{"id":51560,"date":"2020-04-20T08:00:11","date_gmt":"2020-04-20T12:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=51560"},"modified":"2025-08-29T02:46:04","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T06:46:04","slug":"blog-tour-excerpt-arc-review-the-hardest-play-the-hardest-series-3-by-a-s-teague","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/?p=51560","title":{"rendered":"Blog Tour, Excerpt & ARC Review: The Hardest Play (The Hardest Series, #3) by A.S. Teague"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Hardest Play, an all-new emotional new-adult standalone from A.S.\u00a0Teague is available now!<\/strong><\/h4>\n

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Amazon US<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Amazon Worldwide\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n

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\r\n <\/div><\/div><\/strong><\/h4>\n
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Blurb<\/strong><\/h4>\n

It\u2019s easy to convince the world that you have it all.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m Quinn Miller\u00ad\u00ad\u2013\u2013record breaking running back, professional football\u2019s favorite rags-to-riches story, all-around good guy.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s not so easy? Repairing your reputation after mistakes both on and off the field\u00a0leave you labeled as a disgrace to the league.<\/p>\n

With only one team willing to give me a chance, I have no time for a relationship.
\nBut after one night with Georgia Reed, the hopeless romantic with fiery red hair and an\u00a0attitude to match, I\u2019m hooked.<\/p>\n

With Georgia cheering me on, it doesn\u2019t feel like the world is against me anymore.
\nThat is, until her father steps into the locker room as my new head coach.
\nFinding the woman of my dreams was the easy part; it\u2019s keeping her that will be the\u00a0hardest play of all.<\/p>\n

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Add The Hardest Play to Goodreads<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Review<\/strong><\/h4>\n

4 stars!<\/b><\/p>\n

This is the third book in The Hardest Series<\/i> about a group of college football buddies who are all grown up and playing in the NFL, finding their HEAs. Each of the books read as standalones, but as the characters are interconnected, I would recommend reading them in order (plus, it makes the cameos just that much more awesome!).<\/p>\n

Quinn Miller is a quieter member of the group. After a tragic upbringing, he has been the sole carer for his younger sister, Jamie, and though he showed great promise early in his career, his personal life has impacted his game and he has been dumped by his team and traded to Atlanta. It\u2019s not a great move for him, and he\u2019s struggling to fit in with his new team, but he is determined to concentrate on his game, turn his reputation around, and get back to being his best.<\/p>\n

Georgia Reed is a bold, intelligent and passionate woman who met Quinn a few years earlier at a friend\u2019s Christmas party (in a delightful twist, she\u2019s also the best friend of Piper, and sister of Lawson from [book:When You Became Mine|39796794] \u2013 and they both appear, so beware spoilers for that book). Their last meeting was brief but memorable, and when they run into each other again, Georgia is like a hurricane, bursting in to Quinn\u2019s life.<\/p>\n

There is flirting, there is banter, there is absolutely no game playing, and there is chemistry galore. The attraction is evident from the very beginning, and without any messing about, they throw themselves into a sweet, fun and sexy romance. It was gorgeous to watch, and I loved how no-nonsense and upfront they are with each other. It\u2019s definitely refreshing.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou blew into my life and I had to grab on for dear life, but now? I\u2019m not sure that I can let you go.\u201d <\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Their first hurdle comes along when they discover that Georgia\u2019s father has just been appointed as the head coach to Quinn\u2019s team\u2026 awkward! And then Quinn\u2019s personal drama resurfaces, throwing his new life into chaos, and leaving him floundering. It\u2019s a heartbreaking situation, and Quinn and Georgia definitely have a lot to wade through. They are both so heavily impacted by it all, and my heart broke for both of them. Quinn has been through hell, and watching him try to deal with everything is so sad, I just wanted to hug him so hard. But Georgia absolutely shines as his rock who is determined to stand by her man\u2019s side and support him through the darkness. It\u2019s a great dynamic, and it\u2019s both devastating and heartwarming as we watch them go through it all.<\/p>\n

Their drama only seems to strengthen their relationship, and I loved seeing them stand strong together. And the swoon! OMG, the swoon. Quinn melted me over and over. He\u2019s such a kind-hearted romantic, and I fell for him so hard. And Georgia was smart enough to recognise that and grab hold with both hands, and I loved that!<\/p>\n

Quinn\u2019s football buddies and Georgia\u2019s family are a big part of the book, and they bring a lot to the story. I loved seeing them all together, they brought a lot of laughs and a lot of heart. And the epilogue features all the boys together (from each of their POVs), and was just gorgeous!<\/p>\n

I loved this book. It\u2019s a sweet and easy read with a lot of depth, and I fell in love with these characters and their story. It reads like the end of the series, but there are still two friends left to have their stories told \u2013 both of them are fairly wild though, so I\u2019m not sure whether they\u2019re ready to settle down, we\u2019ll see.<\/p>\n

4 stars.<\/p>\n

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.<\/i><\/p>\n

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The Hardest Series<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"\" \u00a0\"\" \u00a0\"\"<\/p>\n

The Hardest Route (#1)<\/strong> (Griff & Brooke)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook <\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

The Hardest Hit (#2) <\/strong>(Aiden & Mel)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy: \u00a0Kindle Ebook<\/a> \u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n

