Beauty and the Bookworm

Beauties and Boys #2

by Sarah Sutton

He's her shy, quiet, and bookish best friend...
And turns out to be the swooniest fake boyfriend ever?

Full blurb coming soon!

Beauty and the Bookworm is a best friends to lovers, fake relationship, sweet YA romance with all the swoon and none of the spice. If you like quiet, bookish boys, bubbly, sunshine-like girls, and swoonworthy slow burns, the second book in then Beauties and Boys duology is for you!

Genres: Romance, Fake Dating, Friends To Lovers, Young Adult, Clean Romance, Young Adult Romance, He Falls First

388 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2026

About the author

Sarah Sutton writes sweet young adult romances filled with slow burns, butterflies, and happily-ever-afters you can kick your feet over. When she isn't dreaming up small-town love stories or convincing readers to fall for green flag fictional boys, she's probably curled up with a good book, binge-watching Kdramas, or planning her next visit to a coffee shop. She lives in Michigan and believes every story deserves hope, heart, and swoon.


To follow her on social media and learn more about her books, visit her website: sarah-sutton.com
Facebook: @sarahsuttonbooks
Instagram: @sarahsuttonbooks
TikTok: @AuthorSarahSutton

Reviews

[Ella Noelle]

☆6

Sarah what did you even put into this book!?
I LOVED this book so much, how do I even put it into words?
Jamie. OH MY GOSH. He’s so incredible. He saw Daisy like no one else did. He loved her so much, it made my heart ache. And he was the sweetest with her siblings. I love that he always payed attention to Daisy, and he knew all of her favorite things. The moon and planet story (iykyk) was -UGH- the cutest!! Though Jamie is a quiet bookworm, he was such a yearner. It’s was the best thing ever.🥹 And his protectiveness was something else. (So so good!)
Daisy was basically the second mom to her siblings. She took way too much on herself, and those were heavy responsibilities to bear. She was struggling not to let the darkness swallow her whole. But Jamie was there for her. He never stoped encouraging her and cheering her on. He believed in her and that she will get into her dream college. It was the sweetest thing.🥹
As the oldest daughter I could very well relate to Daisy. What she struggled with I still do too, and that made me feel so seen. This book broke me but also healed me at the same time.🥹
I absolutely adore this book, please go read it!

tropes:
📚best friends to lovers
🌼fake dating
📚bookworm x artist
🌼 he has loved her for years
📚best friends brother
🌼 so much yearning
📚he takes care of her
🌼 he falls first
📚single pov

CONTENT:
- kisses only (closed door)
- no language

[Lily]

Oh. My. Goodness. 🥹 This book completely stole my heart.

Jaime is no longer just a green flag…he’s an entire forest🌲🤍

And HE KEPT THAT PIECE OF PAPER IN HIS POCKET?!?! My heart simply could not handle it. Every little moment between Jaime and Daisy had me smiling, swooning, and completely invested.

Sarah Sutton has officially become an auto-buy author for me. There was something so incredibly sweet and comforting about this story that I never wanted it to end.
This was one of those books that has you smiling long after you’ve turned the last page. Absolute perfection🤍

✨Fake Dating
📚Friends to Lovers
✨YA
📚He Falls First
✨Bookish MMC
📚Never Been Kissed

🌶️: Kisses Only
🤬: 5 uses of h*ll, 1 use of G*d
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

QUOTES
“Daze…you act like I’m not exactly where I want to be”

*You've thought about kissing me these past few weeks," he went on, shuffling his feet apart to bring himself lower, "but I've thought about kissing you for years."

[Summer]

•ARC REVIEW•
- Title: Beauty and the Bookworm - ☆☆☆☆☆
- Format: ebook
- Release Date: July 15th

Content:
- spice: kissing only
- language: 2 h-words. 1 use of Lord’s name in vain
- TW/CW: death of parent. Grief. Gory artwork.

My thoughts:
This is quite possibly one of my new favorite YA books! I loved everything about it. The characters, the story, and the growth.
I related so much to Daisy. Her story healed a small part of me and I shed multiple tears. I was put in almost the exact same situation as Daisy and just seeing her come through that stronger was so encouraging and healing.
I loved Jamie so much. He’s definitely a new favorite MMC. He was awkward and sweet. I love bookish MC’s because it shows that you don’t have be popular, pretty, or athletic to be cool.
I really liked Penn and how much she wanted to help Daisy. I was upset at Daisy’s mom and siblings for most of the book but I’m glad they reconciled at the end.
The end epilogue with Beck and Nellie was so sweet!
I loved both books in this series so much and 100% recommend!

Tropes:
💗best friends to lovers
🌼fake dating
💗he falls first
🌼eldest daughter FMC
💗bookish MMC
🌼he takes care of her
💗no spice YA romance
🌼single pov

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

[Corrie 🎀✨🎧]

5 stars!!!!

Thank you so much Sarah Sutton for the ARC!

“You always have a marker on your keyring—and I’ll always have the paper.”

