I absolutely loved this book.
Have you ever taken on a home project with your spouse or significant other? Then you know the amount of frustration and laughter that may cause. So, I loved that this book centered around these two people who had so much animosity in the beginning both striving to fix up this house they loved so much.
Deacon and LaRynn were two of the realest characters l've read. Their pasts make it so hard to love and trust, but they jumped in together anyway. The way the story was told in real time but also flashbacks when they were younger, and this gave such insight to how they behaved and felt. I really liked the second chance romance as well as being told in dual point of views.
This is such a great story about how two people from broken families can come together not perfect, but learning to love and figure it out each day.
"I'd begun to believe that trying was its own love language.
Trying to understand a person, trying to make them happy, trying to make yourself happy, too. My relationship with him is what made me believe that."

Childhood friends to lovers to enemies to acquaintances to friends to lovers

Grief & loss of loved ones

HEA

Quotes

“We’re even right now, matched up in terms of the vulnerabilities we’ve conceded these last weeks, and I am terrified to be the one to give up more ground.”


“The shocks on the Bronco and those old trailers weren’t great back then. Anyone passing by could see those things rockin’!” she laughs. I hope she poisoned the chili. I’d like to die a swift death straightaway.”



I’m not going to lie this book started out a little confusing & slow to me. I read the description of the book & I was confused on the time line as I was reading. I know that is my fault but sometimes things aren’t clear enough for me personally. After some chapters I finally got it but it was helpful when the chapter said it was in the past. It would have been more helpful for the present chapters to say that as well.

LaRynn is spicey. She has a tough attitude and is having a tough time as well. Her parents have strict ideas on how her life should be but every summer & holidays would dump her off at her grandmas and go vacation without her. Definitely makes one resent others. Her grandma was her favorite person but she sadly passes away and soon after her wife passes of a broken heart.

Deacon is the grandson of LaRynns grandmothers wife. Complicated situation as he also gets dumped off every year with his grandma while his family caters to his brother.

This is where they meet and then ignore each other and many other things happen that makes them just like oil and water.

They currently have to renovate the grandmas house to sell it as it went to the two of them after they passed. But in order for LaRynn to access her trust fund because she dropped out of school her father put a clause saying she had to get married before she could dip into it.

They do a quick wedding at the courthouse with her best friend as a witness & the kiss is steamy enough that the officiant tells them there’s a room upstairs if they need it.

Now of course they continue to fix up the house & resolve some old & current issues they face. I don’t want to give away anything that may happen but I really did enjoy this book.

It took a bit to get into but by the end I was laughing and crying along with the characters. I love a good HEA story and it just makes you feel all nice and warm.

4-4.5 stars! I really liked this. I felt like it had a different feel than most books. There’s romance, there’s smut, but there’s a lot of heavy material too and real life problems. I enjoyed LaRynn and Deacon’s love story

4.5 stars, i loved everything about this- larynn & deacon had such a great dynamic. i love a grumpy FMC and i think they made the perfect match. i didnt read the original, but i loved the past chapters that were in there to get to see how their relationship started and how its grown

This book would be a great read for someone who enjoys some DIY themes, marriage of convenience, and second chance romances. Luckily, I am that someone. The Co-Op was a fun read, with witty banter and great tension (and then some great spice).

I do feel like the plot felt a little slow at times, but overall it was an enjoyable read and I will recommend it to others looking for a fun romance read.

Thank you to Tara Dewitt and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

LaRynn and Deacon, grandchildren by marriage of their “grands,” spent holidays and summers together, and had a short but contentious fling as teens. At the end of the summer before leaving for college one says ”I love you” and the other doesn’t. Fast forward a decade and the grands have passed on, leaving them with shared ownership of their dilapidated Santa Cruz home. They’re forced to come back together to repair the building and their crumbled relationship, when neither have had great examples of healthy marriages from their own parents. This is a slow-burn, second-chance, forced proximity romance about the never-ending project of marriage and peeling back the layers of family trauma to come together again.

<b> “People aren’t houses or projects. You can’t disassemble them and find out how they operate, identify their broken bits and replace them. You can do your best to understand them as they are, but…people change. They grow. They learn. They just…are.” </b>

I loved the banter between LaRynn and Deacon, all their silly little ways of getting under one another’s skin, and how they had to learn to cohabitate together.

