Paula Altenburg | Secret Babies

April 20, 2016

HER SECRET, HIS SURPRISE is a secret baby story. (Yep, that’s a trope.)

I love babies. But I’ve never been a huge fan of secret babies. In real life if a baby has to be kept a secret, at least one of the parents probably has some major issues and I don’t have much patience for people with issues either. (Other people, I mean. I’ve got plenty of my own. Those are okay because I try to keep them to myself.)

As a writer, however, a secret baby and parent(s) with issues proved an irresistible challenge to me. Children aren’t bargaining chips in adult relationships. How could I possibly make myself, let alone readers, like these people?

Enter Cass, Logan and little Olivia.

Cass has baggage. She had a terrible childhood, so when she becomes pregnant by a man she can’t find, she chooses to give her baby the childhood she never had. Her baggage makes her strong, not weak. Logan is a spy. When he ends up working undercover at Cass’s company and can’t tell her who he really is, he has to prove to her that he’s awesome despite what she sees as his reluctance to step up to the plate. Her world is pretty black and white, but everything about Logan’s is shades of gray. (Not that kind of gray. This book is PG.) Logan’s problem is that he wants Olivia—and Cass—desperately, but he can’t do anything about it until his investigation is over. And yet he can’t stay away from them either.

Olivia, however, is never used as a bargaining chip in Cass and Logan’s developing relationship. I couldn’t bring myself to go there. Children come first. Cass and Logan are united in their need to protect her.

So, my question for readers is: How do you feel about secret babies in romances? For or against?

Because, after I finished writing this story, I’m now definitely in favor. Olivia’s one lucky little girl to have parents this awesome.

About HER SECRET, HIS SURPRISE

Conflict of interest is an understatement…

Since being disowned by her strict father, Cass Stone has spent her adulthood trying to prove him wrong. Her drive has led to more success than her family ever thought she’d achieve, and life is looking great. Not even an incredible and mysterious one night stand that leaves her a single mom can trip her up...until the father of her baby stumbles back into her life, as sexy as ever.

Logan Alexander hasn’t forgotten the night he spent with Cass two years ago, but he never expects to end up undercover as her assistant. His job saves lives—like it should have saved his brother—and he can’t afford complications. It’s difficult enough to maintain his cover as a carefree wanderer when he realizes his attraction to Cass hasn’t faded...and then he meets Cass’s daughter.

**Note: this title was originally released July 14, 2014 and has been updated to be a closed door Bliss.

Buy HER SECRET, HIS SURPRISE: Kindle | BN.com | iTunes/iBooks | Kobo | Google Play | Amazon CA | Amazon UK | Amazon DE | Amazon FR

About Paula Altenburg

Multi-published author Paula Altenburg has written short contemporary romance, as well as fantasy and paranormal romance, for publishers Entangled, Tule, and Tor. Her Spy to Have, the first book in her new and exciting Spy Games series, marks her 13th published work of fiction. She lives in rural Nova Scotia, Canada, with her husband and two sons. Once a manager in the aerospace industry, she now enjoys working from home and writing fulltime.

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Comments

4 comments posted.

Re: Paula Altenburg | Secret Babies

First time reading Paula altenburg. I enjoyed reading the book
and will definitely try another book.
(Tammy Gowan 6:49pm April 20, 2016)

In reading, the secret baby makes a good story but not in real life.
(Melinda Marks 10:03pm April 24, 2016)

In real life, I would be appalled at a secret baby. But some of my favorite
romances include them. They can make for a delicious "just wait" feeling.
(Elizabeth Krentz-Wee 7:59am April 25, 2016)

I don't read a lot of secret baby books for the exact
reasons you mentioned. It's hard for me to be ok with
hiding a baby from a good guy, and hard for me to accept
the hero at all if he's such a bad guy a baby needs to be
hidden from him. I read the description of your book a
few days ago and was intrigued, though. The spy part of
it adds an aspect that could make it work.
(Heather Bokon 2:45pm April 25, 2016)

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