Thank you to SMP and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions on it are my own.

Tarah can do no wrong. I said what I said. The Co-op continues this trend. Tarah truly has a way of making you fall in love with her characters. I was ready to pack my bags and move into their town just for a chance to hang out with them. The romance is top tier and the character development is fantastic. This review doesn’t need many words because one sums it up: perfect.

If you love romance, go get this one. You won’t regret it.

<b>"I want you for me," he says again. "I want your smiles for me, the ones that I've worked so goddamn hard for that come so much easier for everyone else."</b>

The re-released version of The Co-op is incredible. I loved it before, but the changes Tarah made to it were truly a love letter to the original in the best way. The additional tidbits and expanded descriptions truly bring so much to an already lovely story.

I love that LaRynn is not a "likable" character. She is a complex woman who has experienced pain and neglect in several aspects of her life and has finally had enough. So many women put on a facade or a mask and act nice and sweet when inside, I think a lot of women wish they could let go and embrace being a little more "mean". And the way Deacon loves her just as she is and embraces every version of her is one of my favorite parts of this book.

This book made me laugh out loud, cry real tears, and smile so big that my cheeks hurt. I love these two and the way they love each other is so real and honest. No relationship is easy, they require work, resilience, and patience. But when it's worth it, the effort doesn't feel too much to bear. So happy to have this one back in the world with a brand-new cover!

Oh, how I love a good second chance romance! LaRynn and Deacon had a short, passionate fling when they were teenagers, but of course life happens. Years later, they find themselves inheriting an old building from their grandmothers. They both have something that the other doesn't that is necessary for restoring the building. Let the marriage of convenience and forced proximity commence! Tarah DeWitt is just a master of writing characters that are incredibly relatable and handing tough topics with care. Of course there is some spicy moments, but they're enhanced by the emotional connection.

I absolutely loved this book! It was the perfect blend of second chance and enemies to friends to lovers. I felt the angst from Deacon and LaRynn’s past relationship and felt their struggles to open up with each other again and show their vulnerability. I also really enjoyed the relationships that both Deacon and LaRynn had with their grandmothers and the glimpses we got to see into their pasts. This was my first book by Tarah DeWitt, but it definitely won’t be my last.

4.5/5 stars
2/5 spice

Tropes:
Second chance romance
Marriage of convenience
Forced proximity
Hurt/healing
Dual timeline
Dual POV

This had all the angst and pining that you could want from a marriage of convenience, but also add in the emotional trauma of healing and you get some tender moments that just makes you melt.

Really loved how both characters were imperfect but wanted so hard to be better and do better. The dual timeline gave us those moments of young love that really set the backdrop to the present day conflict. There are times where you shake your head at the shenanigans they get into but it was great to see the character development for both LaRynn and Deacon.

Overall, it's a poignant story that had some great laughing moments. I highly recommend for fans of second chance and marriage of convenience.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

This was my second book by this author and it didn't disappoint. Small Town, marriage of convenience and just such a fun rom com that will have you rooting for the couple.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this ARC. I was so excited to read this. Full review on Goodreads to follow.

Exquisitely tender, captivatingly sweet, and delectably steamy.

This was just such a beautiful and cozy love story. The yearning and the angst between LaRynn and Deacon felt so palpable that I had no choice but to love them and root for them the entire time. Their banter and their dialogue was also top tier! I loved LaRynn, she was such a force to be reckoned with but also a total softy, while Deacon was a fantastic multi-layered, golden retriever MMC that I absolutely adored.

There were parts of the exposition that I found a bit wordy and made me feel like the book was a bit long, but I was so invested in these characters that I didn't mind too much. The story also had some miscommunication, but I get it. I totally get it. In the context of this story and the characters and their background, I understand why this trope was used and could look past it.

Overall, I loved watching these two idiots fall in love as they built a foundation, tore down their walls, and reconstructed their relationship.

Read The Co-Op if you like:
🏠 second chance romance
☕️ marriage of convenience
🏠 "that's my wife."
☕️ home renovations
🏠 forced proximity
☕️ dual pov
🏠 flashbacks

This was such a sweet story! This is the kind of second chance romance that makes you feel all the feels…there isn’t a ton of levity, but the beautiful love and communication that builds between Deacon and LaRynn was so special. There was lots of wonderful steam too!

