LaRynn and Deacon have history-once upon a summer, they had a fling that ended in heartbreak. A decade later, they are thrusted back into each other's lives when their grandmas leave them the ownership of their dilapidated Santa Cruz building. LaRynn has the money, but has to be married to access the funds. Deacon has the construction expertise but not the funds. They strike up a deal-marry until the property is fixed, collect profit, and then cut ties.

This is my second attempt at reading a Tarah Dewitt, and I enjoyed it. (I started reading Savor It, but it wasn't keeping me interested). LaRynn and Deacon already banter like an old married couple even before marrying, and I'm here for it. They've never really fully moved on from each other, so even though they act like enemies, underneath is a whole lot of pining. They weren't just renovating a building but also their relationship.

> Second chance
> Forced proximity
> Marriage of convenience
> If you're a fan of HGTV

Thank you @netgalley and @smpromance for an arc of this book!

Tarah really knows how to write them, huh? This sweet and spicy rom-com is a second-chance love story with a home-renovation angle and a marriage-of-convenience twist. While it may sound “tropey”, the unique backstory sets it apart in the best way.

Deacon and RaLynn’s story begins when their octogenarian grandmothers fall in love and get married. This connection between their families adds depth and complexity, upping the emotional ante and overall angst.

I loved how the story alternates between the present day and Deacon and RaLynn’s first romance ten years ago. This structure is incredibly effective, allowing us to see — not just hear about — their history, which is central to understanding the emotional nuance of this story.

While I enjoyed the unique plot setup and narrative structure, the absolute highlight for me is the love between RaLynn and Deacon. Their feelings explode off every page. Even when they’re teasing or messing with each other, there’s no undercurrent of true hate or resentment — just real, profound love, tempered by the belief that they aren’t meant to be (obviously, they’re wrong).

Tarah has such a gift for writing moody, angsty, love stories that capture your heart and make you want to live in the story forever. This one is no exception, and I can’t wait to see what Tarah comes up with next!

I just really love Tarah's writing style a lot. This is an ex-lovers, 2nd chance enemies to lovers with grief and loss of family triggers.

Not even going to lie I loved their annoyance with each other so much. They both thought the other was such an inconvenience to themselves. They even knew they were miscommunicating but trying to work through that was such an ordeal. It continuously had me laughing. The home renovation was so fun too but I know first hand that sure adds some stress factors into a relationship haha.

They learned firsthand you can fight something as long as you want but if it's meant to be it meant to be. A good relationship takes work and isn't easy. I appreciated getting to see the realness of what came out in this story.

I love this author and all her books! This was no different. Had a blast reading it and am so happy for all the success she is having with her books.

There are some great tropes in this book (marriage of convenience, forced proximity, second chance) but they were overshadowed by the miscommunication trope. I loved the concept of the story and the setting but the FMC wasn’t my favorite. This book isn’t bad by any means, just not my favorite from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC provided in exchange for my honest review.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️

*second chance romance
*marriage of convenience
*these two are step-cousins although no one ever mentions this in the book. They call their collective grandmothers (who are married to each other) "The Grands." They're not blood related, obviously, but it's just funny to me that not one person ever mentioned the whole "cousin" thing
*both of them also NEED therapy, like yesterday
*this book was not 5 stars for me because the FMC was so unlikeable. She definitely went on quite a character journey, but I wish I had liked her more in the end

Rating: 4.5/5
I received an eARC for my honest opinion.

What more could you ask for with this steamy marriage of convenience, forced proximity, young adult memories of a summer spent together, romance, great chemistry between the characters and second chances. I enjoyed this book so much, I found that the plot was airy, but had enough drama and banter to keep wondering what the author would write for the next chapter. I found the pace of the book to be fast and engaging. However, it was the characters and this author's writing that were the stars.

