I appreciated this revised version so much! The author has a gift with the pen, and I’m so glad this couple is getting more love! This was a unique marriage of convenience, with some HGTV vibes that I adored!

There were so many goooood tropes in this book including a second chance romance, marriage of convenience, and forced proximity. When the two main characters are forced to live together at a home that their grandparents left them (they are not blood related, the grandmas were married), they plan to fix it up to sell it. But here's the catch, neither of them have money readily available, and the only money that they can get to fix the house in time, would be provided by the FMC's trust fund, which would be given to her after she gets married. Due to this, the two main characters get married to get access to the trust fund money, and are forced to live together while they fix up the house. It was an overall fun read with a lot of banter between the main characters. The main characters were both likeable (for the most part) and had a lot of layers that were peeled back as the book went on, allowing the reader to understand more about them. I'm just not a fan of the miscommunication that ended their relationship the first time, and that it took them that long to talk about it and actually want to fix the problem. So much time had passed, and even though they were teenagers when the original break up happened, they were grown adults now but they didn't really act like it. The FMC was always so petty and annoying at times with how she was acting.

Thank you to Tarah DeWitt, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

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

Tarah Dewitt is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. I really want to go back and read her blacklist just because she has a way with characters and words that really draws you in and makes you a very real part of the story. This book was absolutely no exception.

LaRynn and Deacon are blasts from the past in this second chance romance. They were both dumb teenagers at once point who grow in capable humans who are just now learning who they are. This book is so good. I wish everyone could read it.

This book checked the box of so many romance tropes,forced proximity, enemies to lovers, second chances and marriage of convenience. And it really works well. Two very flawed characters Deacon and LaRynn are left joint ownership of a house which needs repairs and the cash to make them. To access LaRynns inheritance they must marry and that is basis of the story. There is lots of tension and spice while they learn to co-exist. Probably my favorite of Tarah DeWitts romances and I hope she keeps them coming. Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press.

I am a huge Tarah DeWitt fan but this one just didn’t land as well with me as her others have. I liked the story and I thought the tropes, marriage of convenience and second chance, were well used. I liked the relationship between the main characters and it was interesting to see the way their relationship now was compared with their relationship in the past. The dual POVs and the differing timelines helped keep the story moving, though there were definitely pacing issues throughout the story. It felt like we lost the HGTV of it all for a bit, only really coming back around to the home reno part of it at the end, which was then rushed. Also not every chapter had a header telling you when it was so it was sometimes jarring to go back and forth in time but not realize that you had. This is also a me specific complaint - I absolutely hated the names of 90% of the characters in the book to the point of distraction. That being said, I’ll still read anything Tarah DeWitt writes because I love her!

Tarah DeWitt does it again 🥹 I loved everything about LaRynn and Deacon’s love story and am so glad to have been gifted an ARC copy! Thank youuuu to Tarah!!!

This was my first time reading this book so I definitely don’t know of the edits made but it was just perfect. LaRynn is our protective, grumpy, black cat FMC who is stuck living in the co-op she owns with Deacon our cinnamon roll, honest, unashamed in his love for her MMC. Their connections besides the deteriorating co-op: their grandmother’s falling in love with one another and owning the co-op, the memories they’ve built, and their never disappearing desire for one another.

The forced proximity, marriage of convenience (I don’t wanna say when but read to find out because I did not expect that twist)🤭, second chance tropes in this romance were everything and more. I genuinely finished the book wanting even MORE of LaRynn and Deacon’s love story! The black cat and the cinnamon roll made the perfect mix, who woulda thought!!!!

Every book of DeWitt’s I read, I know I won’t be left disappointed. She always packs her writing with emotion, beautiful memories from her characters, life lessons + mottos, a good amount of spice, and the most relatable characters that you can see bits and pieces of yourself/who you love/who you’d love to be in.

I have 2 songs for this one:
* All My Love by Noah Kahan (Deacon vibes)
* Sex on Fire by Kings of Leon (both but def LaRynn mainly)

I cannot wait for Left of Forever and to read more of DeWitt’s books🥹🫶🏽✨

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book!

Unfortunately, while I enjoyed the last 30% of the book, and I’ve loved Tarah DeWitt’s other books, this was a miss for me.

The biggest issue for me was that the tropes didn’t really work together. The marriage of convenience was completely unnecessary. This is told in past and present timelines, which I typically LOVE because they can add so much to the build up of the conflict, but the chapters in the past were so anticlimactic.

