Her Fixer Upper by Emily Kerr

Book Review May 19, 2023

My review

3/5 stars

Freya and Charlie, old school friends who haven't seen each other in years, bump into each other at a time when they are both trying, and struggling, to get mortgages on their own. They decide to club together and buy a place to get them on the ladder. They end up taking on way more than a renovation.

The basic premise of this book was very entertaining and easy to read. The dynamic was great, as the previous connection meant that the chemistry between Freya and Charlie could be there from the start of their narrative without feeling awkward - this made it a lot easier to warm to the characters and root for them both. I found Freya's neuroticism very relatable, with her need to control things and her anxiety towards change and the future. Charlie provided the perfect foil to that with his laidback, easygoing nature and ability to laugh at most situations.

My favourite character in the book was Freya's Grandad Arthur. He was central to the storyline and provided warmth, charm and drama in equal measure, packaging it all up in a funny, insightful and approachable way.

While I enjoyed the progression of watching Freya and Charlie do up their construction site house, I did struggle a little with the fact that the description of the house felt a little overdone. I understand that the author was trying to build a very clear idea of how rundown the house was to add tension to the story, but at times I felt that the focus was more on describing the house than progressing the plot and it made things feel a little jarring for me.

I also found the pacing of the story a bit challenging. The first half of the book felt quite slow and in-depth, and then we jumped forward in time a few months and everything seemed to speed up considerably, to the point where things felt a little rushed and underdeveloped. The relationship between Freya and Charlie didn't progress as naturally as it could have and the drama surrounding Grandad Arthur was explored in a slightly haphazard way.

This was a sweet, simple read but nothing particularly outstanding for me.

* I received an advanced copy of this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book blurb

Unable to afford their own homes, two friends decide to buy a renovation house together as a project. What could possibly go wrong…?

Freya dreams of owning her own home.

Charlie is struggling to get a mortgage.

When the two old friends bump into each other on a night out, Charlie jokes that buying together would solve all their problems. He doesn’t expect Freya to say yes, let alone yes to a less-than-perfect fixer upper.

Nobody said renovating their dream home would be easy, but will Charlie and Freya fall out of love with the house, or in love with each other…