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KIP:

Rule one of hiring a handyman: don’t fall in love with him.

My new house needs some renovations, and I’ve got my eye on Ted. He’s a contractor from my support group with a hands-on approach and a million-dollar smile, and I’m thrilled when he agrees to help. As it turns out, this renovation isn’t the only thing he’s got in hand.

Every time he’s around, I go weak in the knees. But I can’t let just anyone into my life—I have a daughter to think about, and family always comes first. If Ted can respect that, then I might let him put his hands on more than just my house.

Ted may be the perfect guy for the job, but falling for him wasn’t in the contract.

TED:

If this professor wants to get his hands dirty, I’ll help him roll up his sleeves.

Kip’s full of passion, but he’s pouring it all into this old home. It needs a miracle restoration over the summer, and I know I’m the man for the job. It’s not just his house that needs a makeover—his love life is just begging to be touched up, and I’m putting in a bid.

He’s not a craftsman, but he wants to help with the work, so I’ll just have to guide his hands. Luckily Kip is a fast learner. I’m restoring the entire house, but I can’t take my mind off his bedroom. He’s cautious, but for good reason, and I’ll have to prove myself if I want in.

I’ll give him a house to be proud of, and I’ll help him warm it up.

This is the second book in the Fairview Single Dads series. It can be enjoyed as a standalone with no cliffhanger. Readers can expect a spicy MM romance with several steamy scenes.

168 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 29, 2019

252 people are currently reading
144 people want to read

About the author

Jason Collins

107 books530 followers

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5 stars
174 (41%)
4 stars
149 (35%)
3 stars
70 (16%)
2 stars
17 (4%)
1 star
7 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
Profile Image for Len Evans Jr.
1,503 reviews225 followers
October 9, 2019
In all most every way this is a typical Jason Collins book, something that I almost always loved every time. This love story is quite excellent and something I would love reading and plan to do so again as soon as I get out of this funky reading slump.
Profile Image for Denise H..
3,247 reviews271 followers
February 1, 2020
Two guys finding their needs met perfectly !

Muscled construction guy, Ted, loves to work on renovations, especially old Victorian homes. Kip is a nerd, a History teacher, raising his teen daughter, Elisa, with shared custody with his ex, Jerry. She is going to spend the summer with Jerry, while Kip fixes up their new house. A friend recommends Tad to help with the work. The men strike a deal, and Kip is learning repairs from Tad.
Straight Tad is confused at first, but he is definitely interested in lively Kip. Their first kisses lead to more, with Tad’s first M/M sexual experiences. They are head over heels quickly. Our author gives us fresh phrasing for their encounters, and it’s a GFY delight to see Tad eager and exceptionally good at it.
The wonderful story has a twist with Tad’s ex, Heather, plus we see Kip panic over his daughter’s injury.
We get the deep inner thoughts of our men, and we like them both, especially our open-minded hetero-guy embracing his new desires.
Jason Collins treats us to some fun, and incredible romantic scenes, including super hot sex, witty banter, plus loving emotions to satisfy us.
Highly recommended.
Enjoy !


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1,787 reviews26 followers
October 10, 2019
So...It's Complicated

Completely different from the first book in this series. This one involves Kip, a nerdy but attractive professor raising a 13-year-old daughter and Ted, a divorced contractor (on the cover) with no children. Ted is recommended by a member of Kip's single dad's support group to evaluate the renovation challenges Kip will face in his newly purchased, but crumbling, Victorian home.

Kip is gay and his divorce from his ex-husband complicates his life since their daughter spends time with the latter away from their home in Portland, Oregon, in the summers, and Kip is more controlling than his ex. Ted is straight but his marriage turns out to have been a fantasy for him and his exceedingly wealthy and socially active ex-wife.

We find all this out in the middle of the book after Kip and Ted have become "involved," not only as partners in renovations but also partners in bed and other places, some of which don't involve laying down.

The problem with both Kip and Ted is that they are insufferably non-communicative when it comes to expressing the feelings they have for each other than the feelings that they get when they touch each other.

Along the way your eyebrows will be raised and your hopes will rise and fall that they will get their brains out of their rear ends. The way this happens is totally illogical but entertaining and left me wondering what author Collins has in store in the next part of the series.
Profile Image for Katharina.
630 reviews24 followers
April 14, 2022
Absolutely not for me.

