Something comes over me when fall starts to transition to winter and there's that noticeable anticipation of Christmas. For the rest of the year, I tend to be pretty snooty when it comes to movies. I love a captivating story with strong character development, more often a drama than a comedy. However, there is something about the genre of holiday movies that has me throwing all discernment to the wind. They are formulaic as all get out, I mock them mercilessly, and yet I keep coming back for more.

I found myself reflecting on this tendency I have to recognize how these stories are far from great and are the opposite of surprising, and yet for a couple weeks every year, I seek them out. There's a comfort in knowing all will end up well and nothing truly horrible will happen; any losses or shortcomings will be redeemed by the end.

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella has some of those similarities for me. Fixie is our protagonist. She's clever at solving problems and has a close relationship with her widowed mother as they run the family store. However, when her mom goes abroad and entrusts the store to Fixie and her siblings, tension arises. There's the brother with aspirations of greatness, who wants to take the comfortable store and the ordinary customers they have and transform them into something flashy, in hopes of catering to a new crowd, expenses and relationships be damned. There's the glamorous sister who is self-absorbed and all about projecting the right image. And then there's Fixie, whose weakness is her inability to stand up for herself since she feels inferior to her siblings. She lets an infatuation from her childhood steer her off course. Then there's a chance coffee-shop meeting, where Fixie, doing what she does best, earns an IOU from a stranger.

I couldn't help but get annoyed by specific plot points and anxious about business decisions. I Owe You One is predictable, it's not great literature, and the characters could accurately be called caricatures. Readers will easily spot the relationships that are strong and for the mismatched ones, readers will be quick to know the right pairings (and don't get me started on how frustrated I get when there's this clear longing and yet they stay with the miserable partner until circumstances change and there's no grieving the loss as they jump, without pause, into a new relationship). I have to suspend disbelief that some of the characters make the marked changes that they do. However, there was something delightful about turning off my brain and just going along for the ride as Fixie wrestles with what it means to put "Family First," both in who falls into the family classification, as well as what it truly means to sacrifice for them. I'd give this read 3.5 stars; pick this up if you want the equivalent of a story that won't stretch you but will resolve well in the end. Given the right mood, I can see myself seeking out another Kinsella title when I need a comfortable read.

(I received a digital ARC from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for my honest review.)

Every time I read a Sophie Kinsella book I'm immediately drawn in and endeared to the characters. Although I ended up enjoying this book by the middle/end, I was very turned off in the beginning.

Fixie Farr is a fixer (a little too on the nose for me) and always has been, so when her mom leaves her and her older siblings in charge of the family store for a few months Fixie has a lot of weight on her shoulders. As she's trying to keep her siblings from destroying her family's livelihood, she unexpectedly does a huge favor for a handsome stranger. By fate they continue to bump in to each other in times of need which kicks off a string of IOU's. Fixie has to balance taking care of her family, her business, and her love life, which eventually begs the question: Who is taking care of her?

Anyone who has read a Kinsella story knows that they're hilarious and the characters are quirky, but in I Owe You One I was stressed most of the first half of the book. In the beginning the story relies too much on Fixie's siblings being stupid and incompetent to propel the plot rather than Fixie and her lovable antics. Of course there's character growth and I was very pleased by the outcome at the end, but I felt like there was a lot of unnecessary drama that took up time that could've gone to the rom-com storyline.

Once the story got into the rom-com part it really hit its stride and I was relieved to be submerged in a classic Kinsella novel. I certainly see there was a reason for all the conflict and it tied together at the end, I just think it dwelled on it a little too long in the beginning so the pacing was off for me.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House for supplying a free copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review!

I wanted to love I Owe You One-- I've been looking forward to reading it for a while now, and thought it would be the perfect time, as I've been in the mood for something fun and easy. Fixie-- despite her silly nickname-- is a sweet, lovable character and her meet-cute with Seb is adorably quirky, but the difficulties she faces at the shop were a bit off-putting to me, as was the "relationship" with Ryan. In a world of strong, literary heroines, Fixie feels a bit dated in that she's unrealistically naive for someone who lives in modern day London. I think because of the setting, it just feels forced. I think that's actually a theme with this book-- it feels too constructed and formulaic, too phoned in rather than thoughtfully created. Where is the complexity? Perhaps I'm just not the right reader for this book, as I like a little bit more edge to my characters and maybe some searing wit or a few poetic turns of phrase. Unfortunately, I just couldn't fully dive into the story the way I'd hoped I would. I will still read Kinsella's next offerings, but hoping there's a little more to grasp onto in the next go-round.

Fixie Farr, the main character in this story gets walked over by everyone at the beginning. At times I wanted to shake her, hug her, or shake my head at her. She was a genuinely kind person who just wanted to put her family first. Sophie Kinsella stories always show growth in characters and this was no different. A quick read with loveable characters, and hateable characters that just got under your skin. It's not really a good storyline without a character you just want to..... kindly nudge out of the picture.

