The Fixer Upper
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4.1 • 24 Ratings
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
In this funny and sharp romantic comedy, a woman with a knack for turning her boyfriends’ lives around starts a professional service to help wrangle men, only to be unexpectedly matched with an old flame.
Ever since she can remember, Aly has been fixing everything around her: her parents’ marriage, her colleagues’ work problems, and her friends’ love lives are just a few examples. After a chance meeting with an ex who has gone from living in his parents’ basement to being a married project manager in three years, she realizes she’s been fixing her boyfriends, too....
So, Aly decides to put her talents to good use and, alongside two work friends, sets up the Fixer Upper, an exclusive, underground service for women who are tired of unpaid emotional labor. Using little tricks and tips, Aly and her friends get the men to do the work themselves—to get out of the job they hate, sign up for that growth seminar, do more parenting. Before long, a high-profile Instagram star hires them to fix up her app developer boyfriend. There’s just one catch—he’s also Aly’s childhood best friend and first love. As Aly tackles her biggest “fixer upper” yet, she’ll have to come to terms with their complicated history and figure out how much to change someone she’d always thought was perfect as he is....
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Walking the line between rom-com and tale of self-discovery, Forsythe's debut delights with sure-footed plotting and an endearing cast. Aly Aresti has perfected the art of problem-solving. After a chance encounter leads her to realize that all her ex-boyfriends' lives have improved after dating her, her friends convince her that she could sell this skill set. Together, they launch Fixer-Upper, a top-secret consulting firm that promises to subtly "fix" the men in its clients lives. When social media influencer Nicki Wetherington-Smythe hires Aly hoping Aly can push her boyfriend to a proposal, Aly's shocked to discover that the man she's meant to be fixing is her own childhood friend and first love, Dylan James. As they reconnect, Aly struggles with the morality of secretly working to "fix" Dylan for her client. Charming characters and quick wit make for a fun, breezy romp, though some romance readers may wish the love story took more of a central role. Indeed, the primary focus here is on Aly learning to love herself enough to stop putting everyone else's needs before her own. It's entertaining in its own right, and readers looking for a smart, empowering blend of romance and women's fiction are sure to be pleased.
Customer Reviews
Delightul romance
The Fixer Upper by Lauren Forsythe is not a book about fixing homes (as I thought when I received this book) but about fixing people. And fixing people is much more fun than fixing homes.
Aly is a fixer. For her whole life, she’s been fixing people. Her parent's marriage, her friends, her neighbors, and her co-workers. She knows what people need and she has a way that makes them see what they need. But, the only person Aly can’t fix, is herself.
There is a love triangle, I thought the author handled it well, but it may put some readers off and I can understand that. Also, the whole fixing people is basically manipulating people and although it's done with humor, and good intentions and the characters learn a lesson from it, it still may put some readers off. I just decided I would go with it and I enjoyed the banter, the friendships, and the romance.
I enjoyed this book very much and it moved quickly. I enjoyed the humor in the book and I liked most of the characters. I liked Aly’s toughness and her ability to make quick decisions. Although the romance was more of a side plot than the main theme of the book, I did enjoy the romance, once it got going. I really liked her relationships with her friends, they totally understand each other and support each other. I liked their unconditional love for each other, and how when one would make a mistake, they were able to forgive each other.
I recommend The Fixer Upper to anyone who enjoys women’s fiction. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.