the co-op by tarah dewitt — a review
Since starting the new year with an immediate 5-star read (Shoutout The Scientist by Kristen Cole), I’ve found myself in a reading slump of sorts. There have been books that I’ve picked up and not been able to get into, and also, books that have taken me so much longer to read than usual that the plot loses momentum altogether. So, when I reached for a title that had been residing on my shelf for months, the last thing I expected was to find a new favourite… but here we are.
The Co-op by Tarah DeWitt follows LaRynn and Deacon, ex-teenage summer flings who inherit a run-down apartment building from their respective grandmothers. Forced to work together after a decade of no contact, the bad situation becomes worse when LaRynn reveals she must be married to access the trust fund they are relying on for renovations. Their solution? A marriage of convenience. The plan seems simple: get legally married, restore the apartment building to its former glory, sell for profit, and then cut ties. But, as the project progresses, their investment in both the renovation and each other deepens. Will they walk away unscathed, or will their carefully laid plans come crashing down?
This book was everything! The mutual pining, the fast-paced plot, the laugh-out-loud humour — everything! Told through a yearn-filled dual POV, the story takes tried and true tropes and masterfully shapes them into something that feels new and exciting, with the connection between Deacon and LaRynn as the foundation for this. While their body language and immediate reactions to each other make it obvious that they have a history, the way they slowly learn the new versions of each other as the pages progress gives the romance a refreshing edge that many second-chance stories lack.
Similarly, books of this nature usually take on a past/present chapter format — I’m thinking of the brilliant Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren. Despite typically preferring this second-chance romance structure, I surprisingly loved the way The Co-op was told through only the present-day timeline as we got these bittersweet moments of nostalgia between Deacon and LaRynn as they gradually revealed what transpired between them as teenagers. It also meant that I stayed truly invested in the plot to the point of staying up way past my bedtime to find out how the story ended (worth it).
As I mentioned previously, this book is funny. The enemies-to-lovers (ish) element of the novel lends itself beautifully to some of the best witty banter I’ve read since finishing Funny Story by Emily Henry last summer. However, this doesn’t mean that the story is void of deeper themes. Grief remains a constant undertone throughout — remember, the only reason Deacon and LaRynn are in this situation is because of the passing of their grandmothers — and both protagonists also have some pretty hefty family trauma. This multifaceted writing makes the characters appear as well-rounded, true-to-life people, but it doesn’t dull the comedic shine of The Co-op overall.
I haven’t swooned as much over words on paper in a very long time. Thank you for your service, Tarah DeWitt. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a quick, fun romance book with characters that leave a lasting impression and a writing style that makes putting it down impossible.
This review was written by Jess, who you can follow on Instagram — https://www.instagram.com/thatromancebook for more bookish content.