This was my first Sophie Kinsella read and I loved it! Fixie was immediately a very likable character that I was rooting for. I also loved many supporting characters such as her Mom, Aunt Karen, Hannah, Morag, Leila, and Vanessa. I loved all these women, their strong characters, and their support of Fixie. I knew that eventually Fixie would have to stand up for herself, and I was ecstatic when she finally did in such a believable and confident way. Definitely would recommend this to anyone looking for a fun read.

This novel feels so incredibly timely to me. Prior to picking it up I had spent a handful of days consuming all things Fyre festival, so to see some characters who would have probably been suckered in to such an event (looking at you Nicole, Jake and Ryan!) was enjoyable to say the least. The supporting cast was fantastic. I think Kinsella did a great job at making each character unique and they each added so much to the story and my overall enjoyability of the novel.

As for the main story, I found Fixie frustrating, yet very easy to relate to. I think we all have people in our lives who we walk on eggshells around or people by whom we feel intimidated by. It was very cool seeing her realize her own strength and come into her own as the novel progresses.

Besides being a sort of coming into her own story, it also has a very cute romance. This is up there as one of my favorite Kinsella books and I would say that this is THE rom-com that you need to read this year!

sophie kinsella's latest heroine is fixie farr, and basically, her deal is that she's a miss-fix-it. this kind of makes her a doormat, and you can totally see where she is doing life wrong, but that's why she gets a book to figure out her issues and grow up.

i owe you one reminds me of i've got your number but slightly less funny. partly because the issue are a little too real. and partly too because it's so hard to top that one in my book. but i enjoyed the back-and-forth between sebastian and fixie. and as always kinsella's books are a breeze to read.

**i owe you one will publish on february 5, 2019. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/random house publishing group (the dial press) in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely loved I Owe You One from beginning to end. Ms. Kinsella takes her readers on a journey with Fixie Farr one that I found to be enlightening, a little eye opening and a lot of fun.

Fixie Farr is a fixer - she will do whatever she can to help make sure that everything is perfect - this goes to her family, friends and even a perfect stranger. With her family's small store in London in which she runs with her mom and brother and sister, she is just finding her way throw in her longtime crush back in town she thinks she is in a good place. That is until an unforeseen meeting with a perfect stranger who gives her an IOU after she saves his laptop in a coffee shop. From there Fixie begins to learn that family first may not be the best motto - especially if it stops her from being a person who can stand up for what she wants.

I found this book to be funny and sometimes frustrating all at the same time. Fixie is a great character and it was great to see her grow as the book went on. I absolutely loved Sebastian (coffee shop guy) and wanted to hurt her family on more than one occasion. All of this is attributed to a great story written by Sophie Kinsella this may be my favorite she has written so far/

Fixie Farr is grateful for everything her father did, so unlike the rest of her family, she takes care of the legacy left by him. However, it also disturbs her because it doesn't allow her from following her own dreams.

Sebastian is an entrepreneur who "was saved" one day by Fixie's kindness, and so he found himself impelled to have an IOU with her.

It turns out that this IOU turns into several IOUs, and that's the central point of the story.
But how far will it go?
When is it time to start saying "no"?

I loved Sebastian, but I did not feel any connection with Fixie, although her character is the central point of the story.
Be grateful. Be nice. But never "erase" yourself.
3,5 stars

I love a good romantic comedy, and Sophie Kinsella is a master of this genre. But, I wasn't that happy with her last one, so I went into I Owe You One with some hesitation. There was no need! This book was an absolute delight from start to finish. It follows a woman named Fixie who is fixer by nature. Unfortunately, people take advantage of her need to fix (like her family). But, one day, she fixes something huge for a stranger, and he insists he owes her one. Fixie takes him up on it (to get her longtime crush a job) and love and comedy follow. I loved this novel because it combines my two favorite things - family drama and romantic comedy. There were several points in the novel when I wanted to yell at the people in Fixie's life - or yell at Fixie herself. But, in true genre form, lessons are learned, relationships are mended, and love is found.

DNF @ 49%.

I could not stay interested in this book. Fixie was annoying and all of the secondary characters were boring. Her siblings were assholes and totally unlikable. This wasn't for me.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Dial Press, and Sophie Kinsella for the opportunity to read and review her latest book. As always, a great read from this author!

Fixie is so named because from a young age she had the need to try and fix things. After her dad died, Fixie was the one who stepped In to help her mom run Farrs, a household store in London. Her dad always stressed family first, and that was something that Fixie always did. So no matter that her two siblings didn't help out at Farrs, no matter that they put her down and she couldn't speak her mind. Family first.

