**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**A Beautiful Thought is the 5th book in the beautiful series, but it can be read as a standalone. I haven't read any of the other books in the series yet, and I was not lost or confused at all while reading A Beautiful Thought. I think it  is a testament to a good writer when they can write books that really standalone but also work as part of a series. It would be really easy to throw some carry over from previous storylines and confuse new readers, but Alicia Rae did a great job of keeping mentions relevant to this book and anything that wasn't was fully explained. She made it easy to just pick up this book before reading any of the others. I kind of got a glimpse of who the couples were from a couple of the previous books, and now I want to read Lily's story.

Gail is such a kind hearted individual. She is so giving to other people, and I loved the close bond that she had with her family. I loved watching her with Lily's daughter as well as with her younger sister Caroline. It is so admirable what she was doing for her. I really liked that Damon appreciated Gail's heart as well. I really liked Gail and Damon as individuals as well as together. I do, however, wish there was a little more build up between the two of them before they jumped into a semi-relationship. Gail needs a roommate because of some financial pressures in her life and Damon is looking for an apartment. Lily throws the two of them together in a bit of matchmaking. And pretty much right after they start living together, they act on their attraction. It was a bit of insta love. That was my only hold back with this story. I wanted a slower buildup, but once I got over that they were involved early on, their story was really sweet.

There are plenty of roadblocks thrown in their path to keep the story interesting. I thought that A Beautiful Thought was a kind of typical adult contemporary romance, but it was enjoyable nonetheless. The dual narrative point of view really worked for this story, and allowed the readers to get to know both Damon and Gail very well. If you are a fan of contemporary romances, check out any book in the Beautiful Series. I would suggest starting with Gail or Lily's story.This review was originally posted on Book Briefs