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Beautiful Thing
Fake-dating my best friend’s brother should be easy.
He’s grumpy. He’s guarded. He’s older.
And he’d never fall for a complicated single mother like me.
Or that’s what I need to tell myself…so I don’t fall in love with him.
Archer Brighton needs a girlfriend.
If the broody lumberjack shows up at his younger brother’s wedding without a date, his meddling family will drive him insane.
With his stormy eyes, his towering body and his gorgeous beard, there’s a line-up of women eager for the spot on his arm.
But Archer isn’t looking for love. He just wants to be left alone.
I shouldn’t have gone and stuck my nose in his business.
I shouldn’t have blurted out—right in the middle of family dinner—that Archer asked me to be his wedding date.
Yikes! What was I thinking?!
The man is my boss and my neighbor and my best friend’s brother, after all!
I'm more than willing to apologize to his family and clean up this mess I’ve made.
But Archer won’t let me backtrack.
He insists that a fake relationship is exactly what we both need.
So here’s our deal—
Three months of pretend-dating while my toddler and I stay at his house, rent-free.
Archer will protect me from my dirtbag ex.
And I’ll save him from the prying townsfolk who keep trying to set him up on dates.
It’s a win-win solution.
Except, I’m not so sure Archer’s pretending.
Not when he’s reading bedtime stories to my son.
Not when he’s cooking us breakfast, lunch and dinner.
And definitely not when he’s kissing me.
All. Night. Long.
He makes me feel beautiful. In a way I’ve never felt before.
Soon, I don’t want to sleep in that cold guestroom.
Not when I could be sleeping in his strong, tatted arms instead.
With every forbidden kiss, we dig our hole deeper.
Are we creating a monster? Or are we building something beautiful together?
Beautiful Thing is a steamy, laugh-out-loud, small town, single mom and grumpy lumberjack romance. It is set in small town Iowa and is the conclusion to the Brighton Family series.
He’s grumpy. He’s guarded. He’s older.
And he’d never fall for a complicated single mother like me.
Or that’s what I need to tell myself…so I don’t fall in love with him.
Archer Brighton needs a girlfriend.
If the broody lumberjack shows up at his younger brother’s wedding without a date, his meddling family will drive him insane.
With his stormy eyes, his towering body and his gorgeous beard, there’s a line-up of women eager for the spot on his arm.
But Archer isn’t looking for love. He just wants to be left alone.
I shouldn’t have gone and stuck my nose in his business.
I shouldn’t have blurted out—right in the middle of family dinner—that Archer asked me to be his wedding date.
Yikes! What was I thinking?!
The man is my boss and my neighbor and my best friend’s brother, after all!
I'm more than willing to apologize to his family and clean up this mess I’ve made.
But Archer won’t let me backtrack.
He insists that a fake relationship is exactly what we both need.
So here’s our deal—
Three months of pretend-dating while my toddler and I stay at his house, rent-free.
Archer will protect me from my dirtbag ex.
And I’ll save him from the prying townsfolk who keep trying to set him up on dates.
It’s a win-win solution.
Except, I’m not so sure Archer’s pretending.
Not when he’s reading bedtime stories to my son.
Not when he’s cooking us breakfast, lunch and dinner.
And definitely not when he’s kissing me.
All. Night. Long.
He makes me feel beautiful. In a way I’ve never felt before.
Soon, I don’t want to sleep in that cold guestroom.
Not when I could be sleeping in his strong, tatted arms instead.
With every forbidden kiss, we dig our hole deeper.
Are we creating a monster? Or are we building something beautiful together?
Beautiful Thing is a steamy, laugh-out-loud, small town, single mom and grumpy lumberjack romance. It is set in small town Iowa and is the conclusion to the Brighton Family series.
452 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 24, 2025
870 people are currently reading
449 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
March 30, 2025
2.t stars
I went ahead and rounded up on my rating, but this one wasn't one of my faves. The story was super sweet, but both of these characters with their "they could never love me" attitudes got really old really fast. I also wasn't really a fan of the way the 2 year old was written. The kid, at less than 24 months, decided he was going to call the MMC Mister Mustache on his own? When he had a full beard, and it doesn't really mention anyone around him having a mustache for him to really use the word? Also, Sky felt more like a prop they would bring out when the stoey needed some single parent angst or cute catch phrases. He def didn't talk like he was less than 2, and around this age, kids have a vocabulary explosion, so the cute phrases that were thrown in here and there just didn't ring true.
