A love-detecting flower? Cute. Sophie missing all the signs? Classic. The Serendipity building basically playing matchmaker? Iconic.

This friends-to-lovers romance is sweeter than a bakery on Valentine’s Day, with just enough magic to keep things fun. Jenny Proctor delivers all the swoons without the spice—so if you’re here for feelings, not fireworks, you’re in the right place.

Mark your calendars, set a reminder, or write it on your forehead—just don’t forget to grab this book when it drops!”

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the arc. 💕

Petals and Plot Twists is the third book I've read from Only Magic in the Building, and it has lived up to the high expectations the the previous novels set. Its a best friends to lovers book, and tells the story of Sophie and Peter, who are best friends but have never tried out romance together.

Favorite Moments:
- Sophie's mom's cruise experience
- The awkward Macros date
- The flower bloom
- Finding dream jobs
- The last chapter in Charolotte

Favorite Quote:
“Loving you isn't work, Sophie. It's like breathing.”

Overall, its a fantastic book. The entire series is excellent, so be sure to read all the books that take place in The Serendipity. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy of this book. A review was not required.

I was so excited to be approved on net galley as an ARC!! Thank you

I have read quite a few Jenny Proctor books, but this one is one of her best works! I was hooked from the beginning and it just got better as the book went along. The story follows Sophie and Peter who have been best friends since high school, but Peter always wanted more. The two characters have the sweetest relationship, and watching it build throughout the book tugs on your heart strings. The underlying theme of magic (flowers and flickering lights) are just an added bonus! If you love friends to lovers books this is the one for you!

-Friends to lovers
-Magical themes
-Whimsical series/Serendipity Springs/Only Magic in the Building
-Dorky MMC/Cinnamon roll FMC

Okay this was the CUTEST ever 🥹 the friends to lovers 💕 on POINT. The magical realism 🌸 PERFECTION. Jenny Proctor absolutely knocked this book out of the park 💗

Sophie. After watching her parents failed marriage, Sophie struggles with letting herself fall in love ❤️‍🩹 throughout it all she’s had her best friend, Peter, to hold her together 🥺 so when a magical “love-flower” 🌸 appears that can “verify” if your soul-mates, Sophie sets out on a risk-free mission to find a man 👀 except, the Serendipity ✨(the magical apartment 🏙️) has another mission, and suddenly more than just Sophie’s heart is at stake 💗

Peter. Madly in love with his best friend 💘 Peter realizes it is now or never to make a move- Que magical kiss 💋but then a flower appears 🌸 making Sophie question everything, and making Peter worry that Sophie will never trust him enough to love him as more than a friend 🥺

This book has ALL of the feels 🥰 truly I cannot express how magical it felt reading it ✨ i loved all the little details and Sophie’s main character moment 🥳 YOU GO GIRL 👏🏻 I truly felt like I was watching a rom-com while reading this one 🥹🥰

I already know this entire series will be close to my heart 🥹 I need to go read the first two books and I cannot wait to read the rest!!

⚠️ CW: divorce ⚠️

I will read anything that Jenny Proctor writes! She always produces such perfection and "Petals and Plot Twists" is no exception! Read if you like "friends to lovers" (but with zero spice, kisses only), some magical realism, dual POV, he falls first, and a clean romance. This is the 3rd book in an interconnected standalone series (Only Magic in the Building). I've read book one but not book two and loved this one. 4/5 stars--I received a complimentary copy from the author/publishing company via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts & opinions are my own.

I love that Sophie realized she could decide how to love and who to love despite the suggestions from other people and things. Peter and Sophie are so cute for each other and i loved the inclusion of Legos and Crossword puzzles. i too enjoy those things and hope to find someone that will enjoy them with me too!
I've been loving this series so far. its a little bit of a change from my usual reads. the lineup of authors though for this is spectacular and each one has their own writing style and it has made for a very enjoyable reading adventure.

i received a copy via netgalley and these are my honest thoughts

Thank you netgalley and the author for my #gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

I really loved the idea of the love flower. How fun is a flower than only blooms in the presence of true love? It was fun to watch Sophie figure that part out. I loved the relationship between Sophie and Peter. The slow burn here was a little too much for me, but these two were definitely meant to be together!

This is book 3 in the Only Magic in the Buidling series and is out now. While this can be read as a standalone, I recommend reading at least book 1 in this series. The relationships were that much more meaningful. I haven’t yet read book 2, but I will be going back to read it and continuing to read the rest of the series!