AWEEEEEE I LOVED THIS! Not only was this one of the swooniest MMCs that I’ve read from Sarah but I’d say the swooniest overall! Needless to say that James Brighton has replaced Mr. Darcy on the book boyfriend list.
This book was a perfect mix of slow burn with just enough tension to keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more. (Trust me I legit read about 90% of the book in one sitting)
If you like fake dating, best friends brother, and or the slow burn trope then this is the PERFECT book for you. With no spice Sarah always finds a way to make the romance feel real and worth every second of your time. I highly recommend you give this book a try!

[E.P. Stavs]

It’s been a hot second since I’ve finished a new book, but this one totally broke my slump. Peak yearning.

[Victoria Long]

Oh my goodness gracious. I have absolutely found a new author to add to the favorites list.

There was so much raw struggle to Daisy’s life as an eldest sister caring for younger siblings. It was real and it was hard and it was beautiful.

Jaime, Jaime, Jaime. The man that you are. I can’t even start. He’s just perfect.

[blush_and_bookmarks]

If you loved Beauty and the Bad Boy, you are going to fall head over heels for this one. Honestly, I’m still not sure which book I love more!

Jamie and Daisy were completely adorable. Their chemistry felt so natural from the very beginning, and I couldn’t help but root for them every step of the way. I loved Daisy’s adventurous, outgoing personality paired with Jamie’s quieter, more reserved nature. He’s the ultimate bookish MMC, but I also appreciated that he wasn’t portrayed as weak. He’s thoughtful, dependable, protective, and would do absolutely anything for Daisy-which made me love him even more.

The friendship, the fake dating, the slow realization of their feelings… it was all done so well. Watching everything unfold as a reader was incredibly satisfying, and I found myself smiling through so many chapters.

And can we talk about the kisses? 🥹 They gave me all the butterflies while still keeping everything sweet, wholesome, and completely appropriate. Sarah Sutton has such a gift for writing romance that’s swoony without relying on spice.

This was such a comforting, feel-good read, and I wholeheartedly recommend it if you’re looking for a sweet YA romance with lovable characters, genuine chemistry, and a story that will leave you smiling.

[Haley Taylor]

Beauty and the Bookworm @sarahsuttonbooks
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🫑 Kisses only
No swearing

Jamie and Daisy have my heart! This is book 2 in the Beauty and the Boys series but can be read as a standalone.
Daisy has so much on her plate, from caring for her 4 siblings after loosing her dad, to navigating a devastating breakup, to being waitlisted by her dream college. Jamie has been there for her through it all and she doesn't even realize the steady comforting presence that he is until they cook up a fake dating situation to keep her ex away from her. There were so many moments that I LOVED in this book!

Friends to lovers
Fake dating
It’s always been you
Mental health rep

[Olivia]

This book was such a great read and even though I didn’t read the first book in the series it didn’t change a thing. I would recommend reading the first book if you want to know more of the characters in depth but if you’re only interested in this one just go read it! I loved how easy of a read this was and how much I got attached to the characters. My heart just broke for Daisy in certain parts and it is so unfair that she had to go through all that she did. All in all I loved this book and highly recommend :)

[Miri James Scott]

3,75🌟 Un libro que he disfrutado y me ha dado muy buenas sensaciones. 🩷

PD: Mención especial a Nellie y Beck que hacen una parejaza 💞 y al hermanito de Daisy, Theo, que es lo más tierno. 😍

[.°• abby jean.°• {hiatus for school}]

"𝙞 𝙖𝙢 𝙖 𝙢𝙤𝙤𝙣 𝙘𝙖𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙤𝙧𝙗𝙞𝙩, 𝙙𝙖𝙞𝙨𝙮 𝙘𝙖𝙧𝙢𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙚𝙡. 𝙞 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙨𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙨𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙞 𝙙𝙤𝙣'𝙩 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙚."

★★★★★ stars!

🧡𝐦𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: first off, thank you so much to sarah sutton for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review! not only was this my first ARC, but also one of my favorite reads this year.

this book was absolutely amazing! i finished it in two days because i just could not put it down. i connected with the characters so much that it actually had me crying at times 🥲 sarah sutton DEFINITELY knows how to write a romance book. she did best-friends-to-lovers perfectly and she had me giggling over the "it's always been you" trope.

🧡𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬!

➳ daisy: as the eldest daughter, daisy was extremely relatable for me. she definitely made some dumb decisions at times, but i still loved her so much.

➳ jamie: i swear my boyfriend standards get higher with every book i read. i loved jamie soooo much. he was so protective of daisy and an amazing friend to her. i mostly loved how much he loves books 🤭

➳ nellie: i loved her so much! i will definitely be reading beauty and the bad boy soon!

➳ dalton: let's just say i was ready to punch him...

➳ daisy's siblings: they made this book so funny in my opinion, even if they were brats sometimes. i especially loved theo and penn

🧡𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥: this book was amazing! i would recommend this book to literally anyone and i will definitely be reading more sarah sutton very soon!

