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The Piece
Layla Harris enjoys a simple life and is happy with her high school sweetheart, Jackson. He's kind, caring, respectful and intelligent; everything she could ask for.
After completing her final year at university, she enrols in a summer art course where she meets the talented artist Arlo Daniels. He is working on an exhibition for the local gallery and is everything that Jackson is not. He's confident, cheeky, sexy and maybe a little narcissistic.
Layla finds Arlo too forward and rude, but he grows a soft spot for her. She begins to see his walls come down, which poses a threat to her relationship with Jackson.
There's attraction.
There's lust.
And... there's heartbreak.
After completing her final year at university, she enrols in a summer art course where she meets the talented artist Arlo Daniels. He is working on an exhibition for the local gallery and is everything that Jackson is not. He's confident, cheeky, sexy and maybe a little narcissistic.
Layla finds Arlo too forward and rude, but he grows a soft spot for her. She begins to see his walls come down, which poses a threat to her relationship with Jackson.
There's attraction.
There's lust.
And... there's heartbreak.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 1, 2024
28 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
February 25, 2024
4⭐️ ~ Thank you so much to the author, Liberty May, for choosing me as one of her beta readers!
The Piece was such a cute romance novel! My favorite part was definitely the artist trope! You always see billionaires or athletes but an artist!? I love that, especially as an artist myself! Arlo was such a fun and confident male lead. His lines always had me laughing but he was also so sweet. He complimented the female protagonist, Layla so well. Speaking of Layla she was also a great character and very relatable. Their relationship was just too good.
I really appreciated the author’s proper understanding of art terms. It felt truly real instead of an author pretending like they knew what they were writing about. I also really enjoyed the fast pace of the novel, which is nice since sometimes romances can boring for me.
This is a perfect cute little book to read. It was very refreshing to just read about two people falling in love instead of having all the crazy cheating tropes and stuff that some books have these days. Not to mention this book even had a little spice which I wasn’t expecting at all but enjoyed nonetheless. A scene reminded me of chapter 55 in a certain fantasy novel (iykyk).
I think the author, Liberty May, has written a lovely debut novel. I can’t wait to see what other books she comes up with in the future! 🩷🩷
I recommend The Piece to any romance lover who’s looking for a new read and maybe even a new trope since I know artists aren’t that common.
The Piece was such a cute romance novel! My favorite part was definitely the artist trope! You always see billionaires or athletes but an artist!? I love that, especially as an artist myself! Arlo was such a fun and confident male lead. His lines always had me laughing but he was also so sweet. He complimented the female protagonist, Layla so well. Speaking of Layla she was also a great character and very relatable. Their relationship was just too good.
I really appreciated the author’s proper understanding of art terms. It felt truly real instead of an author pretending like they knew what they were writing about. I also really enjoyed the fast pace of the novel, which is nice since sometimes romances can boring for me.
This is a perfect cute little book to read. It was very refreshing to just read about two people falling in love instead of having all the crazy cheating tropes and stuff that some books have these days. Not to mention this book even had a little spice which I wasn’t expecting at all but enjoyed nonetheless. A scene reminded me of chapter 55 in a certain fantasy novel (iykyk).
I think the author, Liberty May, has written a lovely debut novel. I can’t wait to see what other books she comes up with in the future! 🩷🩷
I recommend The Piece to any romance lover who’s looking for a new read and maybe even a new trope since I know artists aren’t that common.
September 26, 2023
This is an amazing debut book for the writer Liberty May. The art theme is really unique and the writer uses this so well. I love the attention to detail, she brings small elements from the beginning of the book into a full circle and uses them to enhance and build the plot later in the novel. The characters have depth and the relationships are well developed between all characters - mum, best friend, teacher, flatmate. The Piece also tackles some important issues as the characters face difficult situations. This was handled beautifully.
Layla is an easy character to love. She’s kind, beautiful, smart, but not perfect. I found it easy to relate to her which immersed me into the story even more.
Arlo is the perfect man. That’s all that needs to said about his character.
Jackson is a complex character that has insecurities and deep rooted issues. I couldn’t help but want to dive into why he is the way he is. But this is Layla’s story. I would love to see a second book and maybe this could be the focus?
Overall this was such an easy read and I can’t wait to see what Liberty May does next!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Layla is an easy character to love. She’s kind, beautiful, smart, but not perfect. I found it easy to relate to her which immersed me into the story even more.
