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Maplewood #1
Sap & Secrets
A Surprise Baby Firefighter Romance from Amazon Bestselling Author Daphne Elliot
Nine months ago, I had one perfect, reckless night with Jasper Lawrence, the tall, tattooed firefighter who made me feel fearless. I told myself it was a mistake I’d never repeat.
Then he finds me at the Maple Festival… in labor with our surprise baby.
The best part? I had no idea I was pregnant.
Now Jasper is everywhere. The two of us stumble through new parenthood together. And he doesn’t just step up, he moves in. Almost. He pitches a tent in my backyard and sleeps outside so he’s never far away from us. He’s a shirtless, helpful menace who cooks, cleans, and cuddles our son. He makes me feel safe, seen, and wanted. And I hate how much I love it.
Every time I shove him away, he shows back up, golden retriever energy and all, with coffee and pastries in tow, ready to carry the baby, the groceries, and occasionally me.
I came to Maplewood, Vermont, to discover my independence. But it’s hard to keep my distance when the town’s been shaken by danger, the scars from my past refuse to stay buried, and the firefighter I should absolutely avoid keeps setting my world on fire.
Turns out the biggest threat to me in America’s most charming small town might be the man who won’t stop rescuing me.
Author’s NoteSap & Secrets is a small-town romance featuring a curvy black cat, a tattooed golden retriever, and a (very cute) surprise baby. If you enjoy acts of service, small-town shenanigans, and maple syrup madness, you will not be disappointed.
Series Blurb Welcome to Maplewood, Vermont. America’s Most Charming Small Town has some dark, sticky secrets. Come for the maple syrup, festivals, and cheese wars; stay for swoon.
Nine months ago, I had one perfect, reckless night with Jasper Lawrence, the tall, tattooed firefighter who made me feel fearless. I told myself it was a mistake I’d never repeat.
Then he finds me at the Maple Festival… in labor with our surprise baby.
The best part? I had no idea I was pregnant.
Now Jasper is everywhere. The two of us stumble through new parenthood together. And he doesn’t just step up, he moves in. Almost. He pitches a tent in my backyard and sleeps outside so he’s never far away from us. He’s a shirtless, helpful menace who cooks, cleans, and cuddles our son. He makes me feel safe, seen, and wanted. And I hate how much I love it.
Every time I shove him away, he shows back up, golden retriever energy and all, with coffee and pastries in tow, ready to carry the baby, the groceries, and occasionally me.
I came to Maplewood, Vermont, to discover my independence. But it’s hard to keep my distance when the town’s been shaken by danger, the scars from my past refuse to stay buried, and the firefighter I should absolutely avoid keeps setting my world on fire.
Turns out the biggest threat to me in America’s most charming small town might be the man who won’t stop rescuing me.
Author’s NoteSap & Secrets is a small-town romance featuring a curvy black cat, a tattooed golden retriever, and a (very cute) surprise baby. If you enjoy acts of service, small-town shenanigans, and maple syrup madness, you will not be disappointed.
Series Blurb Welcome to Maplewood, Vermont. America’s Most Charming Small Town has some dark, sticky secrets. Come for the maple syrup, festivals, and cheese wars; stay for swoon.
410 pages, Paperback
Published January 18, 2026
1728 people are currently reading
4090 people want to read
About the author
Daphne Elliot
29 books1,326 followersIn High School, Daphne Elliot was voted “most likely to become a romance novelist.” After spending the last decade as a corporate lawyer, she has finally embraced her destiny. Her small town steamy novels are filled with flirty banter, sexy hijinks, and lots and lots of heart.
Daphne is a coffee-drinking, hot-sauce loving introvert who spends all her free time in her garden. She lives on a small farm in New England with her husband, two kids, two dogs, twelve backyard chickens and a hive of Italian honeybees.
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Daphne is a coffee-drinking, hot-sauce loving introvert who spends all her free time in her garden. She lives on a small farm in New England with her husband, two kids, two dogs, twelve backyard chickens and a hive of Italian honeybees.
VISIT MY AMAZON PAGE:
https://www.amazon.com/Daphne-Elliot/...
FOLLOW ME ON INSTAGRAM:
https://www.instagram.com/daphneellio...
FOLLOW ME ON FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/DaphneElliot...
SUBSCRIBE TO MY NEWSLETTER:
http://daphneelliot.com/join-newsletter/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 590 reviews
Want to read
January 27, 2026TBR: Streets saying FMC is mean mean 🤤that’s my jam. FMCs should be more cruel and meaner.
Want to read
January 27, 2026initially marked as dnr because of manhoe mmc, but people saying fmc is mean to mmc so I’m in 🤞🏼 she should be meaner if anything
Read
January 28, 2026thank you to the author agency for the copy!
having enjoyed other daphne elliot books, i was excited for this one. accidental pregnancy/surprise pregnancy can really hit sometimes for me. sadly this book just wasn't it. we jumped into the story immediately and not in a good way. i felt like i had no idea who any of our characters were and when i got to about forty percent i just couldn't anymore. plus the mystery plot line was not it for me, maybe i missed that element in the synopsis but i just don't love romantic suspense novels, thats on me tho.
sadly this was a dnf but i do recommend other books from this author.
having enjoyed other daphne elliot books, i was excited for this one. accidental pregnancy/surprise pregnancy can really hit sometimes for me. sadly this book just wasn't it. we jumped into the story immediately and not in a good way. i felt like i had no idea who any of our characters were and when i got to about forty percent i just couldn't anymore. plus the mystery plot line was not it for me, maybe i missed that element in the synopsis but i just don't love romantic suspense novels, thats on me tho.
sadly this was a dnf but i do recommend other books from this author.
January 17, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Daphne Elliott always delivers cozy, small town romances, and Saps and Secrets fits right into that comfort read lane. The small town setting was charming, and I genuinely loved the surprise pregnancy trope, one I will never get tired of. The MMC was a standout for me. His willingness to step up and do whatever it took to support her, even while she kept pushing him away, was really sweet and swoony.
That said, there were a few elements that pulled me out of the story. The murder subplot in particular felt a bit extra and unnecessary for the overall vibe of the book, and some other moments left me feeling mildly frustrated rather than fully invested.
Still, the epilogue definitely caught my attention, and I am intrigued enough to continue the series to see how things unfold next. A solid 3 star read with tropes I love, even if not everything fully worked for me.
Daphne Elliott always delivers cozy, small town romances, and Saps and Secrets fits right into that comfort read lane. The small town setting was charming, and I genuinely loved the surprise pregnancy trope, one I will never get tired of. The MMC was a standout for me. His willingness to step up and do whatever it took to support her, even while she kept pushing him away, was really sweet and swoony.
That said, there were a few elements that pulled me out of the story. The murder subplot in particular felt a bit extra and unnecessary for the overall vibe of the book, and some other moments left me feeling mildly frustrated rather than fully invested.
Still, the epilogue definitely caught my attention, and I am intrigued enough to continue the series to see how things unfold next. A solid 3 star read with tropes I love, even if not everything fully worked for me.
January 29, 2026
1 stars ⭐️ (possible spoilers ahead) meh. (I actually rated this 2 stars at first, then the more I thought about it, I’ve edited it to 1 star)
I did not like h, and she’s the biggest reason for the low rating. The writing is fine, but the plot was odd.
⛔️There are way too many characters thrown at you in this book. I GET that it’s the start of the series, but we don’t need to know all the senior citizens in that town, all the pets, and all the other insufficient townspeople.
⛔️There’s also way too much filler. One example- there is a whole chapter about h’s friend giving birth. Idc about her friends.
There’s whole chapters of just inner dialogue.
It started off good, then it went downhill for me.
H is a fireman/EMT worker. He’s called to their festival and we meet h, who is in labor (but she didn’t know she was pregnant) We find out as they are loading her into the ambulance, H is the daddy. 💥💥
We find out that H and h had an ONS 9 months ago. H is considered an manho.
