THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS | A MUST READ FOR ANY ROMANCE BOOK LOVER

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

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Do you love to read sports romances?

I have many favorite romance book tropes, but SPORTS ROMANCES have always been one of my most favorite. There is just something special about a love story about a professional athlete. Maybe the ever present pressure to succeed. Being in the spotlight. And the often forbidden attraction and the palpable tension that comes with it.

Whatever it is, I love it. And it’s next to ENEMIES TO LOVERS the trope I’m drawn to the most. And because I know that many of my fellow romance readers love sports romances as well, I thought I’ll make a list of my most favorite sports romance novels. A list with books for everyone.

Some of these books are part of a series, but all can be read as a standalone. I’m going to group them by sport for easier browsing. Just click on any of the sport groups below.

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

ICE HOCKEY

WRESTLING

FOOTBALL

BASEBALL

TRACK

GYMNASTIC

SNOWBOARDING

BASKETBALL

ICE SKATING

SCOCCER

RUGBY

BOXING

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

ICE HOCKEY SPORTS ROMANCES

The Year We Fell Down by Sarina Bowen

(The Ivy Years #1)

This was my very first novel by Sarina Bowen and still is my most favorite next to her MM novels. But my love for her books started with this book. It’s a NA college sports romance. Both MC’s are ice hockey players, and both are on crutches when they meet. I loved the unique premise, and the friends to lovers trope really worked for me. Honestly I loved all of it, and have read it multiple times since then. Heroine is disabled.

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The sport she loves is out of reach. The boy she loves has someone else. What now?
 
She expected to start Harkness College as a varsity ice hockey player. But a serious accident means that Corey Callahan will start school in a wheelchair instead.
 
Across the hall, in the other handicapped-accessible dorm room, lives the too-delicious-to-be real Adam Hartley, another would-be hockey star with his leg broken in two places. He’s way out of Corey’s league.
 
Also, he’s taken.
 
Nevertheless, an unlikely alliance blooms between Corey and Hartley in the “gimp ghetto” of McHerrin Hall. Over tequila, perilously balanced dining hall trays, and video games, the two cope with disappointments that nobody else understands.
 
They’re just friends, of course, until one night when things fall apart. Or fall together. All Corey knows is that she’s falling. Hard.
 
But will Hartley set aside his trophy girl to love someone as broken as Corey? If he won’t, she will need to find the courage to make a life for herself at Harkness — one which does not revolve around the sport she can no longer play, or the brown-eyed boy who’s afraid to love her back.

Him by Sarina Bowen, Elle Kennedy

(Him #1)

Here we go, my love for all things MM started with this author duo. I’m in love with Wes and Jamie and if you haven’t read this duet (plus Christmas novella) yet, don’t wait a second longer. This book was only my second MM novel ever and I fell head over heels in love with the genre, but most of all with this couple. The book is romantic, and sexy, but not too much. It was just the right amount sexy for someone starting out with this genre. If you are new to this genre, I have a list with my favorite MM books for you, all come with a personal note from me.

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They don’t play for the same team. Or do they?

Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.

Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.

Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend… and a big one to learn about himself.

Room for You by Beth Ehemann

(Cranberry Inn #1)

This book/series was adorable. I have a few favorite romance tropes, and one of them is the single parent trope. I just love a patch work family, and this series is such a heartwarming and great example of this trope. So, if you love athlete heroes, especially ice hockey players, and single mom’s with two adorable girls you must pick up this book.

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Kacie Jensen has one main priority in her life: raising her twin daughters, Lucy and Piper. Ever since her ex—the girls’ father—vanished four years ago, Kacie’s sworn to keep her head in her studies and her heart out of trouble. Moving back home to her mother’s bed-and-breakfast had seemed like the best way to start over.

But when hockey star Brody Murphy washes up on the front steps of the Cranberry Inn during a raging storm, he awakens a hunger in Kacie that she’s long forgotten…and he opens her eyes to a life she never thought was possible. With so much more to lose this time around, can Kacie trust her heart to make the right decision?

Room for You is the sweet, tantalizing first novel in bestselling author Beth Ehemann’s heartwarming Cranberry Inn series.