"𝙞𝙛 𝙞𝙩 𝙢𝙚𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙞 𝙜𝙤𝙩 𝙖 𝙜𝙡𝙞𝙢𝙥𝙨𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙩'𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙗𝙮 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙞'𝙙 𝙘𝙝𝙤𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙥𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣."

[Eleanor Chandler]

I liked this one way more than the first and enjoyed ittt.

[Sophie (Book-Dragon)]

*4 stars in the dot ⭐️

— An Issue With a Character that Needs to be Said —

This characters name is known an Raelynn. This Raelynn is in love with Jamie. And this is a well known fact if you have read the first book. It’s the first thing said when she comes into the story. But every time she showed up in the storyline, I wanted to rip her name off the page and never have to deal with her again. Because this girl doesn’t understand that’s she’s too obsessed. It must hurt to see the boy you love (fake) date someone else but there is a thing called “TOO MUCH!!”
And the ex boyfriend. I did not like him at all and his name was forgettable to me.

— — Anyways — —

— — Would You Recommend? — —

Yes. Despite my issue with a character(s), other than that, very enjoyable!

— — Why 4 stars? — —

Because the annoying characters were so annoying and that fact they played major roles??!! In their lives??!!! No thank you ma’am (or sir) But I loved Daisy and Jamie. Don’t worry about that.

— — What I liked… — —

- Nellie
- Penn
- the whole kit thing
And a couple other things.

— — What I disliked….— —

- Two people that I might have mentioned.. already…
- How these people were a big part of their lives.
I do know that the ex boyfriend is a big part in a normal fake dating but this… to me? … was TOO much.
That also just might be a me thing….

— — Overall — —

1. I got quite annoyed.
2. Was a good book nonetheless
3. Penn was a great sister

— — - Happy Readings! - — —
- - - - - -📕✏️🌍❤️- - - - - -

- Sophie

(I just realized my lack of emojis.)

[Andréa Nichole]

“𝑰’𝒎 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝑰’𝒗𝒆 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒂 𝒚𝒐𝒖”

Just when 𝙄 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙣𝙤𝙗𝙤𝙙𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙩 𝘽𝙚𝙘𝙠 (from book one) 𝒂𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝑱𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒆 and his quiet book loving self. I love him so much. He is literally perfect for Daisy. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗲𝗿, 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗺𝗲 𝘀𝘄𝗼𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱. Like are you kidding me. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘩𝘦’𝘥 𝘥𝘰 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘢𝘺 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘬𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 (𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺). Oh how I love his character so much. I would love to have a Jamie. Then we have hot headed Daisy…I loved her so much. I related to her way more than I thought I would. I am the eldest daughter of 4 girls. I spent most of my time growing up taking care of my siblings and being “mom #2”, instead of being out with friends, and feeling like if I left would they hate me or would our mom and dad make them grow up faster than they need to. Which I didn’t want for them because I knew that hurt. Seeing the things Daisy was going through and the things she felt/thought it me in so many ways. I definitely cried for her understanding the way she felt. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶’𝗺 𝘀𝗼 𝗴𝗹𝗮𝗱 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗱𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗱. 𝘛𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝐜𝐫𝐚𝐳𝐲 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘺 𝘑𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐡𝐞𝐫. Ahhh just writing this review has me wanting to reread it. 𝘐𝘧 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯. 𝐒𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐡 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐦𝐲 𝐰𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞. 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗮 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗳𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥!

“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝑰 𝒅𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑫𝒂𝒊𝒔𝒚 𝑪𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒆𝒍.”

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀:
📚Quiet Bookish Boy
✍🏼Sunshine Artsy Girl
🤝🏼Best Friends x Lovers
🐙Best Friend’s Brother
🥰Fake Dating
⏳He Falls First
😬Slow Burn
♥️YA Romance

𝗦𝗼𝗻𝗴𝘀:
Butterflies-Abe Parker
The Alchemy-Taylor Swift

[Ella B]

This book had me in a chokehold! It was such a charming fake dating/best friends romance. I absolutely loved my time with Daisy and Jamie, they were so precious together.

I related to Daisy, and felt for her so much. She struggled a lot with guilt, especially as an older sister taking care of all her siblings, she put too much responsibility on herself. But I really loved that she had Jamie and Nellie that were always there for her and supported her. I seriously loved Daisy so much!

Jamie, what an absolute yearner! He was quiet yet steady. His love for Daisy was my favorite thing ever, the things he did for her (IYKYK). I loved how supportive and caring he was not just to Daisy but also her siblings. That he took the time to get to know them. The little things he did for Daisy, so she would feel seen, was so endearing.

I loved Jamie and Daisy together! What started out as best friends fake dating, turned complicated. It was such a good slow burn, with real struggles and issues, but they learned from that. Also, I love a passionate confession scene and they delivered. I am just obsessed with them and love them so much!

Thank you to the author Sarah for the gifted ARC!! All opinions expressed are my own!

