I think many women have been in Aly's shoes: trying to fix the things around them, even when they don't recognize they are doing it. It's ingrained in us, isn't it? Why not put these "skills" to use and make some money?

Why not is an easy question - because there is always another side to the coin. What I love about The Fixer Upper is that not only is it a great romcom, it's also presenting a great life lesson! At what point should someone be trying to "fix" the other person?

I love Aly's energy and ambition. Dylan is the hero I wasn't expecting. While Aly is working to fix the things his girlfriend doesn't like about him, Dylan is showing Aly just how much those "bad habits" to someone may not be so "bad" to others.

dnf @ 25%

ehh i don't really have anything to say about this one so far other than i'm just not interested in what i'm reading. i've been skimming chapters waiting for something to catch my interest to keep going but it's just not there. i don't really care for any of the characters or the plot or the writing so meh just not for me.

This is a DNF for me for now. I kught come back to it later, but I just can't feel any connection to this story or these characters. They are so dull.

I would say this is a 3.5 stars for me? I liked where it was going but was disappointed by how the reason they stopped being friends was handled. It just felt really anticlimactic and didn't have as big of an impact as it was building up to be.

I couldn't get into this one and decided to DNF. I have heard great things about it from other people, so maybe I just was not in the mood for it!

This reminded me of Hitch but the girl version. Aly has been fixing everyone's problems as long as she can remember. After realizing that she could put her talents to good used, she partners up with two coworkers to develop an underground service for emotionally drained women who convince the men in their lives to do the work instead. Before she knows it, a high-profile Instagram star reaches out and hires them to fix up her app developer boyfriend. Except that boyfriend, is Aly's childhood bff and first love. As Aly tackles her biggest “fixer upper” challenge yet, she has to come to terms with their relationship.

What a tangled web Aly wove for herself! This was a cute read. Sometimes the best things for you are right under your nose.

Aly has had failed relationships and determines to make things better. She has a knack for fixing relationships and decides to apply her talents positively. She embarks on a career of shaping men into improved form. They would be of interest to other women and a valuable commodity for her. I found the book very long and of little interest as the same storylines were repeated with little variation.

The Fixer Upper was so funny, charming and, ended up being really sweet.

I loved Tola and Eric, hands down they were the best part of this book. They were so funny and brought a lot of heart to the story. I wish there characters had been a little more rounded and we got to know them a bit more earlier on, but I was glad to get some backstory later in the book.

I loved the writing style—it was fast-paced with tons of witty banter. The characters played off each other so well with great chemistry. I would have loves to get to know Priya more!

For most of the book, I struggled with the premise. If you stick with it, though, the payoff at the end is good!

Aly is on a mission to set men on the right path by "fixing them up." But can she do this and not fall in love?
I'm so sorry but this was not a favorite for me. I found the main character to be unrelatable and not 3 dimensional. I felt angry with her most the book for not standing up for herself in situations where she was a victim. I also did not love the main love interest Dylan. I think it was the lacking character development for me.

I could *not* put this book down!!! I was hooked right away when Aly’s friends pointed out that ALL of her exes became successful in work and love (life!) *after* they broke up. They quickly realize they can market this and help women get the partner they want. Aly is a smart, manipulative, and cunning mastermind and I love her!

When their Fixer Up business draws the attention of a celebrity, Aly is shocked her childhood best friend, and first love, is the boyfriend, and that *he* needs fixing! What is more shocking is that *he* is mad at *her* when she believes he betrayed her!

Aly doesn’t intend to take the job, but does to help family. Aly’s selflessness was her most destructive trait, but it brought Dylan back into her life.

As Aly works to fix Dylan’s business, as she is a very successful marketing person, she is also tasked with “fixing” him personally for his girlfriend who needs him for her next deal - marriage. They reconnect and eventually - finally - communicate!

Truly, the lesson of this book is to communicate and be selfish - you DO deserve it.

The story focused on what people put in relationships and what they get out, and who they are in a relationship. Dylan and Aly both had to learn what makes a healthy, successful relationship that’s a true partnership. They are both very flawed, and yes you’ll want to throw the book across the room, but the message about being real, even at the risk of rejection, was done well and felt relatable.

With interesting side characters and real wonder on how Aly and Dylan would come together, I couldn’t put the book down. I loved seeing Aly finally own herself and what she is capable and deserving of. It wasn’t an easy road, but we love a smart, capable woman who gets it all.

Find inside: disguises, shenanigans, incredible women, and a love story that spans twenty years

Trope: friends to enemies to lovers; second chance romance; closed door romance

4.5 stars

Overall rating: 4.5, rounded up.

