If you love a second chance romance as much as I do (which is a lot) then this is the book for you.

LaRynn and Deacon meet because their grandmas got married. They have a summer fling but the feelings get a little deeper than intended and they break up. Typical youths.

10 years later (ish) their grandmas have left them their home after they pass and they now need to work together to fix it up. Does them working together also involve a marriage of convenience? Sure! Who hasn’t gotten married in the middle of a construction project to someone you supposedly hate? Then comes the pining, the banter, the opening up. Honestly I ate this book up in one day. I laughed, I cried, I relayed to them. Honestly, highly recommend what a fantastic relatable story of falling in love even when the timing isn’t ideal.

This has been one of my all-time favorite books since I read the self-pubbed version two years ago! And the updates have just made it even better!

This is one of the best second chance romances to exist! LaRynn and Deacon are the definition of “made for each other.” They felt like they completed each other, especially in moments where they made it clear that no one could take care of their other half better than they could! This book is romantic and swoony! The scene where they finally get together lives rent-free in my mind as one of the best romance confessions to ever exist!

This was a relatively quick paced romantic comedy. I enjoyed the lightness of the storyline. Renovating a house is extremely stressful on anyone let alone two people who had a past flame. It's comical to imagine it.
I enjoyed the addition of the tenant as I felt she was my favourite part of this book.
I definitely recommend this book to anyone looking to pallete cleanse after some intense reads. It's great for that. Or if you just THAT into romance. It's cute.

This was such a sweet romance. LaRynn and Deacon have a complicated history, and when they co-inherit a house it only increases the complexity of their relationship. The home improvement storyline definitely adds some humor while the beach-town setting added another level of romance. The story is told with dual PoV and includes glimpses of the past. There are quite a few fun tropes woven into this one including: slow-burn, second chance romance, forced proximity, and a marriage of convenience. This was my first read by this author and I will definitely read more.

The Co-Op by Tara DeWitt is a funny, heartfelt story that had me rooting for them!

Also— Tara immediately reeled me in with this marriage of convenience. LaRynn and Deacon agree to marry so they can access funds to renovate a property, hoping to sell it and split the profits they both desperately need. But their shared past complicates things: Deacon broke LaRynn’s heart in the past and now they both are under the same roof and forced to confront old wounds.

The banter between LaRynn and Deacon is so funny and silly.. Their growth together is woven beautifully throughout, making this a story that’s as deep as it is funny.

I liked this book when it was indie-published, and it's much better now in its reworked state.
There is nothing better than a black cat FMC and a sweet, kind MMC who make each other grow within their relationship. I love LaRynn and Deacon's angsty banter, and how it turns into a soft, tender love story. There's so much tension in this story, and it's so good when the burn starts burning.
It's not the same vibe as Tarah's other books, so be forewarned if you're expecting the softness of Funny Feelings or the quirkiness of Savor It. But it's a solid read, and I did enjoy it.
Thank You for St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the arc!

The Co-op is a story about finding someone that loves you, sharp edges and all, without the need to sand you down to make you more palatable. Loving you anyway and that love in turn makes you want to try to be a better version of yourself, for them and for yourself. Meeting each other in the trying and not expecting perfection. I could never put into words to explain how truly heartfelt this story is. This one is going to stay with me for a long time and I truly cannot wait to see what Tarah DeWitt comes up with next.

Absolutely loved this book, thank you for the opportunity to read it! I loved reading them fall in love again

This was already my favourite Tarah Dewitt novel before the rewrite and it’s only cemented its spot at number 1. I found myself rooting for Deacon and LaRynn to find their way back to each other. Though there were bumps along the way the truth of the matter is, that’s life. Sometimes you scare yourself out of the things you want. Sometimes circumstances stop you from pursuing what you dream about. I’m happy that this book has a happy ending and I’m happy that it covers heavier topics as well. 10/10, Tarah Dewitt is the best!

This was a good one, forced living and working together for a goal plot, the two MC had an involvement when 18ish, later thanks to their gmas they both inherited a building they must work together to fix it up and sell it will they won't they - im hoping for a sequel with laRynn friend cause I'm that way

Thank you, Net Galley, for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. I kept seeing people say that this reminded them of Beach Read (which I adored), so I was very excited to pick this one up! This was such a quick read for me. I enjoy how light hearted the book was, and the banter between the characters. The beginning started slow for me, but picked up and I flew through it. This is a great choice for a light hearted, romance read.

Has a blast reading this story - small town vibes, with fun, animals and characters that are evolving of who they are with each other and on their own - is a fantastic read! Tarah does an amazing job with her two main characters and the small town that they live in. Another wonderful read with comic relief & romance !

