Whether you’re elbow-deep in drywall dust or just dreaming about it from your couch, there’s something undeniably romantic about a good fixer-upper story. These books all centre on characters who are rebuilding more than just four walls — they’re patching up their hearts, finding their footing, and maybe falling in love along the way. From crumbling inherited cottages to ramshackle beach houses, these renovation romances prove that sometimes the best thing that can happen to you is ending up somewhere that needs a little work.
Reach for the Stars by Maxine Morrey
But when Fliss attempts to drown the sorrow of seeing her ex-fiancé and his new wife’s magazine-worthy wedding all over social media, one rash decision loses her a job and gains her a doer-upper in the blink of an eye.
The only bright spot of living in the country is the very dishy and very handy loveliest-man-ever Jesse Woods. And when Fliss’s new roof has an ill-advised meeting with a tree in the middle of the night resulting in her literally seeing stars, there’s only one thing for it. She’s going to have to accept Jesse’s help and a place to stay.
City girl Fliss is at rock bottom but if anyone can teach her to turn her gaze from the gutter to the stars it’s Jesse Woods. She’s been burnt trusting men before, but Jesse may just be worth breaking her own rules for…
Story of My Life by Lucy Score
Hazel is given a one-two punch when she’s forced to move out of her Upper East Side apartment and is given a final warning from her publisher.
If she doesn’t turn in a book by her next deadline, they’re cutting her loose.
Hazel rashly decides to leave what’s left of her city life behind and impulse buys a house in rural Pennsylvania sight unseen. How better to entertain the loyal readers she still has and rediscover her writing mojo than immersing herself in small-town life?
Too bad this town looks to be on its last legs. At least she’s finding swoon-worthy inspiration from her hot, grumpy contractor Cam and his animal-rescuing, community-involved family. It’s all just research. What could go wrong?
Savvy Sheldon Feels Good as Hell by Taj McCoy
Savvy Sheldon knows it’s time for some renovations: her high-stress low-thanks job, her clueless boyfriend, and the falling-apart kitchen she inherited from her grandma. Starting from the outside in she tackles the kitchen, her relationship with her body, her work-life balance (or lack thereof) and, last but not least, her love life. It turns out that the contractor she hires is the same sexy stranger she unintentionally offended by judging based on appearances. And Savvy can’t seem to go anywhere without tripping over her ex and his latest “upgrade.” Maybe she should have started her renovations with how she sees herself before trying to build a love that lasts. — adapted from back cover
99 Percent Mine by Sally Thorne
… If Darcy Barrett hadn’t met her dream man when she was eight years old, the rest of the male population wouldn’t be such a let-down. No one measures up to Tom Valeska, aka the best man on Earth, not in looks, brain or heart. Even worse is the knowledge that her twin brother Jamie saw him first, and claimed him forever as his best friend.
Tom’s off limits and loyal to her brother, 99%. One percent of Tom has had to be enough for Darcy, and her adoration has been sustained by his shy kindness. And if she’s honest, his tight t-shirts.
Now Darcy’s got three months left to get her life together, before her twin insists on selling the tumble-down cottage they inherited from their grandmother. By night, she’s working in a seedy bar, shooting down lame pickups from bikers. By day, she’s sewing underwear for her best friend and wasting her award-winning photography skills on website shots of pens and novelty mugs. She’s enjoying living the messy life, and a glass of wine or ten… until that one night, when she finds a six-foot-six perfect package on her porch.
Tom’s here, he’s bearing power tools—and he’s single for the first time in a decade.
As a house flipper extraordinaire, Tom has been dispatched by Jamie to give the cottage a drastic facelift that will result in a ton of cash. Darcy doesn’t appreciate Tom’s unsentimental approach to knocking down walls, and he really, really doesn’t approve of her current burnout boyfriend. They can’t be in the same room together without sparks flying- and it’s not the faulty wiring. One bedroom wall separates them at night, and even that’s looking flimsy.
Will Tom ever see Darcy as anything other than a little-sister obstacle to get around? And can she stand up to her most formidable opponent—her twin? This time around, she’s determined to make Tom Valeska 99 percent hers, and he’s never managed to say no to her yet…
Sex, Lies and Sensibility by Nikki Payne
There’s never a good time to learn you are your father’s secret child—especially not at the reading of his will. With their father’s affairs laid bare and Nora’s sensible reputation in tatters due to a viral video scandal, she and her free-spirited sister have nothing left but a rustic inn in the middle of nowhere and each other. What’s more, they need to revamp the inn before Labor Day or they lose it all. Nora hasn’t even knocked the traveling dust off last season’s designer boots when she’s confronted with three problems:
- She really should have watched more HGTV.
- She hasn’t seen another Black person for miles.
- A tall, dark stranger has already staked a claim on their property.
Native Abenaki eco-tour guide Ennis “Bear” Freeman has seen hapless tourists come and go. When he spots two pampered city girls at his unofficial headquarters, he expects them to catch a flight out of the inhospitable coastal Maine backwoods within a week’s time. But Nora, turns out, is made of sterner stuff. And as she rolls up her sleeves to breathe new life into the inn, she unwittingly reignites a flood of emotions inside of Bear that he had very intentionally suppressed.
