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The Guy in the Middle (The Underdogs Book 3) Kindle Edition

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,582 ratings

An Amazon TOP #50 bestseller!

I was born to play and bred to win.
My priorities were instilled in me early on—family and football. Those ideals led me to TGU and a coach whose ironclad principles mirrored my own. With one last college season to play, my goal was singular—get drafted. By realizing my NFL dream, I could save my family, our ranch, and the only home I’d ever known. Two birds, one ball. Playing hard was my only option, but there’s always a wild card. For all of my planning and hard work, I never anticipated falling for the coach's daughter.
Harper was a fair catch, but who knew loving her could be the one play to throw my career before it started or that the weight of our secret would change the game.

The Underdogs Series order
#1 The Guy on the Right
#2 The Guy on the Left
#3 The Guy in the Middle

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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Lance and Harper are Perfection! Their journey isn't an easy one, but their undeniable connection and love for each other makes the progression that much better. And the chemistry that they have is like a 5 alarm fire just waiting to melt your Kindle." - Aundi, Musings of the Modern Belle

"The emotional journey this book took us on will stick with me for a while. I am going to miss these characters terribly, so rereads will have to take place often."
- Lindsey, Crazy Reader Chicks

"This is my favorite in the trilogy. And while Theo and Troy are hard to beat, Lance is definitely the champion."
- Boo Bibliophile

"By the epilogue I was SOBBING my guts out. Not because I was sad but because it was the end to a phenomenal series, seeing everything come full circle and because the epilogue was the best one I think I've ever read!"
- Kristi, Goodreads Reviewer

"In some ways, this story gives us an insight into real-life situations a little too real but that is how Kate Stewart writes she gives it all with every story."
- AJ's Book-reMarks

"I don't know how many times I cried my eyes out when reading this book. It contains so much emotions that you can feel them coming out of the pages. So much love, heartache, and so so much pain. Harper and Lance have a relationship that wasn't perfect, but they turned it into something that was breathtaking."
- Lexibookreview

"Her words blend together like alphabetical magic, her characters seem like they are decades in the making , so thought out, whole, perfectly imperfect. No matter what character we are shown , we can see a little of ourselves in each one."
- Between the sheets book reviews

"What a perfect ending to this phenomenal series! Kate brings all the emotions with this final book. You do not want to miss a single page of this emotionally packed story with an epilogue that will leave you smiling for days. I can't remember the last time I read a series with this much heart!"
- Jewel E. Ann, Amazon bestselling author

"What I absolutely LOVE about this entire series is that no two books are alike. Theo and Lanie's friends to lovers romance was refreshingly funny but still heavy where it mattered most. Troy and Clarissa's second chance love story was painstakingly romantic and deliciously angsty. But with Lance and Harper's breathtakingly brutal forbidden romance,
KATE STEWART CAME OUT SWINGING. My new favorite Kate Stewart novel to date and one of the best books I've read, period." - Jessica, Angie & Jessica's Dreamy Reads

"Kate has an uncanny sense of ripping your heart out with her words. This story is bursting with emotions, from gloomy to scintillating, kisses to Heartbreak, there's a flavor for every season, every situation. Be prepared to be utterly devastated, like on your last breath choked with tears. Such is the power packed in this book. I think this is the most deep and angst- filled book of this series.I am run out of words to praise Kate Stewart. This book was a perfect ending to a phenomenal series.NOBODY can capture the nuances of love and devotion like she can."
- Shabby, BookBistroBlog

"I can honestly say that The Guy in the Middle is the part of Underdogs series I love the most, although it's more emotional and angsty. Kate got me hooked from the very first page with this second chance romance and I couldn't put it down!"
- Weronika, Little Steamy Reads

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0857JVRWV
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ KLS PRESS LLC (February 26, 2020)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 26, 2020
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 1.5 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 428 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 2,582 ratings

About the author

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Kate Stewart
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USA Today bestselling author and Texas native, Kate Stewart, lives in North Carolina with her husband, Nick. Nestled within the Blue Ridge Mountains, Kate pens messy, sexy, angst-filled contemporary romance, as well as romantic comedy and erotic suspense.

