3.5 ⭐️ Easy summer-vibes read, with marriage of convenience, forced proximity, and second chance romance tied into one messy bow. Not my favorite TD, but it did keep me laughing at several bits.

This book captivated me from start to finish. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough! I went in expecting a good read, but I was completely blown away by how deeply I connected with the characters, LaRynn and Deacon. Their relationship was so compelling, and Tarah DeWitt masterfully wove together elements that kept me hooked: from the clever dialogue to there unique plot twists. The story had a perfect balance of humor, tension, and romance, and it surprised me in the best ways. I’m already looking forward to reading more from Tarah DeWitt—truly an exceptional read!

<b>˗ˏˋ 1 ★</b>

let's start off with what i liked about this book...

i liked the epilogue, and the fmc was alright.

what didn't i like? just about everything.

it's a second chance romance, and has the marriage of convenience trope which i LOVE. so i thought this was going to be super good.

the second chance trope sucked. there was an alternate timeline that stopped in the last 20-30 percent of the book. just gone. i thought there was going to be a build up to find out what went wrong, but it was mentioned in the present chapters and early on in the before chapter which was the last one.

if the MC's were actual adults, they could have had a conversation about what happened seven years ago when they were teenagers. what basically happened was that they had just a fling/hookups regularly, and she told him she loved him and he didn't want to say it back. so, so sad. if they had a conversation about it a lot sooner this book would have been a lot shorter.

the last 40% of the book was completely unnecessary. i didn't care that they had issues with there parents and that was basically the main focus in the last parts of the book.

the marriage of convience trope? almost nonexistent. they were renovating there grandmas house, (there grandmas were married to each other and they both died) and they called each other nicknames but it didn't deliver AT ALL.

i would have completely dnf this if it wasn't for my buddy read with julia. i was skimming so much in this book because it was just so bad. the writing style is absolutely not my favorite either. i forgot most of the characters in this book as well besides the MC's.


<b>br with my lovely julia</b> 💗

spicy yet sweet!! a quick fun read by one of my favorite authors. good plot and likeable characters. would highly recommend this one!

"The Co-op" is a fun read with an interesting setup—two former flames forced to team up to fix a rundown building while dealing with their past. The tension between LaRynn and Deacon keeps things lively, and the whole renovation theme adds a cool twist to the usual romance formula. The book does a nice job showing how hard it can be to let your guard down, especially when there's old baggage involved. The renovation project mirrors the idea of rebuilding trust and connection, which is a neat touch. That said, the story can feel a bit uneven at times. Some parts drag, while others feel a little too predictable. The chemistry between LaRynn and Deacon is there, but it doesn't always have the depth you'd hope for. The ending wraps things up nicely, but it felt a bit rushed, like there was more to explore with the characters. Overall, "The Co-op" is a decent pick if you’re into second-chance romances with a unique angle. It's a good weekend read, even if it doesn’t stand out as a must-read in the genre.

This book was amazing! The romance in this book was so great! And the banter was so good! The plot in this book was very well written!

This book was super cute, I loved the enemies to lovers trope. I also loved how their grands were integrated into their story and their older neighbor. I feel like they helped complete their story in the best way.

The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt (Renovated Version out November 12, 2024)

Plot: Years after their summer fling ended, LaRynn and Deacon are forced to live and work together as they renovate their shared inherited house in Santa Cruz.

This is a book I love so much I could probably write a book about it, but I’ll stick to a couple of notes.

Tarah DeWitt does something pretty cool in all of her books, but in this one especially so. It all feels so real. It’s the little comments, anecdotes, thoughts, and quirks that are briefly mentioned in the midst of a scene or conversation that give such depth to the characters and their lives. She includes all of these small, sweet, simple details that build such strong and authentic characterization and truly bring the story to life.

I love LaRynn and Deacon. I love their love. I love that they learn to be friends and rely on each other in such an emotional and stressful time in their lives. The respect and admiration they grow to have for one another is top-tier romance. And the epilogue? 🥲🥲🥲 When I opened it, I had to step away and come back to it later when I was more emotionally prepared. I didn’t want the book to be over of course, but man, that epilogue has got to be one of the most beautifully satisfying endings to a book that I’ve ever read.

