The Co-Op by Tarrah DeWitt
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
352 pages
Releasing November 12th, 2024

LaRynn & Deacon had a summer fling when they were teenagers. A decade later, their grandmothers leave them shared ownership in a building which forces them back together. A deal is needed: Larynn & Deacon must get married to her the funds to finish the home. Fully of steam, banter, and a beautiful plot line!

What a fun ride this was! I am obsessed with any book that includes marriage of convenience, forced proximity, and second chance romance! All 3 in 1 book??? WHAT A BANGER! This is my first full @authortarahdewitt book, I’ve read her holiday novella previously! I’m so excited to meet her next year at @loveyallbookfest 🤩

Read if you like:
✨Forced Proximity
✨Marriage of Convenience
✨Second Chance Romance
✨”That’s My Wife”

Thank you @authortarahdewitt @netgalley @stmartinspress for an eARC for my honest review!

#tarrahdewitt #thecoop #stmartins

Gosh, this book challenged me in so many ways. I struggled a bit to love LaRynn throughout the story, she was so guarded and so independent. The chaos and AGNST WAS KILLING ME (in the best way). All I wanted was to shake her and tell her to let someone in, then I slowly fell in love with her as the story progressed and I didn’t even feel it happening. All she wanted was to be loved, wholly, and isn’t that what we all want?

Enter sweet and sexy Deacon, he gives so much of himself to people, he loves so genuinely. He could see right through LaRynn’s walls and he is the perfect sparring partner for her. He’s also so perfectly filthy, I want him for myself.😂

This second chance romance, marriage of convenience, is also an AGONIZING SLOW BURN. They have the most insane sexual chemistry. Gosh this book is so satisfying and it’s such a pleasure to read it. I recommend it!

Thank you St Martins for the review copy!
TLDR: I loved this read, all kinds of favorite romance themes, emotional (in a good way), banter and second chance...., and no miscommunication!!!

Tarah DeWitt’s The Co-Op is an absolute delight for lovers of second-chance romance. The story of LaRynn and Deacon is one of growth, love, and finding beauty in imperfection. Both characters, shaped by troubled childhoods and feelings of inadequacy, face their pasts head-on as they work together to renovate a shared property. The symbolism of the dilapidated house, mirroring their broken relationship and individual struggles, is powerful and touching. Watching them repair the home as they rebuild trust and rediscover each other’s strengths is both heartwarming and profound. DeWitt’s writing is effortless, blending humor, heartfelt moments, and character depth seamlessly.

The story’s standout elements include its rich banter, emotional storytelling, and the protagonists' layered complexity. LaRynn’s sharp exterior and hidden vulnerability make her incredibly relatable, while Deacon’s unexpected depth adds to the chemistry between them. Their dynamic is full of tension, humor, and genuine affection, avoiding clichéd miscommunication tropes and instead showcasing open dialogue that brings authenticity to their connection. The dual timelines enrich the narrative, making the journey back to each other feel earned. With DeWitt’s signature blend of romance, comedy, and exploration of grief and resilience, this book is a testament to love’s healing power. Expect laughter, heartfelt sighs, and the occasional tear—The Co-Op is a must-read that leaves you wishing for more.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. ARC provided by St Martin's Press.

They say love and construction do not mix. By that logic, hate and construction may as well be condemned.

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 are 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 is 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 will also have to learn what it means to truly cooperate as a team.

The Co-op is a steamy second chance romance about restoration and renovation, and uncovering all the things that build character within ourselves. It is about the never-ending construction project that partnership is, and finding enjoyment at every stage. I think this book was good but it was not outstanding. I enjoyed reading it and it was entertaining and sweet/steamy but I have a feeling I will not remember it in a couple weeks or months. I did like LaRynn and Deacon a lot, but I did not think I really got to know them because there was no real insight to their pasts. I felt there was also too much miscommunication over the past and took a lot longer for them to get together for real. Second chance romance and fake dating/marriages are really hit or miss for me, and this one was a miss, but I do think many readers will enjoy this one.

I just wanted to give Deacon and LaRynn the biggest hug and tell them everything would be ok the whole time reading this book.

These character had me in my feels! Their chemistry and tension together was phenomenal and I couldn’t stop grinning and kicking my feet.

The forced proximity and banter between these two was written so perfectly and I was HOOKED from the beginning.