​Kate’s title, Drive, was named one of the best romances of 2017 by The New York Daily News and Huffington Post. Drive was also a finalist in the Goodreads Choice awards for best contemporary romance of 2017. The Ravenhood Trilogy, consisting of Flock, Exodus, and The Finish Line, has become an international bestseller and reader favorite. Her holiday release, The Plight Before Christmas, ranked #6 on Amazon’s Top 100. Kate’s works have been featured in USA TODAY, BuzzFeed, The New York Daily News, Huffington Post and translated into a dozen languages.

Kate is a lover of all things ’80s and ’90s, especially John Hughes films and rap. She dabbles a little in photography, can knit a simple stitch scarf for necessity, and on occasion, does very well at whiskey.

Contact Kate: authorkatestewart@gmail.com

Newsletter signup: https://www.katestewartwrites.com/contact-me.html

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
2,582 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story engaging and relatable. They appreciate the love, passion, and emotional content. Readers enjoy getting to know the characters and appreciate the author's character development. The writing quality is praised as fantastic and phenomenal. The humor and connection between the characters are appreciated.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

79 customers mention "Ending"73 positive6 negative

Customers enjoyed the ending of the book. They found the story relatable and emotional, with a great plot and twists. The characters were described as relatable and the emotional journey was incredible. Overall, readers felt the book wrapped up the series in an epic way.

"...This is an underdog romance to end them all. This is a story where the obstacles are so enormous, none of these characters ought to come out on top...." Read more

"...Overall View The Guy in the Middle is a story of working through trauma, fighting for love no matter the risk and coming out on top after..." Read more

"...This story is a lot about self love, the love that makes you accept your deficiencies and emphasize the great things about you...." Read more

"...I also really loved how the ending is written - we get to catch up w/ Theo, Laney, Troy & Clarissa from each of their POVs & that was FANTASTIC!..." Read more

37 customers mention "Love"37 positive0 negative

Customers enjoyed the book's love story. They found it sweet, emotional, and full of passion. The book touched on the value of true love and the need to keep fighting for it.

"...And yet they do, somehow, against all odds, they do and it is BEAUTIFUL. BREATHTAKING. UNFORGETTABLY PAINFUL but so freaking PERFECT...." Read more

"...the love that makes you accept your deficiencies and emphasize the great things about you...." Read more

"...love the way they met & connected & that they GOT each other & encouraged each other. And I was heartbroken along with them at the way it ended...." Read more

"...The writing is excellent, drawing you in and getting you hooked on this complicated relationship...." Read more

33 customers mention "Emotional content"33 positive0 negative

Customers find the book emotional. They say it has heartache, laughter, love, and angst. The journey makes them laugh and cry, and is well worth the tears as they fall in love with each other.

"...This book GUTTED ME. It hurt so good and anyone who knows me knows that this is EXACTLY the kind of romance I'd sell my soul for...." Read more

"...But let me start at the beginning. This book was so chock-full of angst and emotions with a touch of humor that this author is known for...." Read more

"...It had the perfect amount of angst, heartache, and emotion. It's a beautiful second chance romance you don't want to miss out on...." Read more

"...Lance is quiet, broody and keeps to himself. All he has time to focus on is football, school and family obligations...." Read more

24 customers mention "Character development"24 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy getting to know the characters. They appreciate the author's effort to develop each character so they become friends.

"...There's no doubt that there's some great chemistry between the characters, but I wasn't always convinced that they were meant to be...." Read more

"...These characters are so full and the storyline is very well written. It’s just a great book. This series has been phenomenal...." Read more

"...and I am always at awe on how the author make such these special complex characters which will made you wonder if what happened to Lance and Harper..." Read more

"...Tender, sweet, hard, steamy Mami! Beautifully crafted characters, great plot, with a few twists and turns you don't see coming- humor & great sx..." Read more

18 customers mention "Writing quality"18 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the writing quality of the book. They find it well-written and engaging, with fantastic dialogue, character connections, humor, and angst. The book is described as a solid read that can be read independently.

"...The writing is excellent, drawing you in and getting you hooked on this complicated relationship...." Read more

"From college to forever. The ups and downs written beautifully. Kate Stewart has yet to disappoint. I enjoyed the ride ." Read more

"...The overall writing was absolutely effective because I cannot put my Kindle down...." Read more

"...Her writing does that. It’s personal, it’s connecting, it’s written well, it’s asskicking, it’s all Kate Stewart...." Read more

17 customers mention "Humor"17 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the humor in the book. They find the journey entertaining, with funny quips and real issues.

