Anna Sugden - A Perfect Compromise

Theirs is a game of give-and-take...

Schoolteacher Issy Brandine has a plan to build a stable, secure future for herself. No settling for second-best. Anything more than a sultry Caribbean fling with hotshot hockey star Jean Baptiste Larocque isn’t part of the plan. A New Jersey Ice Cat with the ultimate hockey trophy in his sights won’t fit into her low-key lifestyle. Except a surprise pregnancy changes everything.

Issy knows her child deserves more than a part-time dad. With JB’s eyes on the championship that will redeem his career, compromise is out of the question. But love—and the baby between them—might prove that nothing is impossible.

“Penny for your thoughts.”

JB’s soft question startled her. Issy’s gaze shot up to meet his. There was nothing but mild curiosity in his dark eyes.

“You’ll be disappointed, trust me.”

“Let me make up my own mind on that.”

Damn it. She should have made something up. He wouldn’t give up until she told him.

“It’s hard to talk about. Personal stuff.”

He didn’t say anything for a moment. “We shared a lot of personal stuff in Antigua. Why is this any different?”

Her throat ached at his gentle tone and the understanding in his eyes. She had no choice. The time had come to tell him.

Dear Reader Dear Reader Title Page About the Author Dedication Acknowledgments CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN EPILOGUE Extract Copyright ,

Welcome back to the world of the New Jersey Ice Cats! It’s time for another dedicated and delicious hockey player to face off against a lovely but challenging woman who will turn his world upside down.

There are some characters who steal your heart the minute they appear in a series. Jean Baptiste “JB” Larocque captured mine when he skated onto the page as an arrogant rookie who caused trouble for Jake “Bad Boy” Badoletti in A Perfect Distraction. From what many of you have told me, and the number of requests I’ve received for JB’s book, I’m pleased that he’s one of your favorite characters, too.

I hadn’t planned for JB to redeem himself or to have his own story, but he had other plans! Of course, he had to wait until he’d grown up enough to be ready for love. And for the right woman to appear in his life. For sure, he didn’t expect that woman to be mousy, uptight Isabelle Brandine.

As for Issy, if anyone needed a little detour from the neatly laid-out path she’d created for her life, she did. And who better to provide that unintended detour than JB? All of which goes to show that sometimes the unplanned journey can yield the greatest pleasure and the person you least suspect is the one who makes your heart sing.

I love to hear from readers. Please contact me at anna@annasugden.com or via my website ( annasugden.com). You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter.

A Perfect Compromise

Anna Sugden

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Former marketing executive ANNA SUGDEN loves reading romance novels and watching films with happy endings. She also loves watching hockey and football, where she prefers a happy ending for her teams. When she’s not researching hockey players (for her books, of course), she makes craft projects and collects penguins, autographs and memorabilia, and great shoes. Anna lives in Cambridge, England, with her husband and two bossy black cats. Learn more about Anna, her books and her shoes at annasugden.com.

Dedication Dedication Acknowledgments CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN EPILOGUE Extract Copyright

For Laura and Julia, with love.

For Keith, love always xxxxx

Acknowledgments Acknowledgments CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN EPILOGUE Extract Copyright

Wanda Ottewell—who helped me become a better writer and without whom there wouldn’t be an Ice Cats series.

Jill Marsal—the best agent!

My gals—Beth Andrews, Terri Garey, Kathleen Long, Janice Lynn and Tawny Weber. I couldn’t do this without you.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text Theirs is a game of give-and-take... Schoolteacher Issy Brandine has a plan to build a stable, secure future for herself. No settling for second-best. Anything more than a sultry Caribbean fling with hotshot hockey star Jean Baptiste Larocque isn’t part of the plan. A New Jersey Ice Cat with the ultimate hockey trophy in his sights won’t fit into her low-key lifestyle. Except a surprise pregnancy changes everything. Issy knows her child deserves more than a part-time dad. With JB’s eyes on the championship that will redeem his career, compromise is out of the question. But love—and the baby between them—might prove that nothing is impossible.

Introduction “Penny for your thoughts.” JB’s soft question startled her. Issy’s gaze shot up to meet his. There was nothing but mild curiosity in his dark eyes. “You’ll be disappointed, trust me.” “Let me make up my own mind on that.” Damn it. She should have made something up. He wouldn’t give up until she told him. “It’s hard to talk about. Personal stuff.” He didn’t say anything for a moment. “We shared a lot of personal stuff in Antigua. Why is this any different?” Her throat ached at his gentle tone and the understanding in his eyes. She had no choice. The time had come to tell him.

Dear Reader Dear Reader Dear Reader Title Page About the Author Dedication Acknowledgments CHAPTER ONE CHAPTER TWO CHAPTER THREE CHAPTER FOUR CHAPTER FIVE CHAPTER SIX CHAPTER SEVEN CHAPTER EIGHT CHAPTER NINE CHAPTER TEN CHAPTER ELEVEN CHAPTER TWELVE CHAPTER THIRTEEN CHAPTER FOURTEEN CHAPTER FIFTEEN CHAPTER SIXTEEN CHAPTER SEVENTEEN CHAPTER EIGHTEEN CHAPTER NINETEEN EPILOGUE Extract Copyright , Welcome back to the world of the New Jersey Ice Cats! It’s time for another dedicated and delicious hockey player to face off against a lovely but challenging woman who will turn his world upside down. There are some characters who steal your heart the minute they appear in a series. Jean Baptiste “JB” Larocque captured mine when he skated onto the page as an arrogant rookie who caused trouble for Jake “Bad Boy” Badoletti in A Perfect Distraction. From what many of you have told me, and the number of requests I’ve received for JB’s book, I’m pleased that he’s one of your favorite characters, too. I hadn’t planned for JB to redeem himself or to have his own story, but he had other plans! Of course, he had to wait until he’d grown up enough to be ready for love. And for the right woman to appear in his life. For sure, he didn’t expect that woman to be mousy, uptight Isabelle Brandine. As for Issy, if anyone needed a little detour from the neatly laid-out path she’d created for her life, she did. And who better to provide that unintended detour than JB? All of which goes to show that sometimes the unplanned journey can yield the greatest pleasure and the person you least suspect is the one who makes your heart sing. I love to hear from readers. Please contact me at anna@annasugden.com or via my website ( annasugden.com ). You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter.