Member Reviews
I had already received a digital ARC for this book, so I knew the story was a 5-star read for me. I am pleased the say the narration was 5-star quality as well and absolutely delivered on bringing this book to life the way it deserved. Zachary Webber and Karissa Vacker exuded so much personality, emotion, and love in the characters of Fisher and Sage. Their performances were top notch, and I think I love this book even more now because of them.
Thank you to NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. My original eARC review for the story itself is below.
This is one of those books that put me through the emotional wringer but also made want to say ‘thank you for doing that’ because it was a beautiful journey in the end. It was refreshing to have a good, emotional read that didn’t put the characters through a bunch of overly dramatic outside obstacles. They just have real life challenges that they have to navigate and find their way to the other side of.
Sage is content with her life in her small town of Spunes, Oregon (as stated: not to be confused with Forks, Washington 🤭). She’s got a menagerie of misfit pets, a garden she’s proud of, and a town full of people to care for and who care about her. Fisher is an award-winning chef suffering from burnout and loss who lands in Spunes with his niece, Indy, for a summer to regroup. He and Sage keep finding each other in ways that lift them, break them, and make them question what they thought they knew about their lives.
I loved both Sage and Fisher as individual characters and the relationship they built together. Sage doesn’t agonize over being happy in her small town and not having dreams of living a “bigger” life. Sure, there are still things she wants from life, but she has a strong sense of self and appreciates the ‘now’ as she lives it. Fisher is struggling with changes in his life and career, but he’s so genuine and earnest about *trying* and he’s putting in the work to sort through his challenges and come out on the right side. They find an authentic balance with each other that felt like it grew organically and with mutual care and respect.
I was trying to explain the book to a friend and had a hard time putting the feeling I got as I was reading into words. The story moves along kind of like a gentle wave. There’s not a lot that’s necessarily *exciting* happening (I meant that in a genuinely good way), but it keeps flowing. I was halfway in before I felt like it was really getting somewhere as far as advancing a plot, but getting there didn’t feel like a chore or tedious or something I had to push through. I was just enjoying the ride and getting to know Sage, Fisher, and, by extension, Indy. Things were happening to people outside the relationship bubble, but none of it felt vitally important, and sometimes that’s ok. It helped create the community to be featured in future pieces of the series, but didn’t feel like filler even without there being a major impact on the relationship. The exception to the relationship impact being Indy obviously, as she and Fisher are a package deal and he is determined to do his best for her. It was simply life happening around Sage and Fisher in a natural way and it allowed them to support in each other as things came.
For a book that didn’t feel like it was burning with drama or intensely high stakes, I was deeply invested and stressed when I had only 10-15% left, genuinely wondering how they would find their HEA. I held onto my faith in getting there as promised by the genre. It was delivered in a way that felt hard-earned and lasting.
Another binge-worthy book by Tarah Dewitt. I love her characters and their complexity. I think my favorite part was that the kids in the story really had unique and complex stories just like the main characters.
Savor It is a small town romance full of humor, tenderhearted moments, and a few spicy scenes. The main characters each carried their own trauma and experienced vulnerable moments throughout the book. I loved the family/platonic relationships, the numerous animals, and the small town vibe.
I received an ARC from St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin/Macmillan Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
i have officially found a new comfort read!!! about a week ago in a conversation i said “i saw this tiktok of a guy who was the guardian for his little brother and it was so cute i want to find a read like that” AND BOY DID MY FBI AGENT LISTEN WELL THAT DAY!!! I woke up at 3 am and couldnt fall back asleep so at 5 am during a reels doom scroll my phone said FOR YOU and it was this book!!
i remembered seeing it on NG before so safe to say i RAN to see if it was still available for request. i’m so happy to have been able to receive the ebook & audio arc of this one, i cannot say enough good things about how well Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber brought Sage & Fisher to life. i adored every moment of this read/listen.
i laughed a lot and teared up a lot. i loved how low angst this book was and just how fun the entire town and characters were.
