The Fixer was a page-turning delight, and I could not be less surprised.

I mean, I'm not about to offer up an objective review when I've been rooting for Michelle Hastings since Under Your Skin, but I can't see how any reader could argue that she isn't at least well on her way to redemption here. Eden was great too, in all her peaceful-protesting, repurposed-FedEx-van-driving, scavenger-hunt-leading glory. But I won't pretend that I'm not mainly here for the ice queens when it comes to Lee Winter books. Given our perception of Michelle's capacity for guilt-free wrongdoing, it might seem at first that never has there been an icier ice queen. But... aww, there's no mistaking her capacity for human emotion when you get into The Fixer. We see her humanity in her relationship with her safta, her self-awareness when her remarks cut a little mroe than she intended, the guilt she has to physically expel from her system (and someone should tell her before she really hurts herself that aggression doesn't actually alleviate negative emotion!), and her reaction to the senator's husband's antics, to name a few instances. As I was reading, I wanted so badly to be able to free her from the shame and self-loathing; the rest of her story couldn't come quickly enough! But the heavier segments were balanced by the fun of the scavenger hunts and the Skype calls.

I love Michelle. I love the dynamic of her and Eden. I'm thrilled at the implication of Michelle needing to not lose what they have... and oh NO, are they in for trouble when Eden, with her rigid sense of morality, has no idea what she's signing onto. Finishing The Fixer and waiting around for the sequel is witnessing the moment before a fifty-car pile-up and not being able to tear your eyes away.

NetGalley ARC Educator 550974

How do you bring down an evil person? Could you do it with the help of a corporation behind you? This is the delightful tale of Eden and Michelle. Part one of their series that can be read as a standalone. The character and story building will pull you in. You will fall in love with some and abhor others. I hope the series continues and we get updates on some of the characters.

Michelle is the iciest ice queen i've ever encountered. Like I seriously would not want to make her angry.

I debated between giving this book 4.5 or 5 stars because of how much of a slow burn it is (i means seriously they haven't even gotten together yet), but ultimately decided on 5 stars because of the Jewish representation. This is the first book I have read where the character being Jewish is not just a throwaway line for diversity points AND a part of Jewish culture is conveyed correctly. Winter has included Jewish characters in other works, but I feel that it is accomplished most effectively in The Fixer. The way that Winter portrays Michelle's safta is a masterclass in how to write a Jewish grandmother: subtle (and not so subtle) meddling, guilt trips, and so much cooking. I cannot convey how thrilled I was to see part of my identity represented in such a positive light. I believe my annotation read "SHE'S JEWISH??!!!".

Other reasons why you should pick up this book immediately:

1. Lee Winter knows how to write an ice queen. I fell head over heels for her probably before I was meant to as a reader but whatever. I just wanted to hug her the entire book.

2. For all my age gap girlies: there's an 11 year age gap.

3. A signature Lee Winter puzzle that keeps you guessing before arriving at a plot twist you never saw coming.

4. A Jewish grandma (again)

5. "Ninety percent of the time The Fixers did bad things. Five percent of the time, they did pure evil. And that was because one hundred percent of the time, they fulfilled the whims and wishes of the rich and powerful and rarely did that coincide with doing good things."

Honestly I don't know why you are still reading this review and haven't run to go buy the book. The sequel comes out February 16th, so hurry up and start reading! A big thank you to netGalley and Ylva Publishing for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Eden Lawless is a crusader for good. When she’s not riding around in her eco efficient FedEx van named Gloria, she’s helping others fight the good fight.

And this time she’s fighting the good fight against her college nemesis, the mayor of her small town in Maryland.

With the aid of a mysterious DC group and it’s icy CEO Michelle Hastings, Eden travels back home and begins her campaign for good. Unfortunately she’s blissfully unaware that she might not be fighting with the “good guys”

Lee Winter’s first installment of this two parter is the slowest burn. Eden and Michelle are drawn together despite their obvious differences, all in the name of getting the job done of course. And we’re treated to the clever mind of Winter as she’s crafts an intriguing story filled with intense political espionage and a beautiful blooming friendship that could possibly be more.