There’s some goofy plot about somebody being murdered. 🤷♀️
So H steps up RIGHT AWAY to be daddy and help h out. h will continue to treat him terrible throughout the WHOLE BOOK
The poor guy even pitches a tent in her yard so he can help her with the baby. 😱
h has these 2 VERY annoying friends. Like….i almost DNF because of Frankie. They are super nosy and they insert themselves into everything.
Well, of course H’s family is telling H “you need to protect yourself. You need paternity tests. You need some type of custody agreement” because dude was sleeping in her yard and basically having to beg her to let him be a dad.
h was literally so insufferable.
These MCs had ZERO chemistry. There’s zip about h that made her so desirable. Well, I guess he liked her thick thighs 🙃
Then they start smexing. Oh gawd the cringe! He calls her “mama” during smex. 🥴 He has a “milking” kink. I discovered during this book, I don’t like a man calling his woman “mama” eek.
why the fk are these two not wearing protection?
H says “I thought you couldn’t get pregnant if you’re breastfeeding” ummmm. Yeah. These two made me *facepalm* a bunch.
About 84% in, we have the 3rd act breakup. She found the papers the lawyer made for the custody stuff. She didn’t even let him explain he didn’t file anything and the papers were made at the beginning. Check out how h reacted. YIKES
“Without waiting for him to respond, I threw the door open and climbed out, then I unhooked Vincent’s car seat from its base with a violent jerk. The sharp movement startled him awake, and he wailed”
There’s no grovel or anything- h gets caught in a fire. H rescued her. This is all tied to that dumb murder plot. Mainly it’s all setting stuff up for the next book- which is H’s grumpy brother and the new teacher who has an autistic kid. She runs around in just her bra. 🙄 (which H made a point to tell us in his POV that he wasn’t going to stare at her boobs) sweet 🤐
I guess you can say it ended as an HFN because h was still flip-floppy about her feelings. So bizarre
I did not like h, and she’s the biggest reason for the low rating. The writing is fine, but the plot was odd.
⛔️There are way too many characters thrown at you in this book. I GET that it’s the start of the series, but we don’t need to know all the senior citizens in that town, all the pets, and all the other insufficient townspeople.
⛔️There’s also way too much filler. One example- there is a whole chapter about h’s friend giving birth. Idc about her friends.
There’s whole chapters of just inner dialogue.
It started off good, then it went downhill for me.
H is a fireman/EMT worker. He’s called to their festival and we meet h, who is in labor (but she didn’t know she was pregnant) We find out as they are loading her into the ambulance, H is the daddy. 💥💥
We find out that H and h had an ONS 9 months ago. H is considered an manho.
There’s some goofy plot about somebody being murdered. 🤷♀️
So H steps up RIGHT AWAY to be daddy and help h out. h will continue to treat him terrible throughout the WHOLE BOOK
The poor guy even pitches a tent in her yard so he can help her with the baby. 😱
h has these 2 VERY annoying friends. Like….i almost DNF because of Frankie. They are super nosy and they insert themselves into everything.
Well, of course H’s family is telling H “you need to protect yourself. You need paternity tests. You need some type of custody agreement” because dude was sleeping in her yard and basically having to beg her to let him be a dad.
h was literally so insufferable.
These MCs had ZERO chemistry. There’s zip about h that made her so desirable. Well, I guess he liked her thick thighs 🙃
Then they start smexing. Oh gawd the cringe! He calls her “mama” during smex. 🥴 He has a “milking” kink. I discovered during this book, I don’t like a man calling his woman “mama” eek.
why the fk are these two not wearing protection?
H says “I thought you couldn’t get pregnant if you’re breastfeeding” ummmm. Yeah. These two made me *facepalm* a bunch.
About 84% in, we have the 3rd act breakup. She found the papers the lawyer made for the custody stuff. She didn’t even let him explain he didn’t file anything and the papers were made at the beginning. Check out how h reacted. YIKES
“Without waiting for him to respond, I threw the door open and climbed out, then I unhooked Vincent’s car seat from its base with a violent jerk. The sharp movement startled him awake, and he wailed”
There’s no grovel or anything- h gets caught in a fire. H rescued her. This is all tied to that dumb murder plot. Mainly it’s all setting stuff up for the next book- which is H’s grumpy brother and the new teacher who has an autistic kid. She runs around in just her bra. 🙄 (which H made a point to tell us in his POV that he wasn’t going to stare at her boobs) sweet 🤐
I guess you can say it ended as an HFN because h was still flip-floppy about her feelings. So bizarre
Review of advance copy
I received an ARC of this book from the author’s agency, and I am so glad I did because I can already tell this new series is going to be something special. Sap and Secrets gives you grumpy sunshine romance, small town charm, and a murder mystery simmering in the background. It sounds like a lot, but Daphne Elliott blends it all together in a way that feels fun and addictive.
The story pulls you in right away. A surprise baby reveal happens at the Maple Festival, and while Evie is trying to process that life-changing moment, a murder is unfolding in the same town. It is chaotic in the best way and sets the tone for everything that follows.
Evie is the grump here, and she has every reason to be. Her family never supported her. Her father spent years calling her things like fat and loser, and that kind of cruelty sticks with you. She carries those wounds into adulthood, and she is scared to let anyone get close because she is convinced they will treat her the same or disappear when she needs them. Watching her try to rebuild her life in this new town is emotional and relatable.
Then there is Jasper. He is a full cinnamon roll golden retriever of a man. He works at the fire department and on his family’s farm, which might be connected to the murder. He and Evie had a one night stand, and when he finds out he has a son, he steps up immediately. He sleeps in a tent outside so he can be close without invading her space. He sends her coffee every morning. He shows up every time she calls. He is patient and steady and determined to be there for both Evie and baby Vincent. She is hesitant, and even when she starts to let her walls down, things do not magically get easier. That slow, careful shift in their relationship is one of the best parts of the book.
I also want to give Daphne Elliott a huge shout out for her representation. She continues to write plus size heroines with depth and heart, and this book includes thoughtful PCOS and PTSD representation that feels natural and respectful. It is the kind of inclusivity I want to see more of in romance.
I devoured this book. It is warm, heartfelt, a little twisty, and full of characters you want to root for. If this is the energy for the rest of the series, I am absolutely ready for more
The story pulls you in right away. A surprise baby reveal happens at the Maple Festival, and while Evie is trying to process that life-changing moment, a murder is unfolding in the same town. It is chaotic in the best way and sets the tone for everything that follows.
Evie is the grump here, and she has every reason to be. Her family never supported her. Her father spent years calling her things like fat and loser, and that kind of cruelty sticks with you. She carries those wounds into adulthood, and she is scared to let anyone get close because she is convinced they will treat her the same or disappear when she needs them. Watching her try to rebuild her life in this new town is emotional and relatable.
Then there is Jasper. He is a full cinnamon roll golden retriever of a man. He works at the fire department and on his family’s farm, which might be connected to the murder. He and Evie had a one night stand, and when he finds out he has a son, he steps up immediately. He sleeps in a tent outside so he can be close without invading her space. He sends her coffee every morning. He shows up every time she calls. He is patient and steady and determined to be there for both Evie and baby Vincent. She is hesitant, and even when she starts to let her walls down, things do not magically get easier. That slow, careful shift in their relationship is one of the best parts of the book.
I also want to give Daphne Elliott a huge shout out for her representation. She continues to write plus size heroines with depth and heart, and this book includes thoughtful PCOS and PTSD representation that feels natural and respectful. It is the kind of inclusivity I want to see more of in romance.
I devoured this book. It is warm, heartfelt, a little twisty, and full of characters you want to root for. If this is the energy for the rest of the series, I am absolutely ready for more
manwhore-mmc
January 27, 2026i heard people are disliking this book because the fmc is mean to the manhoe who knocked her up
i didn't read the book but i say she should have been MEANER. #BringBackBitchyWomen
i didn't read the book but i say she should have been MEANER. #BringBackBitchyWomen
January 13, 2026
I received an arc of this book. Hard DNF. I’m usually a fan of the pregnancy trope. First no was the best friends names were “Ruby and Frankie” in this age of abusive woman with same name? Could barely get past that.