🔥 Heat level: Kisses only
🫢 Language: None

[Esther H.]

Sarah has the formula for YA romance memorized and she delivers every time.
BatBw was among my top 5 most anticipated releases. And it holds up! I think Jamie is officially my favorite Sutton boy. Give me a bookishly sweet guy any day of the week, I am so here for it! Don’t get me wrong, I still have a soft spot for Beck (BATBB), but Jamie!

And for anyone who might not know, Jamie is the twin brother of Nellie—the FMC in BATBB, and Daisy’s other best friend.

This book is so cozy and wonderful! From Chapter One, my heartstrings were being pulled! Daisy—this is actually my new cat’s name!—was instantly relatable because she is always taking care of her siblings. I’m also an older sister, I may not have experienced what Daisy did that puts her in the parental position, but I felt those scenes in my soul.

This was such a fantastic read. Perfect for the summer. Perfect for readers who love friends-to-lovers and fake dating.

I had the privilege of reading an early copy of this book. This review is voluntary. I also purchased the eBook.

[Charity - cleanreads_messyhouse]

Thank you Sarah Sutton for the gifted copy of this book. All thoughts are my own. 🩷

Ok, Sarah certainly knows how to write a sweet and swoony ya romance. I loved that this one featured a bookish quiet MMC - because we need more of these- and because Sarah made him perfectly adorable. The romance was sweet and a great friends to more vibe. She made the ex so unlikable that there wasn’t even a question in my mind of a love triangle - which made me happy. 🤭 she also made this a beautiful book for the oldest daughters who struggle not to take on everything. There was raw grief, emotional overwhelm, fears, and heavy moments, all mixed with the kind of young love everyone hopes for.

Spice: none, descriptive kissing, innuendo
Language: mild infrequent
Content: teenage drinking mentioned a couple times

[Tiffany]

Thank you Sarah for this ARC!

I was worried when she announced this book being best friends to lovers because it’s not my favorite trope but I was an ARC reader for Beauty and the Bad Boy and adored that book. This book kinda blew me away. Just how Sarah wrote it and the flow of events in the story and seeing the development of Jamie and how he came into his own manhood so to speak was like wow! I adored Jamie in the previous book for his nonchalance in book 1 but how he became “more” was very swoony!!!! It was fun and fresh and I really enjoyed this one!

[Rokaya_007]

That's why they say never trust a book by its cover

[Zeynep Potter]

So what if I cried

Oh and THANK GOD FINALLY THE HALF STARS ARE HERE what took them so long honestly

[Anna Kay]

I received an advance reader copy of "Beauty and the Bookworm", and it was exactly the cozy, heartwarming read I needed.

I gave this book 4 stars, not because I had complaints, but because I reserve 5 stars for the rare books that completely astound me. I genuinely enjoyed every minute of this story.

Daisy and Jamie were both so lovable, and I adored watching their relationship unfold. Fake dating and friends-to-lovers are two of my favorite tropes, and while I used to avoid friends-to-lovers, Sarah Sutton reminded me why it can be so special when it's written well. Their relationship felt natural, sweet, and incredibly swoony.

One of my favorite things about Sarah Sutton's books is how real her characters feel. Daisy wasn't perfect, and that's exactly why I connected with her. I found myself relating to some of her struggles and loved watching her grow into someone who was stronger, more confident, and genuinely servant-hearted. Her flaws, doubts, and mistakes all felt believable, making it easy to experience the story right alongside her.

Sarah has such a gift for writing wholesome contemporary YA romances that leave you smiling. There's an innocence and sincerity to her stories that keeps me coming back, and this book was no exception.

The only thing I found myself wishing for was a glimpse into Jamie's perspective. I completely understand why the story stayed in Daisy's point of view, it preserves so much of the emotional tension, but I would absolutely devour a bonus chapter or two from Jamie's perspective someday.

Overall, "Beauty and the Bookworm" was a cozy, feel-good read that pulled me right out of a reading slump. If you're looking for a sweet, heartfelt YA romance with lovable characters, wonderful chemistry, and all the cozy vibes, I'd definitely recommend picking this one up.

[Janice]

Although this is Book 2 of a series it can absolutely be read as a standalone!!
Daisy and Jamie are literally the epitome of #CouplesGoals!! It doesn't get better than this!! And once you meet Jamie he will ruin every single future boyfriend for you - I'm talking book boyfriends, and those IRL too - whether they might be yours, your sister's, your daughter's or your best friend's!!! Nobody is ever going to measure up!!
Daisy is navigating A LOT!! Trying to manage the chaos of looking after her four younger siblings, while still dealing with all the emotions that accompany the loss of a parent and doing whatever she can to support the one they still have is taking its toll.
Being waitlisted by the only college she applied for is a devastating blow, but if she can just get through the summer in one piece then she can consider her next steps. She didn't count on her ex arriving back in town and hanging out with her group of friends. It’s a bit of an unwanted complication.
Thankfully her besties, twins Jamie and Nellie (who brings her boyfriend Beck along too), are right there to get her through what looks like is going to be a rough few weeks. And when Nellie decides that a fake romance is just what's needed to distract Daisy and send her ex a clear message, Jamie surprisingly steps into the role with unexpected enthusiasm!
This is a story with so much heart and emotion. It dealt with so many of the issues that young adults face when it comes to friendships, romantic relationships and having those difficult conversations with the people who matter the most, and who you tend to hurt the most because you just know which buttons to push.
I absolutely loved this book!! And of course as soon I was done, I rushed over to Amazon so that I could download the first book: Beauty and the Bad Boy (Nellie and Beck's story).
Thank you so much to the author for sending me an ARC! You have a brand new fan!!

