A sweet, punny, and heartfelt small town romance. I often feel that romance authors put too much emphasis on jamming all the popular tropes into their stories, but this one felt natural (albeit sometimes sappy and over-the-top) in a refreshing way. A great feel-good summer read!

Tarah DeWitt is a new-to-me author, but I can tell you I'll be seeking out her other books pronto. This book made me smile, made me sigh, tore my heart out and stomped on it, then put me back together again with a smile. I can't ask for anything more than that. Truly a luscious and lovely romance filled with imperfect but wonderful characters, strong relationships and adorable rescue animals to boot.

Sage is the sunshiniest of sunshiny FMCs. She teaches eighth grade, is a favorite of her students, and can't seem to stop herself from rescuing unwanted animals and bringing them home. Life has handed her lemons in many ways, from losing her parents very young, being raised by her older brothers, and recently being dumped by her long-time BF in favor of a former friend who moved back to town. Still she chooses to see the good in people, and the magic in small, ordinary moments and events. She's enthusiastic, slightly quirky, lives for a good pun, and is someone I'd love to be friends with.

Fisher is a former hotshot NYC chef who achieved the pinnacle of his profession, then lost a Michelin star, unloaded on a critic, and lost his job. On top of that, he lost his older sister in an accident and is now the guardian to his 15 resentful 15 YO niece. He's trying hard to reach her and be there for her, but she can't forgive him for initially leaving her in the care of her grandparents when her mom first died and doesn't trust him. To top it off, he drags her to Oregon for the summer for a temporary consulting gig for a new restaurant opening. Fisher isn't initially grumpy per se, just very guarded. Watching him open up, loosen up, and blossom in Sage's gentle presence is just lovely.

Initially, Sage and Fisher strike a strategic alliance, but it quickly turns into more as these two wounded souls find solace and healing in each other's presence, not to mention so much sexual tension that they are both going a little batty from all the hormones. Sage helps Fisher and his niece start buiding bridges toward each other, and inspires him start rediscovering his love of cooking, while he doesn't hesitate to show her how wonderful he thinks she is and rebuilds her somewhat shattered self-confidence.

I loved that Sage and Fisher actually acted their ages. They talked things out and didn't let misunderstandings fester. They were both caring and supportive of each other and they clicked together so well. There's not conflict between them but they do face a challenge in that Sage would never leave Spunes, whereas Fisher is committed to going back to NYC and regaining his career. The supporting characters were all great, and Sage's menagerie (the huge wolfhound, rescue Clydesdale, 3 legged cat, and Gary the goose, who imprints on Fisher's unsuspecting niece) were wonderful. I'm so happy that I chose to request this book from Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

Sage Advice: “Whenever you think too little of the world, try to remember that’s somewhere, something, or someone is always waiting to be known.”

Tarah Dewitt is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I was hooked after reading Funny Feelings and didn’t think she could get any better. I was wrong! I started this book and finished it in the same day. I just couldn’t put it down. 1) Her call backs to previous books make me so happy and 2) As an original Twihard, the little references to Twilight make me SO happy!

“It’s exactly midnight when the headlights shine on the town’s welcome sign, which states: Spunes, Oregon (Not to be confused with Forks, Washington)…”

A down and disgraced chef, Fisher Lange, is making his way across the country from New York to spent the summer under the radar. His plan, spend the time planning Starhopper’s menu and kitchen set up for Spunes brand new high end restaurant. Fisher lost one of the three Michelin stars at his previous restaurant. He’s burned out, unemployed and is trying to navigate a relationship as new guardian over his niece, Indy, after the death of sister and her mom. His first night in Spunes he wildly experiences an “intruder”, nosey small town police and his neighbor/property manager, Sage, in a cow print robe.

Fisher quickly realizes he’s the outsider in the small town, he’s not prepared to be a parent to Indy and he’s hit rock bottom. But…his new neighbor, farmer and animal rescuer, Sage, the woman who carries her heart in her fist, shows up in their lives like a gentle hug just when they need it. And, she just may have a way to help him get an in with the townspeople.

