The Co-op

DeWitt (Savor It) delivers a sensitive marriage of convenience romance about love blossoming in close quarters. Growing up, LaRynn Lavigne and Deacon Leeds spent summers together at their respective grandmothers’ shared house in Santa Cruz, Calif. At 19, they attempted to have a no strings attached summer fling that ended in disaster when feelings got involved. Seven years later, following the deaths of both their grandmothers, they co-inherit the crumbling co-op. Contractor Deacon has the skills to fix up the place, but he needs capital. LaRynn has the money, but she needs to be married to access her trust fund. They strike a deal: they’ll get and stay married just until the work is done and they’re able to either rent or sell the property, at which point they’ll split the profits and go their separate ways. With firmly established boundaries—and an end in sight—surely they should be able to coexist without any problems. But as they live and work together, old feelings resurface about their relationships with each other and with their respective families. They help each other work through past hurt, grief, disappointment, and regrets, forging a powerful bond. DeWitt tackles tough issues without ever losing sight of the fun and effectively uses the renovations as a metaphor for rebuilding damaged relationships. This satisfies. (Nov.)