"...It wraps up everyone's stories in the most blissfully entertaining manner, reminding the reader of exactly where it all began, in a little blue..." Read more

"...Enemies to lovers, some great laughs and to top it all of second chance that will blow your mind. It’s jammed with emotions...." Read more

"...It was full of so many life lessons they learned. Their journey made me laugh, brought me to tears and had me swooning...." Read more

"...I have loved every breath taking moment, all the laughter, love and tears...." Read more

7 customers mention "Connection"7 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the connection and chemistry between the characters. They find the book engaging, with its focus on relationships and friendships. The characters form a forever friendship that readers can relate to.

"...I love the way they met & connected & that they GOT each other & encouraged each other. And I was heartbroken along with them at the way it ended...." Read more

"...The writing is excellent, drawing you in and getting you hooked on this complicated relationship...." Read more

"...Her writing does that. It’s personal, it’s connecting, it’s written well, it’s asskicking, it’s all Kate Stewart...." Read more

"...I liked the friendship and love between them. And how alike they were without realizing it...." Read more

15 customers mention "Pacing"10 positive5 negative

Customers have different views on the pacing. Some find it engaging with intense fight scenes and emotional moments. Others describe it as a struggle from start to finish with many complications along the way. The story is described as difficult, frustrating, and impossible at times.

"...where you know the victory will be well earned, hard fought, deliciously satisfying... but still, you're more addicted to the pain, the blows, every..." Read more

"...It's a struggle from start to finish with many complications along the way, but Kate Stewart's fantastic writing keeps you turning the pages without..." Read more

"...What I loved most about this story was the way these two fought for one another...." Read more

"...Kate Stewart has yet to disappoint. I enjoyed the ride ." Read more

This forbidden second chance romance hit me with a wicked one-two-punch to my heart.
5 out of 5 stars
This forbidden second chance romance hit me with a wicked one-two-punch to my heart.
The Guy in the Middle by Kate Stewart broke my heart and put it back together one painful piece at a time. I loved the other two books so much, but the last book in this series was INCREDIBLE. This forbidden second chance romance hit me with a wicked one-two-punch to my heart. I shed a few tears, and if my heart could actually form a smile, this book would have made it happen. The ending was so epic. All of the characters from the previous books made a special appearance allowing the conclusion to end with a real solid full-circle feel. I wanted to scream “Win, Lance, win!” at the end. I wanted Lance to win Harper’s heart, his match, and be the man he was destined to be. Lance and Harper's story is about sacrifice, second chances, and the beauty of true love. One-click this book and the first two books in the Underdog series.
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on February 27, 2020
    Omgggggg, this was THE BEST EVERRRRRR. A TKO. Rounds and rounds of sparring, jabs, festering wounds and emotional haymakers. The Guy in the Middle follows a fighter and a dancer as they maneuver through an achingly beautiful bout of push and pull while delivering combination punches straight to the heart. This is a story rich with heartache and defeats, unexpected victories and a relentless barrage of phantom gut punches. It's a true underdog tale that dragged me through an emotional ringer leaving me KTFO by how much I LOVED IT. This was EVERYTHING, a passionate story so completely my jam. I loved it so hard.

    What I absolutely LOVE about this entire series is that no two books are alike. Theo and Lanie's friends to lovers romance was refreshingly funny but still heavy where it mattered most. Troy and Clarissa's second chance love story was painstakingly romantic and deliciously angsty. But with Lance and Harper's breathtakingly brutal forbidden romance, KATE STEWART CAME OUT SWINGING. This is a story of moments, decisions that changed lives in a blink. This is a story of what true love really looks like when the gloves come off and the filters are removed. I swore with each new underdog romance in this series that it was THE BEST EVER, that it was my absolute favorite yet. But I hadn't yet known. I did not know what was in store for Harper and Lance and HOLY Eff You See Kay, Kate Stewart did not come to play. 

