5 ⭐️
Tropes: grumpy sunshine, fake dating, small town romance

I absolutely adored everything about this book! The lovable characters, Gilmore girl small town vibes and even the hilarious farm animals will have you obsessing over this book just like I did.

Fisher is a michelin star chef from New York who has fallen out of love with cooking and is lost to his grief after his sister passed away. He no longer has the drive that got him not one but three stars and recognition for his talent. Fisher is tormented by so much that he no longer knows how to keep going..except now he is responsible for his teenage niece Indy and now he has to basically fake it until he makes it. His old boss gives him a shot at redemption by sending him to the small town of Spunes for the summer to consult on a new restaurant and that’s the opportunity he’s been waiting for.

Sage is a quirky teacher in the town of Spunes and is getting over a breakup after a 5 year relationship with the town golden boy. They dated for 5 years and now after not only a year after they broke up he is now engaged to another person. Sage is trying to move on and prove to everyone she’s better off without her ex but feels like everyone is pitying her. Alike Fisher, Sage is also tormented by so much and I think that was the magic of them two coming together to heal each other. To her luck Fisher rents out her neighbors house for the duration of his stay.

Fate and a rouge Roomba vacuum bring them together on Fishers first night in town and the rest is history. To Fishers dismay Sage kept coming around at his lows and that began to chip at his walls. To make the best of a bad situation, Sage and Fisher enter a fake dating arrangement for his stay in Spunes that will mutually benefit them but it’s not long before a single kiss nocks them both off their axis. Except the summer proves to be to short and they must savor it while it lasts.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Tarah DeWitt for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a huge Tarah Dewitt fan, I have read all her books and loved each of them. I think about Root Bound often and of course Funny Feelings. Savor it was a sweet small-town charm romance with lots of things to love - the sweetest hobby farm complete with a love-struck goose, lots of mouth-watering food descriptions, an ex we love to hate and make jealous, and a feisty teen.

While this book didn't grab my attention quite as fully as my other favorites, Tarah Dewitt will always be a must-read author for me.

Tarah is the queen of emotional romances and Savor It is taking the spot as my new favourite. Absolutely incredible book. All the feels. All the romance . Sage and Fisher were perfect . A great fake dating romance set in the PNW with a Gilmore girls esque small town feel.

I loved this one. Recently I reread Funny Feelings as that is my favorite. I loved this one equally as much. Highly recommend this book for the perfect romance read. Loved it and can't wait to read more from Tarah. This one was absolutely perfect. Cannot wait for Left of Forever

I really went in with to this book not knowing what was going to happen. I really loved the small town feel the animals and the corky things. The two main characters got into who doesn’t love a book by Tarah my only issue was that I felt as the ending was really rushed. I wanted to know more as to what happened to the couple once they were now finally together living in the same town officially I would’ve loved more of a slower pace ending rather than the fast one we got. Overall good read!

EEK! I absolutely loved “Savor It” and its cast of characters that brought me endless joy!

Meet Sage and Fisher. Fisher, the moody chef raising his niece who attempts to go off the grid for a bit to figure out life, but meets Sage, who turns his world upside down in the best of ways. The quirky girl next door, with a soft spot for animals, is mending a broken heart in a town where everyone knows her business and her brothers are always right there to meddle.

“Savor It” gives us small town romance, fake dating with the most wonderful emotional healing for both Sage and Fisher (and Fisher’s niece, Indy).

I could read this story again and again. It was an absolute delight in so many ways!

4.5 stars
I absolutely loved the tropes of this book, and had such a good time while reading this. Sage and Fisher were so sweet, so cute, I could not get enough of them!

A down on his luck chef and his niece arrive in small town in Oregon for the summer. They're both just trying to stick it out while the chef works on opening a new restaurant in town. He enlists the help of his next door neighbor, who he also finds very attractive, to help him win over the town and prevent any more delays. Her story finds herself struggling with feeling like enough and also not too much while showing her love for her small town and all of the people in it. This was a cute, lighthearted romance! The characters all grew and adapted throughout the story while remaining loveable the entire time.

I WANT THIS BOOK INJECTED INTO MY VEINS. The way I feel about this romance is unmatched. The small town, the pining, the food (I’m starving as a write this review immediately upon finishing). Everything was just perfect. Also, I cried actual tears about a freaking gooose. I never saw that one coming.

4.5 🌟's

this was so good!!! such a well-written and developed rom, definitely an emotional one too

A very interesting read. Thank you to the publisher for allowing me to read this book. It wasn't really for me, but I am sure that it will be loved by the right audience.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

An Absolutely Delightful Romance!

Tarah DeWitt has done it again with Savor It! This book is a perfect blend of heartfelt emotion, witty banter, and slow-burn romance that keeps you hooked from start to finish. The characters are incredibly well-developed, with chemistry that leaps off the page, making every interaction feel genuine and full of depth. DeWitt’s writing is warm, engaging, and full of humor, creating a story that feels both comforting and fresh.

Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to her books, Savor It is a must-read that will leave you smiling long after the final page. Highly recommend!