This was a surprise pregnancy to both mom and dad.
The dad was treated like he knew all 9 months and abandoned them. The man showed up everyday with a coffee and breakfast and ready to help and for some reason that would piss her off. Her friend “you deserve better” girl WHAT.
The narrative “he’s a player” was mentioned but nothing in the story to support that. At least not up until the 45% mark I made it to.
I usually love Daphne Elliott books but this was just NO and I felt angry the whole time reading it.
This was a surprise pregnancy to both mom and dad.
The dad was treated like he knew all 9 months and abandoned them. The man showed up everyday with a coffee and breakfast and ready to help and for some reason that would piss her off. Her friend “you deserve better” girl WHAT.
The narrative “he’s a player” was mentioned but nothing in the story to support that. At least not up until the 45% mark I made it to.
I usually love Daphne Elliott books but this was just NO and I felt angry the whole time reading it.
January 24, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5
Thank you to Daphne Elliott & The Author Agency for the eARC.
Sap & Secrets starts with a strong hook when Evie suddenly goes into labor, unaware she was pregnant. Jasper, who works in emergency services, is called in and is revealed to be the father, which sets the emotional tone for the story…
The writing is smooth & atmospheric, the small-town setting feels vivid and immersive. The pacing allows space to focus on emotions and character development. Evie and Jasper feel realistic & layered, with quiet tension running between them. Some side characters could have been explored more, but they still add to the story.
The murder subplot felt intense but necessary. While it was a bit much at times, it was also interesting, and I liked how it connected the whole story together.
Overall, this was an emotional and engaging read. I’m very excited for the second book in the series, & my expectations are already high. I’ll definitely be reading more from Daphne Elliott!!
Releasing January 26th!
Thank you to Daphne Elliott & The Author Agency for the eARC.
Sap & Secrets starts with a strong hook when Evie suddenly goes into labor, unaware she was pregnant. Jasper, who works in emergency services, is called in and is revealed to be the father, which sets the emotional tone for the story…
The writing is smooth & atmospheric, the small-town setting feels vivid and immersive. The pacing allows space to focus on emotions and character development. Evie and Jasper feel realistic & layered, with quiet tension running between them. Some side characters could have been explored more, but they still add to the story.
The murder subplot felt intense but necessary. While it was a bit much at times, it was also interesting, and I liked how it connected the whole story together.
Overall, this was an emotional and engaging read. I’m very excited for the second book in the series, & my expectations are already high. I’ll definitely be reading more from Daphne Elliott!!
Releasing January 26th!
January 31, 2026
reminder to take your birth control✨🥰
January 16, 2026
What a delightful surprise this story was! Imagine Gilmore Girls and Bourbon & Proof had a baby - this is exactly what you’d get.
There’s a touch of mystery, a journey of self-discovery, and a quirky small town where everyone knows everyone’s business… but also shows up when it really matters.
And did I mention there’s a firefighter and a surprise birth?! Because yes - that prologue will grab you immediately and refuse to let go.
There’s a touch of mystery, a journey of self-discovery, and a quirky small town where everyone knows everyone’s business… but also shows up when it really matters.
And did I mention there’s a firefighter and a surprise birth?! Because yes - that prologue will grab you immediately and refuse to let go.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC review! thank you for letting me in on the secret early!
this book was a solid 2.5 for me,.
love the surprise pregnancy angle, its one of my favourite tropes - surprise to everyone including MMC was definitely a first for me.
This book had a lot of potential and I feel like there were a few things that let it down for me.
whilst I loved a lot of the characters, and fell in love with the town of Maplewood it was a bit of a disjointed read.
you'd be mid stream of consciousness about one topic, and it would strangely side bar into something else. even the streams of consciousness were a bit too.. not how an inner monologue would work? not sure how to describe it. over explained?
a lot of stuff was really factual and accurate, which I loved. The baby milestones and hormones and breastfeeding scenarios etc.
what I would REALLY have loved is a better focus on the crime sub plot. it's barely touched upon. you don't get into the mystery and the intrigue of it all very much and then all of a sudden at 90-something percent a barely mentioned character is arrested and it is still unclear why. not sure if its part of a grand plan across the series, but I finished thinking "that can't be it, that isn't where it ends" i saw a whole bunch of missed opportunities to really hone in on what zi presume is a big ag coverup plot.
it was a lot of those little mundane baby life scenes with a dash of crime in the very distant background. there was excess detail where their could have been implied actions, and then other things were left unanswered.
the love story was very insta-love and from the on-set it was a case of 'how will they?' rather than 'will they?' and I feel like that meant it needed a stronger murder sub plot to keep you engaged. I did enjoy watching the healing journey though.
as a nursing mum a few of the sex scenes gave me a small ick, but everyone is different so I tried not to factor that into it.
I am hoping that book 2 REALLY expands into the murder plot, rather than just the back and forth of daily life, if it picks up the thread at all.
I know its the first book, so it was a set up for the series to come but it was ALOT of names and characters and their back stories to throw out. could have done with some surface level introductions that get fleshed put in future books.
it felt rather rushed, and also contradictory. Jasper is a play boy, but no evidence of that? no run ins with other women, etc. love that he steps up but he is honestly so obscenely available and helpful and dependable ad you have Frankie says "he isn't good enough" ? maybe compared to Superman, but even then.. what?
overall I did enjoy it, despite what it may seem like in this review. maplewood is definitely the kind of place I picture when I think of small town Vermont.
this book was a solid 2.5 for me,.
love the surprise pregnancy angle, its one of my favourite tropes - surprise to everyone including MMC was definitely a first for me.
This book had a lot of potential and I feel like there were a few things that let it down for me.
whilst I loved a lot of the characters, and fell in love with the town of Maplewood it was a bit of a disjointed read.
you'd be mid stream of consciousness about one topic, and it would strangely side bar into something else. even the streams of consciousness were a bit too.. not how an inner monologue would work? not sure how to describe it. over explained?
a lot of stuff was really factual and accurate, which I loved. The baby milestones and hormones and breastfeeding scenarios etc.
what I would REALLY have loved is a better focus on the crime sub plot. it's barely touched upon. you don't get into the mystery and the intrigue of it all very much and then all of a sudden at 90-something percent a barely mentioned character is arrested and it is still unclear why. not sure if its part of a grand plan across the series, but I finished thinking "that can't be it, that isn't where it ends" i saw a whole bunch of missed opportunities to really hone in on what zi presume is a big ag coverup plot.
it was a lot of those little mundane baby life scenes with a dash of crime in the very distant background. there was excess detail where their could have been implied actions, and then other things were left unanswered.
the love story was very insta-love and from the on-set it was a case of 'how will they?' rather than 'will they?' and I feel like that meant it needed a stronger murder sub plot to keep you engaged. I did enjoy watching the healing journey though.
as a nursing mum a few of the sex scenes gave me a small ick, but everyone is different so I tried not to factor that into it.
I am hoping that book 2 REALLY expands into the murder plot, rather than just the back and forth of daily life, if it picks up the thread at all.
I know its the first book, so it was a set up for the series to come but it was ALOT of names and characters and their back stories to throw out. could have done with some surface level introductions that get fleshed put in future books.
it felt rather rushed, and also contradictory. Jasper is a play boy, but no evidence of that? no run ins with other women, etc. love that he steps up but he is honestly so obscenely available and helpful and dependable ad you have Frankie says "he isn't good enough" ? maybe compared to Superman, but even then.. what?
overall I did enjoy it, despite what it may seem like in this review. maplewood is definitely the kind of place I picture when I think of small town Vermont.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
January 22, 2026RTC
January 15, 2026
i wanted to love this but the fmc was just so mean to the mmc . she she just kept saying all this stuff without any proof like him being a playboy !
