Savor it by Tarah DeWitt was a great summer romance between a professional chef and small town farmer. When Fischer makes a commotion on his first night calling emergency services for an "intruder" in his summer rental, Sage gets a quick introduction to her new and mysterious neighbor.
This book deals with moments of grief, dealing with the complex emotions that follow it, and its lingering affects. What started as purly a relationship out of convenience to encourage the small town of Spoons to accept Fischer and his new restaraunt, while Sage was feeling cornered upon meeting her ex's new girlfriend turned into a super sweet and spicy summer that for sure wasn't going to become more.
With the added complexity of Fisher navigating how to build a relationship with his niece after his sister died, this story is the perfect amount of sweet, spicy, and emotional.
The narrators also did a great job, I loved having a narrator for each POV!

I wish this review could have been a video compilation of my reactions while listening.. I don’t know if words can accurately describe or do justice how this book made me feel. I was giggling, kicking my feet, stopping dead in my tracks, teary eyed, hand over mouth, shaking my fist at the sky, mouth hanging open, cackling out loud, SWOONING, crying, screaming. And cheering throughout. This will be one of my top reads of 2024. These characters felt so raw and real. A cozy steamy romcom in a small town that was reminiscent of Gilmore Girls. He’s an CHEF. Come on! How could I not fall in love? The flaws, the romance, the puns, the goofy animal encounters.. And the goose? Gosh.
And the audiobook just hits different than reading the ebook, in my opinion. These narrators breathed life into these characters and side characters. The distinct voices and dialogue.. bravo. Amazing job.
Consider my heartstrings tugged.
I truly did find myself savoring every moment of this book.

Fisher's life has fallen apart. He's been burned out at work, and he is fired when his restaurant loses a Michelin star. He is also trying to parent his angry niece. His boss sends him to Spunes, Oregon, to get a new restaurant up and running. If he does this well- he may be able to go back to his old job. He didn't count on being attracted to his neighbor, Sage. Sage has lived in Spunes her entire life. She quietly helps everyone- rescuing animals, purchasing outlandish robes, keeping the peace. Fisher's stay is only temporary, but their feelings get harder to tamp down.

I loved both Sage and Fisher. Both are just trying to do their best and they compliment each other well. They bring out the best in each other and there is character growth for both of them as well- along with Indy.

I don't rate things five stars often, and I wasn't going to. But then I thought about it- what was wrong with it? Nothing! I loved the story, the characters, and it all felt real. No dumb drama caused by miscommunication. You know- the kind where the book wouldn't even exist if the two characters talked to each other. Not here! They have a lot of honest conversations and it is refreshing.

Two of my very favorite narrators- Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber- read this one. Perfection!

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

This swoony summer romance will make you feel ALL of the feelings! Savor It had me DYING to keep listening to the audiobook and never wanting to pause it! I was laughing at what the main characters were doing BUT I also teared up at the end cuz Fisher (MMC) made me SO emotional with his end of book monologue. 😭 It was such an adorable story that included small town romance, grumpy x sunshine, fake dating (kinda👀), and next door neighbor + "just for the summer" vibes! All of the side characters + adorable farm animal sidekicks made it feel like the When in Rome series by Sarah Adams, remixed with The Long Game by Elena Armas! It had the perfect small town + adorable characters BUT also some spice, which makes for a PERFECT summer listen!
This audiobook is a dual POV, dual narrator audiobook which is PERFECT to not get all tangled up in who is actually speaking. It was a very easy audiobook to listen to and was super enjoyable! Definitely makes chores/commuting better!😂
Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an unbiased review!💖

I was a little bored with this one. I didn’t feel the chemistry and I didn’t connect with any of the characters

I listened to the audiobook and these are two of my favorite narrators, they were both as wonderful as always. This book had it all for me- quirky characters, humor, fun and emotion. I laughed out loud several times and even cried a couple. Highly recommend this one!!

Genre: contemporary romance
Oregon

Sage Byrd loves her life in her small town of Spunes, Oregon. She’s a teacher who lives on a hobby farm collecting stray animals and optimistic about most situations. Fisher Lange isn’t so much a grump as he is burned out and frustrated: he was a chef at a formerly Michelin Star rated restaurant. Was, and formerly rated, being the keys. Now with his sulky teenage niece over whom he has custody he’s in Spunes for a summer to consult on starting a new restaurant and, at the orders of his boss, trying to sort out his feelings about life. Fisher rents the house next door to Sage, where she’ll do what she can to protect him from the nosey townspeople and get him back on his feet.

