2.5/5 stars. As a romance I was expecting a lot more...romance. I also wasn't exactly comfortable with the big scheme overall. It always felt a bit icky and there were moments where I was hoping it would be over and then the next stage would begin, but it really held out for basically the entire book. I appreciated Eric and Tola's friendships with Aly and how Aly eventually grew into herself, but I can't say I loved this book. It was alright, but it was not particularly a romance novel.

Overall I enjoyed this book. It’s a slow burn, second chance love story. Aly and Dylan are incredibly flawed humans and I loved that they felt like real people.

5/5 stars

This book was absolutely amazing I loved the childhood friends - to kind of working together - to lovers romance. This is such a slow burn but it doesn't feel bad because you get to see Aly and Dylan have so many intimate moments together and it's so cute I love it. Aly is such a good character and honestly, I can relate to her always putting others before herself and not wanting to take any breaks and unlike her, I am still working on it but it gives she gives me a boost of confidence that I can put myself over others. I can definitely see myself having this as a comfort read all the characters are so good in this book and you follow each of their romances and I love it. When it comes out I will definitely be buying the physical copy of this book.

this book was an incredibly slow burn. i wouldn't at all call it a romance because it was mostly comprised on witty humor. i struggled to get invested in Aly and her friends......maybe it's a british rom-com thing but this is one of my least favorite netgalley books.

What even was this? All I know is it should not be marketed as a romance or even Women's fiction cuz there's barely any of that, it's more of a general fic. It's not that it's a bad attempt at a book it's just that I was disappointed cuz of the lack of romance, I mean the moments we had between the protagonist and the love interest were cute but not quite ethical (as in I'm pretty sure the guy had a gf until the end and nothing happened, he didn't cheat or anything but it all felt off). I prolly would've liked it better had the story focused more on the characters' past together and their present rather than what went on in the office.
And even if I were feeling generous enough to rate it as a general fic, I wouldn't go higher than a three because as I mentioned above it's not a bad plot but that's the whole point it's not bad or good, just very bland. I can't even vouch for the ending to be better, cuz it wasn't executed properly, it felt very hurried, like after all I've been through to reach the end at the very least I deserved an epilogue but there was nothing, nada.
To conclude, if you wanna give it a go, be my guest but you've been forewarned it's NOT a romance.

A big thanks to Putnam Books & Netgalley for providing an advanced copy of this book, which I voluntarily read & reviewed. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Fixer Upper was a slow burn, second chance romance with an emphasis on character development. I really enjoyed how it was mostly focused on Aly’s growth as an individual instead of in a relationship. She was so used to being a people pleaser and doing everything everyone asked of her. I think a lot of woman in the workplace (and people in general) can relate to her struggles, especially with her acting as emotional support for her mother. It was empowering to see her stand up for herself and place some much needed boundaries in her personal life and work life. I enjoyed Aly and Dylan’s friends to enemies to friends relationship but I really think Dylan should’ve taken some time to be single. He was so used to being in a relationship and was a people pleaser himself, disguising himself as whatever someone wanted him to be. It would have been nice to see him do a little self discovery and figure out who he was outside of a relationship. It almost made it hard to root for him and Aly to be together but their friendship and chemistry made up for it. Ultimately, I really enjoyed Aly’s story in this one more than the romance aspect and would’ve been happy if she walked away from Dylan and Nikki during the camping trip and never looked back! She had two supportive, loving friends in Tola and Eric and their banter made me laugh quite a few times. I was rooting for those three to succeed the whole time. I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to reading more by Lauren Forsythe!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the ARC.

Readers who enjoy a slow romance may enjoy this story more than I did. I struggled to get hooked on the plot and the characters, whom I found a little more depressing in their insecurities and past romantic history than what I was in the mood for. However, I think there is absolutely something here for the right audience.

Sometimes I go on a NetGalley binge and request anything that looks even vaguely entertaining — which is how I ended up with an e-ARC of Lauren Forsythe's upcoming romcom, The Fixer Upper. I didn't know what to expect going in, but I was hooked immediately by the great characters, the high-speed plot, and the sharp humor. And surprises like this are exactly why I will continue to go on request-binges and hope for unexpected treasures.

Alyssa Aresti is good at her job. She's good at keeping people at a distance, while still being the friendliest, most thoughtful person in the room. And she's good at leaving her underachieving boyfriends better than she found them... to the point that all twelve of them have hit achievement markers she's still struggling for herself. After an awkward run-in with one such ex, Aly's work buddies convince her to try her hand at "fixing" other women's partners for them, too. They see it as filling a need for over-stretched modern women who are tired of performing emotional labor for the men in their lives — and the Fixer Upper team is great at giving men the gentle nudges they need to step up as parents, pop that big question, or finally go for the dream job, instead of just talking about it. But when Aly is hired to fix up (and coax a proposal from) her first love and former best friend, the one she's measured all her other relationships against, she starts wondering if she's really helping anyone with her meddling... and if she wants to build up Dylan for someone else when he's already perfect for her.