Arlo is the perfect man. That’s all that needs to said about his character.
Jackson is a complex character that has insecurities and deep rooted issues. I couldn’t help but want to dive into why he is the way he is. But this is Layla’s story. I would love to see a second book and maybe this could be the focus?
Overall this was such an easy read and I can’t wait to see what Liberty May does next!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
February 2, 2024
thank you to the author for this arc!!
i REALLY tried to love this book, there's honestly no big problems with it yet it just didn't work for me :( this book felt like reading a book... and i wanted to feel like i was transported somewhere else/into the characters while reading yk?? the writing for this book is very easy to read but if this book was just a bit longer with a bit more development for the characters, i'd love it even more. aside from just my personal preferences, i really enjoyed the art aspect! although i don't know too much about art, reading about the process of the characters drawing was super interesting.
for the characters, layla was a good main character to follow as her emotions and actions feel pretty realistic. arlo, he's such a sweetheart, artist male leads is something i've never read about before so it was interesting. i loved that the chemistry between the two felt natural. anywho, although this book wasn't my cup of tea, it's still well-written and others might enjoy it more than me!
i REALLY tried to love this book, there's honestly no big problems with it yet it just didn't work for me :( this book felt like reading a book... and i wanted to feel like i was transported somewhere else/into the characters while reading yk?? the writing for this book is very easy to read but if this book was just a bit longer with a bit more development for the characters, i'd love it even more. aside from just my personal preferences, i really enjoyed the art aspect! although i don't know too much about art, reading about the process of the characters drawing was super interesting.
for the characters, layla was a good main character to follow as her emotions and actions feel pretty realistic. arlo, he's such a sweetheart, artist male leads is something i've never read about before so it was interesting. i loved that the chemistry between the two felt natural. anywho, although this book wasn't my cup of tea, it's still well-written and others might enjoy it more than me!
January 20, 2024
From the very first page, I was hooked! Layla was a bubbly and lovable character. From her first appearance on the page, I found myself drawn to her infectious energy and optimistic outlook on life.
Arlo, Arlo, my man ✨😌 Arlo is the epitome of a golden retriever man - kind, caring, and always putting Layla's needs before his own.Their chemistry is undeniable, and I can't help but root for them to find their happily ever after ♡.
This book is a true gem, with beautifully written prose and characters that will steal your heart. I guarantee that you will fall in love with them just as I did 🎀. Trust me, this book is a must-read! This is my first solid 5 ⭐ read for the romance genre in 2024.
Arlo, Arlo, my man ✨😌 Arlo is the epitome of a golden retriever man - kind, caring, and always putting Layla's needs before his own.Their chemistry is undeniable, and I can't help but root for them to find their happily ever after ♡.
This book is a true gem, with beautifully written prose and characters that will steal your heart. I guarantee that you will fall in love with them just as I did 🎀. Trust me, this book is a must-read! This is my first solid 5 ⭐ read for the romance genre in 2024.
January 24, 2024
3.5🌟
The Piece by Liberty May is a contemporary romance novel that follows the lives of two artists who find love in unexpected ways. The book has a captivating premise and a satisfying ending, but the execution falls short in some aspects.
The main characters are well-developed and have great chemistry, but the plot feels rushed and lacks depth in the beginning. The book could have benefited from more backstory and conflict to make the readers care more about the outcome.
The writing style is engaging and easy to read. Overall, The Piece by Liberty May is a decent read for fans of the genre. 🎀💌
The Piece by Liberty May is a contemporary romance novel that follows the lives of two artists who find love in unexpected ways. The book has a captivating premise and a satisfying ending, but the execution falls short in some aspects.
The main characters are well-developed and have great chemistry, but the plot feels rushed and lacks depth in the beginning. The book could have benefited from more backstory and conflict to make the readers care more about the outcome.
The writing style is engaging and easy to read. Overall, The Piece by Liberty May is a decent read for fans of the genre. 🎀💌
February 1, 2024
Okay this was such a funny and cute story. Funny because how Arlo was smitten from day 1 and cute for the same reason. The story shows not only how sometimes attraction doesn’t come at the right time but also how it can make other things clear in your life. All you need is someone who supports you unapologetically. All the messy paint scenes had me going.