As someone who has experienced professional burnout in the past and who is currently researching burnout prevention methods for others, I found DeWitt’s depiction of Fisher highly relatable, even though my industry is very different from the restaurant business. Even if you are sensitive to burnout, while it’s a deeply embedded part of Fisher’s character, I think readers will find that the book is very gentle overall. The relationship angst is comparatively low, and the small town setting feels comfortable (rather than stifling, which is how I typically feel about small town romances).

Sage and Fisher start out as neighbors, and while there is attraction, their relationship first shifts to a protective friendship. They see kindred spirits in one another and recognize their vulnerabilities, and reach to one another to support those needs. Of course, that support leads to kissing which leads to more-than-kissing. The conflict in Savor It is realistic and doesn’t hinge on miscommunication; in fact the high level of communication in fact causes some of the heartache. Ultimately one of the reasons this worked for me as a contemporary romance is that DeWitt embraces a level of realism and still keeps the romance sweet and swoony.

The audiobook was a pleasure to listen to. Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber bring the characters to life in a way that supports the comforting overall tone of the book.

Savor it by Tarah DeWitt

Thank you so much Macmillan Audio + NetGalley for the free audiobook. #MacAudio2024

Blurb:
Filled with spicy summer fun, small-town charm, and big feelings, this highly anticipated rom com is Tarah DeWitt’s best yet.

✨My thought:
I’m not crying, you’re crying!! But really… we are all crying. I listened to this audiobook so fast, there were zero breaks. I swear Karissa Vacker can do no wrong. Fantastic narrators + a masterpiece of a story?! This book is honestly pure perfection and set up for so much success. This is the first book I’ve read by this author but now I need to read all of the books she’s ever written. Funny, spicy, and will make you feel all the things. Prepare to CRY. This is a book you’ll want to read this Spring and Summer, I know I will be grabbing myself a finished copy when it’s out! Savor it is out 5/21/24!

Happy reading 📖

Savor It is a dual POV friends with benefits romance with a bit of a slow burn. The small town vibes add to the romance and a little well placed spice wrap this story up nicely!

Sage and Fisher have both experienced some heartache and find each other at the perfect time. Fisher and his niece temporarily move next to Sage after he goes through some work troubles and is trying to get back to himself. Sage lives in a small town and owns a farm. The friendship, flirting, and entire cast of characters were so fun. It took me a minute to get into it, but when I did I was shocked to find myself laughing out LOUD and CRYING?! I was surprised at how much I absolutely loved this book and will definitely be reading more by this author!

This audiobook was narrated by Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber. They both did an excellent job, I loved hearing from both POVs!

Thank you so much to Netgalley, Tarah DeWitt, and Macmillan Audio for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. This will be an incredible read for everyone on May 21st!

I have posted my review on Goodreads, in my Facebook book club, and will post a Tiktok review within the week before it releases.

Small town rom coms are my favorite and this was so cute. The addition of both MCs dealing with grief was beautifully done and I loved seeing them bond over their shared losses. Sage was a wonderful FMC - smart, witty and oh so kind. Fischer complimented her perfectly with his brootish ways and pessimistic ways. I highly recommend the audio as my girl Karissa Vacker teams up with Zachary Webber who does a great MMC - they’re a fabulous duo!

Savor It was the exact kind of audiobook I love! Fast paced and draws you in from the start. The survivor and dating combo show is something I would watch for sure! I hope this book gets a sequel!

This was my first book by Dewitt and won't be my last! I loved Sage and Fisher's story as she showed him the highlights of small town living and he picks himself up after his career exploded in NYC.

This story had it all — humor and great banter, heartfelt moments grappling with loss, burnout and self-discovery, excellent communication, and a reminder to make the most of wherever you are in life. I loved Sage's collection of animals, Fisher's grumpy teenage niece, and all the puns. There are small town vibes without being too cheesy, and I resonated with the Sage Advice throughout.

My only beef with this book is its cover, which is beautiful, but feels like it could have tied more closely to the story (give me funny robes! geese in love! a canoe!).

Also I highly recommend the audiobook format which is narrated by Zachary Webber and Karissa Vacker — they are two of my favorites and did an amazing job with Fisher and Sage.