Never in my life did I think I needed to try peach pretzel jello pie but here we are…

arc provided for review via NetGalley.
All opinions are my own.

After a summer of love, two teens must reconcile their hearts eight years later. This second-chance has Larynn (Larry) and Deacon forced into a marriage of convenience and proximity to show them what the heart desires. It's messy, funny and heartfelt. They gradually, throughout the story, open-up about their lives struggles and realize the love is still wanting for each other.

Together, they must rip apart their past to mend their future.

Thank you, St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin

This book was pretty cute, and the spice was spicing. However, I had an issue with it in two places: 1) LaRynne was quite insufferable at times and felt like she had a lot of maturing to do, and 2) pretty much the entire book was one big miscommunication trope that could've been solved, with a single conversation. I get that they hurt each other in the past, but they were teenagers, and teenagers feel big feelings and feel like the world is ending over simple things. As adults, I think it would've benefited them to sit down and talk about those big feelings and what happened. The tension from one or both of them denying that those feelings are still there would've been more fun to watch unfold. Another thing to note is that the flashbacks just kinda stop when they get to the point where the big thing happens.

Overall, I enjoyed it, and I read it in two days. I'd recommend it!

This is such a fun story, and I'm a sucker for a second-chance romance. Deacon and LaRynn have a long history, connected by their grandmothers, who married each other in a beautiful touristy seaside town where LaRynn used to spend her summers. Now, they've inherited their house together, and need a marriage of convenience to be able to access LaRynn's trust to fund much-needed renovations. But ooooh that history - can they rebuild a house and their relationship at the same time?

This was spicy and fun and heartfelt all at the same time, with multiple tropes to keep you kicking your feet. If it sounds familiar, you may have read it previously - this is a "renovation" of sorts of a previous title. I'm not sure how much has changed as I didn't read the original publication, but it's pretty great as-is.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review!

The story of LaRynn and Deacon.
Think of it as an HGTV show with a second chance romance with added elements of pinning and humor.

Rynn and Deacon have a bond that neither time nor distance can change. When they agree to marry each for the sake of the renovation project, past feelings come out.

The two go down memory lane (dual timeline) and realize they’re more similar than they think. With the added shenanigans and stress that comes with renovating, the two start a new type of bond.

Tropes:
-Second chance
-Marriage of convenience
-Slow burn
-Forced proximity
-Small town


Thank You To NetGalley, Tarah DeWitt, and St. Martin's Press/Griffin for the eArc of this book. All opinions are my own.

This is my first book by Tarah DeWitt. I loved the note in the beginning regarding her struggles to write it. I am glad she persisted! It is phenomenal! It is a second chance romance with a slight dual timeline. It also has dual POV, which is my favorite. The chemistry is off the charts. You can really feel the longing between them. There's also a lot of character growth as they come together to understand themselves, family, each other, and grief. I loved it so much!
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this eARC!

4.5 stars! Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this fun book.

The Co-Op strikes a perfect balance between lighthearted fun and genuine emotional depth. The characters are complex and layered, crafted with care so that I felt a real connection to their emotions and could understand why they behaved the way they did. The portrayal of their trauma and the environments that shaped them adds a compelling realism to their journeys, with a nuanced approach to healing. I appreciated how the book acknowledges that closure sometimes comes only from within, a message that felt both realistic and uplifting.

The chemistry between the main characters is fantastic, with fun banter that keeps the story lively. And while the book tugs at the heartstrings, it never loses its charm. As for the ending—don’t even get me started! The epilogue was perfect, wrapping things up in the best way possible.

Overall, The Co-Op is a heartwarming read that I’d absolutely recommend to anyone looking for a story that’s both touching and entertaining.

LaRynn and Deacon have had a tumultuous relationship since they were teens. Their married grandmothers, and favorite people in the world, were always bringing them together. One summer the two made a go at romance, but it ended in utter heartbreak. In the present, the grands have died leaving LaRynn and Deacon their beloved home. The house needs more work than imaginable and LaRynn and Deacon will need to work together to get this house ready to sell, hopefully they won't kill each other first.

I liked Deacon more than I liked LaRynn. The contentious relationship between the two made it hard to like them. However, seeing them in the context of other characters alleviated that. Unfortunately, Deacon was shown with other characters more than LaRynn which made it easier to like him.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Tarah DeWitt for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Co-op is about LaRynn and Deacon, exes who inherit property together, and explores their first interactions together after several years apart. The characters are so fun to follow - a black cat FMC and a golden retriever MMC - and their banter and barbed interactions at times fade into a beautiful romance throughout the book.

