I read the original version of The Co-Op by Tarah DeWitt and her updated version adds a whole new layer into this already incredible story. Tarah is such a master in creating authentic characters with organic relationships and LaRynn and Deacon were no exception. This story is filled with so much heart and heat and I absolutely love it.

I was slightly hesitant to start this one after not loving her latest, but I really, really liked The Co-Op. The pacing was great, the characters were well developed, and the story line was fun. I think I will work through her backlist now!

Despite the premise of this story being a little bananas, this was such a fun book to read! The banter between LaRynn and Deacon is hilarious, and they played off each other really well. There wasn't a ton of spice, but those scenes packed quite a punch. This was my first read from Tarah DeWitt, and I will certainly seek her out in the future.

LaRynn and Deacon inherit a house from their grandmothers and have to decide whether they’d like to sell or keep it. The house is in shambles, which means that renovations are a must. Former childhood friends, LaRynn and Deacon have both grown apart with age, and a childhood mishap that left them contactless and definitely not friendly.

I loved the enemies to friends trope, as well as the banter. Definitely a bit spicy. One of my favorite books by Tarah DeWitt!

It took me a while to get into this one. The use of miscommunication trope was very strongly used which kinda made me not like the main characters as much. I get it their parents weren’t good role models for healthy communication in a relationship but they could have looked at other relationships like their grandmothers for that. Also I found the part where the buyer just let them out of the sale of the house very unbelievable. Seriously the housing market is crazy these days.

This second-chance golden-retriever-boyfriend and black-cat-girlfriend rom-com contains a great combination of enemies-to-lovers and marriage-of-convenience tropes, with deeper layers of restoration, not only of homes but relationships. Too many dashes in my sentence? Too bad, you should be dashing to read it instead! Seriously, a heartwarming and lovely read though there were some things I wish I had vibed better with. For fans of “How To Lose a Guy In 10 Days”.

After reading "Savor It" back in May, I was obsessed with Tarah DeWitt’s manner of writing. She captures the essence of her characters and the story she is telling and touches the soul. While I prefer her other book, this has a special place in my heart.

This story is actually the book she began after her debut Rootbound but she didn’t get the chance to finish it when there was a demand for Funny Feelings. It was released in 2022, but it has been re-released in 2024, with tweaked – or you could say “renovated” haha! – and bonus content added. Now, as someone who has not read the original, I cannot compare but I just know that it has been redone well because of how much I love this.

DeWitt considers this her favourite work, and I can see why in terms of the story itself. There are very raw heartfelt moments and those who have had experiences like strained relationships with family or still harbouring feelings for someone will find this rather relatable. Both LaRynn and Deacon go through these things. I wish I could put into words how much their dynamic meant to me, because it felt so realistic: seeing two broken people misinterpret each other so much when they were younger, trying to play it cool, to them years later eventually allowing their barriers to come down, seeing the real sides of themselves and embracing their flaws. And their flaws were so well-defined, so human, I just want to hug them both!

Tarah DeWitt hooks you into this book so well through the prologue. The date the story is set is “Some Wednesday in May” where LaRynn is marrying Deacon. This firstly, sets the scene and tension because a wedding is considered one of the most important days of a person’s life so by describing as some Wednesday shows LaRynn’s feelings: that it is strictly business, not a special day, therefore the details do not matter. Secondly, it makes you immediately want to read more, as it is established that she is getting married to the man who broke her heart nearly a decade ago, and it’s like “Wait whaaat? What happened? How did it come to this?” – this was done excellently! The momentum after that was neither here nor there for me and only picked up around the halfway point when they became more communicative and open.

In a lot of ways, this book reminded me of the contemporary romance I read earlier this year called "The Ex Vows" by Jessica Joyce. Interestingly, this book was also planned to be released earlier and contained a dual timeline. It also reminds me of "The Reno" by Maggie Grant, another 5-star read which is about renovation and strained relationships with parents, too!

A few things that made this a 4 star instead of 5:
🠚I feel the time-jumping was confusing at times, and then the “Before” sections stop some time well before the end, and I think the buildup should have been more progressive and less telling at once.
🠚LaRynn’s character irritated me at times, especially in Chapter 13 when she overdoes the spending of the budget and buys ridiculous things without consulting Deacon (particularly when they share the budget). I understand, especially the more you read, that this is her way of healing her inner self and giving herself comfort she never had (furniture for a permanent home because her parents were always moving place to place). She does deserve to have nice things but she was being unreasonable. She could also be rather petty and it was too petty for me.
🠚I didn’t vibe with when Mrs. Gold and Deacon’s mother find the pair of them canoodling in the shed. It was amusing, don’t get me wrong, but it felt too silly for my liking. I wanted them to have that moment to themselves.

WOW. Fantastic character development, beautiful prose, dreamy chemistry, and a relationship that truly came to life - it had everything I love. It's been a LONG time since I've loved a romantic comedy *this* much. So many lines had me laughing out loud, and a few even got me a bit teary. Absolutley will be recommending to my audience and friends! I can't wait to read more from Tarah DeWitt!

