A delightful, light story that flows along and then you realize it just reached in and grabbed your heart and doesn’t let go. Fixie is the responsible peace maker in the family almost to her own detriment. Many of us with aging parents are experiencing unexpected run ins with family members who have different ideas on care and finances. It’s uncharted territory and Fixie finds herself caught in the middle. I found myself not only identifying with her but stayed up late hoping to learn from her experiences. Sophie hit this one out of the park. Well developed characters with faults, but still quite likable and very real life situations! It will stay with you for quite some time #netgalley #sophiekinsella #randomhouse

I just finished this novel. Hang on a second while I wipe the tears from my eyes. It was a touching book about family dynamics. A fun read that I couldn’t put down!

Kinsella’s storytelling is tried and true - she will make you laugh, make you swoon, make you sad, and make you think, all in a way that makes the story feel fresh and fun. Her new book is no exception, and I thought it’s messages of family, favors, and freedom very heartfelt and entertaining.

SYNOPSIS:
Fixie Farr has always lived by her father’s motto: “Family first.” And since her dad passed away, leaving his charming housewares store in the hands of his wife and children, Fixie spends all her time picking up the slack from her siblings instead of striking out on her own. The way Fixie sees it, if she doesn’t take care of her father’s legacy, who will?

It’s simply not in Fixie’s nature to say no to people. So when a handsome stranger in a coffee shop asks her to watch his laptop for a moment, she not only agrees—she ends up saving it from certain disaster. To thank Fixie for her quick thinking, the computer’s owner, Sebastian, an investment manager, scribbles an IOU on a coffee sleeve and attaches his business card. Fixie laughs it off—she’d never actually claim an IOU from a stranger. Would she?

But then Fixie’s childhood crush, Ryan, comes back into her life, and his lack of a profession pushes all of Fixie’s buttons. As always, she wants nothing for herself—but she’d love Seb to give Ryan a job. No sooner has Seb agreed than the tables are turned once more and a new series of IOUs between Seb and Fixie—from small favors to life-changing moments—ensues. Soon Fixie, Ms. Fixit for everyone else, is torn between her family and the life she really wants. Does she have the courage to take a stand? Will she finally grab the life, and love, she really wants?


This book took me a little while to get invested in. I didn't love Fixie, the main character, which is not uncommon for me and Sophie Kinsella's main characters. But I also found I didn't really like any of the characters in this book. 

The story line wasn't cute or different, but I did want to know what eventually would happen. This is a fun read, but I would only recommend it to people who enjoy Sophie Kinsella. Her characters are kind of known to be a certain way and if you're wanting a strong independent female read, this won't be it.

Amusing chick lit book with messages

I found this book an amusing and poignant message for all of us who try to 'fix' everything, especially those of us who try to fix things from behind the scenes.  Reading some of the other reviews of this book, I agree, this book is a bit less laugh out loud than some of the others by Sophie Kinsella.  But it has the typical off-the-wall situations, quirky characters, and makes you want to alternately giggle and smack the characters upside the head!!!  I give it 5 stars.  

Reviewed on Amazon

Sophia Kinsella is one of my favorite authors. Her books are a welcome escape from the day to day. I Owe You One was a cute quick read. The relationship she had with her siblings was difficult and I was glad they had a resolution in the end. It is a enjoyable read where the good girl wins in the end.  I would definitely recommend this book to my friends.

⠀We all have our flaws. Fixie got her nickname because she can’t help but fix things. I’d say a bigger flaw was that Fixie allows people to walk all over her and that drove me crazy, until she became Ninja Fixie. 🙂
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I Owe You One reminded me of how much I love Sophie Kinsella’s books. Back when I was in school full time, and then teaching full time, I would check out her books from the library during the summers. They are an amazing escape full of quirky characters and her newest book didn’t disappoint. It’s Sophie Kinsella at her best. This just came out on the 5th so pick it up!
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Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

Sophie Kinsella’s books are always light, fun and enjoyable for me, but I rarely go as far as giving them five stars. I OWE YOU ONE was most definitely an exception.