"Love isn’t magic, it’s an action . And we’re doing the work of loving each other.” Peter and Sophie's love story is a journey of friendship to more with struggles due to self confidence, fear of losing a beat friend, a dose of magic from the Serendipity building. Sweet and funny. Thansk to NetGalley for the ARC copy. This is my honest review

"Shut up and eat another cookie," she says playfully. "Sugar makes you happier than protein."
^^^Fully agree. 😆

What a timely read to kick off spring! This is my first read (but third book) of the multi-author whimsical series of Only Magic in the Building, and what a fun way to dive into it. I really enjoyed Sophie and Peter’s tender love story. I’m a goner for romance with magical realism (it’s basically my catnip), and PETALS AND PLOT TWISTS does it beautifully. You’ve got best friends to lovers, forced proximity, he falls first, and a magical flower.

Thanks to Jenny Proctor for the gifted ARC!

"Love is never a guarantee, but I'm not sure it's supposed to be. It's an action."

This third book in the Only Magic in the Building series can be read as a standalone, and it's such a sweet romance! Sophie and Peter have been besties since high school, and while Peter is aware of his feelings for Sophie, she still needs to realize what's right in front of her. Instead, she discovers a magical flower on the rooftop garden that seems to only bloom in the presence of a couple in love... and sets up dates with a bunch of other guys to see if any are meant for her.

Sophie and Peter were really sweet together, and I loved the addition of magical realism in the building to bring them together. The character growth in both of them was great, and I love where they ended up by the end of the book. My favorite line was "Shut up and eat another cookie. Sugar makes you happier than protein." Bahahahaha. (Typed as I eat an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie...) I love Jenny's books, and I'll be back for more from the other authors in this series, too!

Petals and Plot Twists is a charming friends-to-lovers romantic comedy set in The Serendipity, a historic apartment building known for its matchmaking magic. Sophie, a botanist caring for the building’s rooftop gardens, and Peter, her longtime best friend and a reserved data analyst, have a deep bond. Though Peter has secretly loved Sophie for years, her distrust of men keeps her from seeing him as more than a friend.

When Sophie discovers a mysterious “Love flower” that only blooms in the presence of true love, she enlists Peter’s help to find her soulmate—unaware that it might have already been him all along. Their slow realization, combined with the magic of The Serendipity, makes for a heartwarming, well-written romance. With authentic emotions, endearing characters, and a fresh take on the friends-to-lovers trope, this clean, whimsical romance is a must-read for fans of sweet, magical love stories.

Petals and Plot Twists is the third story in the Only Magic in the Building series, a connected series of stand-alone closed-door whimsical romances by various authors. Each story takes place in the same historic building, which has a habit of playing matchmaker with its residents. Each Wednesday in March and April, 2025, an author will release their book.

The Serendipity is a historic apartment building in a small Massachusetts town, and it underwent new ownership one month ago. The new owner, Archer, found love with one of its residents, Willa, in The Serendipity. Now Willa’s best friend, Sophie Stewart, finds her true love in Petals and Plot Twists. Sophie is a botanist/landscape designer who works from her apartment and takes care of the extensive rooftop gardens. She has been best friends with Peter, also a resident of The Serendipity, since she moved to town at the beginning of her sophomore year in high school. Sophie has an unconscious distrust of men, stemming from her father abandoning her and her mother when she was six years old, and then her stepfather running off with her college fund.

Peter was the smartest student in their high school, and now ius employed as a data analyst. He is very close to his family and Sophie but otherwise doesn’t care about interacting with other people. He has been romantically interested in Sophie for years but has hidden his feelings for fear of scaring her off. He has watched Sophie date the wrong type of guys, knowing that things won’t work out. He had a serious girlfriend in graduate school but realized that he didn’t care about her as much as he did for Sophie.

When Sophie discovers a stunning new flower in her rooftop garden, one that an elderly couple identify as the Love flower, Sophie begins researching it. She learns that this flower only blooms in the presence of true love. Slowly she becomes aware of Peter as a potential love interest but is also nervous about disrupting their friendship. She convinces Peter to help her use the flower to find her soulmate, and eventually they experience the magic from their shared kiss.

Petals and Plot Twists is a superb friends-to-lovers romantic comedy, with the most engaging, realistic characters. While both Peter and Sophie are scientists, the author did not write them as caricature nerds. Their emotions and actions are authentic, and their love story is so incredibly sweet. While the friends-to-lovers trope tends to have a predictable storyline, Petals and Plot Twists seems fresh. Peter’s sister, Allison, is set up for a story of her own; I hope this author includes It in another series.

I love Petals and Plot Twists and believe that it’s the best story by this author to date. All of her books are well-written with great plots and wonderful characters, but Peter and Sophie really captured my heart. This story is a must-read for clean romance fans; set aside a few uninterrupted hours because you will not be able to put it down!

All of the authors in this series write closed-door romantic comedies, so no profanity or romantic descriptions past kissing. The magic in these stories is similar to Freaky Friday, no occult elements or anything scary. The building has a mind of its own and is like a human character. I can’t wait to start reading the next story in the series by Savannah Scott!

