Read by Erin Mallon & JF Harding
Plain Daisy Ranch, Book 5
From the author:
It was over between Bennett Owens and me—until I had no place to go but back to Willowbrook.
Seven years ago, he walked away, and I built a new life for myself, swearing never to look back. But when my husband is arrested, that life collapses, leaving my daughter and me with nothing but a three-month plan to return to the small ranch town before disappearing again.
Bennett’s a single dad now. Our girls become inseparable on sight, making it impossible to keep him at arm’s length. Especially when I end up working alongside him, where every glance chips away at the walls I’ve built.
The years apart haven’t dulled the pull between us. Bennett remains protective and patient, determined to prove that we deserve a second chance. But he has no idea about the secret I’ve kept since the day he left.
Because once he learns the truth, he may never forgive me. And like it or not, we’ll be bound together forever—by the daughter he never knew was his.
This one was a bit of a tough read for me. I’m not comfortable with cheating—it’s a personal trigger, thanks to my father being a manwhore. Still, I love this series, so I pushed through. There was also some controversy around this book when it first came out: an AI prompt was accidentally left in the text, and people lost their minds over it. I’m not getting into all that, just mentioning it. Google can fill in the details if you’re curious.
So…this is Bennett’s story. He’s been hovering around the edges of the entire series. He’s a single dad to a seven-year-old daughter, Wren, who he raises with plenty of help from his family. His high school sweetheart, Delainey, has moved back to town after her husband was arrested. She’s divorcing him and returned so her parents can help support her and her own seven-year-old daughter, Leia. She ends up working for the town florist—who happens to be Bennett’s sister—and discovers that Bennett works out of the shop too. He’s a landscape architect, and that shared love for growing things is one of the many threads connecting him and Delainey.
But Delainey is keeping a huge secret: Leia isn’t her husband’s child—she’s Bennett’s. Years ago, Bennett had left his wife and moved away, eventually landing at the same company where Delainey worked. Their reunion was intense and fast. But then Bennett’s wife showed up at Delainey’s door, claiming she was pregnant and hoping Delainey wouldn’t keep Bennett from returning home. Bennett did what he thought was the right thing; he went back to his wife, but ultimately, she died in childbirth. Delainey remained where she was, met her husband, and he raised Leia as his own. After his arrest, though, he and his family cut ties with both Delainey and Leia, prompting her to return home.
When Delainey finally tells Bennett the truth about Leia, everything becomes strained. He’s angry and hurt; she’s guilty but still believes she made the best choice for her daughter at the time. Now they all have to adjust to their new reality. I understood why Delainey stayed silent, though obviously she shouldn’t have. In the end, they manage to find their way back to each other and finally get their long-awaited happily ever after.
The duet narration was excellent and helped me through the parts I struggled with. I may have even skipped ahead a few times—which is very unlike me. Overall, this was my least favorite book in the series.
11/2025 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
CHASING LOVE by Piper Rayne. Narrators: Erin Mallon & JF Harding. Piper Rayne Inc.; October 17, 2025. ASIN: B0FWS27CR1. Listening Length: 7 hours and 45 minutes
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