“You’re a little messy. Like me.”
“I like your mess,” Archer says.

* I’m calling it now, Bellamy’s my favorite
* Oh man… I totally relate to you, Willa
* I would legitimately pass away if that whole possum situation happened to me 😂
* Oh, Archer…
* Aww I love this softening toward each other
* I love him 🥹
* What a secretly mushy man 🫶
* Hehehehe
* This whole dinner with the parents is incredible
* Noooo
* Awww yay 😍

Okay, this one was so fun! And a good start to the series. The Serendipity is an apartment building that’s more like a community. It’s a place that readers will be excited to return to with each new story.

Willa was so silly and bright. I loved that even though she had some seriously hard things she was struggling with, she was still so upbeat. She was so good for Archer.

And oh, Archer. I loved watching that uptight, strait laced man come apart for Willa. He was really so tender and sweet underneath his gruff exterior. And it was so lovely getting to see him make progress in figuring himself out.

The story was so fun and silly and a little whacky, but overall so good.

“When I need my feet to come back to earth, I remind myself that he wouldn’t try my cookies. And can you really trust a man who refuses a cookie? No. You can’t.”

“Willa has become like my sun. Lighting up corners in my life I didn’t know were shadowed.”

“Archer reaches out, one big hand cupping my cheek with such gentleness that a whole-body sigh moves through me.”

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ebook. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this! It almost gave me a “ seven year slip” vibe while remaining totally original! I loved the character development of our MMC and seeing him break out of his shell and hard exterior. When really he is just a giant teddy bear! Love me some magical realism and overall just had fun with this one!

Thank you to the author and Netgalley for the eARC of The Serendipity! I was really looking forward to this series and am a huge fan of Emma St. Clair. I enjoyed The Serendipity but felt it started a little slow for me and took me a while to get into. The magic, while introducing the 2 main characters, also caused contention which sort of took away from the fun, whimsical magical aspect. In the end I loved their relationship, and moreso how Archer fit in with Willa’s family! And I’m curious to see how the other books in this series portray the magic and fit in with this one.

This one was different for me because as much as I love a rom-com, I wasn’t sure how I would like the “magical” aspect. However, this was a cute story where the building itself seemed to be another side character.

Archer, a billionaire businessman, has just taken ownership of an adorable apartment complex called The Serendipity. He of course has many ideas to get it updated and running more efficiently, including raising the rent that hasn’t changed for years. He has an all-business mindset but is about to be in for a ride when he meets Willa. Willa is a struggling baker who lives in The Serendipity. Through a “magical” moment, she finds herself directly in front of Archer via a portal from her closet - straight into his closet! After this, they have many different interactions filled with humor, tension, and charm.

If you are looking for something different in a rom-com, something more whimsical, this book has it along with all the usual clean, rom-com fun.

I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher- all thoughts are my own.

thank you for the arc! i loved this book so much! Archer and Willa are the perfect grumpy sunshine story. they are chaos meets order, two halves of one whole and it was amazing to watch them fall in love. with some help from The Serendipity that is 😉. I am so excited to read the rest of this series! if you haven’t yet, pick up this book! i promise you won’t regret it. once again, i love everything Emma St. Clair writes and this one was just amazing!

I'm a huge fan of magical realism romances. There's just something so fun about the whimsy that can come about in the sub genre and I find a lot of my favorites tend to fit in that category. So when the Only Magic in the Building books were announced, you could say I was definitely intrigued!

I've enjoyed every Emma St. Clair book I've picked up and this was no exception. This felt like a fantastic way to set up the scene for the next seven books and really gave the reader a sense of what they were getting into.

I loved the dynamic between Willa and Archer. I don't always love billionaire romances but I now have such a soft spot for Archer, a man who was born into a world he did not want and he's truly trying his best. Willa was a great foil to him in allowing him to let loose and explore his desires. Special shoutout to Bellamy, a wonderful side character who brings a lot of laughs and love to the story.

Another thing is that I think this book has some great representation for anxiety, agoraphobia and panic attack representation. And despite this book being closed door, Emma always writes the best tension and yearning for her two leads. There was a lot of love overall in this book and I truly had such a fun time.

I love a good love story with magical elements in the modern world. And in this story, the most unexpected character, is the magical building, it takes the spotlight completely.
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I was in a particular mood and had a lot on my mind, and I think that worked against me when it came to connecting with the characters. With Willa specifically, Archer-Archibald? …I was completely in love with him, and I would have stayed connected to the story better if it had been written solely from his point of view. He's the workaholic, grumpy who struggles to socialize and suffers from anxiety, but for the right person, he's everything and would do anything.
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I felt like Willa fell short, especially at the end; for me there was a lot of drama about the wrong things.
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I really enjoyed the other characters, especially her parents. I think Emma St. Clair is a magician at creating such unique and quirky characters that you can't forget, and maybe that's why I can't wait to see what the other writers bring to this wonderful building series.
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Thanks to Emma St. Clair and her team for give me a copy of this beautiful book inexchenge for my honest and voluntary opinion.

Charming book! I wasn't sure how I would feel about the "magic" building when I started it, but I think the author did a good job of including it without making it overpower the storyline. Archer and Willa are opposites, but they perfectly complement each other.

I enjoyed this book. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC.

This was very cute and definitely makes me want to continue with the series. Bellamy and Archer have major Niles and Maxwell vibes to me. Willa is freaking adorable I love her. There were names I recognized in this book, one being Worcester where I actually currently have family living. The Serendipity is a character in herself, yes I called the building her, she’s magical. Grumpy x Sunshine, no smut, and really had me craving cookies. I laughed quite a few times reading this, would recommend.

