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The Fixer Upper
The delightful New York Times bestselling author returns with a hilarious novel about one woman’s quest to redo an old house . . . and her life.
After her boss in a high-powered Washington public relations firm is caught in a political scandal, fledgling lobbyist Dempsey Jo Killebrew is left almost broke, unemployed, and homeless. Out of options, she reluctantly accepts her father’s offer to help refurbish Birdsong, the old family place he recently inherited in Guthrie, Georgia. All it will take, he tells her, is a little paint and some TLC to turn the fading Victorian mansion into a real-estate cash cow.
But, oh, is Dempsey in for a surprise when she arrives in Guthrie. “Bird Droppings� would more aptly describe the moldering Pepto Bismol–pink dump with duct-taped windows and a driveway full of junk. There’s also a murderously grumpy old lady, one of Dempsey’s distant relations, who has claimed squatter’s rights and isn’t moving out. Ever.
Furthermore, everyone in Guthrie seems to know Dempsey’s business, from a smooth-talking real-estate agent to a cute lawyer who owns the local newspaper. It wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the pesky FBI agents who show up on Dempsey’s doorstep, hoping to pry information about her ex-boss from her.
All Dempsey can do is roll up her sleeves and get to work. And before long, what started as a job of necessity somehow becomes a labor of love and, ultimately, a journey that takes her to a place she never expected—back home again.
After her boss in a high-powered Washington public relations firm is caught in a political scandal, fledgling lobbyist Dempsey Jo Killebrew is left almost broke, unemployed, and homeless. Out of options, she reluctantly accepts her father’s offer to help refurbish Birdsong, the old family place he recently inherited in Guthrie, Georgia. All it will take, he tells her, is a little paint and some TLC to turn the fading Victorian mansion into a real-estate cash cow.
But, oh, is Dempsey in for a surprise when she arrives in Guthrie. “Bird Droppings� would more aptly describe the moldering Pepto Bismol–pink dump with duct-taped windows and a driveway full of junk. There’s also a murderously grumpy old lady, one of Dempsey’s distant relations, who has claimed squatter’s rights and isn’t moving out. Ever.
Furthermore, everyone in Guthrie seems to know Dempsey’s business, from a smooth-talking real-estate agent to a cute lawyer who owns the local newspaper. It wouldn’t be so bad if it weren’t for the pesky FBI agents who show up on Dempsey’s doorstep, hoping to pry information about her ex-boss from her.
All Dempsey can do is roll up her sleeves and get to work. And before long, what started as a job of necessity somehow becomes a labor of love and, ultimately, a journey that takes her to a place she never expected—back home again.
422 pages, Hardcover
First published June 23, 2009
1745 people are currently reading
10603 people want to read
About the author
Mary Kay Andrews
71books13.7kfollowersMARY KAY ANDREWS is the New York Times bestselling author of 30 novels (including The Homewreckers, The Santa Suit, The Newcomer; Hello, Summer; Sunset Beach; The High Tide Club; The Weekenders; Beach Town; Save the Date; Ladies� Night; Christmas Bliss; Spring Fever; Summer Rental; The Fixer Upper; Deep Dish; Blue Christmas; Savannah Breeze; Hissy Fit; Little Bitty Lies; and Savannah Blues), and one cookbook, The Beach House Cookbook.
A native of St. Petersburg, Florida, she earned a B.A. in journalism from The University of Georgia. After a 14-year career working as a reporter at newspapers including The Savannah Morning News, The Marietta Journal, and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, where she spent the final ten years of her career, she left journalism in 1991 to write fiction.
Her first novel, Every Crooked Nanny, was published in 1992 by HarperCollins. She went on to write ten critically acclaimed mysteries under her real name, Kathy Hogan Trocheck. In 2002, she assumed the pen name Mary Kay Andrews with the publication of Savannah Blues. In 2006, Hissy Fit became her first New York Times bestseller, followed by twelve more New York Times, USA Today and Publisher’s Weekly bestsellers. To date, her novels have been published in German, Italian, Polish, Slovenian, Hungarian, Dutch, Czech and Japanese.
She and her family divide their time between Atlanta and Tybee Island, GA, where they cook up new recipes in two restored beach homes, The Breeze Inn and Ebbtide—both named after fictional places in Mary Kay’s novels, and both available to rent through Tybee Vacation Rentals. In between cooking, spoiling her grandkids, and plotting her next novel, Mary Kay is an intrepid treasure hunter whose favorite pastime is junking and fixing up old houses.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,937 reviews
August 11, 2011
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 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.
