Libby Kimmelman is admissions director for one of Manhattan's finest private schools, and is overwhelmed by gifts (bribes) from parents determined to enroll their children. However, the one parent who intrigues Libby is building renovator Ned Donovan. Original.
The Fixer Upper
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Booklist
Libby Kimmelman hasn't really let someone get close since her husband left her and their young daughter. Widower Ned Donovan has moved to New York in search of a new beginning. Their paths cross when Ned's son, Eric, applies to the prestigious private school at which Libby is the admissions director. Ned, an architect, offers to strip Libby's fireplace, and soon he is chipping away at Libby's cool exterior as well as the layers of enamel that coat the marble mantle. This novel's strength lies in its realistic characters. Arnold doesn't ignore the difficulties of dating as a single parent; Libby and Ned put their children first, even when it threatens their own relationship. The kids are smart and funny without being obnoxiously precocious, and Libby's ex-sister-in-law, Vivienne, colorful and meddling, provides comic relief. Readers bored with bodice--rippers will be charmed by this down-to-earth romance. Aleksandra Kostovski
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Review
"Ms. Arnold delivers plenty of humor and demonstrates terrific storytelling in this delightful read." -- Romantic Times
"Simple and scrumptious . . . this novel has all the makings of a memorable summer read." -- Publishers Weekly on Blooming All Over
"Simple and scrumptious . . . this novel has all the makings of a memorable summer read." -- Publishers Weekly on Blooming All Over
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
fine Manhattan contemporary romance,
This review is from: The Fixer Upper (MIRA) (Mass Market Paperback)
Director of Admissions at Manhattan's prestigious Hudson School, Libby Kimmelman loves the place and obviously respects it as a center of learning since she enrolled her daughter Reva at the school. The divorced Libby enjoys her job though at times she feels frazzled especially when the bribes to get in and thank you gifts after getting in arrive during open season.
Normally she skims over the application essays written by parents who believe hyperbole is the key, but the one written by Eric Donovan intrigues her as he is a ten year old new city resident just in from Woodstock, Vermont. Libby thinks the straightforward preadolescent would make a fine student. His widower father Ned is not pleased as his son used his credit card to pay the application fee over the net without permission and he cannot afford the $25K annual cost. Ned visits the school to withdraw Eric's application and get a refund, but he and Libby surprisingly feel an attraction to one another. She has doubts that he truly desires her instead of just using her to gain a scholarship while he wonders why a beautiful intelligent lady would fall in love with a carpenter. THE FIXER-UPPER is a fine Manhattan contemporary romance in which the Hudson School serves as a matchmaker and potential match breaker bringing the lead couple together, but also school costs linger in their minds. The story line is character driven as the audience sees up close the frustrations of Libby with her job and her daughter, and Ned with starting over and his son's adjustment problems. Though there is little action, fans of urban family dramas will want to read Judith Arnold's astute tale. Harriet Klausner
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
I defy anyone ...,
By jdk (wellesley, ma) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Fixer Upper (MIRA) (Mass Market Paperback)
...to find an author who is better able to bring the reader into the story than Judith Arnold. What a fabulous story-teller, and "The Fixer Upper" is a true delight!
Libby Kimmelman is an Admissions Director for an elite K - 12 school in Manhattan. When admissions season rolls around, Libby finds herself on the receiving end of countless "gifts" of flowers, candy, etc., but she is scrupulous to maintain objectivity. Libby, a single mother with a 13-year-old daughter, is in a financial bind - she has to buy the Upper West Side apartment she has lived in since her daughter was born or else move to Queens (banishment indeed). Her ex, a big-time lawyer, may or may not help with the down payment, but Libby worries that her independence might be at stake if he does. . Ned Donovan, newly relocated from Vermont, is surprised to learn that his 10-year-old son, Eric, has used his credit card to apply to the Hudson School. Eric's not thrilled with his public school, and he when he notices that the students at Hudson leave each day with smiles on their faces, he decides that is the place for him. Since Eric has never asked for anything before, Ned wants to ensure that he gets into Hudson, so he goes to the School to plead Eric's case to the Director of Admissions.... What with truant daughters, gorgeous marble fireplaces, kibbutzing relatives, and a truly hilarious attempt at having a dinner party, Libby and Ned's road to romance is funny, endearing and fraught with anxiety. This is the Upper West Side, after all. Ms. Arnold is without peer in her ability to make the mundane occasions of life fascinating. Her dialogue is utterly believable. She never strikes a false note. And she is funny! She is so descriptive of the environment her characters inhabit that the reader feels she has actually been living in Manhattan right along with the characters who, by the way, are so on target that I finished the book feeling as though I'd made life-long friends. This was a great read - light and amusing; however, don't miss my favorite Arnold title, "Barefoot in the Grass," a lovely, quiet book about two people falling in love despite the fears of one who has been seriously ill and another who must discover if he has it in him to love someone he might lose. Thank you, Ms. Arnold, for another great read. I hope the next one is soon on the way!
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
1.0 out of 5 stars
Utterly horrible,
By
This review is from: The Fixer Upper (MIRA) (Mass Market Paperback)
Wow this book was bad. I am an avid reader--- everything interests me. (from Charles Dickens to Jennifer Crusie) But this book... the plot was rambling and repetitive. The characters unappealing (although the children were more three dimensional than their lackluster parents). I don't know how it made it thru publishing. Tedious, boring, and some of the metaphors... the heat in her womb? Give me a break. I always finish them (so as not to judge hypocritically) but this one was truly painful. The first book I've read by Arnold, and I'm sure, the last.
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