✅ disgraced NY-based Michelin starred chef moves to a small town in Oregon
✅ dual POV
✅ fake dating
✅ love the secondary characters
✅ sexy Hallmark that’s in on the stereotype 😉
🌶️: in the back half
Very sweet and charming and heartwarming!

personally i think this book was just not for me. It had so many aspects I loved and I know it will be a favorite for many other readers, but for some reason i just personally could not connect with the characters. Please read this book based on your own judgement, I really wanted to love it, and wish I could find the words for what exactly didn’t click for me. But in the end sometimes a book might just not vibe with you, and that’s ok.

*Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

I adored this! I devoured it in one sitting! This is a first book I'm reading by this author and I will now binge read all the books available! I loved it so, so much! the writing style, the characters... I love how it all felt so real and very relatable ! 10/10 would recommend!

Tarah DeWitt hits another one out of the park (out of the canoe?!) with Savor It. After Funny Feelings and The Co-Op, I was chomping at the bit for another story from her, and she continues to set the standard for world building with two completely unique main characters, a beautiful setting, and fun yet complex supporting characters. If you like anything about high-stress chef tropes (hello Carmy!) or small town teacher/book lover tropes, you will be kicking your feet with this one. I loved the small town hug feeling mixed with characters with such rich and diverse life experiences and journeys that all intersect in ways that left me wanting a sequel to learn more about every sibling and friend who appeared in Savor It. The dichotomy of getting stuck thinking about what could have been, that I think we all go through at some point, and pushing to live in the present and make the most of where and when you find your people, made me feel both seen and challenged the whole way. Tarah represents grief, growth, long-time friendship, and new relationships that feel like they’ve known one another a lifetime like no one else does. Not to mention the fun animal cameos! This book really has something for everyone.

I LOVED THIS BOOK with my whole heart! i am an absolute sucker for a charming small town where everyone knows you and your business but that’s okay because you’re all like family, and beautifully flawed and relatable main characters that feel written specifically for you. i could cry because this story was that and MORE.
fisher is the grumpy hot chef of my dreams and sage is just a small town girl living in a lonely world and i love them both so much!!!
i love how fisher is almost immediately undone by all that sage is! he wants to be mad at how sunshiney and sarcastic she is, but really he is so drawn to her he doesn’t know what to do with himself. he can’t stand how bad he wants her and it’s my fav thing! i love how sage is quick with her comebacks and ready to spar with him at any given moment all while never losing her smile and playfulness. it drives fisher crazy in the best way!
fisher is so hard on himself and has all these walls up that sage is tearing down one at a time just by being her bright self around him. he’s trying so hard to do the right thing by himself and his niece indy and reading all the effort he puts into it and the sincerity behind his character made me so emotional.

let’s talk about their first kiss!!! because it was everything!!! and from that moment on he was DONE FOR!! my man fell hard!! (and so did i) there was no going back for him!!!! (or me)
the spice in this book is some of my favorite ever written!!! i am not kidding— i’ve never felt more touch starved in my life!!

i love how sage is able to enjoy her life because she fills it with all the things she loves— taking care of her animals, gardening, participating in community events, supporting her family and friends— truly, i love her life! but my favorite thing about her and the thing that resonates most with me is how she is able to find the humor in everything despite what she’s been through and the things her life lacks. she is also so mature and self aware. i love how she was quickly able to connect with indy over what they have in common. their bond is effortless and lighthearted despite the grief they’ve both experienced.

i also loved seeing indy and fisher’s relationship evolve. when they finally became vulnerable with each other, opened up and talked about freya together— it brought me to tears! it was such a pivotal and meaningful moment!

i love tarah’s writing so much! the ways she describes a laugh or a gesture, a smile or a feeling— it all perfectly comes to life in my head. the way she wrote every single interaction between sage and fisher and indy with such emphasis on the details!!! she makes every mundane moment important and monumental.

i enjoyed every second of getting to know these characters and this town and i can’t wait to visit them again. this love story is beautiful and a true treat.

Lovely and satisfying. Beautifully written; relatable, likable characters who are self aware. Excited to read more from the Spunes universe!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the complimentary advanced reader copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

Savor it

Tarah has this amazing ability to write stories with humor and vulnerability. She makes you laugh and cry in the same sentence.

I could see this happening again in Savour It. Sage was funny and yet so authentic in the way she felt.
Fisher comes along all broken and sad boy.
They see each others cracks and love each other wholly even when they know it will come to an end.

