I can’t lie, I 100% initially wanted to read this book because of the gorgeous cover (and the fact the guy looks like Pedro Pascal). I hoped it would be a case of the insides being as beautiful as the outside - a sentiment that has burned me time and time again - and boy, did Savor It deliver. This book is like a happy sigh and a swoon and that chest-clutching ‘aww, OMG’ feeling all rolled into one, and I loved every moment of it.

I appreciated that this was a story about two broken, imperfect people (three, really) overcoming life’s obstacles - fears, self-doubt, mistakes, trauma, heartache, unhealthy patterns - and learning how to heal in ways that worked for them. I loved watching Sage and Fisher figure out their lives separately and together, and ultimately finding that sense of belonging and home in each other. Watching these two fall for each other was a joy; there were so many special little moments between them that made me laugh, cry, and feel all the feels. I felt like I was right there in Spunes with them, able to picture it all so clearly, taste Fisher’s culinary creations, and fall in love with the small town like Fisher did, despite his best efforts. I was so emotionally invested in their story, and wanted to see them get their hard-won happily ever after.

If you’re looking for a beautiful, funny, heartfelt, swoony, and steamy romance that’s perfect for summer (and any other time of the year), be sure to pick up a copy of Savor It. I already know this one will make it onto my list of 2024 favourites.

Goats, Chefs, and Romance, these are a few of my favorite things. Actually, I think goats are my new favorite romance trope. It started with Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez. Big fan of the goats in this book. And looking forward to goats in Happy Medium by Sarah Adler. All around a great time to be a goat lover and a romance reader. But, I digress. Let's discuss Savor It by Tarah DeWitt

Fisher Lange had it all as a beloved chef in his early twenties with accolades and Michelin stars to boot. But, it all comes crashing down with a tragic accident takes his sister. Wading through grief, he not only loses a Michelin star, he loses himself. Sent on a cross-country assignment to help bring a new restaurant to life (and build a relationship with his niece who he is now full-time care taker for) he arrives in Spunes, Washington and just across the meadow from Sage Byrd and her menagerie of animals. The "golden girl" of Spunes is willing to make a deal. If Sage can help rally the town around this new restaurant, Fisher signs on to help her win the beloved town canoe race? But, it's possible that small town will do more than reignite his love of cooking, it may ignite a brand new outlook on life.

I wanted to love this. But, to be honest, I almost DNFed at ~30%. It is a very slow start, and not in that slow burn kind of way - in a kind of way where you're not sure where the plot from the blurb is. I wanted to read rich descriptions of decadent dishes made by Fisher. I wanted to deep dive into the beauty of a small town festival with Sage. But, somehow we never got enough of either of those things. That being said, Tarah DeWitt is artful at going beyond a trope. She deftly weaves in real character issues without belaboring or belittling them and brings a beautiful, heart-filled approach to her characters (that she makes you fall madly in love with). This one is a like not a love, but I will continue to pick up Tarah's works time after time!

Small town, farm animals, and a grumpy next-door neighbor, this one hit all the marks.  This was a fun read that left me feeling good.  Fisher was the ultimate grumpy neighbor and with Sage’s quirky and upbeat personality, the banter did not disappoint.  

This was a well-written story with characters and a town you can’t help but fall in love with.   This was an all-around happy, feel-good story but I loved that the characters came with their own backstories that led to struggles that made the characters and their situations complex.

Fisher is a chef who is relocating for the summer to Spunes with his niece, Indy, in tow. He left his last position acrimoniously and while reluctant to be in Spunes, is set on repairing his reputation. The neighbor at his rental, Sage, is welcoming, kind and beautiful. Their attraction is immediate, but both know any type of relationship will be temporary as he's just passing through. When Sage convinces Fisher to be her partner for the town festival, they start spending more time together and despite their best efforts they become more to each other than they ever thought possible.

I loved this book. I thought it was beautifully written and both characters were so likable and relatable. Sage was the type of woman I'd like to be, loved by so many and a gift to those around her. Someone who is happy to live a life that isn't necessarily grand or adventurous, but still important. I felt so seen in Sage. Fisher was sexy and vulnerable. His desire to be a good guardian to Indy while also finding his own joy again was admirable. I don't know of a more perfect couple than Sage and Fisher. I loved their interactions from their awkward meet cute to the touching moments they shared. Such a tender, beautiful story.

