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In this funny and sharp romantic comedy, a woman with a knack for turning her boyfriends’ lives around starts a professional service to help wrangle men, only to be unexpectedly matched with an old flame. Ever since she can remember, Aly has been fixing everything around her: her parents’ marriage, her colleagues’ work problems, and her friends’ love lives are just a few examples. After a chance meeting with an ex who has gone from living in his parents’ basement to being a married project manager in three years, she realizes she’s been fixing her boyfriends, too.... So, Aly decides to put her talents to good use and, alongside two work friends, sets up the Fixer Upper, an exclusive, underground service for women who are tired of unpaid emotional labor. Using little tricks and tips, Aly and her friends get the men to do the work themselves—to get out of the job they hate, sign up for that growth seminar, do more parenting. Before long, a high-profile Instagram star hires them to fix up her app developer boyfriend. There’s just one catch—he’s also Aly’s childhood best friend and first love. As Aly tackles her biggest “fixer upper” yet, she’ll have to come to terms with their complicated history and figure out how much to change someone she’d always thought was perfect as he is....
In this funny and sharp romantic comedy, a woman with a knack for turning her boyfriends’ lives around starts a professional service to help wrangle men, only to be unexpectedly matched with an old flame. Ever since she can remember, Aly has been fixing everything around her: her parents’ marriage, her colleagues’ work problems, and her friends’ love lives are just a few examples. After a chance meeting with an ex who has gone from living in his parents’ basement to being a married project manager in three years, she realizes she’s been fixing her boyfriends, too.... So, Aly decides to put her talents to good use and, alongside two work friends, sets up the Fixer Upper, an exclusive, underground service for women who are tired of unpaid emotional labor. Using little tricks and tips, Aly and her friends get the men to do the work themselves—to get out of the job they hate, sign up for that growth seminar, do more parenting. Before long, a high-profile Instagram star hires them to fix up her app developer boyfriend. There’s just one catch—he’s also Aly’s childhood best friend and first love. As Aly tackles her biggest “fixer upper” yet, she’ll have to come to terms with their complicated history and figure out how much to change someone she’d always thought was perfect as he is....
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Due to publisher restrictions the library cannot purchase additional copies of this title, and we apologize if there is a long waiting list. Be sure to check for other copies, because there may be other editions available.
Excerpts-
From the coverOne
"I'm afraid we aren't able to accommodate a table for one this evening, madam."
The concierge at the Darlington was handsome in a bland sort of way. He had the sincere, apologetic look perfected, almost. But he apparently couldn't hide the irritated wrinkle above his eyebrow or how his gaze kept shifting to the couple behind me. The kind of customers he wanted, dolled up to the nines, and more importantly, not alone.
Here we go.
I bared my teeth in a fierce smile, trying to ignore the embarrassment staining my cheeks. Giving me away. Not now, Aly.
"Well... I mean... you took my reservation, so... could you please see what you can do?" I straightened my spine and tried to emulate someone else. An Amazonian warrior, perhaps, desperately in need of a steak and a quiet night. Or someone like my friend Tola, who would never take no for an answer. Yes, what would Tola say? "Especially as it doesn't say anywhere on your website about not accepting solo diners."
"Madam, it's just not... " He sighed and turned his attention back to the reservations list in front of him. No way, mate, say what you like, I'm not just going to slither away.
I looked past him to the high vaulted ceilings, opulent chandeliers, and soft rose crushed-velvet seats. I deserved an evening of decadence, of perfect wine pairings and food where the chef was making a statement. And just because I was dining alone didn't mean I was going to miss out.
Third Thursdays were the only time no one needed anything from me. They were my one night of freedom to blow off some steam, take myself on an adventure, treat myself the way I'd be treated if I was in a relationship. Seeing a new exhibition, going to a show, eating something that would make me mouth "wow" to myself and look around for someone to talk to about it. To work my way through an expensive couple of glasses of wine, safe in the knowledge that I wasn't missing out, wasn't being left behind. That for a glorious few hours no one was going to ask me for anything.
It's just not profitable. That's what he wanted to say. And he was going to try, ever so delicately, to shame me into giving up. But it had taken months to get comfortable dining alone, and I wasn't going to let a snooty waiter throw me off. This was my night.
"Look, man." I felt the man in the couple behind me lean forward, finding myself overwhelmed by a sudden cloud of cologne. "Just find her a table, okay? Otherwise I'm pretty sure it's discrimination."
The concierge pressed his lips together, and I could tell he was weighing up the likelihood of a social media storm: Diners in London restaurant come to aid of lone female, who just wanted to try the chef's award-winning tortellini.
I briefly considered bursting into tears, just to see if it got me anywhere. The concierge seemed to sense that was my next move.
"One moment," he snipped, and disappeared.
I turned to the aftershave fiend behind me to thank him, and blinked in surprise.
"Jason!"
"Aly!" His face lit up, and he put out an arm so he could sweep in and kiss me on both cheeks. The woman at his side smiled, tilting her head slightly in that way that suggested she expected an introduction immediately.
"This is my wife, Diana."
I nodded at her, uncertain. She looked so chic and I tried not to scan her as she was scanning me, taking in her luscious dark hair and painfully stylish-yet-understated outfit. We seemed to come to the same conclusion at the exact same time: Jason had a type and he had definitely upgraded.
I pulled a hand through my dark...
About the Author-
Lauren Forsythe lives in Hertfordshire with her husband and son, and a cat that gets more spoilt by the day. She works in marketing, studied English and Creative Writing at the UEA and spends too much time trying to work out how she can retroactively add pockets to every piece of clothing she owns.
Reviews-
June 6, 2022 Walking the line between rom-com and tale of self-discovery, Forsythe’s debut delights with sure-footed plotting and an endearing cast. Aly Aresti has perfected the art of problem-solving. After a chance encounter leads her to realize that all her ex-boyfriends’ lives have improved after dating her, her friends convince her that she could sell this skill set. Together, they launch Fixer-Upper, a top-secret consulting firm that promises to subtly “fix” the men in its clients lives. When social media influencer Nicki Wetherington-Smythe hires Aly hoping Aly can push her boyfriend to a proposal, Aly’s shocked to discover that the man she’s meant to be fixing is her own childhood friend and first love, Dylan James. As they reconnect, Aly struggles with the morality of secretly working to “fix” Dylan for her client. Charming characters and quick wit make for a fun, breezy romp, though some romance readers may wish the love story took more of a central role. Indeed, the primary focus here is on Aly learning to love herself enough to stop putting everyone else’s needs before her own. It’s entertaining in its own right, and readers looking for a smart, empowering blend of romance and women’s fiction are sure to be pleased. Agent: Hayley Steed, Madeline Milburn Literary.
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