Point blank I really enjoyed this one. This was my second by Tarah DeWitt & after not loving Savor It, I was a little nervous about this one. But I was pleasantly surprised. The first 15-20% or so seemed a bit slow & reminded me a lot of Savor It, but I’m glad I stuck it through because it really picked up quickly after that & I was fully on board with these characters & this story!

If you’ve been here for a while you know I am an absolute puddle for character development & holy heck Deacon (who I called Declan for like the first 60%...reading is hard) & LaRynn had some of the best growth & development I’ve ever read. It really took this from a 3-3.5 for me to a solid 4, probably higher. I thought that LaRynn & Deacon had crazy good chemistry & the banter was incredible. The $90 pillow had a cracking up. I also really enjoyed their background & how the second-chance aspect of the story was handled. Sometimes second-chance isn’t totally believable, but this was the perfect way to handle the trope.

As much as I enjoyed it I did struggle with the level of miscommunication in this one. Maybe the mis- isn’t the right prefix. It was just…lack of communication. But I go back & forth on this because as frustrating as it got at times, it did always feel…justified? A lot of the lack in communication simmered back to mental health & each character working on overcoming something that that either didn’t feel ready to talk about with the other, or couldn’t add something else to their plate.

But at the end of the day I was still bawling on an international flight & tears are always a good thing for me when I’m reading.

Bottom Line: I really enjoyed this! Like I said I was a little hesitant but so glad I read this one. I’m not going to lie, the last 40% or so was giving me strong Beach Read vibes with the banter & chemistry. & that is my all time favorites, so take that as you will for this book. & bonus: I haven’t read Funny Feeling but apparently there is a cameo/reference. So excited to read that one in the future & come back to this one to finally get it!

The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt is the story of Deacon and LaRynn who had a relationship in their youth and came together again as adults. The story is a pleasant read with a fair amount of spice. I enjoyed the characters and their work in renovating the house and appreciated the backstory of the grandmothers.

I read this book at a busy time so it was nice to just read a few pages at night and in the morning and visit with these characters. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. The Co-op is available now.

I really enjoyed this story! I am a sucker for forced proximity and marriage of convenience so I knew I would love this book. I love LaRynn and Deacon!

This was not my first book by DeWitt and I so loved Savor It so I had I think too high of expectations for this one. I will continue to recommend Savor It over this one that I found a bit clunky in comparison.

👉🏻 For my friends who enjoy slow-starting, disjointed but steamy stories with loads of miscommunication.

Thanks, @stmartinspress, for the advanced review copy via #NetGalley. (Available now)

Have you ever walked through a flipped house and noticed while the fresh paint and new cabinet fixtures looked nice, the floors were still uneven?

“LaRynn and Deacon had a summer fling when they were teens. But a decade later, when their grandmothers leave them with shared ownership of their dilapidated building, they're thrust back together. LaRynn has the money, but to access her trust, she has to be married. Deacon has the construction expertise but lacks the funds. They agree to marry for however long it takes to fix up the property, collect a profit, and cut ties.”

This book was originally published in 2022, but the author rewrote some parts and republished it. While it had wonderful promise, yearning, and steam, it just never found its footing. I’d be bored for pages, then intrigued, then bored…it just never captured my attention or evened out. I loved her last book, SAVOR IT, but this one was a miss for me.

With all that said, I will be first in line to nab a copy of her next novel, LEFT OF FOREVER, in May 2025!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffith for my copy. All thoughts are my own.

I’m gonna keep this review simple: I LOVED THIS BOOK. I didn’t read the original indie published version and I’ve read the author’s other books, but this is the first book I have LOVED. It was such a treat to read and get into the knitty gritty with with these passionate, messy, wonderful characters.

Synopsis:

“LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds had one short and contentious summer fling when they were teens—certainly nothing to build a foundation on. But a decade later, when their grandmothers have left them with shared ownership of their dilapidated Santa Cruz building, they're thrust back together and have to figure out how to brace up the pieces.LaRynn has the money, but in order to access her trust, she has to be married. Deacon has the construction expertise, but lacks the funds. A deal is struck: Marry for however long it takes to fix up the property, collect a profit, and cut ties.Thrust into a home without walls, LaRynn and Deacon quickly learn that it's easy to hide behind emotional ones, even in a marriage. But with all the exposure and pitfalls that come with living with the opposite sex (and none of the perks, much to their growing mutual frustration) they'll also have to learn what it means to truly cooperate as a team.Filled with crackling tension, The Co-op is a steamy second chance romance about restoration and renovation, and uncovering all the things that build character within ourselves. It's about the never-ending construction project that partnership is, and finding enjoyment at every stage.” —NetGalley

What I Liked:

The Setting—For someone who has only lived on the East Coast, I sure do have an obsession with the Pacific Northwest. I feel like I was made to live in Oregon/Washington and loved getting to spend time in this area again.