Around the fifth time, someone (usually Kip) softly giggled, I was done. My 4-year-old daughter giggles. I might giggle when I'm really, really drunk. But otherwise, grown-ups that giggle have no place in my life. I'm sorry. There are tons of other words that can be used to convey something mirth-like (smile, laugh, grin, cackle, smirk, beam, chuckle, guffaw, snicker, howl, chortle, crow, etc.). Giggling on grown-ups seems either childish or coy and fake, and it's one of the unsexiest things I can imagine related to something happy.

Kip, in general, does not seem like a "professor" at all (and I know a lot of professors through my work in all sorts of variety). At the point of death for me (somewhere around the 25% mark), he's more of a simpering himbo, really, that puts a little to much credit on his intelligence to be actually intelligent.

If stuff like that doesn't bother you, go ahead. It sure as shit bothers me.
Profile Image for isthisakink.
1,226 reviews23 followers
December 30, 2022
“Man”…

I just.. Well… This book is definitely a thing that happened. Why did I read book two after I basically decimated book one with my review? Because I just so happened to see a review for this book that floored me and forced me to try again. I’m a glutton for punishment, obviously. I knew it wouldn’t be any better.. I KNEW THIS, and yet I still soldiered on. I have so many questions: What is the author’s actual life like? Where does the author get their ideas from? Is this based on actual life experiences or just fantasies, and if it’s the latter, why on EARTH would you want to fantasize like this?! Who is the editing team? Who were the alpha/beta/arc readers? Where is the continuity? Where’s the finished manuscript and why wasn’t it the thing that got published? Why is this series called the Fairview Single Dads Club when they live in Portland? Where are the kids? Where are the members of said club? Why are the spicy scenes painful? WHERE. IS. THE. CONTINUITY?! Someone.. ANYONE.. Please. Please make this make sense. Tell me what I’m missing that makes this series of books readable. I want to understand and I think at this point I NEED to, honestly. How did this happen when the first standalone I read is what made me pick up another title by this author in the first place? Why would anyone let this out into the world when it CLEARLY needs so much work? Have standards really changed this much? I know I don’t edit on a corporate level anymore, but even as a freelancer, I have more pride in my work than this. As for the review I saw that made me continue on with book two, I think maybe saying that you’re an English major is a stretch if you genuinely believe that this book was clean and clear as far as grammar and formatting are concerned. I feel so bad that this is another scathing review on the same series and author, but for lack of a better way to say it, sometimes it just be like that. It’s becoming a train wreck that I cannot look away from. I will probably read book three just to see how much more insane it can get. Like I said, I’m a glutton for punishment and I DO tend to get bored easily… “man”. 😐😬
1,550 reviews11 followers
October 1, 2019
Another great story from Jason Collins in the Single Dads group. A gay for you story where Kip, a history professor who bought a Victorian house in dire need of renovations, hires Ted, an independent contractor to help ihim to work on the house.
They’re both instantly attracted to each other, and whereas Ted has no qualms acknowledging his first attraction to a man, Kip is a bit more reticent to let go having been burned in the past.
The steaminess is off the charts as you expect from this author.
The only thing that lefts me a bit baffled is: dude… communicate! I mean, what’s with this men and assuming instead of talking to each other???
But, apart from that, another great read, and I hope to read more in the series soon!
Profile Image for Katie Townsend.
1,274 reviews20 followers
September 30, 2019
Fixer upper was such a incredible and beautiful story i loved it

Every word had me hooked from beginning to end

The characters and the storyline was just perfect
5,704 reviews39 followers
October 1, 2019
sweet sexy and fun.. it is a cute series and i am enjoying it. very good story and writing. characters are fun and i like it
Profile Image for Theodore.
982 reviews16 followers
July 25, 2025
DNF @ 32%

I thought there was some promise on how the start went. Having Kip daydream the standard romance trope as he looked at Ted in the hardware store would've been the perfect opportunity to subvert it by having Ted be antagonistic. It was slightly disappointing when Ted did help Kip, but at least they didn't bone right then and there. Unfortunately, the attraction and sex come much too quickly for me to truly believe that these two had made a strong enough connection for that.

I get being friendly, but Kip and Ted were much too comfortable with each other their first day working on the house. I mean day two, Kip already says "He looked at me differently than usual" as though "usual" had already been defined in the single day they'd spent together. Then the next couple of mornings they're chatting it up as if the past couple of days had been months and that them having breakfast together was some sort of timeworn tradition.

