This is a second chance romance with marriage of convenience, forced proximity and it is slow burn. If you like any of those tropes then this is the book for you! You get to see them fall in love again. You get all of the feels of a cute romance book. Plus enjoyable characters.

4.25 ⭐️

This book was such a delight!

LaRynn and Deacon were piping HOT from start to finish in this. Their passion was insane and even when they hated each other they were crazy for one another. I absolutely ate this up and felt like they were so easy to relate to. They were messy and both had their own "stuff" from childhood that stemmed from their respective parents that each made them hard to love but essentially made them perfect for each other. There was definitely a lot of miscommunication between these two in the beginning, but the way they managed to work through it and come together it to become an actual team was such so honest.

I definitely teared up a few times in this book. The GRANS! As someone who had SUCH a special relationship with my own grandmother I FELT so much for these two with how painful it must have been for them to lose two such powerful forces in their lives. And oh my goodness, the beach scene when they pay tribute to them? Chills on chills. 🥹

All in all, this book was wonderful and I highly recommend adding it to your TBR immediately!

Tropes:
- Enemies to lovers
- Marriage of convenience
- Second chance romance
- LGTBQ representation
- Small town
- Found family

*Thank you to Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved Funny Feelings, so I was so excited to read Tarah's newest release. Unfortunately, I didn't love this one as much as her previous book. This one definitely had a different vibe and a much different romance, and I had a hard time connecting with it. The hero and heroine had a past that didn't end well and left the heroine hurt. Now they're renovating a house together and have to marry in order to gain an inheritance. I felt like I didn't really connect to the characters or feel why the heroine was so hurt. The hero pushed her away as a teenager and she has held a grudge ever since. Then it felt like they got together so quickly and there wasn't too much plot left aside from them fixing up the house. I felt a bit bored and was just left wanting more.

Wow. This book! I was so happy when I was given the opportunity to be one of the first readers of this story. It has everything I always swoon for, fall vibes, small town, enemies to lovers, second chance among other elements. I loved the main characters, especially Larynn. It had me laughing out loud for real ( brushing the toilet with a toothbrush!). The rest of the characters were so greatly structured too! The romantic aspect of this book was great even though I wish it was explored a bit better.

I enjoyed this book and read it in two days! Will be sharing this book with friends and followers.

"The Co-Op" by Tarah DeWitt hooked me from the very first page with the promise of a second-chance romance, and it did not disappoint. Set against the backdrop of a charming beach town, we follow two fated summers between LaRynn and Deacon - their first summer fling from nearly ten years ago that left them both in shambles, and their second, slow-burn, enemies-to-lovers romance in the present day that leaves them with so much more than they could have ever imagined. After inheriting their grandmothers home that is, conveniently, falling to pieces, LaRynn and Deacon's only solution is to marry on paper to use her trust fund money to fix the house, sell it, and be done with each other forever - or so they thought. After weeks in forced proximity and a ton of hilariously cute incidents, LaRynn and Deacon slowly (and I mean, slowly) find themselves forgiving each other and falling even deeper in love than before. "The Co-Op" really pulled at my heartstrings and left me on the edge of my seat as I waited for them to finally admit their love for each other. This is the perfect book for anyone looking for a summer romance and beach read all in one.

Enemies to lovers + second chance romance = cuteness!

They were brought together by their grandmothers for the summer as teenagers. Instant hate occurred but they had a summer fling anyway. They kept it a secret and left things unsaid.

Now as adults they are brought back together by inheriting a house with shared ownership. They need each other to make a profit…a marriage of convenience occurs and you can guess what happens next!

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this as an ARC.

I finished this a week ago and have already forgotten most of it, which means it wasn't that memorable. The relationship between the romantic leads felt believable, but the book drug on for too long.

I have loved Tarah since Funny Feelings, and this book did not disappoint!! The angst was so potent, but I finished the book feeling like I'd just been given a warm hug. Her writing is witty, romantic, and captivating, and I will forever be picking up her books. I thought the second chance elements were handled really well, as sometimes with that trope I struggle to understand either why the couple parted in the first place, or why things have changed that warrant them getting back together. I didn't have any concerns in that department and was rooting for them from the start!

The Co-op is about LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds. They had a summer fling in their teens and broke each other’s hearts. Now years later, their grandmothers have left them shared ownership of a home that is literally falling apart. They need money for repairs and LaRynn technically has it in a trust but needs to get married to access it. So they make a deal to get married to access the money just until the project is done….

This second chance romance has flawed characters that you will root for from the beginning. Both have had poor examples of love and family in their own lives, so you can imagine how things go when they move into a home without walls. Personally, LaRynn drove me crazy at first but as the book plays out, her behavior makes sense. And Deacon is just so swoony. Read this one if you love:

-second chance romance
-enemies to lovers
-marriage of convenience
-forced proximity
-lots of LOL moments
-no 3rd act breakup
-spice
-HEA

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC of The Co-op in exchange for my honest review.

This is the second book I have read by this author and I'm mad I didn't pick it up sooner. This is a second chance romance with marriage of convenience and I loved it. The character development these characters went through was amazing to read, it made them feel real. I enjoyed the banter between the characters and the angst. My only complaint would be that I wanted more flashbacks about their relationship. Otherwise this book was great and I might have finished it under 24 hours .l will definitely be checking out other books by Tarah DeWitt.