First, let's address that elephant in the room. Dylan is perfect in that classic romcom way — smart, tender and attentive, and unattainable because the timing just never works. I really loved him and his dynamic with Aly, whether they were sniping over past hurts or lapsing into that shared language of longtime friends. However, I grew frustrated with him as the story went on because, while Aly was growing and learning to stand up for himself, he remained passive and frequently compromised who he was to please his girlfriend. And the longer he stayed with her, knowing he loved Aly, the less I thought of him. So, while Dylan does well enough as an object of affection for Aly, as a catalyst for her to wake up and take charge of her life, I would have like him to have an equally satisfying arc. It's not a deal-breaker because I still rooted for Aly to get the boy, and I still thoroughly enjoyed the book, but it does bring down my final rating.

But now for the things I loved!

The friendships are the true love stories of the novel. Aly starts with two incredible, funny, and supportive friends in Tola and Eric, and then Ben and Priya get folded into the group, too, and they're just as great! They're all fascinating, compelling characters in their own right, with individual ambitions and struggles. They're not just there to be supporting characters in The Aly Show, and I would happily read another book about any and all of them. We should all be lucky enough to find friends like these.

My second favorite thing — and it's a really close second! — in The Fixer Upper is the plotting and pacing. No, really! Forsythe knows all the classic romcom beats she needs to hit, and she lines them up and knocks them out with lightning-speed precision. There's never a moment to be bored because everything happens fast and everything is in support of the main story. It's entertaining, engaging, and honestly, quite impressive, especially in a debut author. I can't wait to read more from her!

Many thanks to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam, G.P. Putnam's Sons and NetGalley for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For me, I think this story and I were doomed from the beginning. It was slow to start and had a hard time staying focused on the story. I didn’t like how this book made it seem like all men are not capable of doing basic human function without women. The double standard became taxing because the stereotypical misconceptions that were placed on men were overused in the beginning. Outside of the “love story” the writing felt monotoned and repetitive.

Where I found joy with this story was in the romance, but even at times that was problematic and unrealistic. I felt their chemistry and connection, but actions spoke louder than words and I had a hard time believing the authenticity of it. Overall this story had potential, but it had more problems that made it hard to read. Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this ARC.

Enjoyed this women's fiction about women getting back at men. But in a humor filled way. Though not a favorite I still enjoyed it.

I absolutely loved this mess of a book!!!! I’m a sucker for second chance romances (probably because I’m projecting my feelings on a book per usual) & this one was done in such a creative and unique way!

aly is stuck in life - no solid dating life, no career advancements, no way of knowing if her mother is ever going to be happy - until her two best friends mention that she’s a fixer upper. she fixes people in her life to live their best potential and then they leave her behind. but when aly decides to start a business to fix men for women, she runs into a childhood friend from her past that threatens to tear everything she worked for down.

I loved the author’s commentary on influencers, novelists, and relationships in general. it wasn’t fluffy or unrealistic at all, and I loved hearing each character’s individual point of view.

as someone who uses social media for income occasionally, it was refreshing to hear opposing views when it comes to being an “influencer” :’) yes, you have nikki who doesn’t even know what being real or authentic means anymore and has to record everything she’s doing. but then you have aly pushing dylan to be active more on social media to aide his own brand, which was really nice to see.

I would absolutely recommend this one for anyone a fan of “people we meet on vacation” or wants a fun romance!!

thank you to netgalley, penguin random house and putnam publishing for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. see you all in august ‘22 😍

rating: 4.5 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay

The Fixer Upper is a fun rom-com set in Britain. Aly realizes she has made all her ex’s lives better and ends up starting a business to do the same for others. But when she gets hired by an influencer to fix up her former BFF? Awkward!
Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam Books for the ARC.

This is such a cute book! A perfect romance with well-rounded characters, humor and warmth. If you’ve watched the Will Smith classic Hitch, you know how the relationship fixer-upper business goes. This book has all the charm of that premise and a little more because Dylan is such a swoon worthy book boyfriend. All the stars!

Thank you netgalley and GP Putnam for the arc.

Female main character spin on a "Hitch" like premise that will have you falling in love.
Aly is a self titled "fixer", of her parents marriage, project boyfriends who just need a nudge in the right direction, or lazy coworkers who depend on her to keep them looking good. Aly's friends, Tola and Eric, convince her to put those talents to use and start a business 'fixing' the men in other women's lives. It's all going well until their newest client wants them to fix her boyfriend, Aly's childhood best friend and first love. Aly's ready to throw herself all in, but can she follow through with changing someone she always thought was perfect?

