This was gave the not-good feelings. I didn't like the fact that we knew or FMC was being low-key stalked by the MMC. This took the miscommunication/lies of omission angle too far for me. I think the found family angle could have been the better focal point for this one.

I received an advance copy in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

A good exploration of found family and learning to stand on your own two feet. I liked the house and the friendships even more than the romance. Imagining the purple house and what it would look like was my favourite part.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

The characters in this story felt very life-like as did the plot. They were likeable and flawed and real. Highly recommend

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately I dnf'ed this book at 9%. I thought the summary would be right up my alley, but I just couldn't get on with the writing style.

Cute magical found family story. If you can get past the slow writing then you will enjoy it.

You have to ignore the stalking.

I don't know what I was expecting from this book, but this was almost tooooo hokey. As someone who absolutely ADORED The Very Secret Society of Irregular Witches, I was hoping for something that kind of felt the same as that. Instead... everything felt way too cheesy and out of place.

There were. too many moments that felt like a character turning to face the camera to tell us "homophobia/transphobia is BAD" or "you don't need to love your biological family if they don't love you back". Like yes, these are all true statements but we should just be able to pick up on that from the storytelling rather than have several scenes dedicated to talking about that and detracting from the main romantic storyline.

I also didn't particularly enjoy any of the main cast of characters, which is sad because I could tell that Aguirre was really trying to give them fun personalities. But they just didn't click.

This book gets a 3 from me because even though I didn't like it much, it still was fine. Nothing wrong with it!

From the summary and title of this book it sounded right up my alley! I absolutely adore found family stories of any kind which this book is flooded with. As a rom-com with a touch of paranormal/supernatural this book has just enough whimsy and magic to it while still being seated in a very real reality. Iris is struggling to find her way and drowning in debt and anxiety when she inherits her the house that would change everything. From finding new family in her housemates to finding love in a long-forgotten connection she comes in to her own and flourishes.

I think this was a pretty fun read. The character's are decently flawed but full of heart and it progresses and wraps up smoothly for a stand alone.

First of all, the narrator does a pretty good job. The characters felt distinguishable from each other and her voice was easy to hear.

This is a sweet read with a lovely beta hero and a kind heroine who gathers people around her. I didn’t read the reviews first… just dived in. I expected a romance with some found family vibes. And that's what I got for the first 1/3-1/2 of the book. And then it went downhill with WAY TOO MANY DETAILS!

This book has so many elements and plots. This is supposedly a romance, but the other stuff gets in the way and the romance gets put in the back seat. It could have been so lovely, but we hardly get any romance in the midst of this. For some, this might work… but I wanted romance and it’s super slim.

another book down yayyyyy! honestly this book is soooooo speak now codes, especially long live but also last kiss and back to december with maybe some parallels to dear john, you get me. now i must say, i didn’t really care for the romance BUT the found family was amazing and i loved the character’s dynamics. not gonna lie, eli was a little creepy with the whole stalking/lying bit and their chemistry was fine but nothing outstanding either. also want to point out that the whole paranormal aspect was just forgotten? you’d be reminded at times that eli could shift and that witches existed but i was expecting more magic. it was also pretty interesting how the author basically wrote magic folks like the queer community, especially in how they are perceived by some people and this is further shown with the almost all queer cast of characters (so wholesome to see older queer people) and we even have a Karen (she’s technically a susan but you know, same thing). this is the perfect book to cuddle under a blanket with on a rainy day with a hot drink. 4⭐️

Fantasy | 16-Adult
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I’ve discussed before about the challenge of transitioning from YA to adult books; this is an excellent recommendation for teens as well as adult readers. I loved this sweet romance, and it came at the perfect time, when I needed a mental distraction. I couldn’t wait to get back to the story, and didn’t want it to end. That’s a great sign, and doesn’t happen as often as it used to, thanks to my own distracted self. The premise is simple – Iris Collins is the black sheep of her family, never succeeding at her endeavours and always disappointing her demanding parents. She is couch surfing with friends and owes them two months’ rent; her credit cards are maxed out, and her online jewelry business is costing more than it generates. She’s saved when her Great-Aunt Gertie mysteriously leaves her a house – a run-down Victorian with enough bedrooms that she decides to open a rooming house, and starts renting spaces. How she collects people who need a home, and creates a family of supportive, welcoming, and joyful people of all genders and sexualities is a sweet delight. Her first roomie is Eli, a childhood classmate she doesn’t remember, but who has never forgotten her and how she stood up to bullies on his behalf. Several readers have referred to him as a stalker, but that’s just nonsense. We’ve all looked up former classmates and romantic interests to see how they are doing, and keep up with their doings. That’s not a stalker, and you all need to understand the difference. What surprised me about the book was the magical element. I’m generally not into fantasy, but this was so well done, and could perhaps serve as a example for our own world on how to be inclusive and accepting. And the cover! Swoon…. It’s the fourth in a series but I didn’t know that till I’d finished; it easily reads as a standalone novel. My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the digital reading copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
More discussion and reviews of this novel: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63103712

Hey there! I just finished reading 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝑷𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝑯𝒐𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝑻𝒐𝒘𝒏 by 𝐀𝐧𝐧 𝐀𝐠𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞, and I have to share this positive and heartwarming read with you. It's a story about a rundown purple house, the lonely young woman who inherited it, and the lovely found family that seem to gravitate toward her. The world-building in this one was fun, unique, and interesting, and the quirky characters were totally lovable. Despite the strife and struggles in the story, I still couldn't help but feel warm and fuzzy inside while reading it. It was such an uplifting story. Iris and Eli were just the cutest couple ever. They went from being strangers to roommates to good friends. Their slow-burn attraction was perfect, and I couldn't wait for them to finally find their way to each other. I enjoyed the determination of the characters, especially Iris. She was an inspiring FMC. She never gave up on herself, even when things got tough.⁠

What's more, the LGBTQIA+ representation is refreshing and beautifully done, with no unnecessary drama or debates. The characters were happy just living their lives, coexisting, and helping each other, which was lovely. This book was a phenomenal read. I wholeheartedly recommend this book if you're in the mood for something uplifting and heartwarming. It's a sweet found family romance with a touch of magic that you won't want to miss!⁠
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A special thanks to NetGalley, and Sourcebooks Casablanca, for an eARC of this excellent book.

