My rating:

add to my books

The Fixer Upper

by Mary Kay Andrews

3.73 · rating details · 3,382 ratings · 629 reviews

The delightful "New York Times"-bestselling author returns with a hilarious stand-alone novel that captures the sassy, poignant flavor of small-town Southern life.

Hardcover, First edition, 422 pages

Published June 23rd 2009 by HarperCollins Publishers (first published 2009)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Divine Secrets of the YA-YA Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells

Quirky Southern Fiction

17th out of 128 books — 143 voters

Best Chic Lit

14th out of 37 books — 21 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 5,224)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jan 07, 2011

Kaye rated it

It's another scandalous news day in Washington, D.C. with prominent public relations firm owner, Alex Hodder, being investigated for bribing Congressman Anthony Licata. Unfortunately, his young lobbyist, Dempsey, is caught in the crossfire with him. Vulnerable and naive she might have been but that changes quickly as she realizes what a ninny she was to believe her ever-so-sleazy boss. After having lost her job and her self respect, and fearing that no one will hire her, she visits her father in...moreIt's another scandalous news day in Washington, D.C. with prominent public relations firm owner, Alex Hodder, being investigated for bribing Congressman Anthony Licata. Unfortunately, his young lobbyist, Dempsey, is caught in the crossfire with him. Vulnerable and naive she might have been but that changes quickly as she realizes what a ninny she was to believe her ever-so-sleazy boss. After having lost her job and her self respect, and fearing that no one will hire her, she visits her father in Miami to escape the reporters and gain some perspective.

When her father throws her a lifeline, she reluctantly agrees to fix up Birdsong, an old family home that her father just inherited. It might need a little work before flipping it, or so her father tells her. When Dempsey arrives in Guthrie, Georgia, she finds a dilapidated house that needs more than just a little paint. A total makeover is more like it! Dempsey finds to her consternation that the house also comes with a surprise; 79 year old Ella Kate, some sort of distant relative, has taken up residence and she's not budging. It will take more than a stick of dynamite to get that stubborn old lady out of the house.

As the house begins to take shape, so does Dempsey. She becomes more confident, gains a better understanding of her family, finds a little romance and even works on her relationship with Ella Kate. When Dempsey finds her resolve to not let Alex get away with trashing her life, things get mighty interesting.

The Fixer Upper captivated me immediately. I really liked Dempsey and could feel her pain and her sense of hopelessness at the beginning of her predicament. Andrews, with her signature humor, has the southern atmosphere and family dynamics down to perfection. She aptly captured the small town feel where it seems everyone knows your "bidness" even though they don't know you.

The ending was a sheer delight! If you haven't read this one, get ready to be charmed with these endearing characters. Even the prickly Ella Kate started to grow on me! I guarantee the pages will just fly by. Such fun! 4****

Disclosure: A review copy of the book was provided by Harper Collins for TLC Book Tours.
(less)

like 4 likes

· see review

Aug 05, 2011

Karen Herman added it

In typical Andrews style, the main character (Dempsey) is trying to avoid a male-created disaster (being set up in a political scandal) and therefore engages in a creative activity (renovating an old Georgia mansion), made more entertaining by an interesting guy in the picture (Tee) while surrounded by colorful Southern characters. Although the book is far better than the awful "Deep Dish," it never quite makes it to the level of "Savannah Blues" or "Hissy Fit." T...more

· see review

Jan 27, 2012

Sheila DeChantal rated it

When Dempsey Jo Killebrew gets caught up in a political scandal brought on by her kiniving boss, she is left suddenly unemployed, and under investigation as a possible accomplice. Feeling the heat and having a strong desire "to get out of dodge", she accepts an offer from her father to help restore the old family home he had recently inherited in Guthrie Georgia. The home, known as Birdsong, is a family treasure, a Victorian Mansion that just needs a little love is what Dempsey is to...more