See Jane Score by Rachel Gibson

(Chinooks Hockey Team #2)

It’s been years, but SEE JANE SCORE must have been one of the first sports romances I ever read. Probably 18 years ago, I picked up this book, and afterwards I was hooked on this trope. A bit predictable and clichéd at times, but also very entertaining. Especially the locker room scenes. Published in 2003 the book gives me an old school sports romance vibe.

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This is Jane. A little subdued. A little stubborn. iA little tired of going out on blind dates with men who drive vans with sofas in the back, Jane Alcott is living the Single Girl existence in the big city. She is also leading a double life. By day, she’s a reporter covering the raucous Seattle Chinooks hockey team—especially their notorious goalie Luc Martineau. By night, she’s a writer, secretly creating the scandalous adventures of “Honey Pie”, the magazine series that has all the men talking. 

Luc has made his feelings about parasite reporters—and Jane—perfectly clear. But if he thinks he’s going to make her life miserable, he’d better think again. For as long as he can remember, Luc has been single-minded about his career. The last thing he needs is a smart-mouthed, pain-in-the-backside reporter digging into his past and getting in his way. But once the little reporter sheds her black and gray clothes in favor of a sexy red dress, Luc sees that there is more to Jane than originally meets the eye. 

Maybe it’s time to take a risk. iMaybe it’s time to live out fantasies. iMaybe it’s time to…See Jane Score.

Heated Rivalry by Rachel Reid

(Game Changers #2)

Oh boy, oh boy!! What can I say that I haven’t said yet about one of the best ENEMIES TO LOVER BOOKS EVER!!!!! I love this book with all my heart. Have read it four times already, and will be reading it again soon. It’s a MM slow burn romance, with tons of chemistry, but also a love story that stretches over many years – the word is EPIC!!!! It’s a must read for anyone interesting in this trope. A MUST READ!!!

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Nothing interferes with Shane Hollander’s game—definitely not the sexy rival he loves to hate.

Pro hockey star Shane Hollander isn’t just crazy talented, he’s got a spotless reputation. Hockey is his life. Now that he’s captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, he won’t let anything jeopardize that, especially the sexy Russian whose hard body keeps him awake at night.

Boston Bears captain Ilya Rozanov is everything Shane’s not. The self-proclaimed king of the ice, he’s as cocky as he is talented. No one can beat him—except Shane. They’ve made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable. When Ilya realizes he wants more than a few secret hookups, he knows he must walk away. The risk is too great.

As their attraction intensifies, they struggle to keep their relationship out of the public eye. If the truth comes out, it could ruin them both. But when their need for each other rivals their ambition on the ice, secrecy is no longer an option…

The Deal by Elle Kennedy

(Off-Campus #1)

If you love college NA contemporary novels, you must give this book a go. It’s one of the series that is highly addicting, very popular, and a must read for anyone calling themselves a romance reader. Best of all, we are getting a second book about Hannah and Garrett soon. I’m stocked about it!

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She’s about to make a deal with the college bad boy…

Hannah Wells has finally found someone who turns her on. But while she might be confident in every other area of her life, she’s carting around a full set of baggage when it comes to sex and seduction. If she wants to get her crush’s attention, she’ll have to step out of her comfort zone and make him take notice…even if it means tutoring the annoying, childish, cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date.

…and it’s going to be oh so good

All Garrett Graham has ever wanted is to play professional hockey after graduation, but his plummeting GPA is threatening everything he’s worked so hard for. If helping a sarcastic brunette make another guy jealous will help him secure his position on the team, he’s all for it. But when one unexpected kiss leads to the wildest sex of both their lives, it doesn’t take long for Garrett to realize that pretend isn’t going to cut it. Now he just has to convince Hannah that the man she wants looks a lot like him.

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

WRESTLING SPORTS ROMANCES

The Studying Hours by Sara Ney

(How to Date a Douchebag #1)

If you love fictional jerks, heroes that can be assholes at times, but also have a really soft heart when it comes to their women, you must give this series a chance. I love my Douchebags, BUT I also know that they aren’t for everyone, so please handle them with caution. BUT if you get hooked, you’ll have the best time reading this series. Also the first two books are on my re-read shelf for whenever I’m in a book slump.