Even with that said, I would have DNF’d by 50%
I didn’t feel any chemistry. It did come in closer to 60% but it still felt forced.
There are also so many annoyingly large obnoxious, pretentious words. They were unnecessary and felt like the author had something to prove.

The layout of the book is there, but there is a struggle to connect the scenes. Scenes start and stop and change very abruptly. There are small parts that come out of no where. I can see the reason for it, but they are not woven through out the rest of the book.

Savour it is a mix of Tessa Baileys ridiculousness and the deep aloofness from Emily Henry. However, It’s not funny enough to be a rom com But it’s too quirky to be just contemporary

I’m glad I pushed through with this book as I did laugh and cry, but I didn’t love it like I have Tarah’s previous books.
I can see others would love this book, it just wasn’t as much for me as Tarah’s previous books.

This book is like slipping into a cozy pair of slippers, a robe and bundling up for the weekend with your favorite things. It was charming and cozy and absolutely delightful. Also it made me crave marionberries IYKYK. I loved watching Sage blossom and grow into her own. Fischer, damn what a man. That scene in the library!

Small town romance at the very best!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Savor it? I sure did! Beautifully written, you'll connect with these characters immediately. I loved seeing the growth of Sage and Fisher, both individually and together. It's got that great small town feel where the community comes together and supports you. Was some of it ridiculous? Sure, like why would a 3-star Michelin chef end up here where there is basically no customers except the locals? Yeah, there's a backstory to that, but's it kind of lame. This is my second book by this author and I really enjoy her writing style, so I can overlook those moments. Highly recommend. I'd love to see this continue as a series with Sage's brothers' stories!

This book was such a great small town romance. I fell in love with the location and the people,
Tarah just has a way of pulling at my heartstrings, seeing Sage and Fisher’s friendship develop and also just growing as people was wonderful to witness.
I loved that it was the kind of book that could make me laugh at their silly little banter but also go through the emotions with them.
Loved it.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Any book that makes me cry and feel warm and fuzzy is amazing. The vibes of this small town summer romance couldn’t have been written any better!

I liked this book! Funny Feelings is still my all time favorite from this author, but this one was good, too! The pacing in the front half of the book felt slow to me, but it did pick up at about 50%. This was about Sage, who lives on a small farm in a small town in Coastal Oregon. Fisher & his niece move in next door for the summer while Fisher is opening a restaurant in town. Savor It has one of my favorite microtropes where the character who is a chef really wants to cook for the love interest lol… Falling in love in impossible circumstances is sort of the situation these two find themselves in. It’s a great summer read, especially if you like small town romances with a bit of spice ❤️

3.75 stars rounded up to 4

This was such a sweet and genuinely good book! I personally don't always love small town romance books because they are typically very cliche, but this book sort of played on that in the best way. They townspeople knew it was a small town, knew how things operated, and used that to their advantage and had lots of fun!

Sage and Fisher both had their struggles - personally and relationship wise. But to see them become genuine friends first was beautiful and grow together. I loved Fisher and Indy's relationship, and Sage and Indy's relationship even more.

I found this book funny while also making sure to tackle a few more genuinely important topics really well. Like grief and how to handle relationships and a career. I thought the author did a beautiful job creating a genuine love story in a real life environment.

I absolutely recommend this book and think so many others will too! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!!

"Savor It" by Tarah DeWitt is the kind of small-town romance that hits all the right notes without a hint of the cheesy hallmark vibes. This book is like a breath of fresh coastal air, where misfit animals on Sage Byrd's hobby farm and the quirky folks of Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington!), set the stage for a love story that's equal parts heartwarming and genuine.

The characters in this tale are not just characters - they're fully developed personalities that leap off the pages. Sage, our resilient protagonist, and Fisher, the grumpy yet lovable chef, take the lead in a romance that goes beyond the usual clichés. It's not just about love, it's about embracing yourself and accepting others for who they are.

I found myself laughing and shedding a few tears as Sage and Fisher navigated the twists and turns of their evolving relationship. The absence of the tired miscommunication trope was a welcome surprise, allowing their connection to unfold naturally. The book is a cute and easy read, yet it doesn't shy away from addressing life's complexities, including themes of grief and personal growth.

The writing style is, to put it simply, a siren's song. DeWitt weaves a tale that hypnotizes, captivates, and leaves you awestruck. The narrative flows seamlessly, and the dialogue feels like eavesdropping on real conversations. The book's title might suggest savoring, but I couldn't help devouring every chapter eagerly.

