I enjoyed this love story! It was a bit slow to start, but the last 20% was very good. I got bored with the flashbacks, but the current time parts were much better…and steamier. After all the squabbling and worrying about money I was relieved to read about how it all worked out in the end. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

Thank you Netgalley and ST. Martin´s Griffin, New York, and thank you Tarah DeWitt for this ARC.
When I read this book last summer (the 2023 edition) it immediately became one of my favorite reads of 2023. First of all, it contains the tropes that I love the most:
-Reverse grumpy/sunshine.
-Second chance romance.
-Marriage of convenience.
-Forced proximity.
-Witty banter.
I fell in love with Deacon and LaRynn, flaws and all. And this time? This new edition? My queen Tarah DeWitt did it again! I enjoyed this story so much more tan the first time.
All the changes she made to the story have made this book even better.
In this version, Deacon and LaRynn have more depth and we can better understand them with all the glimpses of the past that are now included. I loved the complex relationship they have. Deacon is the most patient and caring guy despite of LaRynn´s complicated personality Also, I find their personal stories very real and challenging, that made me empathize for them.
This is the bok I cherish the most of the autor.
Five stars is too Little, I give it a constellation.

I absolutely LOVE Tarah's books and this one is no different.
The main characters are LaRynn and Deacon and they both come from family's where there parents weren't exactly the best examples for love and caring. They were brought together by their grandmothers who fell in love. Then, again, when they passed away--and left them to co-own their disasterous home. Struggling for funds to make the place liveable, they come up with a scheme to get LaRynn's inheritance and YUP they get married!
Both the characters in this book are flawed but man, I adored their growth throughout the book. Their trust for one another grew stronger with every page and it was GAH so cute. I love a good rom-com and this def did not leave me disappointed.
I highly recommend this if you enjoy any of these tropes:
-Marriage of convenience
-Second chance
-Forced Proximity

Tarah's books are always the best! LaRyann and Deacon's chemistry was so good especially with the forced proximity of fixing the house and having to get married so LaRyann could access her trust funds. I love the way the book explores the topic of grief for both of the main characters and the complex and messy feelings and reactions it can cause. I really enjoyed how in LaRyann's POVs she incorporates music to help almost set a soundtrack to the book. I loved watching both Deacon and LaRyann open up to each other about their experiences and learning how to communicate their often messy emotions to each other. I thought getting snippets of their summer fling in short flashbacks throughout the book helped me to better understand their reactions to each other as adults! As always, Tarah excellently balances the funny banter and romantic moments with her deeper more thought provoking lines and character inner monologues.

Tropes:
-marriage of convenience,
-forced proximity
-dual timelines
-black cat x golden retriever
-second chance (summer fling)
-dual pov
-slow burn

‘The Co-Op’ by Tarah DeWitt falls under one of my most favorite categories of romance books: just a couple of idiots in love. And I mean that in the most loving & respectful way ha. The core of this book centers on the many second chances of LaRynn & Deacon who are thrown back together by the (literal) will of their meddling grandmothers who passed & left them as co-owners of a house in Santa Cruz. For Deacon, SC is his hometown & he’s never left. For LaRynn, it was the one place growing up that felt like a true escape from her regular life. And one summer many years ago, they took a chance on each other…& promptly ruined it like dumb young adults do. So they get a second chance at friendship & maybe a second chance at love. And LaRynn is also seeking a second chance at life, defining it for herself & not by her horribly distant & narcissistic parents.

It’s truly difficult to summarize all the elements that I love about this book. Deacon & LaRynn are one of my favorite book couples ever - their chemistry & history are just SO good. I even see myself in LaRynn with her independence, hard shell, & bluntness she makes me feel like I too can be loved & accepted as I am. And their story is like a trope feast of teenage love, second chances, enemies to lovers, slow burn, forced proximity, & a marriage of convenience. (Though, I can’t image they’d describe it as convenient at the start.) And when you add in all the flashbacks to their first summer together, combined with the beautiful setting of Santa Cruz & a gaggle of side-characters who all love both Deacon & LaRynn & are forever meddling (some from beyond the grave)? And sprinkle it with healthy communication & emotional intelligence? You get a combination that is truly *chef’s kiss*.

