☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

A read so sweet, I wish I could conquer time just to savor it.

I couldn’t think of a better introduction to the Tarah DeWitt literary universe than the one that takes place in Spunes, Oregon. The cozy coastal town brought all the charm in the shape of a mystical sunroom, clingy geese, and blackberry scones from the local mother-daughter bakery.

Sage Byrd, our eccentric yet whimsical female lead is everything I aspire to be and then some. A teacher by day, master gardener and animal lover by night, she is the pure definition of an eternal optimist. With her heart of gold, Sage deserves every ounce of goodness this world can provide. As another member of the “a lot of nots” club, I feel so seen and that is the purest act of love a reader can experience.

There are no words that will ever be able to express how desperately in love I am with Fisher Lange. In an age seemingly dominated with overbearing and concerningly possessive MMCs, Fisher was the light at the end of the tunnel. I could, and probably will, sob tears of joy at some point after I’ve mentally digested this novel. His arc is so nuanced that it was impossible not to become completely and utterly enamored by him. It is so refreshing to experience a male protagonist that takes accountability for his actions. Bare minimum, but it’s rare and in-between these days so…

All I want is a man that concisely communicates his thoughts, fears, and emotions. Until that day, I will live vicariously through Sage. She has what every girl wants (it’s me…I’m every girl).

I will forever stand my ground that this is the way you properly write the expiration date trope. Both Sage and Fisher outwardly expressed their awareness that this was just for the summer, but were mature enough to acknowledge that their feelings were anything but.

Grief is a very prominent topic that’s approached with the gentlest of care. I always appreciate when an author steers clear of taking the stance that eventually, it will all get better. The truth is, grief is a lifelong companion. It’s what you do in the wake of it that matters. In a culture where most of us are battling a scared to live, scared to die mentality, the message this book sends healed a part of me I thought would be broken forever.

I will say, though there was so much I adored about Fisher and Sage’s story, there was also a lot of patience on my end before I could truly delve into it with as much fervor as I initially wanted to. The beginning of any story is expected to grasp the readers attention as soon as possible and while I wish this were the case, I was met with a lack of clarity that only made me wary of travelling any further into this fictional world. While I am overly protective of Sage, I can admit that her quirks almost lost me in the beginning, just grazing that line between endearingly naive and annoyingly ‘I’m not like other girls’ territory. Her character came across a little too strong in the sense that it takes a while to get acquainted with her personality. So perhaps easing the audience into it would’ve given the plot its moment to shine, or at least become established.

Speaking of plot, there were a lot of different directions that were teased, yet we never got to venture down in its entirety. Most notably, the history with Sage and her ex, Ian. While I am in no way upset that he got barely any page time, my curiosity was not satiated. I need the juicy details, the inside scoop. Likewise, the Spunes festival also appeared to be missing in action. In the scheme of it all, it was rare that we saw Fisher putting in adequate effort on the observatory. Equally on Sage’s end, we didn’t see much of her and Fisher preparing for the competitions outside of their morning training.

While I’m relieved that the conflict at the end wasn’t focused on a third-act breakup, the suddenness of it took me for a loop. I suspected it would come in the shape of an accident of sorts, but not seeing the particular characters involved much throughout the story meant it didn’t leave as much of an impact as it could’ve.

All in all though, there was something so beautifully unexpected about this novel. As a proud book-cover judger, I knew I was going to at least like this particular story. I didn’t expect it to consume so much of my being, though. So much so that I’m already booking a ticket back to Spunes in hopes for Wren and Ellis’ book…*wink wink*

Thank you to St. Martins Press and Tarah DeWitt for providing me with an ARC. As always, all thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title.

This was my Tarah Dewitt book and it did not disappoint! I adored this book and did not want it to be over! I am now going to read everything else she has ever wrote!

Take me Spunes, Oregon! It’s a quaint little town where everyone knows each other, and news travels faster than you can say “news”. It’s the perfect setting for a summer read.

Sage and I would be the best of friends. She’s quirky and has the biggest heart, especially for abandoned animals. I never thought I’d be so invested in a goose before.

My man Fisher. He cooks, he pleasures, he owns up to his mistakes, he loves Sage exactly the way she is, and he goes to therapy. Is there anything this man doesn’t do?

Per usual, DeWitt handles the themes of grief and mental health with the utmost care. She also has a talent for writing hilarious dialogue. I highlighted a ton of LOL moments in the book.

I am a huge fan of Tara Dewitt and I couldn’t wait to start her latest book. Let me just say, it did not disappoint. Sage is a teacher who is sweet and loves her animals. Fisher is a chef looking to reinvent himself. The two end up meeting in Sage’s small town and come up with a mutually beneficial agreement.
Tara deals with some heavy themes such as grief and loss which she balances nicely with swoon worthy, spicy scenes and witty banter. The characters are complex, real, and so charming. I appreciated seeing both Sage and Fisher’s growth and journey to self discovery. I really enjoyed the side characters too. This is a the perfect book to bring on vacation and a must read summer romance book.

Read if you like:
🍳 small town vibes
🍳opposites attract
🍳dual POV
🍳 grumpy x sunshine
🍳fake dating

"You're all the shapes made perfectly to hold me, and you're all my favorite colors."

This book made me feel everything. I am just so completely obsessed with Sage and Fisher, I can’t get them out of my head.

When Fisher loses his way, his boss sends him and his niece, Indy, to the small coastal town of Spunes, Oregon. He quickly clashes with the townspeople who are not happy with the restaurant his boss intends on opening there.

Sage, his new neighbor, is dealing with unwanted pity from the townspeople after her ex gets engaged. She just needs something that will get the townspeople off of her back, and she’s decided that winning the summer competition held in town will help. She just needs to find a partner.

There are a few things that happen that set these two up to strike a deal that helps them both but their chemistry is instant.
There’s no denying this was slow burn, more slow burn than I usually like but there were so many little moments that had me kicking my feet from the very first few chapters.

Fisher had me weak in the knees. He would’ve done anything for Sage and he said and did so many things that had me swooning so hard.
Sage was also so funny and cute, and I related to her in a lot of ways.

I will say that I don’t normally like when FMCs are painted as “quirky” because most of the time, it’s done in an over the top way that comes off as cringey. This was not the case with Sage, in my opinion. Sure, you could definitely give her that label but in the best way. She was so unapologetically herself in a way that you couldn’t help but love. She had such a kind and caring nature, and although she did make puns and wear goofy t-shirts, it was, thankfully, not her entire personality.

Another thing I enjoyed was watching Fisher’s relationship with Indy progress. The loss of her mom was hard on both of them but they were fortunate to have each other. We see them butt heads a lot, which makes sense considering Indy is 15, but we also see them gain a mutual respect and understanding for each other after their summer spent in Spunes.

I was really not expecting this book to make me cry but it did. That last little bit had me having to get out of bed for some tissues at one in the morning.

This is, no doubt, one of my top reads of the year.

Thank you Netgalley & Tarah for the ARC!