Sophie Kinsella is my go-to for light, fun romantic comedies so I was thrilled to get an eARC of her latest from Netgalley. My favorite books of hers combine her signature humor and voice with heartfelt relationships and family drama, and I am happy to report that this one was a WINNER!

Our protagonist is Fixie, a twentysomething young woman who just can’t stop herself from fixing things for everyone around her. One day she’s sitting at a coffee shop when a (handsome) patron asks her to watch his laptop while he steps out to take a call. While he’s gone, Fixie acts quickly to save his laptop in the face of impending disaster, and when he returns, he writes her an IOU. Payable anytime.

Of course, hilarious hijinks and misunderstandings abound as the two find themselves continuing to run into each other after Fixie cashes in her IOU.

But the best part of this story is the very real and raw depiction of Fixie and her relationship with her two older siblings. Kinsella did a wonderful job capturing the expectations and culture of a family and how they play out even in adulthood.

The humor was sparkling, the romance was just SO sweet (with surprising depth) and honestly, I stayed up until 1am to finish this one.

Releases Feb 5, 2019 in the US. Put it on your list!

I liked this story, although some of the characters drove me a little crazy, and there were a few implausibilities in the story that I had trouble with. Decent read but not Kinsella's best work.

Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. I was so excited for this book after I didn’t care for Surprise Me. Unfortunately, this book didn’t feel like a typical Kinsella either. Fixie just drove me nuts. She was such an insecure pushover, and not in an endearing way. I also didn’t feel the chemistry between Fixie and Seb either. Although it started cute with them meeting in a quirky way in the coffee shop, it fell flat after that. When they got into a huge fight towards the end, I didn’t even really understand why she wasn’t so upset. It felt like that scene was stuck in there randomly to give the book a dramatic twist. Fixie’s family were just awful, besides her Mum. Overall, I was really disappointed. Although I love Kinsella’s writing, I did not care for this book.

Loved this sweet story of Fixie and her family’s shop in London. She is still in love with her high school boyfriend, Ryan, but soon finds out that he is bad news. One day in a coffee shop, she protects a man’s laptop from the following ceiling, and they begin this back-and-forth of oweing each other a favor. While this story doesn’t have a huge climactic storyline, you find yourself falling in love with the characters and hoping for a happily ever after.

I am a huge Sophie Kinsella fan! I have read many of her books and have loved everyone of them. I Owe You One is no exception! You meet the Farrs and come to love their quirky little family. The Farrs own a store and you learn that everyone has their own version of what the store should become. Fixie Farr is the main character and you follow her through her awakening as she finds her place as the head of the family. I found that this book was much like other Kinsella books but was just as enjoyable. The characters were likable and relatable. My only question was, how does a mom leave her kids and business that long?! I felt like the mom kind of disappeared and never talked to he kids on the extended holiday. Overall, I would recommend to others that enjoy chick-lit. Thanks to Sophie Kinsella and Random House Publishing Group for the advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest opinion. #IoweYouOne #NetGalley

Even though the main character is a doormat for most of the book and her siblings are supremely unlikable, this is still a fun read. It helps that the characters do grow...eventually!

Thank you to Random House/Dial Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Fair warning, the first half of I Owe You One takes real perseverance on the part of the reader. Kinsella’s characters are so vivid and real, I considered DNF'ing it in the first 25%. It was like being at a party where you hate everyone and think, why am I spending time with these people? Every character needed a kick in the pants for one reason or another -- selfishness, laziness, delusions of grandeur. By 50% I was ready to put Fixie's brother, sister, and childhood crush on a catapult.

BUT!

Then Fixie finds her voice and her backbone and I legitimately cheered for her! Her confidence builds and it was an absolute joy to watch her take charge and come into her own. It’s just that the road to get there took so long.

The romance was more prominent than in previous Kinsella books, which was a plus for me. Fixie and Seb’s meet cute is quirky and fun, and I would have loved to read their relationship as straight romance.

