{"product_id":"play-the-game-by-sophie-thomas","title":"Play the Game by Sophie Thomas","description":"\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRelease date: July 2, 2026\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNaomi Sullivan is retired. Technically.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAfter an on-court injury took her out of the professional tennis tour just over a year ago, Naomi quietly made peace with the fact that her tennis career was over. And she’d always had a Plan B to be a physiotherapist; it just happened earlier than she planned. Nine years at the top wasn’t a bad run.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThat is, until a chance encounter with the current men’s tennis British Number One puts playing back on her radar, and the one thing she doesn’t have in her trophy cabinet.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAn Olympic gold medal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd with the Madrid Olympics just over a year away, now is her last chance.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSam Reed is too young to be jaded by his career, but on the cusp of twenty-five, that is exactly how he feels. Playing isn’t fun anymore, and the longer he’s on the tour, the worse his relationship with his dad—and coach—gets.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAccidentally slamming a ball into the coffee cup of one of the reasons he chose tennis in the first place might change that, though.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe proposition is simple: to double Naomi’s chances at winning gold, she and Sam should pair up for her final year on tour and play mixed doubles.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNaomi gets a chance to end her career on her own terms and in a hopeful blaze of glory. And Sam can remember that playing tennis shouldn’t feel like a chore, nor be his sole purpose in life.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAnd the two of them might find that their on-court partnership can also work off court.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Ingram","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47228027928745,"sku":"9781738568390","price":22.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0645\/3470\/8393\/files\/Image1_6684bf80-f3b6-4082-be20-3080f8d547c4.jpg?v=1782771319","url":"https:\/\/steamylitbookstore.com\/products\/play-the-game-by-sophie-thomas","provider":"Steamy Lit Romance Bookstore","version":"1.0","type":"link"}