<b> “Maybe I’ll draw the outline of a middle finger using my hair on the shower wall, I think. Put the toilet paper roll on backward. Maybe I’ll go spend another grand on bobby pins and a leaf blower and spread them across his entire half of the door, Rambo-style.” </b> 😂😂

The toilet shopping scene had me laughing out loud, and their constant teasing of one another throughout the renovation had the tension wound so tight! 🔥

It took me a good while to warm up to LaRynn. The first half of the book she just seems so insufferable, even as a teen, but as you start to see into her past you realize why she has put up so many walls to protect herself. My biggest turn-off with this book was just that it was one long miscommunication trope. If they had just communicated with each other AT ALL so many of their issues wouldn’t have been issues between them. Most of their trust problems lie with their parents and not as much with one another, but they project it onto one another. They both were so in love with the other, but then would tell them it was nothing. It drove me crazy. <b> Just open up already! </b>

I also had a hard time with the writing style, in that with the time jumps back and forth, and the dual POV, if you stopped mid-chapter it was easy to lose what time they were in and which person’s perspective you were reading. It just didn’t feel like there was a big enough difference between the times (since they’re both in the same setting) to make a distinct difference, and I found myself flipping back to the beginning of the chapter so many times to figure out who and when it was.

Overall, it was a really entertaining read and I enjoyed so much of it, but Tarah DeWitt’s Homebound and Savor It still hold my top spots for her stories.

I am not usually a fan of second chance romance tropes but Tarah DeWitt's The Co-op has me rethinking everything. I absolutely loved this book. LaRynn and Deacon are *chef's kiss.* I love that LaRynn is not the typical romcom heroine, she's sharp, sarcastic, and doesn't let everyone in. Deacon has to break down her walls throughout the book all while they renovate a duplex in Santa Cruz. So good!

I'm such a sucker for second chance romances, and The Co-op definitely hit all the right notes. Tarah DeWitt is such a talented author—this book was well-written, full of emotion, and had just the right amount of spice without ever taking over the story.

The Co-op is a steamy, heartwarming story about two people who are forced to confront their past and their feelings for each other. LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds had a short, fiery summer fling when they were teens that ended in heartache for both of them. A decade later, they're thrust together by their late grandmothers, who left them with joint ownership of a dilapidated home in Santa Cruz. LaRynn has the money, but to access her trust, she has to be married...Deacon has the construction expertise, but lacks the funds. They strike a deal to marry, fix up the property, and part ways once it's all finished.

What follows is a journey of unexpected emotions, as they’re forced to spend more and more time together, navigating a marriage that’s supposed to be temporary but quickly becomes something much deeper. 😏 I loved watching them rebuild not just the building, but their relationship! While I would’ve loved to see more of their first romance and the angst of their separation, the slow-burn tension between them in the present more than made up for it.

The FMC being tall was a nice touch too—it's always refreshing to see a taller heroine in romance!!

Plus, who doesn't love a good construction romance? There’s something about that dynamic that always gets me. And I adored that their grandmothers were a couple—it added such a beautiful layer to the story. I just wish we could have gotten more of them and their story—they seemed so fun. 💘

A big thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and Tarah DeWitt for the ARC—I’m so glad I got to read this one!

Overall, another great read from Tarah DeWitt. If you’re a fan of second chances, construction romance, and characters who are learning how to love (and be loved), this one’s for you.

3.5⭐️

Oh man this is hard because I absolutely ADORE LaRynn and Deacon. I love their story and I loved every character in this book. The intimate scenes had my heart bursting, whether they were spicy or just the two of them being blabbering messes.

It was real and raw and cute but this dragged on for way too long.. I love slow burns, don’t get me wrong but this just felt like it was forced. There was way too much telling and not enough showing. I felt like I was being told everything about them instead of actually experiencing it, which is such a bummer because there was so much to feel had only we’d been given that chance.

I am obsessed with Tarah DeWitt's writing and characters - and this book is no exception. I have loved The Co-Op since I received an ARC of the indie publication and somehow she made it even better. The story is at once tender and heartfelt while being gritty and honest. I loved the characters, the setting, the plot, the dual POV, dual timelines -- everything! I wasn't sure how she could make this better than the original, but it felt new and fresh while still being familiar.

To be honest, it took me forever to become invested in this book. The premise is interesting, and the characters are fairly well rounded. It just…. didn’t capture my attention. I loved Deacon and LaRynne separately; I couldn’t love them together. There were so many misunderstandings for over half of the book, then when communication was open I feel like it was sometimes used as a weapon. They brought out the worst in eachother and the last part where they were open… well, it just didn’t make up for it. That’s just my opinion. Coversely, it has great characters, a good plot and a pretty goold flow to the story. The sexual chemistry was believable. It just wasn’t for me. I’m going to give it a three- not bad, just not my favorite.

⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
As far as adult content goes, there is language, drinking and sexual content. I would say this is geared towards New Adults (who will definitely enjoy the narrative of the past) and adults.


I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and St Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!

I enjoyed this book. I liked the storyline, and the FMC grew on me as the book went on. It’s a feel good story that has a nice HEA.

I have to officially say that I like the second-chance romance trope, which is done extremely well in this story! I liked how LaRynne and Deacon's initial breakup was believable. Their insecurities and past trauma kept them from being able to have a healthy relationship and I enjoyed reading them grow from that and work through those emotions.

