The Secret Baby… (but not a baby)

Romance tropes are a great way to discover some amazing reads. Any romance reader will talk about their favorite and least favorite tropes. The secret baby s one of mine. But I really enjoy a secret baby when that there is no longer a baby. Whether they are discovered later in life like Mine to Love by Kennedy L. Mitchell (see my review here). Or when they are still young but not quite a baby as in Loss Recovery by Jemma Westbrook (Check out the QSR here).

What is appealing about the secret baby? Why was the baby a secret? Did the mother try and tell the father? Is the mother alive or is it is child services/a family member telling the dad? Is the Dad find out by accident or on purpose? What does work about the secret baby trope?

These are all interesting questions to the secret baby trope. What doesn’t work with the trope. For instance, is there a good reason for it. Sometimes I feel as though, authors give poor reasons for the heroine/mother for not telling the hero/father. If there is a good, valid reasoning for it, it works really well.

I dislike when the heroine doesn’t try to attempt to tell the hero. Unless, there is a dynamic scenario that keeps it from happening. It all comes down to the story telling. It needs to be a dynamic story. There has to be a realistic storyline. And naturally, a reaction to the reveal.

How does the reveal happen?

How does the father find out about the secret baby can make or break a story. Does he have a good reaction? Is his reaction justified. I have read books where there is zero negative reaction by the hero because of the circumstances.

I have read books where there is vast negative reactions. Sometimes this works, but if it is a case where the heroine tried continuously to reach out and the hero denied those efforts it can be frustrating.

That being said, here are some of my favorite Secret Baby…not a baby books.