Powerful stuff, this novel utilises absurdism and paranormal weirdness in such a visceral way. I was uncomfortable all the way through but in the best way.

There are things I enjoyed about this book which include: the lgbtq+ representation, the underlying meaning of the story detailing the cycle of toxic relationships and abuse, and how difficult it is to leave those relationships. That being said, I found the story a bit too over the top when dealing with such a heavy undertone. The writing is perfectly fine, I wish it had dealt more with the horror side of things rather than fantastical creations. It felt a bit too much and too rushed. I see what the author was trying to accomplish, but for me personally, it just didn't quite reach the mark. I feel as though this is a book that will reach its particular niche and the people within that niche will absolutely love it. It just wasn't for me. I would read more from this author though as I do like their style of writing.

Thank you to Clash books and Netgalley for this free arc in exchange for my honest review.

This was not much like This Is How You Lose the Tome War, but it was still a wacky fun book on possessiveness and obsession. It went pretty much how I expected in terms of absurdism. Not necessarily my cup of tea but still decent

Oh this book was interesting! I was confused as to what was happening at first, but I really liked the direction this took. It really reminded me of a cross between The Butterfly Effect and Love Lies Bleeding. There was some great gory surreal elements and the relationship seemed devastatingly real.

I really liked how this book went hard on the weird horror, but it was too short for me to develop any kind of closeness to either Johnny or Alice. Both of them read like stock characters, which is really unfortunate.

I see other reviewers mention that this is a horror manifestation of a toxic relationship, which is a really cool concept. But it felt like the horror came out of nowhere and then spiraled out of control that I forgot that this was supposed to be about an unhealthy, obsessive relationship.

While the horror elements were cool and creepy, I just wish the message had more of an impact on me.

Thank you to CLASH Books, Edelweiss, and NetGalley for this arc.

Gorgeous, disturbing novella that used paranormal and otherworldly imagery to show the cycle of abuse and the way people can end up being stuck in them. Will update this with my official review in the future.

3.5
I'm really not sure how to rate this book. Its not what I usually read. This book wasn't for me but I do see its appeal and I can see people really liking this book. I'm also just realizing that novellas don't usually work for me.
What I liked:
-The representation of toxic/abusive relationship and the cycle that keeps people in them
-The books willingness to push boundaries and venture into the absurd and the gruesome
What I didn't like:
-The prose felt over-indulgent sometimes.
-I got a little lost in some of the absurdity. I feel like it was done for symbolic reasons but I think I just didn't understand it.

I’ll be honest here… I have no idea what the hell I just read. The writing itself was intriguing and poetic enough for me to want to keep reading (this is where the 2 stars come in) but I truly don’t know what… that… was? I kept waiting for something to click, for some bigger underlying message to be revealed, but for me at least, it didn’t really happen. It was just a bizarre story about a toxic couple and the hell people put themselves through to be with someone they want… mixed with things like murder, dogs turning into sea creatures, and a lot of other weird shit. Maybe it was just too cerebral for my pea brain to comprehend, I don’t know, but if someone reads this and wants to try to better explain it to me, be my guest… give it your best shot. 🤷🏻‍♀️ I definitely think there are people who love this sort of book and will in turn enjoy I Can Fix Her, but I’m a romance and contemporary fiction lover at heart and this fever dream was just not my cup of tea.
💬Tropes: Sapphic, Existential Horror, Novella

Johnny is thrilled to spot her ex, Alice, at a small speakeasy one night—though less thrilled that Alice is with another woman. However, when Alice eagerly invites Johnny back to her apartment, Johnny is convinced they can make it work this time. They’ll change for each other. They’ll be better for each other.

But when Alice agrees that she can change, Johnny isn't prepared for the complete shift in reality that awaits her. The next morning, Johnny wakes up to a world where everything feels dreamlike and boundaries have dissolved. Although her time with Alice feels new and strange, a nagging sense of déjà vu creeps in, and a sense of dread grows as Johnny realises the world she knows is slipping away. Everything is changing, but can Johnny truly fix Alice and find the love she craves?

What a ride! I Can Fix Her captures the chaos of a nightmare in a way few books do, making it a thrilling experience for readers who enjoy unconventional, mind-bending storylines. The book intensifies with each chapter, and while it will appeal to those intrigued by the unknown, it may overwhelm those who dislike confusion or experimental plots. Fortunately, the ending offers a satisfying resolution, something often lacking in stories like this.

Both Johnny and Alice are deeply flawed and unlikeable, but by the end, I found myself empathising with both, which was a very surprising development, so kudos to Wilde for that impeccable character development. Their tragic relationship, and the idea that anyone can—or should—be "fixed," is heartbreaking and thought-provoking. It’s an anti-love story wrapped in a bleak hopefulness, with characters that can't let go of a doomed relationship.

Final Verdict: I Can Fix Her is a nightmare of a book that pulls you in, compelling you to finish in one sitting—and then dive back in to uncover the clues you missed. If you’re looking for similar déjà vu vibes, try Coup de Grace by Sofia Ajram, or Fever Dream by Samantha Schweblin for another feverish tale.