· see review

Jan 23, 2012

Torimac rated it

Shelves: light-fun

It was a imperfect, formulaic and escapist. The writing wasn't super quality, but it was more than competent. I enjoyed it.
Also, I recently read Nora Robert's "Tribute", and it was surprising how similar these two books were, while also being very different. Perhaps it's like the difference between peanut butter and oatmeal cookies: they are both sweets, meant for dessert not nutrition, though they have some nutritional value (protein vs fiber), and you can enjoy them in a conv...more

· see review

Oct 07, 2011

Jadaloves rated it

I love Mary Kay Andrew’s books because she is a master at creating a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere in her stories. In The Fixer Upper, Andrews weaves another small-town tale of one woman’s awakening to all the things that really bring her alive. Convinced that being a lobbyist and loyal assistant to her disgraced boss was her calling, Dempsey is surprised to find more accomplishment and joy than she could imagine, fixing up her father’s old homestead, Birdsong.

I almost alway...more

· see review

Sep 04, 2011

Susan rated it

The Fixer Upper is set in modern day Washington D.C., Miami Florida and Guthrie Georgia. Naive novice lobbyist Dempsey Killebrew is set up to take the fall when her boss is caught bribing a Congressman. Dempsey can't afford to stay in Washington without a job, her career in ruins. Her affluent, arms-length father will not lend her the money to help her get back on her feet, but offers her a task: fix up an old house he inherited so he can resell for an inflated price, to finance his new young wi...more

· see review

Aug 10, 2011

Carolyn Hill rated it

This is light (to the point of air-heady) southern chick-lit. From its popularity at my local library (it was always on reserve and there was a long wait), you'd think this must be a winner. I've enjoyed other efforts by Mary Kay Andrews, and I was drawn to the fixer upper part of the story. (Anyone who knows me can attest that I'm a house person.) While her descriptions of renovating and decorating show that M.K.A. is really into it (check out her blog for pics of her adorable re-done beach h...moreThis is light (to the point of air-heady) southern chick-lit. From its popularity at my local library (it was always on reserve and there was a long wait), you'd think this must be a winner. I've enjoyed other efforts by Mary Kay Andrews, and I was drawn to the fixer upper part of the story. (Anyone who knows me can attest that I'm a house person.) While her descriptions of renovating and decorating show that M.K.A. is really into it (check out her blog for pics of her adorable re-done beach house), they were too idealistic. What novice can master floor sanding and staining, cabinet refinishing, tiling, and wallpaper removal with the veritable snap of her fingers? But that was perhaps the most believable part of the story. The main character is a twenty-something lawyer who worked for a lobbyist involved in buying votes from a congressman. For being near the top of her class in law school, she is ridiculously naive. She is fired from her job and her boss tries to implicate her in the scandal. She flees Washington to a small Georgia town where her father has inherited a once grand but now old and dilapidated house from a distant relative. He wants her to fix it up just enough so that he can flip it for a nice profit. There's the usual big city girl in a small town set-up with a young handsome lawyer ready to escort her to the country club dance. He's charming, sexy, and too perfect to be believed - even his flaws that he lists are more endearing than maddening. And after seeing her for maybe a dozen times, if that, and maybe two of them actual dates, he's ready to spend his life with her if only she could decide to give up the big city life. Pleez. Not only cliched, but totally unrealistic. (My thirty-something sons were with their girlfriends for seven and nine years before they got around to proposing.) The plot sounds more like some movie from the forties with Jimmy Stewart playing the romantic lead. It's old-fashioned, despite the modern trappings, but not in a good way. In fact, I think Andrews had a harder time with such a young protagonist. Usually her characters are a bit older and been around a few times. In an attempt to give her character suitably young tastes, she has her juking out to Thriller on her iPod playlist. That didn't seem to really fit for a twenty-eight-year-old, and when she dances the shag to beach music at the country club, the author's real tastes - and age - becomes evident. To round out the supporting cast, there's the crotchety old biddy who won't leave the house who is supposed to end up being endearing somehow, but doesn't. Andrews usually writes with her trademark southern sass and wit, but it's lacking here. I had a hard time finishing it. There's nothing much to drive the plot - the end is a foregone conclusion, and there are no surprises. I'm not really sure why it's so popular here; it's not one I'd recommend. But maybe it's just me.(less)

