Emma St. Clair

"Maybe love is giving the other person the something they may not have on their own."

So delightful! I loved getting to know Josie and Wyatt. Josie's slightly obsessive, neurotic, anxious yet hopeful, bright, and sunny personality was the perfect complement for Wyatt's driven, focused, grumpy, monosyllabic yet thoughtful and kind persona. It was a mash-up of older brother's best friend and unrequited love and enemies-to-lovers trope, which was executed beautifully. Josie and Wyatt's banter show more was spectacular and they had some great laugh-out-loud moments. Someone should turn this book into a movie - it will be a huge hit.
I loved learning about sailing and traveling down the Intracoastal Waterway with them. Josie and Wyatt's romance was sweet and their friendship deep and genuine. I hope there is a book about Josie's older brother Jacob in the future!
If you love romcoms, you will absolutely adore this book. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Thomas Nelson and NetGalley and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own. show less

“Tiny, if I kiss you for real, it’s not gonna be because our friends pushed us into it. Or because we happen to be standing under a fishing rod holding a small shrub posing as mistletoe.”

I LOVED this book! I’ve been highly anticipating Val’s and Chevy’s story and this hit all the right spots! With her characteristic heartfelt humor, Emma St. Clair delivered a swoony, mutual pining, little sister’s best friend, forbidden, roommate situation romance that was utterly amazing. From show more that first scene with the opossum, I was hooked and couldn’t put it down.

Chevy suffers from the knowledge that his father cheated on his mother. He worries that he’ll be unable to commit, just like his dad. He’s long had feelings for Val, but she’s his little sister’s best friend and Winnie’s threatened to do all sorts of things if he breaks her heart. So, he pines and goes through a series of noncommittal relationships. But, when Val’s aunt leaves for Costa Rica, Chevy offers her a place to stay while she decides if she’ll go live there with her. If he thought admiring Val from afar was torture, he’s about to get his world thrown upside down when she moves in.

Val has had a crush on Chevy for years, but she was always warned off him by her friend Winnie. Every look, gesture, and even the nickname “Tiny” he’s given her just make her love him more. But, longing for something she can’t have leaves her empty. So when her aunt Mari decides to up and move to Costa Rica, she looks at it as an opportunity for a fresh start and a way to hone her painting skills by studying with one of the masters who lives there. When Chevy offers her a place to stay while she works out the details, she’s tempted not to leave.

I loved this book! There were so many things I appreciated about it. I loved the animals including the rescue owl and opossum treated like a cat. I loved seeing Lindy, Winnie, the Graham brothers and Tank again. The Sheeters are as hilarious as ever including Wolf and his mysterious bunker. I loved all the push and pull between Val and Chevy and their almost kisses. Loved Val’s fiery personality and Chevy’s cool facade, the pregnancy test fiasco, the pickup basketball game, the airport scenes, and the “mistletoe” kiss! I also enjoyed the way the author tackles real issues that seep into relationships like parental abandonment and cheating balanced with romance and humor.

It’s the perfect beach or summer vacation read! Visiting Sheet Cake is like visiting close friends and I can’t wait for more. I’m so looking forward to Collin’s story. Highly recommend to clean romcom fans! While it’s the third book in the series, it could be read as a standalone. I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author but also purchased it in KU. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. show less

Whimsical, grumpy/sunshine, billionaire goodness! I devoured this book in a day. It was so much fun! I couldn’t wait to start this delightful Only Magic in the Building series & Emma St. Clair starts it all off with a dreamy bang.

Move over Bruce Wayne, there’s a new hottie billionaire in town who’s even more broody. Meet Archer Gaines, a handsome, wealthy guy who’s just impulsively purchased a charming, old building in Serendipity Springs. Little does he realize that this building show more has a personality all its own & the uncanny ability to help its residents whether they want it or not. Archer’s difficult childhood & troubled past make him a logical, no nonsense businessman who has little belief in love let alone “magic.” But when he finds a beautiful woman in his closet, his world gets turned upside down.

Willa was in her closet one minute only to find herself in the closet of the grumpy but handsome new owner of The Serendipity the next. How did she get there? Though their meeting gets off to a rocky start, it’s about to get even more so when his plans to revitalize the building & make it profitable threaten her fledgling cookie business, & her heart.

I loved Willa & Archer! Their grumpy/sunshine chemistry sizzled. Their romance was filled with so many swoony moments. That first kiss is AMAZING! Both have a shared secret though, they both suffer from anxiety in different ways, yet have the ability to help each other. I loved the anxiety rep which was spot on & added heartfelt realism to their relationship.

The hilarious moments had me laughing out loud especially those involving an opossum, a dog, & The Serendipity itself. I also enjoyed Bellamy (Archer’s Alfred), & Willa’s parents who like to torment telemarketers. Warning, this book will make you hungry. Willa’s an amazing baker & there’re delicious cookies mentioned at every turn.

I thoroughly enjoyed the magical elements which were light & fun. The Serendipity has a charming personality all its own & I can’t wait to see what’s next for its residents.

Highly recommend this fabulous start to a much anticipated series! I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author, but also purchased a copy through Kindle Unlimited. All opinions are my own & voluntarily provided. show less

“Bailey is the kind of perfect I could get used to. A permanent fixture. The kind I’d fight to keep.”

So excited to return to Harvest Hollow for another Appies Hockey romance. I loved this book so much! It’s one of the absolute best, heartfelt marriage of convenience romcoms I’ve read. Eli & Bailey are the cutest couple. I adored Eli’s golden retriever personality and Bailey’s shyness (until you get to know her). I also enjoyed the mutual pining, lots of humor (“Awkward show more together!”), a sweet, closed door romance, and great friendships!

Eli is a Canadian playing for the American Harvest Hollow Appies hockey team. When his visa comes due, he must marry or return to Canada. The only woman he’s interested in is the cute, shy animal shelter worker whom he delights in trying to get to blush. But, he doesn’t just want a fake marriage with her, he wants the real thing. Can he convince her to marry him and make it real?

Bailey has a lot on her plate. With her parents’ death and her grandmother needing long term care, her dream of becoming a vet seems nearly impossible. When the handsome hockey player who often comes to see the dogs at the shelter proposes to her, it seems like a dream come true. Not only because it’d help her financially, but because she’s fallen in love with the kind, caring guy. Will it be sweet torture though knowing she’s in love with him and he’s doing this for a visa and his chronically ill mom?

This seriously is one of my favorite Emma St. Clair romcoms. She’s developed something so special with this group of Appies hockey players. I loved seeing familiar characters along with getting to know Eli, Bailey, & Eli’s mom and sister. I loved the chronic illness rep in Eli’s mom and seeing him care for his mother in such a tender way. I also loved Eli’s & Bailey’s wedding and what follows.

Highly recommend to romcom and sports romance fans! If you love cute dogs, sports romances, swoon worthy, sizzling kisses, close proximity, and funny, relatable, awkward moments, this is a must read! Though Just Don’t Fall (part of the Sweater Weather series) is really the first book in the Appies Hockey Romance series, you don’t have to read it in order to read A Groom of One’s Own, though I highly recommend it.

I can’t wait to read the next book in the series! I received an advanced complimentary copy from the author but also purchased a copy through Kindle Unlimited. All opinions are my own and voluntarily provided. show less