The blurb really drew me in, and I was excited to dive into the story. However, I was disappointed to find that the female lead was in a relationship with someone else for most of the book. Although it technically isn’t cheating based on the plot, it still felt very uncomfortable for me. In a romance, I prefer to avoid any questionable behavior, even if the boyfriend is unpleasant. This aspect ultimately spoiled the entire story for me.

I received an arc of this book via netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinion near my own.

The Fixer Upper was a fun and easy read. It has laugh-out-loud moments and great characters. While a bit predictable, the story was low-key, low-drama, and perfect for romance lovers who don't want a lot dragging them through the book. If you need a book to decompress to, The Fixer Upper is for you.

Alex was a fun main character. Her life isn't perfect, but then who of us have perfect lives? The secondary characters rounded out the story nicely. I enjoyed the fast-paced slow burn romance. The book kept me engaged throughout.

I struggled to get past the first 5 chapters. I just felt very disconnected and uninterested in the characters and their story.

this was such a sweet and quick read for me! i absolutely loved reading about Alex and Thomas's love story and this will definitely be a reread for me!

This British love story was just what I needed. It is the perfect summer romance to read and get lost in while laying out in the sun. It's funny, realistic and a great love story. I love Phoebe MacLeod books I know if she writes it then I will love it and this one is my favorite so far. 5 star read.

We adore a British rom-com, not the best story. But it was fun to read and we will read more of Pheobe MacLeod books.

This was such a funny and sweet book to read. I loved almost everything in this book.
I dont thinkthat this Author ever dissapoited

I really enjoyed this story, it well written, with well rounded, likeable characters, though there were some who you thought were nice that proved to be less so and others that had had a really bad press who turned out to be caring and supportive. Great read.

The characters, led by the relatable real estate agent Alex, create an engaging and heartwarming story. The absence of typical miscommunications is a refreshing twist, allowing the plot to flow smoothly. Macleod's skill in crafting enjoyable individual elements shines through, earning this book a solid 4 stars

Laugh out loud funny, heartwarming and a delight from start to finish, The Fixer Upper is the latest romantic comedy by Phoebe MacLeod.

Estate agent Alex might be in the business of selling dreams, but all her romantic hopes have been dashed by her long-term boyfriend Thomas. Despite the fact that he’s far from everyone’s idea of Prince Charming, Alex had had big dreams for the future – until Thomas announces that he’s blown all his savings on an artists’ retreat in San Francisco. Forget about putting down a deposit on a flat together, Thomas has put his dreams first – and it’s time Alex took a leaf out of his book and did the same.

Sparks don’t exactly fly when Alex meets her neighbour, Callum. The two are like chalk and cheese, but despite the fact that Callum is a grumpy nerd who likes to keep people at arm’s length, bubby Alex quickly realises that she has fallen head over heels in love with him. Will Alex end up finding everything she’s been looking for all this time – right next door?

Phoebe Macleod’s The Fixer Upper is a grumpy versus sunshine contemporary romance that fizzes with magic, emotion, charm and heart. Hilarious, addictive and hugely enjoyable, The Fixer Upper is a fun and feel-good page-turner from Phoebe Macleod perfect for rom-com addicts.

A sweet romance. There is nothing unpredictable or surprising in this novel, but that's okay. It's well written and the characters are enjoyable to read about.
Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced reading copy. I really enjoyed this and will be getting copies for my shop.

This was my first Phoebe Macloed read and it did not disappoint. Such a fun storyline, filled with the best characters and some great shenanigans

I really enjoyed this book. It was different than anything else I've read recently. I couldn't put it down! I will keep an eye out for this author's future work!

Yes you knew where the story was going to go as soon as you picked it up and yes it was extremely predictable but sometimes that is exactly what you need.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this arc.

This was such a good pallet cleanser book. I enjoyed it. It was fun and cute read. This is a book I will read again.

The Fixer Upper, by Pheobe MacLeod
⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Fixer Upper was a really easy read, but not an awful lot happened. The plot was entirely predictable, which I’m not saying is a negative as most romance books are! The characters weren’t entirely likeable - the main character, Alex, was basically the only character I liked! Her best friend Emma was an awful flatmate and friend (messy and rude); the initial boyfriend, Thomas, was an asshole and uninterested in Alex; the final romantic interest, Callum, didn’t have a very consistent personality? And don’t even get me started on Mark 🙄
For serial romance fans, this might be a great book. For me, the redeeming qualities were probably the fact that the relationships weren’t plagued with misunderstandings and miscommunications. On top of this, I appreciated that Alex stood up for herself and didn’t settle for being treated badly.
The lack of exciting plot points stopped this from being rated any higher for me, it definitely needed something extra to add excitement.
Thank you BoldwoodBooks and NetGalley for the ARC 🫶🏼

This book's constructed the way you'd expect a fun read: the set up of the characters, threads that bind them together, some bumps on the road, and then the feeling of coming home. The actual material used in the construction — the characters, the plot, the events — are, however, a touch unremarkable.

The plot progresses very slowly, moving only a few inches throughout the length of the book. I liked how the characters were shown with quirks, but a lot of the plot was easy to decipher from the get-go. No major plot twists. But it was a nice, comforting read. So it's good for days when you need a snack-y read.

I really wanted to LOVE this book, because the premise was extremely promising.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the chance to read this book.

I have now read a few of Phoebe MacLeod's books, and they are all such easy and enjoyable books to read.
This book is a slightly different take on the nerdy girl glow up, with the man being the one receiving the glow up in this book.
I really love the way that Alex values Callum's kindness and personality even before she starts to notice his potential handsomeness. Their friendship certainly starts out on shaky (and amusing) ground but develops quite quickly after that.

That is also the only negative in the book for me - the romance aspect is extremely quick to happen - although that is common in the rom-com genre.

Overall, it is a really enjoyable story with some quirky characters and some unexpected friendships.

In this contemporary romance, tangled relationships obscure the path to true love. Despite promising meet-cute moments, the narrative is overshadowed by the female lead's ongoing relationship with another man, leaving the central romance feeling rushed and lacking chemistry. Critiques include concerning portrayals of a homeless character and a disjointed plot lacking a compelling hook. The epilogue's focus on a secondary couple's wedding further detracts from the main storyline, leaving readers unsatisfied. Overall, while humorous at times, the book falls short in delivering a satisfying romance due to issues with character development and plot coherence.