It was nice to read about a book not set in America. The storyline seemed great but I think it could of been executed better. As well as this book being categorized as romance, it lacked a lot of it. I liked the mc's but there were times where I was angry because of how the fmc acted. Ultimately, it was an easy read but it fell flat for me.

The Fixxer Upper
Lauren Forsythe
4 ⭐️

Aly’s been fixing everything around her: Her parents, her colleagues, her friends, even her own boyfriends. So she decided to put her talents to good use and, start a side hustle with her two work friends. The Fixer Upper is an underground company designed to help women “fix” what’s wrong with their partners. Little does she know, her next fix is Dylan, her childhood best friend and first love. What could go wrong…?

This was was such a fast and fun read that hooked me right away. I enjoyed the unique (slightly predictable) story and the charming cast of likable characters. I loved Aly and Dylan’s friendship and how much they truly cared for each other. I think I actually adored the side characters the most. Tola and Eric were the best. I could totally see them getting their own book. 😉 Their banter and one-liners were highly entertaining, and I loved their supportive friendship with Aly. I want to be a part of their squad. I wish we would have got a little more of Aly & Dylan at the end, but overall I very much enjoyed this debut, and look forward to reading more of Forsythe’s work!

What I enjoyed;
🧩 British rom-com
🧩 Second chance romance
🧩 Friends to lovers
🧩 Friendship goals

Mark you calendars, The Fixer Upper publishes August 2, 2022!

I loved the development of the main character as well as the relationships she has with her mom and friends. It really gave us a good look at why she is the way she is.

I thought there could have been more romance and the potential was there to make it more interesting between Aly and Dylan. It just left me wanting more.

Overall, it was a fun plot idea and was enjoyable.

This is basically when a woman takes her starter girlfriend status and turns it into a profit. Who wouldn’t love that?

Aly is burnt out at her job, constantly being passed over for promotions, dating projects, and fixing everyone else’s problems.

Her coworkers/friends see her ability of fixing and decide to start “The Fixer Upper” a service for women to pay someone else to give their partners a nudge in the direction they’d like them to be in.

Things take a huge turn when a famous Instagram star wants to use their service to “fix” her app developer boyfriend. Who ends up being Aly’s childhood best friend that she had been in love with back in the day.

Stakes rise and Aly has too much riding on this job for it not to work, whether she agrees with it or not.

This was relatable and stressful, in a good way. You spend the whole book rooting for Aly to finally put herself first and tell everyone else to handle their own shit.

This is a supppperrrr slow-burn with not much pay-off at the end romance wise. I don’t mean spice (there is none), I would’ve liked to see more of the couple together and happy after all that build-up. The miscommunication trope was STRONG in this. There was also some emotional cheaty behavior I didn’t like.

The characters and their banter was great and you loved to hate the villain. It was wonderful to read such a relatable female character set long overdue boundaries and refuse to accept the bare minimum from those around her.

This is a fun and quick read!

Check it out, when it hits shelves, 8/2/22!
A big thanks to the Publisher & NetGalley for gifting me a digital copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGallery, Lauren Forsythe and Penguin Group for a copy of the ARC, in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

I am a sucker for a good second chance trope! Throw in a HEA, childhood friends to lovers, and hilarious banter and you have a wonderful story that I could not put down! The cover is gorgeous, and really drew me in as well.

Aly is considered a fixer - in many areas. Her abilities come out once it is discovered how many of her exes that needed "fixing," were able to turn themselves around and be the people she envisioned them to be in their next relationships. Aly and two of her co-workers create a side hustle that helps women mold their significant others into the partners that they want them to be. Things get interesting when a famous influencer - Nicki, comes to them for help in order to transform her boyfriend into a successful tech mogul... and to get him to finally propose. The man in question turns out to be Aly's childhood best friend, Dylan... who she hasn't seen in 15 years. What makes matters worse is that Dylan is the only man the Aly has ever loved... she thinks he is perfect the way he is. Things go from interesting to awkward in a flash... and to make matters worse... when the two are reacquainted... Dylan pretends as if they have never met. This is an obvious blow that has her reeling.

Friendship is something so beautiful. I love the support system that Aly has in her best friends Tola and Eric. I love how romance was able to bloom between the pair. I also loved seeing the transformation that we witnessing Aly. Being a fixer is natural... but learning to really self reflect and learn your worth is something that is inspiring.