I was initially drawn to The Co-Op because of its intriguing premise and the promise of some of my favorite tropes like enemies to lovers, forced proximity, second chances, and marriage of convenience. However, my feelings about the story ended up being quite mixed.
What I enjoyed most about this book were the emotionally charged moments when the characters allowed themselves to be vulnerable. These scenes felt genuine, and I appreciated how raw and real the emotions were when Deacon and LaRynne let down their walls, especially when they finally confessed their feelings for one another. The banter between them was also entertaining at times, bringing a playful energy to their interactions. These elements kept me engaged and made certain parts of the book a pleasure to read.
However, I found the execution of the story to be uneven. While the concept was strong, the pacing was a challenge for me. The beginning and ending felt rushed, while the middle dragged, with little development pushing the story forward. The back-and-forth between past and present, while giving valuable insight into their history, felt disjointed and often a little random and disrupted the flow, making it difficult for me to stay fully invested. It took more than half the book to reveal the true reason behind LaRynne’s initial dislike of Deacon, and that lack of clarity made it hard to connect with them early on.
The main source of conflict—a misunderstanding—felt unnecessarily prolonged. I struggled with the fact that so much could have been resolved through a simple, honest conversation. The characters' backstory, revealed in flashbacks, sometimes felt disconnected and random, which impacted my ability to relate to them deeply.
That said, there are heartfelt and memorable moments in The Co-Op, especially when Deacon and LaRynne start to break down their walls. This book is perfect for fans of slow-burn romance, particularly if they appreciate characters who grapple with deep-seated insecurities and a difficult past. While the story didn’t fully hit the mark for me, I think it will resonate with readers who love a good slow burn and don’t mind a bit of miscommunication, and are willing to wait for characters to find their way back to each other.

I absolutely loved this book. Tarah Dewitt can do no wrong. I enjoyed the characters and the emotional depth they carried both together and independently. The story was engaging even when it wasn’t on the romance.

This was a slow start for me, but once Deacon and LaRynn got married, it started to pick up for me. I normally hate flashbacks that happen through the book, but these flashbacks made sense. It made me really wonder what happened Between Deacon and LaRynn, and made it even more devastating when Deacon said to LaRynn that it wasn't anything serious when she confessed her feelings for him. Everything clicked then for me, and I too would have been going scorched earth.

The love story between Deacon and LaRynn was great to watch unfold. From extreme contempt to being caught in the act in the laundry room to them both dealing with the loss of their grandmas.

As for side characters, I think it showed a realistic side to how messed up parents can make you and how you should hold them accountable. It was nice seeing LaRynn stand up to her mom, and keep her boundaries with her dad to keep her distance. There is nothing wrong with cutting off a toxic family member, you don't have to forgive anyone just because they're family. I've read enough Reddit Am I the Asshole posts to understand that.

Tarah always writes such rich and stories filled with depth and nuance, and this did not disappoint.

I really loved reading The Co-Op! This author writes the absolute best perfectly imperfect characters! This story was so heartwarming and had a great balance of angst, humor, and a little spice.

LaRynn and Deacon had a teenage romance that ended poorly. After not speaking for years, they co-inherit a beach house that belonged to their grandmothers. With their funds for the renovations diminishing, they decide to enter a marriage of convenience to access LaRynn’s trust fund.

I really loved these characters. I had so many big feelings while reading about their individual journeys as well as their romantic relationship together. LaRynn’s petty and vengeful gestures had me cracking up, but her heart was so full of love. Deacon never felt like he deserved LaRynn, but I was rooting him the whole time.I loved how Deacon was such a simp for her internally. He always loved her no matter how chaotic or messy things got. There was so much push and pull between them before they decided to really go for it.

I’m really excited to read more by this author in the future.
4.5/5 stars

I received this ARC from Netgalley
to review. This was really cute! I appreciated the second-chance romance and the marriage of convenience. I also loved their petty banter and the beginning and of course, when both their walls came down so they could build something together (literally and metaphorically). Overall
a very sweet seasonal romance with heart to it. 3.5/5 stars.

A completely enjoyable read especially for those who love a second chance romance! LaRynn and Deacon are totally fleshed out characters who I loved to root for and their chemistry is so steamy.... Tarah DeWitt nails it again!

While this wasn't my favorite romance read it kept me engaged and entertained throughout most of the book. The beginning was a little slower than I usually like but the second-chance romance trope kept me hanging on. The character development is on point in this book but I just couldn't connect to any of them and the first half of the book I found the MFC rather annoying but she got better in the last half. Overall this was a fast easy romance read and I'm sure many will love it.

Overall this book was enjoyable, but I wanted to like this more than I did. I love Tarah Dewitt’s writing, but there was something missing from the book for me. Maybe my expectations were too high from how much I loved Funny Feelings and Savor It. Even still, her books are leagues above a lot of other romances in my opinion so this was still a 4 star read. There were a lot of great parts too. LaRynn and Deacon’s chemistry was off the charts. I really loved seeing the flashback scenes from when they were younger. I laughed out loud multiple times. I wish they had a little more time in the present where they were happy together and on the same page. Would recommend especially if someone is looking for a story with home renovation!