A lighthearted, romp that takes its cues from screwball comedies. It was a fun read, and had everything I love - a nice mixture of action, adventure and a bit of romance. Unfortunately, after starting strong, it just couldn't hold my attention, so I ended up reading this is multiple sittings.

Libby's bossiness and Penny's compliance really pissed me off. While their family dynamic was well-written, Penny needed to tell Libby to stop butting into her life - from trying to matchmake her with Anthony at the start to demanding Penny stay with her over the summer when she knew that Penny was trying to focus on her tenure application in peace.

The romance felt insta-love was also told more than shown. Literally. Every supporting character kept saying it, yet I saw more chemistry between Portia and Anthony. I liked them, but I couldn't believe they'd fallen in love in less than a week. Perhaps if their initial candlestick bickering was built up with more 'Beatrice and Benedick' snappy dialogue I'd have believed it more.

That said, this book would be perfect for a movie. Having actors flesh out that chemistry I think would sell Penny and Anthony more and I would absolutely buy a ticket to see it.

Overall, a cute, escapist tale. I'd read this again, but I think maybe audiobook (depending on narrator) might bring to life more.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

4.5★
The Big Fix by Holly James is an action packed rom-com about about a woman who goes to her sister's neighbor's estate sale and ends up going on the run with a handsome fixer.

This book has AMAZING banter and was super funny with non stop action. There were lots of great metaphors (im a sucker for a metaphor). Now I know a lot of of rom-com (and metaphors) can give me secondhand embarrment but I didn't find it cringey at all. This is a great book that helped me get out of a reading slump. I read this book WAY too fast.

I also love a man who wears all black. This books is not spicy and although Penny and Anthony find themselves attracted to each other pretty early, I don't think I would consider it insta love. I recommend this to anyone going through a reading slump of wants something fun and fast paced

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars
this genre is something i had only seen in films before this book. i wasn't looking for a romance read when i picked this up but i guess it worked well for me in the end. it was light and easy, but i didn't really see the sparks between the main characters. this is quite unusual for me but i may have liked the plot more than the characters here...

This is the perfect summer book! Goes great with sunshine and lemonade. It’s got a little bit of everything and hooked me right from the first chapter.
The writing style made me feel like I was there without being too heavy or so descriptive that I lost sight of the story.

The Big Fix is a really fun, fast-paced action comedy. And Katherine Center's Bodyguard meets The Fall Guy is a spot on comparison in terms of spice and tone.

Bay Area CompSci professor Penny meets fixer Anthony at his uncle's estate sale when a body accidentally falls out of a closet thanks to her nephew's hijinks. It sets in motion a series of events that puts Penny and Anthony in the crosshairs of a tech CEO.

It's a dialogue rich book. These people talk A LOT. And at least once, I felt like the plot came to a standstill as Anthony catches Penny up on why he's really in the Bay Area. They were in a car at the time and there was no scenery to break up all the talking.

As someone who lived in NorCal, James mostly gets the Bay Area references right -- the City, the peninsula, San Mateo County Sheriff's Dept, no "the" with the freeway numbers, etc. I'm giving it an artistic license pass that she plunked a Victorian down in a suburban neighborhood.

The thing is, I just didn't really buy the romance between Penny and Anthony. It's hard to put my finger on why exactly, I just didn't believe they were attracted to each other, despite being put in situations for it to develop. And yet that wasn't a dealbreaker for me. Come expecting action comedy, not romantic comedy or romantic suspense, and you'll have a great time.

3.75 stars

This book fills the void left when Hollywood stopped making rom-coms—specifically action rom-coms like “This Means War,” “Hit & Run” and “Knight and Day.” It’s fun, fizzy and fast-paced, with a heroine who can hold her own in dangerous situations while still reacting like a real person would. The writing is excellent, with evocative descriptions of the settings and cleanly rendered action sequences that never leave you wondering what just happened. I would have liked a bit more emphasis on the romance—even one spicy scene would have helped sell it. But overall this was a thoroughly entertaining read.

This was such a cute rom-com/romantic suspense read! It started with a meet-cute at an estate sale and ended with…several crimes being committed (but for good reason, I promise!).

The banter between Anthony and Penny was top tier and had me chuckling time and time again. It was witty, flirty, and so fun. While this book definitely had romance, I would not say it was spicy at all and it was much more cutesy with some closed door romance elements. But it still had me swooning and all-in for their romance!

I thoroughly enjoyed the suspense plot line and thought it was unique and made the story really fun and kept me on my toes!

Overall, this was a great, quick read and I definitely recommend for any rom-com lover.

Thank you to Kensington Publishing and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review after reading.

