What's not to love? Marriage of convenience, forced proximity....this was really great. I'm ready for more!

This was such a good read! I enjoyed the second chance romance aspect and of course a marriage of convenience. Loved the renovation aspect as well because I think that makes this book unique. I will definitely read more books by this author!! thank you!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press & Tarah DeWitt for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

This second chance romance is so full of angst. And how could it not with marriage of convenience and forced proximity adding fuel to the fire? I really enjoy Tarah's writing and this story did not let me down.

Now that I've had this taste of her Second Chance romance writing it has added to my anticipation for Left Of Forever!

This wasn't my favorite but was still pretty cute. I had a hard time getting into it because I found the FMC really unlikable at the beginning, but she grew on me. I did like their growth and communication development and really loved that there was no third-act break up.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy, all thoughts are my own.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for the copy of this book
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Read if you like: close proximity, second chance romance
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LaRynn and Deacon have a summer fling that didn't end well, and now years later they are both inheritors of their grandmother's house. But the house needs to be renovated. The two live together in the house as they work, which makes for a tense but interesting living situation.
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I loved this book so much. I appreciated the younger LaRynn and Deacon exploring their relationship but ending it messily due to immaturity and inability to communicate their feelings. Years later, they still struggle but they have a level of maturity to deal with their emotions. I loved how they worked through the conflict and it felt realistic and so lovely.

i’m normally not a marriage of convince trope kind of reader. so this book took me by surprise when i found myself absolutely loving this book.
the fmc did tend to annoy me a little, but then DeWitt did such a good job at explaining WHY she was the way she was, and helping readers understand.
I was touched by so many parts of this book. From Deacon and LaRynns relationship, to the struggles that they both endured with their family.
No third act breakup or surprises. Just an ultimately happy ending. The epilogue? *chefs kiss*
4 stars for me <3

I loved reading about LaRynn & Deacon's story in The Co-op! I love how their relationship changed as they started to renovate the home that their grandmother's left for them. They had a lot to work through, but honestly I felt like it was written perfectly for their story! I could not stop reading this one and it was just so sweet and I was swooning with that epilogue!

What to expect:
-Forced proximity
-Marriage of convenience
-Second chance
-Small town
-Enemies to friends to lovers

Thank you so much to Tarah DeWitt, St. Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

The perfection of this book lies in the characters’ flaws.

Deacon and LaRynn find their way back to each other in this second-chance romance after their grandmothers leave their house to them - only the house is falling apart at the seams.

From clarifying miscommunications to sharing in their vulnerabilities, past and current, they build a life together between the cracks of the foundation as they rebuild this house.

Tarah truly had me in tears in so many parts. Healing isn’t linear. Grief never goes away. Overcoming trauma doesn’t have a deadline. But isn’t it easier when you have someone to share it with? Someone who doesn’t see a vulnerability as a burden? That’s what the two MCs are for each other.

Thank you Tarah DeWitt for a copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Another respectable ✨3✨. Fav quote: “You’ll be so happy you were brave” 💗

Tropes: enemies to lovers, close proximity, found family(?), second chance romance, marriage of convenience

Tarah DeWitt’s the Co-Op is written about 2 people, LaRynn and Deacon, who have known each other since they were teenagers as their grandmothers were in love with each other but these two despised each other instantly. Years later after LaRynn’s grandma’s death, she returns home and is stuck with an agreement with Deacon involving a fake marriage.

I adored this story. While the two hated each other, the love they had for their grandparents had me missing my own. I remember how hard it was when they passed so I understood it. I also liked the side characters, like Sally, who didn’t take shit from anyone and stood in for their loved ones who’ve passed.

Oof. I will have to say, this book had the makings of a 5 star but it fell flat. At first, you thought Deacon was just an asshole who judged LaRynn too much, but yeah, she was a brat. Her temper was literally a trigger hair. Not only that, but all of this animosity comes from one misunderstanding/side comment that kids say as a joke and she never let it go. Like dude, pls do.

Their chemistry? Forced. Like it seemed somewhat surface level and lust-y. We all like lust-y, but we were all waiting for it to turn into love. Allllll the way to end of the book.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this ARC for my honest opinion!

This is tough because I adored Savor It. I thought it was so delightful and charming and by comparison I was unfortunately very disappointed on The Co-op. And fow what it's worth, I don't think that was the best title for this story.

If I had to pinpoint my issues with the book, I think it comes down to finding some of the plotting extremely far fetched and it taking a while for me to get to know the characters, and by the time I did I didn't necessarily like them all that much to be deeply invested in their relationship.

