The Fixer Upper
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Published Reviews
Booklist Review
Debut novelist Forsythe displays quite a talent for dialogue in this engaging novel about a thirtysomething single Londoner who would rather take herself on solo dates than be disappointed by love. Alyssa Aresti believes that success is the result of hard work, but her friends know that Aly spends more time and energy on other people than on herself. In fact, all her exes achieved their full potential after dating her, so if they could somehow bottle her talent for improving men, they might turn a profit. Soon word of Aly's Fixer Upper services spreads like wildfire and a very popular social media influencer reaches out, offering to pay a huge sum to Aly to get her tech boyfriend to finally propose. But Dylan was Aly's childhood best friend and the unrequited love she never got over. Subtly influencing strangers to step it up for their partners is one thing, but manipulating someone she used to love for money forces Aly to confront the past and what exactly she wants in her future. An empowering story about self-worth all women should read.
Publisher's Weekly Review
Walking the line between rom-com and tale of self-discovery, Forsythe's debut delights with sure-footed plotting and an endearing cast. Aly Aresti has perfected the art of problem-solving. After a chance encounter leads her to realize that all her ex-boyfriends' lives have improved after dating her, her friends convince her that she could sell this skill set. Together, they launch Fixer-Upper, a top-secret consulting firm that promises to subtly "fix" the men in its clients lives. When social media influencer Nicki Wetherington-Smythe hires Aly hoping Aly can push her boyfriend to a proposal, Aly's shocked to discover that the man she's meant to be fixing is her own childhood friend and first love, Dylan James. As they reconnect, Aly struggles with the morality of secretly working to "fix" Dylan for her client. Charming characters and quick wit make for a fun, breezy romp, though some romance readers may wish the love story took more of a central role. Indeed, the primary focus here is on Aly learning to love herself enough to stop putting everyone else's needs before her own. It's entertaining in its own right, and readers looking for a smart, empowering blend of romance and women's fiction are sure to be pleased. Agent: Hayley Steed, Madeline Milburn Literary. (Aug.)
Library Journal Review
DEBUT In Forsythe's debut novel, marketing exec Alyssa realizes that she has been fixing up her boyfriends in order for them to achieve at their highest potential, while she stays more or less stagnant in a thankless job in hopes that she'll be rewarded with a long overdue promotion. A chance meeting with a former boyfriend has Aly contemplating where she is in life. After some cajoling, she and some coworkers start a business offering their fixer skills to women who are struggling with their romantic partners. The team is hired by an influencer to turn her tech startup boyfriend into her tech mogul fiancé. Aly quickly realizes that her new target is her childhood best friend and first love. VERDICT Forsythe understands the contemporary romance genre and writes with confidence. With likable characters and good pacing, this debut novel offers a great second-chance romance.--Claire Brown
Kirkus Book Review
In Forsythe's debut, a woman starts a business "fixing up" hapless men for their frustrated partners, but things get complicated when her former best friend becomes a client. Aly Aresti didn't grow up with a perfect model of romantic love--her parents' relationship was rocky, and she often found herself being the one to console or encourage her mother as her father flitted in and out of their lives. As she gets older, she finds herself devoting her energy to helping her boyfriends recognize their true potential--pushing them to dress better, attend classes, and find better jobs. Even at work, Aly can't help spending her time mentoring younger employees instead of focusing on her own work. As a result, her ex-boyfriends all become vastly more successful after receiving a push from her, and her colleagues are succeeding while she can't get the promotion she so desperately wants. Together with her work friends, Tola and Eric, Aly starts a side hustle called The Fixer Upper. Together, they'll work with women who wish their partners were slightly more--more focused on work, more involved in parenting, more invested in personal hygiene. Aly's track record is so great that eventually she gets hired by a social media influencer and reality TV star named Nicki, who needs help motivating her app developer boyfriend to level up in his career--and propose. It would be a great gig--if Nicki's boyfriend, Dylan James, didn't happen to be Aly's former best friend, whom she hasn't spoken to since they had a disastrous kiss as teenagers. Now, she has to help Nicki turn Dylan into someone Aly isn't sure he wants to be--and Aly realizes that her feelings for Dylan never really went away. Aly and Dylan never have quite enough chemistry for the reader to get fully invested in their relationship, and many of the plot points feel a bit far-fetched. However, Aly's desire to stop being a people-pleaser and start working on herself is relatable, and her journey to personal fulfillment follows a satisfying arc. A pleasant, if sometimes slightly unbelievable, look at the importance of taking responsibility for your own happiness. