From the title and book cover I was expecting a book about flats that were undergoing renovation, but this is about 2 sets of friends moving in to two flats opposite each other. It was pretty low drama and a few moments where I laughed out loud. But it was a 3 star read for me. The characters were a bit flat and I didn't like how much of the storyline was taken up by Alex's ex boyfriend. Quite a few of the characters weren't that likeable and it felt like there were too many side plots that didn't need to be there.

In all it was quite bland but a quick and easy enjoyable read with a little romance.

3 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

this book was a quick easy read. I read in two afternoons. I liked the characters and the setting. good book

After reading 'Never Ever Getting Black Together', I was looking forward to reading this but I was so disappointed. It felt like nothing really happened until half way through the book. There were lots of side plots that I thought were unnecessary, like the porn star couple and the detail into Thomas' art college, both of which I found to be quite crass.

The flourishing relationship between Alex and Callum was very sweet, and I did enjoy the latter part of the book, as well as the beginning of their friendship with the coffee shop dates.

It is such a shame that there were so many unnecessary and detailed tangents in the first half of the book, as the story of Alex and Callum was really sweet.

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I enjoyed this book real easy and feel good read with great characters and a good storyline. Would recommend.

This book is so lighthearted & absolutely delightful to read. It is a nice & easy romance that develops slowly. The secondary characters are strong but not over powering. Alex & Callum are such opposites - Alex is more outgoing and confident while Callum is quieter and not overly confident. Alex is good for Callum - she is able to bring more out of him. It is fun watching him being pulled out of his shell by Alex.
Macleod does such a nice job of bringing this out slowly but still at the perfect pace.

Some of the best enjoyment for the book comes from the “fame” Alex is awarded. So much laughter for this entire situation. You cannot help but laugh!

I enjoy the lighthearted & fun books MacLeod creates and this is one of my favorites.

"Finding a man is like buying a sometimes you have to look beyond the exterior to see the potential underneath."

The Fixer Upper by Phoebe MacLeod was a quick & easy 3 star read that I read in one day. Alex is an agent for an estate company who helps people create happy lives compared to her current messy one. She has a boyfriend named Thomas whom is her long term partner who she isn't happy at the moment with. Her boyfriend Thomas decides to use all of his savings for an artist retreat instead of buying a place to live with Alex. After her boyfriend goes to the retreat Alex starts getting to know her neighbor Callum who is a grumpy attractive nerd. What will happen. I really enjoyed this book and hope everyone likes it.

This was a quick read - very sweet character development and interesting relationships between them all. I did feel like the beginning of the book moved at a glacial pace, and the end of the book felt very rushed. I did enjoy it, but it was not my favorite.

Quite enjoyed the predictability of this book, Friends first, before the relationship creeps up in them. Thomas was so annoying

After reading “Love at First Site” I was excited to get my hands on another MacLeod book, however, I prefer the first I’ve read by her to this one.

This isn’t quite what the synopsis gives us, and is quite a slow go. At 20% Thomas finally leaves for school in the states. Although it is overall about making deeper connections and more meaningful relationships, it also annoyed me that they change Callums physical appearance in order for Alex to realize more or her physical attraction to him. Sure, she enjoys his company and getting to know him, it she changes his physically appearance, even though he doesn’t want to, before she truly falls for him. A little off putting in that regard. Decent characters, nothing too deep or connecting, and a cute enough love connection.

I mostly enjoyed this but something felt slightly off about the whole story. Alex didn’t seem to actually like Emma, just needed a roommate without thinking if they would get along. What kind of nearly 30 year old has no idea about laundry, cooking, dishes, or cleaning? The girl thought dishes did themselves in the dishwasher without adding soap or turning the machine on. Then she had the audacity to borrow her roommates underpants instead of doing laundry. The idiocy was astounding.

Alex herself wasn’t very smart though and everyone saw her story coming a mile away, everyone but her that is. Which made for an unsatisfying read really. She didn’t seem a good fit with her partner in the end.

The title didn’t work here either. Nothing gets fixed up.

Grumpy meets sunshine in close proximity for this cute read set in England!

Alex and her best friend, Emma, decide to move in together. They quickly find the perfect apartment, which happens to be next to two guys, Callum and Mark. Emma is instantly attracted to Mark, so the girls set off to befriend the new neighbors in hopes Emma can get Mark's attention.

Things quickly start to fall apart when Emma turns out to be the worst roommate, and Alex's boyfriend decides to spend a month in California at an art "college". Determined to make the best of things, she desperately tries to save both relationships by teaching Emma how to be an adult while keeping her boyfriend happy long distance.

