Fireman's Secret Baby

New Harmony

by Kate Lovelace

The smoking hot fireman next door stole my heart and knocked me up.

It all started with a lie.

I got booted from art school and I’m too embarrassed to come clean about why.

Most of all to my mother.

So it’s a godsend when my friend has an extra room for me.

But there's a catch.

My bestie lives with his older brother - Michael - who is pure temptation.

Seeing that firefighter God casually strolling out of the bathroom every morning, in whatever hand towel he uses to dry himself would be the highlight of my day.

If we weren’t practically family.

I push the images of his magnificent midriff out of my head until I can find my own place.

But then I make a crucial error. I ask him to pose for me.

Alone in my studio, his clothes come off, and I know I’m a goner.

Tensions ignite and he devours me with a fiery fervor that leaves my v-card thoroughly punched.

But when he pulls away for no reason, I just know this was a huge mistake.

My instinct says, run, never to speak to him again.

There’s one small problem…now I’m late.

Genres: Romance

218 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 11, 2022

About the author

Kate Lovelace writes page-turning, small-town, contemporary romance. Weaving steamy stories about bad boy alphas and sassy, feisty women who dare to go head to head with them are her specialty.

She lives in Small town, USA, where she longs for the simplicity of country life. When she's not obsessing over the perfect turn of phrase, she enjoys watching her chickens, playing with her kids, cuddling with her kitties, and enjoying a glass of wine at the end of a long day.

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Reviews

[J-J lover of books · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow!!

Not sure who is more immature

Bree,
Michael
Liam
Bree's mom
Lauren

It's all of them.

It was started off okay and I had hoped it would get better but I was so wrong.

It got worse. So much worse.

[Penny · Rating 4 out of 5]

10 years really isn't that big of an age gap when you are both of age.

I have mixed feelings about this story because the character growth felt a little slow for me. Also, Bree's childish behavior in chapter one made me want to bend her over my knee and spank her. I know it isn’t fair that her mom seems to favor her sister more than her, which she felt growing up and I agree that the way her mom talked to her and treated her was not nice. Maybe it’s cultural, but here, you can’t get away with throwing a tantrum like that and you can’t just commandeer the living room for painting just because it isn’t being used. At the very least, she should have asked her mom for permission first, not just started using it.

Michael seems like a straight-up guy from the get-go but he has issues of his own to deal with which takes him 10 chapters to face. Despite that, he is actually sweet and caring, and extremely easy to fall for.

As the story progresses it gets better and, thankfully, they finally connect. This is a light, sweet romance, with some drama thrown in just to spice things up. Light reading you could enjoy.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[My_every_day_chilling · Rating 4 out of 5]

Positive thoughts:
- I am an artist myself, so I appreciated all the artsy talk and that our FMC was a struggling artist herself. Of course her sketching Michael was the liftoff she needed.
- We all live a good fireman and one that takes such care in his daily workout routine

Negative thoughts:
- It took me a while to get used to the style and language it was written. It is definitely for the younger audience.
- It did have a slow start. Although it did have some interesting things going on in the beginning, all the action is in the second half.

Overall:
- Writing style is very young, ideal for the young adults.
- The intimate scenes were not overly descriptive (which is a relief for me).
- A fast and quick read, great for a weekend or on the beach.

Romance: 2/5
Chemistry: 3/5
Spice: 2/5
1st kiss: -+57% in
Foul language: 2,5/5
Humour: 1/5
Drama: 3/5

Tropes:
- Fireman
- Artist
- Age gap
- Slow burn
- Past trauma
- Hot and cold MMC
- Brothers fall for the same girl

[Moni · Rating 1 out of 5]

A fireman, a best friend's brother, & a secret baby in a small town? The synopsis had me thinking this book was going to be right up my alley. Yet, while the writing wasn't bad & I liked the idea of the story, I didn't actually end up liking the characters most of the time nor the story when I finished it- which is why I gave it a 1 star rating. It may be that I set my expectations too high so while it wouldn't be my first recommendation, I also wouldn't discourage others from reading it because they may like it. (I will still be reading My Best Friend’s Brother, which is the first book in this series & is offered free on the author’s website. You can still read this book without having read My Best Friend's Brother first.)