im seriously hoping for future books on her pesky brothers, ESPECIALLY a second chance between Wren & Ellis 🤞🏼
i will indeed be racing to go start my other tarah dewitt audios asap
Savor it was a fun and sweet romance taking place in Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington🤣). I definitely recommend the audio version because of the awesome narrators! I enjoyed this, but not as much as Funny Feelings. Maybe it was just right book wrong time? Both Sage and Fisher were strong characters that I came to really enjoy as the story progressed. Fisher's relationship with his niece, India, also melted my heart. Sometimes you can't pinpoint exactly what it is about the book that didn't make it a 5-star read, but I would still rec this to romance lovers!
Read if you like
grumpy/sunshine
small town
fun banter
a little forced proximity
a random assortment of farm animals as pets
(2.5 rounded up) Let me start off by saying I absolutely loved Funny Feelings and The Co-Op by Tarah! I couldn’t put them down and still recommend them often. I was looking forward to this one since I saw its announcement so I’m bummed to say I didn’t super love it. From the get go I kinda struggled to get into it but thought maybe I wasn’t in the mood. But after taking a few days off and coming back I still struggled to really get into it. I like Tarah’s writing and I always like her characters so it’s hard for me to really pinpoint why this one didn’t work for me? But by the 60% mark I still found myself questioning how we got this far and it feels like nothing has really happened? I liked both characters separately but felt nothing for them together and that continued on for quite some time. It just felt like they did a lot of internal processing but not a lot of communicating. When they did communicate it felt that they were really mature and I enjoyed that. But for me, there was no spark and the story just felt too bogged down by other stuff to enjoy the romance. Regardless, I’m excited to read the new version of the Co-Op and for Tarah’s future work!
The narrators did a fantastic job.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the early copy!
Loved this audiobook! I really enjoyed the dual POV and both narrators did a fantastic job at bringing the characters to life. I really enjoyed the setting and characters and their chemistry. This was my first book by this author and I’ll definitely be reading more.
What a romance! It was a great read or listen technically because I did the audiobook. It was a dual-narrator, which was a first for me. I enjoyed it. I would have liked the man to continue his voice during the woman’s part and vice versa. Overall, it was so good. It had me laughing at times. There were some funny and enjoyable metaphors and descriptions. Fisher was easy to love and definitely a grumpy character to Sages Sunshine. I would buy it to add to my bookshelf and reread.
Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC and to SMP Romance for the ARC of Savor It by Tarah DeWitt. All opinions are my own.
I previously read The Co-Op by Tarah DeWitt and enjoyed it so much! When I saw that she was coming out with this book and I saw the cover, I knew that I wanted to read it.
Savor It is a heartfelt, spicy, and uplifting romance that was full of love, growth, and tenderness.
In this small-town romance, there was a fun community, a menagerie of lovable animals, and an ex-boyfriend who’s moved on. I thought the setting was perfect, and I loved seeing Fisher (the main male character) and his niece become a part of this close-knit community.
Sage was a darling protagonist. She was so sweet and welcoming. I loved how she wore her heart on her sleeve and how well she took care of the people she loved.
Fisher was charming and a complete goner for Sage. I loved how he called her by her last name, and I appreciated that he didn’t hold back his emotions from her.
While I am not a fan of spice in romances, those scenes were easy enough to skim over that I think closed door readers could enjoy this story as well.
I listened to this book on audio, and the narrators were perfect for these characters! This story is told using dual points of view, and I loved that there were two narrators for these characters. Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber are some of my favorite narrators, and they did not disappoint.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves romances. It will make you smile and possibly even tear up.
This was a fun, fairly light rom-com with tropes like grumpy x sunshine, small town, and fake dating. I listened to the audiobook version and loved the dual narration.
Sage has a hobby farm nextdoor to the rental house that Fisher is renting for the summer, along with his niece Indy. Fisher has a chip in his shoulder after losing a Michelin Star & his job as a chef in New York. Sage offers to help Fisher with menu ideas that would appeal to the locals for a new restaurant in Spunes, Oregon.