Honestly, this was your standard rom com. It was cute, a little steamy, and had a very happy ending. As far as books go this was good. I look forward to similar books like this from the author.

Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for my review.

Picked this one up on a whim and I'm SO glad I did? Second chance romance (the main couple had a bit of a summer fling when they were in their twenties) + marriage of convenience (they tie the knot in order to renovate their grandmothers' old beach house and flip it). Lots of angst, lots of pining, lots of falling in love with my spouse after previously finding them super infuriating. There's also dual timeline in this, following LaRynn and Deacon during both their first summer romance and in the present day, and it's so impressive how Dewitt builds the same throughline of emotion while also adding the weight of history through the years that have passed. Plus I'm never going to be mad about "that's my wife" moments, in any way, shape or form.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I read this book last year and it was such a unique read. I loved everything about it.

LaRynn and Deacon are such incredible characters. You see their flaws, you see them make mistakes and grow. I love reading about characters growth in books, and this one was so perfect.

I loved the fake marriage, second chance romance trope. I can’t wait to read more of this author’s writing.

This book was great! I love romance books, and this one was no exception! The characters were wonderful and realistic, the plot was well written, and the setting was gorgeous. I cannot wait until this is published so everyone can read it!

Super cute and so much fun! The construction site was really unique, but so good! This was a quick read too!

It was a cute book that was a very quick read. The story line was predictable but laid out well and I think it developed at just the right speed to keep you wanting to read. LaRynn left law school and was cut off of her trust fund money and made her way back to her grandmother's home that was left to her and Deacon. The problem is the home is in shambles and it will take a lot of money to get it back up to snuff.

Things I loved about this book: The quick wit of LaRynn and the banter that her and Deacon had together. The sexual tension that you sensed the moment they laid eyes on each other again. The story line was good and had didn't get over developed. The characters were well written and also developed nicely throughout the story.

Things that I wasn't a huge fan of with this book: The marriage thing just popped up and didn't really have any back story. The money started to come in but you didn't get any details on how much or when it would be cut off. The story flopped between thinking they were going to do okay to they still were poor. The mom reunion at the end was kind of a huge build up but seemed kind of underdeveloped and flat.

Over all it was a good story and it kept my interest. I would read more from this author for sure.

What an incredible read! I know this was an arc for a re-release but I haven't read the first version so I can only judge the new one and it was a masterpiece of a romance.
This was more than a small town second chance romance. This was about two people who were hurt but found happiness and healing thanks to each other. Is about family and grief and love in every shape and form.
I am not good enough with words to express how wonderful this book was. Just know that it's now an all time favorite and I need you all to pick it up!

*arc kindly provided by the publisher via Netgalley for an honest review

I loved the heat, the banter, and all the emotions. I loved the house flip setting and reading about the remodeling. So fun!

LaRynn was not an easy character to love, but she did grow on me by the end. Deacon was just the sweetest. And I loved that they both didn’t let each other get away with anything that needed to be discussed. I loved their communication.

I can’t wait to read more from this author.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

If you are looking for a book that mixes the drama of an HGTV show, the angst of a second chance romance, Tarah DeWitt’s signature brand of humor, and a sprinkle of spice, look no further than The Co-Op!

LaRynn Lavigne has had a tough go at life. When her grandmother passes away (and her grandmother’s wife, Helena, a few months after), she finds herself the co-inheritor of a duplex with her least favorite person: Deacon Leeds, Helena’s grandson and LaRynn’s teenage “summer fling”. The problem, aside from Deacon? The duplex is falling apart and the two need funds to fix it up. Deacon and LaRynn hatch a plan to marry and access LaRynn’s trust fund to help pay for the project. But as the two work together to fix up the property and find a way to work through old feelings, they realize that some walls may need to come down.

I really enjoyed this book! I loved the flashback chapters to Deacon and LaRynn’s teenage years. I felt like they really gave depth to the story and helped me better understand their feelings towards one another. I also really loved the banter! The two had me in stitches with some of their conversations.

I do wish we got to see more of the side characters, particularly Elyse and Jensen. I would have loved to read more about their backstory and relationship!

While this was not my favorite book from Tarah (that honor still belongs to Savor It), I still very much enjoyed The Co-Op! If you love books with second chance romance, forced proximity, and a marriage of convenience, I highly recommend preordering or requesting The Co-Op from your library!

So many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC!

I really liked Savor It by Tarah DeWitt, so I was excited to read this re-release of one of her earlier titles. Some of it worked - I like a marriage of convenience where the couple can't really stand each other. I like home renovation shows, and I felt the details on that front here were really enjoyable. And I like a second chance romance where the miscommunication from the first time around is the only miscommuncation we get - they are both so much more mature and communicative as adults.

That said, it definitely feels like an earlier work from the author. The flashbacks to their first "relationship" were hard to track and didn't feel different enough to present day. And our FMC was, to put it bluntly, a little annoying.

But overall, it's a fun sweet story, that moves along at a quick pace! I enjoyed it, even if it wasn't my favorite by the author.

3.5 stars, thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC.