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.

The Co-Op is just so messy & hot & REAL - I loved it.

⭐️: 5/5
🌶️: open door, several descriptive scenes

💭 overall thoughts:
This one had a bit of a slow start for me, and then I fell so in love with LaRynn & Deacon!

I think what took me some time to get into was understanding LaRynn’s character, her motives in her behaviours and reactions.

LaRynn is a strong woman & also deeply hurt, having been rejected by the two people who are meant to love you the most (her parents). She’s also been made to feel that asking for any kind of help is weakness, and Deacon’s love language is definitely acts of service.

They had so many challenges to overcome, and a past (together and apart) that left them with baggage.
I loved how they found their way to loving each other, finally freely.

read if you love:
🥈 second chance/dual timeline
🛠 home renovations + temporary roommates
❤️‍🔥 loathe to love
💍 marriage of convenience
🔗 forced proximity
💞 dual 1st person pov

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press & NetGalley for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

2.25/5 ⭐️

✨️ Forced Proximity
✨️ Fake Marriage
✨️ Second Chance Romance
✨️ Friends to Lovers

The FMC acts like a child for the whole first half. I got pretty annoyed and bored with the story in general and found myself skimming the latter half of the book. The couple was boring, and the declarations of love were so overly cheesy. It really only gets 2 stars because I finished it. The desire to DNF was strong at times, though.

Beach volleyball and golden retriever best friends? Yes, please! This book is a split timeline second chance romance (two tropes I often struggle with), with the comedy and stress of forced proximity and home renovation thrown in! I have enjoyed Tarah Dewitt’s books in the past, but to be honest this one resonated less with me. The split timeline dragged for me, although the reveal surprised me with its depth and complexity. I enjoyed the characters and the setting, but couldn’t get fully engaged. Still an enjoyable read!

Rating - 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - August 27, 2024
Publication Date - November 12, 2024

*I received an E-ARC of this book for free in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @authortarahdewitt, @stmartinspress and @netgalley!

The cover is what drew me to The Co-op at first and the synopsis is what sealed the deal! I love a good HGTV show and while they are fun to watch, I’m talking to you Property Brothers @propertybrothers, I have always thought it would be nice to see some romance with the renos. This book did not disappoint! Second chance is not usually one of my go-to tropes for romance but I really enjoyed it in The Co-op and it made me open to reading more second chance romances! It was giving romcom vibes with so many laugh out loud, "what could go wrong, does go wrong" moments, but also some sweet and tender moments. There is lots of banter, which I loved. I also really enjoyed seeing character growth, especially with the dual POV and dual timeline. Bonus, there’s a playlist included to enhance the reading experience!

If you like home renos, marriage of convenience, spice and heavier topics, you should give The Co-op a try!

Get excited to read The Co-op, available tomorrow, November 12! 🎉

*Please check trigger warnings*

Thank you so much to Tarah Dewitt and St. Martens Press for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book. I love Deacon and LaRynns banter first and foremost. Their back and forth is top tier. Tarah has a talent for peeling back layers of her character bit by bit and by the end I am always blubbery mess. Bravo Tarah. I can see why this book is your favorite so far.

I went into this book pretty blind and having never read this author before. I can fully and truly say I was more than pleasantly surprised. I very much enjoyed this book! Deacon and LaRynn had some of the best tension I have read in a while. I loved seeing LaRynn’s growth and development over the course of the book as well as Deacon’s. I can happily say this will not be the last Tarah DeWitt book I read.

Tropes:
Marriage of convenience ✔️
Second chance ✔️
Forced proximity ✔️
It’s always been you ✔️
Shared grief ✔️ (check tw if need be)

Thank you to NetGalley for this electronic arc in exchange for an honest review.

Filled with humor and depth, The Co-Op is more than just a romance about building walls and tearing them down. DeWitt highlights the growth of her characters as they learn to work together, not just in the house but also in their relationship, uncovering both past wounds and potential for a future together. This is a refreshing take on rebuilding and rediscovering love, perfect for fans of second-chance romances and slow-burn attractions. I love everything Tarah writes and I am so happy this has made it way into trad pub

Arc received from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions are my own. I have the indie copy and I have purchased the trad copy. BUY THIS

4.5 stars
Tarah’s best yet!! I dont typically like dual timelines but the flashbacks really added to the story and didn’t drag on. The first few chapters felt a little choppy but then it picked up and moved quickly! I loved these angsty, imperfect characters.

When they were teenagers, LaRynn and Deacon had a summer romance. The summers were spent with their married grandmothers, CeCe and Helena. In their wills, CeCe and Helena bequeathed their house to LaRynn and Deacon. The house is currently deteriorating and needs to be significantly improved in order to sell. Despite being a contractor, Deacon does not have the funds to make the necessary repairs. LaRynn cannot access the money until she gets married, although it is in a trust. Convenience leads them into a marriage, but soon they discover that their old feelings are returning.