I went ahead and rounded up on my rating, but this one wasn't one of my faves. The story was super sweet, but both of these characters with their "they could never love me" attitudes got really old really fast. I also wasn't really a fan of the way the 2 year old was written. The kid, at less than 24 months, decided he was going to call the MMC Mister Mustache on his own? When he had a full beard, and it doesn't really mention anyone around him having a mustache for him to really use the word? Also, Sky felt more like a prop they would bring out when the stoey needed some single parent angst or cute catch phrases. He def didn't talk like he was less than 2, and around this age, kids have a vocabulary explosion, so the cute phrases that were thrown in here and there just didn't ring true.
March 6, 2025
Slow Drag not slow burn
Great idea. I understand a slow burn but this was a slow drag mostly. Specifically chapters 30 through 50 could have had about 15 chapters removed or consolidated. By that part your so far in you’re just trying to see it through. The FMC was so pitiful, it was too far. She had no autonomy. She’s constantly praised for just being a mom and makes so many bad choices. The MMC was awesome and worth the ink. It seems like the writer is decent but doesn’t know when to move on to a different point of action.
Great idea. I understand a slow burn but this was a slow drag mostly. Specifically chapters 30 through 50 could have had about 15 chapters removed or consolidated. By that part your so far in you’re just trying to see it through. The FMC was so pitiful, it was too far. She had no autonomy. She’s constantly praised for just being a mom and makes so many bad choices. The MMC was awesome and worth the ink. It seems like the writer is decent but doesn’t know when to move on to a different point of action.
October 12, 2025
Frustrating
I liked Archer's part of the story but the more I got into the story, the more frustrating Layla became. It didn't matter all the different ways Archer showed her what she meant to him, she still wouldn't believe him and kept insisting that everything is fake. Even though the chemistry was off the chart, she still insisted there wasn't a future. I liked the ending but not enough to give it a higher rating.
I liked Archer's part of the story but the more I got into the story, the more frustrating Layla became. It didn't matter all the different ways Archer showed her what she meant to him, she still wouldn't believe him and kept insisting that everything is fake. Even though the chemistry was off the chart, she still insisted there wasn't a future. I liked the ending but not enough to give it a higher rating.
March 11, 2025
Maybe 3.5 stars. But honestly, this book kind of bored me. And I was so looking forward to it. I’m disappointed that I didn’t love it. But by the end I was so sick and tired of Layla just getting in her own way. At first I was also getting sick of Archer and his rules that he put there because of his fear of getting hurt. But along the way he got his head out of his butt. But Layla took wayyy too long to get there for me. I’m glad she eventually did. But I’m glad this book is over and I’m ready to move on. I will probably read Raines book when the new series starts. I just hope to like it more than I liked this one.
March 4, 2025
I was really excited for Archer and Layla's story but I don't know, a bit of a let down! It was still a good, enjoyable read and I loved the Brighton family. But AGH! these two did not get out of their own way and it just dragged on.
March 19, 2025
beautiful thing
Good story, but I hated all the back forth and self doubt and woe is me from Layla it got old after a while.
Good story, but I hated all the back forth and self doubt and woe is me from Layla it got old after a while.
March 12, 2025
Overall, I enjoyed the plot. However, I feel like this one easily could have been 100 pages less. The main characters constantly denied their feelings and never discussed with the other and it just got old after a while, I struggled to finish it.
March 13, 2025
I could have used a little bit more storyline other than the characters hooking up and their confusion about their obvious love for one another. A little more substance perhaps…
March 2, 2025
Umm... 3.5?
Ok, so on the plus side, I loved Archer. He's the perfect man. The way he loves Layla is the reason we read these books!
However, the entire thing was, "Oh, I just don't know if he loves me. I can't pull him into my mess." Even after he literally said he loves 'loving her'.
I just can't stand when books go unnecessarily long because one character is being completely dumb. That's just me.
