Book Review: Savor It

The Official Blurb

“Summer won’t last forever.

Sage Byrd has lived in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington) her entire life. She’s learned to love her small world, with the misfit animals on her hobby farm, and her friendships with the town’s inhabitants. But when her 5-year relationship ends and her ex, town-golden-boy Ian, suddenly gets engaged, Sage needs a win—something that will convince everyone to stop pitying her all the time, and to put Ian in his place. The Festival of Spunes, the town’s annual summer competition, would be the perfect opportunity. She just needs a partner.

Fisher Lange was a hotshot chef in New York City until the loss of his sister left him numb, grieving, and responsible for his teenage niece Indy. When Fisher loses his Michelin star along with his love of cooking, his boss sends him and Indy to Spunes on a much-needed summer sabbatical to consult on a restaurant opening. But when clashes with the townspeople threaten his last chance to redeem himself and a kiss with his new neighbor Sage leads to dating rumors, a strategic alliance might just be the best way to turn things around.

A deal is struck. Sage will improve Fisher’s image in the eyes of the town and remove the roadblocks he is facing with the restaurant, and Fisher will be Sage’s partner for the competition. But as their pact quickly turns into steamy rendezvous, emotional wounds begin to heal, and the pair tries to savor every moment, they start to realize that summer is racing by much faster than they would like…”

 

Savor It by Tarah DeWitt | Small-Town Heat, Grief Repair and a Jalapeño Payoff

Some romances simmer. Some explode. Savor It by Tarah DeWitt does a little of both — eventually.

Published in 2024, this contemporary romantic comedy drops us into Spunes, OR, a small town with deep roots and strong opinions. Enter Fisher Lange, a hotshot New York City chef whose career imploded after a pie-related temper loss went viral. The Michelin star? Gone. The reputation? Toast. The grief over his sister Freya’s death? Still very much simmering.

His former boss and friend Carlie offers him a second chance: relocate to Spunes, help open a new restaurant and maybe — maybe — rebuild what he lost. Fisher brings along his teenage niece Indy, who’s navigating her own grief and not exactly thrilled about a summer in small-town Oregon.

Next door lives Sage Byrd. High school teacher. Hobby farmer. Animal rescuer. Community ride-or-die. She supports local businesses, wears delightfully ridiculous handmade robes with pride and has a three-legged cat and a lonely goose. I mean. Come on.

Their meet cute leads to teaming up for the annual Festival of Spunes competition — a title Sage’s ex has dominated for 14 years. They toy with fake dating but thankfully the book does not drag that trope into the ground. These two are mature enough to pivot into real dating without unnecessary nonsense.

And, yes, I appreciated that.

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The Good Stuff

The dialogue between Sage and Fisher is sharp and genuinely funny. Fisher’s inner monologue? Snarky and self-aware in all the right ways. He’s not physically my type (much like Charlie Lastra in Book Lovers by Emily Henry) but personality carries weight and Fisher delivers.

The emotional arc with Indy hit me hard. There’s a late-book scene involving her that absolutely got me in the feels. It was raw, honest and handled with care.

Communication exists in this romance. They talk. They process. They own their mistakes. That alone earns points in the romance genre.

And if you’re an audiobook reader, Zachary Webber (aka Jacob Morgan) narrates Fisher’s POV and absolutely elevates the experience. His pacing, tone and emotional delivery are rock solid. I recognized his voice instantly. He’s that good.

There’s also a playlist at the front of the book which I am loving as a growing trend in romance.

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The Challenges

I struggled at the start.

The opening pages felt like they were trying a little too hard to be funny. You know how we always say, “don’t tell me something is funny, just make it funny?” That was the vibe.

Sage’s POV chapters sometimes meandered for me. Lots of internal wandering. Nail painting. Distracted thoughts. Meanwhile, Fisher’s chapters felt tighter and more focused. The contrast was noticeable.

I also realized I strongly prefer duet narration over dual narration. In this case, each actor only performs their own POV chapters. I tend to prefer when each character is voiced consistently throughout the book regardless of chapter perspective. That may have contributed to my struggle with pacing.

And yes, this is a slow burn. Not as slow as Book Lovers but slow enough to make me mildly angsty. I got nervous we were heading toward poblano territory. Thankfully, we landed squarely at jalapeño.

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Spice Level

🌶️🌶️🌶️ Jalapeño

Open door. Earned chemistry. Emotional build before payoff.

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Cocktail Pairing: The Savor Slowly Bramble

For this read, we created The Savor Slowly Bramble, inspired by the marionberry mentions throughout the book.

Gin
Fresh lemon juice
Honey syrup
Frozen marionberries or blackberries
Optional pinch of brown sugar

Bright. Slightly tart. A little sweet. Much like Fisher and Sage themselves.

Sip slowly. Let it build.

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Final Thoughts

Overall, I enjoyed Savor It. The banter works. The grief feels real. The small-town setting in Spunes, OR is charming without tipping into caricature.

If you like slow burns, community vibes and a chef who learns that presence matters more than prestige, this is a solid pick.

And if you love audiobooks, Zachary Webber/Jacob Morgan alone may be worth the credit.

We dive even deeper into this one in Season 3 Episode 6: Recipe for Romance.

Want to read the book for yourself? You can get it here:

• 🎧 Libro.fm (Support your local bookstore)
• 🎧 Audible
• 📖 Amazon
• 📱 Kindle
• 📚 The Ripped Bodice

Have you read Savor It? Let me know your thoughts on this book in the comments!