Tropes:
- second chance romance
- close proximity
- marriage of convenience
- flashbacks
- “my wife”
- home renovations
- no third act breakup
- dual POV

The story was cute. However, at times, particularly during the romance, the pacing was a little slow. Additionally, there is a lack of communication between the two MCs, which at times was very frustrating. I also had a hard time making any personal connections to the story. If any of these tropes are something you connect with, you may enjoy this one!

I absolutely loved this!! This is my first book from this author and I really enjoyed the writing style! I will definitely be reading more of her books!! Deacon and LaRynn were easy to love as main characters but I also loved watching them fall in love. This also had some of my favorite tropes, marriage of convenience and 2nd chance romance. I loved that it has both dual POV but also past and present timelines!! I think this is a must read to add to your tbr!!

The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt
Romance
4 star

The TENSION in this one! (and spice!)

LaRynn and Deacon have a history from a summer spent together with their grandmothers, who become partners and end up leaving their large home to both LaRynn and Deacon. The problem: LaRynn and Deacon are no longer together nor are they speaking.

This book is dual POV and dual timeline, and I felt like the "before" chapters really added to the angst and tension that is also happening in the present. I also really loved the side characters: Sally the stand-in Auntie to both Deacon and LaRynn as well as LaRynn's best friend Elyse and her boyfriend Jensen...(psst Tarah: I would definitely read their story, if you happen to write one :-)).

I took one star away simply because I have a love-hate relationship with miscommunication trope between adults (made sense when they were teenagers, but come onnnn with it when you're adults and seemingly dealing with such big, grown up issues).

One of my favorite reading experiences is diving in a world that Tarah DeWitt creates. The characters, the setting, the conflict, and the relationships are always so resonant and familiar enough to feel lived in, while still providing me a unique and captivating reading experience.

I read THE CO-OP when it was self-published, and while it's not my favorite of Tarah's, it's still a beautiful, rewarding story with emotional heft and high heat. Deacon and LaRynn are complex, well-rounded characters, and I love watching them -- and in parallel, their house -- go through a journey of rebuilding. It's touching and sexy and funny, and Tarah manages the marriage of those qualities so well.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest, unbiased review. THE CO-OP is out 11/12/24!

LaRynn and Deacon had a summer fling as teens that left them both heartbroken and now they’re stuck as co-owners of their late grandmothers’ home. In order to have enough money to fix it up to sell, they need access to LaRynn’s trust fund. They enter into a marriage of convenience to do that, all while angrily bickering with each other. But they really just still have a simmering attraction for each other and are resentful of how things turned out when they were younger. They each have to improve their communication skills and trust in each other. Super angsty and emotional with lots of sexual tension.

Tarah never misses! Her books are just so enjoyable and The Co-op was that and more! She has you hooked to these characters and their story instantly. The dual timeline keeps you reading so you can find out how LaRynn and Deacon fall in love.

From the moment you meet them you know they are flawed imperfect people. It makes them feel so relatable and fun to read. You see LaRynn and Deacon start out constantly having miscommunications with each other but they learn to be honest and it feels like a real portrayal of relationships.

This was such a beautiful, hilarious story of two people who both experience poor examples of love that end up learning how to love each other in spite of that. Tarah has such a masterful way of writing such fun intimate stories that leave you feeling good!

"a marriage under construction", as said on the front of the book...
This book was off to an interesting start. These two, who seem to represent the "enemies to lovers trope"- and once upon a time had a teenage fling- get married in order to split the earnings of the house they were left from their grandmothers.
I guess I didn't understand why they needed to be married to split their earnings from this house their fixing up. I must have missed why that was. Im glad there was no third act breakup. But this book wasn't anything to write home about, didn't really blow me away by any means.

Tarah DeWitt is growing on my list of favorites and this book is a big reason why. I absolutely loved it!! Marriage of convenience & forced proximity are two of my favorite tropes. The forced proximity gives us so much tension!!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the E-ARC. I enjoyed the book overall as a whole. The start started strong then I got sort of lost in the middle and I really enjoyed the ending. LaRynn and Deacon inherited a property and must work together and rebuild it and decide what to do with it.But of course there is history that makes it complicated and makes this story a easy read.

This book has second chance, marriage of convenience, miscommunication, flawed characters, family dysfunction, and some much deserved spice. It was slow to start but I’m glad I didn’t give up because it was worth it in the end. LaRynn is a complex character that was written well. I didn’t connect as much to Deacon but he was a great match for her. Full of laughs, The Co-Op also dives into much deeper topics as the characters evolve. I’m a sucker for a “ten years later” epilogue!