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CRUDE. ARROGANT. AHOLE.
Sebastian ‘Oz’ Osborne is a walking, talking cliche.
One of the university’s most celebrated student athlete—and possibly the biggest douchebag–Oz has a filthy mouth, a fantastic body, and doesn’t give a sh*t about what you, or anyone else thinks. He loves to have fun,but loves winning even more. 

SMART. CLASSY. CONSERVATIVE.
Jameson Clarke may be the university’s most diligent student—but she is no prude. She spends most of her time in the hallowed halls of the library, not because she’s a brainiac–but because she’s not. School doesn’t come easy, and she’s determined to finish the year without a D.

D stands for Douchebag.

Oz is a champion wrestler; one of the best. And he didn’t fight his way to the top by backing down from a challenge.

He wants to be friends with Jameson.
He wants to spend time with her.
iHe wants to drive her crazy.
He wants…
Her.

EVERY DOUCHBAG HAS HIS WEAKNESS.

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

FOOTBALL SPORTS ROMANCES

The Hard Count by Ginger Scott

This book blew my mind when I read it the first time. So moving and incredible well written. The descriptions of Nico on the football field were amazing. It’s a YA sports romance, high school romance at its finest, and a book that definitely should be on your reading tbr if you love this type of book.

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Nico Medina’s world is eleven miles away from mine. During the day, it’s a place where doors are open—where homes are lived in, and neighbors love. But when the sun sets, it becomes a place where young boys are afraid, where eyes watch from idling cars that hide in the shadows and wicked smoke flows from pipes. 

West End is the kind of place that people survive. It buries them—one at a time, one way or another. And when Nico was a little boy, his mom always told him to run.

I’m Reagan Prescott—coach’s daughter, sister to the prodigal son, daughter in the perfect family. 
Life on top. 
Lies.
My world is the ugly one. Private school politics and one of the best high school football programs in the country can break even the toughest souls. Our darkness plays out in whispers and rumors, and money and status trump all. I would know—I’ve watched it kill my family slowly, strangling us for years. 

In our twisted world, a boy from West End is the only shining light.
Quarterback. 
Hero.
Heart.
Good.
I hated him before I needed him.
lI fell for him fast.
I loved him when it was almost too late. 

When two ugly worlds collide, even the strongest fall. But my world…it hasn’t met the boy from West End.

Enemies by Tijan

I’m a big fan of TIJAN. Her YA novels are my favorites, because the author knows how to write very entertaining, and full of YA drama romances that keep me flipping pages like crazy. She also wrote a fantastic basketball adult romance Teardrop Shot which deserves five stars. Her books are always on the top of my tbr, and I can only recommend her writing.

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Stone Reeves was my neighbor, and I’ve hated him since sixth grade.

Gorgeous and charismatic, he became the town’s football god, while I became the town’s invisible girl.
He went to a Division 1 school for football, while my father was fired by his father.
His team won the National Championship, while my mother died the same day.

iHe was a first round pick for the NFL …
… while I made the worst decision of my life.

Now I’m in Texas trying to pick up the pieces of my life.
But, Stone is here.
Stone is everywhere.

It doesn’t matter that disaster has struck my life again.
lIt doesn’t matter that he’s the one trying to console me.
It doesn’t matter that he’s the nation’s newest football obsession.

Because for me, he always has been and always will be my enemy.

All Lined Up by Cora Carmack

(Rusk University #1)

There was a time when I read one NA college romance after another. I love the trope, especially if they are also sports romances. If the novel had a jock as hero I was in for the ride. Cora Carmack was a big name when it came to this trope. And her Rush University Series is a must read if you like this kind of trope.

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In Texas, two things are cherished above all else—football and gossip. My life has always been ruled by both. 

Dallas Cole loathes football. That’s what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.

But life doesn’t always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball… as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.

Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It’s obliterated.

Dallas doesn’t know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn’t know that Dallas is his new coach’s daughter.

And neither of them know how to walk away from the attraction they feel.

The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata

Ooh Mariana Zapata the QUEEN of slow burn. I believe WINNIPEG is probably her most popular book of all time, and the second book I read by her after KULTI, another sports romance. I have a list of my most favorite Mariana Zapata novels right here, and can only recommend her books. Be aware that her romances are LONG, and when I mean slow burn, I mean SLOW BURN. On the other hand her books are special. One of a kind when it comes to romancelandia. And they should not be missed out on. ALSO she is one of my favorite Kindle Unlimited authors.

