Scan barcode
A review by pagesplotsandpints
Savor It by Tarah DeWitt
3.0
<b>Read Completed 5/20/24 |</b> 3 stars
<b><I>Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook review copy! Receiving this book from the publisher has not affected my review in any way.</b></I>
I was on a romance high after finishing a good romcom read and was excited to pick up SAVOR IT. This was my first Tarah Dewitt book and it has some fairly consistent high ratings, but I still wasn't sure to expect. This one didn't do it for me, unfortunately, but I'm glad I picked it up to try it.
SAVOR IT is a small town romance with some opposites attract vibes and a touch of grumpy x sunshine. It felt like the author was trying a little too hard to make it be Stars Hollow meets Emily Henry meets Abby Jimenez. I felt like the writing was constantly trying to BE something and it just really didn't flow at all for me. Romances don't have to have plots, but when they're beautifully character-driven, I don't even notice. I struggled with these characters and they just felt pretty flat for me, so sadly, it was noticeable that not a lot happened here and those little moments where the characters are connecting were lost on me.
I'd say this is a little less rom-com than my normal preferences. It's not overly serious or full of grief despite it definitely being present. MMC Fisher has custody of his teenage niece after her mother died, but that happened three years ago, and FMC Sage's parents both died, but that was also a while ago. I was hoping for just a touch more banter, but what was there, I didn't really feel. The characters did have some good chemistry here and there, but it wasn't until later in the book that I started to feel it.
I just wanted a little more growth and a little more purpose. Obviously, the goal here is that they fall in love and Fisher & his niece end up moving to be with Sage or vice versa, but who really leaves the small town in these books? So we know that's really the end game. I just wanted a few other plot points to stand out, some more growth from other characters.... there were some good supporting characters with potential, but they all faded in the background when they really could have helped this small town charm shine. Everything really ended up falling a little flat.
The author also used the word "savor" WAY too much. It's cute to use it once, maybe twice, since it's in the title of the book, but when it's used like 8-10 times, it gets annoying and forced.
I don't know if I'd try another Tarah Dewitt book. I actually would have DNFed this one, but it was a review copy from the publisher and I had already DNFed a couple other review books and didn't want to do that to so many. It wasn't a BAD read, but I knew I wasn't going to click with it when I hadn't gotten there at 25-30%.
AUDIOBOOK THOUGHTS: This was narrated by two of my absolute favorites, Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber in a dual narration. I really liked their narration, but the story didn't really help their voices shine and bring this book to life. I adore Zachary Webber but sadly, I felt like his narration was a little dull here, probably because I felt like Fisher was a little dull. There just wasn't enough range emotion to pull from and things ended up being cheesy instead of romantic. Karissa Vacker also did a nice job, but like with Zachary Webber, it was just a little boring due to the characters not being as interesting as I wanted them to be. I would still recommend them as narrators, though, and if it had been narrators that I DIDN'T love, I really would have probably DNFed.
<b><I>Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the audiobook review copy! Receiving this book from the publisher has not affected my review in any way.</b></I>
I was on a romance high after finishing a good romcom read and was excited to pick up SAVOR IT. This was my first Tarah Dewitt book and it has some fairly consistent high ratings, but I still wasn't sure to expect. This one didn't do it for me, unfortunately, but I'm glad I picked it up to try it.
SAVOR IT is a small town romance with some opposites attract vibes and a touch of grumpy x sunshine. It felt like the author was trying a little too hard to make it be Stars Hollow meets Emily Henry meets Abby Jimenez. I felt like the writing was constantly trying to BE something and it just really didn't flow at all for me. Romances don't have to have plots, but when they're beautifully character-driven, I don't even notice. I struggled with these characters and they just felt pretty flat for me, so sadly, it was noticeable that not a lot happened here and those little moments where the characters are connecting were lost on me.
I'd say this is a little less rom-com than my normal preferences. It's not overly serious or full of grief despite it definitely being present. MMC Fisher has custody of his teenage niece after her mother died, but that happened three years ago, and FMC Sage's parents both died, but that was also a while ago. I was hoping for just a touch more banter, but what was there, I didn't really feel. The characters did have some good chemistry here and there, but it wasn't until later in the book that I started to feel it.
I just wanted a little more growth and a little more purpose. Obviously, the goal here is that they fall in love and Fisher & his niece end up moving to be with Sage or vice versa, but who really leaves the small town in these books? So we know that's really the end game. I just wanted a few other plot points to stand out, some more growth from other characters.... there were some good supporting characters with potential, but they all faded in the background when they really could have helped this small town charm shine. Everything really ended up falling a little flat.
The author also used the word "savor" WAY too much. It's cute to use it once, maybe twice, since it's in the title of the book, but when it's used like 8-10 times, it gets annoying and forced.
I don't know if I'd try another Tarah Dewitt book. I actually would have DNFed this one, but it was a review copy from the publisher and I had already DNFed a couple other review books and didn't want to do that to so many. It wasn't a BAD read, but I knew I wasn't going to click with it when I hadn't gotten there at 25-30%.
AUDIOBOOK THOUGHTS: This was narrated by two of my absolute favorites, Karissa Vacker and Zachary Webber in a dual narration. I really liked their narration, but the story didn't really help their voices shine and bring this book to life. I adore Zachary Webber but sadly, I felt like his narration was a little dull here, probably because I felt like Fisher was a little dull. There just wasn't enough range emotion to pull from and things ended up being cheesy instead of romantic. Karissa Vacker also did a nice job, but like with Zachary Webber, it was just a little boring due to the characters not being as interesting as I wanted them to be. I would still recommend them as narrators, though, and if it had been narrators that I DIDN'T love, I really would have probably DNFed.