Review: I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella

I Owe You One by Sophie Kinsella

Blurb from Goodreads:

Fixie Farr has always lived by her father’s motto: “Family first.” But since her dad passed away, leaving his charming housewares store in the hands of his wife and children, Fixie spends all her time picking up the slack from her siblings instead of striking out on her own. The way Fixie sees it, if she doesn’t take care of her father’s legacy, who will? It’s simply not in her nature to say no to people.

So when a handsome stranger in a coffee shop asks her to watch his laptop for a moment, Fixie not only agrees—she ends up saving it from certain disaster. Turns out the computer’s owner is an investment manager. To thank Fixie for her quick thinking, Sebastian scribbles an IOU on a coffee sleeve and attaches his business card. But Fixie laughs it off—she’d never actually claim an IOU from a stranger. Would she?

Then Fixie’s childhood crush, Ryan, comes back into her life and his lack of a profession pushes all of Fixie’s buttons. She wants nothing for herself—but she’d love Seb to give Ryan a job. And Seb agrees, until the tables are turned once more and a new series of IOUs between Seb and Fixie—from small favors to life-changing moments—ensues. Soon Fixie, Ms. Fixit for everyone else, is torn between her family and the life she really wants. Does she have the courage to take a stand? Will she finally grab the life, and love, she really wants?

My Review:
 

I have really enjoyed Sophie Kinsella's books in the past (and I still love Can You Keep a Secret?, I've Got Your Number, and The Undomestic Goddess) but this one was a serious disappointment. First of all, it was hard to get over the MC's name - Fixie?  I don't know, it was attempted to be explained but it felt weird for the entire book.  Second, Fixie was so oblivious for at least half of the book as to her own friends and family and their true selves that it was beyond frustrating.  I just kept thinking, REALLY?! to myself and being upset.  I don't know - this just felt boring, rehashed of previous plot devices from SK's books and overall could have done with more editing.

I Owe You One comes out next week on February 5, 2019, and you can purchase HERE. Hopefully you have better luck with this one than I did!

Two weeks later Mum is in St. Tropez with Aunty Karen. She keeps sending me long texts about the marina and the boats and the sunshine, and I know I should send her a proper reply--but I can't fact it. Once I start typing to Mum, everything will pour out, and I'll start sniveling all over my keyboard. 

So instead I'm zapping her lots of smiley faces and emojis of shiny suns and sailboats and dodging the truth altogether. (Maybe that's what emojis were invented for in the first place, and I've just been using them wrong. They're not there to convey thoughts in a fun way; they're there to lie to your mum.)