January 20, 2026
Thank you to Daphne and her team for sending me an E-arc!
The surprise baby trope is personally a trope I enjoy; only a few people are able to execute it in a manner that doesn't feel repetitive or unoriginal. Daphne was definitely able to succeed in writing a great surprise baby romance.
Evie has PCOS and was told by doctors that, due to her medical condition, she was basically infertile and could never be pregnant.
Evie is used to being on her own; having a complex relationship with her family has taught her that the only person who will ever have her back is herself. Evie has recently started a new chapter in her life, she has finally escaped NYC to restart and settle down to her new job in the sweetest small town in Vermont. She's taking care of herself and has a steady close group of friends, she expects to finally live a tranquil life.
One wild night stand and nine months later, she's unknowingly going into labor in a small town's pizzeria. An emergency call is made, and the first responder on sight? Well, it happens to be the very same firefighter she slept with and the father of her surprise baby!
Jasper, the firefighter and baby daddy is basically a golden retriever with the patience of a saint. He is quick to step in and becomes the father every man should be. He assists in diaper changes, house chores, and consistently shows up for Evie and the baby.
Jasper and Evie are a slow burn; Evie has to learn to trust, and Jasper learns to be patient. As surprise co-parents, they both learn that despite their fears, they are both amazing parents who show up for the baby boy. Their romance is honestly the sweetest. My favorite thing about this romance is that Jaspers relience, this man literally sleeps in a tent outside in respect of Evie's boundaries and stays there every night to help to take care of the baby, but Evie as well.
I think what really brought down this book for me was the mystery plot; there wasn't a balance between the romance and mystery. If this strictly had been a romance, I'm sure my review would've been different but there were some attributes of the mystery that didn't make sense to me.
I'm inherently a plotical person, I'm a Bisexual Mexicana reader and reviewer, so there were some parts of the book that left me questioning some details of the book. In this small town, there's been a murder, and unfortunately, cops happen to be involved. One of them makes a consistent appearance, and Jasper is friends with him as well.
I understand that first responders have relationships with cops due to the nature of their work, but as I said, my personal beliefs and values are also going to be reflected in my reviews for this book. I'm ACAB, therefore I don't believe or support cops in any way. The police chief in this book is talked about in a friendly manner. His name is Nolan, and it seems that this book is teasing perhaps a romance between him and one of Evie's friends, which is a complete turn-off as a BIPOC reader.
In continuation, Jasper makes a mention of the "Green Mountain Boys" which is a militia group formed in the 1770's, I did some brief research on them, and they basically are known for fighting against New York settlers. They now today have ties with the national guard and who fought during the American Revolution. Etan Allen, known for funding the Green Mountain Boys, isn't directly tied to owning slaves, but his daughter was and his brother, Levi allen as well.
Ethan Allen's daughters participantion in owning slaves was recognized in 2020, and there is actually a plaque that acknowledges Lavania (kept as a housekeeper) and her son, Francis Parker in Burlington, Vermont.
This isn't shared in the book by any means, which is interesting but I think it's important context to share and history to share.
Resources: Rutland Herald and Vtdigger
Critical thinking is a must! I wouldn't be the reviewer or the reader that I am without pointing this out. Overall, a cute romance but the nuaince behind having cop characters and mentions of historical figures needs to be recognized.
The surprise baby trope is personally a trope I enjoy; only a few people are able to execute it in a manner that doesn't feel repetitive or unoriginal. Daphne was definitely able to succeed in writing a great surprise baby romance.
Evie has PCOS and was told by doctors that, due to her medical condition, she was basically infertile and could never be pregnant.
Evie is used to being on her own; having a complex relationship with her family has taught her that the only person who will ever have her back is herself. Evie has recently started a new chapter in her life, she has finally escaped NYC to restart and settle down to her new job in the sweetest small town in Vermont. She's taking care of herself and has a steady close group of friends, she expects to finally live a tranquil life.
One wild night stand and nine months later, she's unknowingly going into labor in a small town's pizzeria. An emergency call is made, and the first responder on sight? Well, it happens to be the very same firefighter she slept with and the father of her surprise baby!
Jasper, the firefighter and baby daddy is basically a golden retriever with the patience of a saint. He is quick to step in and becomes the father every man should be. He assists in diaper changes, house chores, and consistently shows up for Evie and the baby.
Jasper and Evie are a slow burn; Evie has to learn to trust, and Jasper learns to be patient. As surprise co-parents, they both learn that despite their fears, they are both amazing parents who show up for the baby boy. Their romance is honestly the sweetest. My favorite thing about this romance is that Jaspers relience, this man literally sleeps in a tent outside in respect of Evie's boundaries and stays there every night to help to take care of the baby, but Evie as well.
I think what really brought down this book for me was the mystery plot; there wasn't a balance between the romance and mystery. If this strictly had been a romance, I'm sure my review would've been different but there were some attributes of the mystery that didn't make sense to me.
I'm inherently a plotical person, I'm a Bisexual Mexicana reader and reviewer, so there were some parts of the book that left me questioning some details of the book. In this small town, there's been a murder, and unfortunately, cops happen to be involved. One of them makes a consistent appearance, and Jasper is friends with him as well.
I understand that first responders have relationships with cops due to the nature of their work, but as I said, my personal beliefs and values are also going to be reflected in my reviews for this book. I'm ACAB, therefore I don't believe or support cops in any way. The police chief in this book is talked about in a friendly manner. His name is Nolan, and it seems that this book is teasing perhaps a romance between him and one of Evie's friends, which is a complete turn-off as a BIPOC reader.
In continuation, Jasper makes a mention of the "Green Mountain Boys" which is a militia group formed in the 1770's, I did some brief research on them, and they basically are known for fighting against New York settlers. They now today have ties with the national guard and who fought during the American Revolution. Etan Allen, known for funding the Green Mountain Boys, isn't directly tied to owning slaves, but his daughter was and his brother, Levi allen as well.
Ethan Allen's daughters participantion in owning slaves was recognized in 2020, and there is actually a plaque that acknowledges Lavania (kept as a housekeeper) and her son, Francis Parker in Burlington, Vermont.
This isn't shared in the book by any means, which is interesting but I think it's important context to share and history to share.
Resources: Rutland Herald and Vtdigger
Critical thinking is a must! I wouldn't be the reviewer or the reader that I am without pointing this out. Overall, a cute romance but the nuaince behind having cop characters and mentions of historical figures needs to be recognized.
January 31, 2026
This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, so writing this review is honestly frustrating.Sorry this is so long
SPOILERS BELOW (edited review)
The plot itself is solid. Evie has a one night stand with Jasper that leads to an oops baby. The catch is that Evie does not even know she is pregnant until she is literally in labor. Jasper, who is a paramedic, is on duty when he finds her, realizes what is happening, and then she tells him the baby is his. The book starts off strong and I was immediately invested.
Then we get to know Evie and everything goes downhill. She is genuinely one of the worst written FMCs I have read. She is incredibly selfish and treats Jasper like absolute trash from the very beginning. Her reasoning is his supposed playboy past, which she was not even around for and which the book does not really even give proof of until around 40 to 50 percent. We are just expected to accept her behavior.
Jasper on the other hand is amazing. From the moment he finds out the baby is his, he steps up. He never questions it. He cries when he holds his son for the first time. He immediately starts getting her house ready for a baby, buys car seats and installs them, has food delivered to her daily, shows up every time he is off work, does her dishes, laundry, and cleans without ever being asked. He respects her space, leaves when she asks him to, and never oversteps. He is everything you would want in a partner and a father.
Evie uses her trauma as an excuse to treat him terribly and never actually works through it. She limits Jasper to thirty minutes a day with his own son. When he wants to be around more, she refuses, so he literally pitches a tent in her yard just to be close in case she needs anything. Instead of letting him sleep on her couch like a normal person, she makes him stay outside for months. Months. She even admits she is awful to him and then continues to be awful.