After I purchased a paperback copy of the book from Amazon, I received an Advance Review Copy (ARC) e-book from NetGalley and Jenny Proctor Creative for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

5 Stars for this wonderful whimsical romance!

"I'm already a hundred percent certain that if Sophie lets me, I'll love her forever."

"What if this is it? What if it's finally my turn? My main character moment. The love flower in my garden is going to help me find my soulmate. I just have to figure out how to use it."

Petals and Plot Twists is full of heart, humor, whimsy, and completely loveable characters (including the building itself).

The friendship between Peter and Sophie is so sweet and in spite of their reluctance and fear, it develops into more so naturally.

I love the fun little nudge Sophie gets from discovering the secrets of the flower and her determination to not waste it for the gift she believes it to be. Peter on the other hand doesn't want his potential for love to be left up to the whims of a flower. Watching all the ways he avoids the flower had me laughing out loud (especially when Archer steps in to provide an excuse).

It was so much fun seeing more of Archer and Willa in this book. Archer's cameos were especially delightful!

As with the other books in this series, I admire the author's ability to weave in a little bit of magical whimsy, but ultimately allow the characters to make their own decisions separate from the magic.

Each of the books in this series is overflowing with lighthearted joy. I have loved each book so far and I can't wait to devour the next book!

*Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Jenny Proctor's latest book is another hit. When it comes to romcom, she and Emma St Clair are two of my favorite authors to read. "Petals and Plot Twists" did not disappoint.

Peter and Sophie's story was on I have been looking forward to since beginning the series. Sophie is a gardener who is best friends with Willa from book one. She was a quirky character I thought would be fun to read more about.

The center plot of Sophie's story revolves around her looking for the man of her dreams. Yet little does she know, he's been right beside her the entire time. Her best friend Peter has held a crush on her since high school. It's your classic slow burn, friends to lovers story.

I enjoyed becoming a part of their journey, but at times, I found myself frustrated that it took so long for both Sophie and Peter to realize they had feelings for one another. There were quite a few near miss moments. Nevertheless, this is still a solid 4/5 star book.

I can't wait for the next book in the series.

If you enjoy the friends to lovers, forced proximity, and small town tropes, this book is for you.
"Petals and Plot Twists" is the third book in the Only Magic in the Building series, but can be read as a stand alone novel.

Thank you to Victory Editing Co-Op and NetGalley for an ARC copy of this book.

All opinions are my own.

Thanks to @jennyproctorbooks and @netgalley for the #gifted copy of this book.

3.5/5⭐️

"Here's the thing, though. You're my home."

Summary: This is part of the series Only Magic in the Building, in which the historical building The Serendipity plays matchmaker for its residents. The book is a closed-door romance where best friends turn into lovers with the help of flashing lights and a love flower.

"I've been wishing for this on every birthday cake since the tenth grade."

My Thoughts: It was fun to be back at The Serendipity with Peter and Sophie this time. I loved the magic of the love flower and how it would bloom in a couple's presence if they were (or could be) in love. It was such a unique concept, even though I think at times, Sophie relied too much on that flower to lead her to her great love, despite Peter being right in front of her for years! Peter was so sweet and showed Sophie in many different ways his feelings, my favorite was when he made her cookies. I was so glad to see more from Willa and especially Archer throughout this book!! Overall this was such a cute friends-to-lovers story....

Read if you love:
✨Magical Realism
💖Best Friends to Lovers
🤩He Falls First
🔥Forced Proximity

When I started reading Jenny Proctor’s newest book: Petals and Plot Twists I knew it was part of a series that would be a collaborative series with other well known romance authors. But for some reason I thought it was the first book in the series. Well it’s not. It’s the third book. Did they mean I had trouble following the story? Nope, not in the least. As with the Appies series from a couple years back, the various books in this series (Only Magic in the Building series) can be read and enjoyed as standalone books. That being said, there are definitely references to the characters and storylines of the other books and I have no doubt having knowledge of the previous stories will only enhance my enjoyment of future books. (As such I’ll be picking up books 1 & 2 this weekend.)

Petal and Plot Twists (and the entire Only Magic in the Building series) as the name suggests actually focuses a particular building and the budding romances of a number of residents. Also, again as the series title would lead you to believe, there is magic! And in this volume the magic is centered around…(come on you see the book title, right? Hint hint..petals…say it with me)…a magical flower! A flower that blooms when in the presence of love…or even potential love. Sophie Stewart is an open/outgoing woman…who just can’t seem to find the right guy. She tends the rooftop garden and stumbles upon the a mysterious flower. After investigating it she determines it has magical properties and decides she’ll try to use the flower to advantage to find Mr. Right. Of course little does she realize that Mr. Right has been with her all along in the form of her slightly nerdy best friend, who happens to be crazy about her but just can’t seem to find the courage to tell her. Likable characters and a fun little hook kept me thoroughly entertained. Not only do I look forward to catching up on the previous books I’ve missed but the upcoming future volumes in the series as well. Now if only I could rent an apartment at The Serendipity! I’d like to thank Jenny Proctor Creative and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of Petals and Plot Twists.

