I have been excited for this book from the moment I heard about it, and I have to say it did not disappoint (although I might be writing this review through tears, the end got me good). Oliver the meddling 6 year old, Ollie the meddling even in his death grandparent, and the town full of friends and found family. I love Two Harts, Texas and the world the author has created, and this book full of banter and love did not let me down. I read an early version, you should check it out now! While technically part of a series this book can one hundred percent be enjoyed as a stand alone, get it now and get ready to laugh out loud!

ARC REVIEW:

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Sharon M. Peterson’s fourth novel, The Fix-Up reminds us that everyone deserves a helping hand!

Two Hearts, Texas offered a fresh start to Ellie (Elenor) Sterns, a single mother struggling to keep her head above water. While the entire community embraced her and her son with open arms, no one accepted them faster than Ollie. As one of the oldest living members of Two Hearts and owner of the quaint but beloved Sit-n-Eat Café, he shocked the small community by graciously offering Ellie both a job and a place to live. That is until his passing a few years later. While Ollie planned to provide for Ellie long after his death, he tied it up with a small but complex contingency, Gilbert (Gil) Dalton. With Ellie’s future once again in limbo she must work with a stranger to decide the fate of Ollie’s home and business.

Everyone time I get my hands on a Sharon M. Peterson novel I promise myself I am going to savor it. But the moment I begin reading I am reminded of how much I love her work. Not only does she put the laugh in ‘laugh-out-loud romantic comedies’, but her quirky, down-to-earth characters worm their way into my heart. So much so, that I can’t put the book down until I know how their stories end. This woman consistently has me reading way past my bed time!

The Fix-Up is by far my favorite book of Peterson’s. While I have loved everything she has ever written, there is just something so special about this book. Ellie and Gil’s relationship was complicated due to them each having a dependent and an extraordinary amount of pressure to do right by them. However, seeing them place their happiness to the side made me root for them twice as hard. They truly have become one of my top book couples!!

An added bonus was returning to the world of Two Hearts and catching up with beloved characters such as Mae and Ali. Thankfully, you don’t have to have read Peterson’s previous books, The Fake Out and The Fast Lane, to enjoy this one. Despite being interconnected, they are true standalone novels that can be read as such. However, you would be doing yourself a disservice to not read them all.

Standout moments in this book include:
-Oliver’s Mischievous Plan
-Easter Dinner with the Sterns
-Ellie’s Craft Closet
-Gil(bert)’s Grand Gesture
-The Ending (I dare you not to cry)

Special thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture, and Sharon M. Peterson for gifting me an electric and physical copy of this book (plus some added goodies) in exchange for my honest review.

*T-minus 360 days till I get my much needed Sharon M. Peterson fix, hopefully featuring another Two Heart’s resident!!!

Ellie meets Gilbert when they are left half of a house each. Will they find a way to compromise. A great read. Looking forward to more from this author.

Ellie and Gilbert are two strangers thrown together and forced to live in the same house. The two are complete opposites and do not start off on the right foot. Ellie is determined to make Gilbert fall in love with the small town and the charm of the old house she calls home. Both are driven by the responsibilities they have.

Can the two set aside their differing plans and explore the connection they feel toward each other?

I have never connected more to a book character than I did with Ellie. Even the explanation she gave of her brain as squirrels running in all different directions- that’s exactly how I explain my brain to people when I need a moment to gather my thoughts. I absolutely loved how Gilbert was so understanding and in awe of Ellie’s mind. He never once made her feel bad for forgetting things or her systems-hello, post-it notes. He embraced it and helped. Gilbert is the sweetest, grumpiest, handiest MMC. Oh and he plays guitar! *swoon*

Honestly, I cannot say enough great things about this book. I love Sharon’s writing. She writes realistic, diverse characters with real problems, who encounter the most hysterical situations. And the slow burn. Whew! It’s worth the wait.

