Savor it (arc) review

Rating: 3/5

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

I’ve heard such great things about this one and I SO wanted to like it, it had all the potential, but the execution was so poor. it just fell so flat for me and I actually think I hated it at some points!!

I liked the premise of ‘savor it, savor everything’, and the touches on dealing with grief, healing, self discovery etc, and there were some cute lines in there, but that didn’t make up for everything else

I couldn’t connect AT ALL with the characters, they lacked depth and they felt flat to me, then the interactions between the two main characters felt awkward and I couldn’t connect with their chemistry. HOWEVER, the communication between them was ON POINT, it was how communication should be and that was one of the only reasons I’m giving it 3 stars, not lower!


The storyline felt messy at times, complicated and the pacing felt off. We were being told things repeatedly, and the things that did happen lacked progress and it wasn’t going anywhere. There was so much filler that didn’t need to be there, it felt clunky and irrelevant!

It felt like the whole book was leading up to the festival and this competition and that was the premise of the forced proximity, but what the help happened at the end?!?!! ***SPOILERS***: there was some random fire that her brother got injured in AGES away, so they ended up missing the festival and the competition, apart from the canoe race which the town ‘waited for them’ and ofc they ended up winning!!
The pacing probably felt worse at the end as well, we literally have him leave (to go back to NYC) awkwardly at the end of one chapter (no real goodbyes or anything), then 2 chapters later he’s back and everything’s perfect and then THE END.

*I received an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review*

‘Savor It’ by Tara DeWitt is a gorgeously spicy small-town summer romance starring Spunes, Oregon resident Sage and seasonal visitor Fisher. Sage adores her lifestyle, her fellow residents, the ragtag bunch of adopted animals she cares for, and the town itself. Fisher, on the other hand, is a New York chef, bemused by the local opposition to the new restaurant he is consulting for. When the pair decide they can help each other, a mutually beneficial friendship transforms into a love affair to savor… even if it can’t last beyond the end of August.

I really liked the characterisation in this novel - both Sage and Fisher were relatable and likeable. I enjoyed how he helped her make her ex jealous and I adored the quirky small town traditions she helped him navigate - a Gilmore Girls-esque town meeting and the crazy Festival Of Spunes race! Indy was a really interesting supporting character and her back-story was compelling and emotional.

I thought the story took a while to get into its stride, which is why it gets 3.5 stars from me, but it was 100% worth it for the spice, the cute animals and the ending!

I received an advance Digital Review Copy of this book from the publisher Little Brown Book Group Uk via NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.

This was such a great book! I loved Sage and Fisher and how complex and real they were. It was so heartwarming to see them fall in love 🥺

My favourite thing about this book is how gentle Sage and Fisher were with each other. Grief was a big part of both their lives, and while Sage has had more time to process everything and find a way to live with it, Fisher is still struggling. Adding to that being his niece’s guardian and some doubts about his career, he is definitely not in the best place at the beginning of the book. When he meets Sage, his quirky neighbour who wears her heart on her sleeve, he is charmed and can’t stay away.
I really enjoyed how mature they both were, how well they communicated and how honest they were with each other. They met at just the right time and were exactly what each other needed. The chemistry between them was immediately clear and even though they knew anything that happens will only be temporary, they quickly fell in love and it was beautiful to witness that.

If you’re looking for a sweet romance with lovely characters, adorable animals and great character growth, check this one out.

Fantastic book! I loved Sage and Fisher! Your heart breaks for Indy, a teenager dealt so much at such a young age. The character growth was incredible. There isn’t anything I didn’t love about this book! I could easily read another book about Sage and Fisher.

Savor It by Sarah Dewitt
Rating: 4/5

Boy, did I love Savor It.

This was such a cute and cosy small town romance that had all the charm and feels that I love.

The chemistry between Fisher and Sage was so well written and I loved the banter between the two. The side characters, such as Indy and the misfit animals, were also such a great addition to the story.

This is the perfect summer read that is fun, flirty, and all round just warm and uplifting.

If you’re a fan of small town romance, opposites attract, friends with benefits, fun and flirty banter, and of course, a HEA, then this book is definitely for you.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Little Brown Book Group | Piatkus for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for an honest and fair review.