March 19, 2024
al inicio, tuve sentimientos encontrados con el protagonista masculino. mi problema con él era que me estresaba mucho el hecho de que estuviera detrás de nuestra protagonista sabiendo que esta tenía novio y que esta se lo dejaba en claro constantemente. si bien arlo merecía más la pena por las acciones y detalles que tenía con layla, después de todo, ella todavía seguía en una relación y no me malinterpreten, él no sobrepasó los límites con ella pero el solo hecho de que seguido estuviera recordándole cuan interesado estaba en ella, me hacía perder la cordura.
ahora, hablando de jackson, sabemos este no era el mejor novio pues no le daba calidad de tiempo a layla como se merecía al ser su pareja, pero a pesar de que ella notaba este problema, seguía con él y no avanzaban en su relación, priorizando los sentimientos de este en lugar de los suyos a pesar de que todos se lo decían, que estrés mamita!! por suerte, llegó un punto en el que recapacitó y tomó la mejor decisión para ambos.
arlo es demasiado lindo y caballeroso, amé su personalidad. si existiera, yo creo que sí me enamoraría de él lol e hizo que me gustara más cuando se mostró vulnerable ante ella y le contó sobre su pasado.
me encantaron las vibes de este libro, se sentía cozy y amamos el hecho de que nuestra protagonista trabajaba en una librería (quiero!!)
thanks to the author for sending me the arc 💌
ahora, hablando de jackson, sabemos este no era el mejor novio pues no le daba calidad de tiempo a layla como se merecía al ser su pareja, pero a pesar de que ella notaba este problema, seguía con él y no avanzaban en su relación, priorizando los sentimientos de este en lugar de los suyos a pesar de que todos se lo decían, que estrés mamita!! por suerte, llegó un punto en el que recapacitó y tomó la mejor decisión para ambos.
arlo es demasiado lindo y caballeroso, amé su personalidad. si existiera, yo creo que sí me enamoraría de él lol e hizo que me gustara más cuando se mostró vulnerable ante ella y le contó sobre su pasado.
me encantaron las vibes de este libro, se sentía cozy y amamos el hecho de que nuestra protagonista trabajaba en una librería (quiero!!)
thanks to the author for sending me the arc 💌
January 18, 2024
🎨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐢𝐞𝐜𝐞
5⭐️
1.5🌶️
🇬🇧
Thanks to the author for giving me the opportunity to be an ARC, and I've been eagerly waiting to read this masterpiece 🩷
God, how is it possible that from chapter one I was already hooked on this book? How is it possible that from chapter one I was already on my knees for Arlo? ✨ Well... play Taylor Swift (Labyrinth 1:10) play!
This book made me cry too much! 🥹 halfway through the book, I was a sea of tears because it made me long for everything. I want someone to be proud of me, without any obligation and from the heart, those little achievements that happen during the day but build us up and make us happy... Arlo makes Layla feel that way (by the way officially love that name) 🫂❤️🩹 It's truly beautiful to see how their love story unfolds, you understand why they fall in love with each other, such a beautiful love 🫂❤️🩹
Layla, my Virgo girl (my earth sister), the noble, loving, persevering, strong, perfectionist, romantic and intelligent girl 🩷 Layla is like me (and like many readers), we wish to have the love we read about and one day live our "happily ever after," you deserve it Layla 🩷
Arlo, my Capricorn boy (my earth brother), the loyal, tenacious, kind, protective, charismatic, creative, encouraging and sexy guy ❤️ He's a complete gentleman, the perfect man many of us desire 💌
It has a very very interesting plot twist that you don't see coming! GIRL I WAS LEFT WITH MY MOUTH OPEN FOR A MINUTE IN SHOCK! 😮💨
I think it's the book I've highlighted the most! 🩷 All the characters are well-rounded. Each of them, with their personality, builds a beautiful love story! Also, the way they describe the art course makes you want to work on those techniques (especially watercolors, as I love painting with them) ✨.
