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A review by aurigae
Her Fixer Upper by Emily Kerr
4.0
I just could not get into the premise of this romance. Freya and Charlie, childhood friends with no adult relationship, to decide to buy a fixer-upper together despite having no skill or experience in renovation and no disposable income to hire help. This seemed like such an unwise and bizarre decision, based on nothing except a nebulous and irrational desire to "climb the property ladder". Perhaps for a different main character, it would be a *funny* unwise decision, leading to all manner of hijinks and compromising situations. But for Freya, who likes to stay in control and doesn't have a lot of margin for error in her life, it seemed more like *stupid* unwise. I spent a lot of the book concerned for her physical safety as she and Charlie camped in a semi-unsafe house and did things like try to build a kitchen in less time than it would take a team of professionals.
Still, the fact that I was concerned for Freya at all is a positive. And in the second half of the book, as the story's focus shifts from home purchase and renovation to Freya's relationship with Charlie, the story hits all the right romantic beats. I just wish we could have gotten there without Freya's 20th-century conviction that being underwater on a money pit will make her rich.
3.5 stars, rounded up.
[I received a complimentary ARC from NetGalley and the publishers. Opinions are my own.]
Still, the fact that I was concerned for Freya at all is a positive. And in the second half of the book, as the story's focus shifts from home purchase and renovation to Freya's relationship with Charlie, the story hits all the right romantic beats. I just wish we could have gotten there without Freya's 20th-century conviction that being underwater on a money pit will make her rich.
3.5 stars, rounded up.
[I received a complimentary ARC from NetGalley and the publishers. Opinions are my own.]