Penn

Olive Township, Book 1

De: Jennifer Millikin

Narrado por: Hannah Chiclana, Edward Black

The entirety of Olive Township is looking forward to the fast-approaching day when Daisy St. James will say "I do" to the town golden boy.

There’s just one little catch.

Daisy isn’t in love. Her impending nuptials are transactional in nature, and that suits Daisy just fine. She learned the hard way a long time ago that true love does not exist, so what does it matter if her marriage is a farce?

But then a stranger named Peter sails into town, his forearm bearing a tattooed symbol of the Navy SEAL he used to be. And wound around that symbol, are daisies.

Daisy is ready to write it off as coincidence, but there’s no denying the way the enigmatic man feels familiar to her. His slow smile, his stormy eyes, the shape of his jaw. He makes her laugh, draws out her smiles, and even more dangerous, he challenges her previous thoughts about true love.

And then one day, he says three little words only someone from her past would know…someone named Penn.

Penn Bellamy returned to Olive Township with plans to sell his late mother’s estate, snag a locally famous Sammich, and be on his way. Under no circumstances was he to speak to his childhood best friend, Daisy. Or be her ear when she fled her engagement party. Or become her physical therapy client. Offering to help her with her home remodel? He wasn’t supposed to do that, either.

When Daisy learns Peter and Penn are the same person, and he discovers Daisy’s engagement is a pretense, all bets are off.

Penn will do whatever it takes to make Daisy his, even if it means telling her the truth about why he left once before.

After all, all is fair in the quest for true love.

Penn is the first in a four-book contemporary romance series inspired by the film The Princess Bride. Expect swoon, sass, spice, and happily ever afters.

©2025 Jennifer Millikin (P)2025 Jennifer Millikin

Phenomenal Romance

When I read the author's note about the references to The Princess Bride, I knew it was time. I needed to watch this movie I had heard so much about over the years. I mean how have I not watched it? Inconceivable!
Penn is a phenomenal read! Having just watched the movie made Penn even more enjoyable. Either way, this is a five star book.
Penn is returning to his hometown to settle some affairs. Having not been back since he was earlier teen, most in Olive Township don't recognize him, including Daisy, his childhood sweetheart. Daisy, not. believing in true love is set to marry and the whole town is excited about the pending nuptials. Penn is back and the chemistry between him and Daisy is undeniable.
The audiobook is performed in duet by Hannah Chiclana and Edward Black. They bring a five star performance packed with chemistry and tension. I highly recommend this one and can't wait for Hugo's book!

I love a small town romance!!

These two are everything!! All the little moments between them had my heart! They both are going through some tough challenges and the connection they further make because of it was everything and more!

The audiobook was so amazing! I love when I feel so involved in the characters and the storyline. The narrators truly outdid themselves! They captured Penn and Daisy’s characters so well. I felt as if I really got to know these characters and who they are. Also absolutely LOVEDDD how the narrators created a deeper dynamic between our characters. They already have a history and being back in each other’s lives and you truly get to see that longing and tension even more through this audio!

Penn and Daisy (and Duke and Olive Township)

Hannah Chiclana: A
Edward Black: A

Penn Bellamy left Olive Township when he was 13 years old, after a car accident where his best friend - and first love - Daisy St James was injured.

Daisy never found out exactly why Penn and his mother left town, but her heart was broken nonetheless. Now, 15 years later, she's getting ready to marry her good friend Duke - not for love, but for other reasons that you'll learn early in the story.

But Penn's back. In theory, he's back to clean up and sell his family home, but he's trying to stay incognito as the last thing he wants is to run into the only girl he's ever loved. Yeah, that's going to work (not, haha)

There are a lot of interesting dynamics, and while there is no cliffhanger, the book ends with the reader still not knowing the whole story behind Penn's departure. But I imagine I'll learn more in Hugo's story. And maybe more in books 3 & 4.

So, cute story, I enjoyed it - and I'm just invested enough to keep reading because I haven't quite figured out the secret - yet.

Sweet Scale: 4/5
Spicy Scale: 3.5/5

Loved this fun and emotional intro to this series

Thank you to Jennifer Millikin and Valentine PR for providing me an early copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

This was a fun and emotional little series intro, and I already can’t wait to go back to Olive Township.

Penn has come back to the town he grew up in. He left when he was 13, and that was also the last time he saw his childhood sweetheart, Daisy, whom he has just found out is now engaged to a guy he hates…And nobody recognizes him because he’s changed so much.

I’ll be honest, I did have to suspend some disbelief that no one would recognized him, especially Daisy, even if he had grown up and filled out since he left. But, once I got over that, I had a really fun time with this one.

The banter between these two was really fun, especially when it would get flirty. I also really loved the side characters and the dynamics between all of them definitely has me excited to come back and get all their stories.

Do be aware that there is a plot line having to do with an ill/dying parent that really got the waterworks going for me. Just a heads up if that is something you are sensitive to at the moment. 🙏

Audiobook notes: Duet narration! I don’t think I’d previously listened to either of these narrators before but I was very impressed, especially with Hannah Chiclana’s narration; the emotion really came through in some tough scenes that definitely got the tears flowing. 😢

What this book is giving:
✅ Small Town Romance
✅ Duet Narration
✅ The Princess Bride Retelling
✅ Ex-Military
✅ Physical Therapist
✅ Childhood Best Friends
✅ Hidden Identity

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5

it was a good start to the series

The narration was okay, but at the beginning, there was a noticeable volume discrepancy between the two narrators.

I enjoyed the story and the characters, but while listening, I found myself questioning the thin line between what counts as cheating and what doesn’t. I think that's what stuck to me the most. Other than that Im definitely looking forward to Hugo's story. His personality and past is a tease all on their own.