In my humble opinion, Sophie Kinsella is the queen of romantic comedy!
Her books are populated with compelling characters you want to get to know. There's plenty of romance, and a satisfying ending that is not too predictable. All of these elements are present in her latest book, I Owe You One.

What I Liked:

Characters:

I love books where more than just the main character is a fully formed being. The Farr family is full of wonderful, annoying, and sometimes offensive people (kind of like an actual family). I loved getting to know each person, and why they were how they were. I also liked that all the employees at the shop (one of the main settings of the book) were distinct, quirky personalities.

Romance:

This book has all the elements of a satisfying romantic comedy. The main character, Fixie, is mooning after the wrong man at first. Then there's a meet/cute which was very funny. It takes a while for Fixie and Seb (short for Sebastian) to get together, but, I loved all the tension. And, this being a romantic comedy, you just know that there will be something that will tear them apart. They can't possibly be happy without a few bumps in the road, right? While I would say this book was a bit formulaic, it was so entertaining, that I was fine with that.

Love:

I also liked that the book explored the concept of love. In a family, does loving someone mean looking past one's faults? Or should we employ "tough love" in order to help them? How will we handle it when someone messes up? Do we get angry or reach out to listen and help? In romantic love, can we do the same, or should we use a gentler touch? There were no easy answers.

Family Dynamics:

There are lots of family dynamics that readers will recognize in their own lives. There's the sibling who's always trying to impress everyone. The self-absorbed sister who's checked out at family gatherings. And then there's the fixer. The main character is literally named Fixie! She's the one to always smooth things over with everyone. She jumps in when no one volunteers to help, because otherwise it won't get done.

Fixie feels a nearly physical need to take care of everything. Otherwise she gets anxiety. Although all of the antics of these personalities are taken to an extreme for comic effect, there's a lot of truth to the family roles in this book.

I’m in two minds about this one. I liked the romance, but I didn’t like the main character and many of the supporting characters. I know the girl in chick lit novels always starts out as a mess and gradually evolves into her own and finds her true purpose and all that, but I just couldn’t feel it this time. I still loved the fact that it was a light, fun read. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I love Sophie Kinsella so was really happy to receive an ARC from NetGalley of her newest book, I Owe You One. As a fan of the Shopaholic series, I expected the main character in her newest book to have similar qualities, and they do in the fact that Fixie and her life are a bit of a mess.

(Do Sophie Kinsella books remind anyone else of Amelia Bedilia sometimes? If something is going to go wrong, it will.:) ).

I Owe You One has everything I love in a Kinsella book...family drama, love twists and a chance for the main character to grow and redeem herself. If you are a fan of Sophie Kinsella and you are looking for a light, fun, but engaging read, definitely pick up Sophie Kinsella's Book I Owe You One on the publishing date of February 5th 2019. 3 1/2 stars for a solid, fun, easy read.

I was a little nervous to read I Owe You One, I ended up DNFing Surprise Me so I wasn't sure what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised that I Owe You One was in the same vein as Kinsella's prior books. Filled with humor and hi-jinks and craziness with some softer sides too.

I enjoyed the premise of I Owe You One, it was fun and was a cute way for Fixie and Sebastian to meet each other and keep seeing each other. I Owe You One was a quick read and hard to put down. I was eager to see how Fixie "fixed" her life and how everything would work out.

The characters were a bit hard to like. Fixie's family was obnoxious, which I know was the point, but it was too the extreme. I wish she had had just one friend or family member that wasn't a mess.

I was most frustrated with Fixie herself. She let her whole family walk all over her, and in terrible ways too. It was super frustrating and I wished she had started standing up for herself a lot sooner. The family business could have been lost over all this crazy nonsense.

I wasn't at all surprised how the Ryan story line played out, and I'm glad he got what he deserved, as well as Briony. Most the family came around in the end in a way that made sense, even if it was neat and tidy.