”…every time we meet, I find myself stirred by a strange mix of familiarity and mystery in him, like he’s a puzzle I’d love to solve.”

Sage has her own story of loss that has changed her in big ways. She still grieves, but has found a way through. She may just have some “Sage” advice she can offer them. She definitely gets more than she’s planned for when she starts to fall for Fisher. They’ve got major chemistry and their flirtation is so hot! Now, they have to figure out how to navigate the temporary. “Summer won’t last forever,” and they are so lost for each other.

”I’ve seen bashful Fisher, self-deprecating Fisher… and now I’m getting glimpses of confident, flirtatious Fisher. It seems entirely genuine, not a mask he’s slipping on, maybe more like a hat he was meant to wear. And lord help me, I like this version of him, too, even if it makes me feel like I’m trying to balance on the tips of my toes.”

The depth and honesty of each of the main characters, the small town feel, comedy, romance and the emotion that I felt throughout are what made this the perfect mix for me. I don’t offer a lot of 5 stars, but this one is a 5 star read for me. I’ll definitely be revisiting Spunes, Oregon again!

Trigger warnings from Tarah herself: grief, death of a loved one (occurs off-page), career burnout, bodily injury (occurs off-page).

All handled with such gentleness and care.

A special thank you to NetGalley, Tarah Dewitt and St. Martin’s press for sharing this ARC with me in exchange for a review.

This was an adorable small town romance. City boy meets small town girl. Sage is such a sweetheart and is just trying to fit in a town that already adores her, she just doesn’t know it. Fisher is dealing with some demons of his own including becoming the guardian to his niece after the death of her mom. This was a beautiful story of fate bringing two people together who needed each other and thriving once they got there. I’m also obsessed with the farm setting, all of the animals including one love struck goose, and the fact that Sage and Fisher are neighbors for the summer is just the perfect romcom setting. The only thing that kind of bothered me was how many times “savor it” was used throughout. I know it’s the title but for some reason it stood out more than usual and honestly didn’t effect my rating 🤣

Savor It by Tarah DeWitt is one of my new favorite books. The small-town vibe this book delivered was immaculate. I also loved both of our characters. Watching them grow together was so special. This was my first book by Tarah, I think it's safe to say I will be picking up more!!

This book gave me everything I needed! If you love small town and single parent/guardian…then RUN and snag this! I absolutely ate it up! Thank you for the opportunity to read and review this story!

"You just gotta row your own damn boat."

What a beautiful story about healing and learning to live by your own standards. While this book started a little slow for me, after a few chapters I was ready to be a resident of Spune.

There is something special about the way DeWitt writes her small town stories and I adore the relatability and "realness" of the characters in Savor It. Fisher is a burnt out Michelin star chef who lost or maybe never understood being present. But once Sage, a smiling, but unsure of her own capabilities and self worth school teacher and hobby farmer to misfit animals steps into his life, he learns how to breathe and learn what it means to build a home. While Fisher and Sage both feel a little broken due to their pasts, the two of them balance each other out and help the other see how those around them see them and understand that their feelings matter.

The side relationships that we get to see grow gave this book so much heart. Watching Sage and Indy establish a relationship due to Sage's own losses, and in turn seeing the anger and resentment between Indy and Fisher slowly dissolve added depth to this book we wouldn't have had otherwise. In addition, DeWitt did not disappoint with her puns sprinkled throughout and some absolutely adorable farm animals (Gary, need I say more?).

If you are looking for a heartwarming book that will have you smiling one minute and possibly tearing up the next, be sure to check this one out.

"'Courage is a muscle' You strengthen it with use."

I love the drama-free COASTAL small-town this book was giving. Fisher Lange was our burnt df out chef (recently fired too) who was tasked to move to Spunes, OR (not to be confused with Forkes) to assist with his boss' new restaurant - making menu, making sure the rest of the works are flowing well. He brings along with him his niece and goddaughter, Indy, who's now legally hers following her mom's (Fisher's sister) accident. Fisher's boss, Carlie, thought it'll do them good changing sceneries with that they're both going through.

Sage Byrd, our wonderful and the sweetest FMC, lives next door (or a meadow over) to where Fisher and Indy are staying and their initial interactions have always been during Fisher's worst moments - which often are reciprocated with Sage's as well. They get together after "returning other's favor" and before we know it - chef out here offering to kiss the soul out of sage in the library to make her ex jealous. Despite being the grumpiest in the morning, he still showed up to train with Sage for the festival's competition and will study with her, if there's a good reward on the table. Indy was also adjusting well with the small town feel, enjoying with helping Sage with her animals and garden and with setting up with her at the farmers market.

The healing after grieve is written well in this book. I love how Sage clicked with Indy right away based on their kind of similar experience. Fisher and Sage's relationship is one full of compassion, care, and understanding. Also, Fisher falling in love baby goats?! ughhh my heart. Literally all the characters are lovable in this book, there's no one villain and that's why I love this book even more. It's just the feel-good you need when you need a pick me up.

Thank you soo much Tarah DeWitt and NetGalley for the eARC.

4.25⭐️ | 📖
🌶️

I've devoured everything Tarah has written and I SAVORED this. Our queen of small-town quirkiness, puns, animal rescues and local competitions - Sage Byrd is such a sweet FMC. It took a minute for me to fully understand her, but the chemistry built between her and former Michelin-star chef, Fisher, was delicious. And once the layers of Sage and Fisher were peeled back, you couldn't help but fall for them.

I wished there was more dialogue between the FMC and MMC at certain parts, and the timing jumped a bit for me. It felt like certain parts were just thrown in there for plot movement, but I was still here for it all! We got a generous amount of backstory and sweet side characters built out as well for this small town story. Other than that though, I really enjoyed this and was sobbing at the end scenes. Indy and that damn goose scene got me (Fisher and Sage, too, of course). It was a PRIVILEGE, Fisher.

Here are some of my non-spoiler highlighted quotes that got me right in the feels.

"Life's short. Go to the library. Live a million different stories and see a million different places in one. You might not have control over some things, but you can always foster your imagination."

"Don't worry so much about the clouds that you miss the flowers at your feet."

"Courage is a muscle. You strengthen it with use."

Tropes/Elements:
- Small-town romance
- Hotshot chef and new teenage guardian (niece)
- Quirky neighbor
- Forced proximity
- Local competition
- Summer fling
- HE goes to therapy!

Note: Thank you to NetGalley and Tarah Dewitt for providing an eARC. The decision to read/review was my own, and represents my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC. All opinons are my own.
Savor It follows Fisher who, after a career low and finding himself unexpectedaly in charge of his niece, has to move to the town of Spunes, Oregon to survey the building of a new restaurant. That's until he meets his next door neighbor, Sage, who might just show him the charm of small town life.
I was really loving this book in the first half but then the second half really made me feel that it was an okay book. I think this woul be a great book to read ifyou are in a reading slump and need something to help you get out of it.
First off, I thought that the concept of this book was really interesting and I did enjoy the writing throughout this book. Tarah has a distinctive voice in her novel and I was glad that I was able to read this book.
The biggest thing I feel like this book struggled with was pacing. The beginning of this book was so slow paced as we got to know the characters and Spune's a bit more. However, when the main "plot" kicks in, it goes so quickly and has so many issues with pacing. There was a big "thing" that Sage was foucsed on in this book but it was literally only a chapter and a short chapter at that. A lot of the problems I had with the relationship and these two characters not really knowing each other well wasn't resolved in this and I didn't find myself fully believing the relationship. Also I found the more steamy scenes to be pretty confusing as it would have good lead up then a confusing conclusion to it.
Overall, I think this was a pretty okay book. I wish the pacing had been better but if you are interested in picking it up, I would highly recommend picking it up and reading it.

This was a good read! Loved the chemistry between the two leads, although it did not blow me away. I’m a sucker for happy endings!

I wanted to love this book, but I felt like not much happened in it for a good portion. I think many people will love it, it just didn’t work for me.

This book was light, wholesome, and full of so much heart. If you’re looking for a cozy romance set in a small town with loveable leads and fleshed-out secondary characters, look no further!

