ARC Review. 3.5 stars! I really enjoy The Co-op. Tarah DeWitt's writing is immersive and the Santa Cruz setting made this read incredibly atmospheric. I could pretty much smell the sea salt! I really liked to the sex scenes; I felt like they were well done. I do think the plot felt formulaic and didn't do anything new for the genre, which is totally okay!

This was a great romantic comedy with those touches of deeper storylines in it. I really enjoyed both LaRynn and Deacon as characters. They felt real in the sense that they had flaws and you didn't always like them but you were always rooting for them. The concept of the story was interesting too. I do love a fake marriage turned real trope and add in the enemies to lovers, forced proximity and second chance tropes. Boy howdy do you have a great story. Stylistically there were certain phrases and word choices that I didn't really enjoy and would take me out of the story, like "pawed at the air" instead of just waving a hand in the air to change the subject, along with topics that seemed to never come up again really like Deacon's issue's with blood and LaRynn's motion sickness, but overall I read this book in a matter of two days and was invested in the ending.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

I usually stick to murder/thriller books but throw in a palate cleanser once in awhile to restart my frozen heart.

This one definitely did the trick and I'm on my way to find more Tarah DeWitt books

The opening started off in just the right direction with a playlist and some horrifying moments in LaRynn's life. Starting a book off with the absolutely mortifying dress tucked in a thong at a dance, or dad catching you post coital. I was hooked. Deacon is a perfectly imperfect male lead to yearn for. I found there was the perfect amount of spice and hidden feelings. Satisfying ending.

This was a masterpiece. I loved it from the first page and could not wait to unravel how this second chance romance, forced proximity, not so fake marriage, home renovation romance was going to work out. The jumping timeline is well done and drives the plot forward as well as the character development. The dual POV also makes the pining and attraction between LaRynn and Deacon very believable. There is a slight miscommunication theme but it's not so overdone that I wanted to beat my head against a wall so I call that a win! The spice is well written & I love the sex-positive nature on which Dewitt writes her character interactions.

If you're a Northern Californian or Santa Cruz lover, this will be an especially fun literary trip. I loved the references to everything from Hwy 17 to the cliffs to the marine layer rolling in. All of the shops and beach town vibes are so well done, I felt completely transported and was picturing all of the places I've been in the area.

Thank you to #NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced egalley in exchange for my honest feedback. The Co-Op has been updated by author Tarah Dewitt and is set for re-release on November 12th!

I will be circling back to post on Instagram as pub day gets closer.

4.5 stars - Another Dewitt romance that crawls its way into my heart. It's snuggled up right next to Funny Feelings and being held in a big bear hug by Savor it!

Where do I even begin with Deacon and LaRynn!? The absolute LOVE I developed for these characters is wild to me.
Deacon & LaRynn -or 'Larry' as Deacon calls her- spend an incredible summer of first's together when they are 18. As the summer filled with sneaking away to rip each other's clothes off was coming to an end, their last night together couldn't have ended in a more heartbreaking way. "It was just sex." he said.

8 years later after the death of her grans, LaRynn is reluctantly back to do what she can to help Deacon with the house they both inherited from them. They find themselves in a marriage of convenience situation in order for LaRynn to get her hands on her inheritance to fund their home renovation.

The absolute hate and tension between our MCs after their reunion is absolute GOLD! With a lack of better words, they are complete and utter dicks to each other, and I ate up every little bit. Tarah Dewitt is the absolute QUEEN of tension and banter writing between characters- and the slowwww burrrnnn. oh man. It was one of the best slow burns I've experienced in a long time. I screamed out "OMMMMGGG YOU CHICKEN SHIT- DO IT ALREADY" at least twice. It was tortuous!

Both our MCs have a lot to work through- an unresolved past that needed healing. And somehow, against all odds, they find themselves opening up to each other as the walls around them come down.
This laugh out loud, rom com will bring you so much joy. The character development and emotional depth throughout the whole story will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

I love a romance book with good banter. Throw in some pranks and pining, I’m sold!

As a teenager, LaRynn spent her summer visiting her grandmother’s place in Santa Cruz. It was here she met Deacon and a summer fling was formed. But as most do, their fling comes to a crashing end, resulting in these two not seeing or speaking to each other for ten years. Now they find themselves co-workers of the multi-family home that belonged to both of their grandmothers. LaRynn and Deacon strike a deal that involves getting married, sharing money, fixing up the home and then selling it so they can dissolve their marriage and go their separate ways for good. But this crumbling down building isn’t the only thing they need to repair.

This book had so many great tropes. Enemies to lovers, marriage of convenience, forced proximity, and second change romance. It’s filled with witty banter that soon turns into something deeper and meaningful for both of them. I also appreciated the slow burn because it gave them a chance to get to know each other again and the character development stood out to me. Although hurt by the past, they both took accountability for what happened between them and then moved forward (maturity!!). This was by first book by Tarah DeWitt but it won't be my last.

