I enjoyed this book and found myself wanting to know how it would end. I had high hopes for this story because I enjoyed Savor It soooo much. I found that this story did fall a lot flat for me, and I think it was due to the dialogue. I wanted LaRynn and Deacon to have a more mature relationship and for the dialogue to feel less childish.

In solidarity with the ongoing St. Martin's Press boycott, I've decided to withhold my review of this book. By choosing not to review, I'm adding my voice to those advocating for fair treatment and support for the reader community. I hope that by doing so, we can encourage positive change within the industry.

I loved this one so hard. one thing i really love is that there is no drama and no third act breakup. I am also the biggest sucker for a second chance and this one really hit the spot. I cannot wait to read more by Tarah- this will not be the last book I read of hers! highly recommend!!!

Unfortunately THE CO-OP is a DNF at 70%, which is saying a lot considering I recently gave Tarah DeWitt's novel SAVOR IT 5 full mind-blowing stars. I couldn't get behind the relationship. Wisdom was chasing these characters, but they were running faster. SMH.

Mein Leseerlebnis

Ich habe von der Liebesgeschichte ein frisches Buch um eine zweite Chance erwartet. Frisch ist der Liebesroman auch wirklich, für mich funktioniert hat er trotzdem nicht.

Vom ersten Kapitel an haben mich die Geschehnisse eher verwirrt als gut unterhalten. Das hat sich leider auch im Verlauf der ersten zehn Kapitel nicht verändert. Zu viele kleine Details, Entwicklungen und Verhaltensweisen fühlten sich für mich nicht stimmig an.

Auch bin ich leider weder mit dem Schreibstil noch mit den Hauptcharakteren warm geworden.

Darauf aufbauend habe ich beschlossen das Buch nicht zu beenden. Die Chemie zwischen der Geschichte und mir hat schlicht nicht gepasst.

Keine Bewertung, da abgebrochen.

Für wen?

Wer Liebesromane rund um zweite Chancen mag, für den könnte das Buch ein frisches und gutes Leseerlebnis bieten.

Schaut unbedingt in die Leseprobe rein und achtet darauf, ob ihr zu den Geschehnissen einen guten Zugang finden könnt.

After the death of their grand mothers, LaRynn and Deacon inherit of their house in Santa Cruz. They were in love when their were teenagers but can't stand each other now. They have to work together on the house, but don't have money. So they get married to access LaRynn's trust fond.
I was expected much more from this book. I loved Tarah Dewitt's other books so much. The renovation of the house take to much space in the book. I would have loved to hear about the grand mothers more. And I found that the past was not really related to what's happening in the present.

I'm a sucker for second chance, slow-burn romance and this book caught my attention right away. My favorite moments were the past chapters - I loved reading about how everything started, their hesitation to allow themselves to feel more than just being friends with benefits. The *adults toy store* scene and the laundry room interruption were my absolute favorite scenes. I really enjoyed this book and my heart broke for their young selves and the way they interpreted everything they weren't telling each other. I loved the ending and the home they built together.

I'm giving this 4 stars because it did feel like it was longer than it needed to be, I wish we would've gotten more between Larry and her Dad, Sal waiting to step in at the end felt a little pointless and should've just happened earlier in the book, and I wanted more of the past after the sirens went off on Dec's birthday.

*Couldn't add review to Amazon - book not released yet.

LaRynn and Deacon have a summer fling as teenagers that ends badly. Ten years later, their grandmothers leave them a home that they must work together to renovate. The catch? To fund the renovation they need to access LaRynn’s trust… and the trust stipulates that she must be married. These two exes quickly learn what it means to work as a team as the walls start coming down (literally and figuratively).

I give this book 3.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Overall, I did enjoy the book but the story just felt really scattered and disjointed at times.

LaRynn and Deacon were two hot messes at the beginning of this book. I initially struggled to get a grasp on their personalities and motivations - at times they seemed immature and childish, and other times we would get glimpses into the two broken people hiding underneath.

As the story progressed, the writing and characterization got better and it kept me interested enough to keep reading. I loved the vulnerability that emerged between them in the end as they started to address their past traumas, and the story tied up with a nice HEA.

While I don’t think this is the author’s strongest book, I still had a good time reading it but probably wouldn’t recommend it to others.

Discovered this book when it was self-pub and I loved it! I love it just as much now too. I do think there's a big plothole 3/4 of the way into the book, but I've ignored worse things in other books, The main female character & main male character have so much history and so much trauma from childhood. My only gripe is that the back-and-forth/ past and present approach makes it hard to keep track sometimes, so I had to remind myself if it's past or current times. Oh also one last thing, they almost get caught doing it and just go about their lives afterward, I think it should've been more awkward or something.

The Co-Op by Tarah DeWitt was a fun read. But after reading Savor It as well, I just don’t think DeWitt is my favorite author in this genre.

LaRynn and Deacon share a summer romance during their teenage years after their grandmas bring them together. Years later, they reconnect to finish a remodeling project.

I didn’t love the pacing of the book, and I also wish I had gotten to know Deacon better.

Read if you like:
🩵 Second chance romance
🩵 Marriage of convenience
🩵 Found family

Thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for an eARC of The Co-Op! Check it out when it’s re-released this fall.

still recovering from how this book made my heart ACHE. i loved it so much and can never truly put into words how much it means to me.

the co-op is a marriage of convenience and second-change romance that tarah made into something so refreshing and unique. her writing is so beautiful, and i felt every word on the page. the raw emotions and vulnerability between the two main characters is indescribable. i laughed, swooned, and cried (a lot) while reading and i want to store this book in my heart forever!

larynn and deacon are flawed but such lovable characters who have faced many difficulties in their lives. i loved watching them trust one another again and see them grow together and individually. the small moments between them and how they loved each other for exactly who they are will never not make me cry. i love them so so much and the angst + tension was perfect.

there is so much more i want to say, but all i can say right now is: please please read if you haven’t! i will never forget this story and cannot wait to dive into more of tarah’s work!

thank you netgalley, the publisher, and tarah dewitt for the e-arc, i’m so grateful! 🤍

I had the original version on hold with the library when it was announced the new version would be available to anyone. I couldn’t decide where to start but ended up choosing the new version first so I wouldn’t be too far behind in leaving a review. I could feel how special this book was within the first few chapters. The growth in both characters through the book was so special. As someone who often makes her feelings less to make others more comfortable the way LaRynn goes from what would call cold to someone who cries freely and doesn’t hesitate to say how she’s feeling was so beautiful to read. I felt myself tearing up throughout the book but did not hold back when I read the final sentence. I am in awe of Tarah’s ability to make me feel for every character in this story. I loved every chapter that set the scene with what song one character chose. I felt like all my senses were included, being a Northern CA resident I could feel, hear, see, smell and taste everything. I am so grateful to read this book before it’s re-release and cannot wait to buy a physical copy, hopefully at a local signing 😉

Typically, Tarah’s books are some of my favorites, but this one just missed the mark for me. I loved the characters! Loved the set-up! Loved that Larynn is a prickly FMC!! But something about the writing felt very tell, not show and it made the whole story feel…kind of flat and bland.

Not my favorite, but still an enjoyable read!

Tarah does it again! I did not read this before when it was on KU but some of my favorite booksta people were raving about it so I needed to read it! Every time I don’t think I’ll like a trope, I read a Tarah book and instantly fall in love. This book is second chance, black cat/golden retriever, and a slow burn. I ate this up so fast, once the plot gets going, it’s a book I could not put down. I’ll be forever thinking of Deacon and LaRynn, especially since I want to be their friends SO BADLY, and will always think of them when I drive through Santa Cruz.

A second chance romance story that started a little slow for me and it spent a lot of time over explaining character observations. I started to care about the characters several chapters in and stuck it out for a predictable yet sweet storyline. I highly enjoyed the fact that this one had an epilogue.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Had the possibility to be great but just... wasn't. A lot of filler where there didn't need to be. The writing didn't grasp me.

This was my first Tarah book and it certainly did not disappoint! I saw some reviews saying this book is a perfect mix of Beach Read and You Deserve Each Other and that is SO accurate!

This book has everything we as readers have come to love- forced proximity, marriage of convenience, small town romance, and second chance romance. Larynn and Deacon are everything to me. This one will have you kicking your feet and giggling🤭

this was a very enjoyable read! i loved the characters and the flashbacks a lot, i honestly wanted more of them! i liked the setting, and the rest of the cast of characters had a lot of potential, i wish they were utilized more
i often find that second-chance romances where they first were together as teenagers, they will continue to act like teenagers as adults. and i realize this is the hazard of a second-chance romance, but one cute lil conversation could have cleared up all their misgivings about their relationship (old and new)
overall, its a nice easy read to spend an afternoon or two on!

2.5/5 stars

Alright. I'm sad. I'm starting to think that DeWitt just might not be for me.

I read Savor It back when it came out and decided to give DeWitt another shot. The writing is good, there are funny moments, but I always, ALWAYS seem to have a hard time connecting with her characters--and I'm never sure why?

Following the death of their two grandmothers, our two MCs decide to enter a marriage of convenience until their building Reno is finished. LaRynn and Deacon--boy, did I have a sliver of hope for you two. But for me, everything just fell flat. (And since this is a romance, the chemistry/personal development is a bit of a big part of the story, right?)

I didn't feel it. I didn't feel their growth, their goals, their interactions--I'm not sure why. And if I'm being honest, I liked it worse than Savor It, which says something.

Leh sigh. Oh well.

There’s a lot of tropes in this book but tropes that mesh well together in my opinion (marriage of convenience, forced proximity, etc. just to name a couple) the epilogue didn’t seem out of place here. I think it really concluded the story well and wasn’t a randomly placed extension of the story.