Also, just noting that this version, releasing in November 2024, is a “renovated” version of the original book published in 2022. While I hadn’t read the original before, I decided to read the original & this new renovated version back-to-back because it felt like a unique opportunity. For me, the original was a 4-star read but this new version is easily a 5-star. The heart of the story remains - there are very few changes (more like some shifting around), & plenty of extra added into this new version. I absolutely loved it all & feel like it has only been enhanced & is a rare chance of getting more from a story that I already loved.

This is a perfect book to cozy up with, wrapped in a blanket on a fall or winter night with a big glass of wine (or the beverage of your choice). This might have been my first Tarah DeWitt book, but it certainly won’t be my last - there is something truly magical about her storytelling.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin & NetGalley for providing a digital advanced copy of this book for review. All thoughts & opinions expressed are my own.

4.5 - This was SO cute!! I love the way tarah writes such complex, heartfelt, real characters. The angst in this second-chances, friends to lover romance actually had my heart aching. I desperately wanted to read this one because I know how many friends LOVED the self published version of The Co-Op, and this did not let me down.

The Co-Op follows LaRynn and Deacon, who are forced to put their differences aside to renovate their grandmothers house to sell. LaRynn has money in her trust that she can use to properly re-do the house, but the condition on the trust requires her to be married to access the funds. So LaRynn and Deacon get married...which isn't the brightest move when they both have hurt feelings and scorn towards each other after a break up in their teens.

I really enjoy Tarah's writing because I always feel connected to both the female and male main characters. The Co-Op was not different. Both LaRynn and Deacon had the most wonderful personalities. This book deals with some serious topics, especially with grief, and family issues, both somehow Tarah had me laughing at multiple scenes. The thing that I loved the most was how sex positive this book was!! Tarah did such a great job at showing two young teens learning about sex and maturing together in a safe way and exploring their bodies and relationships with sex. As they got older, the tension and smut between LaRynn and Deacon was STEAMY. Another thing I loved was that this was a true SLOW BURN, which really kept my attention throughout the book. I honestly was constantly wondering what had happened that caused them to "hate" each other, and I liked how Tarah dragged that out and really gave us the opportunity to learn more about where each character came from.

Overall, this was a super cute and STEAMY romance that I really enjoyed! Thanks to St Martin's Press for the free early copy!!

I LOVED this dang story. Deacon and LaRynn had summer fling as teenagers, 10 years later they are forced together to fix and sell a home they inherited.

What a good combination of all my favorite tropes pushed together in this sweet little novel. This book was definitely a slowest burn! But the tension and banter between the two really helped build up the flame!

I freakin Deacon! Where’s the Deacon stan fan club??

My biggest complaint is the pacing of the story. I beginning felt like it dragged on a bit longer. I had to set it down and come back. Next thing you know, they’re married and months of home renovations have gone by in 2 pages.

Let’s just face it, Tarah could publish her shopping list and it would be in instant best seller. I highly recommend this book.

As if I needed more proof that Tarah DeWitt is one of the best romance writers out there! The Co-Op is an absolute 5-stars.

I really loved everything about this book, but some of the aspects loved the most:

A marriage of convenience that is also a second chance romance! The entire premise was so creative and original
*NO* break-ups!
Affectionate, fun, and intimate sex
Deacon, the golden retriever (he can't sit still and is all about making everyone happy)
LaRynn, the doberman (threaten anyone she loves and she will end you)
Sally
The grands (even from the other side)
The epilogue made me swoon

NO NOTES. *Chef's kiss.* I can't wait to buy a physical copy for my shelves of fame!