Be sure to grab this new book and if you haven’t read the rest of Sharon’s books- go read them!

This was such a sweet, heartwarming read that completely stole my heart.

Ellie, a single mum starting over, inherits half a house and café from a grumpy old man who took her in—but the other half goes to his estranged grandson, Gil. They have to live together for six months. She wants to stay, he wants to sell. The tension, the banter, and the sticky notes? Chef's kiss.

I loved Ellie—so relatable—and Gil was such a soft, unexpected hero. The way he treated her son and tried to do the right thing made me melt.

The small-town vibes, adorable kid, and a slow-burn romance packed with emotion had me laughing, swooning, and even tearing up. The chapter openers—kids defining love—were the cutest touch!

My only gripe? The ending felt a bit rushed. An epilogue would've been perfect. Still, I adored this and can’t wait to read more from the author.

I absolutely loved this book. I read it in one sitting!!! It was everything I look for in a feel good rom-com.
The banter was excellent and it was witty and I just loved the MMC and the FMC but also all the secondary characters like Oliver and Mikey!!!

I loved the ending it was beautifully written.

If you don't like happy endings, smiling and kicking your feet, or giggling while reading, you should not read this book! Sharon continues to perfectly balance the light with the serious. You get to hang out with some of your favorite characters again, and I love how I can relate to almost every single one in some way. Perfect for any time of year!

I asked the forced proximity gods to bless me with a fun easy read, and Sharon M. Peterson delivered. I've been on a small town romance kick recently (I'd like to thank the endless rainy weekends we've been having in New York City), and this was just perfect.

Ellie's voice felt like a real internal monologue, and I really enjoyed the way the characters were written in general. Her chemistry with Gil was also fantastic. This book was a little slow in the beginning, but the pacing really picked up and stayed spot-on, so I wasn't too bothered by it. The emotions and humor were great and kept me absolutely hooked.

I'd recommend this to fans of enemies-to-lovers, clean romance, and slow burns!

Thank you to Sharon M. Peterson and Bookouture for the advance copy. All opinions are my own. The Fix-Up releases June 17, 2025.

I will say, I am not much of a rom com reader, but this book was great! I absolutely loved every bit of it! I love the banter between the two main characters and how things turn out for them. This book will have you laughing often!

Thank you NetGalley for provide this ARC for me and allowing me to read this book. It was a lovely light read in terms of easy to read plot and flowing story, which spoke about some tough subjects and two struggling people who are bought together. As a mum myself, I related so much to Ellie and made the book quite emotional for me in moments, I would definitely recommend this on to others
3.5 stars, not 3 stars

I loved Sharon M. Peterson's previous book, 'The Fake Out', so I was really looking forward to reading this book.
Unfortunately, this book was a bit disappointing to me. It is a nice read but a bit long-winded and at the same time tried a bit too hard to be funny, in my opinion. For example, Ellie was totally freaking out when a ‘strange man’ rang the doorbell and didn’t just opened the door to see what he wanted, but she hid and called 9-1-1 and then attacked him when he tried to enter. Her having played in a kangaroo kidnap movie. Him accepting being forced to go camping in the backyard while he was there to just sell the place as a groen-up and as a business deal. Some of the scenes just felt a bit unrealistic. So although the characters were likable I had a hard time connecting to the story. But as I’ve said, ‘The Fake Out’ by Sharon M. Peterson was just perfect, I thoroughly enjoyed it, so I can definitely recommend her as an author. And although this book wasn’t for me, maybe it’s great for someone else. It is a nice, clean easy read with a happily ever after. I am sure there are many people who will enjoy it!
I received an advanced copy of this book. I voluntarily read and reviewed it; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I will start out by saying I loved this book. The description snagged me right away and did not disappoint.