Thank you to #netgalley and Clash Books for an advanced copy of I Can Fix Her.

This book is a gut punch for anyone that has been in a toxic relationship. Rae Wilde goes right for the heart and the throat with this short but emotionally resonant novella that really gets to what it feels like to be hopelessly in love with someone you know will always end up hurting you.

Johnny misses her ex, Alice. That’s not so strange. When she runs into her by chance at a bar, their awkward reunion, also not so strange. But then Alice invites her back to her place, and Johnny accepts, and again, their night spent together and the decision to try their relationship all over again? Completely believable. No strangeness detected. But then she wakes up in the morning, and Alice has a completely different hair style, and her tiny little yappy dog? Yeah, he’s a giant beefy aggressive boy now. AND WE HAVE REACHED STRANGE. Alice and Johnny spend a week together in total, and every day more and more strange things happen, turning Johnny’s life into a bizarre and increasingly violent dream with seemingly no escape. And worse of all, it seems like Johnny is more afraid of letting go of Alice than the terrifying things that are seeping into her reality as she keeps her stranglehold on this relationship.

And that’s the thing about Johnny and Alice. They absolutely should not try again. Johnny is possessive and obsessed with the concept of a relationship with Alice, but doesn’t really love Alice herself. Meanwhile, Alice is selfish and doesn’t truly love anyone or anything but herself. With their powers combined, they’ve created the single most toxic relationship possible, and neither one seems willing to let it go. Even as the relationship escalates to violent, even deadly levels of surrealism, and letting go is the only way out.

I Can Fix Her was a captivating novella, detailing the hidden depth of a toxic relationship between two women in the fallout of a messy breakup. The story was interesting, surreal, but still relatable. The story unraveled at a steady pace, with good timing, and engaging sequences. The horror of Johnny’s situation creeps on slowly, and the ending was somewhat unexpected but again, relatable. I’d recommend giving this a quick read just for the messaging alone, that in the end, in fact, you probably can’t fix her.

Weird, Unnerving, Crazy and Brilliant! 100% not what I was expecting after the first chapter but each day growing more and more strange was amazing!

I was confused at the beginning, but the story became exciting and very in the end. I'd love to read more from the author.

Rae Wilde's "I Can Fix Her" is an extremely bizarre sapphic horror novella about a relationship collapsing again and again, a madness of two resulting in a sort of shared psychosis (and this is to put it mildly). The loop is both mental and metaphysical, centered on toxicity, the persistence of romantic delusions through time, and the iteration of mistakes. It treats of rather sick beliefs about love and the (im)possiblity of change, within the context of a story told in a somewhat thriller format. It reminded me a lot of the way Eric LaRocca portrays queer relationships, but Wilde rests more on plot twists rather than situational grotesqueries. The writing is trippy, weird, and choppy; the imagery vivid but occasionally nightmarish. I'd say that it's essentially a grim morality tale about obsession, without any catharsis or redemption. I recommend it for the ending, which I found insightful and realistic.

In I Can Fix Her, we follow Johnny and Alice, two exes who bump into each other at a bar after Alice returns from Germany, Somehow Johnny ends up back at Alice's apartment, and the realms of logic start to fall down in wakes of their obsession for each other.

This was a delightfully weird little novella that doesn't bother following convention and instead does what it wants to do when it wants to do it. The writing was a pleasant surprise, since I don't always expect books of this size to be as well written as this one is. I absolutely plan on reading more from this author in the future, and I never would have found this book had it not been for Netgalley.

Without saying much since it is so short, if you've enjoyed books like Finna by Nino Cipri and like a good old Groundhog Day premise, I think this may be for you.

I thrilling time loop where love never dies. Or at least, Johnny tries not to let it die. Like being dragged into a situation with two toxic people devouring you, this book makes you feel like you're being sucked in, too.

"Johnny forgets things. But I remember."

This is a fast-paced sapphic horror novella that grips you from start to finish. A fever dream I never wanted to end, beautifully written. I am now officially obsessed with Rae Wilde.

My favorite detail: If you look closely, there's a hidden story within the story.

This is a book about a toxic relationship but leans a tad bit more into the thriller than direct horror genre. It is not as grotesque as an Eric LaRocca but it is along the same lines. This is a novella so the story is striking and gets right to the point. You follow the spiral down of the main character while she is obsessed with trying to make this relationship work. It is an excellent read if you can deal with some rough scenes.

I CAN FIX HER is a complicated dissection of obsession and toxic sapphic love. The narrator(s) roles unfurl as the book progresses and any sympathies I had for her are completely gone by the end of the book. The horror and surreal aspects of the book are very well done and keep you on your toes seeing what happens next. The tone, tension, and pacing are good until the ~ 85% mark when it slows down a bit and I saw where the ending was heading. As for the ending, I am personally not a fan of the choice made, though I think it does fit the overall story and themes.

This was such a trip! Not at all what I expected from the first chapter. I loved every minute of this wild, weird ride.