Why are people not screaming from the rooftops about how good The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt is!?

Like, are you kidding me? Marriage of convenience, second chance romance and forced proximity all mixed together? Really? I mean, come on! Oh ya, no third act break-up either!!!

Say it with me now: the chemistry!!! And oh, so very sex positive!!! Bonus for all the memories associated with songs; and yes, I'll take the bad to get to the good!

Stubble. Five o'clock shadow. All of the body hair. I was a goner from the get-go!

Audiobook narrators Stephanie Rose and Nelson Hobbs were spot on! Their voices worked so well together, and somehow exuded the chemistry their characters had! Did I walk longer, further and faster because this book was playing through the headphones on my head? Yes, yes, I did! Was I also out there giggling, blushing and rubbing the back of my neck from all the humour, steam and lust? Yes, yes, I was!

So, ya, this is me screaming from the rooftops, so that everyone knows just how incredible DeWitt's writing is!!! I’ve already got Rootbound, Funny Feelings, Christmas Presents and Savor It lined up, ready to read because I just can’t get The Co-Op out of my head!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and St. Martin's Griffin for the complimentary copy to read and review.

Slow burn > forced proximity > marriage of convenience > it’s always been you > SECOND CHANCE?!?! Ahhhhh. The burn burnt sooooo good. Lovedddd the pining and when they finally gave into each other. Ugh. This was so delicious. Loved the glimpses into the past. And the character growth with Larynn’s mum. Loved the nicknames too hehe. This was so well written, it had me staying up waaay past bedtime to keep reading. I love a good slow burn.

My only complaint and it might not be specific to this book, just pretty much any mainstream romance novel, is that in every epilogue there’s without a doubt some future glimpse of a family. The happily ever after is always FMC & MMC had multiple babies yayyy. And I just feel like that’s not always everyone’s goal for a HEA.

Deacon Leeds has been calling LaRynne Lavigne for a while, but she absolutely refuses to give him the time of day. Deacon, on the other hand, won't continue the upkeep and renovations of the home their grandmothers fell in love in by himself. Because while he has the skills, he no longer has the money. LaRynne can provide the money.. but the trust can only be accessed when she's married. So the pair make a pact to finish the house, amicably divorce, and share the money after the house is rented out. Unfortunately, having a past fling as teenagers could possibly complicate their seemingly mess free plan.

I don't think I've ever found a book couple more realistic than LaRynne and Deacon. Coming from someone who is an occasional mean-flirter, LaRynne's excitement from getting under Deacon's skin is SO real. Their chemistry and communication skills are unmatched, and I am extremely pleased at the lack of the third act miscommunication trope that is so frequently found in this genre.
I fully believe that Jensen and Elyse deserve a story of their own; they didn't get enough attention. The spice was decent, but I genuinely was eager for more banter!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC! Projected publishing date: November 12th, 2024

In The Coop by Tara Dewitt, the story revolves around LaRynne, who inherits half an apartment and must confront her past while teaming up with her ex, Deacon, to renovate it. This contemporary romcom is a delightful medium-paced read, filled with charming characters and relatable themes of love and personal growth. Dewitt's writing captures the tension and humor of their situation, making it an enjoyable experience. While the plot occasionally feels contrived, the emotional journey and engaging interactions keep the reader invested. Overall, I would rate it 4 out of 5 for its warmth and humor, making it a perfect escape for anyone seeking a light-hearted romance.

First and foremost, thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this ARC, in exchange for an honest review.

Okay, this book!!!! I love anything Tarah Dewitt writes, honestly I’ll even read her grocery list. Her writing is exuberant and captivating so I couldn’t wait to read The Co-Op! And it did not disappoint one bit. The book has some of my favorite tropes: arranged marriage, enemies-to-lovers dynamics and second-chance romance; it was basically a recipe for success. I loved it! LaRynn and Deacon had the chemistry, the backstory and the charisma to make The Co-Op one of my favorite romance novels of the year. The dual-POV aspect of the book made everything better and their bantering at the beginning was *chef’s kiss*! The flashback chapters were really necessary to get to the essence of the couple and I adored how we got to have glimpses of LaRynn and Deacon’s relationship. Can’t wait to read more of Tarah’s work!

LaRynn and Deacon shared a brief summer romance a decade ago. Now, as adults, they’ve inherited a rundown beach house from their grandmothers that’s in desperate need of repair.

