I enjoyed this story much more than the first book; I am so glad I gave this author another shot! It was slow to start but loved it and would recommend it for sure

I’ll be honest, I didn’t really like this one. It just felt like two angry and immature adult-children who were pretending that they didn’t like each other, and both unable to communicate properly. I thought the banter was ultimately just kind of childish more often than not and was just not into this one at all.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book to read!

Ugh this book right here… We’ve got enemies-to-lovers, second chances, and a marriage-of-convenience trope (YES, please). LaRynn and Deacon haven’t seen each other in years, and their history is messy. But when their grandmothers leave them a dilapidated house in Santa Cruz, they’re forced to team up and figure out how to make it work (spoiler: there’s a lot of tension...and steam).
What really hits home about this book is how it explores insecurities and communication. LaRynn and Deacon both have their own baggage, and it's fascinating to see how two people can experience the exact same moment and come away with different perspectives. The emotional growth here is chef’s kiss.
The romance? Adorable. The steaminess? Definitely there.
Bottom line: If you’re into slow-burn romance, hilarious banter, and a good dose of spice, this book is for you.
4.5⭐️

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review. Unfortunately, I struggled to get through this book. Savor It by Tarah DeWitt was one of, if not, my favorite book of 2024. So I was thrilled to get a copy of The Co-Op to review. This is a re-release of a previously published book with some edits under a new publisher, and I think that shows throughout the novel. At times it felt like the author had a check list of tropes to get through (i.e one bed, marriage of convenience, home renovations, failing businesses, small town charm, etc) but ultimately took on too much and the book felt long and drawn out and tried to tackle too many things. While the couple was cute and I did root for them, I think there was ultimately too much in this book for anything to feel real or draw an emotional connection. I did enjoy the epilogue at the end, as it was different from many others in the genre and was a cute addition.

I truly love a fake marriage trope and this one was so cute. I enjoyed the characters and their situations seemed like something that could happen in real life.

I absolutely adored Deacon and LaRyn in The Co-op. The tension and banter are top-notch, it's hilarious and sweet with a little bit of grief sprinkled in. I love how they work so hard to ignore each other and their feelings, but ultimately the house their Grandmothers shared and the memory of them is what brings them together. Amazing, definitely recommend.

I love a second chance romance with a side of forced proximity, and The Co-Op delivered! Former teenage lovers are reunited as adults when they co-inherit a home in desperate need of work from their grandmothers. The problem is they cannot stand one another, nor do they have the money to flip the property - leaving them with a choice: sell as-is if they can even find a buyer to accept all the illegal conditions, or form a marriage-of-convenience to access her trust fund for the much needed money. But as their forced proximity during renovations reignites all their old passions, and before long, they find themselves enjoying each other’s company more than they enjoy their daydreams of revenge and inflicting personal injury. Sexy and sweet, while still full of heart, humor, and longing, Tarah DeWitt has knocked it out of the park again with this one!

This was such an enjoyable read from start to finish! I absolutely loved the characters. They were well-written and so easy to root for, and the plot kept me hooked the entire time. It included some of my favorite tropes, which made the story even better. The pacing was perfect, and the writing style was engaging without ever feeling overdone. This was my first time reading something by this author, but it definitely won’t be my last—I’m already looking forward to diving into more of her work!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

In The Co-op, LaRynn and Deacon’s grandmothers found love when they moved into neighboring apartments. When they both pass after a beautiful life together, their (now shared) home is left to LaRynn and Deacon. They haven’t had a good relationship since a failed summer fling as teenagers, so the renovation and sale of the house together won’t be easy.

I loved this second-chance romance! I thought Deacon and LaRynn’s grandmothers’ love story and the emotions behind restoring their home together added such a charged backdrop to the story. And I loved uncovering LaRynn and Deacon’s pasts to learn the story of how their relationship unraveled to begin with. I adore a marriage of convenience and this one was so good! The tension and build up were written so well. And the banter was top notch!

Give The Co-op a read if you enjoy :
- Second chance romance
- Marriage of convenience
- Forced proximity
- Enemies to lovers

I absolutely adore this book and these characters! As a Bay Area native it was cool that the setting was in Santa Cruz! Made this story hit more close to home.

This was such a fun, feel-good read that I got through in 24 hours because I couldn’t put it down! I found myself smiling & laughing throughout this story.

These characters have so much depth and I truly fell in love with them as a couple. They have so much chemistry!


Tarah DeWitt does not disappoint!!