    This book GUTTED ME. It hurt so good and anyone who knows me knows that this is EXACTLY the kind of romance I'd sell my soul for. The kind of romance that feels both impossible and inevitable, the perfect brand of romance that goes down both bitter and sweet, the kind that sears deep, that you just feel every ounce of. This is the kind of romance where you know the victory will be well earned, hard fought, deliciously satisfying... but still, you're more addicted to the pain, the blows, every moment of agonizing uncertainty, every knock down drag out moment of defeat along the way. I'm an absolute addict when it comes to this level of pleasure pain, this degree of push and pull. I was here for all of it and I'll crave another taste of this sweet ache forever. 

    This is an underdog romance to end them all. This is a story where the obstacles are so enormous, none of these characters ought to come out on top. And yet they do, somehow, against all odds, they do and it is BEAUTIFUL. BREATHTAKING. UNFORGETTABLY PAINFUL but so freaking PERFECT. This is what a romance should feel like. This is what the grand finale of a series should taste like. It wraps up everyone's stories in the most blissfully entertaining manner, reminding the reader of exactly where it all began, in a little blue house where three roommates each faced struggles no one knew about. This finale scored every hit intended. I'll be replaying lines and scenes in this book on a highlight reel in my mind for ages to come. By unanimous decision, this book is my new favorite Kate Stewart novel to date and one of the best books I've read, period.
    12 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on November 5, 2023
    This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.

    Book Evaluation:
    Plot: 🎞️🎞️🎞️🎞️
    World Building:🌎🌎🌎🌎
    Cover:📔📔📔📔
    Hero: 🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻🦸🏻
    Heroine:🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️🦸🏻‍♀️
    Intimacy Level: 🔥🔥🔥
    Relationship Building: 💒💒💒💒
    Heart & Feels:💞💞💞
    Witty/Banter/Reaction of Laughter: 😂😂😂😂
    Page Turner Level:📖📖📖📖
    Ending:🧧🧧🧧🧧
    Overall View: ✨✨✨✨

    First Impressions
    The Guy in the Middle is the third book in the "Underdogs" series by Kate Stewart. This was also my first Kate Stewart. I was looking for a football romance, and this one was at the top of the list and I was intrigued enough as this is an author that I have been to read for ages and I know that this series is very highly loved. I did find it interesting to see how this story developed. I had no expectations going into this book but this one is a long one for sure so keep that in mind when reading it. And it didn't need to be almost 500 pages lol it definitely could have been shortened to 350. But overall I really enjoyed this couple and seeing them work their way towards their HEA. Even though this is the third in the series, I do think you can read these books as standalones as I didn't really feel lost or anything but I am intrigued by the other couples and would love to get to their stories.

    First Line
    Sweat skates down every muscle, every crevice, every solid indentation on the wall of his massive chest.

    The Main Protagonists
    The Hero: Lance
    -Rancher
    -College Student
    -Struggling with aspects of PTSD and Anger Management
    -MMA fighter in training

    The Heroine: Harper
    -Dancer/Ballerina
    -College Student
    -Daughter of Football Coach
    -Jewish Faith

    Summary
    Harper and Lance meet in the most unlikely place...at night in the gym where their mutual friend owns and runs it. They have one entanglement but chemistry is strong between them and thus start a short fling but when Harper's father finds out she is dating one of his players, and the news gets out, Harper is forced to end things with Lance without giving him the full truth on why she is abandoning what they have. Lance is willing to fight for her but Harper leaves him to go dance in NYC and travel Europe. When Lance and Harper are brought back together, Harper will need to come clean to Lance and to prove that she is willing to fight for their relationship. But earning her way back into Lance's heart won't be easy after trampling on it...

    What I Loved
    First off this is a HEROINE having to do the grovel and I soaked it up like a sponge. We get so many books where the hero wrongs the heroine so it was just so refreshing to have the heroine being in the wrong and have to work at it to earn back that trust she lost with Lance. But also this is the second book in two weeks where the heroine has family in the Jewish faith and I really loved that. From my observation she isn't really in the faith or she wouldn't be having sexual flings with athletes lol But it was very interesting to see how this was being developed. The romance between them is so full of back to forth angst. Through more than half of it through the hero is fighting for the heroine. There are many things he doesn't know on why she keeps rejecting what they have together. So my heart bled for him because he puts his heart and soul out there for her and to be honest she does stomp on it. So I loved that Troy gets involved and becomes her "grasshopper" and convinces her to fight for Lance like he has been doing for her. But she has a battle, because she has lost all trust with him and he is working through many issues other than their relationship and she will have to fight hard to get him back with her but how she fights for him and his family was beyond endearing. I wasn't really a fan of how long this book was and the drawn out angst wasn't my favorite element in the story. But I just ended up loving this romance and this couple so its definitely a solid 4 stars for me.

