This book would be a great read for someone who enjoys some DIY themes, marriage of convenience, and second chance romances. Luckily, I am that someone. The Co-Op was a fun read, with witty banter and great tension (and then some great spice).

I do feel like the plot felt a little slow at times, but overall it was an enjoyable read and I will recommend it to others looking for a fun romance read.

Thank you to Tara Dewitt and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

LaRynn and Deacon, grandchildren by marriage of their “grands,” spent holidays and summers together, and had a short but contentious fling as teens. At the end of the summer before leaving for college one says ”I love you” and the other doesn’t. Fast forward a decade and the grands have passed on, leaving them with shared ownership of their dilapidated Santa Cruz home. They’re forced to come back together to repair the building and their crumbled relationship, when neither have had great examples of healthy marriages from their own parents. This is a slow-burn, second-chance, forced proximity romance about the never-ending project of marriage and peeling back the layers of family trauma to come together again.

<b> “People aren’t houses or projects. You can’t disassemble them and find out how they operate, identify their broken bits and replace them. You can do your best to understand them as they are, but…people change. They grow. They learn. They just…are.” </b>

I loved the banter between LaRynn and Deacon, all their silly little ways of getting under one another’s skin, and how they had to learn to cohabitate together.

<b> “Maybe I’ll draw the outline of a middle finger using my hair on the shower wall, I think. Put the toilet paper roll on backward. Maybe I’ll go spend another grand on bobby pins and a leaf blower and spread them across his entire half of the door, Rambo-style.” </b> 😂😂

The toilet shopping scene had me laughing out loud, and their constant teasing of one another throughout the renovation had the tension wound so tight! 🔥

It took me a good while to warm up to LaRynn. The first half of the book she just seems so insufferable, even as a teen, but as you start to see into her past you realize why she has put up so many walls to protect herself. My biggest turn-off with this book was just that it was one long miscommunication trope. If they had just communicated with each other AT ALL so many of their issues wouldn’t have been issues between them. Most of their trust problems lie with their parents and not as much with one another, but they project it onto one another. They both were so in love with the other, but then would tell them it was nothing. It drove me crazy. <b> Just open up already! </b>

I also had a hard time with the writing style, in that with the time jumps back and forth, and the dual POV, if you stopped mid-chapter it was easy to lose what time they were in and which person’s perspective you were reading. It just didn’t feel like there was a big enough difference between the times (since they’re both in the same setting) to make a distinct difference, and I found myself flipping back to the beginning of the chapter so many times to figure out who and when it was.

Overall, it was a really entertaining read and I enjoyed so much of it, but Tarah DeWitt’s Homebound and Savor It still hold my top spots for her stories.

I am not usually a fan of second chance romance tropes but Tarah DeWitt's The Co-op has me rethinking everything. I absolutely loved this book. LaRynn and Deacon are *chef's kiss.* I love that LaRynn is not the typical romcom heroine, she's sharp, sarcastic, and doesn't let everyone in. Deacon has to break down her walls throughout the book all while they renovate a duplex in Santa Cruz. So good!

I'm such a sucker for second chance romances, and The Co-op definitely hit all the right notes. Tarah DeWitt is such a talented author—this book was well-written, full of emotion, and had just the right amount of spice without ever taking over the story.

The Co-op is a steamy, heartwarming story about two people who are forced to confront their past and their feelings for each other. LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds had a short, fiery summer fling when they were teens that ended in heartache for both of them. A decade later, they're thrust together by their late grandmothers, who left them with joint ownership of a dilapidated home in Santa Cruz. LaRynn has the money, but to access her trust, she has to be married...Deacon has the construction expertise, but lacks the funds. They strike a deal to marry, fix up the property, and part ways once it's all finished.

What follows is a journey of unexpected emotions, as they’re forced to spend more and more time together, navigating a marriage that’s supposed to be temporary but quickly becomes something much deeper. 😏 I loved watching them rebuild not just the building, but their relationship! While I would’ve loved to see more of their first romance and the angst of their separation, the slow-burn tension between them in the present more than made up for it.