Whenever I see "secret baby" in the title, I expect the baby to be a secret for a good majority of the story. That wasn't the case here. She finds out that she's pregnant about two chapters before the book ends & does tell him when she sees him again. So, I was missing that nervous anticipation reading & wondering when he would finally learn the truth about being a father.

Bree is about 20 years old & she reflects her age. Her reactions to conflict with others, like her mother & friends, felt real to me. When we first meet her, she's having conflict with her mom about what her future holds. &, keeping the secret of having been expelled from college & not feeling as if she has space to be creative with her art, it makes sense to me why she would think moving out is the best option to keep the peace between them. It somewhat works, until her mom tries to benefit off an art show Bree had. Once she moves out, Bree is able to get those creative juices going & finds ways to share her art with others. Despite feeling lost about other things, I like that she never gave up on her art. Now, something I didn't like about her (or I guess it's more about the story) is the fact that she took all the blame for the conflicts she had with her mom, & her friends, Liam & Lauren, when her reactions were valid & they weren't that nice to her either giving no or a quick apology for their role in the conflict.

Michael is 30 years old & the age gap is one of the reasons why he's hesitant to pursue Bree. Aside from that, his parent's death prevented him from having any serious relationship. Their death also left him basically raising his brothers & feeling responsible for/towards them. So, when he notices that Liam, his younger brother, has feelings for Bree that also is a reason for him to not want to pursue Bree. While I liked that he was caring & wasn't afraid to show his emotions, I didn't care for the way he handled breaking up with Bree for the sake of Liam's feelings. Of course, it was expected but Liam was such a jerk who didn't deserve that consideration.

Liam is one of Bree's best friend & he has feelings for her. As expected, he doesn't take the news of Bree & Michael's mutual feelings well & throws low blows to Michael. & after being part of the problem between Bree & Michael, he just disappears to start hooking up with some other girl. He does apologize to Michael & Bree but it felt done because of the emergency that happened & Michael definitely deserved a more thorough & sincere apology. I know character development is a thing but Liam's behavior has me not even caring to read his book in the series, or at least not making it a priority. Lauren, Bree's other best friend, also says some harsh words to Bree & there's never a proper apology. I also didn't like how she was the one to tell Bree some news about Michael & then didn't think that Bree should confront him about it.

As I mentioned before, the writing wasn't bad but the story was kind of fast paced, which I have no general problem with, but here it felt as if I wasn't given enough time to feel things for my own. Stuff was told rather than building up & letting it stir my emotions to really feel the depth of the story, or romance. For example, the way we saw the death of Michael's parents influence his decisions was good but I wish I could've felt more when he first woke up from a nightmare. Or the way we knew that Bree was expelled from college yet the reason why was revealed pretty late in the story when she was making up with her mom which felt like it was missing something too . So, this story had the potential but it didn't quite reach it for me.

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love makes fools and crazed maniacs out of all of us
Fireman’s Secret Baby is the first book in a new series about the Parker brothers. This one is about Bree and Michael. She’s just returned home from college, and is living with her mum. Her sister Oona is no longer living at home as she’s engaged to Michael’s brother Ethan and has a baby. Her mum thinks the world of her big sister and she feels like she’s always being compared to her, and isn’t good enough at anything.
Bree’s best friend Lauren sends her a text and photo about ‘living the dream’, as she’s in training as a firefighter and EMT. What she notices in the background of her gorgeous Firefighter Barbie best friend is an equally gorgeous guy standing in the background! She soon recognises him as Michael, who is practically her brother-in-law, and her other best friend Liam’s brother! This trio of brothers were always around when Bree and Oona were kids and while they were friends, that didn’t mean there weren’t (or continue to be) complications about added feelings in the mix.
Liam is in love with Bree, but she only loves him as a friend, and has eyes for Michael. This not only causes issues in their friendship, but with his relationship with his brother. When they’re all working together at their bar, it causes all sorts of mixed emotions and tensions. Knowing which decision is the right one will always end up hurting somebody, even when you don’t want to.
It was emotional, funny, sweet, steamy and full of family and friends that both test your patience and love and support you equally. The characters really endeared themselves to me on different levels, and I cannot wait to read more about them! And while some people might take offense at the ‘bra bin’ idea, I thought it was funny! And calling the Brothers Parker a bunch of rakes, gave me all sorts of hot Bridgerton vibes… swoon! The story however did seem unfinished, but I assume we’ll catch up with this couple in the next books in the series. I give this book four and a quarter stars.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Elizabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