September 7, 2014
There are a few things I don't like about this book. I find it a little annoying when authors throw out brand names excessively. Describing the watches two people are wearing and telling me that her Panerai trumped his Rolex...well it's just a little silly. A bunch of other brands are mentioned which could have been paid product placement.
The other thing which left me feeling somewhere between "blah" and "meh", was the police procedures described. I'd love to know where that old chestnut of a plot device, good cop / bad cop, came from...I'd love it even more if authors and film directors stopped using it. The way police listening devices were used was illegal, the behavior of the FBI agents was harassment,
I was quite intrigued by some of the relationships in this book and I wish the author developed them a little more. The relationship between Dempsey and Bob (the man helping her with the renovations) was interesting, as was her relationship with her mother and her relationship with Ella Kate but they were all left unexplored and underdeveloped.
There are definitely good things in this book. If you can suspend disbelief it's entertaining enough. The renovation aspect of the story was interesting (but I love that stuff), and there was a dog (what's not to like about that). I don't think the good things in this book add up to a good book but it's not too bad.
The other thing which left me feeling somewhere between "blah" and "meh", was the police procedures described. I'd love to know where that old chestnut of a plot device, good cop / bad cop, came from...I'd love it even more if authors and film directors stopped using it. The way police listening devices were used was illegal, the behavior of the FBI agents was harassment,
I was quite intrigued by some of the relationships in this book and I wish the author developed them a little more. The relationship between Dempsey and Bob (the man helping her with the renovations) was interesting, as was her relationship with her mother and her relationship with Ella Kate but they were all left unexplored and underdeveloped.
There are definitely good things in this book. If you can suspend disbelief it's entertaining enough. The renovation aspect of the story was interesting (but I love that stuff), and there was a dog (what's not to like about that). I don't think the good things in this book add up to a good book but it's not too bad.
December 18, 2022
3.5 rounded up. A pretty likeable story, just a tad too long and some times the MC was just to winey.
May 31, 2010
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 extreme. There were just parts here and there that didn't add up. Like the renovation of a huge Victorian era mansion. Dempsey, the main character, has never even picked up a hammer in her life, and suddenly she's tiling countertops, sanding cabinets, ripping up linoleum floors, etc.? Hm. K. And she has an entire house to refurbish on an $80,000 budget, and yet the kitchen alone is the only room she ever touches (she does dust the house at one point...) and it is costing $79,000 to renovate? Little underdeveloped details like this in the book that I know aren't the purpose, but still, do your research.
Second, in order for one to enjoy a book thoroughly, one must enjoy the main character. Dempsey drove me crazy. I'm 21 years old and I have more sense and am far less naive than this 28-year-old Georgetown Law School graduate...I mean really. She's almost infuriatingly naive and stupid. The "scandal" she gets wrapped up in is one thing, but some of the things she does are just so...stupid and pointless. The soul-searching is only skin deep, and a young woman in her 20s such as myself just can't relate to someone so underdeveloped and flighty. I had more of a connection to Shorty, Ella Kate's cocker spaniel, than I did to Dempsey. (That may have been a slight over-exageration, but just to get the point across)
Overall, if you are looking for a book to read for a day at the beach, pick this one. If you're looking for something with just a little more depth, skip it.
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 extreme. There were just parts here and there that didn't add up. Like the renovation of a huge Victorian era mansion. Dempsey, the main character, has never even picked up a hammer in her life, and suddenly she's tiling countertops, sanding cabinets, ripping up linoleum floors, etc.? Hm. K. And she has an entire house to refurbish on an $80,000 budget, and yet the kitchen alone is the only room she ever touches (she does dust the house at one point...) and it is costing $79,000 to renovate? Little underdeveloped details like this in the book that I know aren't the purpose, but still, do your research.
Second, in order for one to enjoy a book thoroughly, one must enjoy the main character. Dempsey drove me crazy. I'm 21 years old and I have more sense and am far less naive than this 28-year-old Georgetown Law School graduate...I mean really. She's almost infuriatingly naive and stupid. The "scandal" she gets wrapped up in is one thing, but some of the things she does are just so...stupid and pointless. The soul-searching is only skin deep, and a young woman in her 20s such as myself just can't relate to someone so underdeveloped and flighty. I had more of a connection to Shorty, Ella Kate's cocker spaniel, than I did to Dempsey. (That may have been a slight over-exageration, but just to get the point across)
Overall, if you are looking for a book to read for a day at the beach, pick this one. If you're looking for something with just a little more depth, skip it.
