Best Kept Secret by Maya Alden
Series: Savannah's Best #4
Published by Independant on December 11, 2024
Genres: Multicultural & Interracial Romance, Multicultural & Interracial Romance
Pages: 329
Format: eBook
Source: KindleUnlimited
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The truth about secrets? They always unravel.

I'm Beau Bodine, and someone's been keeping one hell of a secret from me.

Mira Sen shows up out of nowhere and drops a bombshell: she's been raising my daughter—her niece—for the past two and a half years. A daughter I didn't even know existed. I should be furious, and I am, but Mira's sister—who recently passed away—had convinced her I didn't want to have anything to do with my kid.

Mira and my daughter move in with me, and before I know it, we become a family. I fall hard for my little girl. Her aunt has gotten under my skin, too. Our age gap, my history with her sister...none of that seems to matter. I'm in deep and for the first time in my reprobate life, starting to dream of white picket fences.

But when Mira's conservative and influential parents tell me why they've been fighting for custody of their granddaughter, everything falls apart. They show me proof that Mira physically hurt my baby. I don't hesitate. I tell Mira to get the hell out of my house and my life.

Then the truth comes out, and I know I've screwed up. Big time.

By the time I find Mira, she's broken in ways I couldn't foresee or even imagine. I know it's my fault. I've got to fix this. But she's shut down and become someone I barely recognize. Now, I don't know if I'll ever be able to put her back together again.

Best Kept Secret is a billionaire secret baby forbidden romance and features all your favorite tropes:
🌼 Secret Baby
🌼 Sister's Boyfriend & Baby Daddy
🌼 Single Parent
🌼 Forced Proximity
🌼 Forbidden Love
🌼 Other Woman Drama
🌼 Age Gap (12 years)
🌼 Misunderstood & Uncovered
🌼 Betrayal & Grovel
🌼 Indian Heroine
🌼 No Cheating
🌼 Complete Standalone

Trigger Warning: Reference to past sexual abuse of a minor; on-page suicidal ideation and attempt.

This book really drew me in from the very beginning. Maya Alden has a gift for weaving drama, heart, and romance into a story that feels both juicy and emotional. While I haven’t read the previous Savannah’s Best books, I never once felt lost—this one works perfectly as a standalone while still carrying the weight of the series.

What I loved most was the tension between secrets and love. The way Alden slowly peels back the layers of hidden truths keeps you turning pages. It’s the kind of story that makes you wonder what you’d do in the same situation—would you tell the truth and risk it all, or hold back to protect what matters? That conflict gave the romance extra depth and kept me invested.

The pacing was steady and well balanced—just enough drama without tipping into melodrama. The characters were easy to root for, and I really appreciated how flawed but real they felt. Nobody was too perfect, and that made the relationship feel believable.

My only small critique is that a few secondary characters could have used a little more dimension, but overall this was an emotional and rewarding read. I’ll definitely be picking up more of Alden’s books after this.

🔥 Steamometer: 4/5 – Enough heat to satisfy romance lovers without overshadowing the heart of the story.