HUGE THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND THE PUBLISHERS AT ST. MARTIN’S PRESS FOR THE ARC OF SAVOR IT BY TARAH DEWITT!!

I genuinely feel in my heart that this is my favorite Tarah Dewitt book that I have read thus far! It is easily a 4.25⭐️ for me. The only reason I didn’t rate this one a 5 star is because it took me a little bit to feel invested in the story but once I got there it was a chefs kiss! Sage and Fisher were absolutely magnetic. I adored their chemistry. I loved how this novel made me feel a rush of emotions. I was sad. I was happy. I was sad/happy/sappy at the same time. Beautifully written! I would definitely recommend!

When I tell you, I CRIED. This was so good, and the writing was so beautiful. Also, who doesn’t love a good cooking romance?! Definitely buy this book ASAP because it’s that good.

I enjoyed this book! It kept my attention and had me hooked. Although I liked it, the story didn’t stick with me after.

I DNF’d this book at 40%. Unfortunately I just don’t think it was for me. The writing wasn’t grabbing me and to get to 40% and have nothing have really happened just didn’t work for me.

This book was such a delight! I loved the small town, close-knit community vibes, the menagerie of animals, and Sage and Fisher's relationship. They were soft, and sweet, and everything I didn't know I needed!

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

THIS BOOK!

dare I call it a masterpiece? yes, I think I shall.

wow wow wow. I expected to enjoy it, but I was NOT prepared for the way Savor It latched onto my heart, burrowed its way in, and embedded itself there permanently. it’s such a beautifully rich story that had me literally laughing and sobbing at all the right moments. I think it may have hollowed me out a bit and filled me back up with pure joy. a book hasn’t made me feel this deeply in a good while now, and I’m so thankful for it.

Savor It is filled with the radiating delight of mundane moments, the step-stumbling happiness of falling in love, and the zinging buzz of heartbreak. it’s mouthwatering (in more ways than one) with its ability to make you crave, desire, and just long for all the good things. it feels like a sunshiny day in the middle of a meadow, and while the clouds pop up every now and then, they make you even more grateful for the sun. it’s summer in a bottle.

the characters are *chef’s kiss (no pun intended, although as the pun queen, Sage would approve):
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⇢ Sage is such a relatable woman. she’s not trying to be the cool girl, she’s just her effervescent, caring self. I’m obsessed with the way her character solidifies that it’s okay to be the nice girl. nice girls get bad raps, but they are so vital and vibrant and filled with more depth than they get credit for.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⇢ Fisher is just doing the best he can with what he’s got, and we love him for it. he’s so unsuspecting of his summer surroundings, and it’s such a joy to watch him come back to himself and grow even more into who he wants to be.
‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ⇢ the secondary characters are so three-dimensional! every single one of them comes to life so potently. I’m not ready to say goodbye, and if I don’t get at least one more book from Spunes, I’ll be devastated. I’m looking at your second chance, Wren and Ellis!!

all-in-all, Savor It just made me so happy, and I really couldn’t ask for more!
•

this and that:
♡ all the animals
♡ butterflies in your stomach
♡ canoe lessons
♡ competitions
♡ cooking
♡ chef / farmer
♡ fake dating
♡ farmers markets
♡ festivals
♡ getting caught in the rain
♡ green thumbs
♡ he paints her nails
♡ hurt / comfort
♡ library trysts
♡ love with a countdown
♡ no strings
♡ only for the summer
♡ open door
♡ Pacific Northwest
♡ pun puns puns
♡ single uncle
♡ slow burn
♡ small towns
♡ sooo much good food (and he cooks!)
♡ summer in a bottle
♡ the magic of getting to know someone without expectations
♡ the wall lean
♡ twilight references
•

triggers:
☞ bullying (mentioned)
☞ burnout
☞ car accident (off page)
☞ death of a loved one
☞ grief
☞ physical injury / severe burns (off page)
☞ regret
☞ xenophobia
•
notable quotes:
・She’s so cute it’s downright offensive.