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/petals-and-plot-twists-jenny-proctor/1147156015?ean=9781967500000&bvnotificationId=5da8a369-05a9-11f0-8c38-0e1071bc37f5&bvmessageType=REVIEW_APPROVED&bvrecipientDomain=gmail.com#review/340672745

Petals and Plot Twists by Jenny Proctor

After the first two in the series were enemies to lovers, I was happy to see a friends to lovers trope. I adore seeing two best friends get together.

The main character Peter is a data scientist. I was excited because my husband is a data analyst but he informed me that these are not the same thing. TOTALLY different, he says.

What it's about: Sophie dates a lot, but her picker is broken. That problem is solved by a magical flower she found in her garden that blooms for true love. She just needs to bring all of her tinder dates there to choose her happily ever after. Her best friend Peter is too logical for his own good and refuses to let her flower choose him. He wants her to choose him!

Things I loved about this story:
Introvert x extrovert main characters
Best friends to neighbors to roommates to more
Friendships - we got to see Willa and Archer again!
Magical realism with a magical plant
Gardening girly
Data scientist with glasses
No spice or cussing
Meddling, magical building
First two paragraphs were amazing
He feeds her
He falls first

I loved the characters so much. Peter was relatable in his overthinking headspace, which caused problems for him. Sophie was a cool FMC and I loved how close they were as friends. They had great banter and he took care of her so well. They could truly be themselves around each other and I love that!

The plot wasn't my favorite with the miscommunication and the love flower, but I still enjoyed my time reading this book. They could have been together so many times if they would have had a 30 second conversation. If you don't like miscommunication in a book, move along now. This one will probably feel annoying in the middle.

The serendipity is still pushing people together but is less "in your face" than the other two books. I would like to see more of this magical building!

Peter’s been in love with Sophie since high school and, to be honest, I think Sophie was just too wrapped up in Sophie to realize she’s loved him just as long. I could be wrong, but girl was waxing poetic about him from the first page (I loved it).

I absolutely loved this book! I’m not normally a friends-to-lovers kind of gal, but Jenny had me with this one. I loved watching Sophie realize that she is indeed in love with her best friend. But some of her choices seriously got on my nerves. Her obsession with the flower, though I understand where it comes from, made me want to throw things. Watching her parents get a divorce and then her mother’s dating life really did a number on her.

Peter is amazing. He’s kind, gentle, and masculine. He’s a great character and he’s absolutely perfect for Sophie, just like she’s perfect for him. Who else would make a cake to ask a girl to prom? I loved the dynamic between these two and how they navigate life together. They’re best friends first, which I think is so important because it let them be completely honest with each other once they were ready.

A super sweet friends to lovers, romcom. I devoured this book in less then 24 hours and loved every sappy second of it!

Sophie and Peter have been best friends for years! Neither one can imagine life without the other, but Sophie is adamant they are “just friends.” When she discovers a new flower in the rooftop garden that supposedly only blooms in the presence of love she makes Peter help her use it as a dating experiment. He, being madly in love with her agrees to assist her.

This was a fun journey of friendship, and learning that love is not guaranteed ahead of time. You have to be willing to take risks and put in some work. Sophie and Peter were such fun! I am loving this series so far, can’t wait for the rest of the books.

You know those books that as soon as you read chapter 1 you just know?
You know that this is going to be the most absolutely amazing book🙌🏼
You know that you are going to love the characters so much!
You know that this story…this story is going to be amazing!
You know that this book is going to become a favorite!
Well that’s how this book was for me🥹🥰
I felt an instant connection to this story!
I immediately fell in love with Sophie from chapter 1. I felt like I could resonate with her character so so much! I loved her quirky, bubbly, friendly personality.
And then there is Peter🥰 I am so so so happy that we got to see his POV throughout the whole book🥹 I love Peter!
This whole book is just too cute, full of swoony, cheesy(but in the best possible way), funny moments and a splash of magic😘
This is an amazing addition to this series🙌🏼 and I really loved seeing character from previous books here as well🫶🏼

🌺Best Friends to Lovers
🩵He Falls First
🌺Opposites Attract
🩵Forced Proximity
🌺Whimsical Magic
🩵Cute Nerdy MMC

I don’t think I can put into words the way I truly loved this book but I’ve done my best😂