Serving Up Secrecy

Ladies of Westside #3

by H.M. Shander

A wedding. A one-night stand. A future forever changed.

Joy is happy to do her own thing and live for each day… until the day she discovers she's pregnant. With that double pink line on the test, her focus shifts toward the future and finding the guy from the night she vaguely remembers.

James is the jam to her peanut butter. He’s charming and brilliant and understands how to treat a lady. A steady focus on the road ahead of him, he knows exactly what he wants from life. However, his living the dream does not include children. Ever.

If she tells him the truth, he’ll leave. So, she needs to make the most of their red-hot romance before cutting him free, as a pregnancy can only stay a secret for so long. How ever brief their time together will be, it doesn't prevent deeper feelings from growing.

Will Joy call it a heart-breaking fling and cut James loose, or will she find the courage to share the news with him and risk ruining his future plans for a chance at love?

ebook

Published January 2, 2019

About the author

H.M. Shander is an award winning and USA TODAY bestselling author who is a hopeless romantic and lover of chocolate, coconut and a damn good cup of coffee.

She's the author of several reader's choice books (Bronze medal for Return to Cheshire Bay and the Gold Medal for Living La Vida Mocha). An upcoming release was also a Kobo Writing Life finalist - so watch for that to release soon.
She writes swoon-worthy, gentle beta heroes, in sweet or steamy storylines that all end with a happily ever after.

When not writing, she is a part-time librarian and Educational Assistant to a group of kindergartens, a devoted mother to her two kids, and believes she's married the sweetest man and the greatest inspiration for her heroes.

Sign up for the newsletters: https://h-m-shander.eo.page/z5tgg

Reviews

[Paula White · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted a copy for an honest review.

3.5*

I love a surprise/secret baby story and I enjoyed this one. Josephine never has one night stands but on this particular night she does and she has a surprise 8 weeks later. I liked Josephine, the feelings she had when she found out came across as real. She had a great best friend who supported her. Now James, he didn't want children and wasn't particularly nice when he encountered them. This is why when she found him, she kept it quiet until he inevitably found out. He had a very bad reaction to the news and whilst I understood, I think he took it too far. At 85% I thought Josephine would be better off without him and I never really warmed to him when he realised what an idiot he was being. I would have liked an epilogue, it ended rather abruptly in my opinion but still an enjoyable read.

[Evie · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I was given an free copy to read in exchange for an honest review*

This is the story of Josephine, who doesn't do one night stands but still finds herself pregnant after one.
I really liked this story. It felt real. All the emotions Josephine goes trough after discovering she is pregnant, the reactions of her family and friends, her angry dad, it is al well thought out.

Without giving away spoilers, it was a good idea to give James his say in the story as well.

The only thing negative I can think of is that maybe Josephine was a bit quick in forgiving James. But maybe that is just because I would have liked this story to be longer ;-)

A must read!

[Vinessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an accidental pregnancy romance.
When to people click like these two the relationship part is easy. But with one set on living the "family"free life and just making a future that does include her but not anymore. Now to find the strength to say goodbye to the perfect guy without giving away her secret.

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

[Jaime Fiction Fangirls · Rating 2 out of 5]

The hero was HIGHLY unlikeable and I felt absolutely no connection between him and the heroine.

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well of course H.M. Shander did not disappoint. This book was a roller coaster of emotions- for all the characters. This was such a wonderful love story.

[Jeriann Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twenty-four year old Josephine is a waitress, living in Edmonton. Completely out of character for her, she has a one-night stand with a man she knows only as James, a man she met at her cousin's wedding. Embarrassed, she does not keep his phone number when they part the next morning. 8 weeks later, she has a little consequence from that one night stand.

I really felt for Josephine she was a young woman and she was in a desperate situation. She tries to find James, and can't remember a lot of details about him. Time passes and she does eventually connect up with him, but she doesn't tell him she is pregnant. These two people are totally at odds and at different points in their lives and James tells her adamantly that he doesn't want to have kids or be a father.

The supporting characters are good and support the main characters without being overpowering. I would like to have a little bit more of James point of view. And when we do get his viewpoint, well he's a real jerk. ( I was almost hoping that Jo would realize that she was better off by herself but then this wouldn't have been a romance.)

I'm giving Serving up Secrecy  a solid four stars. I will gladly read more from this author.

Thank you Booksprout for the opportunity to read and provide my honest review of this story.

[Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book three in The Ladies of Westside series and it is Josephine and James story. Josephine and James have history because they had a one night that ended up with her being pregnant and with her being adopted she needed to find James to tell him that she is pregnant only when they meet again James reveals something that makes Josephine realise that she can’t tell him about the baby which now complicates everything. The attraction and chemistry between them is just as strong as the first time and unable to be denied and they end up falling in love with each other but with the secret that Josephine is carrying and how James feels about children they are destined for only the here and now and have no future together or do they, well you will just have to read Josephine and James story to find out what happened next and what the outcome will be for them in the end. This book will take you on a journey of emotions as Josephine goes through so much and are both at different points in there lives making everything between them difficult and hard decisions will have to be made but will they be the right one in the end. I really enjoyed reading this book and I found myself turning the pages because I couldn’t put it down and I look forward to reading more books in this series.

[Rebecca Lovell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given this book by the author, whose books I have read before and really enjoyed. When I saw the blurb I knew I had to read this one too. Who doesn't love a good secret baby story? I'm a sucker for them.

From the first pages, I found myself thoroughly engrossed in the story. James and Joy are both super likeable, and her best friend Ana is hilarious. She reminds me a lot of my own, actually! HM has a great, conversational way of writing that makes it easy to lose yourself in the story, as if a friend is telling it to you, and it makes the pages fly by. When I wasn't reading it, I found myself thinking about Josephine and James and hoping they'd make it through.

There was a large portion of the book where I wasn't sure Josephine would get her HEA, so at the end my eyes were filled with tears. Whether they were happy or sad, I'm not going to tell you - you have to read it! As with her Charlotte Cooper books, I highly recommend Serving Up Secrecy and am looking forward to reading the others in the series. I've already downloaded Serving Up Devotion!

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute story. Love how you made the librarian a hot male.

So Josephine has a one night stand with James and they part ways. Fast forward a couple of months and Josephine finds out she's pregnant. Fate intervenes and she runs into James (super cute way of meeting up again, btw). As she gets to know him, she learns he doesn't ever want children, so she withholds the news from him, but finds herself struggling with the feelings she feels towards him.

It's such a cute story and I found myself unable to put it down. I couldn't wait to see how James would react when he finds out, and how they handle it. H,M. Shander did not disappoint as I wasn't sure if they would find a happy ever after with each other or not.

Oh, Anna. I loved her. She was fantastic. And Robbin too. I'd like to read more on them.

[CATHERINE BURHANS · Rating 5 out of 5]

I haven’t read a book by HM Shander, that isn’t a 5* read! This one is no exception. The characters are real and relatable, and I totally become Invested in their relationship rooting for them to work things out. Josephine finds herself in a real fix when she turns up pregnant from a one night stand and no way of contacting the father. With a low paying waitressing job, she worries about being a single parent. She determines to try to find the father, and when she providentially does, the attraction is still there and sparks fly. Unfortunately, they both handle their situation rather poorly and their future together looks rather dismal. A real page turner with highs and lows, but a most enjoyable read.

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

[acourtofbooksandchocolate II Giulia · Rating 2 out of 5]

It seems i’m in the minority here, but i didn’t enjoy it.
Perhaps i’m in a reading slump but i was looking forward to reading it and i’m utterly disappointed.

The main problem for me was the hero, i felt zero simpathy for him!

*spoiler*
He didn’t want to have children because his father left him when he was still a kid, so he never wanted to worry about hurting an hypotetical child.

But he was going to do the same thing!!


Also i didn’t feel this deep connection between the characters. No real development in their relationship.

The writing style was good, maybe to much inner thoughts for my liking but that’s just me.

I will definitely reed other books by this author.

[Abby Adams · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book for review and I was so excited! I usually like the pregnancy trope in romances but oh man, I could not connect with these characters to save my life. I typically read a romance like this in 1-3 days depending on how much time I have and this one took me about a week. Our love interest, despite slightly redeeming himself in the end (that’s no spoiler, it’s a romance novel), was an asshole and our main character wasn’t especially likable. The dialogue was awkward and didn’t feel genuine. The chapter from the perspective of the love interest helped the story but by then it was too late, I wasn’t invested and I wanted to be done. This book sadly wasn’t for me.

[Bookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

An emotionally sweet story of falling for the one night stand that left you pregnant. Seeing James again was never part of the plan for Joy that is until she finds herself pregnant. With nothing but a first name tracking down James seems impossible but running into him by chance must be fate right? Dating and falling for James is easy, telling him (after finding out James does NOT want child) that she is expecting not so easy. A funny, emotional journey of expected love and joy, this book is a sweet read that will warm your heart.

