A face-off—head vs. heart For Jake Badoletti, this year is all about his career. He has a rare second chance to make the most of being a pro hockey player, so no parties, no scandals. Too bad he's met a woman who could sideline those plans. Maggie Goodman is not his usual type—right down to being a single mom. Still, the sizzling connection with this gorgeous brunette can't be ignored.
With a little juggling and a lot of focus, Jake manages to have the game and Maggie. Then his performance on the ice suffers and a scandal erupts. Now he can't afford the distraction of Maggie…even if she is perfect for him.
Award-winning author, 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 (Go Devils, Man UTD, Exeter, ‘Skins!). 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.
A former marketing executive and primary teacher, Anna lives in Cambridge, England, with her husband and two bossy black cats. Learn more about Anna, her books and her shoes at www.annasugden.com . You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.
I am not normally a fan of sports-related romance, but I found this book to be a compelling read despite its hockey setting. The sports action actually advanced the plot and drove some of the things that happened in the book, so it wasn't like it was just tacked on. Plus, the heroine had a background involving professional sports in Britain, so she had issues relating to the fame surrounding sports figures. It was all handled very well and gave structure to the story, so I found myself really loving this sports romance. Nicely done!
My hockey streak continues, and in hunting the “Hockey Lists” on Goodreads, I found Anna Sugden’s A Perfect Distraction! (And that’s exactly what it was! I listened on Audible while I cleaned the house and forgot how much I hate cleaning!!)
Seriously though – Jake “Bad Boy” Badoletti is a fantastic Hero. He’s getting his life together, after a tragic accident killed his best friend. And Maggie is getting her life together after she left her abusive ass of an ex husband. Their characters are fantastic and they both live these indulgent lives that we all dream of. They work great together, because they both are keeping some of their past hidden (cliche, but fantastic) and they are both trying to get their stuff together.
This debut novel (HQN Super Romance) has me anxiously awaiting July’s A Perfect Trade – book number two! Anna Sugden’s writing is wonderful – she’s got her characters and her storylines well fleshed out. She’s got some hot romance going on, chemistry is fantastic! And she’s thrown in the perfect amount of sub-plots and side characters that I love! (Plus, it’s a hockey romance that features some playing!!) My only complaint? I wanted more time inside Jake’s head!
If you’re a fan of Sports Romance? Be sure to check out Anna Sugden! I promise you will love her writing, and I really hope to see her become a big name on the romance scene!
Chronique que je développerai dans le webzine. J'ai trouvé l'évolution de l'héroïne très cohérente. J'ai aimé le style de l'auteur et j'ai aimé l'histoire. J'attends la suite avec impatience.
After surviving a car accident that took one of his teammates, hockey player Jake Badoletti is taking his second chance to make some changes in his life. Those changes include losing the Bad Boy image he's earned over the years. Maggie Goodman has already made changes in her life, leaving an abusive ex-husband and finding a new life in New Jersey with her daughter and sister. She's not interest in dating athletes, and despite how handsome and fun he is, she's staying far, far away from Jake. Only Jake is determined to get the uptight Maggie to loosen up. This was a cute book and I liked the characters. 3.5 stars rounded up.
Une histoire parfaitement construite avec une relation qui se noue progressivement, un juste équilibre entre le monde sportif où évolue notre héros et la romance, deux personnages attachants à l'analyse très fine et un contexte qui tient la route. C'est un récit écrit sur un ton moderne extrêmement agréable, l'histoire de la rencontre d'un homme et d'une femme qui ont beaucoup en commun et des buts assez similaires, mais qui ont surtout un passé qu'ils essayent de changer.
Jack Badoletti et Maggie Goodman vont se rencontrer grâce à la sœur de notre héroïne Jenny qui se trouve alitée, elle devait faire signer un contrat pour le déménagement que sa société a fait pour Jack, hockeyeur vedette et star de retour dans sa ville d'origine. Maggie la remplace, elle vient de rejoindre sa sœur, accompagnée par sa fille afin de reconstruire sa vie ou plutôt se reconstruire après un douloureux divorce d'avec un un footballeur anglais violent . Même si quelque part elle regrette le luxe et les paillettes de sa vie d'avant, seul compte maintenant de se retrouver elle-même, elle est encore sur ses gardes, a perdu toute confiance dans les hommes. Son attirance pour Jack le " bad boy" la perturbe, elle ne veut pas repartir dans le même schéma.
Notre héros Jack a suivi le chemin classique du sportif devenu star d'une équipe, adulé par les fans et les femmes, il est tombé dans la facilité et les excès jusqu'au jour où un drame personnel a tout stoppé. En l'occurrence, un accident qui a coûté la vie à son meilleur ami et lui a laissé un profond sentiment de culpabilité. Remis de ses blessures physiques, il s'est promis de gagner la coupe Stanley pour son meilleur ami ce qui passe par un changement complet de vie, finit la vie facile, travail, entraînement et plus de femmes,sauf qu'il n'avait pas prévu sa rencontre avec Maggie Goodman.