Somehow Jasper still falls in love with her. This is a very slow slow slow burn. They do not even get together until around 70 percent, and even then it feels more like lust than love. I did not really believe the romance at that point. Of course there is also a third act breakup even though they have only been together for a few weeks in the book. It feels rushed and unnecessary.
Another thing that bothered me was that her friends, especially Frankie, initially condone her treatment of Jasper. Frankie eventually comes around and advocates for him, but it took way too long. Also the friends being named Ruby and Frankie kept taking me out of the story. I am assuming it is a coincidence, but the association is hard to ignore.
Then there is a murder subplot that gets a lot of buildup for what ends up being a pretty unimportant character. We also do not really get answers, which I am guessing is because there is another book coming. I just did not like how much time was spent on it for the ending to feel so rushed.
This book had a lot of potential and an incredible MMC, but the FMC and the pacing completely ruined it for me. I wanted to add the this wasn’t a poorly written book. Daphne Elliot is a phenomenal writer and will definitely pick up her books in the future. This one just wasn’t my cup of tea for the reasons I listed above.
🌶️🌶️/ 5
⭐️⭐️.5/5
SPOILERS BELOW (edited review)
The plot itself is solid. Evie has a one night stand with Jasper that leads to an oops baby. The catch is that Evie does not even know she is pregnant until she is literally in labor. Jasper, who is a paramedic, is on duty when he finds her, realizes what is happening, and then she tells him the baby is his. The book starts off strong and I was immediately invested.
Then we get to know Evie and everything goes downhill. She is genuinely one of the worst written FMCs I have read. She is incredibly selfish and treats Jasper like absolute trash from the very beginning. Her reasoning is his supposed playboy past, which she was not even around for and which the book does not really even give proof of until around 40 to 50 percent. We are just expected to accept her behavior.
Jasper on the other hand is amazing. From the moment he finds out the baby is his, he steps up. He never questions it. He cries when he holds his son for the first time. He immediately starts getting her house ready for a baby, buys car seats and installs them, has food delivered to her daily, shows up every time he is off work, does her dishes, laundry, and cleans without ever being asked. He respects her space, leaves when she asks him to, and never oversteps. He is everything you would want in a partner and a father.
Evie uses her trauma as an excuse to treat him terribly and never actually works through it. She limits Jasper to thirty minutes a day with his own son. When he wants to be around more, she refuses, so he literally pitches a tent in her yard just to be close in case she needs anything. Instead of letting him sleep on her couch like a normal person, she makes him stay outside for months. Months. She even admits she is awful to him and then continues to be awful.
Somehow Jasper still falls in love with her. This is a very slow slow slow burn. They do not even get together until around 70 percent, and even then it feels more like lust than love. I did not really believe the romance at that point. Of course there is also a third act breakup even though they have only been together for a few weeks in the book. It feels rushed and unnecessary.
Another thing that bothered me was that her friends, especially Frankie, initially condone her treatment of Jasper. Frankie eventually comes around and advocates for him, but it took way too long. Also the friends being named Ruby and Frankie kept taking me out of the story. I am assuming it is a coincidence, but the association is hard to ignore.
Then there is a murder subplot that gets a lot of buildup for what ends up being a pretty unimportant character. We also do not really get answers, which I am guessing is because there is another book coming. I just did not like how much time was spent on it for the ending to feel so rushed.
This book had a lot of potential and an incredible MMC, but the FMC and the pacing completely ruined it for me. I wanted to add the this wasn’t a poorly written book. Daphne Elliot is a phenomenal writer and will definitely pick up her books in the future. This one just wasn’t my cup of tea for the reasons I listed above.
🌶️🌶️/ 5
⭐️⭐️.5/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2026
First I want to give a huge thank you Daphne Elliot and The Author Agency for providing me with an arc. This has been promoted all over my Instagram and I’ve been dying to get my hands on it. So when I got that email I felt like I had received the best early birthday present.
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4 ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
My initial thoughts:
(PS this only my second Daphne Elliot book) but after reading this it will not be my last. This book was such a cute read from beginning to end. And If it’s any indicator for how much I enjoyed it, I devoured it in less than 48 hours. Now I’m a sucker for a firefighter romance. But I will admit I was skeptical with the accidental pregnancy trope. However, the way it was handled here was perfect. Neither of them of knew. So we got to watch them both stumble as well as succeed.
Our MMC Jasper is the embodiment of golden retriever boyfriend. I adored him and this man deserves the world. His positive outlook on life and pure devotion to Vincent & Evie is beautiful. I love that he let Evie take her time and worked slowly to push down her walls. Why can’t Jasper exist in real life?!?!
Then of course we have our FMC Evie. Boy oh boy our girl has been through it. I love that she was essentially the “grump” in this relationship. Typically it’s always the female being the sunshine one. But I loved the role reversal. She has not had it easy growing up. But through all her trauma she continues to persevere and put herself and her son first. Her strength and resilience is inspiring and I related to her on so many levels.
Now the only reason I have this book a 4⭐️ instead of 5 was for two reasons. (PS I’m being nitpicky don’t judge me) Number 1, I was not a big fan of the background murder mystery accruing in the story. I felt like it took too much of the story and all I wanted to do was get back to Jasper & Evie’s relationship progression. Essentially I just wanted more of this perfect couple. Number 2, now I’m going to have to be a bit vague here because spoilers. But some of the ending relationship drama plot points felt rushed and then just brushed over. I had to go back and re-read to make sure I didn’t miss anything but I like we were just going to sweep past that like nothing happened. Cool cool.
Now even with that said. I still throughly loved and enjoyed this book. This series is off to a great start and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Especially after we introduced to Josh and Celine. So with 100% certainty I recommend this book! Please check it out when it releases January 26th
𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 4 ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️
My initial thoughts:
(PS this only my second Daphne Elliot book) but after reading this it will not be my last. This book was such a cute read from beginning to end. And If it’s any indicator for how much I enjoyed it, I devoured it in less than 48 hours. Now I’m a sucker for a firefighter romance. But I will admit I was skeptical with the accidental pregnancy trope. However, the way it was handled here was perfect. Neither of them of knew. So we got to watch them both stumble as well as succeed.
Our MMC Jasper is the embodiment of golden retriever boyfriend. I adored him and this man deserves the world. His positive outlook on life and pure devotion to Vincent & Evie is beautiful. I love that he let Evie take her time and worked slowly to push down her walls. Why can’t Jasper exist in real life?!?!
Then of course we have our FMC Evie. Boy oh boy our girl has been through it. I love that she was essentially the “grump” in this relationship. Typically it’s always the female being the sunshine one. But I loved the role reversal. She has not had it easy growing up. But through all her trauma she continues to persevere and put herself and her son first. Her strength and resilience is inspiring and I related to her on so many levels.
Now the only reason I have this book a 4⭐️ instead of 5 was for two reasons. (PS I’m being nitpicky don’t judge me) Number 1, I was not a big fan of the background murder mystery accruing in the story. I felt like it took too much of the story and all I wanted to do was get back to Jasper & Evie’s relationship progression. Essentially I just wanted more of this perfect couple. Number 2, now I’m going to have to be a bit vague here because spoilers. But some of the ending relationship drama plot points felt rushed and then just brushed over. I had to go back and re-read to make sure I didn’t miss anything but I like we were just going to sweep past that like nothing happened. Cool cool.
Now even with that said. I still throughly loved and enjoyed this book. This series is off to a great start and I can’t wait to see what happens next. Especially after we introduced to Josh and Celine. So with 100% certainty I recommend this book! Please check it out when it releases January 26th
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thanks to Daphne Elliot for providing the eARC. This is my honest opinion.
When Life Throws Secrets Your Way
In 'Sap & Secrets' Evie suddenly collapses in pain. Jasper, who works for the fire department and ambulance service, is called to her side. It soon becomes clear that Evie is in labor, completely unaware that she is pregnant. To her shock, Jasper, someone she isn’t in a relationship with, is the father of the baby. The story follows how they navigate this unexpected situation, from uncertainty to the vulnerability of their emotions.