July 12, 2009
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.
My husband literally had to take the book away from me when I read that some old guy with the hots for young Dempsey had sanded (with a hand sander, no less), primered, and painted the bottom half of the front of Dempsey's 4,000 square foot house while she was away at the grocery store. There is just no way! After that, I skipped past the detailed descriptions of everyone's clothing and hair, and how the author repeated sections of plot like we needed a refresher from last week's soap opera highlights. I figured there had to be a payoff at the end. There was, sort of, but it's about as satisfying as a boot to the head after a long day of, say, working on an actual fixer-upper.
My husband literally had to take the book away from me when I read that some old guy with the hots for young Dempsey had sanded (with a hand sander, no less), primered, and painted the bottom half of the front of Dempsey's 4,000 square foot house while she was away at the grocery store. There is just no way! After that, I skipped past the detailed descriptions of everyone's clothing and hair, and how the author repeated sections of plot like we needed a refresher from last week's soap opera highlights. I figured there had to be a payoff at the end. There was, sort of, but it's about as satisfying as a boot to the head after a long day of, say, working on an actual fixer-upper.
February 27, 2010
I made myself finish this book, but now I'm wondering why. Complete waste of time. Stupid characters, stupid plot. The only redeeming line in the book was this:
"New paint was about hope. It was about believing that underneath the dirt and the crud and the hurt, it was possible to find something solid and substantial. Something worth saving. And when you found something good, wasn't it right to try and fix it?"
I'm convinced that the author didn't even write that line because it was so out of place with the rest of the book.
Don't bother reading it; it's not worth your time.
"New paint was about hope. It was about believing that underneath the dirt and the crud and the hurt, it was possible to find something solid and substantial. Something worth saving. And when you found something good, wasn't it right to try and fix it?"
I'm convinced that the author didn't even write that line because it was so out of place with the rest of the book.
Don't bother reading it; it's not worth your time.
October 24, 2017
I'd really give this a 1.5 star rating but because Ella Kate was a cantankerous, old bitch who made me laugh, I'll swing up to 2.
So this story is about a vapid, young lawyer who is framed for bribery and mishandling taxpayer money...I guess...and winds up in a two-stoplight town in the south, fixing a broken-down house that was just left to her egomaniacal father in a will. She falls in love with a jerk who pretends to not be a jerk but she also sort of has the hots for the jerk's dad. There's a old woman/squatter who lives in the house, there are half a dozen men who stop by and do anything and everything they can for this vapid, young lawyer, and there are some FBI agents and a flighty New Age mother. She has close female friends who don't factor into the story at all except when convenient. Oh, there's a also a lot of naming brand names and song titles.
Not really a story for me. I liked the idea of fixing up an old house. I'd love to be able to do that at some point but I know my limitations, which involve sucking at home improvements and not successfully making useful, non-edible things with my own two hands despite all the effort I've made. Which reminds me: How on earth did Dempsey (the vapid, young lawyer) take to DIY home improvement like that? And why was she never crippled with soreness? I mean, she said she was in pain once, but it sure didn't hinder her much.
Pro-tip for new lovers: When you manage to get someone home, don't try to have sex with them all over the house if you've got your own residence out back. Be a little respectful of your father's domicile as well as your new object of carnal attention. Also, if your new sexual partner wakes in the wee hours of the morning and asks to be taken home, get your ass out of bed, do not try to be cutesy with the "but I want to snuggle you til morning" shit, and take that person home. Because if you don't? You're a disrespectful asshole and you should probably be on relationship probation. Related: If you're molesting this newfound playmate of yours at a party and said playmate says "Ok, I'm done, I need to go back inside," please let your partner go back inside and do NOT continue to stick your tongue down your partner's throat or your hand into your partner's clothing. If you are the type to engage in this type of jerky behavior, I wish a load of itchy lice upon you along with a case of dysentery.
If you are the new partner in this situation: This guy's a creep. Date someone who respects you.
So...yeah. I didn't enjoy the story. It's light and fluffy and I am totally the wrong audience.
