This was so sugar sweet! I love quirky small towns and this one had those hallmark/Gilmore girls vibes! On top of it just being so cute with the romance it has so many adorable animals!

Fisher and Sage were such fun characters! Fisher is a little grumpy, dealing with some personal struggles and the fact he is now responsible for his teenage niece when they have to go to the PNW for the summer. They end up renting the house next to Sage and from the very first night their interactions had me giggling! I love how quirky Sage is and also how passionate and caring she is to everyone and thing! There was so much banter between them and just loved how they just fell together slowly but so sweetly!

This book just gave me all the happy and warm feelings. It was sweet while also being layered with humor and a touch of spice! Fisher cooking for Sage had me swooning and I adored all the Sage advice! Definitely a fun read for the summer!

I also highly recommend listening to this on audio! It was so well done and Webber’s voice just does something to me!

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc!
I was excited to read this! Sounded like a great story by the description! For the most part I did really enjoy this! There were times it seemed very predictable and the instant relationship was a little cheesy at some points. Overall, this was a cute book, some spicy scenes that didn’t go too far into things, and was an enjoyable quick read. I wasn’t disappointed and did like it, but wasn’t a complete hit for me.

After hearing so much buzz about this author I was eager to dive into the small-town romance world. The premise had all the elements I typically enjoy: charming animals, tight-knit friendships, and a heartfelt journey through loss and grief. However, while there were moments I appreciated, the overall experience left me wanting more.

Let's start with the positives. Sage, with her endearing love for her animals and her strong bond with her friend Wren and her three brothers, was a character I wanted to root for. Fisher and his niece Indy added a sweet dynamic to the mix.

Despite these strong points, I found the writing style didn't quite resonate with me. The pacing felt uneven, with scenes that ended just as they were getting interesting, which made it difficult to connect deeply with the characters or their budding romance.

Sage and Fisher's love story, which should have been the heart of the book, didn't fully capture me. I didn't feel the chemistry between them, and their relationship development felt a bit forced. Additionally, the sheer number of side characters and their detailed backstories made the narrative feel cluttered at times.

The handling of grief and loss, while central to the story, felt emotionally flat. I struggled to connect with the characters' pain and growth, leaving those pivotal moments feeling somewhat hollow. The myriad conflicts, while realistic, seemed to pile up without adequate resolution, which diluted their impact on the overall plot.

I have to commend the audiobook narration which was engaging and brought the characters to life more vividly than the text alone. Both narrators delivery and ability to capture the distinct personalities of each character made the listening experience enjoyable, even when the story itself didn't fully resonate with me.

Sadly, I found myself unable to finish the book, stopping at about 85% because I just didn’t care anymore. "Savor It" had its moments of charm and potential, but it ultimately didn't live up to my expectations. However, if you're a fan of small-town romances with summer vibes and adorable animals, you might find it worth a read. I'll certainly give this author another chance with her other works, hoping to find that spark that everyone else seems to see.

Thank you to NetGalley & McMillan audio for this advance reader copy

This rom com about a summer fling between a chef and a teacher really sparkled in places and fizzled out in others. I was waiting for some satisfying twist at the end, but it never materialized. However, it was a sweet story with a great cast of characters, and I thought the audiobook narrators did an excellent job.

3.5 stars.

"Savor It" transports readers to the quaint coastal town of Spunes, Oregon, where a romance brews between lifelong resident Sage Byrd and a chef at a crossroads. Tarah Dewitt's knack for witty dialogue keeps the story engaging, but the book falls short in other areas. The use of endearments like "sweetheart" feels forced and come on too quickly, while the plot relies on contrived situations to push the story forward. The instant love between Sage and Fisher lacks depth, making it difficult to fully invest in their relationship. Though it has its moments, "Savor It" ultimately fails to deliver a satisfying or original romantic tale.

As for the narration, Karissa Vacker, one of my favorites, and delivers a fantastic performance, breathing life into the characters and making the experience more enjoyable. Zachary Webb is also a skilled narrator, but his portrayal of female voices may not resonate with all listeners.

Thank you so much to Tarah Dewitt, NetGalley, and Macmillan Audio for sending me the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Huge thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for sending me an ARC! 💌

Oooof this hits me right in that Elsie Silver spot. A small-town romance with a grumpy outsider (with an “adopted” teenage niece) that is paired up with a sunshine resident? Uh.. DUH. Any book that makes me shed a tear (or three) is five stars in my book.

