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.

THE CO-OP by Tarah DeWitt was a perfect read for this week.

Usually I have no objection to third act breakups, but not right now. This was a lovely second chance romance, with two people who hurt each other when they were younger forced to work (and live!) together in a marriage of convenience while they renovate the house they inherited. They gradually open up to each other, learn patience with each other, fall in love with each other. And they don't break up! It was exactly what I needed.

This was not one of my favorites from Tarah.

I had a hard time connecting with the characters and really investing in their love story. As always I loved the banter that she includes in her book. The ending felt a little rushed and felt like more time could’ve been spent on that than the build up in the first half.

Typically I enjoy a duel time line but I didn’t necessarily feel that the chapters in the past added anything to the story and could’ve just been included in the present day.

I’m a sucker for a strong grandparent relationship so I didn’t love that portion.

Overall it was a good easy romance with good banter but just not a favorite by Tarah. Bonus points for the playlist

This book is so full of emotion and wonderful characters. I was a little worried when I realized it was a second-chance romance since that's a trope I don't usually enjoy, but this book was so good! It had the right amount of humor, tension, spice, and emotion. Both of the main characters really go through it in the story but manage to be there for each other, even before they forgave each other for their past. Also, their elderly next-door neighbor added some needed jokes throughout the story and was by far my favorite character. This is a wonderful story and a very enjoyable read!

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have not read many books by this author, but The Co-op truly surprised me! This felt like a true enemies to lovers romance story and the banter between the MMC and FMC kept me giggling the entire time.

I don’t normally love books that go back and forth between timelines, but I do think Tarah handled that very well, and I was excited for every chapter I read, past or present!

Both of these characters felt very raw and real (especially LaRynn) and while I can’t say I necessarily related to their stories, I definitely felt empathetic towards them regarding certain personal struggles.

This was overall a very sweet book and I’m so glad I was able to read it!

This book is too slow-paced for me. It didn’t hold my interest. I’m sure others will enjoy it.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

The writing consists of sharp dialogue and relatable characters that keep you invested in their journey. The chemistry between Jamie and Theo is electric, and their witty banter adds both humor and tension to their evolving relationship. DeWitt skillfully tackles themes of forgiveness, personal growth, and second chances, all while delivering an enjoyable, feel-good romance. The Co-Op is an absolute gem for fans of enemies-to-lovers stories, with a perfect balance of sweetness and steam.

Brought together as teens when their grandmas married, LaRynn & Deacon have a summer fling that ends in tears, regret, & anger.

Years later, they inherit their grandmas’ house & decide to renovate & sell. The problem is money & LaRynn just happens to have a trust fund that she can access if she gets married 😏

Enter angst, tension, forced proximity & plenty of walks down memory lane.

When the story was focused on the couple, the house, their growth…it was good. I was interested & I wanted it to keep going. But the side stories were too numerous & scattered. I started to skim over those parts to get back to the main plot.

I do give two thumbs up for the Epilogue ❤️

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC opportunity!

In my opinion this book was just okay, it was kinda hard to get into but over all it was a cute read. I loved the house revamp idea but the romance was just kind flat to me. Kinda underwhelming. It wasn’t the worst but it wasn’t the best lol

I definitely enjoyed The Co-Op and loved the character development. I feel they were complex characters with a lot of emotional depth and the tension between them was so much fun to devour. I will say, however, that J found the story lagged a bit at times for me. Overall, though, I’m a huge fan of Tara DeWitt!

I read The Co-Op as an ARC from Net Galley - thank you Net Galley.

Thanks to Netgallery and St Martin's Press for the e-ARC of The Co-Op.

Read if you like:
- Marriage of convenience
- Forced proximity
- Second chance

I need to be completely honest, I didn't enjoy this one bit. Sure, there are cute moments, and the mmc, Deacon was sweet at times, but trying to read a book where the fmc is not likable (IMO) was hard. The whole premise had potential, and had the opportunity to create tension that imo was severely lacking. IDK maybe it's a me problem but I just didn't feel the chemistry. and their immaturity made it hard for me to believe their relationship. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I had no problem with the writing, and I think it can be loved by many when it comes out!

LaRynn and Deacon are tasked with fixing up their recently deceased grandmother's run down house, that was left to both of them. The problem? LaRynn and Deacon have a bit of history. From childhood friends, to lovers, to strangers; now they have to see each other for the first time in a decade. Mix in the dilemma that they need funds in order to fix up the house which will only be possibly if LaRynn accesses her trust fund. But, in order to do so, she must be married. Deacon has the experience to fix up the house, but not the funds to do so. Together they come to agreement to get married so that LaRynn can access her trust fund and they can fix the property together. But, it quickly becomes much more than just that.
Review:
The Co-op was a super cute second chance and marriage of convenience romance. I loved the tension and angst between LaRynn and Deacon. Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes so I always tend to love romances that include second chance and friends to lovers. The bickering and enemies vibes at the beginning helped to build that tension and banter between the characters. I loved their history and how they often talked about their grandmothers romance and their families histories.
Thank you to NetGalley, Tarah DeWitt, and St. Martins Press for this ARC of The Co-op in exchange for an honest review. The Co-op republishes on 11/12!