Ultimately, I Owe You One is an uplifting, funny story of empowerment. You just gotta be willing to stick with it.

Unfortunately, I spent a good portion of this book frustrated. Fixie was such a doormat. Personally, I prefer a spunky main character with sass and gumption. Not someone who is continuously trod upon by most characters in the book. I Owe You One was supposed to be about Fixie and Seb, but I felt like it was more about her crappy family (especially her brother Jake) and how poorly they treated her. She did finally grow a back bone and got them to listen to her, but the change was such a complete 180, it wasn't really believable.

I wanted to love this book so much but I thought the characters were not very likable, even the main character Fixie Farr. It was a relaxing read though. I was able to relate to Fixie's family and how she felt about her siblings. I actually feel a lot of the same way with my own. I just felt like there could have been more to the book or it was missing a little something.

I've read pretty much every book by Sophie Kinsella. This book is about a woman named Fixie, who...likes to Fix things. She is a people pleaser that has to confront reality when problems ensue. I was let down by this one- Fixie's character is pretty grating and you don't see much character change until about 70% through the book. I recommend Sophie's work but this one isn't her best.

Sophia Kinsella’s “I Owe You One” delivers cheerful Brit Chick Lit in spades. Fixie Farr aptly fulfills the role of a likeable and charming heroine who, despite a complicated family dynamic and confidence issues, manages to come to realize the things that matter most...and the bravery needed to grasp those things for herself.
Kinsella shines the most brightly in these types of stories - girl, boy, kooky families, villainous romantic rivals, Chance meetings and destiny lending a hand here and there. Nothing super heavy, and I do wish Fixie and Seb’s romance was a little more polished - and not feel sort of hurrriedly resolved - at the end, but fans will enjoy this latest Kinsella rom com as well

I love Sophie Kinsella’s books. Like comfort food. I actually prefer her standalone to the Shopaholic series. So glad the main characters finally stands up for herself. Cannot believe she let her siblings walk all over her for so long.

I received I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella as an ARC from NetGalley. I'm a big fan of Sophie Kinsella and this book did not disappoint. The book tells the story of Fixie and Seb who meet in a coffee shop. Fixie saves Seb's computer from destruction and that starts a series of "I Owe You Ones'" between the 2 characters. Kinsella's books always feature a main character who has faults but you still love her and can relate to her. I loved this book and the characters and highly recommend it.

It has been a super long time since I read a Sophie Kinsella book. My last read of hers was "Twenties Girl", so it's been long overdue. I Owe You, gave me flashbacks of Sophies grounded roots of her earlier works. The main characters were relatable , quirky , unique and made you feel you would want to build a friendship with them. Fixie Farr, was a spitfire, but at times her indecisiveness and "doormat-ish" mannerisms ,irked me. Fixie grew and became a more confident gal eventually and loved how her outlook on life came together in one full circle. Sebastian was one of my favorites and was quite charming. Ryan on the other hand was a real stick in the mud. This was an enjoyable read and looking forward to future writings

I still love Sophie Kinsella, but this one was just not for me. Our heroine was just too downtrodden to really draw me in. The secondary characters were too Quirky Family!!! so I just wasn't pulled into story line. I'll still get her next book (The Shopaholic books, "Twenties Girls" and "My Not-So-Perfect Life were great fun!) but this one didn't do it for me.

I Owe You One is the latest book by Sophie Kinsella. Fawn Farr, known for most of her life as "Fixie" has a penchant for fixing things, and she's good at it as long as its someone else's life she's fixing. She's still recovering from a bad breakup, a failed attempt at running her own catering business, and years of being put down or put upon by her older brother and sister. Fixie's father passed away a few years earlier and Fixie now helps her mother run Farr's, the all-purpose family store . They all live and work in London. This is where the book begins. When Mum has a heart attack and is forced to take it easy, Fixie encourages her to vacation with her wild sister in Europe. Fixie and her brother and sister are in charge of the store and the madcap group of employees (who are hilarious!). Each Farr has his/her own ideas and agenda for running the store, usually pushing Fixie aside. It is on a trip to settle down and get a coffee that she inadvertently saves the laptop of a handsome young entrepreneur, Sebastian Marlowe, who becomes indebted to her (hence the title).