So this story is about a vapid, young lawyer who is framed for bribery and mishandling taxpayer money...I guess...and winds up in a two-stoplight town in the south, fixing a broken-down house that was just left to her egomaniacal father in a will. She falls in love with a jerk who pretends to not be a jerk but she also sort of has the hots for the jerk's dad. There's a old woman/squatter who lives in the house, there are half a dozen men who stop by and do anything and everything they can for this vapid, young lawyer, and there are some FBI agents and a flighty New Age mother. She has close female friends who don't factor into the story at all except when convenient. Oh, there's a also a lot of naming brand names and song titles.
Not really a story for me. I liked the idea of fixing up an old house. I'd love to be able to do that at some point but I know my limitations, which involve sucking at home improvements and not successfully making useful, non-edible things with my own two hands despite all the effort I've made. Which reminds me: How on earth did Dempsey (the vapid, young lawyer) take to DIY home improvement like that? And why was she never crippled with soreness? I mean, she said she was in pain once, but it sure didn't hinder her much.
Pro-tip for new lovers: When you manage to get someone home, don't try to have sex with them all over the house if you've got your own residence out back. Be a little respectful of your father's domicile as well as your new object of carnal attention. Also, if your new sexual partner wakes in the wee hours of the morning and asks to be taken home, get your ass out of bed, do not try to be cutesy with the "but I want to snuggle you til morning" shit, and take that person home. Because if you don't? You're a disrespectful asshole and you should probably be on relationship probation. Related: If you're molesting this newfound playmate of yours at a party and said playmate says "Ok, I'm done, I need to go back inside," please let your partner go back inside and do NOT continue to stick your tongue down your partner's throat or your hand into your partner's clothing. If you are the type to engage in this type of jerky behavior, I wish a load of itchy lice upon you along with a case of dysentery.
If you are the new partner in this situation: This guy's a creep. Date someone who respects you.
So...yeah. I didn't enjoy the story. It's light and fluffy and I am totally the wrong audience.
June 20, 2023
This book was a donation to my Little Free Library Shed.
Because I had never read this author before, I thought I would try it before putting it out for other readers.
Basic premise for story: 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, romance read.
However, it’s lightness (to the point of air-heady) southern chick-lit just didn’t do it for me.
There's nothing much to drive the plot - the end is a foregone conclusion, and I did, what most readers hate�.
I skipped a long so I could get to the point (end).
Because I had never read this author before, I thought I would try it before putting it out for other readers.
Basic premise for story: 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, romance read.
However, it’s lightness (to the point of air-heady) southern chick-lit just didn’t do it for me.
There's nothing much to drive the plot - the end is a foregone conclusion, and I did, what most readers hate�.
I skipped a long so I could get to the point (end).
July 2, 2009
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 good. I loved that the story revolved around the rehab of an old plantation home, which is something I would jump at the opportunity to do, atleast in theory because as Dempsey shows us, it is quite an undertaking. Dempsey is the perfect woman for the job, even if she doesn't always know it. She is funny, sweet, highly motivated even if at times a bit lost and lacking confidence.
The romance, drama and suspense that goes along with the rehab of Birdsong makes for a fantastic read. Andrews was right on the mark with this book, she even remember to include the eccentric elderly family member, which, let's face it, almost all southern families have one. It's part of our southern charm!
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 good. I loved that the story revolved around the rehab of an old plantation home, which is something I would jump at the opportunity to do, atleast in theory because as Dempsey shows us, it is quite an undertaking. Dempsey is the perfect woman for the job, even if she doesn't always know it. She is funny, sweet, highly motivated even if at times a bit lost and lacking confidence.
The romance, drama and suspense that goes along with the rehab of Birdsong makes for a fantastic read. Andrews was right on the mark with this book, she even remember to include the eccentric elderly family member, which, let's face it, almost all southern families have one. It's part of our southern charm!
January 7, 2011
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 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.
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.
August 10, 2009
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-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.
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.
May 17, 2016
I read some of the comments by others that have read this book and wow! I enjoyed this book. It's not some heavy drama where the reader constantly has to think. It's an enjoyable book about a clueless woman who has to come to terms with her life after she gets dealt a huge blow. Her parents really did not care for her when she was a child. Her father took her away from her mother and then plopped her in a boarding school when he didn't feel like parenting anymore. She puts herself through college and law school, gets a job with a lobbyist firm. Then gets caught in a bribery scandal.
