The Fixer Upper is a cute novel about second chance love. Aly is a fixer. She fixes coworkers marketing campaigns, she fixes people’s relationships and she tries to fix her mom’s neverending broken heart.

She is such a good “fixer” that she and two friends form The Fixer Upper, a company designed to help others fix a problem in their lives. Soon after, a social media influencer hires them to “fix” her boyfriend’s social media presence and life to fit hers. Only problem is that her boyfriend is Aly’s old best friend and first love.

Lauren Forsythe did a great job developing the characters. The MCs are charming and so relatable and the banter between the Aly, Tola, and Eric was great. I liked the chemistry between Aly and her old best friend, Dylan. Overall an easy and fast read (I was able to finish it in 2.5 hours) that will be a great summer rom com novel.

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Aly is a fixer who has spent her whole life fixing people-her parents, her boyfriends, everyone but herself. She feels stuck, and seeing how successful all her ex-boyfriends have become isn’t helping, so when an heiress and social media influencer hires her to “fix” her boyfriend and convince him to propose, it’s a challenge she can’t really turn down! Unfortunately for Aly, the boyfriend turns out to be her childhood best friend and first love who she hasn’t seen in 15 years.

This is such a sweet, clean, RomCom. The character development is really involved, and the book spends a lot of time on it. By the end, I felt like I KNOW these people. I want friends like Eric and Tola, and I find Nicki to be the worst type of human. I loved watching Aly and Dylan reconnect and their new story unfold while still heavily tied in the old one. I do wish though, that the book spent a little more time on the development of their relationship instead of focusing so much time on other plot points. Still a very well written story. It’s a friends to strangers to friends to lovers story unlike anything I’ve read before.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Fixer Upper has a great premise. Aly has spent her life “fixing” men instead of building healthy relationships with them. She doesn’t realise this until her friends point it out and decide to turn it into something positive for other women.

I enjoyed the main character’s journey throughout the book, even though I didn’t necessarily agree with the way she went about things.
Aly and Dylan’s interactions are frustrating at times, they both have a lot of growing to do and I do wish there was more romance and better communication between them.
However, I was invested in their relationship and was curious to see how they would get past all their issues so they could be together.

Overall this is a fresh, easy read that will keep you entertained!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing a digital copy of this book with me in exchange for an honest review.

This has been one of my favorite romcom book in recent times.

Aly loves to fix people. She has unintentionally fixed most of her boyfriends except the one that got away.
Eric and Tola work with her and they come up with the idea to tweak people. They end up with a social media influencer who wants them to remove her boyfriend. And who does it turn out to be, her best friend (who she would have preferred was more).
There was never a dull moment in the story. I would have played an extra in it if someone had given me 2 sentences to say.
It did pretty decent on the diversity of the characters as well.

I got an arc from #Putnam and #netgalley and greatly appreciated it.

Loved this book so much! Aly was the leading character I wanted to root for and was happy to follow the journey of how she got there. My only wish was for a bigger comeuppance for Felix, however, I am glad Aly found her way. I would absolutely recommend this book for anyone looking for a complicated but feel-good story set in London!

This book was cute and entertaining. It was a feel-good romcom with lots of banter. I really enjoyed this one!

I'm torn on this one. On the one hand, fantastic writing, great friends and characters, and rooting for Dylan and Aly throughout. On the flip side, it felt like emotional cheating for the entirety of the book, and that really got to me by the end.

Aly has been unintentionally dating projects rather than men - she helps them realize their potential, gets them sorted and sends them on their merry way where they can go find the love of their lives and be wildly successful. She, however, feels like she's in a rut that she can't get out of. Her two co-workers come up with a great idea to turn her project-dating history into a side hustle, and goes swimmingly! This brings her inadvertently back into the realm of her childhood best friend and former crush, Dylan.

This is where things start to sideways for me, because Dylan is dating an influencer, but she wants to shine him up a little more for the camera - cue Aly. My hang-up (without spoilers!) is that Dylan and Nicki are truly dating, and that bothers me morally since the book is supposed to be focused on Dylan and Aly. Can't get out of the premise being about stealing another female's man...

So more kudos to Lauren Forsythe as she took a concept that isn't my go-to RomCom and still made me enjoy it. Got through this quickly, because I was on tenterhooks to see how it ended with Dylan and Aly!

really went into this book with no expectations and still managed to have them absolutely let down by this book
the one word i’d use to describe this novel: Millennial (TM)
it’s so buzzfeed ladylike it just emanates that disingenuous pop feminism and i physically found myself cringing away from the book at times
whatever her name is the main female character i literally can’t remember it i know it starts with an a what is it OH ALY yes she’s just annoying like grow a spine for once
the entire business model of the fixer upper is so weird and borderline problematic - i know they address it at the end but it just didn’t deliver in terms of commentary or any sort of nuance
there is a tiny tiny hint of romance in this and yet i still didn’t like it surprise
they had a public proposal at the end and i could not handle it please dear lord if i have to read the phrase “strangers applauded” in a romance book one more time i will end it all
just the amount of times they said “you go girl” or some girlboss phrase i was about to lose it i was in tears almost
but if you want a quick easy read that’ll slightly erode your brain cells this is the book for you!

