Book Review: The Fire Chief’s Surprise by Chris Maday Schmidt

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Welcome to the Blog + Review Tour for The Fire Chief’s Surprise by Chris Maday Schmidt, hosted by JustRead Publicity Tours!

About the Book

Title: The Fire Chief’s Surprise
Author: Chris Maday Schmidt
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: July 1, 2025
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance

He wasn’t looking for love…

Until one little boy came into his life.

Fire chief Josh Rogers has just three months to get married or risk losing custody of his late foster brother’s infant son. So when Annie Greene offers to help him find a wife in exchange for repairs at her bakery, it seems like the perfect solution. As the three spend time together, Josh can’t help but feel that Annie’s the only person he can picture filling the role of Finn’s mother. But can they set aside their past insecurities and embrace a chance at happily-ever-after?

PURCHASE LINKS: Goodreads | Harlequin | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | ChristianBook | Bookshop | BookBub

Also Available

About the Author

Connect with Chris by visiting chrismadayschmidt.com to follow her on social media and subscribe to email updates.

My review:

It’s kinda hard not to fall in love with a man willing to become an instant father so Annie was already fighting a losing battle when it came to Josh. This was such a sweet romance and I loved the depth of feeling that developed between them, not just for each other but for Finn. Apparently Annie and Josh met in the previous book in the series. Now I have to go back to read it because it sounded like a fun meet-cute. While I was surprised and didn’t care for what transpired between Josh’s friends, I had to applaud the way he handled the situation. Ultimately, I really loved the inspirational message woven into this romance.

What I enjoyed most about this book: 

Sweet romance combined with good inspirational message

What I didn’t like about this book:

The occasional feeling of missing something because I hadn’t read the previous book in the series

Would I recommend this book to others? Yes. Sweet romance, wonderful characters, good biblical theme. This is the second book in the series. I would recommend reading the first book in the series before this one.

Note: I received this book complimentary as a participant of the JustReads reviewer tour. I was not required to give a positive review. All of the opinions I have expressed here are honest and my own.

-Loraine Nunley

Tour Giveaway

(1) winner will receive a Reader’s Prize Bundle which includes a scented candle, bookmark, and bookish socks, glass cup, and canvas bag, as well as a print copy of A Father’s Vow, also by Chris Maday Schmidt!

Full tour schedule linked below. The giveaway begins at midnight July 1, 2025 and will last through 11:59 PM EST on July 8, 2025. Winner will be notified within 2 weeks of close of the giveaway and given 48 hours to respond or risk forfeiture of prize. US only. Void where prohibited by law or logistics.

Giveaway is subject to JustRead Publicity Tours Giveaway Policies.

Enter Giveaway

Follow along at JustRead Tours for a full list of stops!