Daphne Elliot writes in a smooth and vivid style, making the atmosphere of the story immediately tangible. The combination of nature, secrets, and subtle underlying tension gives 'Sap & Secrets' a distinct and original tone. The small town setting and the maple trees on the farm are described so vividly that it feels as if you are walking through them yourself. The gentle pacing allows time to get to know the characters and their emotions, with a clear focus on mood and character development.
Evie and Jasper are layered characters, and their emotions and hidden motives add depth that makes the story feel truly human. The tension between them is felt just beneath the surface, and the subtle way their feelings are portrayed makes it almost tangible. The supporting characters could have been developed a bit more, but they still contribute to the story’s dynamic.
Themes such as trust, hidden truths, and personal growth run throughout the narrative. 'Sap & Secrets' is a captivating story in which emotions and secrets are at the heart, with moments of recognition and small surprises that linger long after reading.
Secret pregnancy | Unexpected father | Small town drama | Hidden secrets | Emotional tension | Personal growth | Family dynamics | Slow-burn romance | Nature as setting
When Life Throws Secrets Your Way
In 'Sap & Secrets' Evie suddenly collapses in pain. Jasper, who works for the fire department and ambulance service, is called to her side. It soon becomes clear that Evie is in labor, completely unaware that she is pregnant. To her shock, Jasper, someone she isn’t in a relationship with, is the father of the baby. The story follows how they navigate this unexpected situation, from uncertainty to the vulnerability of their emotions.
Daphne Elliot writes in a smooth and vivid style, making the atmosphere of the story immediately tangible. The combination of nature, secrets, and subtle underlying tension gives 'Sap & Secrets' a distinct and original tone. The small town setting and the maple trees on the farm are described so vividly that it feels as if you are walking through them yourself. The gentle pacing allows time to get to know the characters and their emotions, with a clear focus on mood and character development.
Evie and Jasper are layered characters, and their emotions and hidden motives add depth that makes the story feel truly human. The tension between them is felt just beneath the surface, and the subtle way their feelings are portrayed makes it almost tangible. The supporting characters could have been developed a bit more, but they still contribute to the story’s dynamic.
Themes such as trust, hidden truths, and personal growth run throughout the narrative. 'Sap & Secrets' is a captivating story in which emotions and secrets are at the heart, with moments of recognition and small surprises that linger long after reading.
Secret pregnancy | Unexpected father | Small town drama | Hidden secrets | Emotional tension | Personal growth | Family dynamics | Slow-burn romance | Nature as setting
Read
January 24, 2026DNF @ 30%
*deep sigh* I don’t even really know where to start. So I know everyone raises and cares for babies differently, I really genuinely get that. But the way the author talked about the baby and how he was cared for felt so unrealistic. The baby was 3 days old, she just came home to a surprise baby shower, and he’s “fast asleep in his baby swing”? Idk. I really don’t judge moms but that choice felt weird. Like….go for the bassinet.
I usually love a romantic suspense, small town murder subplot but for whatever reason it just felt awkward in this book. Like it didn’t fit the getting and vibe. And on top of that, it just felt unnecessary.
Aaannnndddd speaking of unnecessary. The way the FMC treated the MMC. I felt like the author was just creating conflict out of no where. I really couldn’t figure out what the big issue in this book was suppose to be because
1. Surprise baby is born
2. Mom is super cool with it and excited and supported by everyone
3. Dad is surprised but super cool with and excited and supportive and supported
Like….cool, where do we go from here? 😵💫
Overall, do not recommend, sadly.
Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
*deep sigh* I don’t even really know where to start. So I know everyone raises and cares for babies differently, I really genuinely get that. But the way the author talked about the baby and how he was cared for felt so unrealistic. The baby was 3 days old, she just came home to a surprise baby shower, and he’s “fast asleep in his baby swing”? Idk. I really don’t judge moms but that choice felt weird. Like….go for the bassinet.
I usually love a romantic suspense, small town murder subplot but for whatever reason it just felt awkward in this book. Like it didn’t fit the getting and vibe. And on top of that, it just felt unnecessary.
Aaannnndddd speaking of unnecessary. The way the FMC treated the MMC. I felt like the author was just creating conflict out of no where. I really couldn’t figure out what the big issue in this book was suppose to be because
1. Surprise baby is born
2. Mom is super cool with it and excited and supported by everyone
3. Dad is surprised but super cool with and excited and supportive and supported
Like….cool, where do we go from here? 😵💫
Overall, do not recommend, sadly.
Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy
4 ⭐️/ 2🌶️
This one had a Hallmark movie vibe. The side-character, the cozy vibes and the swoony moments were so fun to read. 💕
Jasper and Evie were wonderful MCs. Evie, with her struggles, and Jasper, with his 'all in' attitude, were perfect for each other.
Although the murder storyline was not needed, it made us meet the other characters, so I can't wait to see if we get their stories.
This one had a Hallmark movie vibe. The side-character, the cozy vibes and the swoony moments were so fun to read. 💕
Jasper and Evie were wonderful MCs. Evie, with her struggles, and Jasper, with his 'all in' attitude, were perfect for each other.
Although the murder storyline was not needed, it made us meet the other characters, so I can't wait to see if we get their stories.
January 26, 2026
📚ARC REVIEW📚
*sigh* I’ve been trying to figure out a way to talk about how I felt about this story without coming across as saying it’s a good and/or bad story because it is actually both but also not. Yeah … I bet you wanna be inside my head right now! LOL
First, let me say that I feel enough about it that I will be listening to the audio when it releases in about a week. I love the narrators and it’s going to be performed in duet. I mean that’s #winning right of the bat! I had a hard time “connecting” with a lot of this story when I read it and my hope is that Connor & Vanessa’s performance might change that. It’s happened before so fingers crossed. For now though, I am squarely in the middle of the road with this story.
Even though I admired a whole lot about Evie, on the flip side I really didn’t understand her treatment of Jasper on many occasions. It was borderline cruel and unusual punishment of sorts and I was twitchy. On the flip side of that, I found that Jasper may have “turned the other cheek” way too many times. Their treatment of each other changed dramatically probably about halfway thru and the relationship building truly began and while that’s outstanding, I have to wonder how many future readers might “give up” on this story before they even get to the “good stuff”! *shrug*
The surprise pregnancy trope, plus size issues and infertility issues, I feel were done really well and felt very genuine. I really like it when a story incorporates IRL circumstances and the author incorporates them in a respectful and thoughtful way.
The mystery portion of this story is still a mystery to me (see what I did there) and I can’t really wrap my head around the why of it all, but I trust that Daphne will reveal it all when the time comes and as each book releases in this series, we will get a bigger picture. This is what she does so I’m not unhappy about it it’s just that I’m used to binging her series and not having to wait LOL
I’m looking forward to more stories in Maplewood and seeing some of these side characters getting fleshed out a bit more. I’m invested in this town and its shenanigans already!
*sigh* I’ve been trying to figure out a way to talk about how I felt about this story without coming across as saying it’s a good and/or bad story because it is actually both but also not. Yeah … I bet you wanna be inside my head right now! LOL
First, let me say that I feel enough about it that I will be listening to the audio when it releases in about a week. I love the narrators and it’s going to be performed in duet. I mean that’s #winning right of the bat! I had a hard time “connecting” with a lot of this story when I read it and my hope is that Connor & Vanessa’s performance might change that. It’s happened before so fingers crossed. For now though, I am squarely in the middle of the road with this story.
Even though I admired a whole lot about Evie, on the flip side I really didn’t understand her treatment of Jasper on many occasions. It was borderline cruel and unusual punishment of sorts and I was twitchy. On the flip side of that, I found that Jasper may have “turned the other cheek” way too many times. Their treatment of each other changed dramatically probably about halfway thru and the relationship building truly began and while that’s outstanding, I have to wonder how many future readers might “give up” on this story before they even get to the “good stuff”! *shrug*
The surprise pregnancy trope, plus size issues and infertility issues, I feel were done really well and felt very genuine. I really like it when a story incorporates IRL circumstances and the author incorporates them in a respectful and thoughtful way.