I kinda sorta loved this book! I'm always interested in a marriage of convenience and this was the best kind because there was also forced proximity! They were forced to live in this house together which really exacerbated every grievance they had with each other. Plus, it amped up the romantic parts times 100.

Deacon and LaRynn's relationship was complicated. They had a lot of history to overcome between each other on top of all the family trauma they were dealing with, both present and past. It took a minute for them both to open up and actually have "the" conversation about what happened with them in the past and how to move on from it, but I think the timing was right. Any quicker, and it would have felt like things were not fully being examined.

Along these lines, because there are a few relationships we're exploring (Deacon and LaRynn's romantic one, and the one they each have with their family members), the story is never boring. Our two MCs are renovating the house so that's part of the story, and the other half is their relationships. The plot was a great balance of both and very well-paced. I was never bored or wishing one thing would hurry along. We also get a few chapters from what Deacon and LaRynn's relationship looked like in the past which is really interesting.

The epilogue absolutely sent me over the edge. It was perfect and a great model for how all epilogues should be written.

I would have loved to have seen more of Elyse and Jensen. And even June. They were there, but not super fleshed out as side characters. But Elyse and Jensen were important to the story. I wouldn't have minded seeing more of them or having them more involved in Deacon and LaRynn's love story.

Overall, I loved this book! I would have stayed with Deacon and LaRynn another 300 pages. They had a beautiful evolution to their relationship and I couldn't have asked for a better romance novel.

I had a hard time getting into this book. There was so much anger and distrust between the main characters. I love a good second chance romance, but I don't think I've read one with so many negative feelings between the main characters to be resolved. They find a way to come back together with fireworks! It's a very spicy read, coupled with the challenges of a house remodel and difficult family relationships. Overall an emotional read- I wanted to connect more with the main characters, but for some reason this one didn't resonate as much with me as DeWitt's Savor It! It is definitely worth the read, however!

I Loved the Story of being somewhat friends in the beginning, yes they didn't have a traditional start since their Grandparents were the couple. But it was still a great beginning that had a not so happy middle. Learning to cohabiting because the grands leave you a Home was beautiful, what I loved even more was the Location "Santa Cruz, CA" since I live 40 minutes south of SC this Fictional book made me want to travel and Look for their home! Like What!! I Loved it so Much!

House renovations. A messy past between two individuals that cross paths because their grandmother's are married to each other. Miscommunication. Oh, and marriage of financial convenience? Win win win!!!

LaRynn Lavigne drives her cute little tush to Santa Cruz on a random day, after realizing she's hit rock bottom with her questionable life and decides to pay a visit to the haven she used to find peace in. It obviously doesn't go well because she is face to face with Deacon Leeds, the man that LaRynn now co-owns a home with. Besides trying to figure out how they'll get out of renovation debt and what to do with their "grands" home, Deacon and LaRynn have some unresolved business they want to forget about but can't. There's banter, arguments, make-up scenarios (So good!) and years of emotional catchup they must get to. Guess what ends up being front and center as their first real task checked off in the impending to-do list? All wrong answers are accepted!

This book was so so good. The perfect romcom to get into after reading a string of dark and moody reads for sure! I found the beginning to be very slow moving but after getting through that hump, this story had my full attention. LaRynn and Deacon both had some heavy emotional baggage tied to them and getting to see how they tackled their issues was heartwarming and satisfying to read about. LaRynn grew on me and I loved her for standing up for herself and not pushing things away. Deacon was a sweetheart. He definitely made me think of those golden retriever MMC's in those Netflix romcom movies.

This book provided great laughs, endearing moments and all the good stuff you want in a feel good romance. I'm so glad I finally got to reading this one!


Special thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for providing a digital reviewer's copy in exchange for my honest opinions of this book!

Tarah DeWitt has delivered the slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers masterpiece I didn’t know I was craving. The Co-op is packed with banter, tension, and so much heart I could barely handle it. It’s the kind of book that grabs you by the feels and doesn’t let go until you’re grinning like an idiot at the final page.

Here’s the setup: two childhood frenemies, LaRynn and Deacon, are forced to come together to renovate a property they’ve both inherited. Cue the sarcasm, unresolved feelings, and (you guessed it) a healthy dose of how can we hate each other when the chemistry is THIS strong?!

