An irresistible romantic read sprinkled with warmth, pathos and humor, Anna J. Stewart’s Building a Surprise Family is an immensely enjoyable contemporary tale that is a struggle to put down.

Jo Bertoletti is a construction supervisor who doesn’t need anybody’s help. Even though she is pregnant, she is more than capable of getting things done by herself without needing anybody to step in and save the day. Jo is no damsel in distress and having had her heart broken once before, had vowed to give romance a very wide berth and not to ever trust any man ever again. Handsome firefighter Ozzy Lakeman might look like every woman’s idea of the perfect guy, but Jo is not about to fall for his generous spirit or heart-melting smile. Ozzy is firmly in the friend zone and nothing and nobody is going to convince her to look at him in any way that isn’t platonic. However, little did Jo realize that in the charming town of Butterfly Harbor, romance and happy ever afters are the order of the day…

Ozzy felt an immediate connection with Jo from the very first moment he clapped eyes on her. He is fully aware that Jo is not sticking around Butterfly Harbor and that she will be gone soon, however, he simply cannot get the pregnant construction supervisor out of his mind. The more he gets to know her, the more he is convinced that Jo is the woman for him – even if she insists that a relationship between the two of them is out of the question as she is only interested in being friends!

Will Ozzy be able to change her mind? Will he manage to convince Jo to stick around and build a forever family with him? Or should Ozzy prepare himself for disappointment?

A sweet and charming story that will make readers laugh and cry, Anna J. Stewart’s Building a Surprise Family is a delightful contemporary romance with a strong, fiery and independent heroine it is impossible not to root for and a dreamy hero who is absolutely gorgeous.

Anna J. Stewart’s Building a Surprise Family is a terrific tale about forbidden attraction, finding somewhere to belong and falling head over heels in love guaranteed to have readers counting down the days until they get to visit Butterfly Harbor again.

Ozzy Lakeman is as honorable as they come. At first he was a policeman in the small town of Butterfly Harbor, but he felt he had so much more to offer so he became a firefighter. Ozzy's kind and considerate nature goes a step further when Jo Bertoletti arrives in town to supervise a construction project. Her preganancy brings out Ozzy's protective nature, especially when he learns that she is alone and will soon be a single parent. Jo needs this current job in order to put some money away for the time she will need away from work when she has the baby.

However, there are issues on the site and this ratchets up Ozzy's concern for Jo and he is determined to help her in any way that he can. It doesn't take Ozzy long for him to realize that he not only wants to be Jo's friend, but so much more. In fact, he can easily see them all becoming a family. What about Jo? Can she continue to resist the connection that blooms between her and Ozzy? Would she be wishng too much to dream for something permanent with him?

Despite events that happen at the construction site, the pull of community is powerful and this no doubt goes a long way helping Jo to decide on her future. Also, there is something very special about Ozzy and in this story we see how he deals with baggage that might keep him from finding true love, and this is where Jo comes in with her own issues and proves to be perfect for him.

No doubt the entire Butterfly Harbor series was just as endearing as this book, Building a Surprise Family. I did not get a chance to read the previous books in the series, and this book did just fine as a standalone. However, the author does note that Ozzy appeared in the first and just about every book in the series thus far and in this book he finally got his chance for a HEA. I am excited for the next book in the series.

Many thanks to Harlequin Heartwarming and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I've heard good things about the Butterfly Harbor series, and after reading Building a Surprise Family, I completely understand the comments about wanting to live there. This is one of those places that's almost like a character in its own right. Then there are the many great characters in the book. Jo and Ozzy were likable separately and together, and the secondary characters were equally so. We do get a bit of those characters' backstories through various conversations, which helped with getting to know the town since I'm new to the series. That said, this one does stand alone - kind of. There's some mystery surrounding the construction site and a rather obvious hook for the next in the series. That didn't diminish my enjoyment of Jo and Ozzy's story, and I've fallen for this town and its inhabitants, so in addition to checking out the earlier books in the series, I'll be on the lookout for what comes next.

Building a Surprise Family is the tenth book in the Butterfly Harbor series and this is one I have been waiting for. I have not read all of these books, but in every one I have read, Ozzie was there. I have seen him change and grow, but he is always an integral part of Butterfly Harbor. It was great to see his story and his Happily Ever After. Jo Bertoletti has been hired as the Construction Supervisor of the Butterfly Sanctuary after the accident in the previous book. Only her friend, Leah Ellis, knows that she is a woman and a pregnant one at that. Jo shows up with her Little House in tow, ready to do a job and get her mind off the man who left her because he didn't want a child. The first person she meets is Ozzy Lakeman. Ozzy is a perfect gentleman, kind, considerate and willing to help if and when he is needed. It doesn't take long for the two of them to begin to have feelings for one another, but there are a few roadblocks in their way, one being the difference in their ages. Can Ozzy finally find his own HEA?

I absolutely love the community of Butterfly Harbor. The people are wonderful. They help each other, know everyone's business, work together and are like one big family. I would love to live there. It is a magical place. Ozzy is one of the good guys. He was a late in life baby who was pampered by his mother and the best way she knew to do that was to feed him. He was teased and bullied in school and eventually took his health seriously and is now a buff twenty something. He is a paramedic and firefighter, what more could you want in a hero. He does so much for others and wants to accolades and when he can, he does it in secret. No wonder Jo falls for him. Everything is not perfect in this story. There are things that both Jo and Ozzy have to get over and deal with in order for their relationship to move forward. There are happy times and some that made me want to yell at them for their actions. I loved their story, especially how the town embraces Jo and makes her long for a connection and a place to call home. With the encouragement of many, they finally get their Happily Ever After. If you enjoy a sweet, clean, romance, then pick up Building A Surprise Family or any book in the Butterfly Harbor series.

Jo Bertoletti is new in town, and pregnant. Not in need of heartbreak again, she is looking to start again. Ozzie Lakeman is a fireman in the town and is open, honest and friendly.

Butterfly Harbor, the town where the novel is set, is a beautiful place, but will Jo put down roots here?

I was drawn into the story and enjoyed every minute of it. Both characters have their flaws yet are well created by the author.

Building a Surprise Family is the first book I have by. Anna J.Stewart. I am coming in very late to the series as this is book ten, but I enjoyed it so much that I want to catch up with the rest of the series.

Thanks to Anna J. Stewart and Harlequin for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4 Stars

Building a Surprise Family is the 10th book in the Butterfly Harbor series. I haven't read any of the other books and it mostly held up as a stand alone. There are a lot of side characters that have back stories. Because Jo is new to town, we do get backstory for the other characters through conversations. I found this kind of helpful, yet it did slow down the story for me. I would have rather just had more of Jo and Ozzy together.

I loved Ozzy. He has worked hard to improve himself both physically nd professionally. I loved how he fell so quickly for Jo and did what he could to protect her. He worked hard to show her she didn't need to be alone any more My biggest complaint was that we are reminded of his weight loss over and over. That did get a bit old after a while. However, his insecurities came across as real. Jo also brings a lot of baggage to the relationship. I was rooting for her to realize she could find a home in Butterfly Harbor.

The book ends with a bit of a cliffhanger and no real resolution to who was trying to sabatoge the construction site. I'll have to keep my eye out for the next book to read what I assume is Gil's story. I'm hoping the mystery will be resolved then. I do recommend this one. It was a sweet and clean romance and a nice way to get me out of a slight reading slump.