~The Fixer-Uppers~

by Cynthianna Appel

      Heroine:  plump

     Thirty-four-year-old Cassie Stubinski makes frosting rosettes for wedding cakes in Don's IGA bakery, an ironic job for a divorcée who's gone sour on the idea of marriage, and men in general.  But it's work and it keeps money trickling into her run-down home, enabling her to care for her two young sons by picking up the financial slack that her nowhere-to-be-found ex left behind him.  So when Cassie agrees to being fixed up by her workmate (with a younger guy no less) she figures she must be out of her mind!

      Mike Felcher, on the brink of financial ruin after having suffered through a five year engagement to the queen of gold-diggers, declares himself through with women altogether.  His job at the airport is less than secure, and he's just waiting for the day his landlord slips an eviction notice under his door.  The last thing he needs is to foot the bill for a blind date, so why he conceded to his best friend's offer for a fix-up, he has no idea.

       Mike and Cassie get together and enjoy their evening out, but the spark just isn't quite there.  Still, they discover in each other a new friend, just what these two wounded souls need.  When Cassie needs a hand fixing up her dilapidated home and Mike's worst fears are realized and he finds himself out on the street with nowhere to go, they turn to each other for a satisfactory solution to their troubles.

      Can Mike and Cassie repair old hurts even as they repair the house, and give romance one more chance? 

      What worked for me:

      Mike and Cassie seemed to be very sweet everyday sorts of people, and I was glad to see them stand up to their exes. And Mike certainly proves the point that a younger man isn't necessarily an irresponsible one.

      Size-wise Cassie was unhappy with her plump form and was angry that she had let herself turn to food for comfort during the difficult years with her ex.

What didn't work for me:

      I prefer a little more action in my stories, so the plot in this one was a bit on the quiet side for me.

      And as much as I adore "Monty Python", its magic really has to be experienced firsthand to be appreciated.  Readers who aren't familiar with the work of this comedy troupe may be at a loss when reading the sections of "The Fixer-Uppers" which refer to the movie "The Holy Grail."

Overall:

      A solid read for fans of stories featuring unlikely romantic pairings.     

      Warning: this book features a few coarse words, some sexy scenes, and some weight loss.

If you liked "The Fixer-Uppers" you might also enjoy "Love at Large", "A Worthy Heir", "The Legacy Tree", "The Course of True Love",  "His Seductive Revenge", "More to Love",   "His E-mail Order Wife",  or "Sweet Memories".

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