[Kami]

6 ⭐

📚 OH MY GOSH. I'M STUNNED, OBSESSED, INVESTED, AND EMOTIONALLY WRECKED.
I don't know how, but this book was everything I could have possibly wanted and more. First off, best friends to lovers will ALWAYS be a top-tier trope for me. Same goes for fake dating. So add the two together with a cinnamon roll, sweet, loverboy bookworm MMC and a fiery, artistic, determined FMC? Recipe for PERFECTION.

✏️ I was so excited to read about Jamie and Daisy after book 1, and man, this exceeded my expectations. To us, yes, it was obvious that Jamie was in love with her the whole time, but seeing it play out, seeing Daisy fall for him, and seeing all the things they did in the name of "fake dating" was AMAZING.

💕 Okay, Daisy is soooooo strong and determined and independent. She's taken on so much responsibility after her dad died in taking care of her siblings. But she's still juggling school and art and friends and her own dreams, so it's a wonder she didn't fall apart sooner. But I love her spirit and her love/dedication to her family. In the beginning, I was like, "girl shut up with the Dalton stuff, he's clearly a jerk" but having her pov really helped me understand WHY she still felt attached to him (because she was attached to what it felt like to have someone's attention romantically). Her journey of learning she really was over him, that Jamie was always and forever there for her, that she didn't have to do everything alone, and that art really was her passion was beautiful. 🥹

📚 Now Jamie. Oh, Jamie, I love him so freaking much. 😭🫶😍 He cares so much about the people around him, and he really is selfless. He'll do whatever he can to make sure people are safe and cared for and happy. He does it with Daisy all the time: "the things I do for you, Daisy Carmichael" because he would do anything for her. He would help her however she needed, even if it hurt him, just because she needed it. I love that he's a nerd and bookish because soft MMCs are UNDERRATED. he's an amazing, thoughtful guy, and he's intelligent and well-read? sign me UP. Sure, he fake-dated Daisy because deep down he wanted to. He wanted to know what it would be/feel like to be with her, and so for him none of it was fake. It was real for him, and even though it was torture because he thought she didn't like him back, he'd do it all again just to experience and love her the way he wanted to.

✏️ when they started it but Daisy didn't realize that and HE PUT HER ON THE DRESSER AND KISSED HER NECK?!?!?!??!?!??! 🤭🤭🫣🫣😍😍James Brighton oh em gee. the fact that even then, int he beginning Daisy realized she wanted to kiss him. Like she thought they were faking and so he did what he wanted to do, freely, in the name of the game. but like THE BEACH SCENE? the fact that nearly everyone thought they were dating before they even faked it? "LET ME HELP YOU FORGET HIM"?!?!?!?!?!?! 🫡🫠🤭

💕 THE PALM KISS IN THE PARK? DANCING AT THE CLUB? JAMIE STAYING TO HELP WITH THE KIDS WHEN SHE NEEDED IT? Jamie loving the kids as much as she does just because he does and they're the biggest part of her life? THE LINGERING HAND-HOLDING AND JAMIE'S LOOKS? "I look at you how I've always looked at you." THE ENTIRE TIME HE WAS SAYING HE'S ALWAYS LOOKED AT HER LIKE HE LOVED HER. 😭😍🩷 HIM CLIMBING THROUGH HER WINDOW AND CRYING BECAUSE SHE WAS CRYING AND TELLING THEO THE BEDTIME STORY THAT HE WROTE ABOUT DAISY?!?!?!

📚 THE FACT THAT DAISY HAS BEEN DRAWING JAMIE FOR YEARS WITHOUT REALIZING? JAMIE ALWAYS CARING A PEICE OF PAPER IN CASE SHE FORGOT HER SKETCHBOOK AND KEEPING AT THE DRAWING SHE MADE HIM? THE MULTIPLE LIBRARY SCENES (ESPECIALLY THE LAST ONE *wink wink* 🤭🤭 Had me BLUSHINGGGGGG

✏️ The college plotline of that being a major rift between them made so much sense because she was upset he wasn't going to NYU, but he didn't want to go if she wasn't going too. And him being upset for her giving up on her art and her dream. But they worked it out. it's so cute cause they both care so much about each other as best friends, and then eventually romantically, it's so freaking sweet. I want that.