A pretty cute rom-com that I think many readers will enjoy. The pacing felt a bit off in the second half and I did find the love interest to be more creepy than charming. However, I do think rom-com fans will enjoy this.

The coziest romcom. I feel like every book that is cozy fantasy is sold as Gilmore Girls meets Practical Magic but this one really is I promise. For a fourth in a series, it was so simple to jump into. The world is wonderful.

This is a wholesome romance, with no spice. Make sure you’re aware of that before going in because a lot of people tend to see the cartoonish covers and still expect to see spice. It is cozy, which isn’t always my favorite, but does feature diverse character, has the found family trope, and LGBTQIA+ representation. Eli is also a borederline stalker, which I can get with when it’s a dark romance, but can feel icky when the book is marketed as cozy and wholesome - which it is in every other aspect.

This book is so good! A lovable cast of misfits! These characters touched my heart without making me sad. The world is so fun and interesting.

The MMC gives golden retriever vibes while being a romcom version of a stalker.

Amazon review is still under review sent my profile so you can see it once it’s approved.

The Only Purple House in Town by Ann Aquire
Paranormal romance. Fix-it Witches series #4. Can be read as a stand-alone.
Iris Collins doesn’t feel like she fits in with her family and her current roommate situation is no better. The news that she has inherited a house from a distinct relative is the perfect time to start over and get her own jewelry making shop started. Iris moves into the huge purple house with gingerbread trim and starts looking for roommates.
Eli Reese believes moving into Iris’s house is the perfect opportunity to thank her changing his life all those years ago. If he can help her now, he will think of it as fate. Spending time with her has his feeling deepening and he realizes he needs to come clean about their history, his job and the fact that he’s a hawk shifter.

🎧 I read an ecopy of this book and followed up with an audiobook. The narrator is Carly Robins and the performance is wonderfully done with distinct voices for Iris, Eli, Sally, Henry Dale, and others. The narration makes clear the careful steps Eli takes with Iris, the gruffness of Henry Dale and Sally’s exuberance. Emotions are clear and timing is well done. This narrator has an extensive catalog and it’s clear with this book that experience lends to an audiobook preference over reading.
I listened to this at 1.5 which is my preferred timing.

“When Iris smiled, stars might as well be twinkling in her gray eyes. He lost his breath a bit.”
Eli is a bit timid with Iris but so adorable in his wanting to help make her life better. When the home group teams up, it’s clear they are now a family. The paranormal twist for Iris is a bonus which brings joy and satisfaction.
3.5

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.

I had previously enjoyed Aguire’s novel Witch Please, the first in her Fix-It Witch Series. Although The Only Purple House in Town is set in the same world as Fix-It Witch, the central couple have other supernatural lineage.

Iris Collins was raised by a family of psychic vampires, but believes she lacks any special abilities herself. Eli Reese has made a small fortune creating popular apps, but a late bloomer, most days he’d rather shift and fly free in his avian form then interact with other people. Eli and Iris met briefly in their youth before Eli moved away, but they bump into each other again as adults while Eli is fixing up his grandmother’s house for sale and Iris just inherited a purple Victorian, which she is renting to make ends meet. Sparks fly when Eli moves in; it seems Iris just might discover her hidden self and Eli might find a reason to stay in human form.

They are joined in the restoring the old purple Victorian by several quirky humans and one witchy roommate. Although the core couple are straight, several LGBTQ characters are also featured and the growing suspicions and hatred towards the supernatural community seem paralleled to the rise of prejudice in our own society giving the book a timeliness. A meddlesome neighbor adds some drama and Eli and Iris have a few early misunderstandings to overcome but this low stakes cozy supernatural romance will make an enjoyable beach read. This gentle read will appeal to fans of TJ Klune’s novels.

I received a copy of The Only Purple House in Town from Netgalley and the publisher in order to provide an honest review.

Oh gosh, it has been a long time since I read a book that I couldn’t wait for it to be over. I so badly wanted to love this book but it needed a new round with beta readers and editors. TOPHIT has about 20 storylines happening at once, none of them exciting or well-flushed out enough to keep the readers interest. It gets so repetitive, predictable, then adds another storyline.
Sadly I clearly didn’t love it.

This is definitely not my preferred genre. Or I just didn’t care for the writing style. The plot was a hot mess, and not in a good way. Stalking, right off the bat, in a contemporary romance novel? Not my cup of tea.

The point of view was confusing at times, because it switches from third person dual POV to random first person italicized fonts. It messed up the flow of the story for me.

This is a cute paranormal romance. Iris is a “chaos bunny” and loses her job. She inherits her great-aunts house and decides to live in it and rent out rooms. She’s not close to her family, they’re completely different.

Eli knew Iris in elementary school where she in while he was being bullied and he’s had a crush on her ever since. He’s now a wealthy app developer but when he finds out she is renting out rooms he can’t resist and moves in.

Oh, and Iris’ family, Eli, and half the people in her town have paranormal powers. All of this makes for an entertaining read that I enjoyed, 4 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.