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….

i loved this one so much!! i can never go wrong with tarah!!!!!! the main characters were absolutely amazing and i found myself falling in love with both of them and i finished in one sitting!

DNF'd this book about 10% in. Just overall too slow for me, nothing ground-breaking and didn't think it was worth my time to continue. I've heard mixed reviews of this author before and I am unlikely to pick-up another book of hers again.

LaRynn and Deacon had a summer fling years ago that ended badly so neither is thrilled when they become the joint inheritors of their grandmothers’ house. Neither have much money so they are forced to reside in the home together while they fix it up and end up in a marriage of convenience to access LaRynn’s trust fund to pay for the renovations. The pair are still deeply attracted to one another but don’t quite know how to express their true feelings to one another.

I can’t emphasize enough how nice it was to have a romance where the two leads are on the page together for at least 90% of the story and when they are not together the other’s presence is felt. Their story as a couple never got lost in the weeds of the renovation or the side characters, which was just absolutely refreshing. I really liked both LaRynn and Deacon and each of their POVs had a distinct voice. The tension between the pair was palpable from the beginning and I loved that we also got their original fling as interstitial chapters rather than cramming it all into a prologue or just making vague references to it. I’m going to have to read more books by Tarah.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Second-chance, forced proximity, and marriage of convenience all in one book? What more do you need!
My third Tarah Dewitt novel and man are her books a jolly fun time. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for my review!

A complicated history, a marriage of convenience, and inheriting the co ownership of their grandmothers' dilapidated building, can these two people who get under each other's skin manage to make this marriage work? LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds had a short summer fling when they were teens that ended badly.... and now a decade later they have to face each other again since their grandmothers have left them shared ownership of their dilapidated Santa Cruz building. LaRynn and Deacon get under each other's skin like no one else, yet when their grandmothers both pass they both now have to deal with the building they were both left. LaRynn has the money to help fix it but in order to get access to her trust she has to be married... and Deacon has construction expertise but has no money, so they strike up a deal to get married, fix and sell the place, and then get divorced. Yet they are also now living together as they work on fixing the building and now have to ace their past feelings as well as their new romance.... but can they make it work once everything is out in the air or was it meant to end from the beginning. Here's the thing, I loved Tarah's previous works and books and this is a complete rewrite of her previous work, however this one was a miss for me. I really could not stand LaRynn at all, she was such a childish and selfish FMC and honestly I have no idea what Deacon every saw in her. For two people in their 30s, they acted like children, and honestly everything LaRynn did just infuriated me, especially the throw pillow incident and the toothbrush thing. I just could not like this couple despite how hard I tried and sadly this was a miss for me. I do love Tarah's writing and will be reading her future work, this one just didn't really hit the spot for me in particular. While it didn't work for me, if you like second chance romances maybe give this a go.

Release Date: November 12,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

"You cannot still call her Larry. You can’t call your wife Larry.”

"You called me your husband.”
"Like that, did you?”
"I f*cking loved it.”

“And you won’t hate me again someday?”
"Hate you? LaRynn, I never hated you. I don’t think I could have. You want to know what I hate? I hate that I married you on some nothing Wednesday, in a short-sleeve shirt and jeans. You deserve a Saturday, Rynn. You deserve the Friday night that leads into the entire Saturday, and the whole Sunday in bed after.”

This book was so freaking good! Definitely my favorite read of the month! I loved all of the feelings we reading about Declan and LaRynn renovating their grandmothers’ apartment. No, they are not related, but their grandmothers had gotten remarried to each other. I liked that the two of them had history when they were younger, and that their relationship was left unresolved. The banter was everything in this book. I loved how the two of them had to navigate renovating the apartment and having to deal with living with each other in such a small and complicated space. I really liked that this book was a slow burn romance. Communication was done really well between Declan and LaRynn. When they finally worked through and talked over their struggles and their emotions with each other, everything clicked and place and came together. The steamy scenes were so perfect in this book! I loved how much you could see the love between the two of them! I feel like this is one of the first romance books that you can actually see a realistic couple and how they navigate the real world. I’m honestly sad that the book is over as I could have totally kept reading about their day to day lives lol!

Read if you like:
Dual POVs
Second chance romance
Forced proximity
Renovation romance
Slow burn
Childhood lovers
Enemies to friends to lovers
Open door romance
All the feels
Flashback chapters
No third act breakup

This was a DNF for me... Honestly after the first couple of chapters I felt like i knew all there was to know about the characters and it just wasn't enough for me to keep reading! Also I felt like the characters needed serious therapy and the banter was confusing? In an odd turn of events lol.

I am LaRynn and LaRynn is me. I loved this book so much more than I thought I would and I'm really glad I gave it another chance,

The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars
🔥🔥 - 4 spicy scenes, moderate details

[ thank you @stmartinspress for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own! ]

PUB DATE: November 12, 2024 (out now!)

THOUGHTS:

Read if you like:
•marriage of convenience
•second chance
•roommates
•forced proximity
•slow burn
•dual pov

This was my first DeWitt novel and I liked this one! I know so many who rave about her novels so I was excited when I was approved for this eARC.

LaRynn and Deacon. I’m not always a fan of second chance romance but loved this for them! Through in marriage of convenience and the roommates tropes, tensions were high between them! 🔥

The way they slowly connected and started trusting the other, loved it. The banter was so good. I’m really glad as time went on we understand LaRynn more because she did drive me crazy just a tiny bit in the beginning.

I didn’t love this one but it still kept me entertained! I’ll definitely read more from this author. ❤️

Wow! I really enjoyed this book! I kept waiting for the inevitable misunderstanding cliffhanger that is so commonly in romance novels until I remembered that's how the book started..lol. After realizing that it was beautiful watching the story unfold and seeing the love grow and change between these characters. I give a solid ⭐⭐⭐⭐. Loved it!!