‘Savor It’ has everything you could ever want in a small-town romance, and I knew I wanted to read this book the moment I finished the synopsis. It completely delivered and is a new fav! I loved the juxtaposition of toxic and neighborly small towns. Everyone out here romanticizing small-towns is having me pack my bags, ready to move, but Tarah brought me right back down to earth with the MMC’s hesitancy and conflict with small-towns. *Cautiously unpacks bags* I truly did not even realize how quickly I devoured this book which just goes to show how well it’s written. GIVE ME MORE GRONK AND SPRUCE. Please and thanks. *re-packs bags* 👀

I enjoyed this romcom! I loved the small town setting, Sage was such a strong female character and I loved her life in her small town. I loved how she gave her all to it, I loved her little farm with all the animals! They really made the book I adored them all and when we got to see them!! I also loved the dynamic between Sage and her brothers i thought the family aspect was done so well! Fisher started off in this book a little lost and dealing with so many things! I loved him and Indy and all the things we got with her sister and how losing her effected him and his niece Indy and I loved their journey together! I also loved how sage and fisher worked together the meet cute and fisher and Indy’s first night in the small town was so funny and the perfect set up! The only thing I wasn’t a fan of was how it felt like the book was close to being over before any thing really happened with the two main love interest and I would of liked to get a little more of them. I thought the ending was done really well i listened to this on audiobook and the narrators where amazing and I loved having this story read to me by them!!

This was such a fun reading experience. It was a lovely small town romance with opposites attract hero and heroine. Sage loves her small town, but it's hard to avoid her ex who dumped her, then quickly moved on and is engaged. Enter Fisher Lange who has come to town to consult on a new restaurant. He is running away from his own demons, he was a world renowned chef who has lost a Michelin star. Sage and Fisher are neighbors, and start helping each other.

Thank you to Netgalley and MacMillan audio for the advanced listener copy. Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber are wonderful narrators who add a lot of emotion to this great story. I highly recommend this book. It's oozes small town charm, and is a wonderful comfort read.

Such a sweet story, The goose, hilarious and sad and everything I wanted.

The competition plot line felt like it came out of nowhere but it made sense. It just seemed like it wasn't important until it was REALLY important.

my second book by tarah dewitt, 'savor it' follows sage, a small town hobby farm owner who needs a win after her recent ex suddenly gets engaged. when hotshot chef fisher arrives in town with his teenage niece after the loss of his sister, sage takes this as an opportunity to both get ahead: she can use fisher as a partner to with the local summer competition, and in return she will help improve fisher's image around town. but as their pact quickly turns into more than simply business, the two try to savor every moment of their summer, which is coming to an end faster than they'd like. this small-town romance was charming & fun, as well as quick summer read. i had a great time, it read like candy, & i'd recommend it.

Many thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinion. The dual narration by Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber made my experience with this fun romance even better than it would have been if I had read it with my eyes!
I enjoyed the author's previous release, Funny Feelings, and now after loving this one I need to dive into her other books ASAP.
Savor It follows a disgraced NYC chef moving to Spunes, Oregon (not Forks, Washington - ha!) to heal for the summer with his niece. Once there he meets the woman who lives in the house next to his rental, along with her menagerie of animals. If you're a fan of small town romance, this is a must read (or listen)! Also, I have to mention that this cover is just stunning.
I started listening to this one over the weekend with a delicious iced latte which sadly used up the last of my cold foam. Is cold foam the same as whipped cream? I feel like the chef in this book would have known the answer 👩‍🍳

Savor It by @authortarahdewitt is a recipe for a beautiful book perfect to add to your summer TBR:
-A small town girl
-A hotshot big city chef
-Fake dating
-Grumpy x Sunshine
-A bit of spice
-A huge amount of sweet, quirky fun

Honestly, what is there not to love? I loved the setting on this book, all the side characters that bring the town to life and of course our two MC’s. I felt like the 3rd act conflict actually worked so well with this story and didn’t feel forced. I honestly have no complaints! I really wanted to “Savour” the book but it was so good that I couldn’t put it down!

Side note, I combined both the ebook and audiobook both narrators ( Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber ) were perfect for their characters!

Thank you @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for my advance copies.

Savor It is available today!

I feel like I must preface this by saying Savor It was the SECOND romcom I have EVER read and I think it might just have been the push I needed to explore the genre more! I literally picked this book based off of a whim and the really adorable cover and ended up laughing, crying, smiling and enjoying pure joy. I really am speechless, I wasn’t expecting that outcome AT ALL 😂.

The small town vibes is honestly what won me over first. For someone who’s not a romcom reader, I did grow up watching the Hallmark channel and romcom movies but developed a bit of cynicism. I never felt like they were accurate to real romance which is always why I never pick up romcom books and instead read a lot of Romantasy 🤣. However, Savor It felt RAW and REAL even if it has a dash of quirkiness and small town charm that would most definitely be in a Hallmark movie.