I enjoyed this book so much! I was pretty much hooked from the first page and when the main love interest came in, I couldn't put it down, their love felt so real and tangible even before it becomes a romance.

If you're familiar with British romances, this, like those, doesn't focus purely on the romance and the romance takes some time to develop.

The Fixer Upper is about Aly who has been helping everyone in her life, but never putting herself first. The book mainly focuses on her slowly learning to prioritize herself, and maybe have a second chance romance with her first love.

I really liked the way the book handled Aly's growth throughout the book. I feel like she's a great example of growth without making the character unlikeable to begin with. Her going from helping literally everyone else, to even her own detriment, to actually claiming her own voice and space felt great!

The two MCs are both flawed characters. They're both people pleasers, but in very different ways. They learn from each other's mistakes and both change for the better. I really liked the love between them, even before it became a relationship, how much they care about each other felt so deep and real. I was rooting for them the whole way.

The friends of both of the main characters were great but especially Aly's, I loved that they didn't feel like caricatures and they brought out the better parts of Aly. They also felt like great characters themselves, I'd be happy to read a book about any of them.

Even though it might look like a big chunk of the book is about manipulating people, I actually quite liked the direction the book went with it. The characters learn from the mistakes of their assumptions and take their endeavors in the right direction.

Overall this was such a great read for me. And I enjoyed all the plot lines, even outside of just the romance

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the eARC!

I REALLY liked this story! I want to read all the Lauren Forsythe writes!
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Our main character, Aly, is a fixer. I related to her so much. I always want to fix & control everything around me.
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This is a perfect rendition of second-chance romance and I was here for it!
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I highly recommend this for those of you whole love leading lady roles & Hallmark love stories.
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I unfortunately did not finish this book. It was way too negative for me. All the characters did was tear apart the MC for being a perfectionist and control freak.

The Fixer Upper is the debut novel by Lauren Forsythe and is a great first book! In FU we meet Aly, Dylan, and a fantastic cast of supporting characters. I went into this book thinking it was primarily a romance, but it is definitely a mix of romance and women's fiction.

It took me a bit to get into because of the pacing, but once it picked up it was a quick, engaging read! Aly starts out as your typical doormat female who is routinely taken advantage of by her workplace and her (ex)boyfriends. I really struggled with this at first because I love strong female MCs, but Aly definitely rectifies her doormat behavior by the end of the book!

The two best friends, Eric and Tola, are who really sell the book. They are funny, supportive, and also strive to push Aly to her potential. This offsets the kind of boring love interest, Dylan. The best part about Dylan IS his history with Aly - it gave me a comfy enemies to friends to lovers story arc that I really enjoyed.

The final 20% is what bumped this to a 3.5 star rating! We finally get to see character growth, a cute grand gesture, and the best version of Aly. I wish we could've seen a bit more of her after that since most of the book is her internal struggle to figure out what her life should actually be. Overall the book is super cute and I do recommend it if you're looking for a quick chick lit type read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

I am a sucker for a good romantic book. Lauren will leave you with all the warm fuzzys. Curl up with a blanket and devour this book in a day like I did!

2.5 stars rounded down

This was a weird one for me. I'm not one to shy away from outlandish premises, and this one certainly had that. I felt like our protagonist played a little too fast and loose with the word "manipulation" and how she was "helping people be better". I love a friends to enemies to friends to lovers saga, but I do think there could've been a better vehicle for it than this. There was chemistry, and that was great to see, but overall, not one of my favorites from this year.

I thought this book was amazing and had such interesting character development!! I was rooting for Aly the whole time and found her so deeply relatable. Will definitely look out for Forsythe in the future!

This was such an enjoyable romantic comedy! The Fixer Upper was such a clever story- I couldn’t put it down! I fell In love with the main character, Amy, almost instantly. Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really liked this book at the start but somewhere in the middle it lost me. The concept was great and I was pumped to read more but it started to become a bit redundant somewhere in the middle. The writing is great though and it had me chuckling a few times. I would read another book by this author.

If you like books by Sophie Kinsella you will love this one by Lauren Forsythe. Same fun, but with fewer over-the-top situational comedy scenes and more character growth. The plot balances lighthearted entertainment with the realistic flaws of the characters in a way that allows the reader to connect and reflect on their own experiences (but not so much that they get sucked out of the story).
The hidden gem of this story are the secondary/sidekick characters who bring some extra dimension and fun! They showcase the types of friends that many of us need in our lives.