This story is not just about summer romance, it's about savoring life's moments, standing true to oneself, and making mature decisions. The small-town charm, grumpy/sunshine dynamics, and a touch of fake dating add spice to an already stellar tale. Tarah DeWitt delivers a five-star read that's not just a romcom, it's an emotional rollercoaster, filled with big feelings, genuine characters, and a narrative that lingers in your heart long after the last page. "Savor It" is a gem in the small-town romance genre that I'd recommend to anyone looking for a joyful, meaningful escape. Make sure to mark your calendars for May 21, 2024!

Thank you St. Martin's Press for providing this eARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and freely given.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟 3/5 stars

Savor It is an adorable small town romance between a hotshot chef and his neighbor. Fisher reluctantly moves to the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon with his moody niece in order to help open up a restaurant for his boss. Sage loves her town and her hobby farm. Fisher is not fitting in well in the small town and after a kiss with his neighbor leads to dating rumors, the two decide to form an alliance to improve his image. However, the two find themselves having real feelings for one another.

This was very cute and I loved the setting of Spunes. DeWitt has created an adorable world and I cannot wait for a few side characters to become the leads in future installments. Overall, a fun small town romance with heart.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

GRUMPY FREAKING SUNSHINE TO THE MAX.
i am in love. omg. i ate this book up, no crumbs left behind.

This was an enjoyable small-town romance. It had Hallmark elements but with more grit, more substance. It was cute and fun but had moments of deep introspection.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my very own.

“Don't worry so much about the clouds that you miss the flowers at your feet. Flowers might fade, but I think I'll enjoy them while they're here."

Read if you enjoy:
- Small Town Romance
- Grumpy vs Sunshine
- Opposites Attract
- Single Guardian
- Slow Burn
- Farm animals
- Fake Dating
- Open Door Romance
- Dual POV

Rating: 5 ⭐️

"You once told me you thought you were a lot of nots. I want you to know that to me, you're everything. . . You're all the shapes made perfectly to hold me, and you're all my favorite colors. . . You're definitely my favorite flavor."

I loved everything about this book! It is without a doubt my favorite book from Tarah and easily on my top 5. Savor It is simply one of those books that help you ground yourself into what is truly important in life. To savor every moment, no matter how simple or small.

I loved Sage and her authentic personality. Fischer was the sweetest! These two navigate their own insecurities while standing strong and supporting each other. I really enjoyed seeing them fall in love page after page, little moment after little moment. Fischer was lost in my ways, trying to connect and support his niece as well as trying to find his fire again as a chef. Sage helped him in so many ways and it was wholesome to see the little moments. Can I move to her farm too!?

One of my favorite aspects of the book was the maturity of the characters. The was no miscommunication and it made it for such a refreshing read. Their open and honest encounters gave me so many warm feelings.

Grateful to have access to this ARC and excited for you to read it once it releases on May 21. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance reader copy.

Utterly in love with the romance in this story. Big city chef meets a small town girl, and love in a small town always melts my heart. It was such an incredible story that sucks you in until the end. I was rooting for these two to be together.

Thank you to netgalley for the arc!

This is such a perfect small town romance!! It gave all the summer vibes and really had me wishing I lived in a small town by the beach with a neighbor next door for me to fall in love with. THE PERFECT SUMMER READ!! You’ll certainly find something to take by the end of this book :)

This book had a bit of everything; romance, humor, grief, family relationships, and amazing characters!! Everything fit together so well and this story was so well written and lovely! I would also love to see another book in this world with the other characters!!

I LOVED SAGE!! She’s such a sweet and caring person and she deserves all the happiness in the world!! I loved her humor and personality (especially her many pun shirts cause those were hilarious) and also just her MIND! She just felt so REAL to read about and her thoughts and mindset really had me feeling all these emotions.

I love complex characters and Fisher is one that isn’t perfect. Struggling with many things from the past and present and taking on the role of caring for his niece he sure had a lot going on. I loved his personal development and well and development with his relationship with his niece.

THESE TWO FOUND EACH OTHER AND ARE PERFECT TOGETHER!! They understand and see each other so well! I loved how they always communicated with each other and there was never any problems with saying how they feel to each other! Their banter also made me laugh and they had me contados smiling at my kindle from joy and happiness! I’m so happy they ended up at the same place and meeting and finding a home in each other!! I love them with all my heart <3