Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, November 12, 2024

Format: ebook

Pages: 352

Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary (From Goodreads):

They say love and construction don’t mix.
By that logic, hate and construction may as well be condemned.

LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds had one short and contentious summer fling when they were teens.
Certainly nothing to build a foundation on.
But a decade later, when their grandmothers have left them with shared ownership of their dilapidated Santa Cruz building, they’re thrust back together and have to figure out how to brace up the pieces.
LaRynn has the money, but to access her trust, she has to be married.
Deacon has the construction expertise, but lacks the funds.
A deal is struck: Marry for however long it takes to fix up the property, collect a profit, and cut ties.
Thrust into a home without walls, they quickly learn that it’s easy to hide behind emotional ones, even in a marriage. But, with all the exposure and pitfalls that come with living with the opposite sex (and none of the perks) they’ll also have to learn what it means to truly co-operate as a team.

The Co-op is a steamy story about restoration and renovation, and uncovering all the things that build character within ourselves. It’s about the never-ending construction project that partnership is, and finding enjoyment at every stage.

My Review:

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the copy of this book
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Read if you like: close proximity, second chance romance
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LaRynn and Deacon have a summer fling that didn’t end well, and now years later they are both inheritors of their grandmother’s house. But the house needs to be renovated. The two live together in the house as they work, which makes for a tense but interesting living situation.
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I loved this book so much. I appreciated the younger LaRynn and Deacon exploring their relationship but ending it messily due to immaturity and inability to communicate their feelings. Years later, they still struggle but they have a level of maturity to deal with their emotions. I loved how they worked through the conflict and it felt realistic and so lovely.