*will add to Goodreads on publishing date.

Another banger from DeWitt! The writing is passionate and engaging, drawing you into the complex dynamics of the characters’ rekindled relationship. Their journey from past heartbreak to rediscovered love is beautifully portrayed, making every moment feel both powerful and intimate. A perfect read for those who crave a love story that’s as hot as it is heartfelt.

Thank you Netgalley and st martins press for allowing me to read this in advance and providing my honest opinion

Second chance romance
Heat
Banter
Learning loving

I really enjoyed this book. Deacon and Larynn story was about learning and growing... HEA

Something about the way Tarah writes just feels like home to me. I love Deacon and LaRynn and their story of loving and learning.

The Co-OP was a fun second chance enemies to lovers style romance great for fans of Carly Fortune and Abby Jimenez. LaRynn and Deacon's journey through out the book to over come struggles rooted in the past experiences was a fun ride. Getting to see then not only grow as individuals but also as a couple made the book enjoyable. I loved flashing back to their first whirlwind romance and would have loved to see even more moments ts from their past. I especially loved experiencing LaRynn grow more confident and comfortable in herself through out the book. While, the story dragged in a few points or I lost focus of who and where we were, i couldn't help but be drawn back in by the banter between the characters and the desire to see.if they could.truly work things out and move forward with the own HEA.

Deacon and LaRynn’s story was beautiful. I loved seeing the growth from hate to love but I also enjoyed reading about their past. You can never go wrong with an enemies to lovers book!

Cute book about childhood friends reconnecting and falling in love. Found family. Death of a loved one. Home ownership. Remodeling a house. Epilogue 10 years later.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc

I loveddddd this. It was such a great romance story and fun read. If you love second chance romances, forced proximity, and marriage of convenience with spice sprinkled on top, this is for you. I instantly connected to LaRynn from the beginning of the story. Her and Deacon are honestly one of my new favorite book couples. LIKEEEE I’m literally obsessed with them and their story. All the characters throughout the book felt relatable and were so easy to connect with. The flow of the story was great. I loved the flashes back to their past as they reconnected. It made the story engaging and interesting to read. Yesss most of their issue could be avoided if they were just honest and talked to one another in the past and present but the miscommunication and slow rebuild of trust honestly fit the story development so well.

I highly recommend and look forward to reading more books from Tarah DeWitt.

Review can be found on Goodreads and will be added via Instagram @celinesshelves 7/23/24

Tarah Dewitt literally NEVER FAILS ME!! Deacon and Laraynn were everything and I cannot stress enough how much I loved this book. Loves to enemies to lovers? Arranged?? Like HELLOO?? It was so perfect. Angsty, heartfelt- definitely sobbed a bunch of times like I don’t know how the tears kept going down, and a romance that is unforgettable. Dewitt always creates a story unexpected. Unique. And true to the heart. I NEED THIS IN MY HANDS PHYSICALLY NOW!!!

I am so glad this author decided to rewrite this book and republish it or else I may have missed reading it. I loved this second chance friends to lovers romance that also involved grieving loved ones and rehabbing a home. I was so glad the MCs found each other again and this time around, they really opened up to each other with all of the complicated and messy parts of their lives. I appreciated the spiciness and also loved the sweet parts especially the beautiful epilogue. I definitely recommend checking this book out again or for the first time. I will be reading more of this author’s books!

LaRynn and Deacon's grandmothers band together to leave them a house which they're required to do up. In order to access the money, the two are required to be married. Will they both be able to stand their fake marriage in order to get the house completed?

Fake relationships are always a fun storyline in romances. I love seeing how the couple goes from enemies to lovers. Our two main characters here had a previous summer fling so they already know about the chemistry they possess when together. I loved how they found their way to each other again. It was a sweet story that moved at a steady pace.

I’ve never given a half-star rating (or in this case three-quarter) but this was a solid 3.75!!
I was dreading a third act breakup but thankfully there wasn’t one. The writing was very pretty while being so easily digestible and the 350ish pages went by so quickly, I ate it up! (maybe a bit too fast, I wish there was a little more meat to the story.)
Loved it regardless.

The co-op. A heated love time when they were teenagers. Now they are adults and must work together to work on their grandmothers legacy. Sexual tension is overwhelming but I think when the story is over, it won’t take him long to be over her. She is not a likable character

What a great book! Great chemistry! I really enjoyed this story ? It had me laughing as feeling all the feels .

I loved this book. It is beautifully written, and I enjoyed every second of it. I fell in love with the characters and am so happy that they fixed everything with each other.
This book felt like summer to me. I don't really know why, but it did, and that made my love grow deeper for it.
The characters were likeable, and I love that they didn't fault each other for the mistakes they made individually but grew from heir mistakes. The characters were relatable, and you could see the love and chemistry they had. I think that's really important for a romance book.
But at times there were so many words to explain how they were feeling, and you just think "I'm not reading all that" but I promise if you push through it's so worth it.