· see review

Apr 19, 2011

Eva rated it

Washington lobbyist, Dempsey Killebrew finds herself unemployed and disgraced when her boss frames her for bribing a senator. Turning to her father for help, he bullies her into removing herself to Georgia to fix up and flip the family mansion he has just inherited. Arriving at the family home, she discovers that it is extremely dilapidated and contains a squatter - her 79-year-old, several times removed, very cranky cousin.

In this extreme flight of fancy (but very entertaining read)...more

· see review

Mar 31, 2011

Sandie rated it

Shelves: 2011-books, 20th-century-women, contemporary-lit, feel-good-reads, romance

THE FIXER UPPER is a clever and witty piece of entertainment about a naïve neophite lobbyist unwittingly caught up in a political scandal in which she has been cast as the scapegoat. Out of work, low on funds and with few employment prospects she calls upon her father for assistance. His solution is that she temporarily get away from her problem by leaving Washington D.C. and relocating to his southern hometown where she will be responsible for renovating a piece of family real estate which th...moreTHE FIXER UPPER is a clever and witty piece of entertainment about a naïve neophite lobbyist unwittingly caught up in a political scandal in which she has been cast as the scapegoat. Out of work, low on funds and with few employment prospects she calls upon her father for assistance. His solution is that she temporarily get away from her problem by leaving Washington D.C. and relocating to his southern hometown where she will be responsible for renovating a piece of family real estate which they can flip and split the profits.

Determined to succeed in the task of restoring the old family abode in the town of Guthrie, Georgia our protagonist, Dempsey Killebrew, is devastated to discover that the “gracious family mansion” is more Tobacco Road than the cover of Southern Living. Unfortunately, restoring the old house with the limited funds provided by her father is only one of the many challenges facing Dempsey. Ensconced in the residence are a cantankerous female octogenarian and her less than friendly dog, both of whom refuse to vacate the property. She must also deal with a persistent female newspaper reporter plus two tenacious FBI agents intent on an indictment, all while attempting to out-maneuver her slimy ex-boss who is bent on evading prosecution for his criminal machinations by diverting suspicion (and ultimately the blame)to Dempsey. Of course, as with any good piece of “chick-lit” there is the requisite tall, dark and handsome romantic interest in the person of the town newspaper publisher, as well as a number of quirky town residents.

Guthrie is a place that most folks who grew up in a small town are familiar with…… close knit and insular, a place where folks love to gossip and everyone knows everyone else’s business.

While the plot and outcome of this escapade are predictable, the dialog is humorous and the characters engaging. This book is a perfect companion for your trip to the beach or, if you prefer, take the CD along to keep you entertained on those long boring commutes to the office.
(less)

· see review

Feb 25, 2011

Danielle rated it

Shelves: books-i-own, chicklit, for-review

From the city to the sticks, The Fixer Upper is just the right balance of fun, suspense and romance. Dempsey Killebrew is a recently fired lobbyist from one of the biggest Lobbying firms in Washington DC, who has now been sent to the sticks to "fix up" a historic family home passed down from her Great Uncle, under her father's decree. Little does she know the house is basically a frame with great plumbing. Not only that, it comes with its very own squatter in the form of her "dist...moreFrom the city to the sticks, The Fixer Upper is just the right balance of fun, suspense and romance. Dempsey Killebrew is a recently fired lobbyist from one of the biggest Lobbying firms in Washington DC, who has now been sent to the sticks to "fix up" a historic family home passed down from her Great Uncle, under her father's decree. Little does she know the house is basically a frame with great plumbing. Not only that, it comes with its very own squatter in the form of her "distant" cousin, Ella Kate, and loads of small town gossip. Guthrie, Georgia isn't without its charm which comes in the form of a couple of smooth talking great looking men, which help to ease the near constant reminder of the federal investigation that has her career looking about the same as the home she's trying to fix up.

