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.
Nine months ago, Evie had one reckless, perfect night with Jasper Lawrence, the tall, tattooed firefighter who made her feel fearless for the first time in a long time. It was supposed to be a one-time thing. No strings. No consequences.
Until Jasper finds her again at the Maple Festival…in labor.
With their surprise baby.
A baby Evie didn’t even know she was carrying.
“Evie,” I said quietly. “Do you need me to call anyone for you?” She shook her head, her face tearstained. “The baby’s father?” I prodded.
She opened her red-rimmed eyes wide, her whole body trembling. “You,” she gasped. “You’re the father.”
From that moment on, Sap & Secrets pulls you in and does not let go. The baby reveal is chaotic in the best way, made even more intense by the fact that a murder is unfolding in the same small Vermont town at the very same time. It immediately sets the tone for a story that blends warmth, tension, and vulnerability—sometimes seamlessly, sometimes a little unevenly, but always with heart.
Evie is used to being on her own. She has PCOS and was told by doctors that pregnancy wasn’t possible. She grew up without support, carrying the emotional scars of a father who spent years tearing her down. Independence isn’t just a preference for her—it’s survival. When she escapes NYC for a fresh start in Maplewood, she’s finally building a quiet, stable life for herself. Friends. A job she loves. Peace.
Then everything explodes, literally, in a pizzeria.
Jasper, the firefighter who responds to the emergency, turns out to be the baby’s father. And from the moment he realizes it, he steps up in a way that honestly melted my heart. He doesn’t pressure Evie. He doesn’t push. He shows up, quietly, consistently, and with so much care it’s impossible not to swoon. He learns. He watches parenting videos. He reads books. He changes diapers, cooks meals, cleans the house, and sends coffee and pastries every morning.
“Warmth bloomed in my chest as I drank in the sight of him. If I didn’t know how impossible it was, I’d swear my heart grew a size. This was my child. My son.”
And when Evie needs space?
This man sets up a tent in her backyard and sleeps there every night, close enough to help, but never crossing her boundaries.
Jasper is pure golden retriever energy with the patience of a saint. A full cinnamon-roll book boyfriend who understands that love isn’t proven with big gestures, but with reliability. He plays the long game, hoping, quietly, for a chance to build a family with the woman he hasn’t stopped thinking about since that one night.
“I was powerless when it came to this woman. I’d give her anything and everything. Always.”
Evie, on the other hand, is the grump, and she has every reason to be. Watching her navigate postpartum emotions, body trauma, fear, and distrust felt incredibly real. After giving birth, she doesn’t feel beautiful or confident, and Jasper’s gentleness with her during that time was one of my favorite parts of the book. Their romance is a true slow burn. It’s cautious, tender, and earned. They have to learn who each other really are beyond that one passionate night, and the way their relationship unfolds feels natural and deeply relatable.
“He showed up, over and over again. He held me when I broke down. He built me up and hyped me up when life was daunting. I’d spent my life believing that I’d never find my person, and I’d resigned myself to being alone. Yet for weeks, my person had been sleeping in my backyard.”
Now, in full honesty, this was a 4⭐️ read for me, not a 5, and I’m being a little critical here. The murder-mystery subplot didn’t quite balance with the romance. At times it felt like it pulled focus away from what I cared most about: Evie and Jasper. I also felt that some of the end-of-book relationship conflict was introduced and resolved a bit too quickly, almost brushed past when I wanted more emotional payoff.
That said…I still devoured this book.
Sap & Secrets is warm, heartfelt, slightly twisty, and filled with characters you can’t help but root for. Jasper Lawrence deserves the world, Evie’s strength is inspiring, and their journey into unexpected parenthood was emotional in all the best ways. If this is the energy for the rest of the Maplewood series, I am absolutely ready for more.