I liked that we got to see bits and pieces of their history throughout the book, and you get to see them at the present. How these characters are learning to live together just so they can keep the house that their grandparents built together. There was a lot of hurt, grudges and learning to love oneself to move on in their lives. I liked that it wasn’t just about these two characters, LaRynn and Deacon, but you will see pieces of their lives that they’re healing throughout the book as well. I found this slow burn to have been done great for me, and the tension/chemistry between these characters was done that left me craving for something to happen and when it almost did, I died with laughter with the outcome.

I found these characters to be likeable and easy to connect with. You can tell that this author knows how to make characters that readers can relate to too because they’re flawed, and you can find small pieces of themselves that you can relate to too. You will laugh at their banter; you will find yourself invested in the emotional progress of each of the characters and their journey that they each took alone and together to get to their HEA. I found LaRynn character to be someone I would love to be friends with, I know that opening up in to people was hard for me when I was in my 20’s but with time and support I learned and you can see the growth that LaRynn takes to better herself and without her knowing it better the relationship that is growing between Deacon. I found Deacon to be the perfect person for LaRynn, he was trying to be understanding at first and make things work but once he figured out what was going on he would start to give her more time to think things through and you really saw their friendship bloom into something beautiful. I loved that these characters got their HEA, and that ending was so cute, but I didn’t want their story to end.

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the opportunity to review this book.

This book was definitely not my favorite. I couldn't connect with it, and finishing it took me a while. It felt like the plot was only about two adults who couldn't communicate with each other.

“Home. Home. Home. Three months together in a ripped-up building and nothing’s ever felt more like it.”

TLDR: When this book originally released it was an instant favorite. It’s gotten multiple rereads from me. Well, this little gem got a renovation of its own with this release. Tarah managed to make it everything it was at its core but more. More heart. More depth. More spice. And I loved it.

This book (pre-reno) was my first modern day marriage of convenience and it quickly became one of my favorite tropes. It was also the first time I really connected with a black cat FMC. It’s pretty far from my personality and sometimes struggle to understand where they are coming from but between Tarah’s writing and LaRynn’s past I felt every bit of her pain, frustration, and rage. Deacon, my man. I didn’t think I could love him more but I was wrong. With this edit I do, I love him more. These two are messy and imperfect and the journey to each other is hard fought, making their happily ever after that much sweeter. (sigh) Forever rooting for Deacon and Larry.

Tropes + Things
second chance
dual timeline
forced proximity
dislike to love
small beach town
marriage of convenience
black cat x golden retriever
dual POV/1st person

Huge thank you to #StMartinsPress
and @netgalley for an advanced audiobook copy in exchange for an honest review.
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I’m a sucker for second chance romance and this one definitely had a couple to root for. Deacon and LaRynn spent a summer together as teenagers but as adults they want nothing to do with each other. When their grandmothers’ leave them a rundown building they are stuck together. As they work on the building they find themselves working on each other individually and together.
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It took me a little while to get into this one, but once it finally clicked with me, I enjoyed it a lot! It's a sweet, tension-filled second-chance romance with a fantastic amount of character growth that I was hoping for. Both Deacon and LaRynn are wonderful characters, and I loved their story together. Definitely recommend this one for someone looking for a quick read!

This was a cute romcom! I really liked the FMC- I thought she was well-written and had a strong sense of self. The banter was cute, and it was all written for a good pace!

Have you ever read a book that makes you want to punch the main character in the face? Unfortunately, that is how I felt for 95% of this book.

I love Tarah DeWitt’s writing (I devoured Savor It earlier this year). The premise of this one was incredibly cute: two ex-flames inherit a building and renovate it so they can sell it, but to get the funds for their DIY project, they need the FMC’s inheritance, so they have to get married.

Look, I love a fake marriage, a second chance romance, and witty banter. But I can't get behind it when it's with such a snobby, ungrateful FMC. There was also the dreaded miscommunication trope that could have easily been resolved.

Overall, this one just wasn't for me.

Man I just love Tarah's writing. I love the humor she brings to her books even when they have a heavy plot.

Watching Larynn go from this prickly person to really understanding herself and growing as a person was great! Let's be real Tarah is just good at writing men so of course Deacon is amazing.

