Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy of the “The Co-op.” I loved everything about this story - the characters (main and secondary ones), the plot, the setting, the tropes! I personally love a marriage of convenience story but the author merged it so seamlessly into a second chance romance filled with enemies to lovers banter. It was an absolutely perfect 5 star read for me - I highly recommend picking this one up ASAP - you will not be disappointed.

This was a really lovely read
Some fun tropes. Amazing leads. They were realist, raw and messy. My favorite.
The only issue I had was it was a little long. A bit too much of the “I want them but can’t have them” inner monologue going on
Overall I would recommend if looking for:
-marriage of convenience
-black cat/golden retriever
-no third act break up
-good spice

LaRynn and Deacon had a short fling during their teenage years but did not end on the best terms. Now, a decade later, their grandmother's have passed away and left them each with partial ownership on their dilapidated home. LaRynn has the money to fix the place up, but is unable to access her trust fund until she is married. Deacon has the skills to fix the building, but no money to do so. They decide to get married in order to have all the pieces they need to fix up the property.

I think this definitely started quite slow, and took me awhile to get into, but by the end of the story I was enjoying it more. The miscommunication in this drove me wild, they acted quite childish for the majority of the story in my opinion. I think that the characters did have a lot of development, which I enjoyed. It was nice to see them grow closer, and learn to open up and trust one another. I thought the ending was very cute, and it was probably my favourite part of the story.

This book was good, but it was a 3⭐️ for the alternating timelines. They felt too jarring instead of flowing with new backstory. It also made the story feel like it dragged on, which is part of why it took me so long to finish it. I did overall like the book though, and I would be interested in reading more Tarah Dewitt! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC!

This was my first Tarah DeWitt book and it didn't disappoint! I loved this second chance romance and it's definitely one of my favorites! I loved how the couple was able to love each other despite all their flaws. Not every relationship is perfect and this book showed that. But both characters were able to learn and grow together which I loved. I can't wait to read more from Tarah DeWitt because her story telling is amazing!

Read if you like ||
-second chance romance
-marriage of convenience
-dual pov
-slow burn
-witty banter

Anything Tarah writes will get me emotional, and this one was no different. I loved all of the tropes and messages through this. Larry is the true definition of black cat. She is angry and will snap back, but she has her reasons ofcourse. Deacon was a gem. He was patient, and I loved how he truly knew her and could take to her fiery feelings. The house they were rebuilding was so special, and you could feel how much their grandma’s love touched them.

I loved the slow burn & reading Deacon’s POV🥹 LaRynn and him were truly puzzle pieces that fit each other.

There were some parts that were a little slow for me. Although this wasn’t my fav book of Tarah’s, I would still highly recommend.

4.5⭐️
LaRynn and Deacon had a short, summer fling when they were teenagers that ended badly. They are reunited almost a decade later when they both inherit from their grandmothers an older home. They have to come together to fix it up so they can sell it. Only problem is they don’t have the funds to fix it up. LaRynn can access her trust once she’s married so they hatch a plan to get married, fix up the building and then sell it and cut ties. What could go wrong?
The banter and tension between these two are so good! I loved the dual timeline. It showed there really can be a wrong time, right person. Deacon and LaRynn really worked on their individual issues while they were apart and were able to come back together as a stronger couple.
The Co-op is releasing 11/12!
Tropes:
🔨Marriage of convenience
🔨Second chance
🔨Enemies to lovers
🔨Forced proximity

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

📚ARC Review📚

The Co-Op by Tarah DeWitt
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes
🏠 Dual Timeline
🏠 Dual POV
🏠 Marriage of Convenience
🏠 Second Chance
🏠 Slow Burn
🏠 Forced Proximity
🏠 Found Family

Tarah DeWitt nailed this sweet romance that follows a couple from young lust to adult love when they’re forced to reconnect to fix up a beach home left to them by their late grandmothers. You can’t help but root for Deacon and LaRynne as you dig deeper into their pasts. The character development in this book was top notch. And don’t let the slow burn fool you because the heat is on in the second half!

Snag yourself a copy on its release date, 11/12/24!

QOTD: What’s your favorite Tarah DeWitt read?

#thecoop #tarahdewitt #marriageofconvenience #secondchance #slowburn #forcedproximity #foundfamily #dualpov #dualtimeline #bookone #bookstagram #toris_readingcorner

The Co-op is a second-chance romance that follows LaRynn and Deacon. After the death of LaRynn's grandmother, the two are unexpectedly thrown together when she leaves them both her house. Now, they must work together to fix up the dilapidated property in order to sell it—despite their mutual animosity stemming from a short but intense fling that ended badly seven years ago.