Everyone kind of blames her for being too naive and thoughtless about her boss. Her father is a horrible man and tosses her a bone by sending her to fix up a house he inherited while complaining the whole while about the cost and time she's taking. She starts to settle in the new town and work on the dilapidated house when the FBI shows up. Dempsey finally makes her way and straightens things out.
Everyone kind of blames her for being too naive and thoughtless about her boss. Her father is a horrible man and tosses her a bone by sending her to fix up a house he inherited while complaining the whole while about the cost and time she's taking. She starts to settle in the new town and work on the dilapidated house when the FBI shows up. Dempsey finally makes her way and straightens things out.
July 29, 2013
Knew it was total beach reading and boy, was it ever. Nothing new here, but Dempsey sure picked up house renovation in a hurry when she wore her Carrharts.
September 21, 2024
Another super funny book by Mary Kay Andews. Even though I LOVED "Hissy Fit"
this one had more Southern Sass and humor and to be honest, I'm not sure which character was my absolute favorite. They were all super funny.
Like I said before uf you need to escape from the noise of the day to day routine. This is definitely A Must Read.
I however would recommend the audio book. Both ladies, Moria Driscoll (Hissy Fit) and Isabel Keating (The Fixer Upper) were amazing.
Happy Reading 💚📚
this one had more Southern Sass and humor and to be honest, I'm not sure which character was my absolute favorite. They were all super funny.
Like I said before uf you need to escape from the noise of the day to day routine. This is definitely A Must Read.
I however would recommend the audio book. Both ladies, Moria Driscoll (Hissy Fit) and Isabel Keating (The Fixer Upper) were amazing.
Happy Reading 💚📚
August 17, 2009
I really tried with this one, but there were things happening that were pissing me off. The fact that the woman had no friggin backbone to tell an old lady to get the hell outta her house was really annoying. I think I would have gotten into it with the renovating of the house, if that part hadn't ruined it for me. I could only make it to disc 3 and had to just quit.
November 16, 2010
really its 1.25 stars - indifferent. really? a lobbyist and unrealistic interior decorator heroine that beats a belt-line scandal and charms southern men. yeah - couldn't really relate. it was sub-ok.
October 11, 2018
Just no.
I honestly couldn’t finish this book. The side characters were valid as was the main character. I had no emotional connection and couldn’t get past how everyone was only surface deep
I honestly couldn’t finish this book. The side characters were valid as was the main character. I had no emotional connection and couldn’t get past how everyone was only surface deep
December 4, 2024
Love love love it.
This was such a lovely audiobook. Narrator Isabel Keating did a wonderful job giving voice to the cast of characters and they were such wonderful characters.
This was such a lovely audiobook. Narrator Isabel Keating did a wonderful job giving voice to the cast of characters and they were such wonderful characters.
April 5, 2025
A fun read.
February 19, 2013
Dempsey Killebrew is a junior lobbyist in Washington D.C. whose boss has taken her under his wing and made her his prodigy, so she thinks, until he is charged with bribing a senator and uses Dempsey as the fall guy. She loses her job and her name and picture is spread all over the news as the girl who hired prostitutes for the senator. Dempsey's unlikable father has just inherited his family home in small town Georgia and, not having much choice, Dempsey packs up and heads to Georgia to "flip" the house. It turns out the once beautiful Victorian is in shambles and a shirttail elderly cousin has taken up residence in the home. Dempsey has her hands full with the house as well as with the scandal that won't go away. Two FBI agents show up in town and threaten her with prison time if she doesn't cooperate with them. As Dempsey starts to restore the family home and her own life, she begins to find the things that are important.
This book was just ok for me. There wasn't a single character that really connected with and the fact that the author thought it necessary to thrown brand names around in every other sentence really annoyed me. For most of the book, I found myself mostly skimming instead of digging in and really getting into the story.
This book was just ok for me. There wasn't a single character that really connected with and the fact that the author thought it necessary to thrown brand names around in every other sentence really annoyed me. For most of the book, I found myself mostly skimming instead of digging in and really getting into the story.
August 4, 2012
This is the first novel I've read by Mary Kay Andrews. I'm a Georgia girl born and bred, and I kept seeing her books in the bookstore touting Ms. Andrews as a local writer. I finally picked up the novel Fixer Upper. The book intrigued me since my husband and I are in the process of buying a house. This book has it all- political scandals, cover-ups, a love story, and my favorite part - a depiction of the south that is not stereotypical, but is honest and endearing. The main character in Fixer Upper is named Dempsey Killebrew. Dempsey inadvertently gets involved in a political scandal involving her boss and is forced to move from DC to a small town in GA after she loses her job. Her purpose in GA is to fix up a family home her father inherited and split the profits with him once the house is fixed up and sold. Dempsey's adventures along the way lead her to 'fix' her own life as well. The Fixer Upper is witty, interesting, and a pleasure to read. This novel reminded me of a sweet iced tea with lemon, refreshingly southern. I definitely plan to pick up another of Ms. Andrews' books.