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Vanessa Mazur knows she’s doing the right thing. She shouldn’t feel bad for quitting. Being an assistant/housekeeper/fairy godmother to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans and none of them include washing extra-large underwear longer than necessary.

But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she’s beyond shocked.

For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn’t find it in him to tell her good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He’s asking for the unthinkable.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?

The Bombshell Effect by Karla Sorensen

(Washington Wolves #1)

I’m always in the market for a great football romance and Karla Sorensen did not disappoint. Ever since I read IT HAD TO BE YOU by SEP (the book next on this list) I love the trope of female team owner, against coach or in this case football player. The forbidden chemistry, FORBIDDEN is also a trope I LOVE, and the sports aspect of it has always been catnip for me. Can’t say no to it.

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Allie Sutton just got a new job. 

Not one she wants, and definitely not one she’s prepared for. She hadn’t seen her dad in years, so the last thing she expects upon his sudden death is to inherit the thing he loved more than anything (or anyone) … the professional football team he owned for the last twenty years. 

Luke Pierson does not want a new boss. 

What he wants is to be a good father to his daughter, the best quarterback possible for his teammates. What he doesn’t need is a blonde bombshell ruining the team’s chances at another championship. Especially when that bombshell turns out to be his new neighbor. The neighbor he was a complete jerk to the first time they met. 

For the sake of the team, they treat each other like complete professionals. In public, at least. Behind closed doors, it’s a different story. And the fallout of giving in to that heat is something neither one of them can see coming.

It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

(Chicago Stars #1)

Another old school romance, this time from 1994, and one that started my love affair with all things Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Since then I read all of her novels, but especially her Chicago Stars made a real impression on me many years ago. She does these romances so good, even better if the couple are enemies to lovers like blonde bombshell Phoebe going nose to nose with Coach Dan. The chemistry was perfect, and the banter was right up my alley.

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The Windy City isn’t quite ready for Phoebe Somerville—the outrageous, curvaceous New York knockout who has just inherited the Chicago Stars football team. And Phoebe is definitely not ready for the Stars’ head coach, former gridiron legend Dan Calebow, a sexist jock taskmaster with a one-track mind. Calebow is everything Phoebe abhors. And the sexy new boss is everything Dan despises—a meddling bimbo who doesn’t know a pigskin from a pitcher’s mound.

So why is Dan drawn to the shameless sexpot like a heat-seeking missile? And why does the coach’s good ol’ boy charm leave cosmopolitan Phoebe feeling awkward, tongue-tied . . . and ready to fight?

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

BASEBALL SPORTS ROMANCES

Moonshot by Alessandra Torre

If you love Baseball, you must try Moonshot. Alessandra Torre writes sexy and unique romance novels, but she doesn’t write many sports romances. Unsurprisingly I was very happy with Moonshot.

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Baseball shouldn’t be a game of life and death…
The summer that Chase Stern entered my life, I was seventeen. The daughter of a legend, the Yankees were my family, their stadium my home, their dugout my workplace. My focus was on the game. Chase…he started out a distraction. A distraction with sex appeal poured into every inch of his six foot frame. A distraction who played like a God yet partied like a Devil.

I tried to stay away. I couldn’t.
Then, the team started losing.
Women started dying.
And everything in my perfect world broke apart.

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

Sliding Home by Kate Angell

(Richmond Rogues #4)

Awww, this book!! I can’t tell you what it is about this book, but it’s a favorite re-read of mine. I love grumpy and silent heroes, and the idea of this bad boy baseball player finding a squatter in his home, and then finding a way for her to stay, of course all very reluctantly, I just adore it. And I LOVE the chemistry between them. It isn’t jumping off the pages, more like sizzling undercurrents but when they get together it just works for me. ALSO, puppy alert, prepare for cuteness. And there is a BONUS love story about a team member which is also very sweet.

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The ultimate bad boy baseball player finds a stranger in his shower and decides that no matter how sexy the interloper is, she won’t find a place in his life-little does he know that the baseball diamond is not the only place he’ll be sliding home.