While I knew what to expect - light, romantic comedy - this was not an enjoyable read for me. From the main character's nickname "Fixie", I was slightly annoyed. I didn't like a single character in this book, and only finished it because I very rarely won't finish a book once I start. I had read another book by author and sometimes like to just have a piece of fluff to read, but this one was just pretty bad.

I am a fan of the typical Sophie Kinsella book. Most do not vary from the main character developing throughout the book and finding her way in the end. While this one didn't differ, it was painful at times to read about her letting people repeatedly run over her. This was probably my least favorite of all the Kinsella books, but not bad enough to turn me off of reading her books. I am still looking forward to the next one.

I need to start by saying that I’ve loved all of Sophie’s books. She has a great way of adding humor and a bit of train-wreckishness to her characters that makes them so lovable. Comparing this book to her other books is very hard, because her latest two, Surprise Me and My Not So Perfect Life we’re fantastic with likable characters and fast moving, believable plots.

I had a hard time connecting with Fixie— I wanted to shake her so many times! She let people walk all over her to the point that I was cringing while reading. I feel like the feeling of “family first” was over-romanticized and really just made her seem weak. Plus, every time Nicole talked and just stopped mid sentence.....


See? Annoying. Now, to the good. I really liked the concept of this book: two strangers meeting and then relying on each other for favors over a period of time. It makes for an interesting plot, but a lot of what played out in between was slow building. This isn’t a book that’s going to grab you and keep you in without effort. You’re going to have to put effort in.

Overall, this isn’t my favorite of Sophie’s, but I’ll absolutely read more of hers in the future.

I received an ARC via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

Wow. In the past I’ve truly enjoyed Sophie’s books. This one felt a little all over the place to me. The characters don’t seem too deep. This book almost feels rushed.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I received a copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I have to say first and foremost, I love Sophie Kinsella. She has been a constant author in my life since high school and 15 years later I still feel like I'm 15 years old curled up on my bed engrossing myself in her latest read.

I loved this book. Fixie reminded me alot of myself in the fact that she tries to fix everything that happens with her family and friends. Fixie is sweet and puts her family first above anything else. Then one day she meets the incredibly charming and handsome Seb after saving his laptop from water falling on it ans thus begins their relationship of "owing" each other.

I feel like this was a typical, charming Kinsella book and did not disappoint me.

I've always liked Sophie Kinsella, so I was glad to read this book early. I Owe You One is basically what I expected it to be. A fun read that's light and engaging. It's a romcom, and I love those! I loved the characters, although, I do wish Fixie would have been less of a doormat. For the most part, the characters are loveable and endearing, and they become better people by the end of the story. I know this type of story is not for everyone, but if you love light hearted feel good stories, this one is for you. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to #Netgalley for the e-ARC.

Ok, STICK WITH THIS ONE. Fixie is one of the most annoying characters Kinsella has written in a while, *but* her arc in this is actually really worth sticking it out with. And the men are god awful but for the most part, their flaws are brought to light and are actually fully fleshed out characters.

Solid story and great ending, but you got to make it past the first 100 pages or so to really not throw the book across the room.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40702156-i-owe-you-one

I love Sophie Kinsella and was so excited to get the ARC of this book! The book is mostly predictable and follows pretty typical chick lit formula but overall it was a good read and I enjoyed it.

Aside from her silly nickname, the main character Fixie --she's called Fixie because she fixes things-- is cute and quirky and generally likable even when she does ridiculous things that make you roll your eyes just a little. (She can't seem to fix herself even though she tries to fix everything else around her.) Fixie and her family own a housewares store. Her high school crush Ryan comes back to London unexpectedly and Fixie gets involved with him again, even though he's pretty awful. Then a bunch of contrived things happen (they clearly only happen because the plot needs to advance) and Fixie finds herself in quite a few tough situations. The family business is a mess, her relationship with her family is a mess, and her love life is a mess too.

Ultimately she figures a way out of it all and I was rooting for her as she did. Sure some of it was cliche and even though I definitely knew who she'd end up with, I wasn't exactly sure how she'd get there and I wanted to keep reading to find out how it all worked out. I like Fixie's journey from doormat to diva and the cute ending made me happy.

