Loving Daisy

by S. Ashley

You would think being in love with your best friend would be a great thing. You know everything about them. Your lives are already entangled. For Harper Wild and Daisy Stone, taking it to the next level seems like an obvious choice, but… Even best friends have secrets.

Harper has been taught that real men bury their feelings. Guilt, fear, disappointment all haunt him like demons. Strong liquor takes care of the pain, and a well-honed golden exterior masks the rest. His best friend has always been the sunshine to his darkness, and now that she’s found someone else, Harper needs to confess his feelings before it’s too late.

Daisy is the brains and the mother hen of the group. Dating man after man, she hopes one will reach the standards she has set. A list that similarly reflects her best friend Harper. With a proposal on the table and kisses behind closed doors, Daisy has a decision to make.

Can their love survive the demons? Can you mess with fate? Can best friends really love each other completely?

286 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication March 5, 2026

Reviews

[Lauren Nicklaus · Rating 3 out of 5]

Loving Daisy by S. Ashley is a cute romance about childhood friends, Daisy and Harper, and their journey to confront their fears and pasts in order to find love and acceptance within each other. It is the third book in an interconnected standalones series, and the only one of the three that I have read.

One aspect of the book that I enjoyed were the characters of Daisy and Harper themselves, along with the other side characters. The familial bond between everyone was very heartwarming, and I found myself curious as to how the other couple's stories evolved. Daisy and Harper both had realistic characteristics, such as their differing insecurities stemming from their childhood experiences. The characters felt like people I could meet in real life, not caricatures of people, which is something I always appreciate in books.

An area that I personally wish was a little different is some aspects of the writing style, including continuity. There would be moments of beautiful prose, but then also moments that felt a little juvenile, underdeveloped, or grammatically awkward. With this, the pacing also felt a little off at times. I think there is a wonderful story here, and I wish it felt like we weren't running through the scenes. Rather, I want the dialogue and emotions within these characters to shine.

My absolute favorite part of the book was when Harper and Daisy were separated, processing their emotions, and growing on their own. I enjoyed seeing Harper's experience dealing with his inner demons on his own and recognizing that no one could do it for him, even Daisy. That is the sign of a real, emotionally developing adult. Additionally, Daisy going through the grief of losing the relationship, but also recognizing that the way it started wasn't right on her part, while also letting her brothers know they were in the wrong as well, showed promising growth for her character as well.

In summary, this story has a very cute concept and shows good character growth. There are people that will really enjoy this book. Thank you to Olive Press Publishing and the author for this e-ARC!

[T || · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️ for me.
First of thanks to Olivepresspublishing & S.Ashley for this ARC.

Loving Daisy is a best friends to lovers romance. It was abit hit or miss for me unfortunately. And im really gutted about that, as i had high hopes for a best friend to lovers trope.

It starts off good. You have Daisy whos with someone but has always loved Harper. You have Harper who has his serious demons but always loved Daisy.

When Daisys cheats on Cooper with Harper. That kind of erked me and tainted the experience. I feel it would have been better if she'd of least had the decency to finish with Cooper knowing she wanted Harper. Not only did Harper deserve the commitment but Cooper also deserved the honesty (even if he turned out to be a POS in the end). Along side this, there was some grammar errors & some words were they shouldn't have been, that could have easily been fixed.

Unfortunately for me. This is a 3.5 stars. It sucks as I really wanted to love it.

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from Twisted Chaos PR in exchange for an honest review

Title: Loving Daisy
Author: S. Ashley
Series: Royal Roosters Club #3
Can be read as standalone? Yes
Genre: Romance
Format: E-Book
Platform: ARC
POV: Dual/first person

⭐ Ratings
Overall: ⭐⭐⭐☆☆ (3/5)
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️ (3/5)

🏷️ Tropes
Best friends to lovers
Motorcycle club
Found family
Healing from past trauma

⚠️ Content Warnings / Triggers
Death of a sibling (described on page but in the past)
Alcoholism
Motorcycle crash
cheating