After spending more and more time together, the attraction and chemistry comes to a head. They both get in too deep despite the fact that Fisher and Indie will be leaving when summer is over.
Oh my heart. This had me laughing and holding my breath. Both characters are so likeable, Sage is such a genuine and sweet person and Fisher is brooding yet protective and caring.
A Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez was my favorite romance I read last year and this story by Tarah Dewitt reminded me of how that book made me feel. 💗 10/10 recommend.
Thank you to @macmillan.audio for the complimentary advanced audiobook copy. I am leaving an honest review voluntarily. #macaudio2024
I received this book as an ALC from NetGalley.
I have to say I really loved this book. This was the first time I had read any from this author. There were parts that made me laugh out loud, steamy flirtation, tension, and quirky animals. Everything we love in a Rom Com! The main characters were relatable and likable and i felt myself going through the emotions with them. The mention of growth, acknowledging and displaying emotions and going to therapy is so important in getting rid of stigma.
Tropes: neighbor, friends to lovers, grumpy sunshine, small town romance
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Sage needs a partner to be able to compete in her town’s summer festival. Fisher needs to ingratiate himself to the people of the small town he’s trying to build a restaurant in. The pair decide that a fake summer romance may be beneficial to both of them. The only thing standing in the way of their faux relationship is real feelings.
Savor It is a stand-alone, contemporary romance. There are quite a few open-door scenes along with plenty of sweet and swoony moments. The banter that Tarah Dewitt crafts is always good and what’s found throughout Savor It is no exception.
As much as I loved watching the progression of the MCs opposites attract romance, the growth and trust that develops between Fisher and his niece is just as crucial. Their history gives them an interesting dynamic that is just as necessary to the storyline as any romance plot.
Both Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber did an excellent job bringing all the characters to life. Zachary always plays the broody, grump well but his expressions as a teenage girl were perfect.
I have read all of Tarah Dewitt’s books to this point. While Rootbound is still my favorite, I highly recommend any of her work. I look forward to whatever she has next for her readers.
I voluntarily read, listened to, and reviewed advanced copies of this book and audiobook. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you SMP Romance and Macmillan Audio for my #gifted copy of Savor It! #MacAudio2024
𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: 𝐒𝐚𝐯𝐨𝐫 𝐈𝐭
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: 𝐓𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐃𝐞𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐭
𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬: 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐕𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐙𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐖𝐞𝐛𝐛𝐞𝐫
𝐏𝐮𝐛 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: 𝐌𝐚𝐲 𝟐𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒
★★★★★
Oh. My. Heart. I LOVED this book! I LOVED the characters. I LOVED everything! No pun intended, but I savored this book for as long as I could. I did not want it to end. I don’t know that I will ever find two characters that I love as much as I love Sage and Fisher. Sage was so fun, strong, quirky, and upbeat. I loved her personality and she’s the type of person you want to be friends with. Fisher is the hot neighbor who has some baggage but is such a good guy and you can’t help but love him. What makes this book even better are the side characters and the amazing setting of Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington).
There is so much to love about this book. Dewitt is such a brilliant writer and not only created amazing characters, but the plot and setting were perfect. I felt transported to Spunes from the very first page and I always love when an author can make me feel like I am inside a book along with the characters. The banter in this one is amazing and just overall such a charming read. I really could go on and on, but my best advice is to add this one to your TBR or pick up a copy. You are going to love it!
→𝐒𝐰𝐢𝐩𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧→
🎧I listened to the audiobook, narrated by the amazing Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber! I enjoyed this one so much on audio due to the narrators. Vacker is always a favorite of mine, so I had no doubt I would love her as Sage, but this was my first time listening to Webber, and I can’t wait to find more audiobooks with him as the narrator. They both were absolutely amazing and so perfect! I cannot recommend the audiobook book enough!