The puns, banter, small town charm, side characters, ANIMALS, grumpy X sunshine are just *some* of the things I loved about the book. But the fact that I could cry while smiling has to be my favorite thing out of all.

P.S. BOTH narrator were EXCELLENT and really helped get you in the feels lol

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

I don’t think I’ve ever come across such a perfect book, at precisely the right time it needed to be read… as much as Savor It.

As someone that was born and raised in the PNW, this story captures the Oregon coast beautifully. From the charming & quirky characters, delicious ingredients, passion, and natural beauty, I fell in love with my back yard all over again. Although Spunes, is a fictional town, it felt incredibly real. And I couldn’t help but imagine it as Pacific City or Cannon Beach.

The combination of stunning scenery, wonderfully ridiculous humor, and the realistic anxiety representation, and career burnout, really resonated with me. But throughout the story, the reminder to savor all of the little things, has become my new favorite motto.

“You decide that everything matters. All of it, all that little shit. Everything in the present and how it makes you feel in those tiny moments, because you can’t possibly know when it’ll all go away.”

Sage Byrd has to be one of my favorite female characters of all time. Although I haven’t experienced the loss and most of the challenges she’s faced, she feels like a kindred soul, and I connected on a deep level to her character. She’s probably a little too helpful, loves gardening, rescuing all kinds of sweet creatures, and cares maybe a little too much about everyone she meets…

“I’ve known plenty of people who wear their hearts on their sleeves, but a handful of interactions is all it’s taken for me to determine that this woman carries hers in her fist, ready to hand it off at any given time.”

And don’t even get me started on Fisher Lange, the newest chef in town…Honestly is there anything sexier than a man that cooks incredibly well and enjoys feeding you?!?! Their banter kept me up until 3am the first day I started this book. I just couldn’t stop thinking about the sizzling chemistry between Sage & Fisher.

“Fuck, he’s perfect. No, it’s worse because he’s imperfect and honest about it and he’s deserving of so much love.”

“Yes, Chef.”

Maybe it’s the effortless dynamic between these characters, maybe it’s all of the sweet animals, or maybe it’s that this story is set in one of my favorite places in the world… if I’m being honest, I think it’s just Tarah Dewitt’s incredible talent with words. This is simply one of the best romcoms I’ve ever read. She’s now an auto buy author for me, and I fully intend to read her entire back list. If you’ve already read Funny Feelings, watch for an easter egg in the first library scene!!!

“But you know what the bravest thing of all is? The most extraordinary thing? To live by your own standards and no one else’s. To be happy by your own measure.”

Considering I’ve already read this twice before it’s even been released, (can confirm the audiobook is DELICIOUS as well), and that I think about these characters daily… Please do yourself a favor, read this beautiful book, and remember to Savor It.

"It’s been a privilege to fall in love with you, Sage.”

Thank you to Tarah Dewitt, and the publisher St Martin’s Press, for the opportunity to read this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

If you’re a fan of rom-coms, there’s so much to love about Savor It. The book features many beloved tropes: grumpy sunshine, dual POV, single dad adjacent, career stagnation, small-town romance, and limited time together. While it’s not entirely fake dating, Fisher does help Sage make her ex jealous.

I loved the food theme and the savory cuisine descriptions. However, I wanted more details about the dishes and the menu Fisher was creating.

Just a heads up: this book is SPICY! 🌶️ 🥵 While I don't mind some spice if it flows with the plot, there was so much that it started to detract from the storyline. If there had been a few fewer spicy chapters, I likely would have rated it 5 stars.

Thank you @macmillanaudio for the ALC. I loved the audio narration!

Published Date: May 21, 2024
Published by Griffin & Macmillian Audio
Pages 336 pages / Audio 9 hours
3.5 stars

I received this ARC via NetGalley & Macmillian Audio in exchange for my honest review.
This was my first book by author Tarah DeWitt., and it started off with a bang. The main characters Sage and Fisher were so fun and lovable. The fact that this book takes place in a small town where everyone is either related or grew up there. I wanted this book to give me all the feels of a romance novel; however it did not.. It kept me engaged the first couple of hours, but then it started to drag, and it became mundane in the middle. It does pick back up around 50%. DeWitt definitely does not skimp on the smut (lol), Both MC’s are dealing with grief and healing, and they are there when the other person is in need. I still enjoyed the book and this will not be my last book by this author.