Ellie is a single mum down on her luck with the dating scene, balancing the unexpected inheritance of a cafe and house. Only she didn’t inherit the full cafe and house - she only got half. The other half? Inherited by Gil the previous owners grumpy “long lost” grandson. The catch? They have to live on the property together for 6 months! With different plans for the inheritance tension is high but sparks start to fly and lines start to blur. Secrets are revealed and perspectives are changing but is it too late?

I personally loved the plot, it kept me entertained the whole book and each detail felt like it belonged. It was definitely a more slow burn that ended up burning bright (which fit perfectly). The slower pace gave the perfect amount of time for the characters depth. Sharon wrote each character perfectly, each had their own personality and add their own flair to what was happening. Ellie is a chaotic ADHD gal just trying to get through life and Gil is feeling the pressures of life which shows as his character changes as you get to know him.

I do wish it was dual pov purely cause I’d love to know what Gil was thinking at many points in this book but alas we cannot all have what we desire.

At the end of the day this made me giggle, with some lines pulling laughter out of me unexpectedly! I also cried… like a baby (big surprise coming from me)! And the ending also had me in a spiral!

Sharon M. Peterson’s The Fix Up is a delightful romantic comedy that blends humor, heart, and a touch of chaos. The story follows Ellie Sterns, a 28-year-old single mother who unexpectedly inherits half of a charming house and café in a small town. The catch? She must share ownership with Gilbert "Gil" Dalton, the brooding grandson of the previous owner. Gil has no interest in the property and is determined to sell, while Ellie sees it as her future. To claim their inheritance, they must live together on the property for six months, leading to inevitable clashes and unexpected sparks.

Ellie is a relatable heroine—determined, witty, and fiercely protective of her daughter. Gil, with his gruff exterior and hidden depths, complements her perfectly. Their dynamic evolves from antagonistic to affectionate, with plenty of banter and emotional growth along the way. The small-town setting adds charm, and the supporting characters, including Ellie’s daughter and Gil’s family, enrich the narrative.

While the plot follows familiar rom-com tropes, Peterson's engaging writing and well-developed characters make the journey enjoyable and fresh. The chemistry between Ellie and Gil is palpable, and their journey toward understanding and love is both heartwarming and genuine.

This story was un-put-downable! I started it yesterday afternoon and finished in about 24 hours.

The Fix-Up is book three in the Two Harts series by Sharon M. Peterson, but the story definitely can stand on it's own! Single mom Ellie has found out she has inherited the house and cafe that had been her bosses. But what she misses is the very important fact that she's about to gain a room mate for the next 6 months.

What follows this big unexpected complication is a story of forced proximity, witty banter, and personal growth. I loved every moment of this story - from the text message threads to the post-it note conversations - Ellie and Gilbert wormed their way into my heart in a way that made me want the story to go on forever. I now need to go back and finish every book in this series and all of Peterson's backlog!

My thoughts:
I loved reading The Fix-Up!
The characters, the community and the friendships throughout the story were just perfect. The pacing of the story was perfect.
One house
Forced proximity
Two strangers
Laugh out loud banter
Single mom
Young child
Slow burn
ADHD representation
Closed door romance
Enemies to lovers
Sweet chemistry
A uplifting read that I thoroughly enjoyed reading.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions e pressed are my own.

First of all, go add June 17th to your calendars pronto. Second, Peterson needs a lot more attention than I feel she is receiving! This forced proximity, enemies to lovers, small town, slow burn rom-com was so perfectly written and paced, I completely forgot I was actually reading sometimes. All the characters are super loveable, relatable and had me wincing and laughing out loud at times.
The Fix Up has heart and heat but no spice, a few kisses at most, but I didn’t miss the spice at all because it was packed with so much emotion, tenderness and real feel good moments.
We only have Ellie’s point of view throughout this story, but I find it really helps understand her and her chaotic brain - I am 100% pinching the sticky note to-do list, though, because chapter 45 is just straight up me (ask my OH).
This is my first book by Peterson, she had me hooked in the first chapter, the rest of her books are now on my tbr and she has immediately become an instant buy author for me. Honestly, I actually don’t have a single negative thing to say about this book and it quickly became a 5 star less than half way through. Easily one of my favourite reads this year!