Their connection is electric, their desire palpable. But Bear’s silence about his mysterious past might turn out to be the one thing that sends Nora packing.
Twice Shy by Sarah Hogle
Maybell Parrish lives with her head in the clouds, which is the sensible choice because her fantasy life is wonderful. She runs a cosy coffee shop, surrounded by friends and the man of her dreams. Her real life, meanwhile, is full of painful disappointments. So, when Maybell inherits a stately old manor from her Great Aunt Violet, it’s her chance to change everything. Yet when she arrives, the house is falling apart around her, and Violet has left a list of demands as eccentric as she was. Worst of all, Maybell isn’t the only inheritor: she has to share everything with Wesley Koehler, the groundskeeper who’s as grouchy as he is gorgeous – and who has plans of his own for their shared manor. At first, Wesley seems determined to avoid speaking to Maybell completely, but soon she begins to suspect that Wesley’s scowls hide a shy, kind nature that has also found the real world a difficult place – in fact, could it be that Wesley and Maybell are better matched than even Maybell could ever have dreamed?
Love Redesigned by Lauren Asher
Meet the Lakefront Billionaires . . .
Julian
If I ever caught on fire, Dahlia Muñoz would fan the flames with a smile.
So, when she returns to Lake Wisteria, I fully intend to avoid the interior designer.
At least until my meddling mother exploits my saviour complex.
The faster I help Dahlia find her creative spark, the sooner she will leave town.
But while I was busy getting rid of Dahlia, I overlooked one potential issue.
What happens if I want her to stay?
Dahlia
People say the devil has many faces, but I know only one.
Julian Lopez – my childhood rival and family frenemy.
I vow to steer clear of him while recovering from my broken engagement, but then the billionaire makes an irresistible offer.
Renovate a historic house together and triple our profits.
Our temporary truce becomes compromised as we face years’ worth of denied attraction and mixed emotions.
Giving into our desire is inevitable . . . but falling in love?
That isn’t part of the plan.
The Second Chance Fixer Upper by Grace Worthington
Single moms don’t get second chances, right?
In Hallmark movies, yes.
In reality, doubtful.
Especially when you have a five-year-old interrupting your “alone time” with the man of your dreams.
Put your hand up if you’ve ever moved to a new place and found a wild animal loose in your attic, and your former high school sweetheart shows up, looking just as incredibly handsome as the day he kissed you?
*Puts hand up.* Just me?
Then I probably don’t need to tell you that all I can think about is how I’d like to kiss him right now. . . and that is a big NOPE.
Because I’m a single mom, and my whole life is in a state of major renovation right now. Especially since I bought a major fixer upper in the beach town where I grew up and moved in with my daughter.
I can’t fall in love. And I definitely don’t do relationships.
Not when I’m trying to wrangle a five-year-old into a pair of unicorn tights while getting ready to teach science at the local high school.
There’s no way Jack and I will get a second chance at love. He’s a confirmed bachelor who will never settle down. And I’ve got more baggage than a jumbo jet can hold.
We’re just two friends who once were in love.
Except he’s bringing back all the intense feelings I had when we were together.
Now if someone could convince my heart of how impossible this is, I’d be able to focus on my fixer upper.
The Summer House by Jenny Hale
Callie Weaver and best friend Olivia Dixon have finally done it: put their life savings into the beach house they admired through childhood summers, on the dazzling white sand of North Carolina’s Outer Banks. They’re going to buff the salt from its windows, paint its sun-bleached sidings, and open it as a bed and breakfast.
Callie’s too busy to think about her love life, but when she catches the attention of local heartthrob Luke Sullivan, his blue eyes and easy smile make it hard to say no. He’s heir to his father’s property empire, and the papers say he’s just another playboy, but as they laugh in the ocean waves, Callie realizes there’s more to this man than money and good looks.
Just when true happiness seems within reach, Callie and Olivia find a diary full of secrets… secrets that stretch across the island, and have the power to turn lives upside down. As Callie reads, she unravels a mystery that makes her heart drop through the floor.
Will Callie and Luke be pulled apart by the storm it unleashes, or can true love save them?
A Good Man by Rosanna Leo
Contractor Michael Zorn is one of the leading men on the successful home improvement show Handymen. He is also revered for an act of bravery he’d rather forget. The press may hound him, but all he really wants is to help couples realize their home renovation dreams.
One of these couples is Emily Daniels and her fiancé, Trent. When Emily inherits an old home in Toronto’s Little Italy, she sees it as the perfect location for her small business. The house needs a lot of work, but her appearance on the Handymen show means Michael and his contractor brothers will help her renovate at a reasonable cost.
When Michael and Emily meet, their chemistry is intense. Emily wants to stay true to Trent, but her fiancé has done nothing but disappoint her. Michael recognizes Trent for what he is—a cheater. And it isn’t long before he breaks Emily’s heart.
At first, Michael only intends to comfort Emily, but their friendship soon flares into passion. Unfortunately, Michael has secrets and wounds of his own, ones he has never trusted to another. Emily is determined to break down his walls, but can she trust her heart to a man who can’t trust himself?
