BLURB:

Couri Mitchell

August Hanson was the silent type, the kind who spoke through his actions and not his words.

He possessed enough power to make me feel safe and secure.

I was ready to open up and share the parts of myself I’d never shared with another, and then I got hit with a truth that changed everything.

There was a slight chance he’d still want me, only he had to accept our baby, too.

August Hanson

Couri Mitchell was my type, the kind you married the first chance you got.

She possessed enough power to silence the chaos around me.

I was ready to grab ahold of her and never let go, and then I got hit with a truth that changed everything.

There was a slight chance she’d still want me, only she had to accept my daughter, too.

MY THOUGHTS:

Y’all, I just finished And Then Life Was Beautiful — the first book in the Hanson Family Series — and let me tell you, I am so glad I found this gem! This is exactly why I love the BookTok community. Thank you all for hyping this one up because it did not disappoint. And now? Now I’m about to binge the rest of the series because August and Couri have me hooked.

The title And Then Life Was Beautiful is perfect. It felt like I was living through a beautiful, beautiful love story that filled my heart to the brim. Reading this book felt like a warm hug — calm, peaceful, and just so tender. And that’s exactly how August and Couri felt together. Their love was so pure and sweet, I wanted to savor every word and just get lost in their world.

Also, can we take a moment to appreciate how Asia Monique crafted August? Because he is officially my new book bae. LOL. The way he loved Couri? Chef’s kiss. And you already know I eat up a good pregnancy trope every single time. This book had me wanting to pour a glass of smooth whiskey with my man, steal some flirty glances, have those deep, soulful conversations, and, well, you know the rest. Wink wink.

And the epilogues? Perfection. Seeing August and Couri’s love grow, watching their little family blossom — my heart could barely handle it. This is the kind of book I’ll be thinking about and recommending for a long time. I felt so light and full of joy when I turned the last page.

One line that hit me right in the feels was when August said, “This new chapter of my life was called… happiness.” Whew. You could feel that happiness radiating right off the pages. The lover girl in me is absolutely glowing.

Some of my favorite quotes:

• “Everybody in this household will share the last name Hanson. It’s you and me and them.”
• “New beginnings. Rebirth. It was a reminder that after every storm there was a rainbow out there somewhere.”
• “He was my person. My heart. The gentlest protective soul who deserved to be loved and cherished by everyone.”
• “A year from now I hope to be married to my soulmate. I hope she sees every day how much I adore her through my actions and that our children see it too. I want to wake up looking forward to her smiling face because it’ll be the highlight of my day. I want peace and calm but with the chaos the two kids will bring, maybe more if it’s in the cards. I hope to have that with you. I want that with you, no one else.”

If you love Black love, heartfelt romance, and stories that will have you feeling like you’re floating on a cloud, this one is a must-read. Trust me, you’ll want to experience every bit of this joy and you might want to pour a glass of whiskey too.

Let me know if you’ve read it or if it’s on your TBR! And if you have any other BookTok faves I should check out, drop them in the comments. Happy reading, friends! ❤️