This book was such a fun and exciting read! I absolutely loved the characters and the chemistry between them. From the moment I started I knew they would capture me and made me root for them.

Thank you to NetGalley and Create If Writing LLC for a copy of this book in exchange for honest thoughts.

I thought this book was so cute. Archer’s POV had me loving him from the start and Willa was a blast! I can’t wait to see the rest of the series. The side characters were also a blast and I can tell I’m going to love meeting some of them in the other books. I definitely understand where Archer is coming from in the beginning because his brain works more like my brain. Willa is so fun and I identify with her because I am also at a time of my life where everything is uncertain. Overall, the book was adorable and paced well.

this book was so dang cute!! Seriously enjoyed it way more than I thought I would! I’ve never read a book by this author but I def want to read more! Archer, the MMC, is so freakin adorable! The Anxeity rep from both main characters was really great to see. All the side characters were charming and funny and really added to the story. Also if youre looking for a romance book with no smut/spice, you should give this a book a read!

I have loved Emma St. Clair for as long as I can remember. This book was the whimsy it claimed to be. Definitely in my billionaire era and emma writes so well. It's sweet and closed door and very little cursing but the YEARNING. The silliness. The depth. No one really does it like Emma. I liked this a lot and a part of an anthology with a bunch of besties who write closed door. It's great :)

The name of this series caught my attention right away: "Only Magic in the Building" and book one being called "The Serendipity" was even cuter!
Slow start for me, but I ended up loving this adorably wholesome black cat/golden retriever romance! I loved the elements of magic, the vulnerability both main characters showed, and the anxiety represesentation. Plus the side characters were so lovable-every grumpy male lead needs a Bellamy side kick/best friend! Excited for the rest of the series!

Emma St. Clair always does a great job writing her sweet romance stories. I was instantly hooked in the first chapter and didn't want this book to end. I loved the story and the characters in this book and I just wanted to live in that building with them.

Willa was just the sweetest most caring character. She's trying her best to get her bakery business Sweet Serendipity off the ground and running but she struggling. Now that a new owner has taken over the Serendipity where sh lives things might get worse. He's a crank and wants to change everything that the building stands for but will she be able to change his mind?

Archer is a billionaire that bought Serendipity because he needed to get out of New York and away from all the drama that is surrounding him from his dad's scandal. He soon learns that it's not going to be as simple being here as he thought with Willa around. I love how these two interact with each other and it's always entertaining. Their story is one that will have you smiling and laughing along the way!

Bellamy is Archer's CEO but also helped raise him when his dad was to busy. He was the best character. I loved how he had the biggest sweet tooth for Willa's cookies and how he cared about these two characters.

This story was so much fun to read and I seriously didn't want it to end. You will laugh, smile, have a few heartfelt moments with the characters but you will be left with a beautiful happily ever after story. I would highly recommend this book.

Thank you NetGalley and Create If Writing LLC for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

The Serendipity by Emma St. Clair! The light, whimsical tone is perfect for readers who are looking for a feel-good, sweet romance that doesn’t dive into heavy drama. It’s always refreshing to read a romance that is cute, clean, and enjoyable without any overwhelming intensity, and I am excited for the rest of the series!

The charm of a book like this lies in the simplicity and the way it makes you smile, especially when the characters feel relatable and the romance is heartwarming. It’s perfect for cozy reading moments, and I’m sure the rest of the series will continue to deliver that same delightful energy.

Tropes:
~ grumpy/sunshine
~ billionaire romance
~ magical

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
#onlymagicinthebuilding #NetGalley.

This was such a fun start to the series! I love the magical realism but it doesn’t take over the story!

I really liked all the different characters. They each had their own pros and cons which I could appreciate. Willa was kinda annoying to me but I want her cookies 🤣

Bellamy is great! I want a book about him! Same with Sophie. I would also love to see that garden in person 😍🪴

Relationship was quick in my opinion but I liked their connection and how they treated each other!

I cannot wait for the rest of the series!

Thank you Netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for my honest review!

Book 1 in the Only Magic in the Building series!

This was such a fun book! This was my first read by Emma St. Clair and I think she did an incredible job writing a sweet, funny romance with very low spice! This particular book would be perfect for my young teenager, and I love that!

Archer, Willa and Bellamy are the best trio of characters, and I loved their interactions! I smiled through this entire book! It was written with the perfect combination of fun and serious dialogue. Mental health issues were addressed and this put a very real-life spin on a magical book which made the story that much better. I like that even though there is minimal spice (excessive kissing is the max), you can still absolutely feel the romantic tension. I am excited to get my hands on the rest of the series!

Thank you, Victory Editing, Emma St. Clair and Net Galley for the advanced eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I really enjoyed this book. It was a cute, quick read. Willa, FMC, ends up in the closet of her new landlord, Archer. Only thing is that she was in her closet to begin with. I liked the little magic touches in the book. I did feel like the romance was a little rushed but it is a shorter book.

Thanks to netGalley and the publisher for the e-ARC of this book. This review is my own opinion.

I am a sucker for some very light magical realism, so when this series was announced with most of my favorite rom com authors writing a connected magical realism series I was so in! And it did not disappoint! The magic here is like sprinkles on a cupcake, it adds fun, but it's not the real feature.

Now for the romance! Willa and Archer are so cute together. The way they play off each other, although they come from opposite worlds and have opposite personalities, makes for some excellent banter and tension leading up to them getting together. I also love how low angst this is. Even when they have a conflict, it is handled in a way that didn't give me heart palpitations.

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Thanks to the author for the gifted book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own