November 16, 2009
Honestly, this book wasn't long on plot, drama, suspense, romance, intrigue, or really anything that normally makes for an engaging good read. Yet, strangely, I really still enjoyed this book. I like the author's writing style. I also really enjoy fixing on my older fixer-upper of a house, so I could relate to the main character. However, I have been working on my old home for 15 years and have not become the "professional" remodeler that Andrews makes Dempsey out to be. Also, where can I hire this contractor? Every contractor (well, most) that I have hired have charged an arm and a leg, taken forever, and done a terrible job (that I have ended up re-doing!). Just a little too rosy on the trials and tribulations of updating an old home!
September 25, 2016
Another adorable MKA book.
I felt so bad for our MC, Dempsey, when her life was falling apart, but really appreciated it when she started taking it back. She was quite a lady, who could take charge and make things happen when she really wanted to.
I really enjoyed the citizens of Guthrie. They were colorful and interesting. The small town in your business shenanigans amused me and were quite delightful. I loved T and really grew to love Dempsey. I have to say, I even loved cousin Ella Kate, who I grew to understand more as the story progressed.
When I read chick-lit, I want to laugh, smile, and swoon. I did so often as I read The Fixer Upper, and I think I did all three at once with that ending. So much fun!
I felt so bad for our MC, Dempsey, when her life was falling apart, but really appreciated it when she started taking it back. She was quite a lady, who could take charge and make things happen when she really wanted to.
I really enjoyed the citizens of Guthrie. They were colorful and interesting. The small town in your business shenanigans amused me and were quite delightful. I loved T and really grew to love Dempsey. I have to say, I even loved cousin Ella Kate, who I grew to understand more as the story progressed.
When I read chick-lit, I want to laugh, smile, and swoon. I did so often as I read The Fixer Upper, and I think I did all three at once with that ending. So much fun!
October 11, 2009
I've read Mary Kay Andrews before and thought her stuff was decent. This one is just as predictable as the others and has its fair share of lengthy, unnecessary descriptions. And, I really got annoyed at the basic, typical plot of the book...Oil company rep/lobbyist bribes Republican official to vote their way on a bill through bribery and prostitutes. Big evil Oil company, Corrupt Republicans...a tired, unappreciated story.
Oh, and there's a sex scene.
I wouldn't recommend this one.
Oh, and there's a sex scene.
I wouldn't recommend this one.
October 20, 2018
This book was enjoyable, but I absolutely hated the miserable bitchy old hag that sometimes dominated the story. I found myself often shouting STFU whenever she appeared. So annoying, and unlike the protagonist, I felt zero affection for her.
April 21, 2021
This book was super funny and the perfect book to get me out of the reading slump I’ve been in. I love Mary Kay Andrews� older titles....their so much fun and make me laugh out loud. This story about a woman working in Washington getting caught in a political scandal who escapes to Georgia to begin working on an old house she inherits, had a whole hysterical cast of side characters and was full of that traditional MKA southern charm. I loveddd all the reno stuff as a huge Chip and Joanna fan 🤣 It also had a great scandal story too imo.....one of my faves of hers.
4.25 ⭐️
4.25 ⭐️
June 6, 2022
Light and fun chick lit.
December 26, 2015
“This house here is a beauty. One of a kind. You just need to shine her up a little, show her some love.�
Meet Dempsey Killebrew. A young woman living in D.C. as a lobbyist that has just been fired by her high-powered public relations firm after they were caught in a political scandal.
She's a young woman, who has just lost everything she's ever known so far in life and is now unemployed. She seeks the help of her father, Mitch, whom I have to say I dislike. He basically is married to a much younger Cuban woman and had two twin boys and spends way more time with those children then he ever did with Dempsey. Needless to say, he made Dempsey being fired, look like it was all her fault, when, in actuality it wasn't.