LaRynn is funny, independent, and just the right amount of snarky. Deacon? Don’t even get me started. Grumpy, broody, but also the kind of guy who’ll steal your heart when you least expect it. Watching these two go from sparring with words to sparking with emotions? CHEF’S KISS.

What makes The Co-op hit so hard is the emotional depth woven into all the witty banter. The story beautifully balances laugh-out-loud moments with heartfelt themes of family, forgiveness, and finding your home in another person. And the renovation project? It’s the perfect metaphor for rebuilding relationships (and tearing down walls—literally and figuratively).

BUT a couple of things didn’t quite hit for me. The pacing in some parts felt a little uneven—there were moments where the slow burn dragged just a bit too long, and I caught myself wishing the story would move forward faster. Also, while I LOVED the chemistry between LaRynn and Deacon, some of their conflicts felt repetitive, almost like we were circling the same issue without resolution.

That said, The Co-op still had me laughing, swooning, and hugging the book by the end.

Would I recommend? Absolutely. It’s perfect for fans of:
✨ Slow-burn tension so thick you can cut it with a saw.
✨ Enemies-to-lovers with A+ banter.
✨ A story that makes you laugh one second and tear up the next.

Thank you Netgalley for the eARC!

#Bookstagram #TheCoOp #TarahDeWitt #SlowBurnGoals #EnemiesToLovers #FeelGoodRomance #AllTheHeartEyes

I was so looking forward to this book because I loved Savor It but this book didn't hit the same way.
I didn't totally hate it but just didn't live up to my expectations.

This was a good book. LaRynn was a little too much at times for me, I wish she would have opened up sooner. Deacon was a good MMC, but it took me a second to get a feel for his character. There was a lot of sex, and I found myself skimming the pages to get back to the plot, but that's a me issue, and the author even warned there would be sex. There was just a lot (for me, personally). A couple of lolls in the story also left me bored.

But I recognize this is all a me thing, so give it a read!

The Co-Op was a second chance adult romance, mixed with marriage of convenience and forced proximity. The characters stood out and were easy to love, the story took us through an emotional path in a slow and steady way, and the ending was fabulous! If you’re looking for an adult romance to spend your time with, add this one to your tbr.
Maybe if I show her she can count on me to have her back, she’ll open up and have mine, too. Maybe I’m an absolute sucker and I’ll get left at the end of this a lot more broken.

I adored LaRynn from the prologue. She shared the most mortifying moments of her life with us, including ones I’m terrified of, and it made me click with her right away. Headed back to her grandma’s house, LaRynn was going to help restore it with a man that made her heart pound for many reasons. There was so much hurt and resentment between the two of them. And they had so much work through, emotionally and physically.
I wish he smelled like stale beer or something that’d make my lip curl. Instead, he smells like some sort of whiskey. Smoke from a campfire with something sweet and dark and him. Intoxicating on his own.
“I’m sorry,” he says, his voice a low, grating rumble that tugs at something deep inside me. Fuck him for that, too. For having so much pull over me, for making me feel so out of control.

Deacon was my favorite. From the reason why he called her Larry, to his ability to work through his thoughts, I loved him. Especially since he seemed to have all the patience in the world for her. While I adored LaRynn, she kept her walls up higher. Was so protective of her thoughts. So, I was thankful for moments when Deacon could vocalize things she couldn’t. And stated that they needed to talk. LaRynn just had to get there, and so while the miscommunication trope went on for longer in this book then I thought it would, I was so happy when they finally let it all out.
I told him I wouldn’t need anything. I promised, in fact.
But I like him. I like him so much it hurts.

Mixed in this story were moments from their past. I loved how seamlessly it was woven into the present. And those times allowed us to see a bigger picture of the two of them. But past and present, there was always a lot of sexual tension between them. Those times caused moments that will leave you smiling, laughing or sighing out loud. It was impossible not to feel everything they felt.
“It meant something,” grinds deeply out of him, sending shivers up my arms and heat to my ears.

With jealousy, messing with each other, embarrassment, hurt, friendship and love laced through the pages, this story was written so beautifully. It was so quotable too and I highlighted a couple hundred passages and lines lol. I especially loved the my wife moments, sigh. This was my second book by Tara DeWitt and I can’t wait to read the rest of them!
The more it looks like a completed house, the more I realize how much we’ve been making it our home this entire time. With our messes and our music. All the memories from our past with our grandmothers, and the ones we’ve made together.