Ok, so on the plus side, I loved Archer. He's the perfect man. The way he loves Layla is the reason we read these books!
However, the entire thing was, "Oh, I just don't know if he loves me. I can't pull him into my mess." Even after he literally said he loves 'loving her'.
I just can't stand when books go unnecessarily long because one character is being completely dumb. That's just me.
March 2, 2025
I feel like the books in this series have been going downhill with each subsequent one. I was hesitant to read this one because my reviews of the last three have not been high ratings. And this one was just as not great.
Where to start? First off, there is no chemistry between these two characters, completely flat. There is more chemistry between them when mentioned in other books in the series. Secondly, there feels like no consistency in the characters after having mentioned them so much in previous books. It felt like meeting whole new characters.
I had no patience for Layla. I wanted to smack her and say “get it together! Quit letting others ruin your life!” This is a textbook example of someone who needs therapy badly. She cannot see the forest through the trees and is willing to throw away a good thing because of it.
This is an example of horrible miscommunication. Neither Archer or Layla had their shit together and talked about it. Archer doesn’t want to scare off Layla with his feelings but Layla is falling into old traps and won’t tell Archer what is wrong. Layla also makes some big ass assumptions about Archer and his feelings.
Hate, hate, hate when Archer protects Layla from Razor. “She’s mine. You don’t speak to her without my permission. You don’t look at her without my permission.” Um. Ew. No. While the author is trying to make Archer’s actions seem like it’s heroic and love driven, it’s not. Layla is just going from one possessive guy to another. She doesn’t need Archer “owning” her. She needs him to help her become her own protector and give her the tools to stand up for herself.
There is no growth to Layla in the entire book. She goes from one controlling guy to another but it’s acceptable because Archer loves her and isn’t a crack addict. There isn’t a good resolution with her mom. This woman routinely encourages her to go back to the asswipe of a baby daddy and says bullshit like “you better keep him because this is the only man who will love you”. And in the end, there’s little resolution.
Layla is a product of her upbringing for sure. And that is sad and a true representation of how life goes sometimes. But I wanted more for and from Layla. Archer is a nice guy who does want to spoil Layla and have a family. But I would have liked it more if he had helped Layla grow as a person instead of love bombing her and enabling her to fall into the same habits.
Honestly, maybe skip this book. Maybe skip the second half of the series.
Where to start? First off, there is no chemistry between these two characters, completely flat. There is more chemistry between them when mentioned in other books in the series. Secondly, there feels like no consistency in the characters after having mentioned them so much in previous books. It felt like meeting whole new characters.
I had no patience for Layla. I wanted to smack her and say “get it together! Quit letting others ruin your life!” This is a textbook example of someone who needs therapy badly. She cannot see the forest through the trees and is willing to throw away a good thing because of it.
This is an example of horrible miscommunication. Neither Archer or Layla had their shit together and talked about it. Archer doesn’t want to scare off Layla with his feelings but Layla is falling into old traps and won’t tell Archer what is wrong. Layla also makes some big ass assumptions about Archer and his feelings.
Hate, hate, hate when Archer protects Layla from Razor. “She’s mine. You don’t speak to her without my permission. You don’t look at her without my permission.” Um. Ew. No. While the author is trying to make Archer’s actions seem like it’s heroic and love driven, it’s not. Layla is just going from one possessive guy to another. She doesn’t need Archer “owning” her. She needs him to help her become her own protector and give her the tools to stand up for herself.
There is no growth to Layla in the entire book. She goes from one controlling guy to another but it’s acceptable because Archer loves her and isn’t a crack addict. There isn’t a good resolution with her mom. This woman routinely encourages her to go back to the asswipe of a baby daddy and says bullshit like “you better keep him because this is the only man who will love you”. And in the end, there’s little resolution.
Layla is a product of her upbringing for sure. And that is sad and a true representation of how life goes sometimes. But I wanted more for and from Layla. Archer is a nice guy who does want to spoil Layla and have a family. But I would have liked it more if he had helped Layla grow as a person instead of love bombing her and enabling her to fall into the same habits.
Honestly, maybe skip this book. Maybe skip the second half of the series.
November 22, 2025
It was good until it wasn't...