Small town romance lovers will adore this one! I thought the story was the perfect blend of plot and romance. Definitely more of a slow burn, but this had so many of my favorite tropes that it never felt too slow. Grumpy/sunshine, fake dating, forced proximity, single guardian - all great! The restaurant backstory was really good, and I genuinely liked both Sage and Fisher and their shared bond over grief. This was a breath of fresh air, and I'd definitely recommend it.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and the author for an eARC of this book, in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much for this ARC!

Savor It is an absolute GEM!! I can't express how much I adored every page of this book. Sage and Fisher stole my heart completely. Sage resonated with me on such a deep level; I felt like we were kindred spirits. And Fisher? Oh, he's the epitome of the perfect book boyfriend. I may or may not be dreaming about him forever!

But beyond the swoon-worthy romance, this book touched my soul in ways I can't fully describe. It beautifully captures the delicate balance between grief and joy, reminding us to cherish every moment of beauty life offers. Sage and Fisher's authentic love for each other and those around them is simply heartwarming.

And that quote, "He didn't fix me and I didn't heal him, but we love each other wholly." It's like it was written just for me. It's a sentiment that will stay with me for a lifetime, reminding me of the power of love in its purest form. Savor It isn't just a book; it's a soul-stirring experience that I'll carry with me forever. I'm convinced Tarah DeWitt can do NO wrong!

Big thank you to SMP Romance and Netgalley for the early review copy of this book!

This book was just the cutest summertime small-town romance and I loved it.

I loved it because it felt like a pretty honest story. There wasn’t a bunch of miscommunication, the fake dating was short lived, and the characters acknowledged feelings pretty early on; all of which I very much appreciated.

Fisher is both caring for his teenage niece, after the death of his sister, and trying to recover after losing his high profile chef job in New York, so dating is about the furthest thing from his mind.

When Sage enters his orbit, there is first an appreciation of how she relates to his niece, given that both of them lost their mothers young. With an opportunity to help Sage save face in front of her newly engaged ex-boyfriend, more time is spent together and feelings of course begin to grow.

Fisher is faced with balancing his loyalties toward his niece along with his growing feelings for Sage.

Such a heartwarming a real story.

This book was beautiful and emotional. The way grief was explored through Fisher, Sage, and Indy was very well done. This was a book about different kinds of love and I really enjoyed that. It was also very funny. The animals in the book added to the absolute chaos that I really enjoyed. Fisher and Sage were great characters and their chemistry was pretty good. There was a point where I was a little unsure about how quick they fell for each other but the built to them actually being together made up for it. I wish there would have been a little of the town. It seemed like the town was big part of the story but the role they played didn't match what I expected. Overall, I did enjoy this book.

Savor It was my first book by Tarah, but I am definitely a fan! This was so spicy and fun, and I absolutely loved all the tropes.

I adore this book! I will be going to buy a physical copy when this book comes out. It is so nice to finally have a book that focuses equally on the male and female in the relationship. Fisher and Sage grew together and indivually so much and I loved it.

I think I may just not be a girl that vibes with Tarah DeWitt’s writing. I wanted to love Savor It and I totally see how so many people do, but it was a little too “manic pixie dream girl” for me and I just couldn’t sink into the story. This is to say this was a me problem and not a book problem.

4.5 stars rounded up.

There are some scenes in this that are already moved in rent free in my head. I loved these two together. I loved the pros and cons of the small town, all of that was so vivid and the FMC's favorite places like the library.

The spice was also phenomenal and Tarah's books are always the perfect example of how spice and intimacy can be integral on how characters express themselves to each other and show their vulnerability/develop their romance.

Honestly this whole book is a summer fever dream but not in a gross nostalgic way just in an expirationship trope kind of way and the angst had me in tears by the end but gave the most satisfying HEA.

Thanks to SMP for the eARC, I suggest you look up the #SpeakUpSMP boycott.

Readers that want a confused single dad (uncle) that is all thumbs at parenting, out of sorts about his job and life's work and transplanted to small town to try to pull it together, LOCK IN.