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

TRACK SPORTS ROMANCES

Waking Olivia by Elizabeth O’Roark

I was told I HAD to read this book, and I can see where the hype is coming form. Their love story is a bit forbidden too, since it’s between a track coach and student, but the tension and attraction is just so THERE. If you love College NA sports romances, this is your book.

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“That girl isn’t just trouble of the not-a-team-player, not-a-reliable-runner variety. She’s trouble of the devious, manipulative, too-f***ing-hot-for-her-own good variety. She’s the kind of girl who causes trouble merely by existing, and then makes sure to cause more. 
And the last thing I need right now is more trouble.”

A failing farm.
His father’s debt.
And a struggling college track team. 
Will Langstrom has too many responsibilities, and the last thing he needs is Olivia Finnegan, a beautiful but troubled new transfer student.

A smart mouth. 
A strong right hook.
iAnd a secret that could destroy her. 
Olivia is her own worst enemy, with a past she can’t seem to escape, and the last person she wants help from is a cocky track coach she can never seem to please.
Refusing to be pushed away, Will is determined to save her. 
And determined to resist an attraction that could destroy them both.

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

GYMNASTIC SPORTS ROMANCES

Amour Amour by Krista Ritchie & Becca Ritchie

(Aerial Ethereal #1)

OMG OMG OMG I love this book so much!!! Can’t tell you how often I’ve already read it, and it’s written by one of my most favorite author duos, and all I can say is sexy Cirque du Soleil. You haven’t read anything like AMOUR AMOUR before. It’s sexy, unique, and the Las Vegas scene as well as the big Kotova family will hook you and won’t let you go. It’s a MUST READ if you are in the market for something different.

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“Every day,” he says lowly, “I hold a person’s life in my hands. The circus is based one-hundred percent off trust. I give it all to someone, and they give it all to me.”

The best aerial technique won’t land 21-year-old Thora James her dream role in Amour—a sexy new acrobatic show on the Vegas strip. Thora knows she’s out of her element the second she meets Amour’s leading performer. Confident, charming and devilishly captivating, 26-year-old Nikolai Kotova lives up to his nickname as the “God of Russia.”

When Thora unknowingly walks into the crosshairs of Nikolai’s after-show, her audition process begins way too soon. Unprofessional. That’s what Nik calls their “non-existent” relationship. It’s not like Thora can avoid him. For one, they may be partners in the future—acrobatic partners, that is. But getting closer to Nik means diving deeper into sin city and into his dizzying world. 

Thora wants to perform with him, but when someone like Nikolai attracts the spotlight wherever he goes—Thora fears that she’s destined to be just background to his spellbinding show.

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

SNOWBOARDING SPORTS ROMANCES

Ride by Harper Dallas

(The Wild Sequence #1)

RIDE is a NA sports romance with great characters and fantastic chemistry. This was such a great book. It reminded me of my ski vacations, and the sizzling attraction between Chase and Brooke was off the charts. It had drama, great characters, and if you love snowboarding or skiing, you must read this book.

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No one rides like Chase Austin.

Bad boy. Player. Adrenaline junkie. Snowboarder Chase Austin has a reputation—and not just for being the world’s best extreme athlete. He’s as cold as the mountains he rides, loyal only to his crew . . . and panties drop wherever he goes.

Photographer Brooke Larson knows better than to let him get through her emotional Kevlar. So what if she used to have his poster on her bedroom wall? She’s not a teenager with a crush anymore. Chase Austin is her key to the big time, and she’s getting his photo no matter what.

Too bad the only place Chase wants her is in his bed.

Men leave. Success is forever. Brooke knows the drill, and she’s not letting anyone get in the way of her career—or into her heart.

But whether it’s on the slopes or between the sheets, riding with the best means risking it all.

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

BASKETBALL SPORTS ROMANCES

Teardrop Shot by Tijan

THIS BOOK!!!!!! Loved it so much because it was different, had this amazing feel to it, and just blew my mind. Most of all I loved the character development in this one. It was brilliantly done. Also the friendships and later relationship between the couple is one to remember. SO GOOD!!!

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I asked for his criteria for bed buddies-that’s the PG version.