The Hardest Play (#3) <\/strong>(Quinn & Georgia)
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Excerpt<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\u201cQuinn Miller? Is that really you?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I turned, and my eyes landed on a face that I hadn\u2019t forgotten. <\/span>\u201cGeorgia Reed.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Her lips parted in a smile that lit up her entire face, and she jumped from the stool she\u2019d been perched on next to where my sister had been sitting and threw her arms around my shoulders. \u201cI thought I saw you walk in earlier!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I wrapped my arms around her waist and gave a quick squeeze before pulling back and looking her up and down. <\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019d met Georgia last year at my best friend, Aiden\u2019s, Christmas party. Her brother was a famous orthopedic surgeon who\u2019d saved Aiden\u2019s knee after a devastating hit. The two of them had forged a friendship, and Dr. Hampton Reed had brought his sister along when he\u2019d been invited to the famous Shaw Christmas Party.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019d seen her from across the room that night, unable to miss the gorgeous auburn hair that she\u2019d let flow down her back. I\u2019d walked over to introduce myself, but her green eyes had sparkled when she informed me that she already knew exactly who I was. <\/span><\/p>\n

I wasn\u2019t sure what I\u2019d said after that, probably something ridiculous and cheesy, but we\u2019d spent the rest of the evening chatting.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHow ya been?\u201d I asked. <\/span><\/p>\n

She stuck the straw that was floating in a pink drink between her pink lips and lifted a shoulder. After a quick sip of a fruity cocktail she said, \u201cSame old. What
\nabout you? I heard you\u2019d been traded and was hoping I\u2019d run in to you sometime.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

I\u2019d completely forgotten that the Reeds lived in Atlanta, where my new team was, but suddenly, that shitty trade that I was forced to accept didn\u2019t seem so
\nbad after all.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cHey.\u201d I glanced over to where my sister was eyeing us, her lips pressed together to conceal what had to have been the biggest shit-eating grin ever and squinted at her before turning and looking back to where Georgia was still sipping her drink.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, I don\u2019t know much about this town. You\u2019re a local, right?\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat I am. Born and bred in the great state of Georgia. You know, my parents, they probably could have been a little more original when they named me.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAny chance you\u2019re free this weekend to play tour guide?\u201d I asked, hoping that I sounded fun and flirty and not like the pathetic loser that I felt like.<\/span><\/p>\n

Jamie choked on a laugh and tried to cover it with a cough. I swung my head in her direction just as she covered her mouth and quickly looked away from my death glare. God, my kid sister was an asshole.<\/span><\/p>\n

I felt fingertips on my bicep, forgetting my stupid sister immediately when I glanced down to see the perfectly manicured yellow fingernails that were resting on my arm. \u201cLet me make sure I am clear on what you\u2019re askin\u2019.\u201d Georgia\u2019s eyes were gleaming, and she stepped closer to me. \u201cNow, am I going to show you the popular clubs and bars, the parks to take your dog, and the restaurants that cater to locals, and then you\u2019ll thank me and we\u2019ll go about our ways? Or is this tour going to consist of me taking you back to my place, and before I know it, your lips are on my neck and my dress is around my waist?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

My mouth fell open and I sputtered. \u201cI, uh, I, what?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWell, you know at Aiden\u2019s Christmas party, after you kissed me\u00ad\u00ad\u2013\u2013\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWoah!\u201d I stepped back, her arm falling to her side. \u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Her head shook back and forth. \u201cI\u2019m not sure if I should be insulted or not that you are this clueless. We had a drink outside around the fire pit, and then you leaned in and kissed me, remember?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat is not at all what happened!\u201d I fired back incredulously. I\u2019d had a couple of beers that night, but I never let myself get so drunk that I would completely forget kissing the gorgeous woman standing before me.<\/span><\/p>\n

She frowned, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth, and I couldn\u2019t stop my eyes from watching the way she worked it. No, I would most definitely
\nremember if my lips had tasted hers. \u201cIt\u2019s not? Are you sure?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

My eyes bugged out of my head. \u201cI\u2019m pretty sure we didn\u2019t kiss. Think I would have remembered that.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cOh.\u201d She frowned. \u201cMaybe that\u2019s just what I hoped would happen.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

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About the Author<\/b><\/h4>\n

\"\"A.S. Teague enjoys the warmth of South Carolina with her husband and two daughters. The stereotypes about peach cobbler and sweet tea are not overstated. After years in the medical field, she is now enjoying every minute of being a stay-at-home mom. She loves wine, the beach, wine on the beach, and crying at Disney movies. When she doesn\u2019t have a book in her hand, she can be found pestering her husband with pictures of animals she wants to rescue, as well as debating whether to exercise or take a nap.<\/p>\n

Stay up to date by joining A.S. Teague\u2019s\u00a0MAILING LIST<\/a>!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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AMAZON<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0| \u00a0GOODREADS<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0| \u00a0FACEBOOK<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0| \u00a0TWITTER<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0| \u00a0INSTAGRAM<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n

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 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Hardest Play, an all-new emotional new-adult standalone from A.S.\u00a0Teague is available now!   Amazon US\u00a0 |\u00a0 Amazon Worldwide\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback   Blurb It\u2019s easy to convince the world that you have it all. I\u2019m […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":51244,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","yasr_overall_rating":4,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,9,58,29],"tags":[966,59,48,1149],"class_list":["post-51560","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-romance","category-sports-star","category-steamy","tag-a-s-teague","tag-arc","tag-review","tag-the-hardest-series"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/The-Hardest-Play.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7gaNL-dpC","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51560","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=51560"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/51560\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/51244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=51560"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=51560"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=51560"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}