It’s books like The Co-op that remind me why the romance genre is so important. Genuinely laughed and cried my way through this thing. It’s perfect.

More reasons you should read The Co-op:
🔨 Top-Notch Bickering
🔨 She insults him in French
🔨 He calls her Larry
🔨 She’s tall (yay!)
🔨 Characterization/character growth is 🔥
🔨 Have I mentioned the epilogue?

This gorgeous novel is out on November 12th and I won’t be shutting up about it any time soon. Thank you @authortarahdewitt and NetGalley for the early access!

"The Co-Op" by Tarah DeWitt is a charming and insightful contemporary romance that delves into the complexities of relationships and community. Set within the vibrant world of a cooperative living arrangement, the novel follows the intertwined lives of its diverse residents. DeWitt’s writing is warm and engaging, with a focus on character development and the nuances of modern love. The story balances romance with humor and heartfelt moments, making it an enjoyable read for fans of character-driven narratives and community-centric tales.

I loved this so much, I read it twice in less than three months.

Tarah writes characters with such depth and tender detail, balances maturity with the best banter and comedic relief. The story was unique and fun, vulnerable and emotional. I related to bits and pieces of both LaRynn and Deacon, and by the last quarter, I was utterly bewitched by them.

This was the perfect blend of 'friends-with-benefits to strangers to friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, second chance, it was always them' anyone could ask for. YES, it is packed with all the tropes and microtropes, yet none of them are overdone or cheapen the story, which is just another testament to Tarah's writing.

As stated, it only took me three months to have the urge to reread the updated version of this book. LaRynn and Deacon are just so easy to love and root for in their beautiful complexities and imperfections. To truly grasp their history and mentioned complex personalities, the dual POV and somewhat dual timeline was structured ingeniously. The epilogue got me AGAIN, as if I didn't already know how perfectly this book concludes. How long will I be able to hold out before I have to read this realistic, but no less romantic, story again? Time will tell. Such is life.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
This book made my heart so happy! The Co-Op is a delightful read centered around a marriage of convenience and a second chance (ish) romance. It’s about two people, LaRynn and Deacon, who come from backgrounds with less-than-ideal examples of love and family, learning to love and create their own family together. After a summer of firsts at 18 leaves them both broken, they part ways and don’t see each other for years—until the passing of their grandmothers brings them back together. They unexpectedly inherit a shared property, and with the promise of a future inheritance, they decide to get married, using the money to renovate and eventually sell the place.

The journey these two characters embark on is heartwarming. Both LaRynn and Deacon are flawed but incredibly lovable. Their story is not just about falling in love again, but about overcoming their insecurities and growing as individuals. The way they slowly learn to trust and open up to each other is beautifully done, and their journey is as much about healing as it is about romance.

If you’re looking for a rom-com that’s equal parts hilarious and emotionally resonant, this is a must-read. (And if you enjoyed this, definitely check out Funny Feelings too—it’s just as good!) Watching these two characters grow closer and conquer their past was absolute perfection.

while i liked the idea and some of the characters, rest of the book had nothing special. from the beginning i was confused and lost in time. book is written in present and past, and even though there is a “before” above some chapters, as a reader i couldn’t figure out, when was what happening. the main “conflict” of the book was bad. they both were teenagers and it felt like they stayed them. one dialogue between two adults would solve everything in 3 minutes.

i feel like characters and their stories are not enough development, so that’s why plot looks so bad and plain. book also felt rushed. i only got to understand most of family lines by the end and where did renovation go? it was mentioned so little in the book and i thought it was like, main thing, in a way

Tarah just knows how to write her men!!! I loved the vibes she writes in her books and the settings always make me feel like I'm there with them!

- Small Town
- Marriage of Convenience
- Forced Proximity
- Second Chance Romance
- Enemies to Lovers

Like all of Tarah's books, I flew through this one! The pettiness and banter of the MCs in the beginning is LOL funny. Then when they start to trust each other and have cute moments, I was just like awww. I really didn't think I was going to care for either of them, but they won me over.