This book is gorgeous. It beautifully weaves past and present, first love and enduring love, through home construction in a quiet beachside town. This book truly captures and describes the feelings and emotions of the first love and enduring obsession within a first relationship and made me remember exactly how that felt when I experienced it. The book was nostalgic, longing, heartbreaking, and wistful. I applaud Tarah DeWitt's writing and creating such an engaging community for these two characters that keep you rooting for them from the start. Through to the end though, the book is a stark reminder at how much we ourselves mirror continuous building and improvement as we grow, develop, and age.

I really loved this story. The depth of the characters, their history and their emotional connections to their “grands” and their home. There was angst, tension and so much banter.
It’s also made me long for a prequel, telling the grands’ story.

Give me any forced proximity any day of the week and I will devour it. There is just something about how this author writes that is endearing and charming and I cannot help but fall hard for her characters. LaRynn and Deacon are the definition of enemies to more, second chance romance. I loved the dialogue and their interactions together and overall this was a fun book to read.

My only qualm about this duo was the miscommunication. There are times where I can handle this trope but there are times like this book where I wanted to shake the characters so hard and yell “what are you doing?!” When simple conversations can solve problems from becoming bigger, I have a hard time understanding why they won’t just say it.

But overall this book was good. I definitely enjoyed the plot and the characters. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC

4.5 stars! I loved this! I had no idea what to expect when I started this book. To be honest, the female main character annoyed me at first. However, I loved seeing her growth throughout the story and I love second chance romances also! Mix in a little forced proximity and fake marriage and you have the cutest book. This author was new to me but I will definitely be reading more!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. I loved a second chance romance. Marriage of convenience is not a trope I think I’ve ever read. Didn’t hate it. The FMC was an acquired taste that definitely had to grow on me throughout the book.

I enjoyed the banter and some of the dialogue between the characters, however I found the plot of the story to be very confusing and didn't find any of the many subplots included to have been developed at all.

When LaRynn finds out she has inherited a house from her deceased grandmother and her wife, she has to go back to the town of Santa Cruz to decide what to do with the property. Unfortunately, she didn't inherit the house alone; she co-owns it with her first love, her ex-boyfriend, Deacon, who broke her heart when they were teenagers. In order to afford the renovations, LaRynn is forced. to marry Deacon so she can receive her inheritance from her overbearing father. Can LaRynn and Deacon put their differences aside to flip this house or will they be able to make the house a home?

This was a really sweet second-chance/fake marriage romance taking place in Santa Cruz, California, which is just south of where I live. All the references to the city of Santa Cruz, Highway 17, the Boardwalk, and the beach were on point! Made me nostalgic. This book brought more depth than a lot of second-chance romance stories do. Both LaRynn and Deacon are grieving deeply for the 2 grandmothers who they felt loved them best during their difficult childhoods. LaRynn struggled to distance herself from her overbearing, unsupportive, disconnected parents who thought money could make her happy. Deacon also feels like he was never enough for his deceased father who died before Deacon could forgive him. It was beautiful to see both LaRynn and Deacon reflect on their past and mature to realize they were worthy of a deep love without strings attached.

*** I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ***

4.75⭐️
🌶🌶🌶

Oh, Tarah, how you always manage to tie me up in knots with your love stories 🥹

The Co-op is about two people thrust into a marriage of convenience (who also happened to have had a little summer fling when they were teenagers). But the two who have had absolutely terrible examples of love throughout their lives, yet they yearn for the easy, fiery love they once had. As Deacon and LaRynn furiously trying to save their beloved grandmothers' home, old (and new) feelings are brought to the surface while the two try to coexist under the same roof.

This book made me laugh, cry, and swoon a million times. LaRynn and Deacon are both such flawed individuals, but their love was so strong. The miscommunication was a struggle at times, but this book was truly about self-discovery, with romance on the side, and got so much better once they were honest with one another. Buckle-in and get ready for the most delicious slow-burn that Tarah Dewitt has ever written.

💍marriage of convenience
👩‍❤️‍👨second chance
💘hate to love
❤️‍🔥enemies to friends to lovers
🦥slooooow burn
🏡forced proximity (and they were roommates)
🐚coastal small town

thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review 💜