The mystery portion of this story is still a mystery to me (see what I did there) and I can’t really wrap my head around the why of it all, but I trust that Daphne will reveal it all when the time comes and as each book releases in this series, we will get a bigger picture. This is what she does so I’m not unhappy about it it’s just that I’m used to binging her series and not having to wait LOL
I’m looking forward to more stories in Maplewood and seeing some of these side characters getting fleshed out a bit more. I’m invested in this town and its shenanigans already!
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I will read anything Daphne Elliot writes, so I was beyond excited to dive into Sap & Secrets, especially since it kicks off a brand new series. Overall, I really liked this book because it was cute, fun, and had a lot of sweet moments, even if it wasn’t totally without its frustrations.
First, I have to give major props for the PCOS, infertility, and plus size representation with Evie. That meant a lot to me, and I loved seeing those experiences handled thoughtfully. Evie is also a genuinely good mom, and I appreciated how fiercely she loved her son and wanted to protect her little bubble.
That said… Evie really tested my patience at times. I fully understand that she’s been through a lot, but there were moments where she felt unnecessarily cruel to Jasper. It’s his child too, and sometimes she acted like it wasn’t. I mean, she’s fine with this man sleeping in a tent outside just so he can be close, but not too close? That rubbed me the wrong way more than once.
Once she finally started letting her guard down though, things improved a lot. Her chemistry with Jasper got better, softer, and more believable, and I enjoyed their dynamic much more in the second half.
And Jasper… OMG. He is EVERYTHING. Truly one of the sweetest, most supportive, golden retriever energy book boyfriends out there. Helpful, patient, acts of service king, amazing dad energy... absolute perfection. He deserved the world, honestly.
The small town vibes, the maple festival chaos, and the overall cozy but slightly suspenseful atmosphere were a lot of fun, and I’m definitely intrigued by Maplewood and its secrets. While this one had a few issues for me, I still enjoyed it and I’m very hopeful I’ll love the next book in the series!
Thank you to Daphne Elliot and The Author Agency for the eARC of this book.
First, I have to give major props for the PCOS, infertility, and plus size representation with Evie. That meant a lot to me, and I loved seeing those experiences handled thoughtfully. Evie is also a genuinely good mom, and I appreciated how fiercely she loved her son and wanted to protect her little bubble.
That said… Evie really tested my patience at times. I fully understand that she’s been through a lot, but there were moments where she felt unnecessarily cruel to Jasper. It’s his child too, and sometimes she acted like it wasn’t. I mean, she’s fine with this man sleeping in a tent outside just so he can be close, but not too close? That rubbed me the wrong way more than once.
Once she finally started letting her guard down though, things improved a lot. Her chemistry with Jasper got better, softer, and more believable, and I enjoyed their dynamic much more in the second half.
And Jasper… OMG. He is EVERYTHING. Truly one of the sweetest, most supportive, golden retriever energy book boyfriends out there. Helpful, patient, acts of service king, amazing dad energy... absolute perfection. He deserved the world, honestly.
The small town vibes, the maple festival chaos, and the overall cozy but slightly suspenseful atmosphere were a lot of fun, and I’m definitely intrigued by Maplewood and its secrets. While this one had a few issues for me, I still enjoyed it and I’m very hopeful I’ll love the next book in the series!
Thank you to Daphne Elliot and The Author Agency for the eARC of this book.
January 22, 2026
arc review
Okay. This was a cute book.
It had an adorable small town setting, hot golden retriever mmc and a surprise baby- plus a murder mystery.
However, I struggled to connect with the characters and even got frustrated by their behavior and the push & pull Evie was creating. I get she has trauma and I love 'black cat' fmc's but she just pissed me off. She kept pushing Jasper away, acted insanely unfairly towards him and did not give him a chance at the start even though he had done NOTHING wrong. Yes, she has trauma, but it just seemed way too dramatized to me. Most of it did not add any value to the story, and seemed to have been added just for the sake of it.
While I liked the murder mystery element, it didn't do much for the book and its story. It seemed to be an afterthought and for most of the book did not have any real relevance to the story itself.
Did I like the story? Kind of. The book was not really doing it for me for the most part but the storyline was cute. However, as mentioned some details were off or missing, there was not a lot of structure, the timeline seemed to change a lot and the story seemed to jump from one thing to the other without any real depth.
To me there were a lot of words with not a lot of meaning for some portions of the book. It took me a long time to finish the book, because I struggled with picking it up.
All of this may just be a personal thing- maybe a reading slump even, which made it harder for me to get into the story. The last 20% just had me frustrated, to be completely honest.
The idea of the book was good but the execution just wasn't for me. I might read the rest of the series just because of my curiosity but I am not sure yet. I like Daphne her writing usual, but this one missed its mark for me.
Okay. This was a cute book.
It had an adorable small town setting, hot golden retriever mmc and a surprise baby- plus a murder mystery.
However, I struggled to connect with the characters and even got frustrated by their behavior and the push & pull Evie was creating. I get she has trauma and I love 'black cat' fmc's but she just pissed me off. She kept pushing Jasper away, acted insanely unfairly towards him and did not give him a chance at the start even though he had done NOTHING wrong. Yes, she has trauma, but it just seemed way too dramatized to me. Most of it did not add any value to the story, and seemed to have been added just for the sake of it.
While I liked the murder mystery element, it didn't do much for the book and its story. It seemed to be an afterthought and for most of the book did not have any real relevance to the story itself.
Did I like the story? Kind of. The book was not really doing it for me for the most part but the storyline was cute. However, as mentioned some details were off or missing, there was not a lot of structure, the timeline seemed to change a lot and the story seemed to jump from one thing to the other without any real depth.
To me there were a lot of words with not a lot of meaning for some portions of the book. It took me a long time to finish the book, because I struggled with picking it up.
All of this may just be a personal thing- maybe a reading slump even, which made it harder for me to get into the story. The last 20% just had me frustrated, to be completely honest.
The idea of the book was good but the execution just wasn't for me. I might read the rest of the series just because of my curiosity but I am not sure yet. I like Daphne her writing usual, but this one missed its mark for me.
January 28, 2026
I had been waiting soooo long for this book! I kept seeing it on FB and tiktok and each little blurb was just driving me crazy.
It was so worth the wait. Evie starts having some pains during a festival and is shocked to find out shes giving birth. And the person helping her? The father, the guy she had a one night stand with.
When Jasper first sees the baby there's no denying him in his heart. Which I loved, instant connection. He is all in on being a dad. He decides to stay nearby (in a tent!) and tries his best to be there, even when Evie would prefer him not to be.
Evie didn't have that sweet childhood that Jasper had. She was let down, time and time and was really hurt by the people who should have been lifting her up. Jasper does his best to break down the walls she keeps up.
And he isnt the only one helping her. Evie has a great group of friends who go the distance for her. I love a good book with a found family. And Jasper has such great support himself.
Theres some mystery happening too in this small town. Its affecting everyone. I love, love, loved these two. I love the beginning of a new series. New people to meet, new dynamics to figure out. And the next couple??? Yes!
It was so worth the wait. Evie starts having some pains during a festival and is shocked to find out shes giving birth. And the person helping her? The father, the guy she had a one night stand with.
When Jasper first sees the baby there's no denying him in his heart. Which I loved, instant connection. He is all in on being a dad. He decides to stay nearby (in a tent!) and tries his best to be there, even when Evie would prefer him not to be.
Evie didn't have that sweet childhood that Jasper had. She was let down, time and time and was really hurt by the people who should have been lifting her up. Jasper does his best to break down the walls she keeps up.
And he isnt the only one helping her. Evie has a great group of friends who go the distance for her. I love a good book with a found family. And Jasper has such great support himself.