💭 Non-Spoiler Review
Loving Daisy is the third book in this series and it can be read as a stand along (I have not read the other two books prior to writing this review although I am going back and reading the other books in this series). This book follows Harper and Daisy and they come to terms with their feelings and struggle with past trauma. Harper and Daisy are part of the Royal Rooster motorcycle club and have been best friends since they were kids. The two have been in love with each other for years but theres always something that keeps them apart. Finally they both agree that they can’t fight the pull anymore but of course it’s never that easy. Overall this was a really good book, there were some problems with the writing (words spelled wrong or using the wrong word i.e. sense instead of since) which did hurt the book quite a bit for me. It honestly looks like no one proofread the book because these are really easy problems to catch and there were several of them. The story itself was cute and I really enjoyed it, but it definitely needs some work.

🚨 Spoiler Review
Overall this book was really cute, it definitely has its issues, but it’s a cute fairly quick read. Harper and Daisy have been in love with each other for forever. They were raised “together” and are best friends.

I feel so bad for Harper, that poor boy has been through it! His sister Reyna dies while waiting for him to come back after he ran off after a fight, his mom blames him for her death (which while I get that you were grieving but ma’am you’ve already lost one child and you want to push away your other child for something that absolutely nobody could have predicted??) Then his father was an alcoholic. Finally when everything goes down with Daisy her brothers who are like his brothers turn their backs on him and push him away. I don’t blame him one bit for running away.

Daisy wasn’t my favorite FMC ever but I have also definitely read some that are far worse. One of my favorite tropes is the best friend to lover trope and I was pulling for Daisy and Harper throughout this book but I feel like the problems that they faced weren’t really that big of deals and if they had just talked a little bit more they wouldn’t have faced really any issues (which yes I know means that there wouldn’t be a book but that doesn’t mean I have to like the miscommunication of everything). My biggest complaint about Daisy is that she cheated on Cooper to be with Harper in the beginning and it was completely unnecessary, especially because she does it TWICE! The first I can maybe see if you weren’t sure that he would actually kiss you, which this argument doesn’t stand because we see from Harper’s point of view that she will have to make that last little push for them to kiss BECAUSE she’s still with Cooper and he wants to make sure that it is what she wants. As soon as she kissed Harper for the first time, even if she thinks he doesn’t want to go any farther, then she needs to break up with Cooper because it’s not fair to him (even though he turned out to be a POS in the end.)

❤️ Favorite Things
Best friends to lovers trope
The banter between Daisy and Harper
Daisy standing up for herself with her brothers and not letting them get away just because they give her a simple apology

😬 Least Favorite Things
The cheating on Cooper bit (even though I didn’t like him)
Harpers entire family (minus Reyna)

📖 Would I Recommend?
Yes

Best for readers who love emotional, angsty romance with deep healing vibes, a lovable heroine, and a swoony love story that hurts a little before it feels safe again.

[Heather Angeli · Rating 5 out of 5]

What happens when you’ve been in love with your childhood best friend your entire life… but it’s always the wrong time? That’s exactly what we get with Daisy Stone and Harper Wild — and wow, did this one wreck me in the best way.

Second-chance (but not really), childhood best friends, years of unresolved feelings simmering under the surface? Say less. I was hooked immediately. The tension, the longing, the stolen glances and even more stolen moments — it all jumps off the page from the very beginning.

Harper is down bad for Daisy. Like… painfully, undeniably, heart-on-his-sleeve in a way he doesn’t even fully know how to handle. And while he makes it very clear he’s not a fan of the guy Daisy is dating (and honestly… same), he also makes his feelings for her impossible to ignore. The jealousy? The restraint? The quiet “I’d choose you every time” energy? Ugh. It was everything. And that nickname!?

But what really made this book stand out for me is how layered Harper’s character is. He’s battling his own demons, especially with his drinking, and S. Ashley did such an incredible job handling that storyline. It felt raw and real without ever feeling preachy. The way she showed the contrast between spiraling and choosing to seek help was powerful. It added so much depth to Wild and made his love for Daisy feel even more selfless — because even when he’s struggling, he still puts her first.