Thank you so much to Penguin for gifting me my first ARC! It was a pleasure to read. This was a cute, lighthearted story about a protagonist facing family, career, and relationship troubles. I loved seeing how her character evolved, and the banter with her friends was refreshing to read. In the story, the main character has a tendency to “fix” her boyfriends, ultimately putting them on a path to success, often career-wise. When her friends pointed this out, they decided to utilize her ability through creating a service where she offers relationship assistance. This comes in the form of nudging partners (often men) to act in ways that would make their partners happier, or to encourage them to become more active in pursuing their dreams. Through this business, she is hired by an influencer, but the man in question also happens to be the main character’s first love. She has some unresolved issues with him and tries to navigate this career changing employment opportunity while grappling with resurfacing feelings. If you love best friends-to-strangers-to lovers, and angry love confessions, this book is for you!

One thing I wish this book included was more tension and romantic development between the characters. It felt like a lot of the focus on the relationship was on their past, and I would have liked to see a little bit more in the present. Moreover, the ending felt a tiny bit rushed. Other than that, a fast-paced read with likable characters!

this was a sweet short book although I might have a few opinions about it. the trope was about friends to strangers back to friends again which had so many romance potential but the author didn't really use it
strong point about the book first was the MC character development , it was portrayed beautifully . second her relation ship with her mother and the way she saw her family and her friends and their characters. I didn't really connect to the plot and romance I wish there was more chemistry between characters. I also didn't like that she was kind of after another woman's boyfriend. in conclusion it was a okay rom-com
thank you to the publisher, and the author for letting me read an ARC of this
story through NetGalley.

The Fixer Upper is a slow burn, second chance romance with a significant emphasis on character development. We have a chance to grow with the characters as they figure out who they are and where they want to be in their lives.

The book focuses on Aly and her friends who create a side business helping women see their "fixer-upper" partners reach their full potential. They luck out when a famous heiress brings them on as a consultant, who assigns them with the task to nudge her boyfriend to propose. Unfortunately, this boyfriend is Aly's estranged childhood best friend, Dylan. Also, upon first meeting, they already pretend like they had no history. That won't make the situation awkward at all. You will just have to read it to see it all unfold.

I love the development that the side characters get in the book. The friendship that Aly, Tola, and Eric have is incredible. Likewise, Dylan's friends are great too, but I wish we got to know Priya and Ben a little better.

Aside from that, I didn't know what to expect in the story. It was a little cheesy and not as predictable as I thought it would be. And I can't say no to a happy ending.

Huge thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons, and #NetGalley for sharing this advanced reading copy of this book with me in exchange for my honest review.

A little close to home, The Fixer Upper explores the ways women tend to fix and help everyone else at the expense of themselves. Aly's journey is a little painful but also inspiring as she starts to see the cost of putting everyone else first and begins to prioritize herself, finding a healthy and life giving love along the way.

Aly's love life has been one long string of fixer-upper projects. Her relationships never last, and yet every boyfriend she's ever had has gone on to get his life together and be a success. When her best friends point this out to her, they hatch an idea of starting a service where they help women give their men the nudges they need to get it together. As they become more and more successful at it, they are contacted by a famous social media influencer and heiress who wants some help nudging her tech startup boyfriend toward the altar and entrepreneurial success. One problem. That guy? Yeah, he's Aly's childhood best friend and the first boy she ever loved.

One recurring theme in this story is the unfair burden of emotional work that women carry in the workplace, in their relationships, in their families, in their homes. It highlights toxic co-dependent relationships and the havoc they wreak on people's ability to be a fully-functional adult. This book is about being who you truly are and not melding yourself to meet some other person's expectations of an ideal mate.

I truly had no clue what to expect going into this book. The plot was very interesting. Was it unrealistic, in my opinion, yes, but it really hooked you in I was so curious about this job aly and her friends had started.

** spoiler alert ** Aly is an echo of so many women I know (including myself) who over-function and support others to the point of self-destruction.

This book was well done, and I enjoyed her friendships immensely. But I wasn’t really crazy about the love interest story. 1) they weren’t together largely because of a failure to communicate years ago, and 2) it had all the hints of an emotional affair (they met again while he was seriously dating someone else).

For personal preference, I’d give it 3 stars, but it deserves 4– especially if those topics don’t trigger you.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

This was an easy 4 stars for me possibly 5.

Aly is 32, stuck in the same position for the past 15 years and incredibly unhappy. Always helping everyone around her succeed. But when will it be her time?

Aly and her co-workers, Eric and Tola have decided that Aly has a gift that should be shared with the world. She fixes men, preps them for future success; in marriage and profession. They decide to start a side job. Women hire them to fix their men. Whether they are scared of commitment, lazy around the house or struggling with that promotion at work. Everyone needs fixing at some point, right?

