Review: I Owe You One
I Owe You One
Sophie Kinsella
Synopsis: Since her father died, Fixie has spent her days keeping the family’s store running, (while trying to keep her siblings from ruining it), and trying to live by his mantra of, “family first”. Every day is just like the next, until she stops for coffee and a handsome stranger asks her for a favor. In exchange, he offers her an IOU; good for whatever she needs or wants! The two end up exchanging IOUs back and forth.
Rating: PG-15: Some sexual content
*Disclaimer: This review contains some spoilers*
*Big sigh* Guys… I REALLY wanted to love this book. The first two books I read by Sophie Kinsella (Can You Keep a Secret? and I’ve Got Your Number), I absolutely LOVED. Unfortunately, the next two after that were just kind of okay. Didn’t love them. So, I’ve been a little leery to read another one of her books. But this book just sounded so cute, I had to give it a shot. I was pretty disappointed.
The first half of the book is cringe worthy. All Fixie wants to do is keep the family store running and keep the family together. The problem is, Fixie is a total doormat to her family, and she really doesn’t have anyone truly on her side. Even her mom and her best friend –who I think are supposed to be on her side– are dismissive and domineering (respectively). Her brother and sister and just plain AWFUL and her initial love interest, Ryan, takes advantage of her in any way he can. It is literally painful.
It does pick up more in the second half, and for a bit, I thought it was going to turn around. Except then, it almost went too quickly. (SPOILERS AHEAD!) Fixie starts dating Mr. IOU (aka- Sebastian) and things are going wonderfully. Everything in her life is suddenly hunky dory, until it’s not. They have one fight and break up and she is back to doing things on her own. The worst part about it though, is the story completely blows through the happy stage!
This book had SO. MUCH. potential. The premise is adorable! Such a great set up for a romantic comedy! But the execution totally fell flat for me. I think it really could have been great if Kinsella had taken some out of the beginning and spent more time on the 2nd half, more time with Fixie happy, and growing in confidence, and more of the relationship with Sebastian.
I had such high hopes, and sadly, I was pretty let down. I hate to say it, but I honestly cannot say that I would recommend this one. That makes me so sad, because it really did have SUCH potential. Oh well… They can’t all be great, right?