Savor It by Tarah DeWitt
Contemporary romance, romantic comedy. Fake relationship.
Sage Byrd has lived in Spunes, Oregon her entire life. She knows everyone and loves that, but it also means that everyone knows about her breakup with a long time boyfriend and the fact that he’s already engaged to someone else. Sage needs a way to distract everyone from feeling sorry for her.
Fisher Lange is burned out after the emotional toll of losing his sister. He’s lost his enthusiasm for cooking with results in the loss of a Michelin Star. His friend and boss sends Fisher to Spunes to consult on a new restaurant. But small town is not necessarily ready for New York dining experiences and Fisher finds himself turning to Sage for help. Together, they will face the annual summer competition, pretending to be dating, while Sage teaches him about small town preferences. That their relationship becomes steamy is fine with both of them. It’s temporary and they went into it with eyes wide open.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and audiobook. The narration is done by Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber in alternating chapters based on POV by either Sage or Fisher. They both have distinct voices for Sage and Fisher and the performances are delightful and occasionally steamy. I love dual narration. It absolutely helps with alternating POV but more, it adds to the romance and knowing how each of the main characters feel. Yes, the ebook has chapter titles so you know whose POV it is, but since both are in first person, it can be easy to forget until content places you back in the right person’s head. Plus, these two do such a great job on the opposite sex that it almost feels like both of them in many of the conversations.

Fake relationships that turn to mutual attraction that can’t be ignored is such a fun troupe. Surprise passion is hot! Their missteps aren’t surprising, but we get a bit of humor from the small town inhabitants and Sage’s menagerie of animals. And of course, an hea that will make you sigh in contentment.
Endearing and charming.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher

his book is so incredibly beautiful! Sage and Fischer are both people who have experienced a lot of loss. It means that they appreciate how precious each second with each other is. I loved watching them find joy in being together even when they knew it was only for a short time.

Sage is the person I wish I was. She is so kind and giving even when life has been hard on her. She appreciates life and her town even in the moments that she doesn't feel appreciated in return. Even reading about her, I could perfectly picture her. I hope next time something bad happens I can take a deep breath and think what would Sage do?

If I haven't already convinced you to read this book there is a grumpy cat, an affectionate goose, and more furry friends that will steal your heart. There are also homegrown flowers, a man who cooks and a roomba that starts trouble. This was my first Tarah Dewitt book but I will be running to read the others as soon as I emotionally recover from this one!

🌶️🌶️ - There are some open door scenes here but a lot of them are somewhat poetic and not too detailed. However, there is enough detail that this is an adult book.

🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 - Another thing that was really special about this book is how amazing the audio is! Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber are both fantastic! You may know him from Just for the Summer and her from When in Rome. I definitely recommend the audio!

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.

Savor It
By Tarah DeWitt

Narrated by Karissa Vacker & Zachary Webber

Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (0-5)
Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall: 4.75/5

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 The meet sweet/cute!! Oh my gosh! I’m smitten, in love, and so very gone for Fisher and Sage.
🤩 This beautiful book reminds me that Fake dating trope is my all-time favorite. Especially when it involves a let’s make a deal.
🤩 I’m a sucker for gorgeous descriptions where I feel like I’m there, right in the story.
🤩 These two sweetie MCs are fun and good, and I love their friendship with a hint of more plus loads of desire and tension.
🤩 The narrators do them (the MCs) oh so well! Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber are fabulous entertainers, and I couldn’t stop listening.
🤩 Let’s kiss to make them jealous! Yes, please!!
🤩 So punny & laugh-out-loud funny!
🤩 Lessons for the canoeing competition.
🤩 “I might love the library.” Yep, the library.
🤩 Beautiful trauma therapy representation.

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 Did she/he say that or just think that? I don’t have the ebook for this one, so I wondered this a few times.
💫 I like a little steam after the time apart. I’m greedy and prefer to end knowing they’ve still got it in all the ways!!

tarah’s writing feels like coming home and visiting with friends that have been in your life forever. savor it, a small town romance, was simply perfect form start to finish and will be without a doubt one of my favorite reads of 2024.

what i love about tarah’s writing is that it feels so genuine and so authentic. i’ve never connected to writing the way i do hers. she knows how to make you laugh and make you feel very big things and just makes you feral for her characters. in savor it she took all these big feelings around grief and love and just gut punch you in the best way. tarah has a way of making you feel seen and connected with the characters. i thought i was a sage going into this but i am most definitely a fisher.

a few little things: i love that the town of spunes was not perfect nor quaint. it was rough of around the edges and shady - i LOVED it. the connections to tarah’s other books made me so happy is testament to how amazing her whole universe is. and lastly the spice in this…we love a man who pleads.