This book was the slowest of burns, but in the best way. It was needed in order for the relationship between Deacon and LaRynn to develop and mature. The way these two grew throughout the book was so great to read. 10/10 for character development. I especially loved getting glimpses of the two from "before" so you can see why there was animosity and hurt between the two and what they needed to work through in order to be happy. I think the biggest thing that was the issue between these two was communication, but obviously they each had their own reasons for not openly communicating and being vulnerable.

LaRynn is the black cat of the story. She is the phrase "looks like she can kill you, is a cinnamon roll." Once you get past her tough exterior and break down her walls, she is a loyal friend who you want in your corner. While she lived in the lap of luxury during childhood, that does not mean that it was good. She was often neglected by her parents and never seemed to come first. She was constantly moving which made it difficult to form friendships and ties. Because of that she felt the need to harden herself to avoid getting hurt. She was also deeply closed off and would not openly share how she was feeling, especially with Deacon in the "before."

Deacon is such a golden retriever. He seems like the embodiment of sunshine and is also extremely loyal. He is so down bad for LaRynn, which confused me as he seemed totally in love with her in both the "before" and the present. Later we learn why he made the decisions he did, which in turn caused so much hurt and dislike. Deacon knew that although LaRynn was difficult, not to give up. His time and affection paid off.

I think the fact that these two were renovating a place together was the perfect symbolism. While renovating the condo, they also were renovating their lives and growing together in order to be better for one another. They tore down walls, both metaphorically and literally, and opened up to one another about insecurities and past feelings. It was truly a beautiful love story to read. My only complaint was the I wish we got some sort of closer with LaRynn's dad as he seems to be the main source of her troubles.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Co-Op might just be my favorite second chance romance ever! This story was absolutely wonderful. While it has moments of humor, it definitely leans toward the darker side of romcoms, dealing with real-world issues like depression, abandonment, verbal abuse, and profound grief. It’s raw, heartfelt, and utterly compelling.

I adored watching LaRynn and Deacon’s journey from former flames to reluctant partners, slowly learning to be vulnerable with each other in a way they couldn’t when they were younger. The renovation of their grandmothers’ house served as a perfect backdrop for their own emotional restoration. It was beautiful to see their friendship heal and evolve while they worked together to rebuild both the house and their relationship.

The brokenness they both carried felt so real, and I loved how they supported each other through it. The story captures many forms of love, from familial to romantic, and it does so with incredible depth. The steamy romance was the perfect cherry on top of this emotional journey. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a second chance romance that’s raw, real, and full of heart.

This was a fun romance but definitely had pacing issues. The two main characters aren't even a couple til 84%. It's a slow burn but worth it in hte end. I loved the epilogue.

3.5⭐️

A sexy and fun romance with some of the best tropes! There is a perfect blend of tension and chemistry between the characters which made for some great open door spice. The witty banter between Rynn and Deacon just makes their relationship dynamic that much better, and it was so funny! The second chance trope was done really nicely, I love when it gave “it’s always been you” vibes, and the alternating timelines help you get a better understanding of LaRynn and Deacon individually and together. I really enjoyed reading about them reconnecting after years and falling in love. All the little moments between them were so snarky and cute which just made me love them together. This book does deal with some heavier topics but it’s perfectly balanced between the dislike, love, angst, and character growth. And I absolutely adored the epilogue, I loved seeing how their relationship developed in the future. Also, the friendships in this were wholesome, I just wish we got more of the background characters.

I recommend checking out this quick and cute romance!

CW: parental abandonment, past deaths of family members, emotional abuse, infidelity from side character, grief.

Deacon and LaRynn have not seen each other in nearly a decade. They met after their grandmothers got married and built a loving and safe home in the building they own. Deacon and LaRynn had a whirlwind summer where fun turned into heartfelt feelings. However, LaRynn felt the sentiments were one sided when Deacon failed to express his feelings towards her.

Fast forward almost 10 years and the “Grands” have passed away and left the building to Deacon and LaRynn. After not seeing each other for so long, they enter into an awkward agreement to renovate and then sell the Co-op. But money is tight, repairs are many and old feeling start to come to the surface. While repairing the beloved home, repairs are also being made to Deacon and LaRynn.

This book is sweet, sexy, and full of laughs even though both characters are struggling with heartbreaking past relationships: Deacon with his Dad and LaRynn with her parents. They are also struggling with the very real feelings they have for each other. I enjoyed the progression of their relationship, told with flashbacks to their incredible summer of first love. Deacon is swoony and compassionate and LaRynn is headstrong and determined as she opens her heart and learns to feel worthy of love even with her broken pieces.