💕 the argument with her family tore me to shreads, like i could physically feel her pain and frustration and guilt and then she went and called Dalton and i was like "WUT" but it made sense because if she called jamie she'd cave and she needed to be with someone she really didn't like, but Dalton ticked me off a lot, ew. but her coming back and Jamie being there because he SKIPPED bookclub to surprise her and fix the pot hole and he stayed for dinner OMG it was too much. they both wanted to admit it but were too scared.

📚 Daisy's relationship with her siblings (especially Penn and also her mom) were wonderful, the way both of them comforted her and helped her realize things. it perfectly encapsulated a big family, and how they all cheered her on when she got in to NYU despite the arguments before.

✏️ And finally, when they were going to end it but daisy admitted she would have kissed him back OMGGGGGG LIKE YALL IT WAS SO PERFECT AND THE CONFESSIONS FROM BOTH OF THEM WERE SO CUTE AND AHHHHHHHHHHHHH. 🥰😍🤩🤭🤭🤭🩷🩷💕💕🫣😍🫶 the butterflies throughout were SO REAL i freaking loved it.

💕 I reallyyyyyyy wish we had some of Jamie's POV honestly. The book was so good and i loved reading Daisy fall for him, and having jamie's thoughts too would have been fun (even though i know basically what they were cause he loved her the entire time).

📚 anyway that was a lot of ranting for no purpose but for me to get it out and come back and look at it later to remind myself how much i freaking loved this book. 🫣🫣🤭🤭🫶🫶 oh my gosh i could rave about it for dayssssssssssssss. obsessed. the nerdy bookworm got the girl afterall. 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

[Andrea Romero]

Unsure what to rate this yet. I’m leaning towards a 3.5 because the end was kinda of cheesy. Didn’t really like Daisy that much and couldn’t connect with her. I loved Jamie he was the sweetest. I liked their relationship although Daisy was quite dense and mean to Jamie at times. Thought everything was kind of fast paced. Although not really for Jamie because poor guy was in love with her for years.
I think it was a cute story just not very memorable

[LoghanJoy]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

✨️Every romance trope I love in one book! Thank you so much to Sarah Sutton for the ARC! This is my honest review. As always, all thoughts are my own.✨️

After loving Beauty and the Bad Boy, I couldn't wait to start Beauty and the Bookworm, and somehow Sarah Sutton delivered another romance that completely stole my heart. This book had so many of my favorite tropes, friends to lovers, fake dating, and an artist/bookworm pairing, and I loved every second of it. I was smiling, kicking my feet, and squealing through so many scenes.

Jamie... where do I even begin?
He was everything you want in a book boyfriend. What made him so special wasn't that he suddenly became romantic because of the fake dating, it had always been there. He had been loving Daisy all along, quietly showing it through the smallest, sweetest gestures. The fake dating just gave him the chance to finally show what he'd been feeling all along. The way he paid attention to every little thing about Daisy absolutely melted my heart. His love wasn't just in the big moments; it was in all the quiet, thoughtful ones too. Honestly... who does the things he did for her? And don't even get me started on the way he interacted with Daisy's siblings. I loved every single scene with them.

Daisy had me feeling two completely opposite emotions. I wanted to wrap her in a hug... and then immediately shake her by the shoulders. Watching her hold onto her ex-boyfriend for so long was definitely my biggest frustration. He drove me crazy. He only ever seemed to care about the surface-level version of Daisy while Jamie loved every part of who she truly was. Like PLEASE Daisy... Jamie is literally right there!! I spent so much of this book internally screaming for Daisy to realize what she already had.

One of my favorite parts of the book was Jamie and Daisy's friendship. Their banter felt so natural, and because they were already best friends, every conversation just flowed effortlessly. Their relationship felt genuine from the very beginning, which made watching them fall in love even sweeter. And the QUOTES. Some of the swooniest romance quotes I've ever read, it was P-E-R-F-E-C-T.

It was also so much fun getting to spend more time with Nellie and Beck again. I absolutely adored seeing them again, and their scenes added so much charm and humor to the story.

I cannot recommend this one enough. 🤭

🌼Some of my favorite quotes:🌼

"You don't want me to be Mr. Darcy... Mr. Darcy was the world's biggest idiot, too proud to show the woman he loved what he truly felt for her."

“The things I do for you, Daisy Carmichael.”

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Jamie didn’t miss a beat. “I’m looking at you the way I’ve always looked at you.”

“You keep a piece of paper in your pocket?” “Not all the time.” “Why?” “In case you ever forget your sketchbook. You always have a marker on your keyring—and I’ll always have the paper.”

"You've thought about kissing me these past few weeks... but I've thought about kissing you for years."

[funkelbunt.liest]

Beauty and the Bookworm is the second book in Sarah Sutton’s “Beauties and Boys” Duology. It’s also connected to the “Love in Fenton County” series and the “Luxuries of Love” Duology.