MY HEART!!! I’ve struggled with Tarah’s writing up until this point, but THIS was so lovely ❤️‍🔥 Such a sweet and heart warming contemporary romance that will really touch you (definitely have tissues on hand!). The book follows topics such as grief, career burnout and navigating life through challengers that are thrown your way. I was absolutely captivated from beginning to the end and would absolutely recommend this. I’m so glad I read this even though I had my hesitations 😊

Title: Savor It by Tarah DeWitt
Release Date: May, 21st, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars

"Savor It" by Tarah DeWitt is a charming summer read that combines small-town romance, culinary delights, and plenty of heartwarming moments. Sage Byrd finds herself at a crossroads after her long-term relationship ends and her ex quickly moves on, leaving her feeling adrift. Enter Fisher Lange, a talented chef grappling with loss and seeking redemption in Spunes, Oregon.

I loved the dynamic between Sage and Fisher, two individuals with their own emotional baggage who find solace and connection in each other. Their agreement to help each other navigate personal and professional challenges sets the stage for a delightful romantic journey. Plus, the addition of Fisher's niece Indy and the misfit animals on Sage's hobby farm adds an extra layer of charm to the story.

The relationship between Sage and Fisher could have been further developed, I did love the steamy rendezvous and emotional healing that takes place between the characters. And let's not forget about Gary the goose, who adds a touch of whimsy to the narrative.

This is a delightful and engaging summer romance that will leave readers swooning and craving more. With its blend of small-town charm, culinary delights, and heartwarming moments, this book is the perfect companion for a sunny afternoon.


Thank you to The Publisher Little, Brown Book Group UK | Piatkus, The Author Tarah DeWitt & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

Dnf 20% through. I really wanted to enjoy this but I struggled a lot with the POV changes for the chapters.

Savor It by Tarah DeWitt is a cosy, wholesome, small-town romance, perfect for the summer months to come. Where this book particularly thrives is in its moments of fun, flirtatious banter between our main characters Sage and Fisher, whose relationship is in equal measure heart-warming and touching, as well as steamy and tension-filled. This book was also very funny, at moments audible-giggle-inducing, which is part of Tarah DeWitt's individual charm as a writer. The supporting cast of characters really added to the central story, providing comedic relief and helping to build up the portrait of this quaint and charming coastal town. Sage and Fisher felt as though they were truly meant to be together, despite their slightly opposite personalities, and their respective maturity stood out in comparison to other rom-coms. Where this book fell slightly flat was that the stakes did not feel high, in fact these two not ending up together seemed a perfectly reasonable conclusion to the story. Perhaps this signifies just a personal lack of connection to these characters, but their being together just did not feel imperative. Overall, this was very sweet and cute, a great light-hearted read for the summer!

Review will be published on Goodreads, https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/160405329-issy-smith , on 15 May 2024

Short, sweet, beautiful! I absolutely loved this book, and was sad to see it end. Sage and Fisher make up such a cute couple, that I adored and felt organic and real. Although, this story is similar to other small town romances, it still felt new and intriguing which I think was in the most part due to the characters: Sage, her brothers, Wren, Fisher, Indy and the others.

I loved Savor it so much I had to put it down for a couple of days so I wouldnt finish it too soon.

Summary: Sage Byrd seeks redemption in her small coastal town's summer festival, enlisting Fisher Lange as her partner, leading to unexpected romance.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book, all thoughts are my own.

3.75⭐

Though it was hard to get into (maybe because my previous read had been a dark romance🙈) and when I finally did I really enjoyed it. I loved how fisher was so open to communicating and expressed his emotions so openly, you don't see that very often.

I loved sages selflessness and sweetness, you could feel how kind and sweet she was and I LOVED THAT.

I know we got snippets of the family but I just wish we got to see more of the siblings bond and the whole family dynamic but I'm sure this is gonna be a series and we'll see the rest of the characters.

I LOVED the moment indy realised she wanted to be back in that small town ... Goose..🥺.