This book was such a wild ride—literally and figuratively—and I had an absolute blast with it! From the moment Anthony and Penny crossed paths (over a pair of candlesticks, no less), I was hooked. Their chemistry crackled right off the page, and between the sharp banter, the non-stop action, and the simmering tension, I tore through this book in no time. I loved how Anthony straddles that fine line of being morally gray—dangerous, mysterious, and just unhinged enough to make things interesting. Penny is no damsel in distress either. She might be a computer sciences professor, but she’s just as willing to bend the rules, hack a few systems, and keep up with Anthony every step of the way. Their dynamic was electric, and watching her get tangled up in his world of danger and deception was pure fun. This book had everything—mystery, humor, and just the right amount of chaos—and I couldn’t put it down.

A cute caper romance that calls for you to suspend your disbelief, its easy to see The Big Fix as a miniseries on Hulu or Netflix. The central mystery in this book surrounding a woman, who conveniently is known by both main characters, is easily solvable. But boy do the main characters look good while they solve it. This book is full of tropes and plot devices, yet it is an enjoyable, easy read. I would call this a popcorn book. Thanks to Net Galley and Kensington Books for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

A great read. Penny meets Anthony at the open house he is hosting. Soon she is embroiled in a murder mystery. A fab fast paced read with secrets revealed along the way. Looking forward to more from this author.

Penny took a break from finishing her tenure case to accompany her sister to an estate sale next door, which was a very odd things because Penny's sister had never been interested in antiques before. When the sisters arrived at the house, Penny quickly understood why it was important to her sister to have Penny's company: the very handsome nephew of the deceased was executor of his uncle's will and estate. Too bad he had bodies in the closet as well. After the shocking discovery of the body, Penny finds herself on the run with Anthony trying to get to his best friend's sister before the bad guys do.

Very fun action/adventure novel. I liked the characters, the adventure was just enough to be oddly believable without being too morbid or graphic. Readers of Janet Evanovich, Jesse Q. Sutanto or Elle Cosimano would likely enjoy this book. It will be a good one to grab for summer vacation travel. I am hopeful this may become a series; the door was certainly left open at the end of the book!

This was an entertaining read. I liked the dynamic between Penny and Anthony, although I don’t know if I would trust a stranger that quickly. The story moves quickly and there are many elements that move the plot forward. There is a found family aspect that was nice. There is no spice in this so if that isn’t your thing than this will work for you!

Suspend disbelief and jump into The Big Fix for a fun rom-com/mystery hybrid that will keep you entertained to the end!

Penny, an almost-tenured professor, attends an estate sale at her sister’s neighbor’s house, where she meets handsome “fixer” Tony…and a dead body. Readers should just hang on as Holly James keeps everything moving at a rapid pace. I thoroughly enjoyed every page!

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for an eARC. Opinions are my own.

Penny Collins has devoted her life to getting tenure, no time for love, and it is just within her grasp if she makes one big push this summer. She has agreed to spend the summer with her big sister helping with the children while working on the final articles/chapters etc.

Her sister drags her to an estate sale at the house next door - its clearly a setup to get her to meet the new neighbour Anthony, who has inherited the house and all its contents from his recently deceased Uncle Lou. Unfortunately Anthony seems immune to Penny's charms, in fact openly hostile, which might be explained when Penny's nephew opens a closet door and a dead body falls out. Suddenly everyone seems to think Penny is Anthony's girlfriend and a mysterious man keeps turning up and making vaguely threatening comments.

The next thing she knows, Penny has been kidnapped by a ruthless billionaire's henchman as bait to trap Anthony.

The blurb says
Katherine Center’s The Bodyguard meets The Fall Guy starring Ryan Gosling in a modern blend of screwball action and romantic attraction when a case of mistaken identity lands a college professor on the run with a mysterious—and dangerously hot—fixer . . .
but I would say its a bit more like the Goldie Hawn film Bird on a Wire, or the Jennifer Aniston film The Bounty Hunter, by which I mean a vaguely irritating FMC.

Also, I found it difficult to believe in either Penny or Anthony because they seemed to change personas. One minute Penny is a mild-mannered professor, the next she can hack city IT systems. Is Anthony a bad-a$$ fixer or an accountant - he looks like the former but everything he does he seems to run into like a headless chicken requiring Penny to save him more often that not!

Overall, it was an okay read but I didn't believe in the characters.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

I've been in the mood for a fun mystery - one that kept me on my toes, had high stakes, but sprinkled in some humor and romance for good measure. And Holly James nailed it with The Big Fix, which is out in the world TODAY !