As per usual, Tarah DeWitt delivers nuanced characters, banter and the best romance. Tarah delivers on all my favorite tropes; marriage of convenience, second chance romance, fake dating, summer fling. Could Deacon and LaRynn both use some lessons on communication? absolutely. But that's some of the fun of reading these two stumble through a relationship and realize that they both have things to work on. Also, the marriage claus to get her inheritance? Diabolical. lmao.

DeWitt nails it with this steamy second chance romance!

“The Co-Op” follows LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds, a decade after their summer fling, when they’re thrust back together and have to figure out how repair the dilapidated Santa Cuz building their grandmothers left them. LaRynn has the money, but in order to access her trust, she has to be married. Deacon has the construction expertise, but lacks the funds. They strike up a deal to marry for however long it takes fix up the property, collect a profit, and cut ties. But it’s all easier said than done when sparks reignite.

This is just one of those books that makes you feel and feel deeply. LaRynn and Deacon’s renovation of their home, themselves, and their relationship is beautiful, emotional, and messy. I think the mess is what I love most about this book. Both characters are flawed in their own ways because they are brought up by parents whose marriages were irreparable and lacked love. It is for that reason that LaRynn and Deacon struggle to communicate, especially with each other. The dual timelines and perspectives highlight how this struggle resulted in the failure of their first relationship when they were younger.

The restoration of their grandmothers’ home forces them to form a partnership where they are more open, honest, and trusting to build a better foundation on. I was rooting for them as they worked through their grief, miscommunications, and slowly let down their walls! Their romantic relationship is definitely slow to burn, but the payoff is profound, which just goes to show that some trials and tribulations are worth enduring!

I read this whenever it was independently published and loved it, so I was excited to see that it was being traditionally published with additional chapters. This was so good and worth the reread. I will read anything by Tarah!

3 Stars The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt is a second chance, marriage of convenience, forced proximity romance for those who love a good slow burn!

A decade after a short-lived summer fling that ended in heartbreak, LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds are left shared ownership over a run-down Santa Cruz house by their late grandmothers. Deacon has the construction expertise to fix up the place, but not enough cash. LaRynn has the trust fund, but needs to fulfill one stipulation to access the money: get married. Agreeing to a marriage of convenience so they can fix up the house and sell it, splitting the profit, LaRynn and Deacon butt heads at every turn, both over the house and living together. Despite their constant arguing, the feelings from all those summers ago reemerge and neither can help the pull of attraction and longing they feel for each other. Will they be able to fix up not only the house, but their relationship as well?

I was excited to read this one with its new cover, especially after seeing it go viral on Bookstagram a couple years ago while it was still on Kindle Unlimited. Sadly, it didn’t fully live up to my expectations. Though I understood the hardships that the FMC had been through in her childhood, I didn’t find her particularly likable as an adult. The past and present conflicts between the MCs can be boiled down to miscommunication (or lack thereof), which is one of my least favorite tropes and so frustrating as a reader. Everything could have been easily solved if they just talked to each other like adults and explained how they were feeling and how those feelings influenced their actions. It’s still a sweet read, but wouldn’t be my first recommendation for lovers of any of the aforementioned tropes.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Deacon and LaRynn each had me giggling at times, but I do think they were perfect for each other. The banter between these two was really good. Although they had me laughing, they both had emotions that they were holding in stemming back from their past time together.

LaRynn was a strong FMC, however, there were times where I felt like she was a little mean and not in a cute, fun way. Deacon could be a sweetheart too, but like LaRynn, I felt like at times he could be mean as well. Honestly, once they started breaking down each others wall and started to fully understand the feelings they were holding back, the anger started to make more sense. I kind of like that because it made their characters feel more real. However, at times, it did feel a little childish.

I enjoyed the flow and timeline of this book. Although they were angry with each other the majority of the time, they did still had love for one another and I can see that progress throughout the book. I did enjoy the dual timeline because it gave us insights into why they were how they were as adults. I loved that there was an epilogue.