So as I was reading this book, and let me say I have not read the other books in the series, but some things just didn't quite line up. And then I thought maybe it was just me being particular about the books that I read. But little details throughout the book just didn't work. And some things just died off oddly. Total spoilers ahead.
- Archer calls her Bella pretty early in the book. In his mind, he lets it slip by accident. Okay. No big deal. But they do a whole bunch of this fake dating and adult shenanigans before she even questions it. Something like 68% into the book. She finally questions the name. Like, really? That's not one of your earlier questions?
- Sky's vocabulary didn't appear consistent for one, nor developmentally appropriate. At the end, he would have had no idea what a marriage is to tell his mom to say yes at the age of 2. Like, come on. If Archer would have said He wants to get married and the kid would have asked about it and then been excited because they were excited, that would have made more sense for the age.
- He paints her house with his brothers and goes on this whole thing about doing anything for her and how she was eyeballing the paint color for the house. And then we never got a reaction from her? Or any kind of acknowledgment from her? Nothing for her to be like, oh my gosh, this guy really does love me!?
- The Christmas marriage proposal was just ridiculous as well. They'd been official for what? A day or two? And then all of a sudden they're getting married right away? No thanks.
- And triplets? We couldn't just stick with the standard twins like his siblings?
Meh. If the other books were like this, then I'm glad I did not read them. I would have been disappointed. And as it stands, I am not invested with any of these characters enough to go back and read the other stories.
I can now finally get this one out of my Kindle unlimited account though. Not sure where it popped up from, but it sat for a while. And I don't feel like I'm missing anything from this one.
So as I was reading this book, and let me say I have not read the other books in the series, but some things just didn't quite line up. And then I thought maybe it was just me being particular about the books that I read. But little details throughout the book just didn't work. And some things just died off oddly. Total spoilers ahead.
- Archer calls her Bella pretty early in the book. In his mind, he lets it slip by accident. Okay. No big deal. But they do a whole bunch of this fake dating and adult shenanigans before she even questions it. Something like 68% into the book. She finally questions the name. Like, really? That's not one of your earlier questions?
- Sky's vocabulary didn't appear consistent for one, nor developmentally appropriate. At the end, he would have had no idea what a marriage is to tell his mom to say yes at the age of 2. Like, come on. If Archer would have said He wants to get married and the kid would have asked about it and then been excited because they were excited, that would have made more sense for the age.
- He paints her house with his brothers and goes on this whole thing about doing anything for her and how she was eyeballing the paint color for the house. And then we never got a reaction from her? Or any kind of acknowledgment from her? Nothing for her to be like, oh my gosh, this guy really does love me!?
- The Christmas marriage proposal was just ridiculous as well. They'd been official for what? A day or two? And then all of a sudden they're getting married right away? No thanks.
- And triplets? We couldn't just stick with the standard twins like his siblings?
Meh. If the other books were like this, then I'm glad I did not read them. I would have been disappointed. And as it stands, I am not invested with any of these characters enough to go back and read the other stories.
I can now finally get this one out of my Kindle unlimited account though. Not sure where it popped up from, but it sat for a while. And I don't feel like I'm missing anything from this one.
September 22, 2025
I'm finally glad to see Archer and Layla get their HEA. That being said, this book was not what I was expecting. It started great, and things were going OK, but then when they started getting intimate, things just got strange for me, and I never really understood what was going on with them (mostly Layla).
I did find an instance of missing quotation marks, but just once.
Archer had his rules, which to some degree I totally understood. Layla was sad about those rules because they meant that she couldn't get with him without being with him. Then, when he just tossed the rules, after a bit, she got sad because she couldn't be with him. Make up your mind about what you want and at least admit it to yourself! He back and forth just didn't make much sense to me. I'm glad they both finally pulled their heads out. It shouldn't have taken so much for them to admit they love each other when they both have for years.
This one did have a bit of a drag going on, particularly in the last half of the book. It just got old, with the same things over and over.
I liked this series overall. It was mostly light and cutesy. I would recommend them to others.
I did find an instance of missing quotation marks, but just once.