🚩🚩🚩SPOILERS AHEAD🚩🚩🚩
🚩🚩YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED🚩🚩




I don’t know about this one. Liam, the H and the h mother were so cool and funny in the first book but in this one, I’m sad to say I couldn’t stand them, especially Liam. The story was okay but I didn’t really feel a connection between the H and h. And I really didn’t like how there was no groveling whatsoever from either of them.

The h should’ve apologized for the mean things she said to the H after confronting him about staying the night with OW.

And the H should’ve apologized BIG TIME for what he did with said OW that night (the OW is a nice person and basically his friends-with-benefits. He truly cares about her, he just doesn’t care about her the way she does him). He and the OW may not of had sex but what he did was still wrong and IMO borderline cheating. I don’t care if they were drinking and he was just trying to take care of OW. Kissing her, helping her get dressed into her PJs (she was able to get dressed on her own) and then sleeping with her in his arms (on her couch) all night was not cool. Then for him to act like it was no big deal. I can guarantee you, if the h did the same thing with another man that the H did with OW, you can be darn sure the H would be singing a different tune.

Then on top of all that it ends with a HFN. They’re basically dating with the talk of living together one day.

Anyways, I wish I liked this one more but I’m sorry to say it just wasn’t for me.

[Avid · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book surprised me. The title, implies a quick start, a secret baby and wham- a cute HEA wrap up.

Instead, Bree and Michael find their way on a turbulent emotional journey that doesn't start out with a relationship at all.

There is warmth, heart, and all of the secondary characters are beyond the usual one-sided presentation that comes with a typical secret baby romance.

While some characters annoyed me, namely Bree's mom and Michael's brother, Liam, but they also provided a depth to the overall emotional journey of the main characters.

I enjoyed how vulnerability plays out in this story.

Bree's interactions with her mother and Michael's emotional trauma cover personal and professional choices for both of them, which made the outcome of the novel more satisfying.

I loved this story because it is complicated, and messy even when I didn't like some of the excess baggage.

I recommend this as a refreshing read and a great series starter. I look forward to picking up the others when they are released.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ginger Black · Rating 3 out of 5]

The overall story was charming and true to small town USA. Right down to all of the gossip and pointless drama that comes with it. Be it fiction or reality some people need to think before they say anything with the best of intentions.
Bree and Michael are two extremely stubborn characters that find themselves thrown unexpectedly off balance by a long term underlying attraction that refuses to be ignored any longer. Admitting what they want to themselves is easy. To anyone else, a bit harder. To each other, well the adventure begins. Of course blunders are going to have to ensue. Love is never an easy road.
The book is a bit too fast paced and some parts of the relationship just move to fast for it to really make sense. The baggage that both characters have lead to so much doubt and self loathing that the story gets hard to enjoy.
Love can be fast and furious. Sometimes you just dive in head over heels.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Gloria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bree falls in love with Michael

Bree is living with her mom but is happy being there. They fight all the time. She's friends with Liam, Michael's younger brother. Michael is ten years older and has been attracted to Bree for a long time. But he feels that he's too old for her. He's in training to be a firefighter. Plus, he owns a Tavern with his brothers.
He lost his parents to a house fire. He tried to save them but he couldn't get into their bedroom. So he woke up his younger brothers and carried them out of the burning house. He's the one who kept the family together.
Bree was fascinated and attracted to Michael.
They finally gave into their feelings and made love. Liam walks into Bree's apartment and finds them in bed. Liam feels betrayed. He has always been in love with Bree. It puts a wedge between the two brothers.
Michael tries to stay away for Liam's benefit.
Must read this story to see how things work out between the three of them.

[S Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bree and Michael have some chemistry. She is friends with Liam who is Michael's brother and she needs a place to stay after coming home from college. She ends up staying with Liam in the house he shares with his older brother who is Bree's long time crush Michael! Artist Bree and sexy fireman Michael get together but it is a rough road, the story was fast paced and the secondary characters can either make or break a storyline... in this case I wasn't digging them, they were just mean! Childish behaviors all around from everyone. In the beginning of the book, I kept thinking what a hot mess Bree was when she was living with her mom. She did redeem herself but these so called friends and family of hers... sheesh!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Aleksandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 1st book in the Brothers Parker series and it’s the Michael and Bree’s story. She needs a place to stay after returning from college, her friend has an extra room in the house he shares with his older brother Michael. She’s had a crush on him for forever, she accepts and moves in. He is fulfilling his lifelong dream of becoming a firefighter after putting his life on hold in order to raise his brothers after their tragic loss. He has feelings for her too, they have some seriously hot chemistry, but also a whole bunch of misunderstandings and obstacles they have to overcome in order to be together. The book has characters that are interesting enough to keep you engaged in the read. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Danee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good story, well written and a pleasure to read. This revolves around Bree and Michael, Michael is a firefighter in training and also has his own bar. Bree is a starting artist and also works as a waitress. She is having a hard time and the relationship with her mother is also not good. When they get to know each other better and grow towards each other, they try to find a way in life together, but also to deal with grief. loss as Michael still struggles with the fact that his parents died in a fire when he was just a teenager. This is an emotional story and well worth reading for yourself, I read it in one sitting because I had a hard time putting it down.

I received a Advance Reader copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Chiquita Bee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wanted to Love This Book

Bree and Michael were so likable. They are almost family with her sister, Oona married to his brother, Ethan. Michael is the oldest brother who took over the responsibility of raising his younger brothers since his parents death in a fire. Michael has kept his parents bar running and plans to relinquish management of the bar to Ethan and their friend when Michael finishes his training to be a firefighter. Bree has just returned from expulsion from college, a secret she is harboring from her mother. Bree and Michael are drawn to one another but he resists because he knows his youngest brother is in love with her. I wanted to love this book but there was so much angst where he is trying to resist her but love prevails. Unfortunately this book ended with a happy for now and I was looking for a HEA>

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good story overall. Sometimes it felt a little too much about Liam (who seems to have had a personality transplant from Oona and Ethan's book). But I like how Michael and Bree are in different places in life. Bree is young and has a lot to figure out. Michael is older and is just on that cusp of getting his dreams. Then it all goes off the rails and it's not exactly angsty, but definitely dripping with drama.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Merry Jelks-Emmanuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story portrays the ups and downs of relationships and their struggles. Michael and Bree are just starting theirs and along with it they both have insecurities that they have to face. As they build their foundation it is put to the test with friends and family. Do they have what it takes to get their chance for a happily ever after? I was kept glued to the pages to see how Michael and Bree will handle theirs!.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mindy Lopez · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first read by this author, and I must say that I quite enjoyed the storyline and the characters. It is an age gap, off limits romance between Bree and her best friend's older brother, Michael. These likeable characters and the unique plot make for an entertaining read. It is a sweet love story filled with drama, humor, family dynamic, and twists, plus appealing secondary characters to keep the reader interested. A quick, light read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kim Mears · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bree has a crush on her friends older brother Michael, what she doesn't realise is that he feels the same for her too. But Michael is not the only one who likes Bree and when their feelings come out others are hurt in the process.
Bree takes a good look at her life and decides she needs to make amends. But what happens when she finds out she is pregnant and will Michael be able to save her when his call out turns out to be for Brees building.