The Writing—I don’t know what Tarah put in these words, but sentence after sentence had me squealing, tearing up, clutching my heart as it squeezed. So so beautiful.

The Characters’ Connection—I love them and will do anything to protect them and their love.

What Didn’t Work for Me:

Nothing. 5 Gorgeous Stars.

Character Authenticity: 5/5 Spice Rating: 3/5 Overall Rating: 5/5

Content Warnings:

estranged relationship with parents, grief, abandonment, death of a parent

I really enjoyed this book! I saw several people comparing it to Beach Read, which is one of my favorite books; so this one had big shoes to fill. And I think as far as character development, it definitely got close. Usually I really struggle with miscommunication and it definitely isn't my favorite, but the petty plots were entertaining. That being said, the actual plot here felt a bit frazzled. The "second chance" storyline sort of disappears and the marriage of convenience portion is pretty minimal. Overall, pretty enjoyable read!

I don’t typically enjoy dual timelines and miscommunication tropes but this was done very well.

LaRynn and Deacon fell in love in their teen years at their grandmothers house, and this story brings them back to that place. They have to grieve the loss of their two grandmothers and decide whether or not they will fix the house that holds so many memories for them.

i truly do worship the ground tarah dewitt walks on because what do you mean she made a perfect book even better and more perfect than i could have ever imagined???

the additions to this story felt like they were always meant to be part of deacon and larynn's love story and it just squeezed my heart to smithereens!!!! the "then" chapters added such depth and context to their epic second chance romance and it had me squealing getting to know their angsty teenage lore firsthand.

you can rest assured however that this is still the story we know and love, but just with some interior updates hehe

to reiterate my original review: tarah is still ruining my life one book at a time! deacon and larynn still invented the slow burn "it's always been you but we're a little scared so let's pretend to hate each other" second chance, marriage of INconvenience kind of love, and it STILL is so perfect.

thank you to st. martin's press and netgalley for this earc, it's out now!!!!

I really really enjoyed this book! It was such a cute premise and the banter and tension was off the charts, I loved all the side characters and that we got a deeper look into their lives outside of their relationship with each other. I’m quickly realizing that Tarah is an instant buy author for me. Her stories are so cute and such easy reads, but they truly have so much heart. Highly recommend to anyone!

Thank you to net galley for providing the arc.

So I’m a person who finds second chance romance very very hit or miss. And this unfortunately, was the ladder.

LaRynn as a character was very hard to connect with, she didn’t rly take a lot of accountability for how she contributed to making Deacon feel the way he did until like the last 30 pages? Unbelievably spoiled through and through to the point where by the third or fourth argument they are having (because god forbid they actually effectively communicate with each other) I was just skimming through this shit.

The grands were very sweet and I love me a marriage of convience, but IT WASNT NEEDED!!! LIKE AT ALL!!!! THEY WERE ALREADY TOGETHER!!! THE DAD NEVER SHOWS UP!!! WE NEVER SEE WHETHER OR NOT THE MARRIAGE ACTUALLY HELPED THEM IN ACHIEVING THE GOAL OF THE TRUST FUND!!

Sally is an icon. And the ending was sweet and almost made me tear up, but everything else just made me want to check this book across the damn room. Only reason it’s getting a two is cause sally, and the ending.

The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt is a beautifully layered tale of second chances, unexpected partnerships, and the art of rebuilding—not just homes but hearts. Set against the backdrop of a dilapidated Santa Cruz building, the story masterfully weaves LaRynn and Deacon's turbulent past with their present predicament, creating a narrative as compelling as it is heartwarming.
The characters are vividly drawn, with LaRynn's sharp wit and Deacon's rugged charm making for a dynamic pairing. Their chemistry crackles with tension, humor, and an undercurrent of unresolved emotions, making them relatable to anyone who has experienced the complexities of love. DeWitt skillfully balances their banter with moments of vulnerability, showcasing how these two individuals, scarred by their pasts, slowly dismantle their emotional walls.
The renovation metaphor is brilliantly executed, with each project step mirroring their journey toward understanding and trust. The unique challenges of their marriage-of-convenience arrangement add depth and keep the story engaging, blending moments of frustration, tenderness, and undeniable attraction. The book's ability to evoke a range of emotions will keep readers fully engaged in the story.
DeWitt's prose shines with wit and warmth, and the Santa Cruz setting adds a charming, sun-soaked atmosphere to the narrative. The Co-op doesn't shy away from exploring the complexities of relationships, reminding readers that true partnership is as much about compromise and cooperation as it is about passion and connection.
This book is a delightful mix of humor, heart, and heat, making it a must-read for fans of contemporary romance. It's a story that leaves readers smiling with a renewed appreciation for the messy, beautiful work of building love from the ground up. It will inspire readers to look at love in a new light.

Alright…this was not my favorite book by this author, but it was still okay! I just expected more and I feel like there were still so many unanswered questions at the end. I just wanted more….