On the heels of loss and residual resentment, dating back to puberty, LaRynn moves in with Deacon to help remodel their late Grandmothers' home. Although the start off on the wrong foot, it's only a matter of time before the two find attraction, chemistry, and common ground as they navigate grief and the aftermath of their favorite family members' passing. Clearly, the love their Grandmothers had for each other stayed with the home they put so much of it into. Will LaRynn and Deacon get over their past offenses and find the kind of love they watched between their Grandmothers as teenagers?

Unfortunately, some of the themes in this book were not particularly my cup of tea. However, I believe Tarah Dewitt exemplified the continuation of a strained teenage romance in the lives of two adults very well. For those that enjoy that kind of ravaging romance, this book will be a good time with its innuendos and rising sexual tension.

This book made me giddy and filled with butterflies! Slow burn x marriage of convenience are some of my favorite tropes. Tarah knocked this one out of the park! Loved the call backs to Funny Story!
5/5

I have mixed feelings on how I want to review this book also. On one hand, I did find the plot entertaining. I do love a good enemies to lovers/second chance romance. There is also a fake marriage thrown in, and while I love that as well, I wasn’t a fan of how it was handled in this book for some reason. It was like it was skimmed over in certain ways, but also not, since it was a big deal to maintaining it look good for Deacon’s mom. The romance in general had a bit of a weird ick factor for me since their grandmothers had a relationship. I know they aren’t in any way related, but still. Weird. I also found LaRynn super immature. This entire book is basically how these two have zero communication skills with each other, adding to the immaturity factor of LaRynn.

It definitely had good moments too. I was entertained throughout. I liked the forced proximity and some of the banter. It had a small town feel, which I always enjoy. The spice factor was up there and I really enjoyed the epilogue.

Bottom Line: Read it

**I received a copy of The Co-Op from Netgalley and am leaving this review voluntarily. All opinions are my own.**

Tarah DeWitt does no wrong in my book. This book is funny and sweet and thoughtful, and I enjoyed it immensely. Tarah makes these characters real and relatable without making you too sad. I loved the FMC and FMC's history too.

There was so much to love about this book, the Grands, the flashbacks, the marriage of convenience and the project to honour your loved ones. I really related to LaRynn as a child of neglect and immense pressure. I just wish LaRynn and Deacon could communicate- but neither of them learned how. They come from upbringings where everything was felt unsaid for fear of rejection or rocking the boat, which I understood completely.

Tension, childhood secret lovers, and forced to fix up a house together!? Sign me uppppp! This story was such an emotional yet fun ride. I really enjoyed reading about Larynx and Deacon along with all of the side characters.
Highly recommend this story!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.

After reading 2 of her books last year, I realized this could go either way. I could be obsessed with it, like I felt with Savor It, or I could feel a little underwhelmed like I did with Funny Feelings. I'm happy to announce that this book was really good! It was a second chance romance, dual timeline, exes (so dislike) to friends to lovers. Or maybe they weren't actually ever friends, because they both still had feelings for one another even though they felt hurt and dislike at the same time. This story was such a fun read, and it was really cool to see the growth from both main characters from when they were younger, to present day. I honestly can't wait for her next release! 4 stars.

I’m gonna be honest here, I DNFed this book around 30%. I thought the concept was great and I was quite excited to start this! The characters drove me CRAZY and I was not invested in their growth.

I’m a huge fan of everything Tarah DeWitt writes, and The Co-op is no exception! I had been wanting to read this ever since it was first published, but I’m so glad I finally got around to it, especially now that it's been re-published with a stunning cover. I normally don’t love second-chance romances, but I loved it. It was hilarious, steamy, and packed with so much banter that I couldn’t put it down.

LaRynn and Deacon had a brief summer fling when they were teens, and now, a decade later, they’re forced to work together to restore a property left to them by their grandmothers. LaRynn needs to be married to access her trust so they strike a deal to get married temporarily, renovate the place, and split the profits.

What made this story stand out was the dynamic between LaRynn and Deacon. They have this hilarious, snarky chemistry, and watching them navigate their forced marriage was so entertaining. There were so many moments where I was laughing out loud, and the steam between them just built and built. I loved how the book explored the idea of restoration of the building and their relationship.

I absolutely loved this one!!! I thought Deacon and LaRynn were two complex, multifaceted characters that felt real! And their romance was just chef’s kiss. The tension!!! Will never NOT like a Tarah DeWitt book😇