Couple that with a Jill of All Trades, (Perceived Master of None) that feels like she's made up of nots (Not too tall, Not too short, not too slim, not too curvy...you get the idea) and runs headlong into everything because of it, BE SEATED.

This man (Fisher) told her (Sage) "You once told me you thought you were a lot of nots. I want you to know that to me, you're everything". And I guess I was supposed to just move on with my day like that line didn't have me ready to take to my bed and weep. This is a solid contemporary romance for the small town, single parent, forced proximity lovers

I loved it so much!!! Fisher’s POV - swoon central. Sage was such a refreshing and sweet character. Just the right amount of whimsy and quirk. They felt so real and I was rooting for them - Indy and animals included! - the whole time. I loved how they loved each other as is, so validating and extra romantic. I don’t want my time in Spunes to end! I need follow ups from all the siblings ASAP.

Savor It not only captured my heart but my attention as well. When I started the book, I did not want to put it down as I was savoring the plot, enjoying the characters, and feeling all kinds of emotions.

The two main characters are both likeable, charming, and are dealing with their own issues. Sage is bubbly and has a hobby farm and has a hard time saying no to taking in animals in need. She is also trying to avoid the pitying eyes of the locals who know her ex has moved on quite fast after their breakup. Fisher is a Chef who recently lost his sister and is now responsible for his teenage niece. He and his niece travel to Spunes, Oregon so he can consult on a restaurant opening. Sage and Fisher make a deal which they hope will help both.

I found this to be a wonderful and charming romance book which had the characters dealing with real life issues. I thought the author did a great job depicting grief, frustration, pain, and loss to name a few. I also enjoyed the characters’ banter, their interactions, and fun moments. The characters felt real, and I enjoyed how they began to be open and vulnerable with each other. I love books which evoke emotions. There were times in the book where I wanted to give both a hug, and other times where I enjoyed smiling with them, and other times where I cheered for them.

This is the first book which I have read by Tarah Dewitt, and it will not be my last. I loved the emphasis on community, small town charm, growth, resiliency, communication, and love.

I had both the book and audiobook which made for a delightful reading experience. I thought the two narrators did a fantastic job.

Savor It was a surprise worth savoring. Super cute story that takes place in Spunes, not to be confused with Forks. A chef and his niece come to a small town from NYC each with their own problems. They both find a place that they can be themselves. That is after a lot of gentle guidance and help from a neighbor. Super sweet and cute with her farm full of interesting animals.

I like upbeat books, and the tone of this one is too serious for me. I’m sure others will enjoy it. DNF.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC

I had really high hopes for this one because I adored funny feelings but this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

I liked Sage and Fisher but I didn’t feel too much of a connection to either of them. They’ve both experienced some hard losses in life and this helped bring them together which I loved but I didn’t really swoon over their romance.

I liked Indy’s character as well but would’ve liked a little more of her as well.

Overall, an enjoyable read that I’d recommend but not my favorite.

Thank you NetGalley so much for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

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

It took me a while to connect to our characters (longer than it usually does in a book). I think the main characters were not talking enough for the first half. However, the small town romance, slow burn, and eventual good communication between Sage and Fisher finally paid off at the end.

(Also, we love a man in therapy).

This book tells the story about a michelin starred chef who got transferred to a small town called Spunes, Oregon (not Forks, Washington 😉), then met and fell in love with a town locale. I actually checked this out because I wanted to read a book about a chef and this book got recommended to me. Overall, I find this book to be quite wholesome, although a deeper representation of both MC's profession would have made it more interesting to me.
.
Both Fisher and Sage, both have griefs but the story told how they came over their griefs beautifully. I especially enjoyed reading Fisher's interactions with his niece Indy and how their relationship develops. I actually really like Fisher's character progression! I was in the mood of reading a chef character and Fisher's love AND anxiety towards cooking were beautifully portrayed. Unfortunately, I didn't quite like Sage that much. I thought she was a bit too quirky for my taste.
.
The story was so much a small town romance. As I mentioned before, I was looking for more scenes in the cooking/kitchen part, but there was practically only one scene which depict this extensively. It felt a bit tacked on :( However, if you're big into small town romance, I think you'll really like this one because the small town feel, such as how everybody knows and rallies each other for their town, is really thick here.
.
At the end, I quite enjoyed this book. I would describe it as a light, wholesome, and feel good story.