And Daisy? She’s not oblivious. She feels it. The connection between them is tangible, lived-in, years in the making. You can feel the history in every conversation. That kind of emotional buildup just hits different.

This might honestly be my favorite Royal Roosters book so far. The character development alone sets it apart. Everything felt relatable — messy, complicated, imperfect in the most human way. S. Ashley really brought these two to life, and I was rooting for them so hard.

If you love:

Childhood best friends to lovers

“It’s always been you” vibes

Jealousy and tension done right

Emotional growth arcs

Real, raw character struggles

Then Loving Daisy absolutely needs to be on your TBR. It’s angsty, heartfelt, and full of the kind of love that waits… even when the timing never seems right. 💛

[Sarah Putrow · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loving Daisy is the third book in this series and can be read as a standalone. I've read all the books in this series and the first two were amazing. I have really enjoyed this one just be aware if you're not a fan of third act breakup as I generally am not I'm giving you a heads up now, even though it felt needed in the story. This book was definitely an emotional ride and tissues will be needed.

This book is about childhood friends Daisy and Harper who have always loved each other and get their second chance. In order to make their relationship work however Harper will need to face the fears from the past and the addiction he's held at bay.

Daisy and Harper both had a lot of character growth throughout the book. They had their ups and downs but in the end they were always meant to be they just had to work on themselves a bit too. I think there's a lot of strength in realizing you have to step away to get better to be better for someone as heartbreaking as it is. Sometimes you just can't see past the darkness until you reach the bottom and get help and build yourself up again. I believe that's how Harper was but him knowing someone cared made a difference too.

It was really nice to be back with all the other characters again and to get a glimpse as to what was happening in their lives. I really enjoy that about a series where you get to know so many characters and check in with them with every story that comes along.

Overall a great read and definitely worth picking up but I still loved one and two more. I'm not sure who is going to be in the next book but I'm hoping for Axel! It's got to be him!

[Shannon Isaacs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC from Twisted Chaos PR in exchange for honest feedback

Loving Daisy is book 3 of the Royal Rooster book. It can be read as a stand alone (but the experience is best if followed by the first two) Daisy, is the middle child and part owner of the motorcycle club she owns with her brothers (The Royal Rooster Club) her best friend Harper has always been her go to. Harper has battled with some serious dark demons, as the clubs bartender… he spends most nights pining for his best friend and drinking himself to keep the demons at bay.

This book was equal parts healing and discovering what haunts Harper, and discovering what happens when you take that leap with your best friend. I think the author did a good job showing a character that struggled with addiction and how far he would go to turn his life around.

Tropes
Best friends to lovers
Motorcycle club
Found family

Trigger warnings
Death of family member (past describes but not super detailed)
Depression/self harm (in the form of alcohol)
Motorcycle crash
Cheating

[Soha Amer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loving Daisy was not a soft, easy romance. It was intense, emotional, and deeply consuming.

This story explores the kind of love that isn’t simple — it’s messy, layered, and sometimes overwhelming. The emotional tension builds steadily, and the connection between the characters feels raw and almost obsessive at times. You can feel the vulnerability, the desperation, and the deep attachment in every interaction.

What I appreciated most was how emotionally heavy it felt. The characters aren’t perfect. Their love isn’t perfect. But it feels real in its intensity.

If you enjoy:
• Emotionally charged romance
• Possessive / deeply attached love interests
• Complicated relationship dynamics
• High emotional angst with passion

…then this book will definitely pull you in.

⚠️ Please check trigger warnings before reading.

This is for readers who love romance that makes you feel everything — not just butterflies, but the ache too.

[Kayla Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Of the series, so far, this is my favorite book. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes. I thought the story was going to continue with Harper needing Daisy for his own mental health. I'm glad he has to overcome his own demons before they fully accept their relationship.
The themes of grief, mental health, and alcoholism are touched upon in a meaningful way. I love that you not only see Harper working on himself, but Daisy also taking the time to heal herself and find a better connection with her mom. April and Mallory taking Harper in made this a book for the girls girls. Loving Daisy is a title that encompasses the main relationship but also brings in all of the side characters and how she casts her sunshine on them and vice versa.

