Secret Baby with My Brother's Best Friend

by Bella Chandler

Six years ago, I gave my v-card to my brother’s best friend, and the only boy I’ve ever loved. That night scorched me, and with it came secrets buried beneath years of heartbreak and layers of resentment.

To pursue his dreams, Logan Thompson walked away from our small town - and from me, without ever looking back.

Six years later, when I blindly accept a new PR client, I am in shock and disbelief when I am face to face with Logan—the chiseled, arrogant and irresistible baseball star, who shattered my heart years ago. Logan's the flame I swore I'd never play with again, but I am hopelessly drawn to the heat.

When a photo makes its way to the front page of the papers, creating a fake relationship to boost his image feels like a winning strategy, but it's a dangerous game. Pretending to be in love for the cameras is one thing, but the sparks we rekindle are real.

Now, forced together in a whirlwind of fate, a storm paralyzes the town and traps us both in close quarters. His rugged looks and whispered promises make it hard to resist, but I have to protect not only my heart, but the secret I have been carrying for all these years...

That he is the father of my child.

When he learns the truth, will he walk away again or prove that this time, he's truly playing for keeps?

266 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 28, 2023

Reviews

[Michellelovesreading · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good book

[Lois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Their path to romance was long and often stony but well worth it at the end.

Samantha Berner has had a crush on her brother, Jason’s, best friend Ryan since she was twelve. He and her brother showed up at her eighteenth birthday party, where she was tipsy on beer. She finally received the kiss she'd always wanted, and it also came with a baby.

Samantha has raised Henry by herself, with the help of her parents and Jason. It's not been easy. She had to give up her plans of going to college. Money is often tight but she wants to stand on her own two feet.

Ryan Carson was her brother Jason's best friend. He's thought of Sam as more than his best friend's sister for awhile. Caught up in a "What did I just do?" moment, he left town. He's been gone for seven years, keeping in contact only with Jason. Now he's back to be the best man at Jason’s wedding. What a shock to learn that Sam has a son. The biggest shock is to learn that Henry is his son.

Sam never informed Ryan of her pregnancy or the birth of their child because he left and never contacted her. She felt used. Now that he’s back, the attraction is still there, but she's afraid he'll walk away again. Now she and Ryan have to come to terms with the past, truly forgive each other, look forward to a possible future together and remember to keep what's best for Henry their number one priority. The question is, can they do it?

To complicate things even more, someone is coming after Ryan and threatening Sam and Henry...

I received an ARC of this book from the author via Booksprout. I am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Korkoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Their Unexpected Fate-Filled Second Chance -
Harper was really shaken to the core when she laid eyes on her brother’s best friend Logan, six years after they slept together and he walked away from her without a word. Logan was happy to see Harper again, but he couldn’t understand why she was being hostile towards her. Spending time together for work, let them to repeat their last encounter, Harper panicked the next day as she was not only upset she had let her guard down, but she was also keeping a very big secret from Logan.

Fate decided to step in to create a situation where they had to spend more time alone together, which led them to realise they couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Unfortunately, just as they settled their differences and resolved their past issues, Logan discovered the secret Harper had been keeping before she was ready to tell him, which created friction between them again. Luckily, a precocious six year old used her charm to get them back together, so they could work towards having a happily ever after.

The characters had really great chemistry and tension, that had been built over the years, even though they were apart, which made the story really interesting. I really enjoyed reading this book and feel that it definitely needs to be recommend to all contemporary romance readers.

I received an advanced copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Brandolynn Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Harper had a crush on her brother, Caleb’s, BFF, but as any brother will say..she’s off limits. All it took was one broken promise between friends for things to change. All it took was one night and things were never the same with Caleb and Logan. Six years go by, and she always wondered what happened between her and Logan. She was upset with him that he had left with no explanation. Well as luck will have it, she lands an amazing job opportunity, with a Baseball player. Little did she know, it was Logan. Over the next few months, things escalate with them, whether it’s arguing or heated interactions! But when he gets the shock of his life, he doesn’t fully understand of what happened. This story is a HEA guaranteed and I would recommend it. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secret baby with my brothers best friend was a

Different book than I expected. Overall it was good. The idea to meet and fall in love again, with until then his unknown child, was well explored and written. I liked Logan and Harper as a couple. It seemed go be hurried at the end. Meeting Cassie, finding out she was his daughter, everything fell into place. Brother, who was responsible for them being apart, only had a few sentences about him. For someone who had such power over them both, he was almost nonexistent. Adding an explanation, other than he was mad, would have made more sense. Why would you allow someone like him to be your best friend and allow him to keep you from someone you loved? Other than that, it was a good book. I enjoyed reading it. I would read others books by Bella Chandler.