"It's easy enough to just keep saying you'll do something, because then you never have the chance to fail."

I know The Fixer Upper is titled as a romance, but I loved that the main focus was on Aly herself. A woman in her early thirties who feels stuck; she's a last stop before former flames become their best selves, in a job where she is grossly underappreciated and overworked, stuck alone and wanting companionship. I loved seeing Aly learn to stand up for herself and grow in setting healthy boundaries in her life. The business aspect truly reminded me of the premise for the movie Hitch, in the best way. Aly just wants to understand and help people, that's what motivates her and makes her good at her job. The backstory of Dylan and Aly is sprinkled throughout the book, childhood best friends lost by everyone's favorite, the miscommunication trope. I have also realized that I am a huge sucker for the books with adult main characters, who are closer to me in age and typically fall under long term pining/friends to lovers.

"That's what happens when you love someone for over a decade, it lives in your bones, like an echo."

Trying to keep things professional while also acknowledging and working through emotions and feelings that you've buried most of your life is handled beautifully throughout The Fixer Upper. I immensely enjoyed this book and look forward to owning a physical copy to hook my friends with.


4.5/5

Thank you to Net Galley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC. This is a voluntary review.
*I will check all quotes against the printed version before publishing my review on other platforms.*

This story is all about growth and I loved how the characters were able to communicate, connect, and change. From the moment Dylan appears, you know where the story is going, but that doesn't make the ride any less enjoyable. If highly motivated Aly is hired to "fix"her first and only love, she's going to do it. Even if it only continues to prover her friends hypothesis about her past relationships. I highly recommend if you like (slightly) older heroines and character development!

I will admit, at the beginning, I was a little turned off by Aly's job as a Fixer Upper. I just had trouble grasping the idea that their staged chance encounters could change people's lives. But then Dylan showed up, and all my doubts went out the window. I loved the awkwardness early on, and I loved watching Aly grow and learn about herself and what she really wanted. A great book.

*Review based on ARC.

BRIEF SUMMARY: Aly is a chronic fixer of all problems, relationships, men with Peter Pan Syndrome, her parent’s marriage. Aly and her co-workers, Tola and Eric have decided to put Aly’s knack for fixing relationships and marketing skills to help women who are tired of men who just don’t get it, whether its handling the baby, allowing a person 15 minutes to relax before being bombarded at home with the kids, or significant others that are tone deaf to use by creating a secret website where women can request Aly’s assistance. Aly, Tola and Eric are almost immediately fully booked. After the word about her services gets out, she hears from a famous influencer, Nikki that needs her help with her boyfriend, she wants him to propose and wants to help her boyfriend’s new business become an immediate success. Aly and her friends meet with Nikki and discover that the boyfriend/purported man child is actually her childhood crush and BFF Dylan. Things between her and Dylan did not end well. At the meeting Dylan acts like he does not know Aly. Aly initially decides not to take on the job, but soon after she goes home and finds out that her mother needs money. Aly immediately calls Nikki and tells her she will do the job for $100k. Nikki tells her that she will pay her $100k but she will need to make sure Dylan proposes. This is a disaster waiting to happen. Will Aly get Dylan to pop the question, help Dylan’s new business take off, and continue to do the marketing job she currently has?

MY THOUGHTS: This was a fast read. There was great chemistry between the MCs. The book was not entirely predictable, which I like. Unfortunately, the ending of this book was so rushed. It felt like she was running out of a page allotment. If you do not like stories with actions that could be defined as cheating, you may want to take a pass on this one. If you are into cute characters like a dog named Helena Bonham Barker, a story about a childhood sweetheart, and miscommunication misfires go grab this book ASAP.

I LOVED this book, once I hit like 15% I could NOT put it down! I relate to Aly so hard! I was so invested that I cried happy tears. The MC is in her 30s and she's still figuring herself out, which I really appreciated! I will now be recommending this book to everyone I know!

The Fix Upper is a refreshing romance novel that has an unorthodox plot, which I thought was unique. However, I felt that the actual romance in this novel was dull and a little boring at times.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for the eARC.

This was a solid 3 star read. The fixer upper had some really great parts and it was when they were showing three friends, just growing up and making mistakes. I absolutely adore books that involve friend group and such so I was super excited. However, the relationship/romance just kinda fell flat. It didn’t ruin it for me, but I would have loved to have seen more of why Aly had been in love with Dylan for forever. Otherwise, this is a cute read and is definitely worth it.