Those conversations would've been fine if motnhshad actually passed, but having them happen in the span of a single week was much too instalovey for my tastes.

Sex at 30% was where I lost interest. I don't want to read conflict free stories where nothing stands between the MCs getting together and this story provided nothing with regards to any actual conflict that would do that.
8 reviews
April 27, 2020
This is the 2nd book in the series I have read. The story was OK but I see the author has a formula that carries from one book to another. The style of writing of telling it by the 2 main characters perspective, while can be refreshing, gets to be a little annoying after a while. It seems the make the story flow "choppy" as when something starts building and starts moving, it stops and has to start over. That just makes the story seem like it will never get anywhere. Part of the formula is the one character has some issue and it comes between the two, then they make up and have their happily ever after. Another thing that seems to be part of the formula that is same as the first book is how the gay man and straight man have sex. More of a one way street, no real reciprocation. I will probably read the third book eventually.
1,395 reviews21 followers
November 9, 2022
Good follow up story

This was an interesting because I was expecting something entirely different. The chemistry between Kip and Ted wasn't expected by me. The steam that's generated between them is great!
Profile Image for Leo.
926 reviews16 followers
October 30, 2023
3.5☆

Un poco lento pero una lectura agradable aaaaaaunque odiando la aparición de Heather maldita ex entrometida... ella es agradable pero me que molesto que Kip y Ted no pudieran estar solo porque los acompaña a todo lado
18 reviews
October 19, 2020
Not as good as Dads with Benefits

The start was very slow and I almost have up on this book.
However, the second half of the book improved slightly.
2 reviews
August 29, 2021
Unequal relationship

Can't believe Ted never have a blowing to Kip! What was in his head? A bit more realistic please! Otherwise, very sweet!



Profile Image for Melissa.
1,944 reviews3 followers
October 23, 2021
Good

I like this series. It is a little fun and sexy let's not forget small drama. Needs to include other characters other than the main ones.. Good series
740 reviews5 followers
December 18, 2021
Great Book

I am so enjoying this series, can't wait to see what happens next. Thank you for your hard work, sir.
Profile Image for Jesus.
455 reviews
February 7, 2020
Good story.

I loved this story. Ted and kip made an awesome love story. I just wished the beginning of their relationship wasn't too force. Didn't lead anything to build up for. I wish their argument was so easily fix. Overall good.
Profile Image for Papie.
884 reviews185 followers
February 9, 2020
Cute low angst sexy story. 3.5 stars.
Profile Image for Julianne Macneil.
3,698 reviews28 followers
October 2, 2019
i read this book as part of an arc program. This is the second book in the Fairview Single Dads series. In this book, Kip is a single father to a thirteen year old daughter Elisa and she is going to be spending the summer with his ex Jerry. Kip is a professor at the local college and he has bought an old victorian house he wants to fix up. Kip wanted to do the work himself to the house, but he soon realized he needed help, so one of the dads in the group told him about Ted, the contractor he used. Ted went to Kip's house and was surprised to see the man he saw at the hardware store recently. Ted is divorced and he always wanted to fix up an old victorian house. Kip agreed to Ted's estimate and asked if he could help. They soon settled into a routine working together and Kip was trying to keep his attraction to Ted under control. Ted was straight and Kip knew he was not interested in him, but Ted was surprised that the more time he spent with Kip, the more he was attracted to him. Ted knew if anything was going to happen, he would have to make a move. Soone the two were having a great time working on the house together and getting closer, until Ted's ex-wife showed up and became their third wheel. I really enjoyed this book. I loved Kip and Ted together. I think Kip was so accepting of Heather and knew she needed help. I love how Ted tried to get rid of her, but Kip had a soft spot. This was another great book from Jason that has a lot of heat. Well done.
Profile Image for Shelley Chastagner.
2,731 reviews38 followers
October 1, 2019
Kip is a long-time single dad to his thirteen-year-old daughter. I had to laugh at his exuberance in remodeling a grand Victorian in three-months. His dreams are met with the reality and Ted comes to the rescue. Ted’s shocked by his attraction to Kip. I liked that he doesn’t freak out or deny it to himself or anyone else. His ex-wife plays the part of third-wheel but doesn’t cause problems (much) or overtake the story. Kip’s ex-husband is busy being the ‘fun guy’ and leaving the real work of parenting to Kip. I was wishing we had a bit more of a resolution to his screw-up with their daughter but it was just the mom in me wanting to smack him good probably. When things seem to fall apart, I wanted to shake both Kip and Ted. I did like that once they took the step to talk that they forgave easily. There wasn’t any finger-pointing or hanging onto resentment. The ending made me smile and I hope we get to see the culmination of their commitment soon.
Profile Image for Reed.
1,205 reviews21 followers
October 5, 2019
I really enjoyed this story. It brought out so many different personality types. Not only is it a romance but it shows how people learn to deal with each other. Ted and Kip are attracted to each other. They are totally different type guys. Kip with the career in education and Ted who has gone from a business owner to a contract contractor. Yet they find a common interest that gives them the opportunity to get to know each other. Kip who is gay and Ted who has never been with a man before. It shows how they interact on a daily basis and how they deal with problems that arise. Kip is a single dad and Ted isn’t sure he wants kids. Kip and Ted both deal with ex’s. These characters are so real and their situations so possible that I was drawn to keep reading to find out the outcome just as I would a neighbor. This author has the ability to totally draw me into the story. It is emotional and the sex is hot. I love this series and can’t wait for the next story.