This novel beautifully encapsulates the struggles of adulthood while maintaining an underlying sense of optimism. Dewitt has a remarkable talent for turning the simple moments of everyday life into something special and meaningful. Both of her books that I’ve read this year resonate deeply because they address universal experiences like grief and feeling lost, yet they leave you with a sense of hope by the end.

The two main characters have a lot of personal issues to work through in order to build a healthy relationship. Their inability to communicate and address these issues is the very reason they didn’t end up together when they were younger. But in The Co-op, we get to see them grow—both individually and together—as they work through their problems and become deserving of the relationship they could have.

I enjoyed this one, but I didn’t love it. I really enjoy this author’s writing and story telling and will read anything she comes out with. I just didn’t feel like there was a lot of chemistry between the characters. I just wanted “more” in a sense. It was a quick and enjoyable read but not my favorite!

Tarah DeWitt is able to combine humor, love, fear and sadness into one book; that ultimately I couldn't put down. This is the third book I've read by DeWitt and I will continue to read anything she writes.

I can’t say enough good things about this book! I loved the banter between the main characters and I was hooked from the start. I am obsessed with forced proximity and this book delivers!

I want to thank NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review as well as the author for this free copy.

Ahhhh I have been waiting for this for what feels like so long! I fell in love with Tarah’s writing when I read Funny Feelings and just needed more!
I absolutely love a good forced proximity, slow burn, second chance romance and this book hit alllll the marks.
The sexual tension was THERE and did not disappoint. This book had everything I needed and more, especially since it was from Tarah; she can do no wrong in eyes!

I first read this story in October of 2022, and I loved it then. This re-release version adds so much more depth to LaRynn and Deacon’s back story. It was more fleshed out than I remember the previous version being, and it made their story more emotional for me. There were several points where I got teary eyed. I do not usually like dual timeline stories, but in this case, it worked for me.

I love a marriage of convenience trope, and this one was well done, with the added layer of this being a second chance romance. The way they came to trust one another made me smile, and their banter was top notch. I laughed out loud many times. It had a strong summer vibe, and was perfect to read outside in the sun.

I will happily purchase a copy for my bookshelves!

This book started off slow but got momentum by the end. I loved this book and the characters. I feel like this book is the perfect palate cleanser for anyone needing a change or a chill, laid back book to get out of a book hangover. I highly recommend to anyone who read romance!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt.

LaRynn and Deacon met when they were young and had a fling that did not end well. Years later, these two are reunited through shared ownership of the same home. Naturally, what follows is a forced proximity, second chances romance as these two work through renovations on the home.

I had listened to an audiobook of the original print for this book and would highly recommend for those who have read the first to read this new print! There is a lot more built into the story of this revised and expanded version. The Co-op is definitely a slow burn but it’s worth it once these two get together!

If you enjoy a slow burn, second chances, marriage of convenience, and forced proximity this would be a romance to check out.

Thank you netgalley for the copy of this book!

I wanted to love this one but I just couldn’t bond with the childish antics of the heroine. The poor communication and the immaturity… it was too hard for me to get through. In the end I didn’t finish this one.

I’ve read another book by this author that I LOVED (savor it)- so if this one isn’t for you, definitely try another by the author!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!
I really enjoyed this book. This followed Deacon and Larynn in a second chance romance, in a marriage of convenience with forced proximity, and it really delivered. One thing I love about Tarah Dewitt's writing is how funny it actually is. She really delivers the comedy in every romantic comedy she writes. She writes excellent banter and spice, and it really feels like an actual relationship, not a fictional one. I found myself really relating to both Deacon and Larynn with their estranged relationship with their parents, and I felt extremely connected to both characters. I highly recommend this book, and you should definitely check this book out when it comes out November 12th, 2024!

LaRynn and Deacon have held a special place in my heart when I first read them in January 2023 and STILL does in this new (and renovated) version of them <3 I don’t know how Tarah managed to rewrite this already amazing story of two people learning to understand each other & fall back in love together to an even better version but she did and she did it masterfully!  I love the addition of the dual timeline, I love the small little changes and I love how LaRynn and Deacon remained, at their core, the beloved characters I’ve loved for almost 2 years. 

I have a very small list of authors whos books I will ALWAYS read and this just further proves why Tarah Dewitt belongs in it. 

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

I liked the history that the two leads shared but felt that the trope was basically just "bad communication" and misunderstanding one another. They actually worked quite well as a team but neither would communicate with the other until near the end of the book. I just felt like this couple kept hitting the same communication roadblocks over and over and the story left a bit more to be desired. It would have been nice to have more vivid flashbacks into how their grandmothers met and their relationship. That may have added more depth to the story. Wasn't the best...but wasn't the worst! 3/5!

This book was an ARC provided by NetGalley and my opinions are my own.