Loved this one so much. Highly recommend.

I went into this book fairly blind, I had never read a Lee Winter book before but the synopsis got me intrigued. I am so glad I took a chance on this book as I thoroughly enjoyed it! I normally don't read too many romance books but I wanted to read more of that genre this year and the Fixer does not disappoint. The Fixer is part of a two-book series called the Villian Series. I can't wait to read the second in the series - Chaos Agent, after finishing the Fixer.

Now to get into the book! I think Winter does a fantastic job of writing her characters her their development in the Fixer. The reader meets Michelle Hastings, the CEO of the fixers at the start of the book. She is portrayed as an ice queen, who doesn't like to let people in and is extremely good at her job, and not really having a personal life with friends and fun. The reader finds out at the start that Hastings annihilated another woman's love and career for her own professional advancement. However, in the Fixer it doesn't go into too much detail on this as it is explained in the Red files universe. I personally have not read other books in this universe but I didn't feel like you had to have read them to fully understand what was going on in Hastings's backstory as it is mentioned in this book briefly. I loved Hasting's character even though she is an ice queen, and I found that even though Winter describes some of her qualities as not being the best, I still found her a likable character due to her consciousness of one aspect of the book. Also, I did root for her to have more of a personal life and loved getting into her mind of her throughout.

Then the other main character in this book is Eden Lawless, an activist fighting for justice in society. She is nearly the complete opposite of Michelle Hastings as she fights for justice and Hastings sometimes supports the "bad guys" in society. Eden is hired by the Fixers to return to her hometown and take down her arch-nemesis, the town Mayor. I loved Eden's character and her likability and happy-go-lucky attitude throughout. I loved her relationship with Michelle and how she really wants to get to know her on a personal basis but Michelle tries to shut her out. Even though she too likes aspects of Eden's personality and her company.

I can't wait to see where this series will go in book 2 and I can't wait to get stuck in! I would definitely recommend the Fixers if you want a fast-paced romance book with lots of humor, intrigue, and drama throughout.

I absolutely loved this book. Lee Winter is one of my all time favorite authors in the lesfic genre and it’s because she knows how to write an ice queen better than anyone! Thawing an ice queen one of my favorite plots, and I would read every single similarly themed book she puts out! This one was fun because we had been introduced to our protagonist as a villain in some of her earlier works, and getting to see the inner workings of her mind plus the inner workings of a shady conglomerate like The Fixers was very entertaining. I devoured this book in 2 days and went straight into the sequel!

The Fixer is a sunny rainbow do-gooder - well at least this is my interpretation. In this particular story Eden is the fixer while working for The Fixers (chuckle). She is the one doing all of the work. She is creative, smart, and has a heart of gold.

What I find interesting is that Michelle is the ice queen. Most of her part in this tale is describing her emotional state and how events in the past and present are affecting her. I found nothing about her to be icy as with Eden she is quite warm. Then there are her hobbies which are pretty passionate if temporary ways to relieve stress. I would like to try the smashing room though, I see them on reality television and it looks like a lot of fun but a bit of a workout. I’ll stick with Eden’s ice cream for right now.

There is heat in this book, but I will give you a spoiler - it is not between Michelle and Eden. There is steam between them, but it mainly takes place between a computer screen in a non-sexual way. I love these interactions as much as they do. I think Winter has created a great foundation for Eden and Michelle.

Then there is a little mystery thrown in. There is also a revenge plot. Plus some interesting and heartbreaking side stories.

Winter gives us the full package without giving us a HEA. I gotta say that an author who creates sizzle when the characters are states apart is a keeper in my book. I cannot wait for the next book and the next tête-à-tête between these two.