Archer had his rules, which to some degree I totally understood. Layla was sad about those rules because they meant that she couldn't get with him without being with him. Then, when he just tossed the rules, after a bit, she got sad because she couldn't be with him. Make up your mind about what you want and at least admit it to yourself! He back and forth just didn't make much sense to me. I'm glad they both finally pulled their heads out. It shouldn't have taken so much for them to admit they love each other when they both have for years.
This one did have a bit of a drag going on, particularly in the last half of the book. It just got old, with the same things over and over.
I liked this series overall. It was mostly light and cutesy. I would recommend them to others.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2025
Okay, I have been waiting for Layla and Archer's story forever! I love a good MMC pining. And this book delivers. The looks, the touches. All of it. And oh my gosh. The bathroom scene with these two? HOT HOT!
Archer's "sit" had me squealing like a little piglet!
I love Layla and how strong she is despite the mistakes she's made by going back to her abusive ex. While I have not been in an abusive relationship like Layla, I have gone back to a toxic man who was no good for me. I related to that quite a bit.
And what can I say about Archer? He is swoon-worthy and so thoughtful. How he has made himself available to Layla and her son will blow your mind.
A Beautiful Thing is an excellent conclusion to the series. It shows the struggles that both these characters have with their individual lives and the ways they overcome those struggles to finally get together.
The banter between the family members is also a hoot! Gosh, I love this series. I might have to read it from the beginning all over again.
Archer's "sit" had me squealing like a little piglet!
I love Layla and how strong she is despite the mistakes she's made by going back to her abusive ex. While I have not been in an abusive relationship like Layla, I have gone back to a toxic man who was no good for me. I related to that quite a bit.
And what can I say about Archer? He is swoon-worthy and so thoughtful. How he has made himself available to Layla and her son will blow your mind.
A Beautiful Thing is an excellent conclusion to the series. It shows the struggles that both these characters have with their individual lives and the ways they overcome those struggles to finally get together.
The banter between the family members is also a hoot! Gosh, I love this series. I might have to read it from the beginning all over again.
February 24, 2025
Archer was absolutely as swoon worthy as I anticipated! Archer is everything you need in a book boyfriend! All. The. Things! This story blew me away. The push and pull. The spice. The alpha protectiveness he has toward Layla and Sky. Her resilience and strength. I love the idea of Layla’s found family becoming real family. Their story was a big, complicated jumble of feelings. They each have so many layers of hurt and fear. Right along side so much love and desire for each other. You can’t help but feel frustrated for them (and maybe at them 😆) as you read through their story and all their struggles… but Cassie knows how to build a touching, captivating story all the way through. I’ve enjoyed how their story was weaved throughout the other books leading up to this one. I loved getting to revisit all the happy couples. This series was one of the first ones I started when I fell back in love with reading and I’m so glad we finally have Archer and Layla’s HEA! Amazing job Cassie!
March 28, 2025
Welp. That’s it. All the Brighton brothers are officially taken, and Cassie-Ann Miller has tied up both the Brighton Family and Wild Westbrook series with one final swoony, banter-filled bow.
In Beautiful Thing, the last grump standing—Archer Brighton—finally falls. And naturally, it’s for Layla, his little sister’s best friend and longtime forbidden crush. There’s an 11-year age gap, but these two have been lowkey pining for years, so when it happens? It happens.
This one’s packed with what I came for: top-tier girlfriend and sibling banter, Brighton/Westbrook sibling chaos and antics. Basically, everyone’s loud, meddling, and somehow still loveable. The whole thing was a comfort read—fast, funny, and cute without being too sweet.
Finished it at lunch (priorities), and yes—I had on my cutest boots while doing it. Felt appropriate.
Now that everyone’s married off, I guess I have to find a new brood of fictional hot messes to obsess over. Suggestions welcome.
In Beautiful Thing, the last grump standing—Archer Brighton—finally falls. And naturally, it’s for Layla, his little sister’s best friend and longtime forbidden crush. There’s an 11-year age gap, but these two have been lowkey pining for years, so when it happens? It happens.
This one’s packed with what I came for: top-tier girlfriend and sibling banter, Brighton/Westbrook sibling chaos and antics. Basically, everyone’s loud, meddling, and somehow still loveable. The whole thing was a comfort read—fast, funny, and cute without being too sweet.