This is the first book of Tarah’s that I read
. It took me a couple of chapters to get into it but as soon as I did I loved it! This book follows Sage who lives in a little town called Spunes (this along got me wanting to read it for the twilight pun/reference) Sage recently got broken up with and her ex is now with a childhood friend. A stranger comes to the small town and gets everyone talking! Fisher is struggling with life at the minute. He is responsible for bringing up his niece following his sisters passing and he had recently been let go from his job as a Michelin star chef. He is tasked with getting to know the locals so that his old boss can open a new restaurant. He finds help in Sage to do this and in turn he helps her make her ex jealous and helps her with the towns festival where there is an annual competition. I loved that this book depicted the MMC to have career burn out as it’s usually the FMC, I really enjoyed that it highlighted the mental health of the male and that it he was working on himself and going to therapy, it was a refreshing change. I loved the relationship of Indy with Fisher and also with Sage and seeing how her relationships grew. All in all I would definitely recommend this book and I cannot wait to read more from Tarah! Thank you so much for the ARC

Obsessed doesn't even come close to covering how this book made me feel.

Firstly, I love that Fisher was essentially a single dad since he had to look after his niece Indy and single dad tropes are up there with my favourite trope (even though, technically he wasn't a single dad but you get me). Him being the situational temporary boy next door also just made the whole story feel all that more bittersweet. Don't get me started on him being a chef, sorry a Michelin star chef! All the food scenes were *chefs kiss*

Sage is the Mother Theresa of abandoned farmyard animals and I love her heart of gold that shone through the pages. She's super eccentric and I am so here for that. Their first encounter, where Sage is wearing a cow print dressing gown, made me smile - what an entrance! The character descriptions were also so specific and wonderfully written. I've never read of freckles being compared to as 'little collections of fireworks' and the way Tarah writes her character descriptions feels really unique and refreshing.

I'm a sucker for a small town romance and this one was no exception, I loved the competitive narrative in the story and shoutout Connie the Canoe for being the best canoe in town.

Final point, not sure if it was intentional but I love that Fisher is a chef and the FMC happened to be called a herb (Sage) - that was the cherry on top (pun intended!)

I only gave it a 4 as I wish this book was a little longer so we had more time to go into the backstories a bit more and there was one chapter where the POV went back in time a little (so you saw the narrative from the same point in time from both perspectives) rather than it continuing along but other than that a super strong 4 stars!!

I loved this story with my whole heart. Small town romances are my thing of the moment and this was such a good example of why. We have the big hit chef, who is currently experiencing burnout, come to the small town of Spunes, Oregon and meet Sage, the cutest little button if I ever saw one.

I just loved how organic this love story was. How it’s a slow burn, which I usually HATE, but you can feel the tension between the characters throughout the story and just want to put a finger in their face and tell them to hurry up and love each other.

I am a big Tarah DeWitt fangirl, she always writes such real, mature characters.

I thought I was going to find this story a little slow going at first, the pace kind of matches the small-town vibes and FMC, Sage's, way of life. As the main characters start to recognise the existence of an invisible clock over their relationship, however, I found the pace really picked up,

What I love most about Tarah's writing is the maturity. Both the story and characters lack the melodramatics/ hyperbole that is often present in romance novels. And while there is nothing wrong with either of these, it is really refreshing to find an author that utilizes a much more mellow vibe.

** I will publish this review to storygraph/ goodreads and waterstones 2 weeks before release on

my first book by this author and definitely won’t be my last i loved every second of it it was so fun!

I really enjoyed this book.

It touched on a lot of serious topics like dealing with grief and burnouts and not necessarily how to fix them but how to continue living.

The FMC Sage is from a small town and the MMC is a chef, he’s tasked with moving to the same town to help with the build of his bosses restaurant. They end up being neighbours and slowly friends that turn into something more.

I liked the setting and the small community. It’d be interesting to see if there are any further books on Sage’s brothers. Especially Wren and Ellis.

Overall a good read and I’ll definitely check out the authors other books.

3.5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫

this book has all the romance tropes; fake dating, forced proximity, grumpy x sunshine etc. Thankfully though it did not have the trope of miscommunication and instead I found that Sage and Fischer communicate well and Fischer is open about his own flaws but does not try and use this as an excuse for his actions or to get pity. I also liked the level of spice.
I will be adding Tarah Dewitt to my list of authors to check out for small town romance.

DNF at 51%
I was enjoying it to start with but the closer I got to the middle, the harder it got to read. I was really looking forward to this one too but I ended up getting bored.

Absolutely loved this book, I couldn't put it down! Tarah Dewitt knows how to write an incredible small town romance!!! Each character was written perfectly with many layers that you unfold throughout the book. Would've immediately been a 5 star read with a little bit more spice! Will be recommending to everyone!