Secret baby trope recs that the mom has good reasons to keep the kid from dad
I’ve been reading a lot of secret baby trope or surprise baby trope and the fmc keeps or tries to keep the dad away from the kid for stupid af reasons. In one book, fmc didn’t know she was pregnant until she went in to labor and mmc was the paramedic that was called in to help. As soon as she says the baby is his, he’s full blown daddy mode. Buys a car seat, is trying to (fmc makes it very difficult) see to baby and fmc’s every need, watches YouTube videos on how to take care of a baby, starts making plans so baby can live with him part time once he’s old enough. He fights his siblings about getting a court ordered dna test and custody arrangement because he wants to build a good co-parent relationship and doesn’t want her to think he doesn’t trust her. Hell, after their one night stand, he wanted to be with the fmc but she was the one who turned him down. The whole book she tries pushing him away, saying that he’s just going to leave them anyway. She dos have some family trauma, but that’s his kid that he loves on sight and wants to have a relationship with. He’s never given her any reason for her to think he’s not fully in. Another book, she keeps the baby a secret because his parents don’t want her and the baby to ruin his career (hockey). Another, they meet after years apart because they lost contact. I think he was forced to move (they were in high school when she got pregnant) and somehow his address wasn’t written down correctly. After they meet back up, she doesn’t tell him the kid is his even though he’s spending tons of time with them both because she wants him to “love her for her and not the kid”.
With that being said, I need some secret baby/surprise baby books that have really good reasons for dad not knowing about the kid. I don’t like bdsm of any sort, dark romance, mafia, or bully romance. I’m okay with reverse harem, contemporary, sports, etc. I would also appreciate it if you could give me the reason dad doesn’t know about the kid in your recs, I’m absolutely okay with spoilers. Thank you!
Posted Feb 16, 2026, 8:28 PM UTC