Finished it at lunch (priorities), and yes—I had on my cutest boots while doing it. Felt appropriate.
Now that everyone’s married off, I guess I have to find a new brood of fictional hot messes to obsess over. Suggestions welcome.
March 22, 2025
I loved Archer and Layla. Both have been burned in the past which makes relationships hard to trust. They both have had a crush on each other and it’s all starting to come to light. Layla is fresh out of a horrible relationship with Razor, her son's father who constantly made her feel like she was never enough and treated her poorly, just filling her head with insecurities that now follow her. Archer has always wanted Layla and watched from afar every time she went back to her POS ex, wondering if he’d ever get that chance with her. Archer’s siblings are all happily with their person and he wants that and wants that with Layla, but he has rules, he’s all in, no one night stands, kissing means something and he needs to know that who he chooses feels the same. Will these two figure out what’s going on between them or will Archer let her go? Highly recommend!
March 2, 2025
Hewo Mista Musdache! 👩🏻🍳🤌🏼💋Muah Chefs Kiss
Sky is the cutest baby ever!!! Layla & Archer’s story is full of love, angst, banter, friendship groups, spice and everything nice!
Archer the grumpy grump turns out to be the most adorable Golden Retriever Teddy Bear of all the brothers! We all need an Archer in our lives! Layla you luck gal!! We also greatly dislike Razor aka Ansel! But we ♥️♥️♥️his grandmother!
Truth be told - I’m going to miss this family, just like I did the Westbrooks!
This whole series & the rest of Cassie-Ann’s books are pure gold! Lays potato chips Ppl! You can’t just read one - you need the
whole dang series! So get them all & enjoy! Happy Reading Erybody!
Sky is the cutest baby ever!!! Layla & Archer’s story is full of love, angst, banter, friendship groups, spice and everything nice!
Archer the grumpy grump turns out to be the most adorable Golden Retriever Teddy Bear of all the brothers! We all need an Archer in our lives! Layla you luck gal!! We also greatly dislike Razor aka Ansel! But we ♥️♥️♥️his grandmother!
Truth be told - I’m going to miss this family, just like I did the Westbrooks!
This whole series & the rest of Cassie-Ann’s books are pure gold! Lays potato chips Ppl! You can’t just read one - you need the
whole dang series! So get them all & enjoy! Happy Reading Erybody!
March 8, 2025
Archer delivered on every expectation! He's the ultimate book boyfriend, hands down. This story was a whirlwind of emotions. The intense push and pull, the sizzling spice, and Archer's fierce protectiveness of Layla and Sky—it was all perfection. Layla's strength and resilience were inspiring, and the found family becoming real was heartwarming. Their journey was a complex tangle of hurt, fear, love, and desire. You'll feel every frustration and triumph alongside them! Cassie masterfully crafted a touching and captivating story. I loved how their story arc unfolded through the previous books, and revisiting the other couples was a treat. This series reignited my love for reading, and I'm thrilled Archer and Layla got their well-deserved happily ever after. Cassie, you nailed it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 9, 2025
"Don't let your cooch wilt up like a head of lettuce at Opal's vegetable stand." Bahahaha! That was such an awesome quote!
Gah! I freaking loved this book. Now, I could have smacked both of these people. Archer was so in love with Layla that he just took whatever she did or didn't give him. And, Layla, goodness, that girl was so freaking wishy washy that I wanted to shake her so hard to right her thoughts.
I just love a book that has kids in them. They just add a unique element and Sky was so stinking cute.
I am so, so happy that things worked out for these two and now I am sad that this series has to end.
I was curious about Easton and to find out that we are getting a book for him is outstanding. And more hockey, wahoo!
Gah! I freaking loved this book. Now, I could have smacked both of these people. Archer was so in love with Layla that he just took whatever she did or didn't give him. And, Layla, goodness, that girl was so freaking wishy washy that I wanted to shake her so hard to right her thoughts.
I just love a book that has kids in them. They just add a unique element and Sky was so stinking cute.
I am so, so happy that things worked out for these two and now I am sad that this series has to end.