4 stars! I love a good romance, but wish there would have been a bit of spice! That tension and banter could've lead to some gold - but it was a super enjoyable read! I flew through it, and couldn't wait to see what happened between these two!

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of this book! Overall this was a cute read but I was annoyed the entire time. I could not stand any of the characters and they all felt somewhat one dimensional. I enjoyed it enough but would not read again.

Reviews Posted: July 20, 2022
Goodreads
Storygraph

I don’t really know where to start with this book, but I just did not like it. Most of the characters felt bland, and the romance just did absolutely nothing for me.

The characters, for the most part, were boring, and I just could not get myself to care about what they were doing or any of the struggles they were going through. Some of the side characters were interesting, and the interaction of the main characters with them is the only reason I didn't give this book 1 star.

The romance felt completely flat to me, and I didn’t feel any chemistry between the characters. I also think it took way too long for them to get together, and then there was an epilogue, so we didn’t even get to experience the characters together.

The first half of the book just dragged on so much that I had to give myself incentives to keep reading. The second half was more exciting, but overall the book was still too long. Also, for a romance book, there was, well, a lock of romance.

“The Fixer Upper” by Lauren Forsythe
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release Date: 8/2/22
Genre: Romcom

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC! I thoroughly enjoyed this one! I read it in two days!

Amy is all about fixing everyone else’s problems but her own. When her two coworkers start breaking down her past men they realize each one has been a project. They propose a fun project. Become Fixer Uppers. How can they fix men for every woman out there? When a social media influence proposed a job to help her boyfriend prepare for the business pitch of his life, but also mold him into the perfect boyfriend and get him to propose. The kicker is the boyfriend is childhood friend and crush Dylan. Instead of airing their past they act like they don’t know each other. Can Aly make this work without blowing her cover?

This book was so fun! The characters, the plot, the setting. I loved every bit of it. I picked this up and had finished it by the time I sat it down. It was just so easy to read, the writing was addicting and I wish the book had been longer for that reason. My only complaint was pacing at times, but it truly in no way took away from how much enjoyment I got out of this book. It was super original, in my opinion, and that will certainly help it stand out in a market that is full of books of this genre! Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Review will be posted to my social media accounts upon publication.

why do I accidentally keep reading British romances even though I hate British romances. second-chance romance! a career/life coach at a firm called the Fixer Upper (honestly I found this super charming)! pretty good banter! no sex scenes! fast pacing -- I finished this pretty quickly. really cute cover! an aly who spells her name weird! some loose ends! Three and a half stars, rounded down for NetGalley/Goodreads because it's British.

Really fun concept of a book and not many slow moments. Friends to lovers and second chance romance.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own

4 stars!

Thank you to Putnam Group, Netgalley, and Lauren Forsythe for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book had me hooked from the first chapter. I feel like many times romcoms today either go so heavy on the spice that there is little relationship development/other plot elements or the fact that there is no spice at all makes the writing seem very juvenile/YA. However, Lauren Forsythe was able to avoid both these problems and deliver a witty and original romcom that had me laughing out loud. Dont get me wrong, there were moments I felt my inner Tola coming out and I just wanted to grab Aly by the shoulders and shake some sense into her! But I also completely understood why she was the way that she was. The friendship between Eric, Tola, and Aly was supreme and the one-liners that I ended up highlighting from their interactions were top-tier. Overall, I found this an enjoyable read with enjoyable characters. The plot was predictable, but unique enough that the predictableness (I know thats not a word but Im making it one lol) didn't bother me at all.

Read if you love:
Second Chance Roamnces
Friends to Lovers
Hilarious Schemes and Plots
Sassy but Vulnerable FMCs
Quirky Friend Groups

The idea for Fixer Upper is so interesting and fun. If Good Luck Chuck was about people finding their potential after being with Chuck and then finding love.

This was a story where I felt that I enjoyed the side characters more. I LOVED Tola and Eric. I enjoyed the writing style but I think I wanted more out of Aly. I like the idea of a second chance romance but the main client of this book seemed more like a conflict of interest and kind of rubbed me wrong.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

Aly has always been the go-to girl to fix anything that needs it - work problems, her parent's marital woes, friends issues with life/love. If you have a problem, Aly has a solution. After an encounter with an ex who has turned his life 180 degrees after their break-up, friends are realizing that she is fixing her boyfriends also. They leave her and commit to whatever - work goals, other women, etc. What the heck!