I have read and enjoyed all of Sarah’s books and some of them are among my absolute favorite YA romances, let’s just say I might have a new favorite!

I already knew I loved Jamie in book 1 and also the relationship he shares with his twin sister Nellie, but he was absolute perfection in the ways he cared and yearned for Daisy! If you want a sweet romance without the spice but all the swoon - this is it!

Jamie is quiet, shy even. So when he speaks you know it’s important. And the things he says to Daisy are so adorably sweet - and not in a cheesy way.
He sees Daisy, he protects her, he knows her.

I especially loved the scenes with Jamie and Daisy’s siblings. Honestly it’s a bit like with child actors. Most of them just aren’t good and they can easily spoil an otherwise good movie. I feel this way about books too and that there are a lot of otherwise decent writers, a lot of them moms themselves, who can’t write authentic children. But like I said, I loved the scenes with Daisy’s younger siblings.

Daisy is pretty much a second mom to her 4 siblings and even though my situation as a teenager was definitely not the same, I do know from my own experience what a thankless job that is.
And while I do feel for Daisy’s mom, I was also pretty upset with her for most of the book - and some of her siblings too. Opposite to Jamie they didn’t see Daisy and how much she willingly sacrificed for her family. She is such a kind and strong young woman. She’s a wonderful character, full of heart and despite all her struggles always trying to stay positive.

So like I said, I’m pretty sure this is my new favorite of Sarah Sutton’s books, could even be my new favorite YA romance, but definitely in my top 5!
It’s a fake dating, best friends to lovers (and also best friends brother) romance full of heart and tender moments and the most wonderful characters that you can’t help but fall in love with.

I will end with a statement I wrote in my review for Beauty and the Bad Boy because I feel this is somehow even more true for Jamie’s and Daisy’s love story:
I just love Sarah’s way of writing these slow burn love stories. The perfect mix of swoon without any need for spicy scenes, with a dash of angst and the anticipation that makes the first kiss so much sweeter. (Yes, also to the reader!)

* Thank you to the author for letting me read an advanced copy of this book. I leave this review voluntarily and the expressed opinions are my own.

[Sierra]

Reader’s Notes:

*Series or Connected Books?* part of a series, but can be read as a stand-alone

-Jamie & his twin sister Nellie are younger siblings to Destelle/Stella from Two Kinds of Us – but Stella’s story doesn’t need to be read to enjoy this one

*Point Of View:* Daisy

*Any Cursing Or Possibly Offensive Language?* there are about 4 mentions of characters cursing without using words on page; it is mentioned once that a character flashed ‘a particular finger’ to another

*Romance?* Yes! Just sweet kisses

*Things To Know:*

–Daisy’s dad passed in an accident about 5 years ago

-Daisy’s mom is constantly working, leaving Daisy in charge of her siblings most of the time

Review:

I adore best friends to more stories so I’ve been so excited to read this book! I loved getting to know Daisy better after having met her in Beauty and the Bad Boy as Nellie & Jamie’s best friend. I loved how Daisy & Jamie’s romance started with fake dating and that Jamie basically went all in from the beginning (not that Daisy realized this until later). It was so cute to see how much he cared about her and was willing to do things with her that he typically wouldn’t want to do (like dancing). I also loved how real Daisy was! As an older sister, I could totally relate to the things Daisy went through when watching over her siblings. But also, I loved that Daisy started off conflicted about her feelings for her ex and had to work through them along with her growing feelings for Jamie as their fake relationship went on.

Summary:

Daisy Carmichael is used to being disappointed, between having to put her siblings first as their main caretaker and being dumped last year by her longtime boyfriend. But when she’s waitlisted for her dream college it seems like Daisy’s one chance at having a life for herself is pulled out from under her.

Now with her ex-boyfriend being back in town, Daisy worries that she’ll make a horrible mistake and take him back. So she turns to her best friend Jamie Brighton for help to keep her in check around him. And Jamie does something completely unexpected: he kisses her in front of everyone. Which cements everyone’s suspicion that they’ve been a couple this whole time.

Daisy’s best option is to fake date Jamie to hopefully deter her ex from trying to win her back, but the longer Jamie pretends to love her, the more Daisy is finding herself believing it. And she isn’t sure that she’ll come out of their fake relationship unscathed…

*I voluntarily read & reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions presented here are my own.*

[Melanie Rut]

☆4.75/5☆

Huge thank you to Sarah Sutton for the ARC!

Beauty and the Bookworm absolutely stole my heart!!!

One of the things that resonated with me most was Daisy's overwhelming sense of responsibility for her younger sisters. She carried so much on her shoulders, and that emotional weight felt incredibly real. The scene where her mom finally apologized genuinely made me cry because it hit a very personal place for me. It's the kind of moment I wish more parents were capable of, and seeing Daisy receive those words was both healing and heartbreaking.

From the very first scene Daisy and Jamie shared, the chemistry was impossible to ignore. The tension absolutely oozed off the page, and every interaction somehow became even juicier than the last. I found myself rooting for them harder with every chapter because their relationship developed so naturally while never losing that electric pull between them.