He swore at me and said he didn’t do groupies. And just like that, our friendship was off to a great start.

Reese Forster was the starting point guard for the Seattle Thunder.

Gorgeous. Cocky. Loved by the nation.

He’s also attending preseason basketball training camp where I used to work.

Correction: where I work again, because I was fired from my last job.

And dumped.

And I might have a tiny bit of baggage, but that’s normal. Right?

Reese and I shouldn’t have become friends. We shouldn’t have become roommates.

And we really shouldn’t have started sleeping together … (Except we did.)

I’m adorably psychotic. He’s in the NBA.
This is not a disaster waiting to happen, at all.

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

ICE SKATING SPORTS ROMANCES

From Lukov with Love by Mariana Zapata

I have been eyeing this one for a re-read. If you love ice skating, enemies to lovers, slow burn, and fantastic story telling you must read this book. It’s from the QUEEN of slow burn, and I can only recommend her books. They pull you in, make you forget time and day and give you the WORST kind of hangover.

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If someone were to ask Jasmine Santos to describe the last few years of her life with a single word, it would definitely be a four-letter one.

After seventeen years—and countless broken bones and broken promises—she knows her window to compete in figure skating is coming to a close.

But when the offer of a lifetime comes in from an arrogant idiot she’s spent the last decade dreaming about pushing in the way of a moving bus, Jasmine might have to reconsider everything.

Including Ivan Lukov.

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

SOCCER SPORTS ROMANCES

Kulti by Mariana Zapata

Another slow burn from the QUEEN!! This was my first book by Mariana Zapata and is still the ultimate soccer book next to Scoring Wilder, next on this list. Both books bring soccer to life. The mentality, the pressure, the endurance and will to win. Kulti is such a cult book in the romance community and a must read for anyone interested in a slow burn that will stay with you for a very long time.

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“Trust me, I’ve wanted to punch you in the face a time or five.”

When the man you worshipped as a kid becomes your coach, it’s supposed to be the greatest thing in the world. Keywords: supposed to. 

It didn’t take a week for 27-year-old Sal Casillas to wonder what she’d seen in the international soccer icon – why she’d ever had his posters on her wall or ever envisioned marrying him and having super-playing soccer babies.

Sal had long ago gotten over the worst non-break-up in the history of imaginary relationships with a man who hadn’t known she’d existed. So she isn’t prepared for this version of Reiner Kulti who shows up to her team’s season: a quiet, reclusive shadow of the explosive, passionate man he’d once been.

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

Scoring Wilder by R.S. Grey

This is probably one of the books I read the most during the last 5 years. SCORING WILDER is a NA sports romance, and even has a bit of a forbidden vibe. The story is full of passion and a bit of NA drama too. I love the dedication that comes across, the practices, the ever present pressure to win and deliver. It definitely delivers in every way, not just because of WILDER!!!! And it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll fall in love with Wilder.

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What started out as a joke— seduce Coach Wilder—soon became a goal she had to score. 

With Olympic tryouts on the horizon, the last thing nineteen-year-old Kinsley Bryant needs to add to her plate is Liam Wilder. He’s a professional soccer player, America’s favorite bad-boy, and has all the qualities of a skilled panty-dropper.

A face that makes girls weep – check. 
Abs that can shred Parmesan cheese (the expensive kind) – check. 
Enough confidence to shift the earth’s gravitational pull – double check.

Not to mention Liam is strictly off limits . Forbidden. Her coaches have made that perfectly clear. (i.e. “Score with Coach Wilder anywhere other than the field and you’ll be cut from the team faster than you can count his tattoos.”) But that just makes him all the more enticing…Besides, Kinsley’s already counted the visible ones, and she is not one to leave a project unfinished.

Kinsley tries to play the game her way as they navigate through forbidden territory, but Liam is determined to teach her a whole new definition for the term “team bonding.” 

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

Rock Bottom Girl by Lucy Score

This is another of my re-reads and one of my most favorite rom-coms. This author cracks me up thanks to her brilliant writing. ROCK BOTTOM GIRL is one of my all time favorite sports romance novels. I love the under dog vibe I’m getting, and Marley teaching the girl team is just hilarious. Also Marley and Jake are adorable, and just thinking about them makes me want to read it again. Something I’m thankful for, there isn’t any big drama in this book, instead it’s full of plot, great characters, and an entertaining storyline.