This house holds sentimental value for both of them. It was where their grandmothers first met and came to believe in its magical qualities. Determined to honor their grandmothers' memory, LaRynn and Deacon embark on a mission to restore it.

Featuring a marriage of convenience, enemies-to-lovers dynamics, multiple POVs, and engaging flashbacks, this book delivers a mix of hilarious mishaps and heartwarming moments.

With a perfect blend of spice and sweetness, it’s a delightful and easy read that earns a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½. I’m looking forward to exploring more works by this author!

Thank you, NetGalley, for the opportunity to review this book and share my honest opinion.

Out On: November 12, 2024

I have now read a few of Tarah DeWitt's books and really enjoy her writing! I thought that this book was extremely real in the way she portrayed the pain of our two main characters LaRynn and Deacon. I will say that I never read the original version of this book before her books were bought by a traditional publisher, but this was a good read despite whatever differences there may be between this version and the original version.

I think that the concept of two people who hurt each other in their teen years being made to work together on renovating a whole house (and their friendship) was such a breath of fresh air. While I love the stereotypical fluffy 'rom-com' vibes that books have been giving me lately, I really needed something with a touch more depth - which this book provided perfectly.

I thought that the marriage of convenience trope wasn't overdone here and viscerally swooned everytime the phrase "my wife/my husband" was said in a conversation. The growth we get to see between our characters did take the majority of the book to be fully fleshed out, but I think that made the story move along at a genuinely 'real life pace' if you will. A small nod to all of the volleyball references in the story, it made me want to throw myself on a court and just enjoy sports again!

Overall, if you're looking for a new romance read where you aren't ever sure of what is going to come out of either characters mouth, then this is definitely one you should pick up!

If you don't like to read spicy scenes in books (like myself) then I recommend you skip/skim the following chapters:

🌶️ Closed Door Modifications: Chapters 11, 19, 27, 31, 39, 41 & 42

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Griffin for this advanced copy on NetGalley! 🤍

This book had everything for a fun, summer read 🤩 Marriage of convienence, second chance, enemies to lovers!!! The characters had so much depth, the story was so cute and written well! I will say that the miscommunication in the beginning was kinda annoying… but the main characters made up for it when they were finally on the same page lol

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Tarah Dewitt for the gifted copy for an honest review! ◡̈

Thanks NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a review. Overall, I liked this book, but parts felt slow. The pacing was a little off because it was slow-burn and then a lot all at once in my opinion. I wish the romantic tension was more spread out throughout the book as a whole. I also know they are technically not related by blood, but I wish Deacon was like an adopted grandchild versus Helena's actual grandchild. It was weird to me they were technically related through the grandparents' marriage.

Unfortunately, The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt wasn’t quite what I was expecting. The spice level was a bit too intense for my taste, though I appreciated that the author provided thorough trigger and content warnings upfront. I didn’t realize how much that would affect my reading experience when I requested the book from NetGalley.

I also struggled to connect with the female main character (FMC); her personality and decisions didn’t quite align with what I usually enjoy in a story. While this particular book wasn’t my favorite, I wouldn’t rule out trying another book by Tarah DeWitt in the future. This one just didn’t resonate with me.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Can my review just be, no notes - this is perfection?

No? I ... look. I love Tarah DeWitt. Every book of hers I read pulls me deeper and deeper into her web of exceptional writing and I will sink in this black hole of beauty for as long as she continues to publish, well, anything.

You see, Tarah has this way about her. Where I get hooked on the first page, often within the first paragraph, and somehow can't seem to function properly until I've finished the entirety of the book. I simply have to know what is going to happen, and I want to fully experience every gut-wrenching emotion on the way to the final page.

The Co-op is a second chance romance between LaRynn and Deacon. Who am I kidding? LARRY and Deacon. More delicious tropes included? Frenemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, forced proximity... They each have deep trauma associated with their upbringings but their saviors are (obviously each other) and their grandmothers. Tarah, can you please ALSO write a book about their own love story? I feel like I did not get enough of them in The Co-op and I have a deep need to know everything about how it happened. Circling back. Obviously the renovation of the house is tied to the renovation of the relationship between Larry and Deacon, but there are so many nuances of the dual POV here - getting access to their inner thoughts and why they are the way they are - it was refreshing and so freaking raw. The tension, the banter, the jokes - it's all woven together so well. I can't say how many times I legit cackled my way through some of the chapters, and of course, in true Tarah DeWitt fashion, there were many tears shed while everything was wrapping up. Do yourself a favor and read this book; it is not only a heavy hitter, but it is special to boot. You won't be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Tarah DeWitt, and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read The Co-op and review with my {always} honest opinions.