Her ex, Dalton, sucked and pissed me tf off (as he should've, so amazing ick factor there). Raelynn did too, thinking she was entitled to a guy just bc she liked him?? Girl, piss off!

The conclusion was so satisfying, and the epilogue was the perfect finishing touch. It tied everything back to the beginning of the story in such a meaningful way that it left me closing the book with the biggest smile.

Honestly, this was *so* close to being flawless. My only small criticism is that there were a few moments where Daisy would repeat words or thoughts in her internal monologue almost immediately after they'd already been said, which felt repetitive. It's a very minor nitpick in an otherwise phenomenal reading experience.

I adored the pacing, loved Sarah Sutton's writing style, and never once felt like the story dragged. Every chapter kept me invested in their little love story.

Honestly, I am left wondering about Lydia and Carter though 👀 Next book??

Also, I ◇desperately◇ need a novella featuring Daisy, Jamie, Nellie, Beck, and their friend group during college. I would also love to see Daisy and Jamie finally create their graphic novel together because I know those chapters of their lives would be just as charming as this book.

Can't wait to read more from this author!

[Soha Amer]

He's her shy, quiet, and bookish best friend... And turns out to be the swooniest fake boyfriend ever?

And he really, really is.

This book is a warm hug in library form. If you are a certified bookworm who has ever crushed on the quiet boy with glasses reading in the corner — this one is written for you.

We follow a bubbly, sunshine-like girl and her shy, bookish best friend who agree to a fake relationship. What starts as pretend quickly becomes the softest, slowest, most aching slow burn where every glance over a book spine, every brush of fingers while reaching for the same novel, means everything.

What I loved:

The Characters: She is sunshine and sticky notes and dog-eared pages. He is the ultimate bookish boy — quiet, thoughtful, the kind of boy who memorizes your favorite quotes and reads to you while you lie in his lap (yes, just like THAT cover). Their chemistry is not loud. It’s in the margins.

The Tropes Done Right: Best Friends to Lovers, Fake Relationship, Shy Boy x Sunshine Girl, Slow Burn, YA Sweet Romance. No spice, all swoon. It’s innocent, tender, and will make you kick your feet and giggle like a teenager in a bookstore aisle.

The Vibe: Cozy library, ladder, soft natural light, shared notebooks, library dates, found in the library energy. This is a no-angst comfort read that still makes your heart flutter on every page.

Sarah Sutton writes slow burn the way it should be written — patiently. She lets love grow between chapters, like a favorite book you never want to end.

Song Pairing: Jeremy Zucker & Chelsea Cutler – This Is How You Fall In Love — “This is how you fall in love, you’re the one I’ve been dreaming of.” That’s literally their story.

Tropes: Best Friends to Lovers • Fake Dating • Shy Bookish Boy x Sunshine Girl • Slow Burn • YA Sweet Romance • He Falls First • No Spice, All Swoon

Read if you love: Cozy YA, bookish boyfriends, library romance, and love that feels like your favorite reread.

I finished this with the biggest smile on my face. A perfect 5-star comfort read I will be recommending to every YA romance lover.

Thank you, Sarah, for writing the bookish boyfriend of my dreams.

[Ansley Becker]

“I am looking at you the way I have always looked at you.”

I started reading Sarah Sutton’s books earlier this year because I needed the certainty of a happy ending, and I haven’t looked back! I fell completely in love with her books and “Beauty and the Bookworm” is no exception. I was hit with all the feels while reading this one. I laughed, I cried, and I swooned (because oh my heart, y’all, Jamie Brighton).

The characters were well written and developed beautifully throughout the story. Daisy especially is extremely compelling and I felt deeply for her. She’s snarky and stubborn and strong and imperfect in a real way. Her character arc is a true joy to read. ✨Jamie Brighton✨. Where can I find a man like this?? He’s so pure and so sweet and so so swoony. His support and intentionality towards Daisy is such a beautiful example of sweet love, and they have turned out to be one of my favorite couples.

I love, love, love how much the characters’ other relationships were a significant part of the story. One of my favorite things about Sarah Sutton’s books is how real her characters and their relationships are, and family and friends are no exception to that. Sutton creates real parents. Perfectly imperfect but trying. They’re not caricatures. They’re not villains. They’re people. They struggle but they make amends. I love that.

Fake dating, best friends to lovers, pining, what more can you ask for. Jamie truly steps up to help Daisy stay away from her toxic ex by dating her and romancing her under the guise of making it “convincing”. It’s a tale as old as time, and unerringly lovely.

My one “complaint” is that I wish there was more Beck, but that’s probably just because he’s one of my favorite characters. In all honesty, I have no notes. This book is all I wanted it to be. To all those looking for a good read with sweet love, good friends, and perfectly imperfect family, this is it.

“The moon continued to orbit the little planet til the end of time.”

An honest review of an ARC