[Haz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really good read Josephine wakes up to a bad hang over and a stranger in her bed ,Josephine attended her cousin wedding and ends up waking to a guy called James ,Josephine does not do one night stand so when James leaves his phone number to get in touch Josephine crumbles it up and throws it away little known to her that in 8 weeks time that she wish kept it cause now a surprise as come along and she need to found her one night stand James .

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

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a wedding and some heavy drinking Josephine wakes up with James. She is not a one-night stand kind of girl so when a couple of months pass and she finds out she is pregnant she knows she has to track James down but doesn't have any luck until she accidently runs into him. She wants to tell him her secret but then he tells her he doesn't want children ever she decides not to tell him until she has to. James does find out and has a bad reaction so now what will Josephine do?

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

[poppy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story and just loved Josephine and James they were good likable characters that meet and have a one night stand fast forward a few weeks and she finds herself pregnant with no way to contact him but fate steps in and they run into each other again but she does not tell him about the baby after she finds out he never wants children. I really thought these two were cute together and really enjoyed watching their relationship develop, a super read I really enjoyed it.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josephine is a great, well developed character. I like that her emotions and thoughts are put on the page in a way you knew exactly what she was going through when she found out that she was pregnant. James, I'm not sure how I fell about him. Some of his actions and behavior is questionable but overall it makes for a good read.

I received an advanced copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving an unbiased , honest review.

[💋Meme Chanell Book Corner💋 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok so Josephine and James start out as a one night stand. Something that Josephine never does and she finds herself pregnant and looking for the father.
James came off as a little arrogant and wasn’t like able at first and the heroine let him off a little to easy if I may say.
This is a typical one night stand surprise pregnancy book.
I voluntarily received an arc through Booksprout for my honest review.

[Karen Galloway · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very Enjoyable Book

I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. This is a great story and I was hooked from the start. The characters were interesting, engaging and I loved the chemistry and interaction between them. This is an Intriguing, enjoyable, romantic must read book from H. M. Shander and has a really entertaining, well written storyline,. It definitely pulled me in and I didn’t want to put it down.

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 1st book I've read written by H.M. Shander; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I will definitely be reading more of her books.

The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.

I loved the chemistry between the characters.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a Sweet story!
The writing draws you in and keeps you involved throughout the whole story, I found myself in love with not only the characters but also the world that was created.

The descriptions of the characters and their feelings are so involved, you can truly picture it in your mind. Their attitudes toward the events that are happening makes the story even richer.

I received a free copy of this book. This review was posted voluntarily.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book three in the Ladies of Westside series. It’s a secret baby emotional romance. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. Great characters full of passion and you’ll be hoping for their happily ever after. It’s an emotional roller coaster and heart wrenching but wonderful read. I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[JM G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Serving Up Secrecy is a wonderful book! Once I started reading about Josephine and James I had a hard time putting the book down! A definite page turner! The storyline also grabbed my attention and kept it all the way through. The characters are wonderful together and I was cheering them on. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did.

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

[Jen (jensdreamylittlereads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love an unexpected secret baby story and I enjoyed this one.

Serving Up Secrecy is a funny and emotional journey of love and joy. This book is a sweet and heartwarming read. HM Shander has an impressive and conversational style of writing that makes it very easy to get engrossed in the story.

I look forward to the next instalment of this great series.

[Jackie Roberts · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josephine is a waitress, living in Edmonton. Completely out of character for her, she has a one-night stand with a man she knows only as James, a man she met at her cousin's wedding. Embarrassed, she does not keep his phone number when they part the next morning. 8 weeks later, she has a little consequence from that one night stand.

[Jacqueline Johnston Cotton · Rating 5 out of 5]

A sweet and emotional romance. With strong character, humor and a pull of the heartstrings this book was an enjoyable, hopeful and entertaining read. There's just enough conflict and sweet to keep the pages turning. I look forward to the next book in this series.

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

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josephine and James are great characters; after a one night stand, Josephine finds out she's pregnant and sets out to find the baby daddy. When she runs into James, her one night stand, she decides to keep her pregnancy a secret because he wants a child-less future. Will they be able to make it work?.

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

[Debbie Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

This romance had me hooked from the get go! An intriguing and fun read that has two fantastic characters and a storyline that is entertaining and enjoyable. It’s a wonderful read as we follow them on their complicated and emotional journey that is heart wrenching in places and heart warming in others! So good!.

[Paula Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received ARC from author... I really enjoyed this story... Couldn't put it down, but still I think I would have loved the male Character's point of view, since Jo's only makes it a bit redundant... Nice reading and enjoyable thanks for the opportunity!!!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is a good romantic comedy read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry.

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