The beginning started off a bit slow for me and it took me a few chapters to get fully into it. Once I was, I absolutely enjoyed this. I always enjoy dual povs and I loved that there were some chapters that provided background to the history between both characters. The tension and attraction between Deacon and LaRynn is undeniable. They’re so cute together!!


read if you like:

- marriage of convenience
- dual pov
- forced proximity


Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Griffin for the Arc!

“People talk about falling in love like it’s some comfortable, easy thing. Maybe it is sometimes, or maybe it is in steps, but it’s also overwhelming and scary.”

* Opposites attract
* Second chance romance
* Marriage of convenience
* Forced proximity
* Black cat MFC
* Beach house renovation plot
* Neurodivergent representation + coding
* Dual POV + multiple timelines

At first, I had a hard time getting into this book. It felt like the characters were overly petty and immature… but then I recognized a younger version of myself in LaRynn and my perspective quickly shifted. She is someone who struggles to open up, coping with the discomfort of vulnerability by snapping or making jokes. That type of character might not be for everyone, but as someone who continually finds vulnerability terrifying, it was beautiful to see her grow through the story. I was also a huge fan of Deacon’s POV! The way his perspective of LaRynn shifts over time was perfect and was exactly what LaRynn deserved 🥰

Thank you to Netgalley for a copy of this book!

Note: This book contains sexual content and themes of parental abandonment

I loved the original version of The Co-Op and I love this renovated version!

LaRynn and Deacon are flawed, petty, beautiful characters. I love in this version we got to dig a little further into their young love relationship and more glimpses of the grands. Love it.

This book had me laughing and hooked right from the start. I really enjoyed the characters and the story. I left the book sad that I only got to know the grandmas through memories. All the old ladies in this book are friggin awesome. I recommend this book to anyone who loves the miscommunication trope mixed with a marriage of convenience, and second chance on multiple fronts.

Thank you Tarah Dewitt, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for letting me read and enjoy the advanced copy of this book.

I did not enjoy this one.

LaRynn and Deacon’s grandmothers married late in life and left them both their condo after passing away. LaRynn and Deacon had a brief fling when they were young and do not get along. They decide to get married to access her trust to update the condo.

I saw a lot of comparisons to beach read and did not get that. I did not find LaRynn likeable (she’s so mean!) and found myself not really caring if Deacon and LaRynn turned it around and got the house done. I normally love the fake marriage trope, but this one didn’t do it for me.

I did love the playlist at the beginning of the book and the imagery of the beach town!

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This is a fun and quick second-chance romance read. Two exes are teamed up to fix a rundown building while dealing with their past. The tension that builds between the main characters keeps the plot interesting, and while premise of the book is fairly unique to the romances I’ve read. This story addresses trusting each other through the old and new hiccups of life. I did feel like some parts of the story drug on while the ending felt kind of rushed. The chemistry between LaRynn and Deacon is not as deep or apparent to the reader.

Ultimately, this book was not for me, but I definitely think others would enjoy it!

Unfortunately I did not realize when I submitted for this advance reader copy that it was a St. Martins Press book. Therefore I will not be sharing any information about this book on social media or goodreads until the SMP boycott has been satisfied and lifted. Thank you for the opportunity to ARC read.

Cute novel! Two friends who dated in high school went there separate ways.
After they both inherit a house it’s needs a remodel. They each make a bargain to get the Reno done and sell. Lots of graphic sex and the build up to their relationship was a bit much, but I enjoyed the story overall.

I have mixed feelings about this book and was mostly underwhelmed. Nothing that really gave me the feels or made me want to really yap about it. This is the first time I'm seeing the marriage of convenience trope used like this. I know there are parts of this book i enjoyed or I would have DNFed pretty early on, but nothing stands out much. The tension between MCs was pretty good and for most of the part I liked seeing them interact with side characters better.

This was eveything you could ever want in a romcom. Tara absolutely crushed it—It’s lighthearted, funny, and I will eat up any marriage of convenience book you put in front of me. I will be buying her entire backlist.