4 ⭐️

“She’s the woman who has taught me to let go of so much so that I can wish and dream for more. I plan to savor every bit of it.”

This book might be my favourite book Tarah Dewitt has written!!!

Set in the coastal town of Spunes, in Oregon, this story centers around Sage, a local woman reeling from a recent breakup, and Fisher, an incomer chef in town seeking a fresh start. They decide to team up for the town's summer competition and their partnership ends up turning into something more —a heartwarming and steamy romance, capturing the essence of summer love.

The characters in this novel are well-developed and very relatable— I loved Sage’s character and her advices so much and Fisher’s vulnerability. Their bond makes the storyline engaging with their heartfelt moments.

Read if you like:
🌻 small town.
🌻 forced proximity.
🌻 slow-burn.
🌻 fake dating.
🌻 friends to lovers.

Thank you to Little, Brown Book Group UK and NetGalley for providing me with an early ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. Savor It by Tarah Dewitt will be coming out on May 21st.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Tropes to expect:
- Small Town
- Single Guardian
- Friends with Benefits
- Forced Proximity
-'On a time limit'
- Slow Burn

As someone who fell in love with Tarah very quickly through 'Funny Feelings', I was ecstatic when I landed to opportunity to ARC read Savor It. The thing is with Tarah, she doesn't write Romance like most authors, and that's what makes her so special to me.

Savor It focused on the characters and their bond moreso than a main plotline, and although that did have a somewhat negative effect on my overall review, I think it worked out well in the end.

Fisher and Sage are totally adorable. Sage's utter joy in life is the perfect anectode for Fisher's incessant grumpy. I loved how they helped each other through what they needed to fight; Fisher's grief and Sage's need for someone who truly noticed her. These two were written well, and they were written real. Nothing felt contrived into fiction and it was so easy to get lost in their story.

The communication these two had was great and I was obsessed with two characters who actually spoke to each other and worked out their feelings and issues like adults; I am fed up of reading characters in my age range who act like total babies.

A wonderful read written by an author who is very much cemented in place on my auto-buy list.

Thanks to Netgalley and Little, Brown Book Group UK for the ARC!

3.5

Thank you to NetGalley for this ebook ARC.

This was my first Tarah Dewitt book and I have heard so many amazing things about her writing that I was very excited.

I will start off with my favourite parts which were the dialogue between Sage and Fisher. I loved the way their friendship grew and how natural it felt - even when they were being awkward with and around each other. However, that brings me to my biggest issue with the book is that they read like amazing friends and not like there was something more between them. Especially in the middle and towards the end I found myself a little bored and just waiting for other characters to come onto the page because I found their possible stories more interesting.

I wish we dived more into Fisher's relationship with Indy and to see them spend a little more time together building the bond they both desperately crave. The end of the book seriously picked up, I would say the last 5-10% I really felt the emotion behind Tarah's writing and I saw a glimpse of why other readers love her work so much.

Overall, it was a beautiful small town romance that made me smile and I think a lot of people are going to love this story. I am going to give some of Tarah's other books a shot, I have Funny Feelings waiting on my kindle.

4:25⭐️

ARC Review

✨ I haven’t read Tarah DeWitt before but i really enjoyed her writing in this and the development she gives her characters and I’m already convinced I need to read more of her books.

✨ Sage was such a fun character but I really understood her feelings of just not matching up for people. I loved Fisher and I was not expecting him to be such a cinnamon roll for Sage but the two of them together were magnetic from the start. I loved how their friendship transitioned and I really appreciated that neither of them ever lied about their feelings .

✨ Indy was so interesting along with the other characters and I really hope Wren and Ellis get a second chance book because I felt equally as invested in them throughout this book as the main characters!! Such a fun summer read!!

This is my first book by this author and I am pleasantly surprised. I really enjoyed it!

It did take me a minute to warm up to the plot but the characters had me from the get go. Once I was hooked, I was hooked! I couldn't stop reading.

There was a great balance of romance, family drama and spice.

By the end of the story, even I was half in love with the animals. And if I book is able to do that, you know the writing I'd excellent.

This was a very cute small town romance tale. At first I thought it would follow the same plot as normal and I’d be bored, but I wasn’t. I loved the main characters, loved their back stories, and, unlike most small town romances, I didn’t feel like the relationship was rushed.
Thoroughly enjoyed. Gary the Goose stole my heart. :)

This is my first read by this author and I’m excited to read her backlist! This book just felt like a big hug. The small town vibes were immaculate and it gave me such a cozy feeling🫶🏼 Also, can we have a moment for the cover…how beautiful!!