During my husband's time in law school I think I must have met close to three or four dozen "Dempsey Killebrew's". That's not to say anything bad about those girls, they were usually just so focused on school work that they failed to notice some basic common sense matters we each take for granted every day. She's smart in every way that makes you successful in business; she's a quick learner, has wonderful follow-thru and is a tremendously hard-worker. But when it comes to real-life common sense skills, she's just as blinded as most of us when her heart gets in the way, even just a little. Unfortunately for Dempsey her "blindness" results in a federal investigation, the loss of her credibility, quite possibly her career and life as she knows it. But, as I said, though she lacks some basic common sense, she makes up for with elbow grease and a zest to survive when the cards are down. Her character was completely likable and page after page I couldn't help but become her own personal cheerleader.

One of the best things about the book though were all the wonderful characters. I'm a huge fan of books that take place in the South. At heart I think I belong there. Everyone is so friendly and easy going. In Guthrie, it's no different, everyone knows everyone and is in some way related to each other from years ago. Yes, it has it's draw backs, but the benefits (in my opinion) far out-weigh those. Carter Berryhill, Bobby Livesey, Jimmy Maynard, Shirlene Pepper and Ella Kate are some of the most fantastic characters I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Each so dynamic and personable in your own way. You feel as if they could be sitting in your very own living room sipping lemonade and talking about the weather. In each of their own ways they help Dempsey her newly acquired renovation project and her life.

The Fixer Upper was a pleasant surprise for me. Before picking it up for the tour I hadn't read much about it, purposefully, and the journey I went on with Dempsey was just what I needed at the moment. A little bit of suspense, with a John Grisham style criminal investigation in the background, but a perfect balance of Southern charm and personal reinvention. It's a perfect and quick summer read! One that had me flipping page after page without hesitation. Mary Kay Andrews actually has a few other books out, including one titled Deep Dish that I'm now dying to read.(less)

like 1 like

· see review

Feb 19, 2011

Paul Pessolano rated it

For those of you who are looking for a summer read and don't want anything too heavy, but would like something interesting with a mixture of comedy, romance, and some mystery, this book was written with you in mind.

I know I'm preaching to the choir to those of you who are already fans of May Kay Andrews but she puts together some of the most delightful novels, and they all take place in Georgia.

No exception with "The Fixer Upper". The story starts in Washington...more

· see review

Jul 21, 2010

ICPL Staff Picks added it · review of another edition

Shelves: fiction, kara, staff-picks-blog

The Fixer Upper is a great read. Dempsey Killebrew is a young Washington DC attorney/lobbyist who gets mixed up in a political scandal. Unfortunately for Dempsey, her boss sets her up to take the blame for the scandal. After losing her job, her only option is to move to Guthrie, GA to rehab a Pepto-Bismol-pink old mansion, recently inherited by her father, that has fallen in disrepair. Unfortunately the home is inhabited by a grumpy octogenarian and dog who refuse to leave. Dempsey rolls up...more

· see review

Jul 05, 2010

Snap rated it

Shelves: read-in-2010

"After her boss is caught in a political scandal, fledgling Washington lobbyist Dempsey Jo Killebrew is left broke, unemployed and homeless. Out of options, she reluctantly accepts her farther's offer to help turn Birdsong -- the fading Victorian mansion he recently inherited in Guthrie, Georgia -- into a real estate cash cow. But Birdsong turns out to be a moldering Pepto-Bismol- pink dump with duct-taped windows, a driveway full of junk, and grumpy distant relation who's claiming squatte...more