Alex decides to go on a trip to surprise her boyfriend, which ultimately is the end of their relationship for honestly many reasons (no spoilers!). Upon her return, Emma says she is moving in with Mark, leaving Alex in a tight spot.

Enter Callum. Mr Grumpy. They agree to switch apartments, putting Alex and Callum together. From there, trauma, giggles, and music start to pull them together....

This book had me giggling, angry for Alex in more ways than one, rooting for Callum, and mostly smile. It is a sweet read, but it was a little strange seeing the dynamics of Alex and Emma as their friendship shifts when they move in together.

Found it quite slow to get into. However after that I really did enjoy it. Thanks to Net Galley for early read.

Phoebe Macleod's 'The Fixer Upper' is an absolute gem, offering a delightful escape into a world of low-drama charm. With a seamless narrative, 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 5 stars. A sincere thank you to Boldwood and NetGalley for the ARC, delivering a truly delightful reading experience.

This missed the mark. Too much swearing. Too slow. Too much unnecessary detailing/info dumps. I couldn't connect with the characters. The storyline was interesting and somewhat unique, but it just didn't work for me.

Phoebe MacLeod does it again! This one was so, so good! I highly recommend this one to everyone who loves a good romance1

1.5 STARS

Is this book a rom-com or is it a book about how bad Alex's (fmc) ex bf and best friend are? I'm not joking when I tell you she's with her ex till 50-60% of the book. And up until that point we've interacted with Callum like a max of five times (and that might be generous). I swear we spend more time with the ex bf's family then Callum likeeee...

The writing itself not great. I'm usually a fan of shorter chapters but these were so short and so jumpy between scenes. The book has no hook in the slightest and there are absolutely no stakes? Callum is supposed to be a grumpy man (I love sunshine x grumpy) but in fact he was moody like once, and the rest of the time he's just more introverted. Disappointed.

Alex is supposed to have a bubbly personality? No. I found her so bland.

The best friend? I heard more about how awful she is to live with (is the author bringing up some personal frustration?) than romance in this book. The romance in the last 30% was awful. Alex and Callum have a few more interactions (no sparks or tension at all) and then suddenly they're together. Again, disappointed. And I'm sad, the premise to this story actually sounded great! And I wanted to love it.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood books for the ARC copy in an exchange for an honest review.

The Fixer Upper was easy to read, and quite relaxing. Unfortunately, it didn't provide a thrill or anything exciting. The characters were not that interesting, and most of them were quite bland.

Alex's friendship with Emma was very weird, because there wasn't any moment of real support between two supposed friends. Emma was a weird character we were supposed to like, but there was NOTHING to like about her. Not the fact that she was messy or clueless, we're all like that sometimes, but Alex was super condescending to her, and their relationship didn't seem to hold any value.

Thomas was equally bland, and would've been more interesting if he actually realized he was the A-hole he became in San Francisco.

When it comes to Callum, I feel like there wasn't enough time spent developing him. He was supposedly this gorgeous IT dude who constantly went to the gym, and was jacked, but couldn't get girls.

The story overall was a bit chaotic and dragged at times, but the idea was quite unique and could've worked better with a bit more editing.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood books for the ARC, coming out Feb 3rd!

Alex moves into a flat with her best friend Emma, and meet Mark and Callum (new neighbors). Alex’s boyfriend, Thomas, goes to a seminar in San Fran for his painting and this sets off a series of events. I felt the story was a bit chaotic and the lead in took over 50% of the book. I also didn’t see the friends to lovers falling part - just happened because? It was a quick read.

Alex is an estate agent, and it’s her job to find her clients the perfect home, which she is really good at. So when her perfect flat comes up, what’s better then renting it with her best friend Emma. Until she realises that Emma’s not as housetrained as Alex….

However she can deal with all of that as she has a great flat and a great boyfriend right? Well that is until her boyfriend moves across the world to participate in an art retreat, and then he wants to take a sabbatical from their relationship… and then Emma decides she wants to move in with her boyfriend leaving Alex unable to pay for the flat by herself.

Enter Callum, the roommate of Emma’s boyfriend, who offers to move in with Alex instead to help her out. But will Alex be able to stop herself from trying to help Callum out in ways he might not want?

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I did really enjoy this book, and I really liked Alex as a character. Emma on the other hand… the less said about her the better…
But I just felt I wanted a bit more from some of the chapters. So although I would recommend this to any romance fans, it’s probably not one I’d re-read.

Thank you to Netgalley, Boldwood Books and Phoebe MacLeod for this advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, this book will have you laughing out loud. I really enjoyed this story, but feel the epilogue let it down as it felt disjointed and more about the secondary characters, but don’t let this put you off buying it