I Owe You One: A Novel
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - "A gem of a novel."--Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author of A Spark of Light and Small Great Things
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Party Crasher and Love Your Life comes an irresistible story of love and empowerment about a young woman with a complicated family, a handsome man who might be "the one," and an IOU that changes everything. 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?
Praise for I Owe You One "This book is a shot of pure joy!"--Jenny Colgan, author of The Bookshop on the Corner "A humorous exploration of family life, finding love and the difficulties of coming into one's own as a young professional woman . . . The entertaining cast of characters . . . will certainly remind readers why nineteen years after her first hit Kinsella remains one of the reigning queens of women's fiction."--The Washington Post "I Owe You One is another impossibly delightful story by Sophie Kinsella, a must-read for her die-hard fans and new readers alike."--PopSugar
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Party Crasher and Love Your Life comes an irresistible story of love and empowerment about a young woman with a complicated family, a handsome man who might be "the one," and an IOU that changes everything. 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?
Praise for I Owe You One "This book is a shot of pure joy!"--Jenny Colgan, author of The Bookshop on the Corner "A humorous exploration of family life, finding love and the difficulties of coming into one's own as a young professional woman . . . The entertaining cast of characters . . . will certainly remind readers why nineteen years after her first hit Kinsella remains one of the reigning queens of women's fiction."--The Washington Post "I Owe You One is another impossibly delightful story by Sophie Kinsella, a must-read for her die-hard fans and new readers alike."--PopSugar
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Community Reviews
(This was more of a 3.5 star book for me, but I bumped it to 4 since Kinsella is one of my Very Favorite authors.)
I have been excited for this book to come out for almost a year, so I felt let down by the end. I didn't enjoy any of the characters except Seb...including the main character, Fixie. (Sidenote: Her name irritated me to no end the entire book, as did her complete lack of backbone. Which, in my opinion, lasted as a trait for far too long in the story.)
I realize that the story is mostly about Fixie coming into her own and working on her familial issues, but the love story (pretty much everyone's favorite part of Kinsella's books) felt rushed & almost incomplete.
I'm glad I read it because, as I've said, I *adore* Sophie Kinsella. However, this will not be a reread for me - unlike so many of her others that I love to come back to again and again for that easy, frothy, feel-good experience.
I have been excited for this book to come out for almost a year, so I felt let down by the end. I didn't enjoy any of the characters except Seb...including the main character, Fixie. (Sidenote: Her name irritated me to no end the entire book, as did her complete lack of backbone. Which, in my opinion, lasted as a trait for far too long in the story.)
I realize that the story is mostly about Fixie coming into her own and working on her familial issues, but the love story (pretty much everyone's favorite part of Kinsella's books) felt rushed & almost incomplete.
I'm glad I read it because, as I've said, I *adore* Sophie Kinsella. However, this will not be a reread for me - unlike so many of her others that I love to come back to again and again for that easy, frothy, feel-good experience.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I really just did not, at all.
Fixie wasn't my biggest problem, I understand her and her motivations, but damn everyone else in this book is a complete asshole for most of the book. And the last 70 pages of them being better doesn't make up for the pain and suffering of the previous 300 pages.
I have to admit that I probably came into the book with the wrong idea and this might have contributed to my disappointment. I thought we were getting a fake dating rom com, but this was a lot more contemporary book with a romance element.
Fixie wasn't my biggest problem, I understand her and her motivations, but damn everyone else in this book is a complete asshole for most of the book. And the last 70 pages of them being better doesn't make up for the pain and suffering of the previous 300 pages.
I have to admit that I probably came into the book with the wrong idea and this might have contributed to my disappointment. I thought we were getting a fake dating rom com, but this was a lot more contemporary book with a romance element.
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