Bottom line: not my all time favorite Sophie Kinsella book but a cute, light, fun read.

I received a free ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cute beach read until it started getting annoying.. Come on girl, develop a spine!

Fixie is the doormat of the family, madly in love with user Ryan, friend of her brother. Then she meets a stranger... you get the idea? You know near the beginning where this is going, but it had amusing parts.

If you are looking for a book that makes you think, this is not it, but if you want something like that may or may not annoy you at times and make you laugh at times, you will get what you are looking for.

Maybe it's me; guess it's time to stop reading books like this if I am annoyed. It's supposed to be lighthearted so don't take my criticism to heart, ok?

NetGalley- thanks for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest opinion.

Read my reviews at www.mommyreadsbooks.blogspot.com

Kinsella’s books seem to be hit or miss for me. I didn’t love this one. But it wasn’t a complete miss either.
Fixie Farr doesn’t have her nickname “Fixie” for nothing. Between her “Family first” motto and needing to fix everything she comes across from crooked vases to the lives and relationships of others, Fixie has no time for herself. A chance meeting at a coffee shop leads to a game of IOU’s passing back and forth between her and the handsome (no longer) stranger.
I usually enjoy her “train wreck” main characters; but in this one, Fixie was bit too oblivious for me. I loved her heart and wanting to keep the family and shop together. Her desire to help out everyone in her circle. But, geez, take the blinders off. You’re totally being used.
The way she throws herself, heart and soul and body, into relationships is a bit frightening and unstable as well. Despite that, I did like her as a character.
I hated most other characters, including Seb and his stupidity. But I think I was supposed to.
Some language and sex. Which, again, some of her books seem heavier on than others. This one leaned toward heavier, in my opinion.
The book was an interesting premise. But a little to over the top of me right now. Perhaps I would have loved it at another time. But for now, I would say I’m split between “just okay” and “liked it.” So 2.5 stars from me.

Paint-by-the-numbers Kinsella fluff. A "quirky" protagonist who is not only emotionally stunted but may have actual mental deficiencies, a Deus ex Machina of a romantic interest, an antagonist from 80's villain central casting, and a handful of flat background characters who may as well not have names.

I used to really enjoy Kinsella's chick lit. It was funny and light, but, unlike Kinsella's main characters, I've grown up and found better material.

In I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella, Fixie Farr got her nickname as a kid thanks to her perpetual need to fix things. Her compulsion to help others has served her well over the years thankfully, although to some it might seem like she's always putting herself last. But after losing her father several years ago, Fixie has taken his words of wisdom to heart--particularly his adage of "Family First"--and made it her mission to keep the Farr family happy and their local store running smoothly. With or without the help of her oftentimes flaky brother and sister.

Fixie's skills at running the family store are put to the test when things start to go haywire in her personal life. Her first crush, Ryan, suddenly appears back in London and hints at a possible relationship. And after an incident at the local coffee shop where Fixie saved a businessman's laptop from being demolished, she has an IOU he insisted on to repay her somehow. But over the next few months, her priorities shift. As does her attitude. Soon she's fixing her life, one choice at a time and standing up to the naysayers. And Fixie has a feeling this is only the beginning of good things to come for her and her loved ones.

Part romantic comedy, part family drama, but completely entertaining, I Owe You One was a charming new novel by bestselling author Sophie Kinsella.

Reading a Sophie Kinsella book is always a pleasure. Between the quirky characters, their madcap adventures, and the surprising little twists in the plot, her work always holds my attention. I Owe You One definitely fit that pattern. The Farr family, their coworkers and friends were a delight to meet as we watched them with all of their individual struggles. And I thought their issues were all pretty relatable, too. Things like money woes, career options or a lack thereof, romantic debacles, etc. Of course, Kinsella's touches of humor made everything much more fun and lively for her cast than it would be dealing with the same problems in real life.