Anywho - Instead of giving her a loan, which is what she asked for. He decides to send her to Guthrie, GA where “Birdsong� was located. Birdsong is the name of the dilapidated mansion of sorts that has been in the Dempsey family for centuries and it was left to Mitch in his late Great Uncle Norbert’s will. He is sending Dempsey there to basically “flip� the house and then they would share the profits after it is sold. Once in Guthrie, however, Dempsey realizes this house is going to take more then just a fresh coat of paint. When she starts the restoration/renovations, she finds more then just a house within Birdsong, she finds a home.
Things I enjoyed
*I loved Tee, he was a sweetheart and I really liked his character. I would of liked for M.K.A to go more into depth with his character, but, nonetheless, I thought he was a perfect match for Dempsey.
*I thought all the characters introduced within this small hole in the wall town of Guthrie just added more to the story. I thought Ella Kate was just a mean old lady who was never going to give Dempsey a break, but, if you keep reading, you'll find there is definitely more then meets the eye with her.
*LOVE Southern reads. I love small southern towns where the people you meet are true southern gents and belles. This story definitely shows how gracious and non-gracious a southern town can be :)
Definitely a 5 star read in my opinion. I love Mary Kay Andrew's style of writing and the way she incorporates humor within her books, even in dire situations.
Meet Dempsey Killebrew. A young woman living in D.C. as a lobbyist that has just been fired by her high-powered public relations firm after they were caught in a political scandal.
She's a young woman, who has just lost everything she's ever known so far in life and is now unemployed. She seeks the help of her father, Mitch, whom I have to say I dislike. He basically is married to a much younger Cuban woman and had two twin boys and spends way more time with those children then he ever did with Dempsey. Needless to say, he made Dempsey being fired, look like it was all her fault, when, in actuality it wasn't.
Anywho - Instead of giving her a loan, which is what she asked for. He decides to send her to Guthrie, GA where “Birdsong� was located. Birdsong is the name of the dilapidated mansion of sorts that has been in the Dempsey family for centuries and it was left to Mitch in his late Great Uncle Norbert’s will. He is sending Dempsey there to basically “flip� the house and then they would share the profits after it is sold. Once in Guthrie, however, Dempsey realizes this house is going to take more then just a fresh coat of paint. When she starts the restoration/renovations, she finds more then just a house within Birdsong, she finds a home.
Things I enjoyed
*I loved Tee, he was a sweetheart and I really liked his character. I would of liked for M.K.A to go more into depth with his character, but, nonetheless, I thought he was a perfect match for Dempsey.
*I thought all the characters introduced within this small hole in the wall town of Guthrie just added more to the story. I thought Ella Kate was just a mean old lady who was never going to give Dempsey a break, but, if you keep reading, you'll find there is definitely more then meets the eye with her.
*LOVE Southern reads. I love small southern towns where the people you meet are true southern gents and belles. This story definitely shows how gracious and non-gracious a southern town can be :)
Definitely a 5 star read in my opinion. I love Mary Kay Andrew's style of writing and the way she incorporates humor within her books, even in dire situations.
July 1, 2012
The publisher's description of "The Fixer Upper" is right on target. This was a delightful read about a successful D.C. PR professional turned HGTV wannabe thanks to her boss getting caught up in a scandal with a congressman. Dempsey, the lead character, has to hide out in the small town of Guthrey, GA in order to figure out her next move (because she is also being charged in the bribing scandal thanks to her boss!). The reason she chooses Guthrey is because her father has recently inherited a stately southern home in the small town, and it gives her the opportunity to fix up the old house while fixing her personal life as well.
This book reminds me of many fixer-upper projects; it can be slow-going at first, though before you realize it you have made some progress into the main story and you soon find the experience enjoyable and hard to put down. The cast of supporting characters is well-developed, even if they are somewhat one-dimensional at times (then again, some people are often one-dimensional in real life, too!). By the end of the book you can see that the main character has changed and grown as an individual, even if the book does not explicitly make a point to reflect on that. (Surprisingly this book does not dwell on Dempsey turning from "big-city DC professional" to "southern small-town home improver" as I would have expected from the title of the book.)
My only disappointment with this book is that the ending came much too quickly. I felt that the rest of the book was told like a good afternoon chat with old friends--leisurely told with plenty of supporting information, and at times more information than is always relevant. However, it was as if a cell phone or a sudden distraction ended the story at the very end, ruining the opportunity to put everything in its place and close the story in a quiet, leisurely manner.