Definitely, if you were looking for a romantic and very entertaining book, this is your book! 🫂
I hope in the future to have a Jackson story (I feel like he deserves a big love) and a Chloe one (please please please please one with age gap and grumpy-sunshine would fit her so well) ✨
🎀 𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙥𝙤𝙚𝙢 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 🎀
🇲🇽
Gracias a la autora por darme la oportunidad de ser ARC, he esperado mucho para poder leer esta obra de arte🩷
Dios ¿Cómo es posible que desde el capítulo uno ya me tenía engancha este libro? ¿Cómo es posible que desde el capítulo uno ya estaba de rodillas por Arlo? ✨ Bueno… que suene Taylor Swift (Labyrinth 1:10)
Este libro me hizo llorar demasiado! 🥹 a la mitad del libro yo era un mar de lágrimas porque me hizo anhelar todo. Quiero que alguien esté orgulloso de mi, sin ningún compromiso y de corazón, de esos pequeños logros que se hacen durante el día pero que nos construyen y nos hacen felices… Arlo hace sentir así a Layla (por cierto oficialmente amo ese nombre) 🫂❤️🩹 Es realmente hermoso ver como se construye su historia de amor, comprendes el porqué se enamoran entre sí, un amor tan bello 🩷
Layla, mi chica Virgo (mi hermana tierra), la noble, amorosa, perseverante, fuerte, perfeccionista, romántica e inteligente chica🩷 Layla es como yo (y como muchas lectoras), deseamos tener el amor que leemos y que algún día poder vivir nuestro “final feliz”, te lo mereces Layla 🩷
Arlo, mi chico Capricornio (mi hermano tierra), el leal, tenaz, amable, protector, carismático, creativo, alentador y sexy chico ❤️ Es un todo un caballero, es el hombre perfecto con el que muchas deseamos 💌
Tiene un plot twist muy pero muy interesante que no lo ves venir! CHICA YO ME QUEDÉ CON LA BOCA ABIERTA DURANTE UN MINUTO DEL SHOCK! 😮💨
Creo que es el libro que más he subrayado! 🩷 Todos los personajes están completos. Cada uno de ellos, con su personalidad, construyen una historia de amor preciosa! Además el cómo describen el curso de arte, te hacen querer trabajar en esas técnicas (en especial las acuarelas ya que amo pintar con ellas) ✨
Definitivamente si buscaba un libro romántico y muy entretenido, este es tu libro! 🫂
Espero en el futuro tener una historia de Jackson (siento que se merece un gran amor) y una de Chloe (por favor por favor uno con age gap y grumpy-sunshine quedaría tan bien con ella) ✨
5⭐️
1.5🌶️
🇬🇧
Thanks to the author for giving me the opportunity to be an ARC, and I've been eagerly waiting to read this masterpiece 🩷
God, how is it possible that from chapter one I was already hooked on this book? How is it possible that from chapter one I was already on my knees for Arlo? ✨ Well... play Taylor Swift (Labyrinth 1:10) play!
This book made me cry too much! 🥹 halfway through the book, I was a sea of tears because it made me long for everything. I want someone to be proud of me, without any obligation and from the heart, those little achievements that happen during the day but build us up and make us happy... Arlo makes Layla feel that way (by the way officially love that name) 🫂❤️🩹 It's truly beautiful to see how their love story unfolds, you understand why they fall in love with each other, such a beautiful love 🫂❤️🩹
Layla, my Virgo girl (my earth sister), the noble, loving, persevering, strong, perfectionist, romantic and intelligent girl 🩷 Layla is like me (and like many readers), we wish to have the love we read about and one day live our "happily ever after," you deserve it Layla 🩷
Arlo, my Capricorn boy (my earth brother), the loyal, tenacious, kind, protective, charismatic, creative, encouraging and sexy guy ❤️ He's a complete gentleman, the perfect man many of us desire 💌
It has a very very interesting plot twist that you don't see coming! GIRL I WAS LEFT WITH MY MOUTH OPEN FOR A MINUTE IN SHOCK! 😮💨
I think it's the book I've highlighted the most! 🩷 All the characters are well-rounded. Each of them, with their personality, builds a beautiful love story! Also, the way they describe the art course makes you want to work on those techniques (especially watercolors, as I love painting with them) ✨.