・“According to the holy trinity otherwise known as the Chicks, wide-open spaces give one room to make some big mistakes, too.”

・The sight of Fisher with his back to me in my kitchen stretches that fluttery feeling into something foreign and loopy—something equal parts excited and self-conscious in an illogical way.

・“Grief changes you”

・“I don’t think we can base our success entirely on someone else’s opinions”

・“I decided a long time ago that life being too short and too beyond my control meant that I’d let the small stuff feel big.”

・“even I can tell that you’re vast.”

・“There you are”

・it’s also that same quality about Sage that makes it impossible to be anything but fully present when she’s around. Like when your sock slips down the inside of your shoe and it feels like your entire nervous system becomes focused there. I doubt I could let my consciousness go blurry around her if I tried.

・“Fisher, I’ll be happy to listen to your origin story later, but right now, we’re discussing canoes.”

・“What if I don’t like it quick, Sage?” I ask, rapt on her reaction. “What if I prefer to savor things. Want it good and slow and drawn out?”

・Even disheveled and dirty with a ladle in his hand, he makes me want to twirl my hair and giggle like a moron.

・“Sagebyrd,” he says, like bluebird or blackbird or like I’m some exotic, rare species he’s just discovered and named. Just like that, it’s officially the only nickname I’ve ever loved.

・Someone’s laugh has never caused such a visceral reaction in me before.

・I feel adrift and confused.

・We both can’t seem to stop finding one another.

・I just want. All I am is want.

・Somehow I know that from now on, the tang of him and salt water will be what I think of when I imagine summer’s taste.

・“you make it hard to be anywhere else.”

・“I’ve always said that nothing screams romance like being submerged in the icy Pacific before 7:00 A.M.”

・“No, Sage. I think you’d respond better to being very intentionally worked up,” he tells me. “Should I tell you how?”

・I feel myself being irrevocably changed

・Because not all hearts break, or heal, the same.

・Don’t worry so much about the clouds that you miss the flowers at your feet.

・I want to be the one to make her favorite meal.

・“I think your laugh could maybe defibrillate me.”

・“Once you accept the impermanence of it, you give yourself permission to enjoy it now.”

・I just know I’ll never be the same

・“I just don’t want it to end,” he says. “It’s too good. I just want to put off the end.”

・I thought that getting physical might ease this feeling in me, but I feel myself tripping precariously into that addiction.

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

・just like that, some of the sand gets carried away, taking a piece of me with it.

・I feel like I’m a fizzy drink of emotion about to uncork.

・I’ve spent so much of my life observing others, trying to learn the things I was missing, trying to make myself significant to them, but this man who has known me a month has made himself feel crucial to me.

・I am deliriously enamored.

・“I’m in too deep, Sage,” he rasps, voice thick.

・“I know we were supposed to accept the impermanence of this thing with you and me, and enjoy it in the meantime, but I just keep digging in, and now I’m drowning in you, Sage.”

・“Just love me until then, anyway”

・Love is this. Love is breathing. A sweet, deep, aching relief. And it’s somehow even more disorienting.

・life is not a meritocracy. Just because you do everything right, even if you know you deserve it, doesn’t mean that it will all be perfect in the end.

・“It’s all worth it, anyway.”

・It’s like the cruelest tease of the life we might’ve had, if our paths had found a way to converge. Instead, I know this loop is coming to an end, and have to find a way to appreciate it for the beautiful maze it’s been.

・My fantasy and the reality I’ll likely always dream of wrapped up in one. I feel like the life she breathed into me is leaving already.

・“Thank you for loving me, as is.”

・will I ever not find her in everything?

・“It’s been a privilege to fall in love with you”

・I thought being with Fisher would be like cut flowers in a vase. Something lovely I let in, even knowing it couldn’t last forever. The problem is, I messed up and planted him here in all my places. I gave him my dirt, my heart, my home, and now he’s been uprooted again and I’m left with the upturned mess of it all.