I love a home makeover plot and kind of wish there was more of that in here, but it was nonetheless a great setup. The small-town vibe was also really fun.

If the synopsis sounds interesting to you, then I don't think there's any way you won't enjoy this story. It had fantastic writing, a great plot, a steamy romance, and lovely emotional moments.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In The Co-Op, a man and woman, whose grandmas were married to each other, are reunited when they inherit the grandmas’ house and have to renovate it in order to put it in the market. These two had something when they were teens and now they hate each other so you can see where this is going. Enemies to lovers, close proximity, you know the drill. Oh, and throw in a fake marriage to get an inheritance. All the tropes. It was cute with some heavier moments about their upbringings and struggles. And lots of 🔥. I enjoyed the flashback chapters to learn more about why they are the way they are now. A little fluffy cute romcom.

LaRynn and Deacon are reunited by their grandmothers years after a youthful summer of passion and heartbreak. Tasked with renovating a house they’ve inherited, their unresolved emotions simmer as they navigate their shared past and present.

My favorite part of this book was how vividly the Grands’ presence lingered, even long after they were gone. LaRynn’s and Deacon’s deep connections with their grandmothers were beautifully portrayed, and the home renovation served as a heartfelt tribute to their memory. However, I felt disconnected to the story at times due to the execution of the dual POV, dual timeline structure. The past timeline stood out, drawing me into their original relationship and making me invested in their origin story. That said, I missed the tension and playful banter that I’ve come to expect from DeWitt’s writing. Overall, this was a sweet and charming read that left me smiling.

Readers who enjoy:
+ second chance romance
+ marriage of convenience
+ dislike to love
+ she’s mean, but a secret softie
+ he can’t stop doing things with his hands
+ dual POV
+ dual timeline

Thank you Griffin for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

3.5 ⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the early access read of this book. Overall, I really enjoyed the first 70% of the book. I am a sucker for second chance and dual timeline books, as well as some good forced proximity. However, I didn’t really connect with the FMC LaRynn and found her behaviors to be pretty immature. Though you do see some growth from her throughout the book. I did really enjoy Deacon’s character, especially in the ways he looked out for others. The book took a turn for me towards the end, where it seemed the author was trying to pack as much spice as possible into the last 15% and things resolved so suddenly. This brought it down from a true 4⭐️ for me. I am still excited to read other works from Tarah DeWitt.

Deacon and LaRynn had their share of ups and downs, both together, and as individuals. I loved getting to know them and their relationship through flashbacks to when they were teens and young adults. They felt real and relatable. The angst was angsting and the tension was tensioning between them and the slow burn was just simmering there, adding to it! I just enjoyed this book! Their banter and the pranks were all so so good.

I absolutely loved everything about this book!!!! I am a sucker for second chance, marriage of convenience and enemies to lovers so this was the perfect storm.

One of my favorite parts of this story though was the pacing. It was never rushed. I loved how everything came together and the alternating timelines between the past and the present was really well done.

4/5 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Book: The Co-Op by Tarah DeWitt
Genre: Romance

I had such a fun time reading "The Co-Op" by Tararh DeWitt. It is the kind of romance that hits you right in the feels, capturing the messy, beautiful journey of love and second chances. LaRynn and Deacon's story is a rollercoaster of emotions that will make you laugh and cry.

The pure magic of this book lies in how it explores two people who were once so shy about their feelings that they let an incredible connection slip away. Fast forward a few years, and fate throws them back together with a plot twist - a marriage of convenience to renovate and sell a shared summer house. The banter, the tension, the slow-burn romance was amazing. Almost every moment between LaRynn and Deacon feels so authentic that you can't help but see yourself in their journey of growth, miscommunication, and ultimately, understanding. It is a beautiful exploration of how time, maturity, and a little bit of unexpected proximity can transform two people who were always meant to find their way back to each other. If you love romance that makes you feel all the emotions, then please read this book!

Thank you SO much to @netgalley and @smpromance for sending me the beautiful ARC of #TheCOOP #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Alright so first things first - I loved this book. I read it in one sitting (and stayed up way too late to do so!). I loved the premise, the second chance at love and the fact that they had a summer fling as young adults that they didn't know how to handle well.

LaRynn is very insular, with parents who were too caught up in their own crap to see how they were affecting their daughter. Deacon was also dealing with parent issues that left him insecure and scared to voice his emotions. It was not a recipe for a good relationship. But life brings them back together and forces them to deal with their past from both of their perspectives. I think this was the key to the story being successful. They both did wrong and were young, so they didn't realize how things affected the other one. I loved the happy ending to the story.

I appreciated that these were adults who had the maturity to own up to their actions and grow from their mistakes. The one thing that I will say was a negative for me (and the reason for the four stars) is that the internal dialogue at times dragged. I found myself skimming until the story picked up again. Other than that, it was a great book!