I was curious about Easton and to find out that we are getting a book for him is outstanding. And more hockey, wahoo!
March 9, 2025
Sparks fly, tension sizzles, and small-town gossip runs wild in Beautiful Thing! Archer Brighton is the grumpy, muscled, ex-military hardware store owner who definitely isn’t in love with his younger sister’s best friend… except, yeah, he totally is. Layla, meanwhile, is trying very hard not to fantasize about her broody, bearded boss, but resisting Archer? Nearly impossible. This best-friend’s-brother romance is packed with delicious slow-burn longing, flirty banter, and just the right amount of angst. Expect meddling hippie grandmas, laugh-out-loud moments, and steam that’ll leave you fanning yourself. Cassie-Ann L. Miller delivers a perfect mix of heart, heat, and humor. Archer is swoon-worthy. Layla is irresistible. And their love story? Utterly unputdownable.
March 11, 2025
I have been waiting for this one ever since I started this series. Something about Archer and Layla just called to me and woooooo, I was not disappointed. These two were angsty, steamy, will they won’t they perfection. Even though it’s clear to the reader how much they belong together, watching them realize it was a test of patience. I wanted to scream and knock their heads together to get them out of their own way. And don’t even get me started on baby Sky and his Mista Mudstache. Ugh. This was honestly perfection and judging by how much we saw and heard about the Raines brothers, I got a feeling I know where we’re going next, and I cannot wait. A perfect ending to one of my all time top series. 💛
March 18, 2025
This novel was a wonderful end to the Brighton series. The relationship between Archer, the oldest of the six Brighton siblings, and Layla, Karli's best friend, has been mentioned in other books in the series, but now has its own stage. Archer is a grumpy, ex-military lumberjack, while Layla has a very young son from her unfortunate coupling with her unreliable, immature boyfriend from high school. Archer lives in close proximity to Layla and is always coming to her rescue by fixing things, mowing her grass, etc. Circumstances change when Layla and her son move in temporarily with Archer because her cheating boyfriend kicks her out of his house because he plans on moving in his pregnant girlfriend! Likeable main characters and hot, sex scenes abound.
February 25, 2025
New standard for book boyfriend!
As the final installment of the Brighton siblings, Beautiful Thing is the epitome of great rom-com banter and spice. Archer is the growly oldest brother, who has been watching out for his sweet neighbor, Layla, for the last five books. 😍 The age gap and knowing that Layla is his sister’s best friend has always kept Archer at a distance… although some family drama gets them into some interesting situations. Skylar steals most of the scenes with the three of them. Archer has definitely become a gold standard book boyfriend.
As the final installment of the Brighton siblings, Beautiful Thing is the epitome of great rom-com banter and spice. Archer is the growly oldest brother, who has been watching out for his sweet neighbor, Layla, for the last five books. 😍 The age gap and knowing that Layla is his sister’s best friend has always kept Archer at a distance… although some family drama gets them into some interesting situations. Skylar steals most of the scenes with the three of them. Archer has definitely become a gold standard book boyfriend.
March 1, 2025
favorite book of the series!
I absolutely LOVED this book. It was such a great finale to the Brighton Family series. Archer and Layla were such a great story to read after seeing snippets of their “secret” mutual pining in all the other books. Their story was a fake dating, slow burn full of tension, flirting, denial, love that had been there hiding for years. And once they crossed the barrier holding them back that slow burn became a full on inferno and the spice it packed was SO good!
I absolutely LOVED this book. It was such a great finale to the Brighton Family series. Archer and Layla were such a great story to read after seeing snippets of their “secret” mutual pining in all the other books. Their story was a fake dating, slow burn full of tension, flirting, denial, love that had been there hiding for years. And once they crossed the barrier holding them back that slow burn became a full on inferno and the spice it packed was SO good!
March 13, 2025
Archer is a Dreamboat!
Sad to see this series coming to an end, but I’d say the author signed off on a high note. You just can’t not love Archer Brighton. I think we all wish men were as uncomplicated as he was. He said how he felt and followed up with his actions. Layla was a little difficult for me. I couldn’t understand what more Archer could have done to prove his feelings for her. But I’m glad she finally got it together. I really liked this book, but it’s time to say bye bye to the Brightons!
Sad to see this series coming to an end, but I’d say the author signed off on a high note. You just can’t not love Archer Brighton. I think we all wish men were as uncomplicated as he was. He said how he felt and followed up with his actions. Layla was a little difficult for me. I couldn’t understand what more Archer could have done to prove his feelings for her. But I’m glad she finally got it together. I really liked this book, but it’s time to say bye bye to the Brightons!
March 25, 2025
Sappy
This book was not my cup of tea. While being a stand-alone, one definitely needs to read the previous books in the series to understand who all the characters are. I enjoyed Layla and Archer in the beginning, but then Layla just got on my nerves later on in the book, and Archer turned way to sappy for me. The timeline was never really stated other than winter, and then the last 2 chapters apparently jumped a year with no warning.
While this book was enjoyable, I won't be reading it again.
This book was not my cup of tea. While being a stand-alone, one definitely needs to read the previous books in the series to understand who all the characters are. I enjoyed Layla and Archer in the beginning, but then Layla just got on my nerves later on in the book, and Archer turned way to sappy for me. The timeline was never really stated other than winter, and then the last 2 chapters apparently jumped a year with no warning.
While this book was enjoyable, I won't be reading it again.
June 6, 2025
all boxes checked.
That was cute. Not a big fan of the inner monologue and how the MC's kept getting in their own way, but super happy they came around in the end. No cheating and no crazy kidnapping (I was worried there) just 2 people finally coming to their senses and pouring their hearts out to each other. Definitely took fake dating to another level the way they kept slipping up and telling people lol.
Glad Layla and Archer realized the words were all that needed to be said.
That was cute. Not a big fan of the inner monologue and how the MC's kept getting in their own way, but super happy they came around in the end. No cheating and no crazy kidnapping (I was worried there) just 2 people finally coming to their senses and pouring their hearts out to each other. Definitely took fake dating to another level the way they kept slipping up and telling people lol.
Glad Layla and Archer realized the words were all that needed to be said.
June 7, 2025
Well written, but repetitive
First, the book was well written. The premise of the story was cute. The spice was SPICING (when the scenes popped up). BUT, I felt like they just kept talking in circles over and over again. It was frustrating. I know it's a book and the story needs to be a certain length, but it was a lot of unnecessary drama on the "well are we pretending or not?". Also the character named "Razor" was just ridiculous. All in all, it was a good read, but I found myself struggling to finish it (by 60%) because it was just the same thing over and over
First, the book was well written. The premise of the story was cute. The spice was SPICING (when the scenes popped up). BUT, I felt like they just kept talking in circles over and over again. It was frustrating. I know it's a book and the story needs to be a certain length, but it was a lot of unnecessary drama on the "well are we pretending or not?". Also the character named "Razor" was just ridiculous. All in all, it was a good read, but I found myself struggling to finish it (by 60%) because it was just the same thing over and over
July 11, 2025
wow
Wow, just wow! If we could only clone archer, the world would be a better place. A man who is so loyal, caring, loving, and devoted. Layla doesn’t know how to accept that because her life has only been a disappointment to others. It’s so hard for her to see her own self-worth, but Archer shows her the way. I love the way he treats sky as his very own. He protects and loves him with all his heart. I hope we get a second generation series of the Brightons because they are an amazing family..
Wow, just wow! If we could only clone archer, the world would be a better place. A man who is so loyal, caring, loving, and devoted. Layla doesn’t know how to accept that because her life has only been a disappointment to others. It’s so hard for her to see her own self-worth, but Archer shows her the way. I love the way he treats sky as his very own. He protects and loves him with all his heart. I hope we get a second generation series of the Brightons because they are an amazing family..
July 12, 2025
Beautiful Thing was a nice love story between Layla and Archer which developed when Archer came to the rescue of Layla and her son Sky when her Ex kicked them out of their home. It took them a while to accept their feelings but everyone else saw through their emotional turmoil. I honestly would have rated this higher if Layla had not been so ridiculously and stubbornly oblivious. It honestly got old. The bones of the story were good, but the climax should have been a different problem. Based on her past Layla should have come across as hesitant and insecure, not insane.
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