Definitely, if you were looking for a romantic and very entertaining book, this is your book! 🫂
I hope in the future to have a Jackson story (I feel like he deserves a big love) and a Chloe one (please please please please one with age gap and grumpy-sunshine would fit her so well) ✨
🎀 𝘼𝙧𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙥𝙤𝙚𝙢 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 🎀
🇲🇽
Gracias a la autora por darme la oportunidad de ser ARC, he esperado mucho para poder leer esta obra de arte🩷
Dios ¿Cómo es posible que desde el capítulo uno ya me tenía engancha este libro? ¿Cómo es posible que desde el capítulo uno ya estaba de rodillas por Arlo? ✨ Bueno… que suene Taylor Swift (Labyrinth 1:10)
Este libro me hizo llorar demasiado! 🥹 a la mitad del libro yo era un mar de lágrimas porque me hizo anhelar todo. Quiero que alguien esté orgulloso de mi, sin ningún compromiso y de corazón, de esos pequeños logros que se hacen durante el día pero que nos construyen y nos hacen felices… Arlo hace sentir así a Layla (por cierto oficialmente amo ese nombre) 🫂❤️🩹 Es realmente hermoso ver como se construye su historia de amor, comprendes el porqué se enamoran entre sí, un amor tan bello 🩷
Layla, mi chica Virgo (mi hermana tierra), la noble, amorosa, perseverante, fuerte, perfeccionista, romántica e inteligente chica🩷 Layla es como yo (y como muchas lectoras), deseamos tener el amor que leemos y que algún día poder vivir nuestro “final feliz”, te lo mereces Layla 🩷
Arlo, mi chico Capricornio (mi hermano tierra), el leal, tenaz, amable, protector, carismático, creativo, alentador y sexy chico ❤️ Es un todo un caballero, es el hombre perfecto con el que muchas deseamos 💌
Tiene un plot twist muy pero muy interesante que no lo ves venir! CHICA YO ME QUEDÉ CON LA BOCA ABIERTA DURANTE UN MINUTO DEL SHOCK! 😮💨
Creo que es el libro que más he subrayado! 🩷 Todos los personajes están completos. Cada uno de ellos, con su personalidad, construyen una historia de amor preciosa! Además el cómo describen el curso de arte, te hacen querer trabajar en esas técnicas (en especial las acuarelas ya que amo pintar con ellas) ✨
Definitivamente si buscaba un libro romántico y muy entretenido, este es tu libro! 🫂
Espero en el futuro tener una historia de Jackson (siento que se merece un gran amor) y una de Chloe (por favor por favor uno con age gap y grumpy-sunshine quedaría tan bien con ella) ✨
January 27, 2024
First of all, thank you so much Liberty May for choosing me as one of your ARC readers for your first novel “The Piece”. I’m extremely grateful to have had this opportunity.
This was one of those books I would always think about throughout the entire day, waiting to finally pick it up and keep reading it. The romance was so cute - although I wasn’t too much into it at the very beginning because of the situation the FMC was in, but luckily things changed - and the chemistry between the two leads was really there.
The more I’d keep reading the book, the more I’d fall in love with Arlo (the MMC). He was such a caring boyfriend and he would always put Layla first, and I simply adored that.
Also, I had never read a book with such a strong artistic component so it was so refreshing to read about something it’s not really common to find in romance books. The art trope was written in a very precise and interesting way: it was noticeable that the author knew what she was talking about.
The thing that shocks me - in a REALLY positive way - it’s that this is Liberty’s first novel: what do you mean FIRST?!? It’s such a GREAT debut! I’m so happy I got the chance to read this ARC and discover her story and beautiful writing. I’d really like for her to continue this story, not necessarily with Layla and Arlo, but with the other characters we started to get to know in this book. But whatever she has in mind, I can’t wait to support her!
This was one of those books I would always think about throughout the entire day, waiting to finally pick it up and keep reading it. The romance was so cute - although I wasn’t too much into it at the very beginning because of the situation the FMC was in, but luckily things changed - and the chemistry between the two leads was really there.
The more I’d keep reading the book, the more I’d fall in love with Arlo (the MMC). He was such a caring boyfriend and he would always put Layla first, and I simply adored that.
Also, I had never read a book with such a strong artistic component so it was so refreshing to read about something it’s not really common to find in romance books. The art trope was written in a very precise and interesting way: it was noticeable that the author knew what she was talking about.
The thing that shocks me - in a REALLY positive way - it’s that this is Liberty’s first novel: what do you mean FIRST?!? It’s such a GREAT debut! I’m so happy I got the chance to read this ARC and discover her story and beautiful writing. I’d really like for her to continue this story, not necessarily with Layla and Arlo, but with the other characters we started to get to know in this book. But whatever she has in mind, I can’t wait to support her!
March 22, 2025
A romance book up there just as good as the Emily Henry's of the world.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews