💭Thoughts:
This is the fourth book in the Fix-It Witches series. I was surprised by this because the cover style is totally different from the first three. The previous characters don’t play much of a role in this book, so it can definitely be read as a stand alone.

I really enjoyed the narration. The narrator did a great job giving each character their own unique voice. I never got confused about who was who.

This is a fun book, but there is a lot going on. The romance between Iris and Eli gets overshadowed by all the plot points. I liked what the author was trying to do, but I think the book could have done without several of the characters. That being said, I did enjoy the found family aspect of the story. All the unique characters coming together was sweet.

Overall, this is a fun book about found family. Just don’t go into this one expecting there to be a lot of focus on the romance.

✨Thank you @dreamscape_media for the gifted ALC via @netgalley to listen to and review.

I thought this was such a cozy great read! I loved iris and her adventure with the house and all the people that rented a room from her! I loved the found family aspect of it and loved all the characters so much! And I really loved Ian and coming in with his love for iris and just being on her side because she really never had that before. I loved the fantasy/paranormal element of it too and felt like it added a great twist to it. I just really enjoyed listing to this!

The paranormal community is out and some people accept them while others do not. Iris Collins' family are vampires, but the supernatural seems to have skipped right over Iris. She is broke and two months behind on her rent when she inherits a house from her great-aunt Gertie.. Her roommates could not be happier and for Iris it's a chance for a fresh start.

Eli Reece is no longer the kid that other kids pick on. Partly because he has made money in computer programs.
When Iris decides to take in boarders, Eli signs up.

The books a fun read (or in my case listen to) very enjoyable and entertaining.

#DreamscapeMedia #Iris #Eli #Paranormal #friends #TheOnlyPurpleHouseInTown #AnnAguirre

This is the 4th book in a series, but this can be read as a standalone.

Iris Collins is a bit lost. She's flat broke and the black sheep of her magical family. When she inherits a large Victorian house, Iris jumps at the chance to start over. To pay for renovations, Iris turns the home into a boarding house, collecting a group of eccentric residence include a curmudgeonly handy man, a recently divorced grandmother, a tech witch and a young non binary artist. The last resident is Eli Reece who has had a crush on Iris since 5th grade.

This is a sweet and fun book. I especially loved the found family aspect. The new tenants are a motley crew, but they are very supportive of each other. I thought the romance angle was secondary to the story which put more focus on characterization. I will definitely be reading the other books in this series!

The narrator does a great job as well.

You had me at "found family."

I didn't care for the Fix-It Witches books (read the first and did not continue), but the premise of this one intrigued me enough that I had to check it out - a woman floundering through life inherits a big old house, and accidentally creates a family of supernaturals while searching for roommates. Yep, I'm in, that sounds fun.

This was cute, fast-paced and not too deep, with a cute, simple love story that didn't overshadow the fun platonic relationships. People who read strictly for romance might not enjoy it as much, but as someone who likes reading strong friendships more than romantic relationships (but still enjoys a good romance novel), this was a great balance. In particular, Henry Dale, Rowan, and Sally were fun side characters, and of course Eli is very cute as a romantic interest. The whole thing is a little shallow and trite, but for this genre and style, I think that's okay. For some people, that'll be exactly what they're looking for.

<spoiler>I am kind of a fae hater, so even though I saw it coming a mile away, the "big reveal" made me roll my eyes, but that's definitely a me problem more than a book problem. Enough with the fae already, oh my god</spoiler>

I listened to the audiobook via NetGalley. It has solid narration that should appeal to those who prefer audiobooks.

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 entirely out of this otherwise lovely book. Which is still worth reading! I would like to live in Violet Gables.

[3.5 stars, rounded up]

Audio ARC received from NetGalley

I was really hoping to like this book as I adored Strange Love but unfortunately it wasn’t quite for me. Ultimately it was a bit of a case of too little and too much for me personally. A lot was thrown at the plot and the side characters that form the found family around the main protagonists, Iris and Eli. I don’t know if it was the large amount of detail that left me longing for a bit more depth in characterisation but all characters remained a little wanting for me. I enjoyed the bringing together of the cast of characters as well as the premise of the universe where magic was both practical and kind (who wouldn’t love a spell that sorts out all decorating and practical fixing needs? Takes away heavy emotions when you’re done with them?). I also enjoyed following Iris on her quest to discover herself and her own magical heritage, though the fantasy of a true magical family better than the one you thought you had didn’t massively speak to me. I wasn’t sure this was needed beyond the magic of creating your own found family. I also wasn’t hugely invested in the central love story and the third act conflict that was signalled pretty much from the beginning and played out pretty much exactly as you’d expect. I was hoping to be surprised a bit more. And I guess I also kind of appreciated the variety of queer characters in the story, but kept waiting for more depth to their stories too. As it was, I was left feeling you could remove the labels and the story would remain pretty much the same, so this ended feeling a little tokenistic to me I’m afraid. Engaging and competent job by the new to be narrator. A cute, whimsical stress free fairytale for when you’re not in the mood for emotional intensity.

This was a true delight of found family stories and was such a fun read. While this is book 4 in the series, as each of these are just a standalone in the world, the reader does not need to know anything to get into the book.
Iris doesn't know what she's doing with her life and every plan keeps seeming to fall apart. She's out of money and doesn't want to go home to her toxic mother, but gets a letter that her great aunt left her estate and house to Iris. Iris packs her bags and heads to her new home.
Realizing she is going to need an income source she decides to rent out her rooms and slowly grows a collection of wonderful people that support her.
There's a lot that goes on in the world of this story that reflects current world issues and politics, which was a little heavy handed but helped the world building. The twist at the end was fun, and the romance was okay, but I loved that this was more focused on being a found family story.
The narrator was great and had a light airy voice which worked perfectly in this fantastical world. I did wish there was a little more distinction between her voice for Eli and for Iris, but it was so much fun to listen to.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. ✨

"The Only Purple House in Town" by Ann Aguirre is a cosy cute magical story featuring Iris, the financially struggling member of her successful family, who inherits a Victorian house. To improve her situation, she rents out rooms to an eclectic mix of tenants (not all humans).
The audio book's narrator impressively brings the diverse characters to life.

The story explores themes of acceptance and love, though some may find the author's incorporation of controversial elements forced. But I enjoyed it.

The romance between Iris and Eli is sweet and well-developed, without overshadowing the found family dynamic among the roommates. The second tenant reminds me of my grandfather. I just love the old grumpy old man. The other tenants were as well loveable.

While the story's magical twist adds a unique spin I would like the last part to be a bit more developed. I kept smiling while listening to this audiobook. I think is a perfect cosy quick read to start the spooky season and it is targeted towards fans of fantasy or cosy mysteries.
Carly Robins' excellent narration makes it an enjoyable audiobook experience.

This one was VERY twee, and felt quite juvenile in the worst of ways. I feel that if it were marketed towards pre-teens and early teens, it would be very successful. As a book geared toward adults, it left a lot to be desired. The audiobook narration was good, but the writing itself left a lot of details to be conjured up from the abyss somehow. It’s very much a constantly telling vs showing and world building, which was a disappointment, as the beautiful cover and description leave such a great opportunity to create a world on the table.

It was all very, very simple. As soon as you bring any logic or critical thinking in here, it goes bad very quickly.

There was no indication at all that this was part of a series - I can’t imagine what the others are like, but the only way this one could be a success was if you were already very invested in the world.

I will split this review into sections. I was able to review the audio book and the narrator did a stellar job! There is a wide range of characters in this story and she did such a good job giving each one a distinct voice! Excellent job!

Story: the story was sweet. About acceptance and love. Not judging people. Wasn’t super fond of the authors use of literally anything controversial or woke. It was like she wanted to see how many of those things she could fit into the story. But the plot was unique. I liked the use of magic and different creatures (shapeshifters, vampires, fae) and gave them abilities that aren’t what they are known for. It gave it a unique spin. Eli and Iris were adorable as well. Did I think Iris was WAY over dramatic about Eli’s big secret? Absolutely. I don’t personally think it was as big of a deal as she was making it out to be. But kudos for her coming around quickly and communicating. Overall, 3.5, but I like to roundup and give the benefit of the doubt. So 4 stars.