Savor It by Tarah DeWitt is a heartwarming and steamy rom-com that effortlessly blends small-town charm, emotional depth, and sizzling chemistry. Sage Byrd is stuck in a rut after her long-term relationship falls apart and her ex moves on quickly. The annual Festival of Spunes provides the perfect chance for Sage to reclaim her sense of self—and get back at her ex—if she can find the right partner. Enter Fisher Lange, a grieving chef from New York on a summer sabbatical in Spunes. Both are in need of a win, and their partnership for the town competition seems like the perfect solution.

What starts as a strategic alliance soon becomes something much more, as Sage and Fisher’s sizzling chemistry builds alongside their emotional healing. The banter between the characters is delightful, and their individual journeys of personal growth and redemption are both touching and relatable. DeWitt’s writing is witty and fresh, making Savor It an engaging read with just the right amount of spice to keep readers hooked.

The quirky town of Spunes and its lovable residents add an extra layer of warmth to the story, and the romance is both fun and deeply satisfying. Whether you’re looking for a light-hearted summer read or a romance that tugs at your heartstrings, Savor It delivers on every front. It's a perfect blend of laughter, passion, and feel-good moments.

Savor It by Tarah DeWitt is a delightful and heartfelt romance that mixes the charm of small-town life with the complexities of love and self-discovery. The story revolves around Elsie, a baker with big dreams, who returns to her hometown to take over her family’s bakery. There, she reconnects with an old flame, Jake, a former high school sweetheart who has his own baggage and reasons for staying away from the town.

DeWitt’s writing is warm and engaging, making Elsie and Jake’s slow-burn romance feel authentic and full of emotional depth. Their chemistry is undeniable, and watching their relationship evolve from awkward reunions to sweet, tender moments is genuinely satisfying. Elsie’s journey of personal growth—finding her passion for baking again while also navigating her own insecurities—is relatable and makes her character really come alive.

The small-town setting is cozy and inviting, with plenty of heartwarming scenes that make you want to visit this fictional town yourself. The secondary characters are also well-developed, contributing to the overall charm of the book.

If there’s a downside, it’s that the pacing can feel a bit slow at times, especially in the middle, but for readers who enjoy character-driven stories with emotional depth and sweet romance, it’s a solid choice.

Overall, Savor It is a satisfying, feel-good read with a lot of heart. If you're a fan of small-town romance with a dash of sweetness and personal growth, this one’s definitely worth picking up.

This was a refreshing small-town read. I appreciated how real the characters felt and how engaged the story kept me. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

I really loved the idea of this one, and was so excited, but nothing really gripped or stuck with me about this one.

My first Tarah Dewitt and it definitely won’t be my last. This was very cute and gave me all the feels (especially the last few chapters)

I won’t lie… the first half made me a little nervous. I didn’t feel very connected to Sage, Fisher, or the town of Spunes, Oregon BUT DON’T WORRY I WAS VERY CONNECTED BY THE END.

The story revolves around Sage, a town local, and Fisher, a big time New York chef. Fisher moves to the small town of Spunes as a restaurant consultant and he is reminded of all of the reasons he told himself he would never live in a small town.

Savor It is told in alternating POVs between Sage and Fisher. Sometimes I appreciate a dual POV and sometimes I don’t (I more often don’t). In the start.. I didn’t like it. I thought it took away a lot of the tension being created between Sage and Fisher. But towards the end I was very grateful for it because both characters have very meaningful thoughts/conversations that I’m so glad we got.

My two favorite quotes —
“If it’s a life that’s filled with joy, by your standards? I can’t imagine a bigger more fulfilling feeling.”

“It’s the most ridiculous, ludicrous, small-town, corny scene. And it’s one of the greatest honors or my life to be a part of it.”

I DARE YOU TO READ THIS AND NOT FEEL SOMETHING WHEN YOU GET TO THESE QUOTES.

Overall, I’m very glad I read this and OMG I AM ABSOLUTELY FOAMING AT THE MOUTH FOR LEFT FOR FOREVER (the next book in the series).

"Savor It" is allll I have been daydreaming of lately and I read this 2 weeks ago! This story is sweet and heartfelt and gives the best small-town romance vibes. I have been wanting to give a Tarah novel a whirl, and Fisher and Sage did not disappoint!! You get the grumpy, lost, out-of-towner who can't help but fall in love with the girl across the meadow who is undoubtedly the type to save the notorious town rock. I felt nothing but utter joy & delight reading this and I cannot wait to revisit Spunes again <3. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Tarah DeWitt for providing this eARC!

This is probably more 3.5, because I did really enjoy it.

But there are flaws - lots of the subplots are just kinda dropped. Fisher's relationship with Indy takes a backseat, and she is mostly gone in the background for most of the story. And Fisher and Sage start a deal because she wants a partner for the big event in town - then that is just glossed over with filler and then they don't even compete. I like that the town supported her in the end, but the actual competition that the whole book is centered around does not even happen on page. the same can be said for the restaurant opening and Sage helping Fisher make a menu.

None of these things happen on page. They are talked about and the characters agree to doing these things and then you never see them do it. So it was a little weird to read a book where the plot is laid out, but then the plot doesn't actually happen?

But Fisher and Sage have chemistry and this is a romance - that is what I picked this up for. I liked reading their interactions and seeing the relationship develop. So in the end it served it's purpose and it was fun escapism.

Unfortunately, I did not love this one. I was so excited based on the synopsis, but it just didn’t hit for me. The story was felt like it just continued on, and I wasn’t super invested in the characters.