From the beginning I knew I was going to love Fisher and Sage, and I wasn’t wrong! I really loved their dynamic and the banter between them. I feel like Sage is a character I’d love to be best friends with. Fisher, Sage, Indy & all of the adopted animals stole my heart!! I’d love to return to Spunes in a future book.

If you’re looking for something to read over the summer, definitely give this one a go!

tropes:
🪿friends to lovers
🪿opposites attract
🪿slow burn
🪿found family
🪿single guardian
🪿small town

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

Having read Rootbound recently, I was so excited to try and get my hands on a eARC copy of Savor It from Netgalley. Tarah did not disappoint.

Our hotshot chef MMC reminds me of Carmy from The Bear trying to reignite his love for his craft while trying to juggle a move to a small town for summer and new guardianship of his niece.

Sage is a FMC I can completely relate to with a love for animals and creating a sanctuary for them. Also being deemed ‘too nice’ is never a bad thing but sometimes you have to do things that are for you.

To be released May 21st 2024 - would recommend for anyone who loves the vibes of Elsie Silver, Sarah Adams or Julie Soto.

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ absolute summer/holiday read!

Thank you Netgalley and Little Brown/Piatkus for my eARC.

A cute, sexy and charming small town romance

I'm a big fan of Tarah Dewitt, and loved Funny Feelings, The Co-op: A Novel and Rootbound. I also adored the short story Christmas Presents, so jumped at the opportunity to read an arc of her latest offering!

I didn't love it as much as her other books (particularly funny feelings) but I did really enjoy it!
I guess this took me a while to warm up to the story, and you felt there was a lot going on, particularly with the festival storyline, which didn't interest me.
However, this wholesome story had such a cosy heartwarming feeling to it, I couldn't help being drawn in.
I love Tarah's writing, her puns and jokes, her descriptions of small towns (both good and bad!)and the way she writes the code relationships between family and friends. I enjoyed the dynamic between Sage and her brothers, the friendship between Sage and Wren, her best friend, and the ups and downs with Fisher and his teenaged niece, Indy.

I loved Sage and all of her adopted animals! I loved that even though Fisher had a lot of stuff to deal with, he was trying to grapple with it in a mature way. Speaking of maturity, these guys were in their thirties, and actually acted like it 🙌 Great communication and no misunderstandings ❤️

Alongside grief and burnout, there was an underlying message of love and hope in this story. There are quite a few sex scenes, they're not that explicit but are open door.

I hope this turns out to be a series because I want to hear about Wren and Ellis!

Read if you like B.K. Borison.

Huge thanks to Netgalley for the advanced reader copy!!

Sage and Fisher.... boy oh boy, did they melt my heart. I absolutely adore Tarah Dewitt's writing, she always makes you care so deeply for the characters and connect to them so well. I loved all the tropes this book had. Their connection, the town, the family. Honestly, it's the perfect summer read (or anytime really).

The epilogue was so sweet and I loved Indy, wish we got to see a little more of the three of them together but nonetheless, I adored my time reading and on release day everyone should pick it up and read it, because trust me you'll love it and you'll fall in love with Tarah Dewitt and her writing.

tropes
🐮 small town
🌷 'just for the summer'
🤍 forced proximity (neighbours)
🌿 single guardian
🍳 he's a chef

I’ve had this author on my radar for awhile and because of the synopsis decided that Savor It was going to be my first read of hers.
Sadly it wasn’t the book for me. I liked Sage and her animals, her friendship with Wren and Sage’s three brothers. Fisher and his niece Indy were great too. The dynamics between them all was ok but sadly I was bored. A lot. I felt the writing didn’t mesh with me. Too much inner monologue, descriptions and at times it felt choppy.
It’s a small town romance but I struggled with Sage and Fisher. I wasn’t feeling a connection so the their love story didn’t capture me as I had hoped.
There was also a lot characters that were introduced.
Savor It takes on some serious and important topics such as loss and grief which I thought was well integrated into the story and the characters story arc.
Sadly the overall feeling of bland is sadly what I’m left with after finishing it. But that’s only my experience. If you’re into small town romance and summer vibes with cute animals then give this book a try.

First things first, this cover is so so beautiful!

An on to the story we go, it follows Fisher a very successful chef that is having trouble cooking, he got fired after losing the restaurant a Michelin star and reacted very badly when interacting with a critic. His boss wants to give him another chance so he sends him to set up a new restaurant in a small town. Fisher who had recently became his niece guardian thinks that a new scenery for a few moths might be just the thing for them.

