Mr. Fix-It (Indigo Love Spectrum) [Paperback]

Crystal Hubbard (Author)

Book Description

Series: Indigo Love Spectrum | Publication Date: September 1, 2008

A hot handyman works to loosen the screws of an uptight romance novelist who no longer believes in love.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"The main characters in this entertaining novel have secret crushes on each other, and it's fun watching them dance around their feelings. It's also quite interesting to see how Hubbard begins each chapter, with quotes from Khela's novels. They are quite beautiful, and readers may wish they could read the fictional works they're from." 4 stars --Jacqui McGugins, Romantic Times Books Reviews Magazine

Review

"Mr. Fix-It is an alluring tale that puts blinders on readers to the point that race and social status have little significance. This is a maturely written story, with no unnecessary drama and no contrived battles. The characters are more similar than either believes and are destined to find the real side of fantasy. Now, this is about life so each of the characters has issues they must confront, but even that is done with aplomb. I thoroughly enjoyed where this story took me." 4.5 stars

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Genesis Press (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585713260
• ISBN-13: 978-1585713264
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (54 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #583,701 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #13 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Romance > Series > Indigo Love

More About the Author

I am a mother of four who writes full-time from a suburb outside St. Louis, Missouri. I began my writing career as a newspaper reporter in Boston, but after the birth of my first child, I took a desk job as a sports copy editor at the Boston Herald where I was the only female "rimmie" on the night desk. The men I worked with were incredible and, unbeknownst to most of them, have served as the real-life examples for several of the heroes in my romance novels.

Primarily, I write romance novels and picture books, but I've written educational text and young adult novels as well.

I'm often asked which I prefer writing, romance novels for adults or picture books for children. The question is rather like being asked which of your children you prefer.

I enjoy both genres. Both require lots of research and creativity, and both are satisfying in their own ways. I draw on real people and real life for my romance novels, which can turn readers off when a fictional character I've modeled after a real person doesn't behave as they'd like, or if they can't connect with the character.

For my picture books, I've always chosen real people, and I work hard to provide honest portrayals of my subjects. I love the freedom fiction allows me but I also love the unflinching truth of my picture books.

My fiction writing suffered in 2008, when I was diagnosed with colon cancer. The book I was writing at the time is evidence of the anger, frustration, confusion and fear I experienced during surgery, chemotherapy and their aftermaths. Since I put so much of my own experiences and relationships in my books, my writing became muddied by personal turmoil.

I like to think that as I recovered, so did my writing. Cancer gave me a fresh perspective and a fearlessness that I hadn't had before. My December 2011 release, Everything in Between, marks the end of my romance writing career. (Or so I keep telling myself!) That will be good news to some of my critics, but for those who like my writing, I'm attempting to branch into another genre.

I'm starting over anew, but I feel I'm up to the challenge. I owe my readers a debt of gratitude for their support, interest and encouragement over the years, and not just because they invest their time and finances in my work. In my darkest moments, readers have been the people who pulled me from despair and self pity. Readers are the ones who complete all of my stories, because without them, no story ever truly lives.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars (RAW Rating 4.5) The life I write about, September 8, 2008

By 

The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers (RAWSISTAZ.com and BlackBookReviews.net) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mr. Fix-It (Indigo Love Spectrum) (Paperback)

After twelve best sellers, Romance author Khela Halliday, still does not believe in the kind of love that takes you beyond yourself. Romance, to her, is perception, marketing and the skill to foster dreams, and her strategy has accelerated her career. The most recent is her attendance at a literary convention, which requires an escort suitable to the characters in her books.

Although he is only a super for the Boston brownstone she lives in, Carter Radcliffe is just the eye candy Khela needs; so she asks him to escort her. What Khela does not know is, one, Carter is more than a super; he actually owns several buildings, including the one she's in. And, two, he has been infatuated with her since the day she walked into the lobby, some three years ago. This is his opportunity to get away from their normal setting so she'll have to deal with him as a man, and hopefully think of him on a more personal level.

In a very short time Carter realizes Khela is not as immune to him as she pretends, but he thinks their ethnic difference is a roadblock. What Carter doesn't know is, one, Khela's issues are not racial; she does not believe in the kind of love she writes about and, two, she is scared to take the leap, because if her heart is broken again, she doesn't know if she can fix it.

MR. FIX-IT is an alluring tale that puts blinders on readers to the point that race and social status have little significance. This is a maturely written story, with no unnecessary drama and no contrived battles. The characters are more similar than either believes and are destined to find the real side of fantasy. Now, this is about life so each of the characters has issues they must confront, but even that is done with aplomb. I thoroughly enjoyed where this story took me. Where are her other books?