I love an enemy to lovers story along with old flames reunite, but something about the way the information about their past and present circumstances is revealed made me it hard to for me to get into. I don't know if it was a pacing issue or character development but by the time things are spelled out more I hadn't really connected with the characters, though I think Deacon was more flushed out than LaRynne, though her family issues were a good element of the story.

If this was the first book by the author I'd read I probably would have been ok with the book but she set the bar high with her last one.

If I had a nickel for every time I read a second chance romance with dual teenage and adult timelines that takes place in a beach town where the FMC has absent parents and a strong relationship with her grandma and music features heavily, I’d have two nickels… which isn’t a lot, but it’s weird that it happened twice (referring to The Co-op and The Backtrack by Erin La Rosa).

Pros:
- hot handyman dude as male main character
- decent explicit scenes

Cons:
- female main character is extremely unlikable and has giant chip on her shoulder
- hardly any actual construction featured in story???

🌶: 4 out of 5
⭐️: 4 out of 5
🍿*: 5 out of 5

What can I say - Tarah DeWitt does it again!!!!

As my dream man is a tall, hot version of Bob the Builder, Deacon matches that description deliciously and I wish I could see him rocking the flannel in their coastal neighborhood. Sally is by far my favorite character in the story with her impeccably timed humor. I love the little Easter egg nod to Funny Feelings (poor Deacon for getting roasted).

LaRynn is a character that grows on me as I'm not always the first to fall in love with the bitchy, misunderstood FMC. However, as I get deeper into her story I develop a soft spot for her. The family dynamic could have been flushed out a little more between LaRynn and her father, but I can understand that their story is not the main focus.

Tarah has become one of my auto-read authors. I'm obsessed with the development of her complex characters and the dialogues between them. The Co-op is no different.

*Popcorn scale is referring to how easily consumable the book is overall

🤍Book review 🤍

The Co-op
A Novel
by Tarah DeWitt


The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt is a heartfelt second-chance romance that I thoroughly enjoyed. The story follows LaRynn and Deacon, who had a brief fling in their teens but are now forced to work together to renovate a house they inherited. The marriage of convenience, forced proximity, and their shared past create plenty of tension, which is expertly balanced with witty banter and emotional depth. I loved how both characters grew throughout the book, overcoming their insecurities and learning to communicate. LaRynn’s guarded nature and Deacon’s kindness made for an engaging dynamic. The flashbacks added layers to their relationship, and watching their emotional walls crumble as they worked together was beautiful. DeWitt’s humor and chemistry between the characters kept me hooked from start to finish. The renovation metaphor for their relationship was well-done, making this book a satisfying, fun read

3.5 stars! This book was entertaining and I loved the banter between LaRynn and Deacon. I laughed out loud a lot at their antics trying to provoke each other. The book blends together second chance romance and marriage of convenience, which I loved. But…there was so much miscommunication!!

Both characters have reasons that they are closed off and insecure, which leads to frustration as they are trying to communicate with each other. I enjoyed their character arcs as they each put in work on themselves, but they both drove me nuts for a big chunk of the book. I had a hard time rating this book because I both loved and hated the characters at different points of the book, but I appreciated how two people could work through their challenges and come together through that journey.

Thank you to Tarah DeWitt, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved this! So many good tropes in one book: marriage of convenience, second chance, enemies to lovers, forced proximity!! This is a revamped version of the same book that was released in 2022, and the changes have only made the story and characters better! I absolutely adore Tarah DeWitt's writing style and I can't wait to see what she'll write next. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

Tarah is a new favorite author for me and this was so fun. I love the second chance and enemies and lovers entwined vibe (we go back and forth a bunch). Their dynamic was so fun to read and I loved it.

I did not read the original version of this story, so I can't speak to differences/changes in the story. What I can say is that I had such a fun time reading this book!!

The incessant banter and ribbing in this book, in addition to the ease with which the two MCs provoke each other, was a humorous match made in heaven. I mean, they were relentless with one another, and it drew numerous laughs/chuckles out of me. So fun!

It's a dual timeline with flashbacks that allow us to see Deacon (MMC) and LaRynn's (FMC) first interactions, how they fell in love, and what prevented their relationship from blooming back then.

LaRynn seems closed off with some very tall and very strong walls that she put up around herself. Her life has taught her that it's better to keep people out and avoid attachments. She is a prickly pear on the outside, but she will go to battle for those she loves. (And I don't think murder is off the table as far as she's concerned lol)

Deacon is "one of the good ones". He is a very sweet man. He tends to give, and give, and give as much of himself to those he loves as he possibly can in hopes they'll love him back.

Both of our MCs are bruised with lingering damage from their families/upbringing, which has led both of them to have insecurities that hold them back. They both also have unresolved pain from their past history together.

