This book is such a cute read! It's a combination between beach read and you deserve each other. It had fall vibes set in a small town with so many troupes. I felt so giddy while reading this book because the characters felt so real and lovable from beginning to end. The writing style was very real and intimate. I do wish I got to see more of the development of their romance, but overall it was a great read.

I am in love with Tarah DeWitt's writing. So needless to say, I was pumped to get my hands on this book. While I appreciate headstrong and independent females, LaRynn took it a step too far. She was nearly insolent. So much so that I wanted to smack some sense into Deacon for putting up with her constantly. However, the childhood love turned marriage of convenience to maybe something more was a great sell.
I enjoyed the premise <i>The Co-Op</i> and the ties to a small beach town. This was absolutely a fun book to read. DeWitt can certainly write leading male characters to drool over.

This was such an amazing story, a second chance romance that dealt with heavier topics very well but also on the flipside had me laughing out loud at times.

Theres one scene that had me screaming laughing, i think everyone can guess but all i'll say is good vibrations!

Fantastic story and love LaRynn and Deacon!

This book made me so giddy I loved it! The growth in the FMC, the enemies to lovers, the SPICE!
The book has a slow start but once it starts to pick up the pace I was fully locked in and couldn’t put it down!

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reading copy! I enjoyed this second chance romance from Tarah DeWitt. This is the third book I have read from DeWitt, and I love her writing style, but I find her a little hard to get into at the beginning. But once I get into the flow, it works. I also thought it was a little long, but this is a re-release with new writing (I think?) So maybe that’s why? I don’t typically love second chance romances, and this book did somewhat prove why because so much of the storyline has to follow a large miscommunication plot line. But saying that, this book had some beautiful moments of trauma bonding, intimacy, and love. I saw online a lot of people say that this is a combo of Beach Reads and You Deserve Each Other and I would somewhat agree and definitely recommend those books if you haven’t already read them. Overall, this is another great addition or re-release from Tarah DeWitt, who has become a must read writer for me. I recommend this book for fans of DeWitt and second chance contemporary romance.

Rating: soft 4
Spice: 3
Tropes: second chance romance, forced proximity, childhood rivals and lovers, house reno romance, slow burn, unpacking emotional baggage together

All I remember thinking throughout this book was OH THIS IS FIRE! and not even just in the sense that I was enjoying it (which I thoroughly was), but the tension, the arguing, the little jabs... that all made for a really firey dynamic. There was one point I remember thinking "oh wow they REALLY hate each other". But watching them grow and getting the backstory of it all was amazing

There were some dips in the flow of the book, that made me kind of like "ooooookay let's keep things going", or times I wanted to pull my hair out at their inability to communicate (but I know they needed time to figure it out), or other moments where I really was invested in side characters and their storylines.... but all that was very inconsequential to the fact that I really enjoyed the book overall!

A swoony second-chance romance with a deep emotional core, The Co-op is well worth a read.

After jointly inheriting a beloved beach house from their respective grandmothers, Larynn and Deacon are brought back together after their original infatuation of seven years earlier ended very poorly. When a marriage of convenience proves the best way to access funds to renovate the ailing building and maximize their profits ahead of putting it up for sale, these former lovers have to reconcile living and working in close proximity, and all that that entails.

I love the character work which Tarah DeWitt has put into our leads, LaRynn and Deacon. LaRynn initially comes across as an unlikeable female main character, cold and unlikeable, and she is a strong contrast to laid-back Deacon, who seems to get along well with everyone he meets in this oceanfront town.

Throughout the course of the book, though, LaRynn learns to unlock her emotions, while we learn that Deacon has largely been coasting by on superficial likeability without making many deep relationships of his own. These two characters are more similar than they initially appear to be, carrying scars not only form their past relationship but their familial ones as well, and watching them grow individually and together while confronting the roadblocks which litter their path is a high point of the book. Despite (or more accurately, because of) their previous relationship, very little comes easily to LaRynn and Deacon, and there is no magical Cinderella fix for their broken relationship; they really had to put the work in to make me believe in their happily-ever after. Happily, by the end of the book, I was fully convinced that LaRynn and Deacon will make it the second time around, and this book has one of the most satisfying epilogues I've read - allowing us a glimpse into the future without being too saccharine.

I am now a huge fan of Tarah DeWitt's writing, and I am looking forward to her next release!

I wrote this review based on an ARC provided by NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, and I am reviewing it voluntarily; all opinions above are my own. That being said, I enjoyed this book so much I have pre-ordered my own copy!

Tarah DeWitt will never disappoint. I absolutely devoured this renovated version of the Co-Op. This second chance romance had everything I was looking for. LaRynn and Deacon had tension, banter, swoony moments and just were all around perfection.

The witty banter. The location. The chemistry. What’s not to love about this book! I was obsessed with the scenes during the volleyball games- hilarious and totally realistic. The competitive edge and the underlying tension was so creative and palpable during those scenes. The love these two characters had towards one another was special and sweet and I enjoyed watching things evolve from young love to grown up feelings. Overall, I enjoyed it!