Thank you @s.ashley for selecting me to ARC this book ❤️

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

Daisy is the mother hen of the group. She’s best friends with Harper and doesn’t take crap off anyone. She keeps the books for the club in line. She has her own motorcycle and will do anything for those she cares about.

Harper is brooding and is best friends with Daisy. He bartends for the club and has a lot of demons. He will protect those he cares about and keeps his demons hidden.

Will their friendship turn to more? Will everything fall apart or will it pull them all together and make them stronger?

Run don’t walk to read this book. You will laugh, cry and feel different emotions throughout this book but it’s soooooo worth it. It will pull you in and you will not want to stop reading. Spice is 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ and flow’s amazingly.

[EGotay · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Loving Daisy"
Series: Royal Roosters Club #3
By S. Ashley

Can be read as a Standalone. A Best Friends to Lovers read. Childhood friends growing up together.
Wow!!! A book full of emotions like a roller-coaster. A journey of self recovery after past experiences. I cry, I laughed, I melt and get angry. It's an intense very well written story. I devoured this book in less than two days.
I fall for Harper and Daisy characters and watching their growths was an awe-inspiring. All the characters where fantastic. I love it.
I highly recommend it.
**Read the triggers warnings your mental health matters.**♡

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/🌶🌶🌶🌶

I received this book as an Arc Reader from the author S. Ashley. Thanks for the trust and letting me be part of your Arc Team. Can't wait for the next one. Much love 🫶

[Lucy Scherer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was blessed to by chosen as an ARC Reader for S. Ashley’s newest book Loving Daisy, set to release on 3/5/26! This is my first read by S. Ashley, but will definitely not be the last. This interconnected standalone is a story of loss, love and redemption that I found hard to put down. The representation of Mental Health and Addiction was beautifully written, but protect your mental health and be sure to check the trigger warnings before starting this book. The longing between the MMC and FMC was fantastic and throwing in the found family aspect made it book even better. I highly recommend you add this book to your TBR and set a reminder for the 3/5/26 release!

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh this was such s good read . Loving Daisy shows us thst true love always shows up no matter how long it takes to get to you, that addition can be overcome when you havw the will but also becuase you have a purpose, that having a best friend as a guy can be done, and family always sticks together even if sometimes they take it to the extreme. I was so into this story since chapter 1. Daisy and Harper are such a good pair I love them. They go through it all and it was here for it ♡ Cant wait to read the other 2 stories in this series, cant wait to see where it all started♥︎

[Emily Church · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC, and to say I devoured it would be an understatement. The friends-to-lovers journey and the heartbreak had me on edge the entire time. Daisy and Harper’s story is one I’ll be thinking about for a long while—their connection felt so genuine and beautifully written. The epilogue completely wrecked me in the best way. And the spice level was just right for the story. An unforgettable read!

[GKP2460 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loving Daisy is book 3 in the Royal Rooster series and is Harper and Daisy's story. These characters have been best friends their entire lives. And that friendship grows into something much deeper as they've grown. This is an emotional, intense story that had me feeling everything these characters did, good and bad. There's darkness in both of them and they have a lot to overcome throughout the course of their journey but in the end it's all worth it.

[Leslie Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my first book from this Author and is the third book in an interconnected series. Loving Daisy is about two childhood friends acknowledging their feelings and acting on them. I love that this book covers some hard points and how each character went through a self journey and watching their character growth. This was a quick read for me.

[Rebecca Schulke · Rating 5 out of 5]

So this book was really good and i was hooked from the beginning!! The only thing that could be changed is the pregnancy week to be accurate. It wouldn’t be 40 weeks til due date but 5-6 weeks. OTHER than that it was one of the best books ive read and ive been so blessed to be able to read this before it comes out.

[Lauren Golding · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Daisy and Harper!!! Best friends to lovers… the tension… mental health rep… rollercoaster of emotions… I loved this I ate this book up this night just be my favorite in the series.