There are just come authors that you will read ANYTHING they put out because their style of writing is like listening to your best friend tell a story. I swear Mrs. Andrews could make a grocery list FUNNY!
I was lucky enough to be sent The Fixer Upper, Mrs Andrew's latest book, for review. It was like getting a early birthday present! I knew this would be fun, light hearted and immensely interesting reading and it was!
My best friend and I always claim we can see each other in every book of Mrs. Andrew's that we've read (active book-swap there folks!) and this time is NO different. The main character of The Fixer Upper is definitely my best friend, who was the responsible party for me starting this blog! I LOVE this about Mrs. Andrews books- the characters are SO real, that you don't want to leave them. You want to see what happens in the next month, year, 5 years! Her dialogue moves the plot SO well that next thing you know you're read 180 pages and can't believe you have to put it down to get a couple of hours of sleep (don't worry-you'll finish the book the next day, so it will be okay)!
The Fixer Upper follows the story of Dempsey Jo Killebrew (LOVE the name Dempsey!) as she gets caught up in a political scandal and has to figure out what to do with her life now and what options she has. I loved that The Fixer Upper took a look at politics and showed the back story- how the 'little people' can wind up in a "fix" and the politicos ride on, and how journalists can help or hurt the people involved in their hunt for the big story.
Dempsey's parents are not conventional, leading her to make a unconventional decision that ends up having the biggest impact on her life. Sometimes going off into the unknown really IS the best choice, we just don't know it. Anybody from the South will tell you that Mrs. Andrews got all the deep seated family biases, secrets and pettiness right. They make for good drama. But the heart of a southern family is always about love, devotion and loyalty, and when things get really tough, Dempsey finds out her Southern roots will be her lifeline. The family house, Birdsong, enjoins the drama and the love and shows them to Dempsey more and more each day.
I liked how the Dempsey character developed over the time spent in Birdsong and in the small town of Guthrie, GA. My Grandfather always said you can't take the southerner out of the man, and in Dempsey's case once it develops within her, it's not leaving!
Dempsey's surrounding characters are unique to themselves, but none seem over the top. Anybody living in a small Southern town can tell you that they can all pick out locals that could be the basis of the characters.
If you love great dialogue, great characters and a fun story, pick up this book today (and be prepared for it to leave and go visiting all your friends for a few months, while everybody reads it)!
I ate every word of this book up like my favorite Summer-time Sorbet. As a matter of fact, I reall ALL 482 pages in ONE day - yes, that's right folks, just ONE day. Now, I know there have been rumours out there that there are people who don't even read ONE book in ONE year, but I am NOT on of those people. Run, don't walk, to get your copy of The Fixer Upper - or if you are as lucky to have such a fab best friend as I have, call her up and set up a bookswap and coffee break.
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