・“Time’s the only thing that increases your pain tolerance.”

・he said it had been a privilege. Because it was, wasn’t it? Even feeling how I do now, I would do it all again for the privilege of loving him, of being loved by him. He didn’t fix me, and I didn’t heal him, but we loved each other wholly.

・It’s October when everything changes.

・I miss her so much I think it could swallow me whole.

・“Nothing’s for certain, except that I certainly fucking love you.”

・“You’re all the shapes made perfectly to hold me, and you’re all my favorite colors.”
—
thank you SMP Romance for sending me and early copy of Savor It!

This was a super cute read! I absolutely loved the dynamic between Sage and Fisher. I only knocked off two stars because I wish we had learned a little bit more of the back story of both Sage and Fisher. Sometimes I felt like I missed something when I was reading parts of the book. Overall though, this was a delicious read. If you're looking for something sweet, playful, and (a little) spicy, add this to your list!

I’ve seen all the hype for this book and assumed that it couldn’t be that good. Of course, I was wrong. This book starts off a bit slow but pulls you as you begin to see more of the town and its intricacies. The MC, Sage, feels like a character we’ve seen before but as the story unfolds she gains a depth that allows you to see yourself in her. Fisher is a troubled chef trying to do the best for his niece and piece his life back together. The connection is slow and sweet. The side characters help to give a full perspective of the town, its people but also brings heat to the romance. The town grows on you to the point that you down want to leave it behind. As the story ended I realized I wanted more and that’s when I finally got what everyone loved so much about this book. Definitely check it out if you want a sweet romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

CW: parental death

Wow. I think i just found my new favorite book by Tarah Dewitt! It’s such a sweet, heartwarming romance that is so beautifully written. Sage and Fisher are freaking beautiful together and they deserve all the happiness in the world. Watching them fall in love was something I’ll never forget anytime soon!

I love the style of the two books I have read by this author - there is something distinct and lovely about the voice she brings to her romances. This had a perfect small town setting and cast of characters, and I loved how the stories all came together throughout. I’m also itching for some spinoff novels about the side characters!

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC!

Savor It by Tarah DeWitt
3.5*

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a digital copy of this ARC!

-small town romance
-opposites attract
-just for the summer

My thoughts:
When I saw this as a Read Now on Netgalley, I have never clicked faster! I thoroughly enjoyed ALL of Tarah DeWitt's other work, especially Funny Feelings.

Savor It took me a while to get into, but once I did, I enjoyed it. I thought the chemistry between Sage and Fisher was fantastically written, and loved many of the side characters. This book has some top-tier banter, and covers some heavier topics as well - grief, healing, and being happy with your own life. I didn't love the flow of this book - the timeline was a little off. Some days felt slow, while other time periods felt rushed and skipped.

Savor It publishes May 21, and I'd highly recommend it for fans of Abby Jimenez.

In this story we follow Sage who is a small town girl through and through. Just getting out of a serious relationship, she is focused on life at home. Which includes a small farm of misfit animals and a garden of flowers.
We then meet fisher who's life is turned upside down when he is fired from his job and gains guardianship of his teenage niece. When a second chance offer at getting his life back on track as a chef comes along, he takes it! Even if that means he has to be in a small town with his unenthusiastic niece.
Sage and Fisher become neighbors. They support each other and with time they come to need each other. Their time together isn't permanent. So they will have to make the most of the moments they have left.


I enjoyed this book for the most part. The romance quickly forced. Fisher felt more flushed out as a character because his family was part of the story line. We never dealt with Sage getting over her past. It was just too rushed through. We were left out of a lot of scenes that the writer had built us up for. I also was glad to have read this on kindle because there were words I needed to look up. I gave it 3 stars.

DeWitt's writing is warm and engaging, with a charming wit and heartfelt emotion that draws readers in from the very first page. She navigates the ups and downs of romance with sensitivity and grace, crafting a love story that is as sweet and satisfying as a perfectly crafted dessert.