    Overall View
    The Guy in the Middle is a story of working through trauma, fighting for love no matter the risk and coming out on top after facing adversity and embracing your heart's desire.....TRULY A SHINING STAR OF NA ROMANCE!

    Book Details (also in my shelves)
    Sub Genre: Contemporary Romance, New Adult
    Character Types: Groveling Heroine, Athlete, Dancer, Cowboy, Plain Jane
    Themes: Football, Angst, Country/Ranch
    Tropes: Forbidden Love

    Book Perspective
    Duo POV

    Relationship Conflict vs Plot Conflict
    A Mix of Both

    Song This Book Inspires
    Never Met a Girl Like You Before by The Insects

    Recommendation For Reading Order
    Can be read as a standalone

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • JLL81
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!
    Reviewed in Canada on March 21, 2024
    What a great read! So emotional but I loved loved the ending! So so good! Definitely a must read people, the whole series!!😍😍
  • Ellen
    5.0 out of 5 stars A história mais inesperada
    Reviewed in Brazil on October 27, 2020
    Os três livros da série são gostosos de ler e em alguns momentos te fazer rir, mas esse tem alguns momentos mais tristes. Ao mesmo tempo em que você sente o amor em todas as páginas. Mesmo quando tudo está dando errado. E quando a gente menos espera, tudo se revela e é lindo sentir toda a dor dos personagens e como eles encontram forças pra se reerguer. Amei ler esses livros, mas também sofri 😅
    Report
  • Eberland
    5.0 out of 5 stars i loved this series
    Reviewed in France on February 6, 2022
    Once again Kate Stuart just got my stomach in knots. The kind with butterflies, and stress and all the feels possible. This series was amazing. Thank you for yet again a must read
  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars My favourite series EVER!!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on February 28, 2020
    Where to start! Jeez. Okay, I’m not gonna lie, I cried buckets over this book. I mean really ugly hardcore tears. Never have I felt so connected to characters in a novel but Kate has managed it with all six couples of the underdogs series. In places, I had to put it down as I couldn’t see the words through my tears.

    Lance and Harper’s story is epic. Like seriously, EPIC. You’re on a rollercoaster ride never wanting to get off. Their struggles touched my heart. I loved that Harper wasn’t beautiful in everyone’s eyes but was in Lance’s. This book was true love against all odds and I felt every angst and emotion through every page.

    I don’t know how Kate Stewart does it, but she manages to create characters that you instantly bond with and that jump off the pages. Not only the leads, but secondary character too.

    What I most loved about this (apart from the tear jerking ending) was how all six characters from previous series played a part. Just reading how their lives are now had me smiling from ear to ear.

    Honestly, I can’t begin to relay how much I adore these books. It’s a masterclass in writing. I highly recommend this series as it will break you and slowly put you back together, leaving you fulfilled. Gah, they’re so frickin good!

    Okay, so I have one request now that it’s all over.
    Kate Stewart, please please please do a Girl on the Right, Girl on the Left and Girl in the Middle series!!!!!
    That would blow all of your readers minds. I’m desperate for Parker’s story too. You know she has one. 😉

    Thanks so much for your wonderful words. I eagerly wait for your next work. Much love. Xxx
  • Claypot_reads
    5.0 out of 5 stars 2020 Top Read ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
    Reviewed in Australia on February 29, 2020
    This one is a 2020 Top Read for me. Absolute perfection.

    Lance and Harper’s story was a raw and honest take on what happens when you find the love of your life when you don’t actually love yourself. How do you believe in forever if you don’t think you deserve your HEA. How society skews our view of ourselves in the worst possible way. I bawled my eyes out in this one. As in full on ugly cried.

    It’s not a pretty love story. These characters hurt each other, they pushed each other and ultimately they brought out the best & worst in each other.

    It’s the kind of book I know I will think about for a long time. It’s a really special story and a fantastic way for this series to end.

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