[BP34 · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like sports themed romances, you'll enjoy this book. Fate brings Harper and Logan back together after he ghosted her years earlier. He left to pursue his dream of being a professional baseball player. He's her brother's best friend and can't understand why she's so hostile to him. He's her newest PR client, and they have to pretend to be in a relationship to improve his image. The chemistry's still there and sparks fly. Another kind of sparks fly when he finds out about the secret she hid from him six-years ago. Can a precious six-year-old work her magic and bring them together? An HEA and no cliffhanger. A great book that was a fun read. I received an advanced copy of this book, and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Tiffany Kusu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This love story was an alright read, both Harper and Logan are stubborn but likeable enough characters. I thought overall it was a good read, there’s a heavy emphasis on the miscommunication/poor communication trope which is not my favourite trope but I was still wanting to find out what happens in this story. This story has some spice and cute scenes that kept me interested and wanting to read more. I felt a bit on the fence with Harper and Logan as a couple because sometimes I wanted them to get together and others I thought they’d be better apart. I would have liked for Harper to tell Logan about Cassie sooner than she did so that we could see how their family dynamics worked and played out a bit more.

[Raecharmed · Rating 5 out of 5]

Logan is Harper's brother' best friend and a professional baseball player. They have a past together and Logan doesn't understand why Harper is acting nasty to him. Soon Harper gets pulled into playing to be his girlfriend because his image needs to be look more stable. Its not long before things heat up between them again. However, Harper has a secret that could end things between them just as they are reconnecting. Will Logan give her a chance to explain? Can they finally be together?

This is a great story that will draw you in from beginning to end. This is a well written and very entertaining story. Its a book that any book over would enjoy.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

[Trina Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. It was a steamy hot page turner. These two main characters were physical attraction of intimacy with each other. And the chemistry between them was fireworks. Was this love or a one night stand with brother’s best friend. It was a lot emotion and drama with this plot. And I enjoyed every book this author wrote and they all great books. I highly recommend this book and you will not be disappointed. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a honest review. Trina Jones

[Kate Donovan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book so much. Harper and Logan were really guarded with each other. It made for great inner dialogues between the two. It was a classic case of not really knowing what the other person was feeling or thinking, which is an all too common occurrence in relationships. Once the truth came out I was able to breathe a sigh of relief. I was truly rooting for them in the end. Good read. Flows well.

[Holly Bargo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hot and cold heroine

I didn't get too far in this book. The heroine is an inconsistent mess running hot and cold like she's plucking petals off a daisy: I love him, l love him not. She has a daughter she keeps a secret from the father who's the story's hero then blames him for not knowing, The author wants authors wants the heroine to come across as conflicted, but she only succeeds in making the character irrational, vindictive, and unreasonable.

[booklover0228 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enemies to Lovers

Harper was in love with Logan and had one night with him. Few days later he was gone. Never knowing he had a daughter. Years later she was hired to do a PR write up about a famous ball player. Not knowing it him. Through a bunch of ups and downs they were able to get their HEA.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Probably wouldn't say this was a sports romance. Other than Logan being a baseball player, it isn't a heavy part of the plot.

There is a lot of miscommunication between the two main characters until they are finally forced to come clean with one another. It did keep me wanting to know how it would turn out for them, and I did enjoy the story.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story loved the characters. Friends become lovers years later. Glad Ryan were able to overcome the lack of information from Sam regarding Henry and become a family.

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

[Linda Jerome · Rating 5 out of 5]

Secret

This was a great book! I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction of the characters, the drama of being misinformed and then finding the truth and I loved the ending. I feel everyone will like this book as much as I did.

[A.B. Shepherd]

DNF: 10%

Don't like the characters.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good book. Its a book that you figured out before it did.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF! great idea, horrible execution. The first few chapters were great and then it stopped being okay.

[Carol Tietsworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a bad story, but needs a good proofreading, and horror of horrors , it is a cliffhanger.

[IsaRay · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars, the trope of the miscommunication is too drawn out. The ending is too rushed and the storyline with the brother is too underdeveloped.