This relationship is messy, complicated, and challenging in several ways. We see all of their highs and lows. They argue and fight and struggle to communicate and coexist. They both struggle within their relationship and within themselves. So when their walls start to ever so slowly crack and crumble, and they begin being vulnerable with each other, it is exponentially sweet and intimate. I loved witnessing their journey towards their hopes and dreams. They fight to change their narrative to find peace, happiness, and love. It is truly beautiful.

Having them go through all of this while also undertaking a renovation and living admist the construction chaos adds another layer of intrigue.....as well as opportunity for blurred lines🤭.

This is a second-chance romance, marriage of convenience, forced proximity, open door romance that I would not hesitate to recommend.

Tarah DeWitt is quickly becoming a must-read author for me. The Co-Op is a fantastic second chance romance complete with a house renovation, dealing with loss, and a marriage of convenience. LaRynn and Deacon are forced to be civil in order to finish renovating the home that both of their grandmothers owned and in the process have to rehash the mistakes of their earlier teenage relationship, and try to fight the feelings that are still there. Their friendship and relationship is so playful and the banter is excellent! It was great to have flashbacks to how they met as teenagers and started a summer fling that became more than either of them were prepared for, only to have everything fall apart. Tarah's books always seem to have the right mix of angst, humor, and both steamy and swoon-worthy moments Thank you to St. Martin's and NetGalley for the chance to read this novel.

Thanks to SMP and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Tarah DeWitt is THAT GIRL!!!

I fell in love with Tarah’s books after reading Funny Feelings and Savor It only solidified her status as one of my favorite authors. Her books are funny, emotional, sexy, and full of depth.

The Co-Op follows Deacon and LaRynn who had a brief fling in their late teens that ended in heartbreak as they work to renovate a house they inherited from their grandmothers. In order to get the renovation done, LaRynn needs access to her trust fund which she can only access after marriage. In an attempt to get the house fixed and sold so they can go their separate ways they decided to get married even though they can’t stand each other.

I ate up the tension in this book. I love second chance romance bc of the angst and tension and Tarah executed this perfectly!!! Tarah is a MASTER of banter. Deacon and LaRynn’s chemistry was palpable and I was giggling and kicking my feet. Their banter was incredible, it was sexy and funny and quippy. Tarah’s signature style! THAT WOMAN CAN WRITE!!

I LIVE for the flashbacks in a second chance romance. The flashbacks in the Co-Op are expertly done. They provided so much info on the characters and once I got the full picture I loved them so much more. Deacon and LaRynn are so complex and this story really feels like a character study into how your childhood and familial relationships influence the rest of your life. I love the way that this book explores how your past shapes your future and your decisions but also how you can reclaim control over your actions and your life.

Deacon and LaRynn grew so much in this book and I was unable to stop reading. Like the house they were working on, their relationship to each other and themselves and others went through a complete revocation process and they came out as much stronger people in the end with a solid foundation. Seeing them learn to communicate with each other, predict and provide for the other person’s needs, and learn to trust each other was so satisfying.

I love LaRynn and I will hear NO LARYNN SLANDER!!! Her childhood sucked and she’s doing the best she can! Her growth in this novel was so beautifully executed. Seeing her learn to trust and love despite her past felt like such a victory. The love she had for her grandmother, her friends, and Deacon was so evident and lovely. Seeing her really be able to find and give all of herself into her passion really made her shine. I see why Deacon is obsessed with her.

Deacon is EVERYTHING!!! His kindness, compassion, and gentle nature made me so endeared to him. He consistently provides for others and one of my favorite things about him is how he tries to reflect on histories and past conversations before talking. Seeing him really take the time to analyze and reflect how a decision or something he said could be taken only added to my love of him. His love for LaRynn was so deep, it’s something that can only happen when you’ve loved someone so hard for so long.

Deacon and LaRynn are messy and impulsive and headstrong which makes them perfect. They’re flawed and hurt and seeing their growth in themselves and in their relationship was so satisfying. They’re the perfect example two perfectly imperfect people loving each other for all their faults and imperfections not despite them.

2.5 Stars! This took me a while to get through. It just wasn’t catching my attention. I felt that it dragged on and was boring at times, I nearly stopped reading altogether but I hate leaving books unfinished. The main characters are Deacon and LaRynn. Deacon was sweet and I loved him. LaRynn was a total opposite and I kind of hated her. She was always so mean. Made me wonder what’s wrong with Deacon to be liking her when she treats him like garbage. It got better towards the end since she wasn’t as much of a ‘female dog’ to Deacon anymore. Could be a great book if not for LaRynn.
*I received this book at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*