Theres some mystery happening too in this small town. Its affecting everyone. I love, love, loved these two. I love the beginning of a new series. New people to meet, new dynamics to figure out. And the next couple??? Yes!
Review of advance copy
ARC REVIEW!
I love most things that have anything to do with babies 👶. This book happens to have a lot of cute baby moments that fill your heart with the warm fuzzies. Not only does it has cute little babies, it also has a hunky fireman, Jasper, and a gorgeous curvy woman, Evie. Both just trying to figure out parenthood with their surprise baby-courtesy of their one night stand (is it still a one night stand if you did it 3 times?).
I just absolutely love the way Jasper and Evie's relationship formed. Jasper is just such a lovely man. You want a man to be like him. A girl whom he had a one night stand with months ago, says he's the father of her baby. Normally guys would just walk away and just be happy paying child support but, Jasper not only stepped up to be in his child's life but he also stepped up to be in Evie's life. Evie, thrust into motherhood overnight not knowing she was pregnant (she has pcos and was told she couldnt have kids), had been broken so badly by the men in her life she was so cold to Japser, at first.
This also offered a very real look into postpartum for mother's. Evie was, understandably, a mess. She was depressed, tired, overworked. She tried so hard to care for her baby on her own and never wanted to admit that she needed help, especially from a man. But then Jasper comes around and respects her and how she wants to do things but also doesn't want to be absent from his son's life.
I absolutely adored this book, and its not just because I have baby fever! As their love for eachother and Vincent (wittle baby) bloomed, you really got to see how much both of them have changed. Evie finally opening up and letting someone love her for who she is. Jasper for letting go of his fuckboy past. They both changed for their baby and thats so heartwarming to see.
I love most things that have anything to do with babies 👶. This book happens to have a lot of cute baby moments that fill your heart with the warm fuzzies. Not only does it has cute little babies, it also has a hunky fireman, Jasper, and a gorgeous curvy woman, Evie. Both just trying to figure out parenthood with their surprise baby-courtesy of their one night stand (is it still a one night stand if you did it 3 times?).
I just absolutely love the way Jasper and Evie's relationship formed. Jasper is just such a lovely man. You want a man to be like him. A girl whom he had a one night stand with months ago, says he's the father of her baby. Normally guys would just walk away and just be happy paying child support but, Jasper not only stepped up to be in his child's life but he also stepped up to be in Evie's life. Evie, thrust into motherhood overnight not knowing she was pregnant (she has pcos and was told she couldnt have kids), had been broken so badly by the men in her life she was so cold to Japser, at first.
This also offered a very real look into postpartum for mother's. Evie was, understandably, a mess. She was depressed, tired, overworked. She tried so hard to care for her baby on her own and never wanted to admit that she needed help, especially from a man. But then Jasper comes around and respects her and how she wants to do things but also doesn't want to be absent from his son's life.
I absolutely adored this book, and its not just because I have baby fever! As their love for eachother and Vincent (wittle baby) bloomed, you really got to see how much both of them have changed. Evie finally opening up and letting someone love her for who she is. Jasper for letting go of his fuckboy past. They both changed for their baby and thats so heartwarming to see.
January 18, 2026
I had the pleasure of receiving this as an e-ARC and voluntarily will be giving my honest review. Sap & Secrets is a small town romance with a firefighter MMC and FMC who has a surprise pregnancy with PCOS and wasn’t able to get pregnant. Love their love hate relationship and their chemistry!! I cant wait to see what happens next to see how things turn out!! Chefs kiss Daphne Elliott!!
“Sap & Secrets is a small-town romance featuring a curvy black cat, a tattooed golden retriever, and a (very cute) surprise baby. If you enjoy acts of service, small-town shenanigans, and maple syrup madness, you will not be disappointed.”
“Sap & Secrets is a small-town romance featuring a curvy black cat, a tattooed golden retriever, and a (very cute) surprise baby. If you enjoy acts of service, small-town shenanigans, and maple syrup madness, you will not be disappointed.”
January 28, 2026
Dnf at 35% I couldn’t take it anymore!!! I am all for bashing men and being mean. BUTTT she was mean for no reason at all. Ok he’s a playboy (we literally don’t have any evidence of this) but he’s obviously not playing around with you!!! Imagine your baby daddy shows up for YOU and his child and you give him 30 minutes a day to see his child. GTF GIRL. He should’ve took her ass to court! THEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN she says i’m parenting with a stranger. Oh idk get to know the man then?!?!? Talking about I don’t wanna depend on him and he leaves. Hell better to find out now than later! The book started off good. Even though I would’ve put their first encounter as the prologue. Now I don’t know diddly squat about the characters fr and I don’t feel the urge to keep reading .🤷🏾♀️
January 17, 2026
First, I just want to say thank you for selecting me to be an ARC recipient. I saw the blurb and knew it would be right up my alley.
This book gives you the small town romance that makes you feel that sense of cozy comfort while also giving you a murder mystery twist.
As someone with PCOS I loved the representation and how this book shows it how unpredictable it can be. Following along with Evie’s growth and Jasper’s loyalty was an awesome feeling. Both characters grew so much not only on their own but together as well.
I am excited for the next book, and to be right back in Maplewood.
This book gives you the small town romance that makes you feel that sense of cozy comfort while also giving you a murder mystery twist.
As someone with PCOS I loved the representation and how this book shows it how unpredictable it can be. Following along with Evie’s growth and Jasper’s loyalty was an awesome feeling. Both characters grew so much not only on their own but together as well.
I am excited for the next book, and to be right back in Maplewood.
January 26, 2026
Loved it
I’ll admit, I was both wary and curious about how an accidental pregnancy (especially one where the FMC didn’t know she was pregnant) was going to be handled. I had no idea this was something that could happen with PCOS, but after reading, I looked it up and learned it’s actually not uncommon. Mind blown.
That aside, this story was incredibly sweet. Jasper is nothing but green flags. The moment he learns about his son, he’s all in with no hesitation. I mean, the man sleeps in a tent outside just to be closer to him. Willing to be INVITED IN to handle anything Evie needs help with.
I did spend much of the book frustrated with Evie, though. Her reluctance to let Jasper in, even just as a co-parent, along with blocking him and making unilateral decisions, made it hard for me to fully get on board. I understand her insecurities and how deeply her past and childhood experiences shaped her reactions, but I felt she held out for too long. Jasper was an absolute saint through all of it.
As always with Daphne’s books, the underlying subplot has me completely intrigued. I’m already forming theories about where everything is headed. Between that and the side characters, this book was such a delight to read.
Thank you, @daphneelliotauthor and @valentine_pr_ for the ARC.
I’ll admit, I was both wary and curious about how an accidental pregnancy (especially one where the FMC didn’t know she was pregnant) was going to be handled. I had no idea this was something that could happen with PCOS, but after reading, I looked it up and learned it’s actually not uncommon. Mind blown.
That aside, this story was incredibly sweet. Jasper is nothing but green flags. The moment he learns about his son, he’s all in with no hesitation. I mean, the man sleeps in a tent outside just to be closer to him. Willing to be INVITED IN to handle anything Evie needs help with.
I did spend much of the book frustrated with Evie, though. Her reluctance to let Jasper in, even just as a co-parent, along with blocking him and making unilateral decisions, made it hard for me to fully get on board. I understand her insecurities and how deeply her past and childhood experiences shaped her reactions, but I felt she held out for too long. Jasper was an absolute saint through all of it.
As always with Daphne’s books, the underlying subplot has me completely intrigued. I’m already forming theories about where everything is headed. Between that and the side characters, this book was such a delight to read.
Thank you, @daphneelliotauthor and @valentine_pr_ for the ARC.
January 27, 2026
I loved the PCOS rep and the raw depiction of being new parents - sometimes this gets romanticised in books. Evie took time to warm to because of her trauma and emotional walls but oh my was Jasper the perfect human. Loved the slow burn of their relationship and loved the murder mystery side plot to help bring a little more drama at the end - overall, this was great and I'll defo read more of the series!
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