🩷Small Town Romance
🩷Grumpy x Sunshine
🩷Summer Love
🩷Dual POV
🩷Single Guardian
🩷Farm Animals
🩷Amazing Banter
Posted on Goodreads on May 8, 2024: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/144922955?ref=nav_profile_l
**Posted on Instagram - Full Review- on or around May 9, 2024: http://www.instagram.com/nobookmark_noproblem
**Posted on Amazon on May 21, 2024
**-will post on designated date
Read this if you like:
•slow burns
•small town romance
•single parent of niece
•Pacific Northwest
Two people doing the best they can and finding their way. Spunes was such a funky and cute small town. This was a quick read and I enjoyed! I will say the beginning started off choppy and took me a bit to get into. I usually like dual POV but there were times that when it switched POVs, it went back and replayed the previous scene just in the other POV and that felt repetitive for me. Once I got into the book though and looked past a few things, it was so cute! 3.5⭐️s for me rounded up!
Thank you Macmillan for Alc
Savor It
Tarah DeWitt
Pub 5/21/24
4☆
This was such a heartfelt and swoonworthy, slow-burn romance. Fisher and Sage were grumpy/sunshine perfection. They were real, relatable, and their banter was outstanding. Gah you can’t help but adore them and the quirky side characters.
I am a total sucker for animals in books and this one had so many I was giddy.
What I adored;
✨ Small Town Romance
✨ Grumpy/Sunshine
✨ Witty Banter
✨ The Animals!
The dual narration of Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber was so much fun to listen to. They added so much wonderful emotion while brining this story to life.
Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.
If you’re in the mood for a small town romance that will have you feelin all the feels, Savor It is for you!
I really enjoyed this book. Sage grew up in a small town, Spoons, and doesn't have any reason to leave it. She loves it there, even if she gets pitying glances after her boyfriend and town golden boy left her and is with someone else. Fisher is at a standstill in life. He needs to find his fire and get his life on track. When his old boss asks him to go to Spoons to help with the construction and menu of a new restaurant, he is all but willing to try to get his career back in order. He has to take his 15 year old niece with him as well, and that is another hurdle to overcome.
Sage brings out the best in Fisher. She brings him back to life. Soon he is feeling his spark again and he knows it has a lot to do with the girl he can't stop being drawn to, but the summer won't last forever and soon he will be back in New York.
Fisher had so much to get through and Sage complimented him so well. She was quirky and fun and so lovable.
I really am interested in Sage's brothers and hope we get a story there too.
The narration was amazing. I highly recommend this audio.
Thanks to Macmillian, Netgalley and Tarah DeWitt for an early copy.
Story review: You will love this book if you love small town romances and the single parent trope. I struggled with this book as I didn’t feel connected to the characters and the dual POVs seemed too disjointed for my taste.
Audiobook review: Given my issues with the story, I have no qualms with the audiobook. The narrators were two of my favorites and they did an excellent job bringing the story to life. I listened at 2.1x
So I loved the female narrator, Karissa Vacker; however, I was not a big fan of the male narrator.
As for the actual story, it took me quite a bit to become invested in this one but ultimately I enjoyed it. I liked Sage and Fisher as characters and really enjoyed their relationship. I was just left wanting a little bit more out of everything. I wanted more of Fisher’s journey particularly with Indy.
I also wanted more of the town. Speaking of that though I did really love all the side characters and look forward to hopefully getting future stories of some of them.
“it's been a privilege to fall in love with you.”
This is my first Tarah DeWitt and it definitely won't be my last. I had a blast reading this one.
We love a couple who knows how to COMMUNICATE! Fisher and Sage are the perfect grumpy x sunshine pair. I feel like they really helped each other grow. Ugh, it was beautiful. Sage is such a relatable FMC and I think everyone could see a part of themselves in her.
If you want to laugh and feel all the feels add this one to your TBR!
Thank you Tarah DeWitt, NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for access to this early listen. I loved every minute of this, the story itself, the narrators.. everything. All the stars from me!