I've enjoyed Ann Aguirre's writing and it gives that sweet paranormal vibes in her writing. The Only Purple house in town was just as cute as her previous books and I really enjoy the storyline. This is definitely one I'll buy a physical copy of.

thank you to netgalley for the advanced listening copy of The Only Purple House in Town. This was so sweet and wholesome. Modern day fantasy world where the magic communities live side by side with the normal people. There is hate but also acceptance just like in anything. I thought Iris was such a good girl trying her best. I really enjoyed this adorable story about trying your best and making your own family when the world just knocks you down.

The Only Purple House in Town is a cozy paranormal story about financially unstable Iris inheriting her great aunt’s rickety Victorian house and deciding to rent the spare rooms to, hopefully, improve her monetary situation and someday restore the house to its former glory (and turn it into a B&B). Oh, and did I mention there are witches, shifters, vampires and more?

One of the highlights, and downfalls, of the book is definitely the different roommates that Iris collects. The first and second roomies have charming personalities (yes, grumpy characters can be charming) and make for the best friendly banter materials. The third roomie is also interesting in its own way if only less charismatic than the first two, but by the time the fourth is introduced (and later fifth) you can feel like the magic is starting to crumble.

As for the Romance, I thought it was cute and developed enough for it to be the main thing had the author wanted it to go that way, but I never felt like it was the center of attention or that it was stealing from the roommate/found family aspect of the book-

The third act conflict is also a bit iffy and gets resolved so quickly and in such a gratuitous way, that it really made me think the book would have been best without it.

I must also praise the stellar job that Carly Robins did with the audiobook narration. Not only is she a joy to listen to, but she also managed to give a very distinct voice to every character bringing them life with her narration and making the audiobook a delightful and fun experience.

Overall I would say that The Only Purple House in Town has a very strong beginning but the second half felt rush and really dragged down my enjoyment of the book.

Thank you very much to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for providing me an Audio-ARC!

This was a great book and a very well done audiobook. I enjoyed it so much. I look forward to more by this author. They have written some sci fi I have my eye on.

3⭐️

I listened to this as an audiobook and thought the narrator did a great job, especially with the variety of characters included in the story. While this is a romance book, I found that the found family aspect gets just as much emphasis. This can be good or bad depending on how much romance you want from the story. I found myself a bit more interested in the side characters of this story at times rather than the two main leads. This book can be read as a standalone although it does take place after Extra Witchy.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an arc of this audiobook!

At its core, this book is about Found Family.

I really enjoyed the collection of social misfits Iris collected in her Purple House.

If you're looking for a book with representation (gender, race, sexuality) this book has a little bit of everything.

I did find the resolution a little abrupt - all Iris' problems fixed in a blink, but the story still worked for me.

I was surprised to learn this book is fourth in a series. I'll definitely be keeping an eye out for those.

6/10

Thanks to NetGalley and DreamScape Media for this charming ARC.

This book was great! I really enjoyed the storyline and incorporation of magical realism. It certainly mirrored a lot of themes in politics today and I really liked how it was presented! I loved all the characters and their personalities!! Each one brought something to the story and it was just perfect! The romance part was great but the friendships between the roommates was just as good!

I received this as an Audiobook and I really enjoyed the Narrator.

A charming and heartwarming novel exploring the theme of found family with a whimsical twist. A delightful read for those that enjoy stories about endearing characters with a touch of magic.
Overall a feel good read about the power of friendship, acceptance, and love in forming bonds.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this Audio in exchange for my honest review.

I really wanted to like The Only Purple House in Town bur it did not work for me. This book felt too chaotic from start to finish. There were so kany different plotlines and characters. It was a lot of keep up with for such a short book. While the characters were all unique and well written it was hard to keep up with them. I really wanted more of the found family aspect I was expecting from this one. Overall, this was not for me but I'd love to try something else by this author in the future.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.