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“You may be faking the relationship, but you’re not faking the orgasms.” 

Downsized, broke, and dumped, 38-year-old Marley sneaks home to her childhood bedroom in the town she couldn’t wait to escape twenty years ago. Not much has changed in Culpepper. The cool kids are still cool. Now they just own car dealerships and live in McMansions next door. Oh, and the whole town is still talking about that Homecoming she ruined her senior year. 

Desperate for a new start, Marley accepts a temporary teaching position. Can the girl banned from all future Culpepper High Homecomings keep the losing-est girls soccer team in school history from killing each other and prevent carpal tunnel in a bunch of phone-clutching gym class students? 

Maybe with the help of Jake Weston, high school bad boy turned sexy good guy. When the school rumor mill sends Marley to the principal’s office to sign an ethics contract, the tattooed track coach, dog dad, and teacher of the year becomes her new fake boyfriend and alibi—for a price. The Deal: He’ll teach her how to coach if she teaches him how to be in a relationship. 

Who knew a fake boyfriend could deliver such real orgasms? But it’s all temporary. The guy. The job. The team. There’s too much history. Rock bottom can’t turn into a foundation for happily ever after. Can it? 

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

RUGBY SPORTS ROMANCES

Rock Hard by Nalini Singh

(Rock Kiss, #2)

This is a sports romance but also office romance. The sport aspect isn’t the focus in this novel, but I wanted to include it in this list, because it’s a FIVE star romance for me, one of my favourite re-reads. I just love T-Rex and the Mouse. Their story is just so quintessential romance. He is this big guy, and she is the shy one that comes out of her shell around him. The author is one of the biggest PNR writers in the world, and her writing is top notch.

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Wealthy businessman Gabriel Bishop rules the boardroom with the same determination and ruthlessness that made him a rock star on the rugby field. He knows what he wants, and he’ll go after it no-holds-barred.

And what he wants is Charlotte Baird.

Charlotte knows she’s a mouse. Emotionally scarred and painfully shy, she just wants to do her job and remain as invisible as possible. But the new CEO—a brilliant, broad-shouldered T-Rex of a man who growls and storms through the office, leaving carnage in his wake—clearly has other plans. Plans that may be equal parts business and bedroom.

If Charlotte intends to survive this battle of wits and hearts, the mouse will have to learn to wrangle the T-Rex. Game on. 

The Hooker and the Hermit by L.H. Cosway & Penny Reid

I’ve enjoyed Penny Reid books before, and THE HOOKER AND THE HERMIT was right up my alley. Funny, entertaining, and well written. Also all I’m saying is a IRISH rugby player as hero!!!!!

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New York’s Finest
Blogging as *The Socialmedialite*
April 22
LADIES AND GENTS! I have an announcement!
You know that guy I featured on my blog a few months ago? The really, really hot Irish rugby player who plays the position of ‘hooker’ in the RLI (Rugby League International)? The one with the anger management issues, the body of a gladiator and the face of a movie star? The one with the questionable fashion choices leading me to ask whether he was the lovechild of a leprechaun and a hobbit? Ronan Fitzpatrick? Yeah, that guy. Well, I have a confession to make…

THE HERMIT
Annie Catrel, social media expert extraordinaire at Davidson & Croft Media and clandestine celebrity blogger, can make anyone shine in the court of public opinion. She is the Socialmedialite, anonymous creator of New York’s Finest and the internet’s darling. Virtual reality is Annie’s forte, but actual reality? Not so much.

THE HOOKER
Ronan Fitzpatrick, aka the best hooker the world of rugby has seen in decades, despises the media—social or otherwise. The press has spun a web of lies depicting him as rugby’s wild and reckless bad boy. Suspended from his team, Ronan has come to Manhattan to escape the drama, lay low, fly under the radar. Only, Ronan isn’t easy to overlook, and he can’t escape the notice of the Socialmedialite…

THE PLAN
When Ronan is sent to Davidson & Croft Media to reshape his public image, he never expects to cross paths with shy but beautiful Annie, nor does he expect his fierce attraction to her. He couldn’t be happier when her boss suggests pairing them together.
What lengths will Annie take to keep her virtual identity concealed? And what happens when the hooker discovers who the hermit really is?