The FMC being tall was a nice touch too—it's always refreshing to see a taller heroine in romance!!

Plus, who doesn't love a good construction romance? There’s something about that dynamic that always gets me. And I adored that their grandmothers were a couple—it added such a beautiful layer to the story. I just wish we could have gotten more of them and their story—they seemed so fun. 💘

A big thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and Tarah DeWitt for the ARC—I’m so glad I got to read this one!

Overall, another great read from Tarah DeWitt. If you’re a fan of second chances, construction romance, and characters who are learning how to love (and be loved), this one’s for you.

3.5⭐️

Oh man this is hard because I absolutely ADORE LaRynn and Deacon. I love their story and I loved every character in this book. The intimate scenes had my heart bursting, whether they were spicy or just the two of them being blabbering messes.

It was real and raw and cute but this dragged on for way too long.. I love slow burns, don’t get me wrong but this just felt like it was forced. There was way too much telling and not enough showing. I felt like I was being told everything about them instead of actually experiencing it, which is such a bummer because there was so much to feel had only we’d been given that chance.

I am obsessed with Tarah DeWitt's writing and characters - and this book is no exception. I have loved The Co-Op since I received an ARC of the indie publication and somehow she made it even better. The story is at once tender and heartfelt while being gritty and honest. I loved the characters, the setting, the plot, the dual POV, dual timelines -- everything! I wasn't sure how she could make this better than the original, but it felt new and fresh while still being familiar.

To be honest, it took me forever to become invested in this book. The premise is interesting, and the characters are fairly well rounded. It just…. didn’t capture my attention. I loved Deacon and LaRynne separately; I couldn’t love them together. There were so many misunderstandings for over half of the book, then when communication was open I feel like it was sometimes used as a weapon. They brought out the worst in eachother and the last part where they were open… well, it just didn’t make up for it. That’s just my opinion. Coversely, it has great characters, a good plot and a pretty goold flow to the story. The sexual chemistry was believable. It just wasn’t for me. I’m going to give it a three- not bad, just not my favorite.

⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 3 out of 5.
As far as adult content goes, there is language, drinking and sexual content. I would say this is geared towards New Adults (who will definitely enjoy the narrative of the past) and adults.


I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this book from Netgalley and St Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!

I enjoyed this book. I liked the storyline, and the FMC grew on me as the book went on. It’s a feel good story that has a nice HEA.

I have to officially say that I like the second-chance romance trope, which is done extremely well in this story! I liked how LaRynne and Deacon's initial breakup was believable. Their insecurities and past trauma kept them from being able to have a healthy relationship and I enjoyed reading them grow from that and work through those emotions.

I love a home makeover plot and kind of wish there was more of that in here, but it was nonetheless a great setup. The small-town vibe was also really fun.

If the synopsis sounds interesting to you, then I don't think there's any way you won't enjoy this story. It had fantastic writing, a great plot, a steamy romance, and lovely emotional moments.

Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

In The Co-Op, a man and woman, whose grandmas were married to each other, are reunited when they inherit the grandmas’ house and have to renovate it in order to put it in the market. These two had something when they were teens and now they hate each other so you can see where this is going. Enemies to lovers, close proximity, you know the drill. Oh, and throw in a fake marriage to get an inheritance. All the tropes. It was cute with some heavier moments about their upbringings and struggles. And lots of 🔥. I enjoyed the flashback chapters to learn more about why they are the way they are now. A little fluffy cute romcom.

LaRynn and Deacon are reunited by their grandmothers years after a youthful summer of passion and heartbreak. Tasked with renovating a house they’ve inherited, their unresolved emotions simmer as they navigate their shared past and present.

