The One I Stood Beside (Plain Daisy Ranch #2) By:Piper Rayne

It’s the classic story— best friends since childhood agree to a fake marriage, thinking they can pretend to love each other without their relationship changing.

 Jude would do anything for me. He’s stood by my side since we were six, and I’ve done the same for him.

 When my father dies, leaving our family farm drowning in debt and on the brink of being auctioned, I’m not surprised Jude steps in to help. I just never dreamed he’d fall to bended knee and devise a plan for us to fool everyone into thinking there’s more than a lifelong friendship between us.

 Soon, I’m moving into his house, we’re planning a wedding on his family’s ranch, and we discover a new side to our relationship. I keep reminding myself it’s not real—it’s only to secure a loan to save the farm.

 I’ve secretly loved Jude all my life, and now that I know how good we are together, I’m not sure we can return to being just friends.

 Meena’s Reading vibe: It’s the kind of small-town romance that makes you believe in standing side by side through it all—family, heartbreak, and second chances. Perfect for readers who love ranch life charm mixed with heartfelt, hopeful love stories.