The Only Purple House in Town is a part of the Fix-It Witches series, but can be read as a standalone.

I loved how the narrators were able to bring this story to life.

This is a romance novel but it is also a found family novel. I loved how Iris created a wonderful family with a bunch of misfits. While finding a family Iris and Eli also fell in love. This story was exactly what I needed and I didn’t even know it.

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for this audiobook. This is my honest voluntary review.

3.5 stars

I'm having a great time reading these books that mix fantasy into our regular world so well. The witches who can work on technology, psychic vampires that use their careers to feed on their client's emotions, and shapeshifters that casually go for a flight to stretch their wings. I think this series is a lot of fun and reading around autumn is perfect.

The core of this story is found family, one of my favorite tropes to read about. Iris needs roommates in the house she inherited if she's going to afford to keep it and ends up collecting an eclectic group of people. I liked each of the side characters and also loved how much LGBTQ+ representation there was. The group really came together to support each other and made my heart happy.

Iris is sweet, but sometimes I thought she was immature for her age. Being in as much debt as she was killed me and I think she was trying to find an easy solution for paying her bills. She also seemed to not do any research about anything and then was surprised when things cost more than she thought or there was more to renovating than she realized.

The last quarter had a couple things I didn't like. I won't spoil it, but I think Iris handled some things poorly and the lack of communication felt silly. Still, I enjoyed this story overall and would happily read another book set in this world.

❤️❤️ out 5
I think if I hadn’t been listening to this in audio and on the road for a couple of hours with no other audiobooks loaded I probably would have DNF’d. I hate to be so brutal but honestly this book was absolutely boring. The only somewhat exciting thing that happened, happened right towards the end so there didn’t feel like anything to really stick around for.

Then there was the romance…… what romance? I was kept waiting for THE FIRST KISS until 70% in and then get this….. at 95% it was fade to black. Was this actually supposed to be marketed as a romance? Because it felt way more chick lit to me and I didn’t even understand how the characters even developed feelings for each other.

This one was really hard for me to get through. If it wasn't for the audiobook (Which was good, btw) I probably would have DNF'd it.

The cover is so pretty and I wanted to like it so much. But life is too short to overthink stories you don't love so alas, onto the next.

I've given it enough time to leave this review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced listener copy of The Only Purple House in Town. This is my honest review.

The Only Purple House in Town by Ann Aguirre is a cozy urban fantasy romance book that follows a down-on-her-luck jewelry maker looking for some stability. When Iris Collins receives the news that her aunt left her everything including her house in her will she feels like she finally has a chance to get ahead of her life instead of always falling behind. As the only non-magical child in a family of high-performing energy vampires, Iris had always felt out of place. But when she moves into her new home and begins to rent out some of the rooms to renters in search of a reasonably priced place to live, she creates a community for the first time. One of those renters is Eli Reese, a man who grew from a nerdy kid into a tech millionaire. When Iris moves into town, Eli finally has a chance to get back in touch with the girl who protected him from bullies in elementary school. He never expected a long-held crush to develop into a real relationship but when he accidentally rents a room from Iris and starts learning even more about her that is exactly what happens. But, will Eli and Iris be able to make it work when Eli hasn't been completely honest about his job and the fact that he knew her as a child?

This book had everything I typically like, from a home of outcasts looking to build a family together to the fun addition of bird-shifters like Eli and other magical creatures. All the parts did not come together into a whole that was for me. Overall, the character relationships at the center of the book fell flat. The emotional connections between the housemates felt surface level and although they worked together to overcome different trials, I never felt emotionally connected to them as a group. I needed the book to go deeper with the relationships, the social issues, and the side plots for me to be invested in the story.

Thank you Dreamscape Media for providing me with an advanced listening copy of the audiobook for an honest review.

Audio review: Great narrator who really captured the spirit of the book.

Main review: This book was utterly adorable. It's definitely character interaction over substance but if you're looking for a cosy read to fill the Legends and Lattes void, this has got you. It contains many things tropes that will delight fans of the genre - a fixer-upper set up (in this case an old house), found family, a sweet romance, mixed peer group and age group friendships, people healing by coming together, a diverse cast. If I have a criticism it's that very occasionally, the characters lecture the reader. It's not prevalent but when it does happen the emphatic way they talk underlines the author directly telling the reader something. However, while this was jarring when it did happen, the rest of the story was so enjoyable that it didn't matter. Highly recommend this spun sugar sweet cosy fantasy.