4.25
LaRynn and Deacon have a messy past, but when their grandmothers leave them their house in need of repairs, they
decide to pool their money and partner together to fix it up.
I really enjoyed both main characters. I loved the bits on their past, and their tension was excellent. And the epilogue was the cherry on top.
Aside from the lack of communication from these 2…This was exactly what I was hoping for when I read the synopsis.
The second chance romance trope is not typically my favorite, but I really enjoyed this one

Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin's for the chance to read early!

This book is sweet, cute, and heartfelt as well! When LaRynn’s grandmother passes away, she leaves half her ownership of a building to her. LaRynn’s grandmother was married to Helene, who left her half ownership of their building to her grandson, Deacon Leeds. Deacon and LaRynn had a summer fling when they were younger, but he broke her heart and they stopped liking each other. The co-op is in shambles and now Deacon needs LaRynn there to either pitch in and help, or sell it. She doesn’t have any money currently, but can get her trust fund… if she gets married. So they agree to get married for however long it takes to fix the building. But how is this going to work if they hate each other?

This was such a great read. I’ve read a few renovation romances but this has to be one of the better ones that I’ve read. I liked the characters; I thought that LaRynn’s change of being kind of grumpy to becoming more sunshine was great, but also well explained that it was easy to understand why she was grumpy. Deacon was really trying his best, and he was sweet. I recently read a book that I didn’t like, where everything felt forced, and this was quite the opposite. These two were perfect for each other. Nothing felt forced, and I was smiling along reading about these two.

I really loved the little stories of the grandmothers. There was a lot of sentimental moments in this book which really made the book special.

Romance lovers are going to love this book!!!

This rating is for the new renovated edition! ~
(Thank you to the author, NetGalley & St. Martins press for the ARC)

This was the first book by Tarah Dewitt I’ve read and I really enjoyed her writing style!

I thought the story was cute. But it was a bit slow pace at certain parts, especially with the romance. There’s also miscommunication between the two MC’s which was a bit frustrating at times.

Overall- I’d recommend this one, just wouldn’t say it’s my favorite.

Tarah DeWitt always makes me laugh and makes me cry. She writes moving and beautiful stories with imperfect characters. I loved this book so much. The pacing is the only thing that was hard for me. I loved the dual timelines and the dual POVs.

ARC REVIEW: The Co-Op by Tarah Dewitt

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Co-Op is a dual POV second chance romance between LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds, who meet in their teens when their grandmas get married. They spend a summer engaged in a steamy fling that ends abruptly right before LaRynn leaves for college. LaRynn and Deacon are forced to reunite years later, once their grandmas have both passed away - having left their home to the pair in their will. LaRynn and Deacon decide to work together to repair the aging home but their forced proximity brings up old wounds and white-hot sexual tension.

I loved this story! Tarah Dewitt has an uncanny ability to convey deep human emotions in her writing and at the same time, imbue humor and light into the plot. It’s realistic in the way that we often cope with humor despite the depth of circumstances we face in life. I related to both Deacon and LaRynn’s internal struggles with feeling like they aren’t good enough and parental trauma. Also the epilogue had no right to be so adorably perfect 🥹

The Co-Op releases November 12th 2024!

The Co-Op introduces us to Deacon and LaRynn, who find themselves unexpectedly thrown back into each other’s lives when they inherit their grandmothers’ home. Their grandmothers, who were married, often brought the two together as teens, leading to a brief romance between Deacon and LaRynn. Now, years later, they must not only renovate the house but also marry in order for LaRynn to claim her inheritance. As they tackle the renovation, they also rebuild their relationship, blending angst and romance in a memorable second-chance love story.

While the story may feel a bit slow in the middle and the time shift disrupts the flow at times, the journey to their happily-ever-after is both heartfelt and sizzling. Dewitt’s beautifully written scenes remind me of Kate Clayborn’s style, particularly in how the characters learn from past mistakes and develop open communication. This is a touching, layered romance that combines nostalgia, growth, and just the right amount of spice.

I desperately wanted to like this one more than I did! I adore Tarah and her other books, but something about this one just didn’t do it for me, The dual POVs on the dual timelines felt a little jarring at times. I felt like we got a lot of character development and redemption for Deacon, but that wasn’t as evident with LaRynn. The story felt somewhat disjointed, even though I LOVED their banter and the ending.

Thank you Tarah DeWitt and NetGalley for this eARC.

#marriageofconvenience
#enemiestolovers
#secondchanceromance

LaRynn and Deacon reconnect over rebuilding and remodelling 'the grands' home. I loved the banter between Deacon and 'Larry'. There were for sure swoon worthy moments that I will not spoil here :)
I am not the biggest fan of the 'this could all be solved in one short convo' troupe, and I felt that in this book.
3/5 Stars