Reviewed by aNN
of The RAWSISTAZ(tm) Reviewers

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent, But Still Lacking, September 11, 2010

By 

Clcny "Picky Reader" (Long Island, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Mr. Fix-It (Indigo Love Spectrum) (Paperback)

I really loved the cover of this book, and even though I have read 3 other interracial romance novels with book covers that didn't match the characters in the story at all, I was still intrigued.

The story started off in an unappealing manner to me--her having hives, and stuffing her face with Ho Hos, this guy that she's had a crush on for 3 years suddenly being "ordered" to come to her apartment (and being "ordered" to bring a tux), him complying not in the least bit questioning her request, him agreeing to come to her convention and being okay with being her eye candy escort...I was already annoyed by the time she was ready to write a resignation into her speech at said convention.

Khela just seemed very ungrateful for a life that obviously has been VERY good to her--good enough for her to buy expensive groceries from some ritzy market seemingly everyday, good enough for her to afford a penthouse in a seemingly expensive part of town, good enough for her to live MORE than comfortably...and it's not that she hates what she does--she LOVES it, but she constantly whines about not being able to relate to her characters because she hasn't found love herself. I just found it irritating, and taking away from what the book could have been.

Carter, on the other hand, was the least likeable character. If I ever had the displeasure of meeting such a childish pretty boy, I'd curse the gods. Another reviewer said it here--all he did was pick fights everytime he broke up with Khela, try to justify himself at inappropriate moments, agree to hold her purse while she did book signings and then bitch about how no one took him seriously because he was tagging along. There's also WAY too many mentions of how good-looking he is; women acting damn fools and practically dry humping the guy in public, I mean come on, give me a break. Okay, I get it, he's good-looking, but don't go out of your way to prove it to us, it's a complete and utter turn off.

He just seemed like a spoiled brat, incredibly insensitive and immature. I'm sorry, but I'd never want to be with a man like that. I'm not prejudiced against southerners in any way, but he really did come off as the negative stereotype of the "dumbass redneck southern", and I hated that. Why be the NEGATIVE stereotype??

Daphne and Llewelyn were completely over-the-top characters for me. Their existence was just laughable, their marriage gave ME hives...she met this guy on a whim, and was ready to just abandon her country...Jesus...I kept waiting for him to be a scam artist, because it was just that hard to believe.

The book wasn't horrible, but it definitely wasn't that great. If I had to count the many times bags of expensive groceries were dropped on streets by Khela or Carter, I'd have to use fingers and toes.

The best scene: After the dinner with Khela, Carter, Llewelyn and Daphne when Carter made love to her in the kitchen, taking her from behind. That was beyond hot.

The worst scene: The end, where Carter completely screws up what could have been an incredibly romantic scene by making mention of being attracted to her "dark skin" and her "slammin' ass". Ugh.

Yeah...I don't see me reading this one again in the future...

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars WELCOME to the Wonderful World of Romance, September 8, 2008

By 

Malaika Tamu "Sweet n' Sassy" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mr. Fix-It (Indigo Love Spectrum) (Paperback)

Mrs. Hubbard takes us on a CAPTIVATING tour of the life of a talented romance author in her third interracial romance, "Mr. Fix-It". She crafts a tale that entertains and educates us about aspects of HER very unpredictable world. I was totally CAUGHT UP in the workings of the romance convention, the camaraderie and verbal sparring between the authors, the passionate and know-it-all fans that often want to re-write the authors story (LOL). Khela Halliday is a popular romance writer, however her own love life is NON-EXISTENT. Khela believes she has an image to uphold by presenting a love life to her peers and fans that's just like the one she portrays in her novels. Unfortunately she doesn't believe in what she writes, ANYMORE. Due to past hurts, Khela is afraid to LET GO and capture the romance and the love that she so passionately writes about in her books. However, Khela will do WHATEVER she has to, in order to keep up the illusion of her life. So, she convinces Carter, her all too SEXY "handyman" to be her date at a romance convention. Carter is definitely the perfect companion for her. Khela and her peers think that Carter could have walked right off the pages of their novels. And there in lies the root of Carter's problems, his deepest desire is to find a woman that sees him as more than just the ULTIMATE "pretty boy", and he desperately WANTS that woman to be Khela. As they struggle through their issues, the budding relationship of Khela and Carter is an INTENSE, heartwarming, sensual and HUMOROUS ride. Will Khela and Carter ALLOW themselves to hold on to the love they discover with each other or will they destroy their HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER with their fears, insecurities and childish antics?!! The cast of characters, main and secondary, are quite ANIMATED and memorable, and the the detailed descriptions of Boston only aid in making this a fascinating journey. As much as I enjoyed this tale, I must say, I think Mrs. Hubbard attempts to wrap the story up a little too quickly, it felt like Khela and Carter still had some unresolved issues that should have been addressed in order to make the conclusion more SATISFYING. But, having said that, I still found this romance to be a worthwhile read and I definitely enjoy the detailed glimpse into the world of a romance writer. Good Job, Crystal, keep the wonderful stories coming!