I DNF’d at about 30%. I just wasn’t clicking with any of the characters. I had high hopes this would finally be the witchy romance I enjoyed but this just wasn’t it.

This book had a different narrator than the other books in the series and I was a little sad at first, because I loved that narrator, but I ended up really enjoying this narrator as well

This was super cute. It was totally not what I was expecting at all but I really enjoyed it.

It takes place five years after Extra Witchy (Fix It Witches book 3)

I feel like this book was more of a standalone because it didn’t really match the first three books in the series at all.

I feel like some readers may feel like Eli was a little bit problematic because he was low-key stalkerish but I felt like the way it was written was very sweet and innocent and it didn’t come across as creepy to me.

I think it’s worth mentioning just in case you’ve read the first three books in the series. The first three are fairly steamy, and this book is kissing only.

Overall, I felt like it was a very cute, cozy read and I loved all the roommates and side characters, and I would totally read more books about these characters and this town in general.

DNF’d at 70%

I did not enjoy this book at all. The premise was simple, woman in her 30s down in the dumps inherits a house from a distant aunt. BUT when I picked up with book, I had JUST finished “Back in the Burbs” by Tracy Wolff and I *assumed* that since this series was paranormal and witchy, that it would be way more entertaining with a magical twist. It was not. How can a similar premise with magic be worst than the one without? I don’t know, but this book manages to do it.

It was boring and the magic was mundane. An overall YAWN fest.

Let me just start by saying I loved Witch Please and Boss Witch. I didn't have a chance to read book 3 before I received this ARC. To even say this is part of the same series was a huge stretch to me. Same town, a few characters overlap, but really, it was it's own book with new magical types introduced, vampires, fae, and shifters. The characters in this book were pretty one dimensional Everyone had their stereotypical place in a new age fantasy. There wasn't really any emotional growth or character development throughout the book. In fact, for the first 80% the book really just existed until boom two major problems are introduced but then tidily wrapped up by the end. While the book had a nice cozy feel with the found family theme, the rest of it didn't really work for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC.

Wholesome and heartwarming, this is a warm hug of a book, and I loved every second of it! Found family is my favorite trope of all time! If you're looking for a cozy read with magic and an abundance of queer side characters, I would highly recommend The Only Purple House in Town for you!

4.5/5

Thank you Netgalley for providing a digital ARC.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is a story with all kinds of magical beings, a small town, found family and a cute romance! I loved all of the characters and thought they were all portrayed so well with such well developed storylines and personalities. The magic system and different magical creatures were amazing and I really enjoyed learning about the different beings and their abilities. I also really enjoyed the way that different sexualities and gender identities were used and discussed in this story, I think this is something we need more of in books!

One thing I didn’t love is the stalking element that is present. I don’t think the author intended it to be as creepy as it is and I don’t think it added to the story in any way. If it was toned down it would be fine but it did take me out of the story at the beginning.

All in all, I would definitely recommend this and if you’re a fan of cozy fantasy like The House in the Cerulean Sea and Legends and Lattes I think this will be right up your street!

AD PR PRODUCT

I really loved this sweet story! Iris and Eli are so perfect for one another, they complement each other so well, bring out the best in each other, and are so loving and compassionate to each others insecurities. I also absolutely love the childhood crush trope, and it played out so well in this story! Eli's crush on Iris leads him to stay in her newly developed B&B, and these two add some forced proximity to their fun reconnection.
I didn't realize this was a soft fantasy book when I requested it, but I loved the supernatural element to it sooo much!!! I love, love, love the eccentricities of all the characters and how it connects Iris and Eli even more in their budding connection and romance.
there were a couple components of the book that didn't sit right with me-- like Eli admitting how he was coming off as a stalker for his behavior, that kinda thing shouldn't be glossed over because its a real danger; and some of the familial elements felt a little off and didn't sit right with me.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story! Thank you for the ARC!!!