Fixie learns to stand up for herself against her brother and sister and on-again-off-again boyfriend. She falls in love, for real this time, and is able to pull the family and herself together all the while maintaining a sense of humor and compassion.

I love Sophie Kinsella's novels and look forward to each one. I was excited to receive the ARC and appreciate the honor of the preview. I highly recommend I Owe You One to fans of her writing. New readers will enjoy as well and become hooked as I was.

I absolutely loved this one! Sophie Kinsella delivers another really fun and heartwarming read. Fixie is a character that will resonate with many people pleasers. I found myself cheering her on and sharing her frustration. My only complaint was that it wasn't longer; I read it in one night!

Fixie is a hoot and so fun and witty. I really liked this book and I found it to be a pretty quick read. I liked the family dynamics and how they all grew together and helped each other. I was glad Fixie figured some things out for herself and didn't just settle.
There have been a few Sophie Kinsella I haven't like but I think this one really hit it out of the park. A great fun read.

Publication date: February 5th, 2019. Publisher: Dial Press

“You think i’m joking,” he says, watching as I pick up my cup. “But i’m not. I owe you one, Fixie Farr. Remember that.”

Fixie Farr (her nickname comes from her constant need to fix everything) works at the family-run housewares store once owned by her late father. She struggles with feelings of inadequacy compared to her more glamorous siblings. When a stranger in a coffee shop asks her to guard his laptop while he goes outside to take a phone call, Fixie once again saves the day by preventing the computer from being destroyed by a falling piece of ceiling. The man, Sebastian (Seb) Marlowe, is so grateful that he gives her an IOU for a favour on a coffee sleeve with his business card attached. Now her childhood crush, Ryan Chalker, is back in town. He’s broken up with his Californian girlfriend and is in need of a job. Fixie realizes there is something she can use her IOU for: a job for Ryan. Though she feels uncomfortable with the idea, she is willing to do it to bring a smile back to Ryan’s face and keep him from returning to California. From there the IOUs continue to trade back and forth between Seb and Fixie. Though the ending is predictable, as it often is with books in this genre, it was entertaining the whole way through. There is nothing wrong with a light read at the end of the day.

I did find Fixie at times to be a little annoyingly naive and a pushover when it comes to her frustratingly oblivious family. Her refrain of “family first,” which allows them to walk all over her, makes you want to shake her at times, but it is her relationship with Ryan, who uses her to get what he wants that is especially trying. Luckily, you know that the main character will experience growth by the end of the book, and Fixie does not disappoint. 

Thank you to Net Galley and Dial Press for an Advanced Reader Copy of this book.

Grade: B/B-

I love Sophie Kinsella books. I adore Fixie Farr like the bestie she would be if I knew her. And yet somehow I have struggled to write a meaningful review of this book. So well, at the risk of making a mess of it, at the risk of needing Fixie to do her fixing thing, I'm just gonna ramble.

Fixie is so well-meaning, she could teach the proverbial goody-two-shoes a thing about shoes. Fixie's siblings are sort of awful, each in their own way. Let's just say there are no well-adjusted adults in this family. They all have some historic-level baggage and each of them good at fooling themselves.

But don't count them out.... The Farr family may have "Fa.... a longer way to run" but they do know how to lace their trainers admirably. Okay, none of that made sense, even to me.

Fixie might at long last find the kind of love she can believe in. And a guy to believe in her. Her brother may find a way outside the con job he is pulling on himself, and her sister may even face whether she has issues to work on in her marriage *cough.*

This is the kind of Christmas story worth reading. And it wouldn't go badly with a dose of "Love, Actually" movie pixie dust.

This book delivers the goods.