Aly decides with two of her coworker/BFF's to start doing this for fun - The Fixer Upper - through an exclusive network, Aly can help you with whatever needs fixing for the woman who needs help. It is usually to motivate a man to go for the job, get engaged, etc. When an Instagram influencer hires her to motivate her boyfriend to go for it with his app and propose within a month - Aly thinks she has it made. However, when the introduction is made, the boyfriend in question is Aly's old best friend from school - Dylan.

Can Aly stay partial and fix him up or will the past come back to bite both of them?

This was a great book! I could not put it down, I needed to know how it ended. Thank you for a fantastic read!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5

Aly is a fixer. She’s always been a fixer. When confronted with the statistics of how many of her exes who were in need of “fixing” went on to become better people after breaking up, Aly and her two coworkers decide to start a side hustle helping women mold their significant others into the partners they need. However, when famous social media icon, Nicki, requests their services to help turn her boyfriend into a successful tech mogul and get him to propose, Aly finds out that the man in need of fixing is her childhood best friend, Dylan, who she hasn’t seen or spoken to in 15 years and just so happens to have been the only love of her life. To make things even more awkward, when they are introduced, Dylan pretends as if they’ve never met. Talk about a punch in the gut. You’ll have to pick this one up to find out the rest!

I really enjoyed this ARC and found it to be a really easy read.

5 Things I Liked
✨ Aly & Dylan’s friendship - I really loved seeing how much they truly cared for one another. I found the little things they said to one another to be so wholesome: “tell me 5 things you’re grateful for” or “tell me something true”.
✨ Aly’s best friends - Tola & Eric! I could read an entire book from their perspectives, and for that matter, I’d like to take this up with the author!
✨ Aly’s growth - she really transformed from the person who always went out of her way for others into someone who demanded to be treated with respect and knows her worth.
✨ Second chance romance/childhood friends to lovers trope - though this was a zero spice romance, I truly enjoyed it. The banter between Aly & Dylan made me smile and when they fought, it broke my heart.
✨ The last chapter!! I’m a sucker for a HEA.

The Fixer Upper will be published on August 2, 2022.

Thank you to Lauren Forsythe, Penguin Group - Putnam, and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Fixer Upper by Lauren Forsythe is a humorous look into romance and the roles of the sexes in them.

Can Aly help Dylan and Nicki to the alter?

Alyssa Aresti
Our female lead is Alyssa or Aly to her friends. Aly's life hasn't been easy, but she has learned to cope by fixing things, primarily guys. She has dated many guys since college, but none of the relationships stuck. However, she finds out that all of them are better human beings, have great careers, and most are in good relationships. This is when her friends decide to start The Fixer Upper, a business that helps women "fix" the men that they love. I loved the premise, but you have to get past the manipulation, which Aly is alright with at the beginning, but then she seems to grow a conscience.

At work, Aly is jumping through hoops to gain the promotion to brand manager. The Brand Manager is a position she created, wrote the description, and has been doing without the title and pay for the last few years. After all of her boss's delaying and sabotaging assignments, the job is settled during the same month Nicki hired her to work with Dylan. The one time that she takes time off is the time frame that they judge her on her ability to do everything that she already is doing.

I liked Aly from the beginning. She is intelligent, sweet, friendly, and remembers things about people even those close to them don't bother to learn. Aly has some baggage that she hides from everyone until she and Dylan become friends again. Alyssa's growth throughout the book is fabulously written. I was rooting for her initially, but as the story went along, I was more invested and truly liked her more. Some parts drove me crazy, like her boss. OMG! That guy was a piece of work. Mentor...he is NOT.

Dylan James
The male counterpart to Alyssa is Dylan. They were childhood best friends, but it didn't end on a good note. Dylan is known to be a chameleon. As in, he changes himself for each lady that he is dating. He does this until he can't do it anymore and then breaks it off. Currently, Dylan is dating Nicki, the Kitty Litter Princess (#KLP). Yes, that is right. Wow, talk about a spoiled brat. She ultimately wants Dylan to conform to her brand. This is where The Fixer Upper comes into play. Nicki hires Aly, Tola, and Eric to "fix" Dylan and his business and include a proposal. She is giving them one month to make it happen.