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Reviews
Debut novelist Forsythe displays quite a talent for dialogue in this engaging novel about a thirtysomething single Londoner who would rather take herself on solo dates than be disappointed by love. Alyssa Aresti believes that success is the result of hard work, but her friends know that Aly spends more time and energy on other people than on herself. In fact, all her exes achieved their full potential after dating her, so if they could somehow bottle her talent for improving men, they might turn a profit. Soon word of Aly's Fixer Upper services spreads like wildfire and a very popular social media influencer reaches out, offering to pay a huge sum to Aly to get her tech boyfriend to finally propose. But Dylan was Aly's childhood best friend and the unrequited love she never got over. Subtly influencing strangers to step it up for their partners is one thing, but manipulating someone she used to love for money forces Aly to confront the past and what exactly she wants in her future. An empowering story about self-worth all women should read. Copyright 2022 Booklist Reviews.
Library Journal Reviews
DEBUT In Forsythe's debut novel, marketing exec Alyssa realizes that she has been fixing up her boyfriends in order for them to achieve at their highest potential, while she stays more or less stagnant in a thankless job in hopes that she'll be rewarded with a long overdue promotion. A chance meeting with a former boyfriend has Aly contemplating where she is in life. After some cajoling, she and some coworkers start a business offering their fixer skills to women who are struggling with their romantic partners. The team is hired by an influencer to turn her tech startup boyfriend into her tech mogul fiancé. Aly quickly realizes that her new target is her childhood best friend and first love. VERDICT Forsythe understands the contemporary romance genre and writes with confidence. With likable characters and good pacing, this debut novel offers a great second-chance romance.—Claire Brown
Copyright 2022 Library Journal.Publishers Weekly Reviews
Walking the line between rom-com and tale of self-discovery, Forsythe's debut delights with sure-footed plotting and an endearing cast. Aly Aresti has perfected the art of problem-solving. After a chance encounter leads her to realize that all her ex-boyfriends' lives have improved after dating her, her friends convince her that she could sell this skill set. Together, they launch Fixer-Upper, a top-secret consulting firm that promises to subtly "fix" the men in its clients lives. When social media influencer Nicki Wetherington-Smythe hires Aly hoping Aly can push her boyfriend to a proposal, Aly's shocked to discover that the man she's meant to be fixing is her own childhood friend and first love, Dylan James. As they reconnect, Aly struggles with the morality of secretly working to "fix" Dylan for her client. Charming characters and quick wit make for a fun, breezy romp, though some romance readers may wish the love story took more of a central role. Indeed, the primary focus here is on Aly learning to love herself enough to stop putting everyone else's needs before her own. It's entertaining in its own right, and readers looking for a smart, empowering blend of romance and women's fiction are sure to be pleased. Agent: Hayley Steed, Madeline Milburn Literary. (Aug.)
Copyright 2022 Publishers Weekly.Reviews from GoodReads
Citations
Forsythe, L. (2022). The Fixer Upper . Penguin Publishing Group.
Chicago / Turabian - Author Date Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Forsythe, Lauren. 2022. The Fixer Upper. Penguin Publishing Group.
Chicago / Turabian - Humanities (Notes and Bibliography) Citation, 17th Edition (style guide)Forsythe, Lauren. The Fixer Upper Penguin Publishing Group, 2022.
Harvard Citation (style guide)Forsythe, L. (2022). The fixer upper. Penguin Publishing Group.
MLA Citation, 9th Edition (style guide)Forsythe, Lauren. The Fixer Upper Penguin Publishing Group, 2022.
Copy Details
Collection | Owned | Available | Number of Holds |
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Libby | 1 | 1 | 0 |