ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley
I OWE YOU ONE by Sophie Kinsella
(Dial Press; February 5, 2019)
Synopsis: Fixie Farr has always lived by her father’s motto: “Family first.” And 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 Fixie’s nature to say no to people. So when a handsome stranger in a coffee shop asks her to watch his laptop for a moment, she not only agrees—she ends up saving it from certain disaster. To thank Fixie for her quick thinking, the computer’s owner, Sebastian, an investment manager, scribbles an IOU on a coffee sleeve and attaches his business card. Fixie laughs it off—she’d never actually claim an IOU from a stranger. Would she?
But then Fixie’s childhood crush, Ryan, comes back into her life, and his lack of a profession pushes all of Fixie’s buttons. As always, she wants nothing for herself—but she’d love Seb to give Ryan a job. No sooner has Seb agreed than 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?
REVIEW:
Fixie Farr Finds Her Footing After Rough First Half
Fair warning, the first half of I Owe You One takes real perseverance on the part of the reader. Sophie Kinsella’s characters are so vivid and real, I considered DNF’ing it in the first 25 percent. It was like being at a party where you hate everyone and think, why am I spending time with these people? Every character needed a kick in the pants for one reason or another — selfishness, laziness, delusions of grandeur. By 50% I was ready to put Fixie’s brother, sister, and childhood crush on a catapult.
BUT! Then Fixie finds her voice and her backbone and I legitimately cheered for her! Her confidence builds and it was an absolute joy to watch her take charge and come into her own. It’s just that the road to get there took so long.
The romance was more prominent than in previous Kinsella books, which was a plus for me. Fixie and Seb’s meet cute is quirky and fun, and I would have loved to read their relationship as straight romance.
Ultimately, I Owe You One is an uplifting, funny story of empowerment. You just gotta be willing to stick with it.
3 stars.
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