I Owe You One

Very much enjoyed this and I couldn't wait to read the next stave (read on Pigeonhole). I thought it was a bit of a departure from purely romance as it's also very much about family. Fixie finds it impossible to stand up to her overbearing family who tend to take advantage of her and make her feel anxious and like she has to overcompensate, which is why she continually tries to fix people's problems. At the beginning she can be quite annoying as she doesn't stand up for herself, but it's worth sticking around for the whole story. Sophie has created such a wonderful blend of characters, particularly the characters who work in the shop, and it's hard not to like such an uplifting story. I also think that it would be a good Christmas read as some of it takes place in the run up to Christmas, and it is the kind of story that gives you the warm fuzzies!

This book is much more than a romance. There is plenty of romance, but the book is mainly about a woman who learns how to love and support her family while also asserting herself.

Fixie Farr's name is appropriate. She feels compelled to fix things, whether it be a coke stain on a chess board or her family's financial issues. She just can't help herself. The only problem is she does not know how to stand her ground and say what really needs to be said to the people in her life. She's a bit of a “doormat.” However, through her interactions with a new man in her life, Seb, she begins to develop a backbone.

I really enjoyed some things about Fixie's character, while other aspects annoyed me. I love how much Fixie loves her family and how devoted she is to the family business. I also love her willingness help others. On the other hand, I found myself often frustrated by how easily she allows herself to be manipulated by those who supposedly love her. She is often ridiculously naive, and she tends to misread situations. As a reader, I was constantly wanting to knock some sense into her.

The romance in this book is okay. I don't particularly care for either of the love interests, to be honest. However, the other aspects of the story kept me engaged and satisfied.

Overall, I am giving this one 4 stars because I enjoyed the read and I found the main character interesting.

I wanted to have loved it. I absolutely adore Sophie Kinsella and wait anxiously for any new book. I actually saved it a bit because it always ends so soon. But although she's still funny and a great storyteller, I wanted to slap Fixie very early and didn't overcome it. At about 75%, she finally grew a backbone and I stopped cringing over her every reaction, but by then I realized the siblings were a bit too stereotypical and I didn't know enough about Seb and jeez, did Fixie need to be SUCH a loser?

This book was enjoyable but not perfect. It was hard being stuck in Fixie's head since she is so different in personality than I am.

Sebastian at one point implies she is a “doormat” and I think that hits the nail on the head... To put it bluntly, she is a blind pushover and it takes like 300 pages before anything changes. That was frustrating.

I also felt like the plot line involving her siblings was rather stressful and it overpowered the romance. This is my first time reading this author but I was hoping for something light. Her brother Jake and his “friend” Ryan were stressful characters for me.

Other than that, I thought it was funny and generally entertaining.