This one just wasn't for me. The premise was cute but I thought the characters lacked connection amongst themselves and with the reader. It was a quick read which was nice, but the rom com was just a little too cheesy for me!

Absolutely loved this book! The pace of the story moves quickly, without missing out on really getting to know characters which is great. The concept was fun, new and you could really picture what was happening and swap in any UK reality star you wanted in your head while reading. It incorporates all the best part of a romcom that I look for in a story and had the added parts about women in the workplace and actual issues we often deal with which I appreciated being highlighted. One that I will definitely be recommending to all my friends!

Thank you for the chance to read this book early!

For some reason I went into this thinking it would be a romcom and it really wasn't. It was pretty sad throughout the entire book. I felt so frustrated with Aly's situation and the amount of crap she took from her mom and work colleagues. I expected to feel less frustrated as I read but really, I was just really upset for the mc. I think that shows it was a well written book and I was invested. It just wasn't what I thought it would be (that was my error I guess). The cover looks sort of fun and lighthearted. I will say the tension was acute and I wasn't sure how the characters would solve the overarching dilemma in the book. I think overall it was a really well-done book. I think if my expectations would have been different, I would have liked it more.

Aly is a natural-born problem solver. She has an uncanny knack for figuring out what people need and helping them subtly reach their goals. Through a chance encounter with her new and improved boyfriend and a conversation with her two best friends Fixer Upper is born. All is going well when Aly is approached by social media influencer and reality TV star Nicolette who wants her agency to motivate her boyfriend to propose. If Aly and her team can pull this off it would be great for business perhaps even launching them into stardom. The only problem is Nicolette's boyfriend is Aly former best friend, Dylan James.

This was a fun and easy read. I love how the characters with the exception of Nicolette were dynamic and left me wanting to know more about them. Despite it being light-hearted most of the time I enjoyed the author's ability to also add some depth to the storyline. Overall it was a great read. Thank you Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn’t mean to read this in one sitting, but the heart wants what it wants!.

The Fixer Upper had so many of the wonderful trappings of a 2000s rom com that it immediately sucked me in and wouldn’t let me go until I finished the whole thing. Childhood best friends to enemies to lovers? Yes, please! All of the characters were interesting and involved in the story, not just our main characters, which I really enjoy. It feels more real to me. Aly and Dylan aren’t perfect characters, but that’s one of the many things I liked about this book. Again, it just feels more real. It was easy to root for them to work through their past and come back together, whether it was as friends or more. I loved their adventure together at the seaside and all of the old habits they easily slipped back into. It really showed the depth of their connection.

It may seem like such a small thing, but one of the most impactful moments of this book for me was when Aly treats herself to a fancy meal and glass of wine (one of her favorite indulgences) and she can’t enjoy it anymore. After finally feeling connected to others again, she realizes she wants more. She doesn’t want to be alone and for the first time in a long time she finally has people in her life who make her feel less lonely. The side characters were all great (Helena Bonham Barker! I laughed out loud) and developed as well.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for a review copy. I really enjoyed this one.

This book was one breath of fresh air, I really loved the whole concept. I have been reading a late of romcoms lately so I wasn’t planning to start with it in a day or two but when I started I just couldn’t put it down. It was such a cute rom-com. I loved the best friends to strangers to lovers trope and how the plot also focuses on more than just the MCs. I loved how flawed, raw and authentic characters are. Also, I quite liked the pace and the word-building. All in all, it was an enjoyable read.

Okay, I wasn’t planning to read this book in one day, but that’s what happened! I started casually reading on my kindle and next thing I knew, it was the end of the book. This was SUCH a cute rom-com book. I loved the best friends to strangers to lovers trope & that the plot focused on more than just the couple itself. We got good insight into the main character’s friends, her relationship with her mom, why she always feels the need to fix things, etc. I think this is the perfect book for someone who is looking to get into the romance genre. There is tension and sweet moments between Aly and Dylan, but I liked that there was not any explicit scenes. That might be a critique when this book blows up on tiktok and social media, but it was refreshing to read a well thought out romance novel that didn’t involve the characters jumping into bed together. I’d give this a solid 4.25/5 stars!

Fun read! The concept reminded me a bit of the Sarah Jessica Parker movie Failure to Launch from years ago. It’s an enjoyable romcom.

You’ve gotta love a strong female character on a journey go finally find what she wants in life (& trying to get the guy at the same time)! A feel good cozy romance! From best friends to strangers to a little bit of enemies I loved the entire journey and found myself rooting for Ali on every single page!

Favorite quote:
“‘Love is only meant to be terrifying right at the beginning, right before you fall,’ she said softly, ‘Then it’s meant to feel like home.’”

Aly and Dylan are so flawed and so wonderful. They're both insecure and talented and hurting and trying to hide it, which is refreshing to read about because I have not come across many characters that so perfectly portray what it is like to put on a "mask" for the world, including your friends and family, and pretend that everything is just great even when your life is falling apart!

There were several moments that I wanted to smack them and tell Aly to just SAY WHAT SHE WANTS TO SAY but the tension of her misguided attempts to do what she "thinks" is best is part of the whole plot so I guess it would've been a really short book if she just did that. Haha

For those who are icked out by cheating tropes, never fear, this does not have a heavy dose of that! I think that Dylan and Aly's relationship development was painfully and realistically portrayed and I really enjoyed this book.

Also, Eric and Tola are great! Enough said there. They kept me laughing but also brought some great reality checks to the story (and Aly).