I OWE YOU ONE by Sophie Kinsella

⭐️⭐️⭐️

I give this book 3.5 stars.

While I Owe You One was a relaxing read, I think it would be best suited as a beach read — light fare that doesn’t require full attention. 

I read most of the Shopaholic series years ago and enjoyed it. With those expectations, I Owe You One was a disappointment.  While the story itself was interesting and the premise was unusual, the character development fell flat for me and I missed the humor that made the Shopaholic series so enjoyable to read.

The story follows Fixie, a nickname which encapsulates her need to fix everything and everyone sans herself. Yet she is the thing most in need of fixing but she seems oblivious to this fact.

The first paragraph drew me right in — I was intrigued and curious about the narrator:

The trouble with me is, I can’t let things go. They bug me. I see problems and I want to fix them, right here, right now. My nickname isn’t Fixie for nothing.

Fixie is somewhat pathetic and hardly relatable. While she is the main character, at best she is two dimensional whereas the other people surrounding her are one dimensional.  Fixie makes it difficult to root for her as she is not a likable character. She’s had a crush on her brother’s bestie since she was 10 years old and let’s him treat her poorly and practically begs for more. 

The plot device of I Owe You One was the most appealing aspect of this novel.  Fixie saves a guy’s laptop from a collapsing ceiling at a coffee shop and he is eternally grateful and “owes her one” for saving his computer, which he describes as his “life.” The favor switches back and forth between the two and actually makes for a good plot. If only Fixie was likable or relatable, this might have been a more enjoyable read. While her brother’s life is spiraling out of control, his redemption happens too quickly and too easily, making it hard to believe and accept. Ultimately, the story is about family and its importance in one’s life.

I Owe You One is a fast read but also very predictable. While the first half of the book was slow-going, it does pick up in the second half when the reader begins to care what happens to Fixie. The secondary characters were only mildly interesting at best. The book has its moments and some of the writing, albeit not enough, was classic Kinsella — clever and witty.

Hi Greg acts in good faith, no one doubts that, but his logic is random and unnerving. He’s like a computer on its last legs that works perfectly until it suddenly decides to email your whole in-box to Venezuela.

Distantly, I’m aware that I’m not speaking appropriately. But I can’t seem to stop myself. Sense has taken a back seat for now. Alcohol is in charge of talking. And Alcohol says, “Woo! Anything goes!

Thank you to The Dial Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.