I loved the main character, Fixie. She was smart, reliable, loyal and picked up some sass along the way. Although Fixie had  her flaws she was very relatable. The thing I love about Sophie Kinsella, is her ability to create charming and quirky characters that make you smile. 

The plot here is was what I like to call—the classic Kinsella way—humorous, outlandish at times and a dash of romance.

The romance in this book made me grin so much my face hurt. I will forever be falling over Sebastian’s character. The concept of how they build a relationship was so “meet cute” worthy and I was all about it.

This is one of Sophie’s best novels yet!

Fixie was raised to think of her family first even when her sister has crazy ideas and her brother won't stop spending, also neither will help at the family shop. When their mother needs to take some time off and the three become in charge, she'll reflect on what it means to keep her family first. To make things more problematic the love of her life is back in town and his behavior isn't much different. The only good thing going for her was being able to help a stranger and getting an IOU back, even if she would never want to claim.

This is hard to rate. I really loved part of the book, I could see Kinsella tried to make it a bit closer to the types of stories I like from her. But it was as if she went through some crisis in which she wanted to write the story I like but the moment she wasn't paying attention, all my issues with her books would surface. In other words, I loved some parts, I got bored of others.

Even though I remember feeling more excited while reading Surprise Me, I think this is my favorite book by her in the last few years. Her exchange with the IOU guy reminded me of I've Got Your Number, as well as her crazy siblings and good-for-nothing initial romantic interest.

Also, I think it's a book you can read quite fast, although it is a bit on the long side. But there are some parts that dragged. All of Fixie's conflicts brought back what I like the least in Kinsella's books. Yes, they happen, I identified a lot with her issues, but it had a serious, almost dramatic tone I don't want in chic-lit. I prefer how Poppy and Becky reacted in their books.

So while this was better than at least her two previous books, it's still not one of the best by Kinsella. I do recommend if you're a fan of both her styles because this book was actually a mix of them. Also, the romance is cute, I guarantee that part.

Honest review based on an ARC provided by Netgalley. Many thanks to the publisher for this opportunity.

Fixie Farr, age 27, works in her family’s store called Farrs with her mother, brother, Jake, and sister, Nicole.  Their father had started the business but passed away several years ago.  Fixie takes her job very seriously and always wants to things to be perfect, i.e., the nickname of Fixie.  Fixie had tried to open a catering business but it failed.  She feels very guilty about losing the money that her parents had given her to open the business.

Fixie’s brother, Jake, appears to be the one who shines in the business.  He dresses well and talks big saying he’s got lots of deals in the works.  Nicole is married to Drew who is working overseas.  She is not sure she wants to go with him because it’s so hot there.  Nicole is a very self-centered person concerned with her yoga and well-being.

Years ago, Fixie had been in love with Ryan, a friend of hers and her siblings.  He had moved to Los Angeles to be a movie producer and written saying he was rubbing elbows with millionaires and living the high life.  Now, Ryan is back and Fixie wants to be with him.

Before going home from work, Fixie stops at a cafe for a break and a tea.  She sees a handsome man across the room working on his computer and chatting on the phone,  When he steps outside to take a call, he asks her to watch his computer.  Just as the leaking roof starts to cave in, she grabs the computer and saves it.  Grateful to her, the man introduces himself as Sebastian, the head of a business, and tells her he owes her one.  Will she find a need to “cash in” that IOU?

I have read lots of Sophie Kinsella’s novels over the years and have enjoyed many of them.  For me, this book was difficult to get into.  In the beginning, Fixie tends to be a wimp and lets people walk over her.  That and the fact that the book is simply too long, made my frustration grow with it.  There are well-written characters in the story.  Some of them you want to hug and some of them you want to kick in the butt.  However, I think that the author is trying to show readers that even though people are flawed, they are still worthwhile and can be redeemed.

Copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.

There is nothing Fixie Farr can't fix - for good or bad she just can't help herself. A random act of kindness and a stranger's IOU sets in motion a string of events that are at once funny, cringeworthy and touching.

Not necessarily on par with Sophie Kinsella's other books, but a whimsical, fun, lighthearted read nonetheless. 

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for providing a digital copy in return for an honest, unbiased review.

