I absolutely LOVED this dual POV, small town, summer romance that had fake dating, a grumpy neighbor chef, Fisher licking his wounds after getting fired and losing a Michelin star and who is still grieving over the death of his sister while also struggling as a guardian for his teenage niece and reluctantly falling for his farmer neighbor Sage.

Steamy, with a charming cast of secondary characters and a fun town challenge that has Sage and Fisher teaming up to help each other out. What was supposed to be a summer fling quickly turns real as things come to a head when Fisher and his niece return to the city at the end of the season.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review! This is a new fav from a fav indie turned trad published author and I can't wait to have a finished copy of this beautiful book to showcase on my shelf!

I did not slowly savor this book, I absolutely devoured it in one sitting! I loved Fisher and Sage and their banter! I love the broody teen, Indy, and all the side characters in town were hilarious.

I loved these narrators! Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber do such a fantastic job bringing all the characters to life! Thank you so much Macmillian audio, Tarah DeWitt and NetGalley for the ALC! I enjoyed this story throughly.

This was such an awesome romance that I devoured in one day! A small-town romance with two broken characters who begin as the ultimate grumpy/sunshine pair and who evolve into two vulnerable people trying very hard to be the best they can be. Fisher Lange is practically banished to Spunes, Oregon after his high profile and highly successful career as a Michelin star chef in NY went up in flames. Angry, grieving and lost he drags his niece – who is also angry, grieving and lost to spend the summer to try to rectify the damage he has caused to his career.
His temporary next-door neighbor, Sage is hiding from the town’s pity as her five-year relationship has ended with the local town cop, Ian, and he is already engaged to one of her friends. Sage is looking to let the town, know she’s okay and one way to do that would be to make a great showing in the town’s annual summer competition…if only she had a partner.
Sage and Fisher quickly realize they can help each other out!
What they don’t expect is how exactly they will end up helping each other out! At first glance, Fisher is your intimidating, strong, roguish male until he so openly shows his vulnerabilities to Sage. Sage is bubbles and sunshine until she shares the hurts and fears she hiding behind that cover. Fisher’s niece, Indy is exactly what you would expect from a teen who has her life turned upside down.
Tarah DeWitt has hit it out of the park with a romance that gives you big emotions, just the right amount of spice and characters that will warm your heart! I especially loved the Sage advice left by Sage’s mother with an emphasis on living and appreciating the present and the journey.
I companion read and listened to this novel. Narrated superbly by Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber. Can I just say I will be re-listening to this just to have my heart melted all over again by Webber’s voice bringing Fisher alive off the pages. The gravelly tone oozed sex appeal. Karissa was the perfect voice for Sage! This was such a great pairing!!

Thank you so much to MacMillan Audio for an advance copy of the audio!

"It's been a privilege to fall in love with you, Sage."

I absolutely loved Sage!! She has been one of my favorite female characters that I have read recently. I just love her resourcefulness, her strong will and especially her relationship to those in the community. Her and her brothers crack me up and felt so believable. I also love how she took in Indy and was able to relate to her as they both lost their mother at a young age.

Fisher Lange was such a fish out of water (no pun intended) and she made him feel comfortable in the town. And I love how he came to her rescue when she was faced to face with her former long time boyfriend. It also was beautiful to see how Fisher's relationship with his niece Indy grew from the start of the book to the end.

They just seemed like they just had such fun time together and were just so attractive to each other. They both knew each were it for them but it was too late and Fisher had to go back to his life on the East Coast.

Karissa Vickers and Zachary Webber are two of my favorite romance narrators so to have them be both Sage & Fisher was a match made in listening heaven. They are just so good at making the characters their own. My ears were very happy listening to them!

4.25