3.5 stars

Reading just the title I wasn’t sure what all would happen in this book though it starts with Eden being invited to a job interview for a company she doesn’t know and never applied for. She soon finds out that the job is to ruin her nemesis’s chance at reelection. Eden is kind and compassionate she’s always trying to help people who otherwise aren’t really heard and does it by way of organizing protests. She is so good at getting peoples voices heard that she is well know for it. All except when she was in College and it ended with her getting pushed out of her home town as well as her family. This job or assignment could be what she needs to get a relationship with her Father back and let her town see she wasn’t just acting crazy. Sounds simple but there’s Michelle her boss who is very by the books and some may even think she’s stuck up especially a laid back person like Eden. Things get so heated between them I wondered how far Eden would bend without quitting though this isn’t just all work which makes it that much harder to keep work and personal life separate. Also you question who hired Michelle’s team to hire Eden? It took me a bit to get into this one though it was a good story and I’m excited to see where the next one takes us.

Michelle Hastings may just be Lee Winter’s most dynamic character, yet. I wish she had been surrounded by a richer plot that wasn’t rushed (or maybe it felt rushed since I read this book in a handful of hours). Winter has consistently written emotionally complex characters—Catherine Ayers, Lauren King, Elena Bartell, Maddie Grey, Elizabeth Thornton, Summer Hayes, the list goes on. Winter is a master of the slow burn, ice-queen trope romance. However, all of these characters are inherently good. While the previous ice queen characters of Ayers, Bartell, and Thornton are classically cold, aloof, misunderstood, guarded, masters of their craft, and sharp-tongued, Hastings is a different breed altogether. Her character first appears in The Red Files, having done professional and emotional harm to Catherine Ayers, contributing to Ayers’ own mistrust and low expectations of others. Michelle Hastings is the first character who lives in the grey—she inhabits a broader range of human emotion and experience. She’s done hurtful, dark, immoral things. While Hastings shares many qualities as Winter’s other ice queens, she also has more self-loathing and self-doubt than any of her other characters combined. Yet she similarly shares the protective nature most of Winter’s ice queen characters have towards their romantic counterparts. Most people love a good redemption story, at least I do. It’s refreshing to have someone make seriously damaging/hurtful actions, realize it, and live with it. Although, she has been in a self-flagellating place ever since it seems. Having said all that, I was somewhat disappointed by The Fixer. I realize Winter had to place Hastings in a context to be better understood as a flawed woman excelling in D.C. political power games, but the plot overall felt weak when compared to The Red Files and The Brutal Truth where the political/fashion machinations had larger implications across the country/industry, compared to the political election in Wingapo. I think it would have been better not to split The Fixer and Chaos Agent into two books. The writing is still well done, the wit is sharp, the dialogue very enjoyable, and the father-daughter and mother-daughter relationships illustrated in the book have the potential to be very meaty. My biggest annoyance was Lawless’s repeated usage of “Goddess.” This made me cringe, but I suppose it suits Lawless (I don’t think Lawless is as strong as King in The Red Files and her best friend is annoying, but hoping there’s more bite to her in the next book). Also, addressing Michelle by her first name didn’t feel like an act of equality, it felt like over-familiarity from the get-go, which I guess was the point but it came across as obnoxious and not endearing. The scavenger hunt itself fell flat and shallow for me, a mere illustration of Lawless’s intelligence and creativity under pressure. The real story is Phyllis Kensington which I hope to see take center stage in Chaos Agent, thought it seems like the villain of Wingapo, Francine Wilson, will have to make a reappearance. Definitely recommend, but its more for learning about Michelle Hastings than it is the overall story. Looking forward to what comes next in Chaos Agent.

I am in awe of Lee Winter’s craftsmanship and storytelling ability. It is beyond remarkable. As someone who grew up loving books and then went on to teach about the beauty inside them, I can proclaim nothing but appreciation for the brilliant construction of this well-penned work. Fans will want to rush ahead to unravel the who’s, the how’s and the why’s of the plot, but I’d suggest they don’t. This is a masterful tale that should be savored. Winter’s incredible application of skill and artistry is measurable and noteworthy.

As per usual, Winter has created characters that are superlatively developed. There is no other way to describe it. Their arcs demand it, and Winter simply nails it. The way she takes Michelle Hastings, one hard-edged character with a despicable history, and turns her into someone readers actually like—well, that’s pure genius.