✨Book Review✨
The Fix-Up by Sharon M. Peterson
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

If you’re after laugh-out-loud chaos, small-town charm, and the ultimate grumpy-sunshine romance, The Fix-Up is your next must-read!

Ellie is a single mum, ADHD whirlwind, queen of dating duds (relatable AF), who inherits half a house and café—and a whole lot of trouble—when she learns she has to live with grumpy-hot Gilbert for 6 months. Enemies to lovers? Check. Forced proximity? Check. Ollie scheming from beyond the grave?? CHECK. ✔️

I was highlighting passages and cackling in the first 20% alone. Ellie’s voice is hilarious, Oliver is the most adorably blunt kid with a one-track mind (I’m starting a petition for him to get a baby brother!), and Gil… well, let’s just say the Cute Man Club he has with Oliver is heart warming 🥹🦖

Also:
💬 Passive-aggressive sticky notes? Iconic.
☕ Iris deserves a customer service medal - sassy queen!!
💘 Mae and Ali’s matchmaking plans? Chaotic good.
🫶 The way Gil bonds with Oliver over dinosaurs? I’m not okay.
🤣 And yes, I Googled how sand is name thing. Ollie’s version is superior.

Tropes you’ll love:
✨ Grumpy x sunshine
🏠 Forced proximity
🌆 Small-town antics
🔥 Enemies to lovers

Huge thanks to Netgalley and Bookouture for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. If you love heart, heat (with no 🍆) and hilarity, The Fix-Up will steal your heart (and probably leave you leaving sticky notes just to feel something 😏

I felt so many emotions reading this book! I really enjoyed it.
I think this is the perfect summer TBR.
Ellie & Gil are just the best couple!
Banter for days! I laughed so hard at some of the moments.
Enemies to lovers. Forced Proximity. Bit of a slow burn.
Ellie has had it rough! Life has thrown all sorts of things her way. She has her walls up. My one complaint, I felt she was a little over the top rude at times.
Gil (Gilbert) is our cinnamon roll guy. He is the sweetest, most non-intrusive, support/hype man for Ellie. I love him. When Gil met Oliver... swoon.
The plot was well structured. The pace was a bit slow burn.
The characters were well developed. I was able to engage.
Not a ton happens - no twists.
Little spice.
Just a cute, simply written, and sweet book.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the opportunity to read and review this ARC!
Add this to your TBR for a nice, quick, and easy palate cleanser!
Happy Reading!

This book was so sweet! A bit of a slow start, but about 1/3 of the way through, it really dropped in and I was truly taken by Gilbert and Ellie. My heart is happy!

I had read The Do-Over when it was released years ago and was pleasantly surprised to realize this was by the same author!

I LOVED this book. Ellie and Gil had perfect chemistry but Oliver is the one who really stole the show here. What an adorable child!!!

Everything about this book just works. I absolutely adore the town that they live in, and all the residents. I love when the town almost feels like another main character and it was definitely the case here. I really felt like it was a real place and I could picture it so clearly in my head.

Onto our main couple, they were both written so well. The book is told entirely from Ellie’s POV, but that doesn’t take away from Gil as a character at all, he has just as much character development as she does, and you really find yourself rooting for them to succeed as a couple. They don’t like each other at all when they first meet but as a reader you know exactly where this story is going and it’s really satisfying watching them warm up to each other and eventually fall in love.

The post-it note correspondence reminded me a lot of one of my favorite books of all time, The Flatshare by Beth O’Leary, which is one of the reasons I think I enjoyed this book so much.

This is a closed door romance, more sweet than it is spicy. I loved every moment of their story and if there’s 100 more books about all the other residents of Two Harts that don’t already have their own books, I’d read them all!