Penny Collins, a college computer science profess who has worked her ass off to get tenure did not see this coming. At her sister's request she went to the estate sale of their neighbor who recently passed away. She did not expect his nephew, Anthony, to be surly or handsome. As they started bickering about candlesticks, a dead body that fell out of the hall closet.

Suddenly Penny finds herself wrapped up in the investigation of the body and pulled even further into Anthony's orbit. It turns out he and his uncle were professional fixers - and this dead body is jut the tip of the iceberg...

This was such a delightful escape! The characters had depth and I bought in pretty quickly. Y'all know I love a mystery with witty dialogue and chemistry among our leads - couldn't put this one down!!

Big thanks to Kensington and NetGalley for this ARC - and happy pub day Holly !

i want to thank netgalley and the publisher for an e arc in exchange for an honest review!

i really really loved the cover and it was a bit predictable all in all but the cover is beautiful.
i think that the story could have used a bit more development to make the characters not only more demential but also to have them be a bit more relatable but i did enjoy reading this and excited to real more from holly jamess!

A Meet Cute involving a body falling out of a closet? Yes please ☺️

Despite the premise above, it's very tame and basically a sweet rom-com with a touch of mystery. It's fast-paced and has great characters with great banter!

Also note that it's closed door, and even though I personally prefer my doors open all the way (hehe), the way the romance developed felt realistic and I thought it fitted perfect to the story.

I had a blast reading this and would definitely recommend it if you want a romance with a little bit of action. I would also say this is a perfect vacation read to have by the pool/beach!

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 & 𝘒𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘵𝘰𝘯 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘦-𝘢𝘳𝘤!!

So much for her boring summer!

College professor and tenure candidate Dr. Penny Collins is embarking on her summer break knowing that she will spend most of it doing the final work on her candidacy for tenure. For five long years she has put up with condescending co-workers and countless hours of teaching, writing, and more all in the name of securing a tenured spot at her university, and she has no intention of screwing it up when she is so close to completion. She hopes to occasionally make it out of San Francisco to her older sister Libby's suburban house to swim in and lounge by the pool and spend time with her nephew and niece, but finds herself on her first weekend off heading to Libby's to instead accompany her to an estate sale at the house next door whose owner recently passed away. Not her idea of a fun time, especially since it meant she had to get up earlier to drive out, but Libby was persistent. Which is how Penny found herself meeting the dead neighbor's cranky (but really good looking) nephew Anthony and getting into a snarky exchange with him. Minutes later a dead body falls out of one of the closets, and things start to get really crazy. The media is reporting that she is Anthony's girlfriend, which since he's under suspicion for making that body dead isn't making the chairman of her department too happy. Anthony's occupation seems to be on the wrong side of shady, he may have a connection to the missing wife of a tech billionaire, and someone decides that kidnapping Penny is a good next move. Who are the good guys, who are the villains, and how the heck is she supposed to secure tenure with all this going on?
The Big Fix is a rom-com/mystery mash-up, with a smart heroine who is in way over her head and can't figure out if the hot guy she just met is a killer or just in a situation that is spiraling out of control. Penny has always been good at working out puzzles but never thought that escaping from being tied to a chair in a basement while a Definitely Bad Dude with a gun dangles her as bait was going to be on her to-do list someday. Anthony is a little harder to get a read on at first but grows on you, and Penny's sister Libby is the quintessential bossy meddling big sister. The novel is a quick, fun read, definitely in the madcap/screwball category of mysteries, and likely to appeal to readers of Janet Evanovich, Elle Cosimano and Harley Jane Kozak. The one thing that bugged me is all the blushing that went on, both with Penny and Anthony, more than once or twice...its the kind of thing that if I notice it, it's probably overdone...but a fairly minor complaint all in all. My thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for allowing me access to a copy of this case of mistaken identity, mayhem and love in exchange for my honest review.

Overall, this was a fun read! The plot is interesting and consistent, and I found myself enjoying the characters and their journey. The beginning is a little unbelievable, but once you get past that, it settles into a nice rhythm. Even though it's not the most unpredictable of stories, it still keeps you engaged and entertained. If you’re looking for murder-mystery plot that's lighthearted and easy, this one’s a great pick!

First, I love everything by Holly James. Second, the cover made me do it. Third, this story grabbed me from the intro.

I really liked all of the characters in the book (not the bad guys, obvi) but the side characters and kids were so well written that they were perfect in this story. The storyline was engaging and I kept wondering where we were going next. I was frustrated that Anthony didn't tell all of his secrets at first, but he was pretty open and didn't have all of the answers. Penny was pretty good about stepping up with a solution and saving herself, which was fantastic! A little damsel in distress, but a lot more self reliant. Love that!