“…people aren’t houses or projects. You can’t disassemble them and find out how they operate, identify their broken bits and replace them.”

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I feel it unfair to rate this book as I did not realize how much sex was involved upon requesting this book. It was only when I read the trigger warnings in the beginning of the book that this was made apparent. I’m not into spicy romance books but the plot of this book was very cute. If you don’t mind the spice check it out. My rating does not take into account the spicy elements.

It’s easy to write a 3 star romance. But this book tackles all the hard messy stuff of so many tropes and it’s so well done. Having been through a second chance romance I could relate immensely. DeWitt did a fabulous job creating this adorable community and a relationship I was cheering for the entire time. The miscommunication trope isn’t fluffy and the spice doesn’t overshadow the grief and the life lessons, but it’s definitely there and it’s GOOD. LOVE LOVE LOVED.

I received an advance review copy for free from the publisher via Netgalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I fell in love with Tarah DeWitt after reading Savor It this summer, and when I found out she was re-releasing The Co-Op, I was so excited to read it!

This is a story of second chance romance, done right. It’s normally not a trope I enjoy, but I couldn’t help but route for these two as they navigated the messy reality of being adults with past trauma and real life struggles.

My favorite part of the story was how realistic their struggles were. I felt like I could relate or empathize with them easily. I really appreciated how Tarah wrote them as flawed, they rarely handled conflict well, especially in the beginning and something about it just made me fall for these characters quickly.

Beyond that, tension was sizzling, the banter was so silly and enjoyable, and the side story of why these two were brought together again was so sweet 🥹 the character growth was also such a great part of the story. The perfect balance of wanting to do things “right”, while also teasing and taunting each other, yet fighting their natural chemistry 😏 that slow burn is always the fun part, right?

The ending and epilogue were just right. Nothing too dramatic, but still enough of a little twist that made my heart so happy ♥️

At first I was worried the main characters being enemies was going to get to me. It seemed like it could have been annoying but once the story got going I actually enjoyed the dynamic between them. I also loved Sally’s character and the subtle impact she had on the story. Overall, a great read and I look forward to reading more by Tarah Dewitt!

LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds inherit a run-down building from their respective grandmothers. The caveat? They had a brief romance ten years ago.
LaRynn has just decided to deviate from her law school path and her displeased father has cut her off leaving her penniless except for a trust fund. The trust fund can only be accessed if she is married. She and Deacon decide to combine her funds and his construction talent even though they simply cannot stand each other.

With a home with no walls, they soon learn that living with each other has to come with some rules. Before long, LaRynn and Deacon begin to understand who they are now and if they are truly meant to be together.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I actually ended up enjoying this book. It took me some time to get into it but once I did, I couldn’t put it down.

It was frustrating at first because I wanted to know the reason why they broke up in the first place. I wanted to know their trauma, how terrible their upbringings were. What shaped them into who they are now.

It was also frustrating because they weren’t really good at communicating with one another. They were always beating around the bush, but you could tell that they cared in some way.

I loved that LaRynn was a hard ass but had a soft side to her that she didn’t know how to express. I loved how Deacon would pull back on the sarcasm and let LaRynn know how much he appreciated the gesture. Lol what I didn’t like was the fighting that happened right after that.

But regardless of the fighting and miscommunication, I ended up liking their story. Especially when they did get better at communicating once it hit like the 75% mark of the book. I think that’s what I loved the most. Rarely in slow burn books do we get to see how the main characters future will unfold and I loved that we got a glimpse of it with this book.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this arc for my honest review.

WHY DID I WAIT SO LONG TO READ THIS!!! i’m quite literally kicking myself for not reading this sooner because it was sooo dang good!

‘the co-op’ had everything i love in a romcom - the banter was top tier! it was such a fun, cute, & quick read, i had such a hard time putting it down!

larynn & deacon are definitely one of my fav book couples now 😍 i love them together so much!

i adored the little epilogue also, getting a glimpse into their future and how their relationship panned out is everything i needed!

thank you so much tarah, st.martin’s press, & netgalley for the arc of ‘the co-op’ 🤍

What a blast this was to read. The banter, the tension, the angst of it all. But also. the love. It’s second chance done right and in between the fighting you could truly feel the love the characters had for each other.
I really enjoyed reading this and giggled and kicked my feet through much of it. Definitely would recommend this to anyone wanting rom com vibes and a good time.