THE FIXER UPPER - Mary Kay Andrews, narr Isabel Keating

From the back of the BOCD: The delightful New York Times bestselling author returns with a hilarious novel about one woman's quest to fix up her house...and her life...

After a political scandal, fledgling lobbyist Dempsey Jo Killebrew is left almost broke, unemployed, and homeless. She reluctantly accepts to refurbish Birdsong, the old family place in Guthrie, Georgia .

But, oh, is Dempsey in for a surprise. "Bird Droppings" would more aptly describe the moldering Pepto Bismol-pink dump. There's also a murderously grumpy old lady who has claimed squatter's rights and isn't moving out. Ever.

Furthermore, everyone is Guthrie seems to know Dempsey's business, from a smooth-talking real-estate agent to a cute former lawyer who owns the local newspaper. It wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the pesky FBI agents who show up on Dempsey's doorstep, hoping to pry information about her ex-boss from her.

All Dempsey can do is roll up her sleeves and get to work. And before long, what started as a job of necessity somehow becomes a labor of love and, ultimately, a journey that takes her to a place she never expected---back home again.

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There were times in the beginning and sometimes in the middle of the book where I wanted to reach in and smack Dempsey upside the back of the cranium for her naivete and lack of gumption, especially when it came to how she let her ex-boss and her father try to run her over.

But when Dempsey got her fire back...watch out! It was a sight to behold and I cheered.

It was a slow rather steady process of Dempsey getting her life back on track. Starting with the renovation of Birdsong. She took one step at a time, realized what she could and couldn't do or afford for the house. Along the way, Dempsey also learned that she was more than someone's daughter or fired underling. She learned from her contractor that she was capable of sanding cabinets and floors, painting walls, stripping wallpaper, and all that fun jazz.

She also found gumption in dealing with Ella Kate, the grumpy squatter in Birdsong. Of all the characters in the book, Ella Kate was my favorite. She didn't take any crap, but she did take furniture...

Anyway, once Dempsey found and got her intestestinal fortitude...she ROCKED!! There were some definite cheering going on from me, especially in some of the scenes towards the end of the book.

Five the girl found her rockin' fortitude beans.....