· see review

Aug 10, 2009

Pam rated it

Twenty-eight year old Dempsey Killebrew has just learned a hard lesson: the real reason people in power have assistants. One minute, Killebrew is a rising PR associate, Georgetown JD in hand, the next, she finds herself at the wrong end of a political scandal involving her PR firm and her slick, backstabbing boss. Looking for career advice, she looks to her dad who, in turn, offers her a less than stellar “opportunity” to flip a family property in Guthrie, GA. Dempsey reluctantly packs her high-...moreTwenty-eight year old Dempsey Killebrew has just learned a hard lesson: the real reason people in power have assistants. One minute, Killebrew is a rising PR associate, Georgetown JD in hand, the next, she finds herself at the wrong end of a political scandal involving her PR firm and her slick, backstabbing boss. Looking for career advice, she looks to her dad who, in turn, offers her a less than stellar “opportunity” to flip a family property in Guthrie, GA. Dempsey reluctantly packs her high-gloss city life into her bag and heads south where she finds a shack, rather than a house, and a borderline psychotic, shot-gun wielding great –cousin who has taken up residence in the old place along with her grumpy cocker-spaniel. While she rails against the change in scenery at the beginning, Guthrie’s small town charm (and gentlemen) brings unexpected plot twists, sure to excite Andrews’ faithful readers.

I have no idea why this book, cover or synopsis, appealed to me but it did. Not only have I read nothing previously by Andrews, I have reading next to nothing that constitutes as “chick lit”. That is not to say, as some assume, that I dislike female writers or even men writing about female protagonists. I just have not gotten around to the doilies and bachelorette parties because I fancy myself a reader of deeper things. I thought I should probably have a go at it and I do, to explain the cover fixation, occasionally like pink.

The story itself is cute and fast paced, making a light summer read. I am not sure it had me hooked on the romance, though. For me, the love stories in romance novels always seem contrived. There is always one girl in town that the boys are after and she doesn’t seem to realize this until page 127. Eventually one lucky suitor wins out, leaving the others in the jolly, fraternal dust, and the rest is history (although not before a little bit of reluctant, soul searching on the part of the sought after protagonist). I will not drag this model across the coals as it is clearly a successful one and will resonate with many readers, no matter how many different ways it dresses up.

I sat down to write my review, notes in hand, ready to go to town tearing apart character development, sexism, racism and a very loose concept of reality holding the piece together. And while I must get off my chest that I found Dempsey infuriatingly dimwitted and weak considering her place in Washington as a Georgetown Law School grad, I fear she is not based on complete and total fiction. Thankfully, before I launched into an essay on the pitfalls of female writers chucking their lady characters into the same bimbo category that many of their male counter parts are accused of doing, I remembered that this was not my usual reading; that it was, perhaps, just a piece of fiction meant for a breezy summer evening. Now, I will not for a second tell you that I’ve fallen highlighted head over Manoloed heel (look, I learned something: a Manolo Blahnik is apparently some type of shoe) in love with pink-pulp fiction but it was a silly fun read and for that I commend it.(less)

like 1 like

· see review

Jul 02, 2009

Justin rated it

I am a huge Mary Kay Andrews fan, and know that I am not alone. As a southern woman, I just adore the picture the paints of quaint southern charm. And she never fails to create a main character that is a strong, yet sweet and gentile southern belle. I wish I was a Mary Kay Andrews character!

The moment I read about the upcoming release of The Fixer Upper, I rushed to reserve my copy, and couldn't wait to start reading. I finished the book in near record time for me, it was that go...more

like 2 likes

· see review

Mar 19, 2011

Tiffany rated it

Very, very entertaining book. A light, breezy beach read (even though I'm reading it in March) and a good break in-between heavy reading like school textbooks.

Dempsey Killebrew is an up-and-coming Washington D.C. aide to a lobbyist when a scandal implicating her boss leaves her without a job, money or a place to stay. Her father offers to let her renovate the family's historic home in the tiny town of Guthrie, Georgia that he hasn't seen in years. Dempsey makes friends - including the...more

· see review

Sep 30, 2011

Ruth rated it

Junior lobbyist, Dempsey Killebrew lives with two other girls to make ends meet in D.C. When her boss is caught in a political scandal Dempsey suddenly finds herself without a job, broke, and unable to pay her share of the rent. When her dad offers her the opportunity to go to GA and get an old family home ready for sale, she jumps at it since she has no other options.