I enjoyed this novel, though it spent too much time on Fixie's insufferable siblings, when I wanted more of the romance. You could really see the transformation in Fixie though, however long that it took. Pretty classic Kinsella :)

This is my second book from the author and I must say the both books put the author in two completely different groups. I found it quite difficult to finish this book. The story was not at all enjoyable. I've been stuck for weeks now trying to build the courage to finish it. I was quite excited for this book, now that I've read a few chapters I'm quite disappointed that it did not live up to its hype. However, this does not mean I wouldn't attempt to read another book from the author.

I LOVE Sophie Kinsella and I wanted so badly to love this book but I just couldn't get past how awful Fixie's family was. I spent so much time hating the way that her brother behaved, how her mother left Fixie to deal with him AND her uncle on her own, and how selfish and awful her sister was. I really wanted to love Fixie, and I did, except for the part where she left everyone railroad her in the name of family.  Don't even get me started on her inability to see what a jerk Ryan was. Literally the only not awful people in this book were Bob and Seb but they just weren't enough to salvage this story for me.

Farr's is a family establishment that sells merchandise for a reasonable price.  Fixie, her Mum, brother and sister run the shop with a small staff.  Fixie's brother and sister do not care for the shop the way Fixie and her Mum do.  Her Mum goes on holiday and Fixie is responsible for the shop and keeping the family intact. 
Fixie's love life is in a funk too.  A friend Ryan comes back to London and wants to start back a relationship that ended a year ago.  Then she meets a suave guy, Seb, in a coffee cafe that confuses Fixie too.
This Sophie Kinsella book reminds me of the style of the Shopaholic series,  You definitely will want to read this one!

I enjoyed the sweet, quirky character of Fixie and I loved the evolution of her family. This was a good, light hearted, feel good read. Thank you for letting me preview it!

I couldn't get through this. It was so predictable that I felt like I had read it many times before. I like the author, but  this was just too much.

I have been a fan of Sophia Kinsella for many years and I found this book enjoyable. Fixie is a classic Kinsella character; she's not without her flaws which might be a little frustrating for some readers but her heart is in the right place. For myself I could see parts of me in her.....although exaggerated. I loved the characters and their crazy personalities which led to some comical scenes in the book. The storyline kept me entertained and I found myself thoroughly engaged in the book and the relationships.

“Family is it, Fixie. Family is what drives us. Family is everything.”

How many times have we heard this? Although I agree with the sentiment of “family first”, I also agree that we each need to be aware of how family relationships impact our health and functioning. This is the overall theme I took away from I Owe You One, and it's a good one. Family often represents that place we can come home to no matter where we are, but when family isn't a safe space to be in, it can get real ugly fast. 

Fixie is this story's heroine, and as this nickname suggests, she accepts the placement of problems on her shoulders. Fixing things is just who she is. So when the family matriarch takes a time out, all the siblings are reunited to keep the family store running in her absence. Fixie's mother leaves her with simple instructions, “Just don't lose the shop, Fixie. Or let the family break up.” Did I say simple? Turns out these tasks couldn't be more complicated. Familiar family roles and behavior patterns quickly return like a carpet stain, leaving Fixie feeling responsible for the cleanup. But Seb, the romantic interest in this story, helps her learn the uncomfortable albeit valuable lesson of tough love. As Fixie and Seb exchange IOU's throughout this book in response to a variety of transferable favors, readers learn that the absence of family can be just as consuming as tangible dysfunction. 

Lighthearted and humorous while integrating important life lessons related to avoidance and the true meaning of love. I so enjoyed this book. Check it out.

Thank you to the following for permitting me access to an advance reader's copy (ARC) of I Owe You One. This generosity did not impact my honesty when rating/reviewing.
Source: NetGalley
Author: Sophie Kinsella
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group - Random House, The Dial Press
Genres: Women's Fiction
Pub Date: February 5, 2019

Note: Quotes were checked against a finished, published copy.

