The Fix-Up by Sharon M. Peterson: Book Review

 **ARC received via Netgalley for consideration. All opinions are my own. 

The Book

Ellie should probably have listened to the part where inheriting her house came with a hot, grumpy stranger and six months to figure it all out…

Ellie Sterns is a twenty-eight-year-old single mother who only ever seems to date seriously questionable men. But she’s just inherited both a home and thriving café, so life is looking up. The catch? Only half belongs to Ellie—the other half goes to the previous owner’s grandson. Gilbert Dalton may be absurdly handsome, but his frown never wavers and he has a chip on his shoulder the size of a small country.

Ellie would happily spend the rest of her life avoiding him, but to claim their inheritance, they must first live on the property together for six months. For Ellie, the house and the café are her future. For Gil, they’re part of a past he wants nothing to do with. She wants to stay, he is determined to sell. Will they be able to decide what comes next without going to war with Ellie’s whisk and Gil’s toolbelt as weapons?

But somewhere between the snarky notes they leave around the place, and discovering a heartbreaking secret about the house’s previous owner, Ellie and Gil might learn that frustration can turn into sizzling chemistry, and hate can turn into not-hate—and that’s basically only one step away from love…

A totally uplifting, heart-stealing and addictive enemies-to-lovers romance full of sweet chemistry and true laugh-out-loud moments. Perfect for fans of Abby Jimenez, Emily Henry and Sarah Adams.

The Author

Sharon M. Peterson is a former middle school teacher and has the personality to prove it. One of her favorite quotes is from Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath: “It was her habit to build up laughter out of inadequate materials.” She strives to tackle life that way and create characters who do the same. Her first book, The Do-Over, was called "pure delight" by bestselling author Kristan Higgins. It's slated to be translated into three languages (which is two more than she knows how to speak). Her second book, The Fake Out, released in July 2023 and is chockfull of really cheesy pick-up lines. She lives in Washington with her husband, and four children, including two autistic sons. She has one cat, two dogs, one tattoo, and an intense fear of poodles (don’t ask). Sharon can usually be found hunched over her computer, creating characters and stories she hopes you’ll love as much as she does.

Book Review

The Fix-Up is the third book in the Two Harts series. While those who have read the previous books will see some familiar characters, I do believe this could be enjoyed just fine as a standalone as well. 

This was such a sweet read! Ellie is a single mom who had moved to Two Harts a few years earlier to get a fresh start with her son... which she found in part thanks to a cafe owner named Oliver. When Oliver passes away, he leaves her his home and cafe... with one small catch, he also left them to the grandson he'd never met Gil... and to claim it, they must live on the property for six months. Right away, I loved Ellie and Oliver. Their meet cute had me laughing out loud, and while they had very different plans for what to do with the property (leading to some slight enemies to love vibes early on), they had a really sweet chemistry and personalities that just seemed to balance each other very well. They both had their reasons for these plans, and the more we learned about all those reasons, the more I couldn't help but root for them both. Theirs was definitely a slower burn... but with a fantastic payoff in the end. If you love stories with a lot of heart and humor, this is definitely one to check out. 

The Fix-Up is a closed-door romance with kisses only. It does have some minor language. 


You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/43ktsGu