Book Review: The Love Fix by Jill Shalvis

She doesn't believe in love or Happily Ever Afters—until a road trip changes everything.

Welcome back to Sunrise Cove for this heartwarming enemies-to-lovers tale where found family, forgiveness, and love may just be the key to finding yourself.

Title: The Love Fix by Jill Shalvis
Series: Sunrise Cove #8
Release Date: June 24, 2025
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
ARC provided by: NetGalley
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My Review

Some books sneak up on you when you least expect it, and The Love Fix by Jill Shalvis is absolutely one of those books. I thought I knew what I was getting into with this enemies-to-lovers road trip romance, but Shalvis delivered something deeper and more emotionally satisfying than I anticipated.

Lexi Clark is the kind of heroine I immediately connected with - she's successful, guarded, and absolutely convinced that love is just a fairy tale people tell themselves. When she's forced to return to Sunrise Cove to help fulfill her late mother's final wishes, she's prepared for awkwardness with her half-sister Ashley. What she's not prepared for is being stuck on a cross-country road trip with Heath Bowman, her childhood nemesis who's grown up to be annoyingly attractive and frustratingly understanding.

What makes this story so compelling is how Ashley serves as both catalyst and emotional mirror for Lexi. While Lexi carries deep scars from their mother's gambling addiction and broken promises, Ashley was raised by a stepmother and experienced a completely different version of their mom - one filled with warmth and love. Ashley's unwavering optimism and determination to honor their mother's final wishes forces Lexi to confront the possibility that there might be more than one truth to their family story.

The premise could have been just another cute romance, but Shalvis weaves in themes of family forgiveness, gambling addiction, and the messy reality of making amends that give this story real emotional weight. The dynamic between the three characters creates this beautiful tension - Ashley represents hope and forgiveness, Lexi embodies self-protection and cynicism, while Heath bridges the gap between them with patience and understanding. Lexi's relationship with her gambling-addicted mother is handled with such nuance - there's anger, grief, love, and resentment all tangled together in a way that felt incredibly authentic.

Heath absolutely stole my heart as the male lead. He's patient without being a pushover, understanding without excusing Lexi's walls, and sexy without being over-the-top alpha. The way he sees through Lexi's defenses and calls her on her self-protective behaviors feels genuine rather than controlling. Their banter is sharp and funny, but it's the quieter moments where they really shine as a couple.

The road trip format gives Shalvis the perfect excuse to explore both character development and relationship building. Each stop on their journey to repay her mother's debts becomes a mini-lesson in forgiveness, acceptance, and what family really means. Some of these encounters had me laughing out loud, while others left me reaching for tissues.

If I'm being completely honest, the only thing that kept this from being a full five-star read was some pacing in the middle section that felt slightly rushed. I wanted more time with some of the people they encountered, and there was one conflict that resolved a bit too easily for my taste. But these are minor quibbles with what is otherwise a beautifully crafted romance.

Shalvis has this gift for creating small-town settings that feel like home and characters who feel like people you'd actually want to spend time with. The Love Fix proves once again why she's at the top of the contemporary romance game.

📅 Mark Your Calendars!

June 24, 2025

This one is going to be worth the wait! I can't wait for this to hit shelves so I can gush about it with everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Character Spotlight

Lexi Clark: A successful art appraiser with serious trust issues and walls built higher than Fort Knox. Her journey from cynical and guarded to open and vulnerable is beautifully written. She's prickly and defensive, but underneath all that armor is someone who's been hurt too many times and is terrified of letting anyone close enough to hurt her again.

Heath Bowman: The perfect hero for Lexi - patient, understanding, and persistent without being pushy. He's the estate executor helping with her mother's final wishes, but more importantly, he's the one person who remembers the real Lexi from before life taught her to build walls. His quiet strength and unwavering support make him absolutely swoon-worthy.

Ashley: Lexi's vibrant half-sister who represents everything Lexi struggles to believe in - hope, forgiveness, and unconditional love. While Lexi experienced their mother's gambling addiction and broken promises, Ashley was raised by a stepmother and saw a completely different version of their mom. This creates a fascinating dynamic where Ashley remembers warmth and love while Lexi carries scars and resentment. Ashley's unwavering optimism and determination to honor their mother's final wishes forces Lexi to confront her own pain and consider that maybe there's more than one truth to their family story.

Favorite Quotes

"Sometimes the very thing you're running from is the thing you need most."

"Love isn't about finding someone perfect. It's about finding someone worth fighting for, even when they drive you absolutely crazy."

"Home isn't a place. It's the people who see all your broken pieces and love you anyway."

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Join the Conversation

Have you read The Love Fix? What did you think of Lexi and Heath's romance? Do you love a good enemies-to-lovers road trip story? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!

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