But when a client is trying to fix the one man Aly loved 15 years ago, things can get messy.

Okay, I loved this book. From page one! Aly is sweet, always trying to do the right thing and she is so easy to love. I wish I could quote all the great stuff in this book.

Filled with great friendships and thoughts we’ve all had this book had me giggling and then crying. Life is hard you guys. We are not perfect, far from it actually, even on our best of days. This book sheds light on unconditional love and that getting exactly what we want is not always what we think it will be.

By all means, add this to your summer reading list!

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam books for an E-ARC book in exchange for my honest review.

I got to read Fixer Upper as an ARC, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This was my first book of 2022. Well I started it in 2021, but read most of it on January 1st, and stayed up until 1:35 January 2nd to finish it. But enough about me… Spoilers ahead…

Let me just say five things about the book..

Fixer Upper has a slow start, but don’t let that stop you from continuing to read. The book has a lot of setup that is important to the plot. Once you hit page 50ish you’re golden. Just keep reading.
The friendship that Aly, Tola, and Eric has is great. Their scheming is what got me through the first 50 pages. Likewise Dylan’s friends are great too. I love the development that the side characters get in the book.
Aly is always putting others first. She tries to help people, and inevitably fix them. Shows them their potential, and then when they split they move on to great success. From previous boyfriends, to coworkers, to her own parents; she is always looking for someone to fix. She is relatable. We all want to help others, and sometimes it hurts us in the process.
Dylan was her first love. He’s the swoony lead man that is easy to fall in love with. A slow burning, friends to nothing to lovers trope that will keep you on your toes. Dylan aims so hard to please others. He’s such a sweetheart.
The book reminds me of Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren. That in the fact of finding your way back to who you’re meant to be with. Such a sweet trope. And the grand gesture is amazing.

I LOVED this book!
It was full of witty banter, real life struggles, and relatable characters. The story follows Aly, who let’s face it, is one hard working woman. She has no social life and is constantly getting over looked, even though she’s the best at her marketing agency.
But, Aly has one amazing quality. She’s a fixer. She has without realizing, “fixed up” her past boyfriends to be more successful and more prone to commit after they aren’t together anymore. With the help of her friends, they decide to start up Fixer Upper (FU) to help women fix their men. Until, their biggest client yet requests their services does Aly find that her job may not be so easy. Her new clients boyfriend? Her childhood love & best friend whom she hasn’t spoken to in YEARS. The problem? He acts as though they don’t know each other. Oh yeah, did I mention the client is a socialite who needs him to propose?
What a whirlwind this was!
I enjoyed the writing, the characters, and their chemistry.
4.5 sstars !!

4.5 stars! What an incredible book! This book follow Aly as she and her friends create a side business helping women in relationships see their ""fixer upper" partners reach their full potential. They seem to be hitting their stride when semi-famous influencer/heiress hires Aly and co to nudge her boyfriend to propose. Unfortunately this boyfriend is Aly's estranged childhood best friend, Dylan.

I've never read a book where the target audiences were millennials and gen z and this did way better than I could have expected. This addresses so many issues women face, from feeling like they are pulling all the weight in a relationship to not being able to stand up for themselves without being called emotional. It's relieving and validating as a woman to read this.

The characters were their own people, although I do think that Ben and Priya could have been developed a little more. Aside from that, I really didn't know what to expect in the story. This wasn't a cheesy and predictable rom com. It was fresh and unique and I want so much more!

I don't think this book was for me. I put it down at 50% and decided not to finish it because it was moving so slow. I was spending too much time trying to force myself to get into it. The story does not seem like a romance at all based off the 50% I read--not even a slow burn romance. It is marketed as a romance, but it might be more women's lit based off the part I read. Things might change at the end, but the heroine felt very manipulative in the chapters I read. She was supposed to be this really "selfless, kind, helpful" person at work and in her home life. She did not feel selfless or kind or helpful when she was going behind people's backs to "fix" them.

Also, I feel like I need to say it, you can't fix someone after only interacting with them once or twice. In fact, you can't "fix" people at all. They have to do that for themselves. Honest, open communication and a willingness to do better from both people is the only way real change ever takes place in a relationship. Do people really buy that some stranger can fix your spouse or boy friend after only one fake interaction? The main character was "fixing" men for women who needed their partners changed in some way through deceit and lies. Yeah, that would never work in real life... at least not long term. You might get what you want from your partner momentarily, but nothing long term would ever change about your situation if you go about changing someone in that way.

Then the MC ran into her old best friend (who she had a falling out with in high school and hasn't seen since) and was paid an exorbitant amount to get him to propose to his influencer girlfriend. I think he was supposed to eventually be a love interest for the MC, but if he is a love interest... he's not a great one. He's wishy washy and changes his personality based on who he is dating. He appears to have no healthy communication skills and neither does the MC for that matter. Most of this book felt toxic tbh, so I put it down.

Maybe the ending gets better, but I couldn't muddle through it long enough to get there.