This is my third book by DeWitt and she continues to captivate me with her love stories! I love a marriage of convince trope but the miscommunication trope in this one got painful at times. However, I love a good second chance romance and DeWitt delivered with that trope!

**3.49 stars**

I didn’t honestly know what to expect going into the co-op because it was the first book from DeWitt that I’ve read, but it was surprised me how charming it was! The story begins with LaRynn and Deacon having a very antagonistic relationship while faking a marriage and renovating a house while also avoiding talking about the way their relationship ended very poorly when they were teenagers.

As the story continues, the two start to learn more about each other and themselves and they find themselves growing together and as individuals, which I really enjoyed! Second chance romance and fake dating/marriages are really hit or miss for me, but this one was definitely a hit!

The Co-op is well written and a little slower paced that I may have liked. However, I enjoyed the plot and storytelling. I would recommend for anyone looking for a good beach read romance. The main characters are dynamic and interesting.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for providing a copy to review.

A cute second chance romance that gets bogged down in the miscommunication lovers to enemies to lovers trope. A great little beach read but nothing mentally stimulating about it. Will be great for book clubs.

Thank you St. Martin's Press Griffin and NetGalley for the ARC!

I have been a fan of Tarah DeWitt for awhile, and I was really excited to get this arc! Unfortunately I didn't connect much with the characters in this one. I felt like their relationship wasn't believable, especially because they both seemed to hit each other below the belt. I will always read a Tarah DeWitt book, but sadly, this one wasn't for me,

Thanks again for the ARC!

I LOVE EVERYTHING TARAH DEWITT WRITES and obviously The Co-Op is no exception.

I love a good second-chance romance, and when you add forced proximity? Chef’s kiss. 👌❤️😍

Deacon and LaRynn are flawed and real and I adore them.

10/10 for spicy contemporary romance fans who love
a relationship renovation. ❤️

I received an advance copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own and a review was not required.

Thank you to Saint Martins Press & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was such a sweet and fun romance (that also brings the spice). I am a huge fan of the second chance at love trope, and it being mixed with marriage of convenience was perfection! LaRynn and Deacon were meant for each other, and I loved their story so much!

This was a good quick read. I loved the way the characters communicated and the banter was hilarious. I am one all for bantering. When they spoke on their up bringing it was very realistic and honestly sounded like I was talking with one of my friends. I was drawn into the atmosphere and could picture what it looked like at it was explained.

I do love the way they had sub characters but also wasn't very overwhelming. It stuck mainly to the main characters. The background of the history between them and the others was shown just enough that I knew what was going on.

I would definitely recommend this book to someone who wants a cute romance but also some spice thrown in. I could not put the book down once I got into it.

Really enjoyed this book! It took a new spin on enemies to lovers/fake marriage. Over all a really good read!

Tarah begins this novel with an author’s note explaining how much love and care she put into this book. It carried with her through other releases and times in her life. I could see that care in every word.
LaRynn is similar to myself in some ways. We both lean harsher, angrier when it comes to protecting ourselves. Seeing her able to open up was definitely something sweet for me to see - it could happen for me too.
Deacon is funny and smart and a very giving person. It was so heartbreaking to see where his belief in his inferiority comes from. I love how funny and quick witted he is. When he loves, he loves completely.
I was relieved and thankful to see that it wasn’t necessarily a miscommunication issue the first time around. They had hurt each other by trying to protect themselves. They were kids. They needed the time apart.
I could feel and see the parallel between Tarah’s journey writing this book and their journey rebuilding the house. It was tough. There were always set backs. But. But, there was so much love and care and memories and happiness. It was apart of their history and became their future. It echoes through Tarah’s journey writing this one too.
It was raw. I felt like each character had a piece of Tarah, and the grief over losing their grandmothers was very real. It was also hilarious. I flew through this book. It reminds me why I love romance books - it is never just about the romance.

Thank you to the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Co-op by Tara DeWitt
Contemporary romance.
LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds has one short and contentious summer fling when they were teens. Now, a decade later, they are co-owners of a dilapidated Santa Cruz home that needs to be totally rebuilt before they can sell it. LaRynn has a trust fund that can help fund the rebuilding project but needs to be married to access it. Deacon has the construction expertise. They agree to get married to reconstruct the building, sell it and split the profits and walk away. But no walks, only one bathroom, and constant construction noise and dirt on top of two people that already don’t like each other can be a stressful process. They have no other choices. They have to make it work. And the sliver of attraction they each feel will just have to be put aside.

I avoid arguments and conflicts at all costs. They are too stressful for me. This couple does nothing but argue and undermine each other. At least until they give in to the chemistry still sizzling in the background. I didn’t connect with LaRynn at all. She does and says some really nasty things. Some excusable, at least one unforgivable. My opinion.
The chemistry pulls them together and settles things down. The rebuild is completed and they have to confront their own feelings and future. Can their marriage work?

I’ve loved this author’s work in the past. I will look for new books in the future from her, but the arguments in this story were too mean for me.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.