My favorite part of this book was how vividly the Grands’ presence lingered, even long after they were gone. LaRynn’s and Deacon’s deep connections with their grandmothers were beautifully portrayed, and the home renovation served as a heartfelt tribute to their memory. However, I felt disconnected to the story at times due to the execution of the dual POV, dual timeline structure. The past timeline stood out, drawing me into their original relationship and making me invested in their origin story. That said, I missed the tension and playful banter that I’ve come to expect from DeWitt’s writing. Overall, this was a sweet and charming read that left me smiling.

Readers who enjoy:
+ second chance romance
+ marriage of convenience
+ dislike to love
+ she’s mean, but a secret softie
+ he can’t stop doing things with his hands
+ dual POV
+ dual timeline

Thank you Griffin for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

3.5 ⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the early access read of this book. Overall, I really enjoyed the first 70% of the book. I am a sucker for second chance and dual timeline books, as well as some good forced proximity. However, I didn’t really connect with the FMC LaRynn and found her behaviors to be pretty immature. Though you do see some growth from her throughout the book. I did really enjoy Deacon’s character, especially in the ways he looked out for others. The book took a turn for me towards the end, where it seemed the author was trying to pack as much spice as possible into the last 15% and things resolved so suddenly. This brought it down from a true 4⭐️ for me. I am still excited to read other works from Tarah DeWitt.

Deacon and LaRynn had their share of ups and downs, both together, and as individuals. I loved getting to know them and their relationship through flashbacks to when they were teens and young adults. They felt real and relatable. The angst was angsting and the tension was tensioning between them and the slow burn was just simmering there, adding to it! I just enjoyed this book! Their banter and the pranks were all so so good.

I absolutely loved everything about this book!!!! I am a sucker for second chance, marriage of convenience and enemies to lovers so this was the perfect storm.

One of my favorite parts of this story though was the pacing. It was never rushed. I loved how everything came together and the alternating timelines between the past and the present was really well done.

4/5 (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)
Book: The Co-Op by Tarah DeWitt
Genre: Romance

I had such a fun time reading "The Co-Op" by Tararh DeWitt. It is the kind of romance that hits you right in the feels, capturing the messy, beautiful journey of love and second chances. LaRynn and Deacon's story is a rollercoaster of emotions that will make you laugh and cry.

The pure magic of this book lies in how it explores two people who were once so shy about their feelings that they let an incredible connection slip away. Fast forward a few years, and fate throws them back together with a plot twist - a marriage of convenience to renovate and sell a shared summer house. The banter, the tension, the slow-burn romance was amazing. Almost every moment between LaRynn and Deacon feels so authentic that you can't help but see yourself in their journey of growth, miscommunication, and ultimately, understanding. It is a beautiful exploration of how time, maturity, and a little bit of unexpected proximity can transform two people who were always meant to find their way back to each other. If you love romance that makes you feel all the emotions, then please read this book!

Thank you SO much to @netgalley and @smpromance for sending me the beautiful ARC of #TheCOOP #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Alright so first things first - I loved this book. I read it in one sitting (and stayed up way too late to do so!). I loved the premise, the second chance at love and the fact that they had a summer fling as young adults that they didn't know how to handle well.

LaRynn is very insular, with parents who were too caught up in their own crap to see how they were affecting their daughter. Deacon was also dealing with parent issues that left him insecure and scared to voice his emotions. It was not a recipe for a good relationship. But life brings them back together and forces them to deal with their past from both of their perspectives. I think this was the key to the story being successful. They both did wrong and were young, so they didn't realize how things affected the other one. I loved the happy ending to the story.

I appreciated that these were adults who had the maturity to own up to their actions and grow from their mistakes. The one thing that I will say was a negative for me (and the reason for the four stars) is that the internal dialogue at times dragged. I found myself skimming until the story picked up again. Other than that, it was a great book!

Spicy, male female, second chance, contemporary romance. This couple could be frustrating at times (lots of miscommunication), but ultimately I was rooting for them. An easy read with fun banter and a happy ending.

“𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆,” 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏. “𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒎𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒐 𝒈𝒐𝒅𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒔𝒆.

MY HEART! This book. Seriously 🥹🥹🥹 Okay, let’s get into it. This story is about two people, LaRynn and Deacon, who were together for one summer. They were both so shy about communicating their feelings that things ended… badly. Fast forward a few years later, and fate (plus a summer house neither wants to let go of) throws them back together. The perfect solution? Get married, renovate the house, and sell it for more money. Totally normal, right? LOL 💍🛠️

The emotions in this book hit SO close to home!! At 20 something, let’s be real..most of us didn’t know how to fully express our feelings. Opening up was hard. Reading this really took me back to that time in my life, and it hit me right in the feels 😭😭 The way the author captured how much a few years can change someone was incredible. You see their “growing up” glow up and how they maneuver their lingering feelings from the past to finally get closer and move forward. ✨

And LaRynn and Deacon? SO PERFECT. 😍 The banter between them had me hooked. The back and forth, even in the middle of their fake wedding, was chef’s kiss. 👌 Oh, and let’s not forget LaRynn showing up to their wedding in a black dress?! ICONIC 😂

This book is a heartwarming, funny, and emotional rollercoaster, and I LOVED every second of it. 🫶

𝑴𝒚 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆, 𝒎𝒚 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍, 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒔𝒔, 𝒎𝒚 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒏𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆. 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒅𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆, 𝒇𝒊𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏.

Not only that, but this book really dives into how insecurities can shape someone’s perspective to the point where two people can experience the same moment and take away completely different meanings 🥺💔 It’s such a powerful reminder that communication is ✨EVERYTHING!✨

𝑩𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒔. 𝑰𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑰’𝒎 𝒊𝒏 𝒑𝒂𝒊𝒏, 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝑰’𝒎 𝒃𝒆𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝒎𝒚 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒈𝒐𝒅𝒅𝒂𝒎𝒏 𝒇𝒖𝒓𝒚

I recommend this book to anyone who loves wearing their heart on their sleeve 💕 Yes, there will be bumps along the way that will tug at your heartstrings and make you feel every emotion, but by the end? It’s so insanely beautiful that you’ll just sit there like, I can’t even. 😭

tropes
🔨 summer fling
🔨 marriage of convenience
🔨 friends to lovers
🔨 second chance
🔨 forced proximity

things I liked ˋ°•*⁀➷
-their wedding
-the throw pillow argument
-washing machine scene hehe
-his reaction about flirting
-adams family costume
-the curtain divider

The Co-op is a light, steamy rom-com with a unique premise—two people forced to cohabitate and marry to renovate a dilapidated building. LaRynn and Deacon’s past fling fuels their chemistry, and the forced proximity sets the stage for plenty of tension. The premise is fun, and the dynamic between the characters is engaging, with Deacon’s construction expertise balancing well with LaRynn’s financial prowess.

However, while the plot had great potential, I felt like it didn’t quite reach its full depth. The pacing was uneven, and some of the emotional arcs between LaRynn and Deacon felt a bit rushed or underdeveloped. Their back-and-forth, while entertaining, didn’t fully convince me of the emotional connection that would justify the more serious moments of the story. The forced marriage trope is fun, but I would have liked to see a bit more growth and conflict to give their relationship more weight.

The setting and premise of restoring a property as a metaphor for building a relationship had real potential, but I found myself wanting a bit more emotional depth to match the steamy, funny moments. Overall, The Co-op is an enjoyable, quick read, but it left me wishing for more complexity in both the characters and their journey.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the arc.

It should be noted that this book was printed with another publisher beforehand a few years ago, and this 2024 version is an updated version of the book with some small details changed.

I thought this was another fun and sexy read from Tarah DeWitt. I enjoyed the romantic chemistry in this book. Tarah Dewitt is quickly becoming a popular romance author among the likes of Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez among others.

I recommend this book if you enjoy romance novels as much as I do! I am looking forward to Tarah's next book!