Dylan is mad at Aly when they first meet and acts like they don't know each other. The scene is quite funny. As we get to know Dylan, we realize he has as much baggage as Aly. The two complement each other well; at least once, Dylan quits snarling at her.

I think Dylan is a brilliant character. Dylan is hardworking, dedicated, a great friend, and has a good heart. If only he could stop worrying about failure. Oh, and his relationship with his father is the opposite of Aly's with her mother. These two had me hoping for the happily ever after for them and that the event that leads them together wouldn't hurt either of them too bad.

Five Stars
The Fixer Upper by Lauren Forsythe has so much to offer. The story and the writing are fabulous. Ms. Forsythe knows how to put together a magnificent story with fantastic characters and a lovely setting. I thoroughly enjoyed reading The Fixer Upper. My rating is five stars for The Fixer Upper by Lauren Forsythe. I highly recommend it to all of you romance readers out there.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of The Fixer Upper by Lauren Forsythe.

Until the next time,
~Jen

If you would like to see other reviews like this one, check out BaronessBookTrove.com.

ARC REVIEW FOR THE FIXER UPPER

3 Stars

Thank you to Netgalley, The Penguin Group (GP Putnam & Sons), and Lauren Forsythe for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested this book, the cover and premise are what drew me in. The concept of a business for improving men for women? SOLD! It sounded fascinating. And while I still feel the concept is still interesting, I think the storyline fell a little flat to me.

I enjoy both character driven and plot driven stories, and this was a bit of a hybrid. Unfortunately, I felt the main character was not just boring, but actually an obnoxious person, and had a hard time connecting with them. Aly was whiny, a push-over, and, quite frankly, a liar. I understand that she wasn't interested in getting involved in the concept of the Fixer Upper, but I felt like she was telling herself that what she was doing was helping people, but didn't do a good job looking internally to see how she could improve herself. When she finally did, it went from 0-60 super quickly. She went from believing the lies she was telling herself to "NO! This is awful!" that it didn't feel genuine.

The story itself was very boring and dragged on until about 60% of the way through- then it got interesting. It was hard to believe the relationship development with Aly and Dylan- they had history but spent so much time ignoring or hating each other that, when they started to be friends again, it was so sudden I almost got whiplash.

With all that said, I thought the supporting characters were fantastic. Both Tola and Eric were a great support for Aly and I think balanced her lack of personality well. Ben and Priya were also great. I'm a sucker for happy endings, and this didn't disappoint.

If you enjoy stories with strong characters and interesting premises, add this to your TBR. The Fixer Upper will be out August 2nd!

The Fixer Upper is a very readable British romcom, with lots of sweet moments and a great cast of characters.

What if someone could “fix” your boyfriend/husband/significant other? Cause them to finally propose, or step up at home, or take a risk at work? After Aly’s friends prove to her that She has had a major role in “fixing up” her former boyfriends, they convince her to start a business to help fix other women’s boyfriends. At first, everything is going well. Aly helps lots of women get what they want, while using tips and tricks to get the men to figure it out on their own. When a famous influencer comes to Aly and her friends to see if they can help with her boyfriend, they agree only to find that the boyfriend is Aly’s best friend from her childhood. Will their complicated history get in they way or can she change him, even though she things he’s perfect just the way he is?

Fixer Upper is a fun summer read with likable characters, a little bit of romance, and a whole lot of fixing - for Aly and her clients! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!

This book was kind of a slow read for me. Our main character Aly seems like she has it all from the outside, but her love life is kind of in shambles. She has only ever fixed problems for the people around her, and has never really been able to fix things in her romantic life for herself.

Aly is a flawed character, which I really enjoyed, and her romance with her teenage flame Dylan was just okay, but it didn't leave me wanting more. While Ally is supposed to be the "fixer: in most of her relationships, the fact that she gets walked all over is kind of annoying. I kept waiting for her to be manipulative and scheming as she was described but, we never got that.

Dylan was sort of like a chameleon in that he changed who he was based on who he was around and to fit in.

I honestly just wanted so much more out of this, but I felt just lukewarm about it. It was fine, there was nothing wrong with the writing but it just left me wanting.