This book has:
•The found family trope
•Grumpy x sunshine ☀️ The heroine is a teacher who makes the best of everything, and the hero is a broody chef who is dealing with burnout
•Small town girl x big city boy 🏙️
•A third-act breakup: I dislike third-act breakups, but it was necessary for the character growth, so it didn’t bother me!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars

I was very excited to get an opportunity to read this book early from Net Galley (many thanks!). I am a Tarah Dewitt completionist and though I have loved them all, Rootbound is one of my absolute favorites. Tarah Dewitt does an amazing job of bringing to life the setting and the minor characters. Any story with "townies" is sure to be a favorite of mine and Savor It does not disappoint in this area. This is a cozy read with a lot of feeling. Tarah Dewitt is an automatic read for me at this point, and that streak continues with this great book.

4.5 stars rounded up

4.5 stars. Savor It is such a sweet and funny rom com. See author’s note at the beginning of the book for content warnings.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and honest.

Tarah DeWitt absolutely knocked it out of the park with this story! Sage and Fisher are just so damn cute. They have amazing chemistry and I could not get enough of them. I love romances where the protagonists help each other grow and this was such a great example of that.
I also can’t talk about this book without talking about the cover. It is absolutely GORGEOUS! I love this color combination and Sage and Fisher are exactly how I pictured them while reading. Definitely a strong candidate for my favorite book cover of the year.

This is such a beautiful story and if you are a romance reader, give this a try. You’ll definitely laugh (Gary the goose. That’s all you need to know), you might cry (I didn’t, but I never cry while reading), and you’ll have such a great time in Spunes, you’ll want to go back. I’m seriously hoping Tarah writes more books set in Spunes.

Savor It releases on May 21.

A story about finding home in its most unsuspecting places. Most of us don't try to give a place a chance because it's not what we imagined, or we have pre conceived notions. But if we just give it a chance it might just change our lives, like it did for Fisher and Indy. That's what this book taught me. It also has the town as the main character which I love when authors do this. Small towns can be so pleasant and entertaining or they can be terrifying.


Thanks to Net Galley for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review all words are my own.

“Love is this. Love is breathing. A sweet, deep, aching relief. And it's somehow even more disorienting.”

Pieces of this plot remind me of The Only Game in Town and Lovelight Farms; very quaint! Although this is the kind of small town that I can’t relate to at all, even being from a small town. The “everyone in each other’s business” that reminds me of Stars Hallow, and is a big part of the plot.

Sage and Fisher are fun, and the addition of Indy to their dynamic was interesting. It’s a good friends to lovers story, and Fisher and Indy’s temporary status in the town is a realistic roadblock. The whole families coming together to make a new life and heal from past experiences was sweet.

Honestly, it felt kind of unfinished. It was too slow paced for my taste, like not much happens? I wish the competition was a bigger part of the plot, as the synopsis suggests. It’s only a few pages at the end. I felt more compelled by Sage’s brother and his ex wife.

This is a heart-warming romance about a small town teacher and a big city chef finding each other when they are both experiencing difficult changes. Becoming partners in the annual festival competition, they soon realize that the feelings for one another cannot be suppressed. But what will happen when the hot chef, who is only here temporarily, has to go back to the city?

This book was such a fun, easy read that had heartfelt moments, spicy scenes, and a wonderful plot line. Once I started this novel, I could not put it down! It was an enjoyable book to read!

Oh man, this was good. A really slow burn, with flawed and wonderful characters. There’s definitely a lot of emotional trauma to spread around, but it’s not so heavy that it weighs down the story. So much light and fun.

I received a copy of this book from St. Martin’s Griffin.

This book made me swoon and was such a joy to read! Sage and Fisher are a bit of an opposites-attract situation gone right as they balanced each other out so nicely. I absolutely adored how hard the author leaned into the small town aspect in this book, as there were so many charming characters to root for. This storyline also did a beautiful job exploring concepts of grief, home, found family, and belonging. I highly recommend this sweet and spicy romance for all the other small town lovers out there!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for gifting me with an ARC to review. All opinions are my own.