At its core, "Savor It" is a story about the transformative power of food and love in our lives. It celebrates the joys of cooking, eating, and sharing meals with the people we care about most. Whether you're a foodie, a hopeless romantic, or simply looking for a heartwarming read, "Savor It" is sure to leave you hungry for more.

Savor it by Tara DeWitt was a cute read. It wasn't groundbreaking, super unique or something to write home about but it was cute.

I really enjoyed Savor It by Tarah DeWitt. This story is a Dual POV following Sage and Fisher who decide that their pull to one another is too strong and despite knowing that there will be an end date, they should just enjoy one another in the "now" and deal with the consequences later.

The one thing that felt off (which is why this book didn't achieve five stars for me) was the pacing of the storylines. It felt like there was a lot of build up to this end of summer festival that essentially was overshadowed by a major family emergency, but even that was brushed over. There was a lot of focus on the little things, but the big stories that were built towards just fell off the radar.
This partially works because a big focus on the book is about finding joy in the little moments, but I felt more attention could have been paid to these storylines.

Overall, I really did love this story and the characters. The farm animals were all adorable and I really hope we get a second book in this universe (maybe following Ellis and Wren????? One can only hope!)

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

So super cute!! Tarah DeWitt is a great writer and makes you very invested in not only the plot but also the love story and the connection between the two series! I am so excited to see what else she writes in the future!

Sage is a person who believes in finding joy in the small things in life. Fisher, a Michelin star
chef moves into town with his niece to oversee the construction of a new restaurant.With Sage's
help, he learns to navigate life in a close knit community and rediscover his love of cooking. With
Fisher's help, Sage will discover her own strengths.
Perfect beach read.
#SavorIt #NetGalley

2.5 Stars

no one is more sad that I didn’t love this one as much as me. It’s my first book by this author and after hearing all the hype around her previous works, I was so excited for Savor It! The premise of small town girl, big city chef, forced proximity, and the possibility of romance! I was ready to go!

It started so strong and I was pumped! The banter! The internal conflicts! The forced proximity. It was great! Then it felt like it was dragging for me. I wish there was like a better explanation of time? I was so confused?? They had 9 weeks but there was no real definition of time. It’s like 2 weeks then 2 months later? And why so many conflicts??? Jealousy over the ex boyfriend getting married. Her migraine? His overcoming his issues with his job? The brothers fire accident? The festival (which was suppose to be the main thing that got pushed so far out of the book I forgot it even was still happening)The break up?! It was just so much!!

I loved their chemistry! The first kiss! The crush developing! It was so good I was swooning but then it just sizzled out for me. I wasn’t like omg this is amazing! It felt like forced?

There was also so many side characters to keep track of. And different animals all with their own names and personalities. It was just overwhelming. I understand that is a small town and that the town is important to Sage, but the town itself became more of a focus point when we has the restaurant construction happening, and the festival prep on top. But the festival storyline kind of dropped off the planet after the first kiss between Sage and Fisher.

I hope to read her other works and feel that love that everyone else did for this author but this one was not it for me.

Loved it, full stop. Opposites attract when a small-town farmer meets urban chef, and they progress from friendship to friends with benefits to love. It was funny and romantic and engrossing. And yes, I did get teary near the end.

I hope this is the start of a series. I would happily revisit this small town (and catch up with Sage and Fisher along the way).

Highly recommend!

This is an entertaining read. Fisher and Sage are strong, relatable, interesting, complex, intriguing, entertaining characters. I enjoyed them as individuals and a couple. The path to their HEA, is not an easy one for them but fun to read. Indy and the animals add both levity at times as well as add to the angst of the story. The secondary characters – including the town itself – added to the fabric of the story and my enjoyment. This story has poignant moments involving loss/grief that are very touching and real. I love the growth of both the main characters throughout the course of the story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.