When she is in the local coffee shop one day, she ends up saving a stranger's laptop when the roof collapsed. He was so grateful to her and wrote an IOU on the coffee sleeve. This turns into a back-and-forth of pay backs. Meanwhile, that backbone that Fixie so needed to form was becoming stronger - but how does that fit in with family first?

A fun, entertaining story with a good message - and I wish there was a Farrs close by!

Thank you netgalley for the advanced copy. It's a cute story, but not my favorite by Sophie Kinsella. In fact, i found every character totally disgusting until there was about 15% left. It's all tied up neatly at the end and everyone lives happily ever after 🙄

#partner Thank you Dial Press, Random House, Netgalley and Sophie Kinsella for the finished copy of I Owe You One.

I loved this book. I wanted the main character Fixie to be my best friend. Fixie like so many of Kinsella's characters was quirky in a good way. She lacked a little confidence, tried to help everyone over herself and she was all about family. I just wanted to wrap up Fixie in a giant hug and tell her that guy sucks and believe in yourself.


Kinsella knew how to throw tuff subjects into her book but still keep it lite. She will always keep you laughing with her timely jokes and quirky characters.

I know I have said this already but Kinsella created a character in Fixie that made me want to be her best friend. She also created a store in Farr's that I want to visit every day. I love a hometown store with character.

Pick up I Owe You One. You will laugh and maybe even cry a little. All opinions are my own.

Sophie Kinsella is like book comfort food for me. In my early twenties, I read every book as it came out, and I can remember where and when I read them. They are fun and funny and always have lovable characters you come to know as friends.

In recent years, Kinsella has added an emotional edge to her stories crossing over more into domestic fiction than rom com, and I’ve enjoyed that adventure, too. So where did I Owe You One measure up?

Fixie is the main character, and her motto is “family first.” Her father owned a housewares store, but he has passed away and left the store to Fixie’s mom and her siblings. And Fixie is the one left holding the bag all the time, being the most responsible and making sure the business stays afloat.

Fixie is asked to watch a stranger’s laptop in a coffee shop, and she saves it from being destroyed… The owner of the computer is an investment manager, Sebastian, and he’s in her debt for saving his laptop, so he gives Fixie an IOU.

Ryan, Fixie’s childhood boyfriend, comes back into her life, but he’s jobless, so she puts that IOU to work, hoping that Seb will hire Ryan. But things unfold and snowball, and Fixie is at a crossroads.

Will she take on life on her own terms, finally?

I found Fixie a trademark Kinsella main character. Zany, cute, warm, endearing, and I loved her, flaws and all! The romance was fun, and I loved laughing while I read.

Overall, I would say I Owe You One landed more in rom com land than domestic fiction, and I am totally ok with that. I felt like I had my classic Kinsella back!

Thanks to the publisher for the complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.

Oh I so needed this story. It was just the tonic that came at the right time!

I found myself snorting in amusement at the beginning, already loving Fixie and her overwhelming desire to fix things. I settled down to spending time with the Farr family, getting to know them and where they fit in the family hierarchy. Their differences become very clear when the siblings are left to manage their family shop – a huge barrier when that translates to ideas, hopes and dreams for Farrs. All three siblings have a lot to learn about themselves and each other.

It didn’t take me long to figure out charismatic Ryan (or for that matter Uncle Ned). Both of them raised my blood pressure – and not in a good way! Fixie’s teen crush blinds her to many things …

We all love a wounded hero in our stories, add into the mix of emotions Fixie’s desire to fix things and you’re heading for fireworks. Even though Seb and Fixie made me glow (loved their IOU’s), there’s tears too. One particular scene I didn’t realise I was crying until I looked away to take some deep breaths. Such poignancy. And the second coffee shop scene? Inspired!

I’ve experienced an array of emotions. Laughter, frustration, anger, sadness, joy and love. I Owe You One is an engaging story of love and family. But there’s also darker undertows. Not letting yourself grieve leaves you broken. Not accepting reality breaks you and those around you. The path to acceptance isn’t easy but letting those closest to you support you makes all the difference. Can the Farr family sort out their differences and make it through? Can Fixie stop fixing things for others and start looking out for herself?

I Owe You One was a page turner for me and I felt bereft once I had finished reading.

Sophie Kinsella is on top form. This is my all time favourite!

<b>A fun escapist read full of whimsy and charm! </b>

This book was quintessential Sophie Kinsella! Full of fun flawed realistic characters, wity dialogue, and loads of humor... I can always count on a Kinsella book to take me away for a few fun hours, make me feel good and induce me into laughter until tears are coming down my face, and this book was no exception... sophie’s books never take themselves too seriously and are full of many laugh out loud moments... warning: don’t pick this up unless you have your sense of humor intact, don’t read while drinking, especially a carbonated drink, and don’t read around other people, unless you’re OK with them looking at you strangely because you’re laughing at what appears to be nothing....