But not everything goes as planned, at their first night in town they have to call for help in the middle of the night. What small towns' do best is to always be on everyone's bussiness so when the first responders linger more than necessary Sage is there to intervene.

Sage is his new neighbor and very loved in their community, she is more than happy to help him navigate the small town life, and get back on his feet, cooking wise.

The small town, guardian & neighbors trope work perfectly in this book. It is a killer combination and I wouldn't might reading more with all of them together.

Fisher is drowning but he is slowing learning that to in order to move forward, sometimes you just have to stop moving.

Sage is always on the go, she might needs to learn how to just be. And they both need each other to help them realize that. The romance was a bit slow in the beginning, but it gave it an extra gentleness that they both needed.

I found myself being swept by the romance and setting, as the town is a character on it's own.

This is my first Tarah DeWitt book and it certainly won't be the last.



* I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.

The sweetest, swooniest read! I loved this slow-burn, fake dating, small town romance. The characters were incredibly loveable and I really appreciated their depth and the sensitive way this book dealt with big issues like grief and mental health. Absolutely loved all the open communication - and there was a dream library AND tiny baby goats as well??? Sold. Hope we get to return to Spunes asap!

I truly wanted to love this book so badly, I really did. I've loved Tarah's previous books, but there was something about this one that I can't place that made it really difficult for me to get into. I just wasn't instantly hooked.

I've DNFed it temporarily, however I do think it's one I'll come back to at some point and there would be potential for me to love it once I got through the first bit.

I think I may be an outlier here on my review of this book but I didn't love it :(
I had high hopes and have enjoyed previous Tarah Dewitt books but the characters just weren't doing it for me, I didn't really feel like they were doing it for each other either, there was definitely a friendship and caring for each other but a romance, worthy of a love story - not so much.
There isn't really anything wrong with the book, the writing is great and is in keeping with the style of the authors previous books. The plotline is the exact kind of story I can usually get behind and can see the comedy in some scenarious but on this occasion I just wasn't falling in love, I think this is probably a me thing and for any fans of Tarah Dewitt, read it, I am sure you will enjoy it!

I received this e-book ARC through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

3.5 Stars.
This was a cute summer, small town romance! I wasn’t as hooked on the characters as I would have liked to be, I really liked Sage but struggled to find Fisher that attractive or sexy as an MMC.

I wish the side characters had more of a presence as they were super interesting and I wanna know more about Wren and Ellis!

Overall, the book was well written and entertaining and I would read more of Tara’s work.

A delicious small town, spicy romance that features an assortment of adorable animals, what’s not to love! Sage is a delightful character. Fishers grief was well written and believable without taken over the story and making the romance part feel icky as can happen sometimes. Moments of humour, a few tears, lots of ‘aww’ moments about the animals. Justva really cute, heartwarming read. Thanks Netgalley and the publisher.

4.5 stars
This book made me download the Sims 4 country living, so make of that what you will.

The mmc is a guardian for his teenage niece, he's a chef who has lost his way. He moves temporarily to a small town and meets the fmc. They FMC is a people pleaser, has about 1000 animals and is a lot more relaxed.

This book is kind of opposite attract, summer romance, grumpy sunshine, small town romance vibes. Definitely recommend.

The first book i’ve read by Tarah Dewitt and i’m obsessed!! Like how did she know just exactly what i like about a small town romance — my dream fictional life living in a cute town with a bunch of rescued animals and a garden to die for (and an incredibly HOT neighbour who loves to cook for me)?!!

This was so sweet and tender, the perfect small town coastal setting, and characters that felt like something out of Gilmore Girls.

The dynamic between Fisher and Sage was just perfect to me — their banter, his charm, her strong will and unapologetic sense of character, and the angst and yearning!!

I loved their relationship, how it developed from a great friendship and how they also developed individually as people! It dealt with themes of grief, parental loss and career burnout in a delicate way — and in a way that added some great depth to the story.

Fisher was literally EVERYTHING— i mean the man cooks, he was so attentive, he helped Sage with her animals and her plants, entered into a small town competition with her (even though he hates small town stuff), all the while being a wonderful caregiver for his niece Indy.

And Sage, my quirky kind girl, who wanted to be seen as more than just a small town cliche, seen for who she really was, I just felt so much love and empathy for her and i truly want to be her best friend!!!

This was a cosy small town romance. I liked how the relationship blossomed between Sage and Fisher, and I think this book is an example of fake dating done interestingly. I enjoyed the Oregon setting and the cast of characters we came across in the town - I can see potential for more stories set in Spunes. Despite an omelette making scene that was bizarrely similar to a scene in season two of The Bear, this was largely a reasonable read.

Many thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.