Meet 'Fixie'. As her nickname suggests, Fixie loves to fix things. Whether it's something that's out of place, a friend in need or a rogue can of coke cluttering up one of the displays in her family store, Farrs, Fixie is all over it. It's just a shame that Fixie's own life isn't looking quite so great at the moment...
Her need to always fix things leads her to an unusual situation with a stranger when she ends up saving his laptop in a coffee shop. Seb couldn't be more grateful to Fixie for rescuing his laptop, so much so that he gives her an IOU, assuring her that if she ever needs a favour then he is the man for the job. However, Fixie is certain she will never see Seb again, and she certainly has no intention of claiming the IOU...
Farrs is Fixie's life. After losing her Dad, she plays a prominent part in keeping the family hardware store up-and-running alongside her Mum. The only trouble is her domineering brother, Jake, also wants to play a prominent part in the future of Farrs, only not in the same way. Jake has big plans for the store; some of which include relocating to Notting Hill and selling ninety pound bottles of oil. Fixie is strongly against Jake's grand ideas, but she has struggled to stand up to him all of her life and ends up letting him walk all over her. But it's ok - Fixie's Mum always keeps Jake grounded and she is the one who has the ultimate say in the future of Farrs. But when disaster strikes and Fixie's Mum becomes ill and goes away to recuperate, the Farrs children are left in charge of running the store in her absence. Fixie's ditzy sister, Nicole, wants to run Yoga classes from the store and Jake is full of grandiose ideas that couldn't be more unsuitable for Farrs.
Meanwhile Fixie quickly becomes distracted by her disastrous love-life when her handsome ex reappears in her life after falling on hard times. If only someone could help him out...Could Fixie end up reclaiming her IOU from Seb after all...? 
Things at Farrs get quickly out of hand in the absence of Fixie's Mum. But with all of the distractions going on in her life, can Fixie stop the store from going under?

I've thought long and hard about this and I have come to the conclusion that nothing, absolutely NOTHING, is better than a new Sophie Kinsella novel (that's including Nutella on toast...)
I have loved Sophie's novels since I was fifteen and I am still re-reading and enjoying them nearly fifteen years later. She is undoubtedly my favourite author and getting lost in a Kinsella novel was just what I needed to do in my life right at this moment.

I quickly became embroiled in Fixie's world and warmed to this sensitive yet kind-hearted character, who only wanted the best for everyone but so often neglected herself.
My dislike for Jake was quite powerful. I loathed the way he spoke to Fixie and the more I found out about the way he had treated her when they were younger the more I wanted to biff him on the nose. However, my dislike for Jake was trumped by my dislike for another character who I absolutely DESPISED. Ryan. You might say that 'despising' a character is a little dramatic, but aside from the fact that I am a drama queen, this emphasizes the power of Sophie's writing. She is so good at bringing her characters to life; there is never any question in my mind as to whether they are real or not - their actions evoke strong emotions in me and I love feeling that connection that she builds through her writing. Ryan was certainly one of those characters. I took an immediate dislike to him and I was really worried that I would be proved right with my inklings about how he would treat Fixie (although I never imagined he would actually do what he did...)
Nicole frustrated me too. I really wanted Fixie at have at least one ally when it came to Jake and Nicole was as useful as a chocolate teapot. She came across as spoilt and a complete diva. 
Saying that not all of the characters were bad - I adored Fixie who makes a fabulous heroine and I had a total crush on Seb, He was cute, kind and considerate (basically everything Ryan wasn't...Oh, and not a total div.) I wanted to fight Fixie's corner and I was desperate for her to find her voice and for those pesky ravens to disappear. As is the case in many of Sophie's other books, Fixie does go on a bit of a 'journey' and we get to watch her blossom as the story goes on and she finds her feet. This is one of the things I love about Sophie's books - sometimes I want to watch that journey. I want to get to know a character I can root for, empathise with and get behind. It makes me feel good and I always enjoy going on that journey alongside them.

Despite following this formula, I did find I Owe You One to be quite different to Sophie's other books and I can't quite put my finger on why - but that certainly didn't mean that I loved it any less. I felt quite frustrated with some of the characters at the start but this quickly changed as I formed my own opinions and was gripped to see if my assumptions on certain characters and situations were correct.

I Owe You One was smart, gripping and full of lol-some moments. Sophie writes with such wit and such charm, reading her books is like being embraced in a warm cuddle and it's definitely one of those cuddles that you never want to end.