If you're looking for a light, sweet book, this one is for you!

Thank you, NetGalley, for this eARC!

This was such a fun and sweet story. I loved the banter and sass between the two MCs right from the get-go! It was so fun exploring where LaRynn and Deacon started from and how they ended up becoming the people they are in the current day. I absolutely loved being able to see LaRynn’s emotional growth as she ages and learns to trust others and let them in. This is such a well done second-chance romance / marriage of convenience story that truly made my heart sing!

I really should just GIVE ALL MY MONEY to Tarah. her books are fantastic. I love the characters, the places, the plot. ALL. OF. IT. tarah can write a slow burn y’all! gives me mariana zapata vibes!!

Deacon & LaRynn were so refreshing. coming back together when gifted a property from their grandmothers, making an agreement for a marriage so they can fix the house up & tensions get high? we love that stuff!

it was cozy & gave me all the good vibes. I think the best part of this story was watching & loving the characters apart as much as I loved them together. these two were truly just meant to be in every aspect & I loved watching them come to that same realization. plus we love a good DIY project & watching them fall in love in process? PERFECTION.

After dropping out of school and ostracizing herself from her family, LaRynn returns to Santa Cruz to a house where she shares custody of a house with a former hot summer fling. It’s a decade after she and Deacon were together when he so rudely left her in the dust, and although they begin the house renovation as enemies, that quickly turns into a mutually beneficial marriage contract and healing of wounds.

Dual point-of-view, “The Co-op” features flawed characters with personal growth and a slow-burn romance. It is incredibly well-written and filled with tension, plenty of steamy encounters both past and present, and a cute and original setting. The romance between Deacon and LaRynn is perfect in tone and crackling with chemistry. I enjoyed this novel - it was a breath of fresh air and I enjoyed the ending probably the most! What a wonderful wrap-up!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

I normally am not a big fan of second chance romances. But Tarah Dewitt can make me like anything. So while these two get fake married while also living in a house that’s under construction, you can see the hurt between them from their past. They drive each other crazy as they fix up the house. But fixing up the house becomes a metaphor for fixing their relationship. Along with married of convenience we have roommates to lover and forced proximity. Deacon stole my heart. He may be trying to make things harder for LaRynn but underneath he is such a sweetheart. This is a must read

LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds had one short and contentious summer fling when they were teens—certainly nothing to build a foundation on. But a decade later, when their grandmothers have left them with shared ownership of their dilapidated Santa Cruz building, they're thrust back together and have to figure out how to brace up the pieces.

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. A deal is struck: Marry for however long it takes to fix up the property, collect a profit, and cut ties.

Thrust into a home without walls, LaRynn and Deacon quickly learn that it's easy to hide behind emotional ones, even in a marriage. But with all the exposure and pitfalls that come with living with the opposite sex (and none of the perks, much to their growing mutual frustration) they'll also have to learn what it means to truly cooperate as a team.

This was a fantastic read. LaRynn is one of my new favorite characters. This marriage of convenience was so much fun—it's one of my favorite tropes, and it's well done here! So many parallels between life and the building they're putting back together, too. Lovely, heartwarming read. Highly recommend this!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

I was so excited to dive into this novel, but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The premise is so fun and exciting - ex-flings forced to marry a decade later to access a trust fund in order to renovate a house left to both of them by their grandma’s. I had high hopes! The execution of this story wasn’t great. It moved at an incredibly glacial pace (I honestly think the first 70% could have been condensed by at least 50%). I did not feel connected to the characters because they weren’t developed, and they were honestly just a bit too whiny. There was a lot of fluff and random side stories, including the camp ground, the business opportunity at the Cafe, the pages and pages and pages of what they’re renovating and how much it all cost… it all just felt a bit scattered. If this book focused more on the main storyline and was fine tuned, it would be a great read. I had to force myself to continue through to the end. It did have a nice ending, but it took great effort to get there.