This book reminds me of many fixer-upper projects; it can be slow-going at first, though before you realize it you have made some progress into the main story and you soon find the experience enjoyable and hard to put down. The cast of supporting characters is well-developed, even if they are somewhat one-dimensional at times (then again, some people are often one-dimensional in real life, too!). By the end of the book you can see that the main character has changed and grown as an individual, even if the book does not explicitly make a point to reflect on that. (Surprisingly this book does not dwell on Dempsey turning from "big-city DC professional" to "southern small-town home improver" as I would have expected from the title of the book.)
My only disappointment with this book is that the ending came much too quickly. I felt that the rest of the book was told like a good afternoon chat with old friends--leisurely told with plenty of supporting information, and at times more information than is always relevant. However, it was as if a cell phone or a sudden distraction ended the story at the very end, ruining the opportunity to put everything in its place and close the story in a quiet, leisurely manner.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 1, 2023
The Fixer Upper by Mary Kay Andrews
14h 16m narrated by Isabel Keating, 436 pages
Genre: Chick Lit, Romance > Contemporary Romance; Southern, Humor, Adult Fiction
Featuring: Political Scandal, Lawyers, Washington D.C., Girlfriends, Miami, Florida; Town Outside of Atlanta, Georgia; House Flipping, Family Drama, Sex - Low Details, Recipes
Rating as a movie: R for adult content
Songs for the soundtrack: "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, "All I Wanna Do" by Sheryl Crow, "Fergalicious" by Fergie, "Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani, "Cherish" by Madonna, "Under the Boardwalk" by The Drifters, "The Twelfth of Never" by Johnny Mathis
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My thoughts: 📱4% 34:31 Ch. 5 - This never happens to me but I feel like I've read this book before, or more likely I started it. Pilar and the 4-year-old twin brothers sound very familiar. This is what I get for not logging my books on ŷ for 8 years. I'll know by the food, and if the boys have dark hair. 😞 Also I hate the new cover.
📱30% 4:14:45 Ch. 22 - So I definitely read this before, but I don't remember if I finished it, since it was at least 5 years ago and I don't recall the ending I don't think it matters. It's decent so far.
📱63% 8:58:32 Ch. 43 - I'm happy to report that I didn't remember anything after the first quarter, this was clearly in my TBR as a try again later. So far I'm glad I did.
This was good. I'm glad I decided to give it another chance. The ending was a little vague but that's okay, I knew how it would end 30% in. I hate the new cover with the old suitcases, I prefer the can of green paint, it actually matches the story and looks better. I'm looking forward to clearing my TBR and I have a lot more MKA on the oldest portion of the list.
Recommend to others: Yes. This is a good mix of everything, as usual.
14h 16m narrated by Isabel Keating, 436 pages
Genre: Chick Lit, Romance > Contemporary Romance; Southern, Humor, Adult Fiction
Featuring: Political Scandal, Lawyers, Washington D.C., Girlfriends, Miami, Florida; Town Outside of Atlanta, Georgia; House Flipping, Family Drama, Sex - Low Details, Recipes
Rating as a movie: R for adult content
Songs for the soundtrack: "Billie Jean" by Michael Jackson, "All I Wanna Do" by Sheryl Crow, "Fergalicious" by Fergie, "Hollaback Girl" by Gwen Stefani, "Cherish" by Madonna, "Under the Boardwalk" by The Drifters, "The Twelfth of Never" by Johnny Mathis
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My thoughts: 📱4% 34:31 Ch. 5 - This never happens to me but I feel like I've read this book before, or more likely I started it. Pilar and the 4-year-old twin brothers sound very familiar. This is what I get for not logging my books on ŷ for 8 years. I'll know by the food, and if the boys have dark hair. 😞 Also I hate the new cover.
📱30% 4:14:45 Ch. 22 - So I definitely read this before, but I don't remember if I finished it, since it was at least 5 years ago and I don't recall the ending I don't think it matters. It's decent so far.
📱63% 8:58:32 Ch. 43 - I'm happy to report that I didn't remember anything after the first quarter, this was clearly in my TBR as a try again later. So far I'm glad I did.
This was good. I'm glad I decided to give it another chance. The ending was a little vague but that's okay, I knew how it would end 30% in. I hate the new cover with the old suitcases, I prefer the can of green paint, it actually matches the story and looks better. I'm looking forward to clearing my TBR and I have a lot more MKA on the oldest portion of the list.
Recommend to others: Yes. This is a good mix of everything, as usual.
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