Truly a blast to read and at times really heartfelt.

The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt was 4⭐️read for me. Shes one of my favorite authors and I love the way she writes romance. I only have this one a 4 because the amount of time that they (to me) danced around their problems and awkwardness was a little too long for my taste. But I will tell you that I loved the last 30% of this novel. The romance was endearing and extra special. I’m still smiling about the ending. I highly recommend this lovely romance.
Thanks St. Martin’s Press via NetGalley.

3 ⭐️: I enjoyed “The Co-Op!” LaRynn and Deacon had so much chemistry!

I loved all of the flashbacks— they were really engaging and had me rooting for them from the start! Plus, I feel like it broke up the story and helped to keep it flowing.

I did find myself getting annoyed towards the middle part of the book. Their behavior was too childish (and while I know, in part, it has to do with them “reverting” to their teenage behavior/attitude, it got old… fast). The selfishness/entitlement/lack of communication made about 30% of the book almost unreadable.

Side note: the playlist at the beginning? 👨‍🍳💋🤌 (loved the Gracie Abrams, Lizzy McAlpine, Mumford & Sons, Taylor, Phoebe and Hozier)

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I love Tarah's writing style. I could not put this book down. It was delicious! The chemistry, the banter, the back and forth, the fun side characters. All of it was wonderful!

Read if you love:

🩷 Great banter
🩷 Second Chance Love
🩷 Forced Proximity
🩷 Marriage of convenience
🩷 Coastal Towns
🩷 Grief Rep
🩷 Nicknames

I absolutely recommend this book! Such a great read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book! This was my first book by this author, and while I enjoyed the writing, I found myself pretty bored by this story. I think the home renovation plot line just isn't for me. I wish more of the book had the enemies as lovers, once they were together it was quick to end the book. I would try other books by the author and would still recommend this book to friends. I would give this book 2.75 stars.

I have been wanting to read something by this author for a while. After receiving the widget from the publisher, I thought this is my time. I just finished the book and I can’t believe I waited this long to read it. Deacon and ‘Larry’ are perfection. I loved their relationship. I loved all the side characters like Sally. I’m so so happy they got to keep the house they worked on. The tension and the banter was to die for. I am a sucker for a slow burn. Their little games they were playing in the beginning was hilarious. I’m so sad the book is over now. But I’m definitely going to check out other releases by this author!

A second chance with a slow burn, witty banter, and two now-adults who strive not to repeat the non-communication issues they had before, The Co-op brings a fresh twist on the marriage of convenience with its living in a renovation (no walls!) forced proximity situation.
Do you know those books you are almost fearful of reading because you have heard so much about them? This is one of them for me. And it mostly lived up to the hype

LaRynn Lavine is slow to open up and struggling to adapt to life without parental support. She is also nonconfrontational, avoiding dealing with her parents and her ex or tackling her grief and even hiding from her single best friend. Raised by emotionally unavailable parents, she found refuge in summering at her grandmother’s beach condo.

Then, the summer she is 19, she falls for Deacon Leeds, who is carrying his collection of baggage.

And it is magic until it isn’t.

Neither has the maturity (or bravery) to reach out until eight years later when they inherit a beloved yet disrepair mess of a home.

The conflict between Deacon and LaRynn was clear from the beginning; they had both broken each other. I loved that they recognized how they had previously used physical intimacy as a barrier to admitting to their growing (mutual) feelings. Their (now) reluctance to act on these desires as more mature adults added a new layer of depth and a lot of anticipation.

The payoff for their self-restraint was vibrating with tension and well worth the wait. I loved how they evolved emotionally from taunting to tenderness with each other's bodies and hearts.

Set in a smaller beach town, I felt the setting supported the characters. From their reno to the frequent beach volleyball matches, there was plenty of action to move the timeline, allowing their relationship time to heal slowly. I enjoyed the foil of their best friends' relationship and how it compares to Deacon and LaRynn. Lots to enjoy!

Ever the sucker for a second chance, I relished this one in the end and look forward to working through DeWitt’s backlist