When she arrives in GA, Dempsey finds her work cut out for her since the house is in ruins. As she works on the h...more

· see review

Jul 22, 2010

Vickie rated it

Shelves: booksthatmakemegowow, listened-to

There were times in the beginning and sometimes in the middle of the book where I wanted to reach in and smack Dempsey upside the back of the cranium for her naivete and lack of gumption, especially when it came to how she let her ex-boss and her father try to run her over.
But when Dempsey got her fire back...watch out! It was a sight to behold and I cheered.
It was a slow rather steady process of Dempsey getting her life back on track. Starting with the renovation of Birdsong. She ...more

· see review

Jul 11, 2009

Dawn rated it

If you're working on a fixer-upper (like my husband and I), and looking for some literary respite...skip this. Dempsey Killebrew loses her DC lobbying job, and ends up trying to fix up her family's crumbling antebellum mansion in Georgia. She miraculously develops super-renovating abilities (don't get me started on how fast she learns and works--it defies the laws of time and space), and finds a handyman who works at about 1/10th the going rate and ten times as fast as the average contractor.
...more

like 2 likes

· see review

May 31, 2010

Emily rated it

Shelves: chick-lit, fiction

Where to begin?

This book is cute. Young girl, caught in a scandal, moves to a small town to fix up an old house and of course she has lots of "life" moments and finds romance along the way. Sounds like the perfect recipe for a light, summer romance read. And it is...there are just some parts of this book that really bugged me.

First of all, I understand books like this aren't really meant to be realistic, but Andrews' lack of reality in this book gets a little...more

like 1 like

· see review

Oct 06, 2009

Ani rated it

Recommends it for: everyone

Recommended to Ani by: Found at the library

I was so excited when I saw Mary Kay Andrews had released two more books. She is one of my favorite authors.

Her books are quick read even though they are long. There is always a heroine. A strong willed woman who doesn't realize it in the beginning but by the time the book is completed she realizes she is.
It centers on Dempsey a lobbyist in DC whose world is turned upside down. She quickly and without choice relocates to her father's hometown in Georgia and just when she thoug...more

· see review

Jul 26, 2011

Stacy rated it

I really enjoyed this book! In fact, I read it from start to finish in one day. I loved seeing the main character, Dempsey, grow and change. She grew from a naive city girl into an independent country girl--and her growth was realistic. There were certain parts that were unrealistic (but, again, this is a fiction)--especially, the part where she rapidly agreed to move out of her DC home and into a crumbling mansion in the middle of nowhere Georgia--but, the story was a fun read, an easy read, an...more

· see review

Jun 09, 2011

Michelle Delgado rated it

Ok this is not great literature but it isn't supposed to be. I enjoyed it as a light read. It has plenty of southern charm,romance, and colorful characters. Carter and Tee were wonderful southern gentlemen who I knew would take care of Dempsey. At the same time I liked that Dempsey was learning to take care of herself. Ella Kate was a hoot and I couldn't help but like Jimmy even though he was a rascal and an aging playboy. One of my favorite parts of the book was the descriptions of the house an...more

· see review

Sep 17, 2009

Jeanne rated it

Shelves: retta-would-have-liked-it, 2009-reads

I saw this book on a best-seller list, in the "Other popular books" category. It turned out to be the best book I've read in a while. Lobbyist Dempsey Killebrew gets caught up in Capitol Hill bribery and influence peddling scandal. She ends up hiding out at Birdsong, a majestic but rundown old house her father has just inherited. Her renovations are as much fun as her dealings with the FBI and her developing romance with Tee Berryhill, local lawyer/newspaper publisher. The book gi...more

· see review

Jul 21, 2011

Erin rated it

Shelves: fiction, modern

Another disappointment. Completely unforgettable too. This came recommended to me from "Chinaberry Catalog." They have had some wonderful recommendations but I've now read 3 books that I consider to be complete bombs.