This beautiful purple book was my first „witchy" book for the coming season. It is set in the same town/ realm as the Fix-It Witches. This book does work as well as a standalone - Iris Collins and Eli Reese the MCs in this new book have both just recently moved to St. Claire.
The Fix-It Witches coven is mentioned and asked for help but ultimately this is more of a spin-off since neither Iris and Eli are witches - this is paranormal romance so they aren't human either but you'll have to read to find out.
This is a wonderful book of found family since Iris coverts the old purple Victorian house she inherits into a safe haven for all sorts of different people - ages, ideas, and all by letting rooms to earn a bit of money and renovating just bit by bit. I just so enjoyed seeing how all the people come together and offer each other support. In some wavs the romance between Eli and Iris felt secondary to Iris' journey to self-sufficiency and the building of a home where she and the other misfits who find her can be safe, home and appreciated. lenjoyed this book and now I want a new addition to this series since several characters basically offer themselves up!

I was really looking forward to the audio ARC of The Only Purple House In Town and while I managed to finish it, there were many points throughout that I had to push myself to keep going.

This isn't to say that the story isn't well written and that the narrator didn't do a great job because both are true, however, it was simply not my cup of tea and I could not get into the store of Eli and Iris. I wanted to root for Iris, being as she is known as the family's little chaos bunny much like I am, but she just didn't come across as relatable in the way I was hoping for.

I haven't read anything by Ann Aguirre before, and I listened to the audio version of The Only Purple House in Town as a standalone, and it worked just fine!

Ann Aguirre spins such a fun tale, full of romance, family drama, and supernatural fun. The characters are charming, and there's such a lovely message of found family and acceptance. What a pleasure!

The audio version is performed by the delightful Carly Robins. Robins has a fun and lively voice, which suits the tone of The Only Purple House in Town perfectly.

I really enjoyed this book—though there was nothing here that mentioned this being a part of the Fix-it Witch Series—a series I have on my TBR but haven’t gotten to yet 😔.

The storyline was for the most part really engaging. The cast of characters were eclectic & lovable—they were some of the funnest characters to spend time with.

There is a darker element with Eli and his stalker-like tendencies—though it’s definitely not a ‘dark’ romance.

That narration was done very well and Carly Robins was able to capture each character perfectly.

ARC. It hasn't affected the contents of my review.
This actually reads more as a cozy fantasy with a romance in it rather than a romance with cozy elements.
So heads up cozy fantasy fans! I really, really enjoyed everything to do with the plot and the house full of misfits that end up being a found family for each other. The romance was a little bit iffier for me. The third act conflict felt like it was there because the author thought it had to be, and it felt contrived to me, like if these characters were actual people left to their own devices they would have behaved differently. It just pulled me

This is my book of the year so far. This cozy fantasy book feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket and exploring what would happen if the magical beings from our dreams (vampires, witches, fairies, etc.) were alive and finally coming forth in our modern world. The Only Purple House in Town has warm, lively, and quirky characters that you can't help but fall in love with as they create their found family and try to renovate/rescue The Only Purple House in Town.

First I want to thank Dreamscape Media for providing me a copy of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

This is the story of Iris, a down on her luck vampire, who inherits her great aunt's house and decides to rent rooms to people around town. In walks Eli, successful programmer and shifter, who has been crushing on Iris for years and agrees to take one of the rooms....even though he doesn't need one. As Iris builds her community, Eli gets sucked in and it becomes harder for him to be honest for fear of losing her and his new "family".

What I Loved:
- Narration, this book is a dual POV and the narrator did a great job with differentiating between the Iris and Eli chapters
- Found family, Iris is drawn to people who "need" a good/cheap place to live and ends up building a family she wished she had growing up
- Fantasy, I love that multiple characters are magical, fairy, shifter, witch, vampire, etc.
- Eli, this guy has been crushing on Iris since she stood up for him in elementary school in the time since he built himself a comfortable life but is willing to do just about anything to be in Iris' orbit and I find it so sweet and a little frustrating
- Representation, there is a LGBTQIA+ character and I loved that even though they were different everyone in the house accepted them for who they were and supported them so they could get out of an unsafe environment

I really enjoyed this audiobook, when I was listening to it I got so wrapped up in the story that I took the long way around to get places to I could sneak in a few more minutes here and there. If you like a small town romance with magical elements, supportive found family and a small mystery I would absolutely recommend this audiobook.