Fixie was a kind caring sweet girl who really needed to find her backbone... I really liked her and I think she would make an amazing friend, but the girl sure did frustrate me! Fixie is a people pleaser she wants to make sure everyone around her is happy... her friends, her family, her coworkers, and of course the men in her life.... One day Fixie was at a local coffee shop when a man asks her to watch his laptop when he steps out to take a phone call... the ceiling starts to cave in, Fixie throws herself on top of the laptop and saves the day... The man who’s named Sebastian and of course is handsome issues her an IOU to repay her for saving his laptop and livelihood... Fixie is pretty sure she will never use it, that is until her lifetime crush Ryan enters the picture like a wounded puppy... what ensues is Fixie being walked all over by Ryan and her siblings, add in the stress of trying to keep the family business afloat while her mom is out of town... thank goodness Fixie has some good friends in her life who eventually help her see the light and get a back bone... as in all SK books there was some major much-needed character growth in the story, and that extended to most of the secondary characters as well....

The romance in the story was sweet but slightly confusing... Sebastian who I really liked was a little all over the place when it came to relationships, it was something that confounded me and I had trouble wrapping my head around... I felt there was real chemistry and respect between Fixie and Seb, so I cannot understand why a certain bimbo (whose name I cannot remember) was around for as long as she was, really kind of threw a wrench into it for me... having said that though I thought this book wrapped up perfectly and that final chapter was book perfection!

A perfect romcom with wonderful characters and plenty of humor! Absolutely recommend!

<h1> 🎵🎵🎵 Song Running Through My Head </h1>

<i>A-E-A-E-I-O-U-U I sometimes cry
A-E-A-E-I-O-U-U I sometimes cry
You tell me that you love me every day
When we're alone I really feel in love
But when you're out with friends I see a change
You treat me bad, I feel like second best
I want your love (I want your love)
Give me your love, girl (give me your love)
That's how I feel, I want it to be real
I want your love (I want your love)
Give me your love, girl (give me your love)
I need your touch and I, I owe you so much
A-E-A-E-I-O-U-U I sometimes cry
(Oh) A-E (I really care) A-E-I (I really care) O-U-U
(I really care, care, care) I sometimes lie
Do you realize some things you say
I know you do, it makes me so confused
I'm sure this ain't the way that love should be
Let's get… </i>

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=h1MDlJM_C1k

*** many thanks to Random House for my copy of this book ***

Loved this book! It was a nice surprise considering that I was not a fan of some of Kinsella's other books. I feel like all of us have been Fixie at one point in time. We've all have that one man that is kryptonite. Hardship forces Fixie to make tough choices to save herself and her family. Great story!

Fixie Farr believes in her father's motto: Family First. She is determined to honor his legacy but is thrown off when a handsome stranger steps into the coffee shop, asking her to watch his laptop for just a moment. In mere minutes, she saves his laptop from being destroyed in a freak accident. He scribbles an IOU with his business card. She never thought to claim an IOU from a stranger but finds herself in a new series of IOUs for everything from small favors to life-changing acts.Until she is torn between her family, which should come first, and the life she really wants.

Let me preface this review with a disclosure. I am a fan of Sophie Kinsella. I will read any book with her name on the cover. Call it reader's loyalty. But I am very, very disappointed with this new release. The only thing that kept me reading until the end was my fierce loyalty to her as an author I love.

To be quite honest, I was over it from the first paragraph when the main character introduced her nickname as "Fixie." Serious eye roll. Then about 40% into the advance reader's copy, I questioned whether it was worth finishing. At that point, I was bored with the storyline. Yet I continued because...well, Sophie Kinsella. Finally at 93%, I was beyond done yet glad I reached the end.

I suspect that Kinsella fans will have the same reaction as I did reading I Owe You One. For readers new to this author, please do not start with this book. It may turn you off from her earlier greater books. Nevertheless, judge for yourself. And to the author...you owe me a bestseller. I KNOW you are capable of better writing than this.

Happy Early Pub Day, Sophie Kinsella. I Owe You One will be available Tuesday, February 19.

LiteraryMarie

A delightful, light story that flows along and then you realize it just reached in and grabbed your heart and doesn’t let go. Fixie is the responsible peace maker in the family almost to her own detriment. Many of us with aging parents are experiencing unexpected run ins with family members who have different ideas on care and finances. It’s uncharted territory and Fixie finds herself caught in the middle. I found myself not only identifying with her but stayed up late hoping to learn from her experiences. Sophie hit this one out of the park. Well developed characters with faults, but still quite likable and very real life situations! It will stay with you for quite some time #netgalley #sophiekinsella #randomhouse