Ils vont se revoir souvent et l'attirance est palpable, mais ils hésitent tous les deux, Maggie a dû mal à faire confiance, encore très marquée par les violences de son ex-mari, d'ailleurs elle réagit toujours difficilement devant les accès de colère de Jake qui la renvoie au passé. Quant à lui, il se sent indigne et déstabilisé, son jeu s'en ressent, tous les deux sont tellement emprisonnés par leur passé qu'ils ont du mal à s'ouvrir jusqu'au moment où des accusations mensongères et la menace de l'ex-mari ressurgissent.
J'ai beaucoup apprécié la façon dont l'auteure a choisi de construire cette relation, d'une manière naturelle et logique, la patience de Jack envers Maggie et la volonté de la jeune femme une fois qu'elle a pris sa décision. C'est vraiment une lecture plaisante et j'espère que la maison d'édition poursuivra cette série très prometteuse.
Vous aimez les histoires de seconde chance et de revanche sur la vie ? Vous craquez pour les romances en milieu sportif ? Alors vous devriez vous laisser tenter par cette sortie du mois, qui a été pour moi une jolie surprise !
Maggie est une femme sur la voie de la reconstruction. Après des années de souffrance, elle met fin à un mariage désastreux et violent et part rejoindre sa soeur aux Etats-Unis pour recommencer sa vie à zéro, avec sa fillette Emily sous le bras. Dès son arrivée, elle doit dépanner Tracy, coincée au lit après une opération, et s'occupe pour elle de l'installation en ville de la nouvelle recrue de l'équipe locale de hockey, les Ice Cats. C'est ainsi que Maggie rencontre Jake Badoletti, surnommé "Bad Boy" par les médias.
Jake est immédiatement attirée par elle, alors qu'elle est à des kilomètres de ses "standards" habituels, il est titillé par sa garde-robe BCBG un rien austère, il fait une fixation (charmante) sur ses boutons à chacune de leur rencontre. Maggie se méfie de lui, de son tempérament parfois fougueux. Ayant subi violences verbales et physiques de la part de son ex-mari, elle ne se sent pas prêt à (re)faire confiance à un homme, encore moins le laisser entrer dans sa vie et celle de sa fille. Jake a lui aussi ses raisons pour freiner cette relation, il est coincé entre son passé et son besoin de faire ses preuves sur la glace. Pourtant leur attirance mutuelle est indéniable et ils ont bien du mal à la mettre de côté.
J'ai trouvé plutôt réaliste le cheminement de Maggie envers Jake, ses craintes, ses doutes et ses reculades sont parfaitement justifiées. Je reste plus dubitative en qui concerne ceux de Jake...
La promesse d'une romance sur les patins est ici tenue puisqu'on retrouve l'univers du hockey à de nombreuses reprises : des matchs, des entraînements, des scènes dans les vestiaires ... Le "Code" de conduite, l'ambiance sur la glace, les "taquineries" entre joueurs ... Tout est là, et le mélange est habilement dosé même si je n'aurais rien eu contre des scènes supplémentaires ! cheesygrin Gros point positif donc, et ça m'a donné une furieuse envie de voir un match de hockey !
Les personnages secondaires sont bien présents, et on assiste aux prémices du couple du tome 2, qui sortira en VO le 1er juillet.
A single mother with an abusive ex-husband, Maggie Goodman struggles to ignore her growing attraction to Jake "Bad Boy" Badoletti, a pro hockey player with a history of trouble, both on and off the ice.
Thrown together by Maggie's job at Make Your Move, a relocation firm, Jake and Maggie take their time getting to know each other, skating around the issue of the sparks that fly every time they're in the same room. Trust and affection take time to build, and I really liked the way the author let it happen between these two characters without forcing it. Maggie doesn't want a bad boy in her life, and Jake doesn't think he deserves a good woman, until he falls hard for one. His patience with Maggie's damaged psyche made me want to stand up and cheer, and Maggie's growing faith in his kindness and integrity was a joy to read. Jake's public "bad boy" persona hides a good man beneath that hockey jersey, and Maggie's prim and proper image hides a warm, loving woman in need of a strong, dependable partner. They find each other in the end, of course (no spoiler here!), but it's the path they travel that makes a good story.
Very enjoyable read, and if you're a fan of pro hockey, then you're going to enjoy it even more!
Jake “Bad Boy” Badoletti is ready to return to his career in the NHL after an accident injured him and took the life of his friend, Adam. He’s vowed to be a better man – on and off the ice. A man that Adam would be proud of instead of the good-time charlie he’d been before. Being traded to a team in New Jersey was the first step. He’d be close to his family and what felt like home. Secondly, he hired “Making Your Move” to get him settled in – with a new home as well as a new homebody image. Read More
Ms Sugden has a wonderful start to the New Jersey Ice Cats series.
Jake and Maggie both have their own demons but the connection between them was worth fighting for. I particularly enjoyed Maggie’s journey. She made the difficult decision to leave an abusive marriage with her young daughter, Emily, and become a working single mother.