The only issue I think some readers might have is that our heroine Fixie was a people pleaser who didn't stand up for herself for the first half or so of the book. Needless to say it was frustrating watching her being used and taken for granted as you kind of knew what was going to happen to her. But I love stories with lots of personal growth, so this worked for me. And I'm not ashamed to admit that when Fixie started showing her backbone in the last chapters of the book, I might have cheered and done a fist pump or two in the air, saying "Go, Fixie!!". (lol)

The premise behind this novel was an interesting one, I thought. Fixie had an IOU given to her by a businessman after she saved his laptop from imminent destruction. And the commitment they had to "paying" each other back as random things came up in their lives was a lot of fun. But I could also see how it could become complicated for Sebastian and Fixie over time. It was how they both dealt with their evolving friendship, all while their lives were changing in other ways, that I loved to watch. There were a few romantic entanglements we followed here as well with several characters, not just Fixie, and I think readers will be fully satisfied with how it all worked out for everyone.

I Owe You One was a funny, heartfelt book that will show readers the strength of family bonds, whether blood-related or family of the heart, as well as how every choice we make has a direct effect on our life.

It was time for me to pick up a feel good, funny story. I love Sophie Kinsella and pretty much love everything she writes. This was a quick rom-com that left me smiling. It was a little predictable - you know it's going from point A to point B, but the travel to get there is still enjoyable. As always, the characters (most of them) grow as the story progresses and become better people. It was a cute story and had some funny parts. I recommend it especially if you want a quick, happy read! Add it to the TBR list- comes out in February!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Dial Press for this ARC!

Sophie Kinsella is a solid author. Readers know that they will get a funny, sweet, emotional story that Kinsella brings to life with realistic characters. "I Owe You One" is another Kinsella success! Fixie does everything for her family, including spending her days at the family store. She identifies problems and has a compulsion to fix them. One problem she can't seem to fix is standing up for herself. Her brother and sister manipulate her sense of duty and the man she's loved forever, Ryan, takes full advantage of her.

Until one day when she saves a stranger's laptop. That stranger is Sebastian, "Seb", who promises Fixie an "I.O.U." to be cashed in anytime. This begins a connection between Seb and Fixie that is sweet, sustaining, but also challenged on all sides by the people in Fixie's life.

Fixie's growth throughout this story was incredible. She is inspired to build a backbone as she gets closer to Seb. This isn't just a love story (though the story is very satisfying), but it's also about Fixie finding her courage and restoring balance and joy in her life.

A true winner!

This was Kinsella’s best book in years. I became hooked on Sophie Kinsella’s work years ago with the Shopaholic series. Light reading with fun plots and likeable characters. I wasn’t as impressed with the last three books of hers, and so I didn’t have high hopes for this one. I was wrong! Great plot, fun characters and an all around addictive read.

I am a huge fan of Sophie Kinsella's and love most of her standalone novels but I will admit, there's a few wobbles that weren't my favorites. However, I Owe You One is another one that I've shelved in the "love" side and will enjoy recommending to friends and family to read this year.

This book is about "Fixie" who got her nickname because she loves to "fix" things and can't help it. I am of a similar nature so I really "got" her so to speak. She meets a man named Seb in a coffee shop and does him a massive favor and they start trading IOUs in a super cute way that continues throughout the book. Meanwhile she is working at her family's shop and butting heads with her siblings who are nothing like Fixie and the stories that come from this are ones anyone with siblings can relate to!

While it's mostly sweet there is a bit of real life tossed in that keeps it from being overly sugary. Like Seb, I have lost all of my immediate family members quite young in life and I really related to his story, especially how people react when finding out. I feel that Sophie wrote this situation really well - it's a tricky one that many get wrong.

I found myself charmed by Fixie and most of the characters - even her nutty sister was comical in her over the top "influencer" way. I tore through the book and finished it in a bit over a day.

I highly recommend this to anyone looking for a fun book to read and escape from real life for a little while from.