Profile Image for Leslie Sanchez.
1,774 reviews2 followers
September 30, 2019
I am really enjoying the Fairview Single Dads series. I liked this one quite a bit more than the first and I really liked it. This one had me going from the beginning. I liked Ted and Kip together and the fact there was not really any turmoil in the beginning was wonderful. Heather cracked me up! Kip could tell why their marriage didn't work out and he ended up taking her under his wing too. I think their interactions with Heather were some of my favorite parts. Even though he didn't have kids Ted had a better understanding if Elisa's feelings than her dad, Kip. I can't wait until the next dad comes around. I requested an advanced reader copy and am under no obligation to leave this review.
34 reviews
October 21, 2019
Fixer Up was an awesome story. The storyline followed a great course nearly from the beginning. In fact, I enjoyed how the story came together past the first chapter; it felt more like a journey with a couple, their story on how they came to be. It was late in the book that the climax came to be, which quickly resolved itself. There was plenty of very hot, realistic scenes. The ending was a bit disappointing for it felt like an abrupt halt to a great story.

I found one issue hard to understand. When both guys got back together I would have expected the author, Jason Collins, to have ditched the need for a condom and allowed both men to know they were tested and safe, and therefore capable of truly enjoying each other intimately.

I definitely recommend this book!
8 reviews
January 18, 2020
Enjoyable but....

In the end I did enjoy reading Fixer Upper. My problem was the realization from Ted (straight) who all of a sudden has this horny emotion to make it with gay Professor Kip. Too quick for me. I also read book 2 immediately after book 1 and maybe I needed a bit of a break between the similar storylines. Looking forward to #3 but I am waiting a while to start.
Profile Image for Silvia.
1,217 reviews
October 4, 2019
Every time I read a book by this author I come away walking on cloud 9. I’m in love with the 2 main characters. Kip is a professor and a single dad who buys a run down Victorian house. He hires Ted, who comes highly recommend from a member of the Single Dads group, to restore it. By the way, Ted is straight, say what? So things get very interesting to say the least.

Even though I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book, my next stop is 1-click. I love supporting authors whose books I enjoy reading. I love this book. I love this author and look forward to reading more, more, and more from the king of feel good romance.
Profile Image for Dixiecowgirl.
1,437 reviews25 followers
October 5, 2019
Love of Victorian houses, friendship, love and family. This was such an enjoyable read and i fell in love with the house and the men. The writing was good and the story-line was engaging.  I enjoyed how well done the characters were. i really enjoy the Single Dad's group and how they support each other.  

  Kip and Ted are so enjoyable together.  They are steamy, funny, sweet and just flat out special.  I found it interesting how each man was rebuilding their lives and getting over the debris of a past relationship.  These guys are so different, yet they fit so well.

This is book two of the Fairview Single Dads series and it can be read as a stand-alone book.  
Profile Image for DENICE.
1,383 reviews5 followers
October 2, 2019
A REVEALING AND ENLIGHTENING STORY

A surprising revelation of one man realizing that he’s gay/bi-sexual while believing that he was straight. I liked the way Ted got his head on straight only to let a moment mess it up even though his feelings never changed. In the end, I was surprised and enlightened as to why Kip acted the way he did. Understanding, love and devotion are displayed throughout the story along with uncertainty and frustration.

I received this audio book for free and am giving my honest and voluntary review
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews

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