The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt is a heartwarming and cleverly crafted rom-com that tackles themes of community, love, and personal growth. With witty dialogue, endearing characters, and a charming setting, DeWitt creates a feel-good story that’s both funny and heartfelt. A delightful read for anyone who loves a slow-burn romance with a lot of heart!

Three words. Marriage of convenience. One of my favorite tropes for all the right reasons and Tara nailed this one! The tension was delicious and I loved both of these main characters! Forced proximity will never get old. Loved this one!

Tarah DeWitt's “The Co-op” is a slow-burn, marriage-of-convenience romance about a woman starting over and her childhood ex-boyfriend as they renovate their grandmother’s house.

Twenty-six-year-old LaRynn Cecilia Lavigne is down on her luck. Growing up in the shadow of her parents' tumultuous marriage, LaRynn often found herself spending summers and many Christmases at her grandmother CeCe’s house in Santa Cruz, California. After CeCe’s passing—the woman LaRynn loved more than anyone else in the world—LaRynn was consumed by grief. She dropped out of law school and lost job after job, unable to find a way forward.

Her father, who had always been distant, cuts off her trust fund and repossesses her car—a vehicle that, ironically, is still in his name. Then, LaRynn receives an unexpected phone call from her childhood ex-boyfriend, Deacon Leeds, who threatens to sue her unless she comes to Santa Cruz to help fix up her grandmother’s house.

After months of crashing on friends’ couches, LaRynn sells the few belongings she has left, buys a used Honda Accord, and embarks on her reluctant journey to Santa Cruz.

Over a decade ago, CeCe met Helena, Deacon’s grandmother, who was her next-door neighbor. The two became close, eventually marrying and knocking down the walls separating their units to combine them into one home. Deacon began spending his summers with them while his parents traveled with his brother for baseball tournaments. LaRynn, however, immediately resented Deacon for taking up her grandmother’s time and for sitting in her seat at the dining table. Things only worsened when Deacon started calling her “Larry.”
When LaRynn turns nineteen, she decides to turn her relationship with Deacon into a physical one, using him to explore intimacy. The two spend as much time together as they can, but in secret—claiming they’re out shopping or staying with other people. LaRynn tells herself she’s not supposed to develop feelings, but when she admits she loves Deacon, he coldly responds, “It’s just sex, LaRynn.” The situation reaches its breaking point when her father catches them in the act.

Seven years later, Deacon, now twenty-seven, hasn’t seen LaRynn since they ended things. He’s been struggling to juggle working at the campgrounds, a property he owns with his brother and mother, and fixing up the dilapidated house his grandmother left him. When LaRynn informs him that her trust fund has been cut off and she’s broke, she reveals that the only way to access the money is if she’s married. In an effort to help both himself and her, Deacon agrees to a marriage of convenience. They plan to marry long enough for LaRynn to access her trust, repair the house, and then they will sell or rent out the house. However, living under the same roof becomes tense as they’ve never fully addressed their past hurt and unresolved feelings.

DeWitt’s use of metaphors—comparing the renovation of the house to the restoration of their relationship—is brilliant. As they tear down the literal walls of the house, LaRynn begins to tear down her emotional walls, opening up to Deacon. As the house is renovated, so too is their relationship, as they have the tough, long-overdue conversations. Told through dual timelines and alternating points of view, the novel is less about finding new romance and more about rediscovering that the love between them was never truly lost—it was always there, waiting to be restored.

One of the frustrating aspects of the novel is its repetitiveness and the characters’ lack of communication skills. The characters are in their late twenties, yet they consistently keep their feelings to themselves, which only creates more tension in their household. LaRynn, in particular, has suffered emotional damage and has internalized much of her pain. However, despite this, I found her character hard to like. She is rough around the edges, much like the cactus she is metaphorically compared to in the novel, and this makes it difficult to fully root for her and her "happily ever after." At times, she comes across as a brat—someone who throws tantrums when life doesn't go as she wants.

That said, I did appreciate the moments of her growth, particularly when she learns to communicate her needs, especially with her mother. Unfortunately, there is a noticeable gap in the novel when it comes to LaRynn’s relationship—or lack thereof—with her father. He is barely present in the story, appearing only to explain how she is penniless and carless. This lack of development regarding her father leaves an emotional void that feels like an unfinished part of her character arc.