The story begins with a young woman who is a lobbyist in DC and gets fired after her boss is accused of bribing a congressman. Since I read the review in Chinaberry, I knew that she leaves DC to fix up a home down south of Atlanta that her father had just i...more

· see review

Jun 28, 2009

Lisa rated it

THE FIXER UPPER, the latest novel by Mary Kay Andrews was exactly what I've come to expect from this talented Southern writer. I've been looking forward to this release ever since I read about it on her blog when she first started creating the story. I thought the premise was clever, combining a dramatic story of political bribery and blackmail with just the right amount of Southern charm and romance. And lets not forget the wicked wit that is ever present in Ms. Andrews novels.

One o...more

like 1 like

· see review

Jan 30, 2012

Jinnie Lee rated it

Recommends it for: Angie Trigg, because the story is similar to her own

Oh, the empty calories! And one of the books I've most enjoyed during this start-of-the-new-year in which I've had such trouble getting engrossed in the books I've picked up! (Although my numbers actually make me realize I'm doing better than I feel like I am.) Anyway, this is "beach read" type story about a heroine who suffers a setback in the big, ugly city (WDC), retreats to small-town Georgia to fix up the family home, discovers her passion for renovation as well as the perfect rom...more

· see review

Jan 16, 2012

Cori rated it

For what this books was for me, an ‘Oh know I don’t have a book to read yet I have an hour train ride tomorrow morning; I’ll grab this fluff one,” I thought it was pretty good.

A little easy to guess the plot line from reading the back cover synopsis: city girl down on her luck, moves to small town in Georgia to refurbish an old family house, deals with being the neighborhood gossip, falls for local boy, and so on and so forth. But the author throws in a bit of FBI drama and family my...more

· see review

Mar 09, 2010

Patty rated it

I have loved Mary Kay Andrews since I heard about her at a library conference years ago. This one, not so much.
Take a young woman who can do anything (be a lawyer, run a floor sander, look fabulous in anything she wears) and add that she rehabed at least part of a house, fell in love and warmed the heart of a committed curmudgeon in a week and you have a character that is more annoying than loveable. (Have you tried to run a floor sander Ms. Andrews? I don't think your character could...more

· see review

May 30, 2010

drey rated it

Shelves: 2010-reads, chick-lit

I practically inhaled The Fixer Upper. I was looking for something a little light, a little sassy, and a lot interesting, and I dare say I found it with this one. The story starts with the heroine, Dempsey (which reminded me of McDreamy, and that's never a bad thing to be reminded of!), drowning her sorrows on the worst day of her life. Her girlfriends are unfortunately relatively quick extras, but you don't even notice.

Dempsey has a quirky family, and a horrible (ex-)boss. She heads...more

· see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 174 175 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (10)

More editions...

Genres

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

101 users

Romance

29 users

American > Southern

14 users

Adult Fiction

11 users

Humor

8 users

Book Club

7 users

Contemporary

4 users

Adult

4 users

Mystery

3 users

Womens Fiction

3 users

See top shelves...

Readers Also Enjoyed

About Mary Kay Andrews

Andrews has a B.A. in newspaper journalism from The University of Georgia. She is a former reporter for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. While a reporter in Savannah, GA, she covered the real-life murder trials which were the basis of the book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
She also publishes under the name Kathy Hogan Trocheck.

More about Mary Kay Andrews...

Books by Mary Kay Andrews

Savannah Blues (Weezie and Bebe Mystery, #1)

Savannah Breeze (Weezie and Bebe Mystery, #2)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Pin It

Trivia About The Fixer Upper

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Groups That Shelved The Fixer Upper

By The Book

35 members

last activity 35 minutes ago

shelf: read

Books and More!

8 members

last activity Feb 21, 2012 06:26am

shelf: read

title link	preview: The Fixer Upper
avg rating	preview: The Fixer Upper Goodreads rating: 3.73 (3382 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5941079-the-fixer-upper?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1299857663m/5941079.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/5941079-the-fixer-upper?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews[/url]

The Fixer Upper

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Readers Also Enjoyed

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website