Thank you Tarah DeWitt and NetGalley for the ARC for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this one SO MUCH!! LaRynn and Deacon were so cute and I LOVED their banter and how their relationship developed GAH I miss them already and I'm such a sucker for second chance and this one was done so well hehe!! I'm just obsessed with them tbh I'm so in love with this book and characters sm! Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc!!

4.5 ⭐️s rounded!

Y’all, I cannot begin to express how emotional I am over this. Second chance, marriage if convenience, found(ish?) family, small town, and excellent banter? Yes PLEASE!!

Deacon & LaRynn’s relationship is explored in a dual timeline, dual POV novel that highlights their ups and downs as they inherit their grandmothers (plural!) home and…. get married? Their dynamic is absolutely delectable from start to finish.

Thank you to Tarah DeWitt & St. Martin’s Press for the ARC. Do yourself a favour and pick this up on pub day (aka tomorrow!!!)

I really enjoyed this book. It's giving HGTV meets the Odd Couple meets a Marriage of Convenience, and you have a clever and entertaining read.

I absolutely loved the Dual POV, especially in a story like this, where both characters are so important to it.

The Co-op also features time jumps to tell the story, which is a favorite of mine in storytelling like this!

There were so many things that were so beautiful about this book it’s hard to pick just one. Tarah DeWitt is a magician in the way that she forces the reader to feel physically pulled into her stories and feel the same frustrations, joy and brother that her fictional characters do.

I absolutely love a marriage of convenience, and especially appreciate the humor required to fix up an old house with your husband. Such a joy to read this book and thank you to Tarah and the publishing team for the ARC of this beautiful new edition!

I'm really sad that I disliked this book so much because I loved Savor It, but it's one of those books that wouldn't have even been a book if the characters had just grown up, sat down and had a conversation about their past. The lack of communication was off the charts, and instead we were given childish antics and bratty behavior. The fun home reno aspect was barely even part of the plot which was another let down. I remember thinking how mature and thoughtful Savor It was, and my brain just can't apprehend that this is by the same author.

The Co-op is a sweet and steamy tale of young heartbreak and second chances.

LaRynn and Deacon had one steamy summer eight years ago, before he broke her heart. They haven't talked much since, but when their grandmothers passed and left the home they shared to LaRynn and Deacon, the pair must figure out how to manage the renovation of the property together. Deacon is skilled with construction, but lacks the funds. LaRynn has a trust fund, but to access it, she needs to be married. A marriage of convenience later, and the pair is in business. But living with a former flame is not easy, and the pair wonder if they can rekindle what they had before. Will they get a second chance to find out, or is it time to let the fire die out and finally go their separate ways?

This is my second book by Tarah DeWitt, and it did not disappoint. The writing is so easy to get into, and the story is so deeply emotional and satisfying. I love that we get the dual POV from LaRynn and Deacon - I really enjoy seeing both sides of their story. I struggled a bit connecting to LaRynn, but her character is unique and trying to find herself. I love the second chance romance in this book - the pair had a whirlwind relationship when they were younger, but they have both grown and matured, and need to learn how to communicate their needs and feelings. The spark is there, but neither is ready to let it burn again, which makes for a lot of steamy tension. The forced proximity of the home renovation project adds another dimension to the slow burn romance. I really enjoyed the parallel plot of rebuilding their relationship while they rebuilt the home, it was a nice way to give structure to the romance. I also really enjoyed the chapters from the past timeline that helped show the relationship of LaRynn and Deacon in the past, and how they got to where they are today. There is a lot going on in this book, and at times it seemed like a bit too many tropes in one book, but overall it was an easy and enjoyable read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is truly one of my favorite Tarah DeWitt books yet! I knew going in just by seeing the cover that I was going to love this story and as it went on it only confirmed that!

Whenever Tarah writes a story, she packs it with such complex and incredible characters who bring very real life and relatable situations to the table. Plus, her banter is always so spot on and hilarious.

I thought that this story was so unique and lovable. I’m a sucker for second chance romance and marriage of convenience so this was absolute perfection.