I enjoyed reading this book and would recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Excelrn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a charming small town romance with a bit of drama, and a secret baby, too! Michael and Bree are attracted to each other but each think the other has other interests. Their careers eventually lead them to realize that there aren't other interests, only each other. When Bree tells Michael about the baby, they plan for their future and their HEA. I recommend this book for all small town romance lovers!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Davina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the story of Michael and Brena. Michael is going to be a bartender / firefighter. Brena drops out of college because of an ex-boyfriend and is an artist / waitress. They were friends when they were younger. She is friends with Michael's younger brother Liam. After her friend Lauren takes a picture at the fire station during her EMT training and Michael photobombs the picture Brena start thinking of him in a romantic sense.and it starts them on adventure they will never forget.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Fran · Rating 3 out of 5]

When I started this novel I didn’t like any of the characters until towards the end when they started redeeming themselves. It is mainly about Michael and Bree and their trials in falling in love and being together. The secondary characters were just bratty and mean. Anyway as a love story it was okay but even Bree needed to grow up. This story just didn’t do it for me. It was just an okay read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[J.p · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book, although I enjoy spicier reads this was quite a pleasant read. Michael and Bree have feelings for each other but don’t act on them for a long time. Due to childhood trauma and the fact his brother has feelings for Bree too Michael doesn’t feel worthy. Very little drama, great chemistry between the two main characters, great friendships and a bit of heat. As I said I enjoy spicier stories but a lovely read. Lauren’s story next maybe.?

[Nicole Potter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Will a baby bring them together or tear them apart?

Fantastic read and totally enjoyed Michael & Bree. If you love age gap romance that has a sexy firefighter, an artist, is steamy all with small town vibe I highly recommend reading this book?
Can these two get over their hangups & admit their feelings to each other or will they let doubts & a little jealousy destroy any chance at a HEA?.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bree and Michael . . .

Bree is an artist and needs a place to stay when she exits college, and her friend Joe fortunately has a place to offer her. But Joe’s older brother, Michael, also lives there. Michael is a sexy firefighter and he and Bree are attracted to each other. There will be lots of issues along the way as they both try to deal with things. Unfortunately, she asks Michael to pose naked for her and she ends up pregnant. What kind of decisions will they make now?

[Staci · Rating 5 out of 5]

Michael and Bree’s story has her getting kicked out of college and moving in with her bff,Liam, and his older bro,Michael. All is good except when Michael comes out of the bathroom in a towel. When she asked Michael to pose for her thing heat up and she gives him her card and he gives her a lil something too. But when he pulls away will she stay and fight or run with her secret.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Loreli Jessee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely enjoyed this engaging story. Bree had so much she is dealing with in her life. I loved seeing what she came up with. Michael has to decide what he wants to do with his personal life as he professional one is going great. I loved when Bree realized what she needed to do. This book has lots of drama, passion, twists and surprises, I couldn’t put it down.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Berta Greenleaf Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There didn't seem to be too much chemistry between the main characters at first but I liked the tension. The problems between the brothers was interesting but too intense for the relationship that Bree and Liam had. Michael was a better fit for her. I recommend this for anyone who enjoys a sweet contemporary love story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[casvec · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a good book that easily pulls you in with each turn of the page. Bree is back home from school, now trying to figure out her things. Michael is the big brother who is working towards his goals.

This story of secret feeling and wanted desire is tossed with misunderstanding and uncertainty that take you on a journey as Michael and Bree navigate to their HEA.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was a quick easy read with some likeable but very flawed characters. Bree is selfish and self-involved not realising how her actions may affect those closest to her. Liam appears sheltered from life and Michael has a saviour complex. Put these characters into the mix and you have an entertaining story.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Koodie's Mum · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lovely story!

As there are so very many books written around the "Fireman" storyline, I was pleasantly surprised that this author managed to present an original one.
Obviously, unavoidable overlapping will occur for the aforementioned reason, but overall it was a very enjoyable read.
It's well written and easily lures you into the characters and their lives.
Plus it has my favourite ending.... a HEA!
I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

[Debbie Benson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review. It was a realistic story where both Michael and Bree have feelings for each other, but their insecurities and pasts prevent them from acting on it. It takes hard truths from those near them and a bit of deadly danger before they finally get together.