Caroline Anderson - The Midwife's Longed-For Baby

A marriage worth fighting for

Obstetrician Nick Jarvis and midwife Liv had the perfect marriage—until not conceiving the baby they ached for tore them apart.

But separation has only compounded how much they need each other, and now they’re working together again, delivering babies every day! It could be their chance to rekindle their relationship, but only if they can rediscover the sheer joy of loving—the one thing that will make their marriage whole and give them the courage to try for a baby again.

Dear Reader Contents Cover Back Cover Text Dear Reader Title Page Booklist Dedication CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN EPILOGUE Extract Copyright ,

I felt moved to write this book to try and understand the rollercoaster of emotions that is infertility. My daughters are of an age when they and their friends are having families, and it seems that for quite a few of them the road is far from straightforward.

What do they go through? How do they feel? How on earth do they cope with the endless setbacks, the inevitable despair that every failed attempt at pregnancy must give rise to? And when it takes its toll—as it often must—what then?

For Nick and Liv, with a brilliant marriage and so much love to share, working in the business of babies means they are constantly surrounded by the ‘success’ of others whilst they are ‘failing’. And they do what many couples seem to do: they stop communicating, withdraw into themselves and in doing so destroy their marriage.

Do they miss each other? Yes. Do they miss the endless rounds of hope and despair? Not at all. And that’s the stumbling block. They aren’t happy apart, but they weren’t happy together.

So what now? I had to get them back together and throw them headlong into a situation where they have no choice but to talk. Enter fate—me playing God again and then sitting back and waiting for them to work it out.But it wasn’t easy for any of us.

Did I succeed? I hope so. I’ll let you be the judge...

Caroline x

The Midwife’s Longed-For Baby

Caroline Anderson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

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Books by Caroline Anderson

Mills & Boon Medical Romance

Yoxburgh Park Hospital

Their Meant-to-Be Baby

From Christmas to Eternity

The Secret in His Heart

Risk of a Lifetime

Mills & Boon Cherish

The Valtieri Baby

Snowed in with the Billionaire

Best Friend to Wife and Mother?

Visit the Author Profile page

at millsandboon.co.ukfor more titles.

For all those whose infertility stories have

touched my heart, and for the very many more whose

stories I have never heard but who are themselves

travelling this emotionally challenging road

with courage. My heart aches for you.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text A marriage worth fighting for Obstetrician Nick Jarvis and midwife Liv had the perfect marriage—until not conceiving the baby they ached for tore them apart. But separation has only compounded how much they need each other, and now they’re working together again, delivering babies every day! It could be their chance to rekindle their relationship, but only if they can rediscover the sheer joy of loving—the one thing that will make their marriage whole and give them the courage to try for a baby again.

Dear Reader Dear Reader Contents Cover Back Cover Text Dear Reader Title Page Booklist Dedication CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN EPILOGUE Extract Copyright , I felt moved to write this book to try and understand the rollercoaster of emotions that is infertility. My daughters are of an age when they and their friends are having families, and it seems that for quite a few of them the road is far from straightforward. What do they go through? How do they feel? How on earth do they cope with the endless setbacks, the inevitable despair that every failed attempt at pregnancy must give rise to? And when it takes its toll—as it often must—what then? For Nick and Liv, with a brilliant marriage and so much love to share, working in the business of babies means they are constantly surrounded by the ‘success’ of others whilst they are ‘failing’. And they do what many couples seem to do: they stop communicating, withdraw into themselves and in doing so destroy their marriage. Do they miss each other? Yes. Do they miss the endless rounds of hope and despair? Not at all. And that’s the stumbling block. They aren’t happy apart, but they weren’t happy together. So what now? I had to get them back together and throw them headlong into a situation where they have no choice but to talk. Enter fate—me playing God again and then sitting back and waiting for them to work it out.But it wasn’t easy for any of us. Did I succeed? I hope so. I’ll let you be the judge... Caroline x

Title Page The Midwife’s Longed-For Baby Caroline Anderson www.millsandboon.co.uk

Booklist Books by Caroline Anderson Mills & Boon Medical Romance Yoxburgh Park Hospital Their Meant-to-Be Baby From Christmas to Eternity The Secret in His Heart Risk of a Lifetime Mills & Boon Cherish The Valtieri Baby Snowed in with the Billionaire Best Friend to Wife and Mother? Visit the Author Profile page at millsandboon.co.uk for more titles.

Dedication For all those whose infertility stories have touched my heart, and for the very many more whose stories I have never heard but who are themselves travelling this emotionally challenging road with courage. My heart aches for you.

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

EPILOGUE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

‘LIV, HAVE YOU got a minute?’

She hesitated, about to say no, but Ben wasn’t one to waste time and if he wanted to talk to her...

‘If it really is only that? I need to check on a mum soon.’

‘That’s fine, it won’t take long. I just want to run something by you. Can we go in my office?’

His office?

‘Is this about Jen?’ she asked as Ben closed the door.

The fleeting smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. ‘In a way. Did you know she’s got cancer?’

‘Yes, Simon told me yesterday. I was gutted. She’s such a lovely person and it seems so unfair. He said they’re moving home so their families can help with the children while she’s having treatment. So what is it you want me to do?’ she asked, thinking flowers, a gift voucher, something for the kids—

‘Nothing, but what I do could affect you, because yesterday was Simon’s last day and his compassionate leave’s pretty open-ended so we need a locum, and I’d like to talk to Nick about it.’