As I mentioned earlier, the story crafting is spectacular; it is sound and unshakable. A quick mention should be made that Winter does use pieces of her previous books to push The Fixer’s plot. However, the nucleus of this tale remains original. It’s crafty, it’s clever and it’s gripping. Readers are hooked by the compelling characters and their engaging dialogue, and they do not want to be released. The Fixer’s story world is far too enthralling to walk away from.

Final remarks…

The Fixer is a twisty-turny tale that lovers of small-town political drama and intrigue will not be able to resist. The storytelling is absolutely scrumptious and sets readers up nicely for book two, The Chaos Agent, which I can’t wait to get my hands on!

Strengths…

Well-written and well-designed
Fantastic story world
Engaging, compelling characters
A must read romantic thriller

This is my first Lee Winter book and I have to say I was NOT disappointed. This is the first book in the villains series and the relationship between the two main characters will continue in book two. Michelle Hastings apparently appears in a previous book and from reviews I’ve read she wasn’t a character that was well liked. I have to say she is really likeable in this book to be sure. As much as I enjoyed this book and the budding romance I do think it makes sense to read the two books as close together as possible. Definitely recommended and I will be reading this authors’s backlist as well.

This is my first book I’ve read by Lee Winter’s and it won’t be the last. Michelle Hastings is the ultimate DC Fixer for the rich and powerful, like Kerry Washington on Scandal. She is the ultimate ice queen as she runs her behind the scenes organization. The only one who sees her gentle side is her beloved grandmother who lives with her. Eden Lawless is a passionate, idealistic activist. Following in her mothers footsteps she is always ready to fight for the right. I love her being described as a summer child and a panda. Hastings offers Eden a job she can’t refuse. Eden is to return to her hometown and stop Mayor Francine Wilson from being re-elected. She has twelve weeks and must do it legally. There is a big payoff for Eden if she can do it but this is also personal. The mayor is the person who caused Eden to be expelled from college, which led to her parents separating, her father’s firing and estrangement to her.

Hastings requires Eden to check in nightly for updates. The online interactions are a delight as Eden is never quite the subordinate employee Michelle expects. This is more general fiction and not a typical romance. For most of the book the main characters only interact via text or online. There is slight thawing of the ice-queen and genuine concern, caring and even attraction between the two. The dialogue is wonderful as is the way the characters and their stories unfold. I’m amazed at how much I enjoyment and satisfaction I have with this story considering it is only half way done. It helps that I already have the sequel Chaos Agent already downloaded and ready to read.

I know from other reviews that Hastings is a side characters from another series. I obviously read this as a stand alone but am sure I will search out her earlier appearances as I read more from Lee Winter’s writings. Thank you to NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a review copy of The Fixer via NetGally for a fair review.

Lee Winter has done it again with this masterclass spinoff featuring Michelle Hastings a villain from my favorite series of her’s The Red Files. The dialogue was excellent and there was a lot more humor than I expected. The character development was superb and believable. Eden Lawless our plucky ice melter was a joy and i loved the relationship between Hastings and her Grandmother it really pulled at the heartstrings and made me miss mine. All characters where wonderful and I really liked Eden she was an excellent contrast to the icy Michelle as usual in Winter’s books. The scavenger hunt element was so much fun. This book gets a perfect score from me 5/5 really looking forward to finishing the duology and get closure on every thing this first book set up.

I have read and enjoyed Lee Winter before (Breaking Character is a particular favorite of mine) and I think I was just not quite in the mood for this one. If you like age gap, ice queen romances, this is absolutely the book for you! The relationship and tension between Michelle and Eden is palpable and delicious. There is a sequel to this one (Chaos Agent) that I haven't read, but I am sure it will be a wonderful continuation.

I would also mention that I did not read any of The Red Files, which I believe also impacted my overall enjoyment of this one. It's set up as a standalone in a new Villains series, but I do think based on the number of questions I had while reading that you're better served getting Michelle Hastings full backstory in that series before you dive in here.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!