Thanks Macmillan Audio for the gifted copy! Pick this up for the perfect summer read!

I loved this. I think what I loved the most is there was ZERO miscommunication! It was so refreshing and made the "conflict" that occured initially so much more heartbreaking. Spoons sounds like an incredible small town, and as a PNW native I approve of the representation, I wanted to pack up my car and move there immediately and try to get one of the remaining Bird brothers.

So good! This was my first Tarah DeWitt and I was super impressed! I will definitely read her backlist soon. Funny Feelings has been on my tbr for awhile based on its gorgeous cover alone!

• So many funny moments. We start off so strong with such an amusing meet cute. I was laughing out loud. (Also at the entire gophers scene!)
• I loved Fisher's back story! He's a great guardian to his teen niece. I loved the relationship that Sage had with her, too.
• It gets sooo tender and heartwarming! There is emotional depth and steam too. Really all of the elements were there for a gorgeous romance novel and they worked together brilliantly!

🎧 The narrators are Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber. They are both such fantastic narrators. I am always thrilled to listen to a book read by them! Highly recommend you listen!

“𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙘𝙠, 𝙎𝙖𝙜𝙚?” 𝙄 𝙖𝙨𝙠, 𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙩 𝙤𝙣 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. “𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙄 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙨𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨. 𝙒𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙜𝙤𝙤𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙬𝙣 𝙤𝙪𝙩?”

I read this eARC back in March, and I loved it so much! When I was given the chance to check out the audio, I jumped on it immediately.

Both narrators were fabulous, which comes as no surprise because I always enjoy their work. Definitely recommend the audio, for any romance audiobook lover.

The laugh out loud moments still made me laugh out loud.

“𝙄 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪—𝙛—𝙠. 𝙄 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣 𝙄 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙙𝙙𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙘𝙖𝙣𝙤𝙚!”

The kitchen scene was just as 🔥 as ever!

And the emotional parts still had me tearing up, even on this second time through with Sage and Fisher.

“𝙎𝙤. 𝙎𝙤 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙨𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙮 𝙩𝙤𝙬𝙣, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙨𝙤 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙘𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚? 𝙄𝙛 𝙞𝙩’𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙟𝙤𝙮, 𝙗𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙨? 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝙖 𝙗𝙞𝙜𝙜𝙚𝙧, 𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙡𝙛𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜.”

I mean, when a goose has your tears flowing, you know there’s something special going on!

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for providing me an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What this book is giving:
✅ Romantic comedy
✅ Dual POV
✅ Small Town
✅ Single Guardian MMC
✅ Quirky, loves her small town, adopts all the animals FMC
✅ I LOVE the library!
✅ Communication!

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5

Thank you so much MacMillan Audio for the chance to listen to this one. I absolutely devoured it! The narrators did a fantastic job bringing this book to life and are two of my favorites. I just loved it so much. From the small town romance, to the laugh out loud moments, to the heartfelt scenes- I couldn’t get enough. I highly recommend this sweet (and a bit spicy) feel good romance!

Wow, wowee wow wow!!! I got a chance to read the ebook version of Savor It earlier this year and my body was not prepared for how amazing this audio is! Zachary Webber & Karissa Vacker immaculately brought Fisher & Sage to life, matching how they sounded in my head so perfectly it was a bit uncanny to be honest! I will recommend this audio experience to anyone and everyone and I will also probably listen to this book at least once a year going forward!

This may be a me issue - I liked it, but I didn't love it and I loathed the number of "sweethearts" during the steamy scenes. Just completely ruined it for me.

The characters were sweet and cute and I liked them. The story was nice, but the above is what really just ruined my entire experience.

This book is so cute! This author is now an auto buy for me. The audio book was phenomenal and I loved how there were two voice actors. This book will crush your soul and repair it.

I loved this! Super cute romance.
I loved the setting: small town PNW, small hobby farm. I loved the main characters: both flawed yet with big strengths and came together perfectly! (and a MMC that's a chef will ALWAYS grab my attention immediately)

Also-- THE COVER! THOSE COLORS. Beautiful!

Told in dual POV of the FMC, Sage and MMC, Fisher this was well-written and descriptive. I thought this was a quick read. I loved Sage's sass and I loved Fisher's grumpy side. This was funny and when they came together to work towards Sage's goal of winning the competition these two really began to feel like a team. I rooted for them so hard.

Both narrators did a great job. I felt the emotions were there and it was easy to listen to (good conversations, etc).