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

BOXING SPORTS ROMANCES

Outmatched by Kristen Callihan & Samantha Young

Boxing isn’t my favorite sport when it comes to sports romances but I still enjoy them. This book is written by two excellent and very popular authors, that have written fantastic novels in the past, and this time teamed up to write a sweet and adorable sports romance. If you love this genre, pick it up!

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What happens when a boxer finds chemistry with a geek? 

Parker Brown can’t believe she needs to hire a fake boyfriend. When she landed her dream job in renewable energy, she thought she’d be entering a world at the forefront of progressive thinking. But the head boss prefers to promote employees who are “settled.” Thankfully, she’s found the perfect candidate, a fellow intellectual looking for some quick cash. What Parker gets is his protective big brother—Rhys Morgan. The tall, muscled ex-boxer with a foul mouth shows up just as her boss does, and now she’s stuck with the manipulative jerk.

Responsibility weighs heavily on Rhys. Now permanently out of the ring, he’s trying to hold together his late father’s gym and keep his younger brother, Dean, on the straight and narrow. To save Dean from himself, Rhys takes his place, ready to give this society girl a piece of his mind. Instead, he finds an opportunity. Even though they can hardly stand each other, posing as Parker’s boyfriend is a win-win deal. She gets to keep her job, and he’ll charm her star-struck boss into sponsoring his gym. 

Problem is, they can barely keep their hands off each other. And what started as an easy deal isn’t so easy anymore. Because what future can a rough ex-boxer, afraid to open his heart, and a polished society geek, who has sworn off real relationships, possibly have? 

They say opposites attract. These opposites are about to combust on impact. 

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

Fighting Silence by Aly Martinez

(On the Ropes #1)

I still remember the hype around this book when it was released. Aly Maritnez is a brilliant author, and she delivers a spellbinding sports romance that captivates and entertains.

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Sound is an abstract concept for most people. We spend our lives blocking out the static in order to focus on what we believe is important. But what if, when the clarity fades into silence, it’s the obscure background noise that you would give anything to hold on to?

I’ve always been a fighter. With parents who barely managed to stay out of jail and two little brothers who narrowly avoided foster care, I became skilled at dodging the punches life threw at me. Growing up, I didn’t have anything I could call my own, but from the moment I met Eliza Reynolds, she was always mine. I became utterly addicted to her and the escape from reality we provided each other. Throughout the years, she had boyfriends and I had girlfriends, but there wasn’t a single night that I didn’t hear her voice. 

You see, meeting the love of my life at age thirteen was never part of my plan. However, neither was gradually going deaf at the age of twenty-one. 

They both happened anyway. 

Now, I’m on the ropes during the toughest battles of my life. 
Fighting for my career. 
iFighting the impending silence. 
Fighting for her.

Every night, just before falling asleep, she sighs as a final conscious breath leaves her. 

I think that’s the sound I’ll miss the most.

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

Real by Katy Evans

(Real #1)

Wow, this book, this series actually is CULT in the indie romance community, It has currently 101,985 ratings on Goodreads and is a MUST read when you enjoy this genre. It’s sexy, steamy and very much embodies the romance genre from 2013. Also the hero is struggling with a mental illness.

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A fallen boxer.
A woman with a broken dream.
iA competition…

He even makes me forget my name. One night was all it took, and I forgot everything and anything except the sexy fighter in the ring who sets my mind ablaze and my body on fire with wanting…

Remington Tate is the strongest, most confusing man I’ve ever met in my life.

He’s the star of the dangerous underground fighting circuit, and I’m drawn to him as I’ve never been drawn to anything in my life. I forget who I am, what I want, with just one look from him. When he’s near, I need to remind myself that I am strong—but he is stronger. And now it’s my job to keep his body working like a perfect machine, his taut muscles primed and ready to break the bones of his next opponents…

But the one he’s most threatening to, now, is me.

I want him. I want him without fear. Without reservations.

If only I knew for sure what it is that he wants from me?

THE BEST SPORTS ROMANCE BOOKS

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