Starting a new relationship with this background can be quite complex. This was portrayed accurately and authentically with the interactions of Jake, Maggie and Emily and also the legalities of the custody issues.
A very engaging story and I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
Hockey star Jake, still recovering from injuries but determined to play to win, encounters Maggie, recently divorced from an abusive professional soccer player, and can't figure out why she is so wary of him. When he figures it out and can't get Maggie out of his head, he decides to pursue her and his game suffers. Or is THAT the real reason his play is less than stellar?
Hints about his back story generate accusations that he is involved in a drug scandal. How he's saved from indictment is tangled with how Maggie gets rid of her ex once and for all. A great read.
This is an amazing debut story by MS Sugden, I loved Jake and Maggie it is emotional and very sensual as they have a journey with lots of ups and downs to their HEA. Maggie has moved from England to The States after an abusive marriage and Jake has lots of demons from his past to get over and concentrate on his hockey game. It is filled with action and lots of love. A great story and I highly recommend this one it gave me hours of reading pleasure.
A Perfect Distraction is a fun read that keeps the reader hooked from page 1! Maggie has survived a horrific marriage and is starting her life over for her and her daughter, Emily. She does a favor for her sister which introduces her to Jake. Jake is known for his bad boy ways. Maggie is afraid to trust but in time maybe she can trust Jake? If she trusts him will he break her trust? To find out grab a copy. It is a great read and you will be hooked!!
This was a lovely, engaging story. I fell in love with both Jake and Maggie, and her daughter was adorable. All the characters were intriguing—I really hope Jenny gets her own story someday.
The situation felt believable. Even though from time to time I wanted to shake Maggie until she was convinced Jake is nothing like her ex, I could understand why she felt the way she did.
An adorable and heartwarming read about two people overcoming their pasts, having patience, growing trust, and finding hope. I was captured from the first page to the last. I only wish I could have all those shoes... and chocolate.
A Perfect Distraction by Anna Sugden is the first book in a wonderful series full of ice hockey, sexy players, adoring fans and lots of action. Both off and on the ice, this book draws us magically into this captivating and fantastic story.
Maggie Goodman left England and an abusive ex behind to protect her daughter and herself. In search of a better life for the two of them, she crossed the pond to be with her sister. Maggie vows to never put either of them in harms way ever again and begins to rebuild her life. There is an element of domestic violence and Anna tackles this brilliantly.
Jake “Bad Boy” Badoletti loves hockey but is unable to get over a tragic accident and the loss of his dear friend. A trade to NJ means re-locating and that’s never easy. A moving service was hired to ease Jake with the changes. What will happen when he sets his eyes on Maggie, the woman sent to help him with those needs?
If you’re looking for a fresh series that includes hockey, a team with sexy players that are a family both on and off the ice, then you must read this book. Anna’s attention to details is fantastic and her world of hockey is vivid, exciting and packed with hockey goodness.
I received this book from the author for a fair and honest review. I can’t wait to bring you each book in this series over the next few days. If you’re not a hockey fan you will be after you read this book. Now to go find a Cadbury Milk and biscuits, and dream of a few sexy New Jersey Ice Cats.
It's no secret I love a good hockey romance and this book definitely fits the bill. With the right amount of on-ice hockey action as well as off-ice, I got the best of both worlds as we meet the members of the New Jersey Ice Cats. As one of my biggest beefs in reading sports romances with inaccuracies from authors who don't spend too much time as a fan of the actual sport, I can assure you that this won't be the case with Anna Sugden books. Thankfully, as a true fan of the game, everything is written with not only accuracy but little details that makes me, as both reader and a fan, appreciate.
Add in fabulous characters and you have an amazing read on your hands. Both our hero, Jake, and our heroine, Maggie, come with their own issues but can't resist the attraction that sparks between the two. They both have reasons to not want to get into any sort of relationship but they are helpless against the magnetic pull. And that pull is palpable. Their attraction just fairly sizzles to the point where you can't help but want them to get together.
I quite enjoyed the book and can't wait to start in on Tru and Ike's books next.
My first book by Anna Sugden and I loved this book..I'm a hockey Fan...So I loved every minute of this book, and this book has heart and passion. Single mother Maggie Goodman was helping her sister Tracy out. All she had to do was interview Jake Badoletti of the New Jersey Ice Cats, and make sure his move went smoothly.
All Jake wanted was to go home...after a tragic accident happens to his team mate from another team, and the move to another he needs no distractions...He has to focus..
Jake was learning Maggie was becoming a perfect distraction...He learns two things that were very important to him...The game and Maggie, but one wrong move and he could lose out on something...What will happen? He becomes fond of her daughter Emily.
Jake and Maggie started to hang out a lot, well that's because she was trying to find him a place to live...Things got a little more serious. Maggie had to be careful. It was something that happened with her ex. She didn't want to ever relive.
Buy the book, and find out what happens between these two, and Maggie's daughter Emily. It's heartwarming...a little sad, but you'll see..