Book picks similar to
Big Stick by R.C. Stephens


sports
sports-romance
romance
contemporary

Not My Romeo


Ilsa Madden-Mills - 2020
    Somehow we end up at his penthouse. I blame the gin and tonic.The next day I learn he’s Jack Hawke—bad-boy professional quarterback with a murky past. The NDA he has me sign should be a warning that he isn’t a regular person. Please. I sign it Juliet Capulet, so goodbye, famous football player with abs of steel, and good luck tracking down this small-town librarian.But Jack keeps showing up in places I least expect him. Just when I’m sure he’s gone, he waltzes into my community theater and wins the part of Romeo to my Juliet. How’s a plain, mostly innocent girl like me supposed to resist a man like him?Is Jack my real Romeo… or will this gorgeous football player only break my heart?

Till It Hurts


Cora Brent - 2021
    Expect hate banter, plot twists, scorching chemistry and all the feels of a small town romance.No one would say that our story is pretty.But we were in love before we hated each other. And we were friends long before that. Growing up, I saw Jace Zielinski every day. He lived next door. I cheered him on at football games. I gave him advice on girls. He was my brother’s best friend and the three of us were inseparable. I didn’t realize I’d already fallen for Jace until the hot summer night when we kissed for the first time. Our magical season felt like destiny. And then came the disaster that tore us all to shreds. I lost Jace. I lost my brother. In many ways I lost myself. Ten years later, Jace is untouchable in a world of pro athlete fame and glory. I never wanted to see him again and I’d definitely never pick him to be my hero.Not even when I’m broke and terrified and running for my life. But it seems I have no choice. Somehow we’re both back in the same place where we started.I have nowhere else to go and Jace refuses to leave.We’re no longer the same kids who fell in love years ago.Since then, we’ve become something cruel and terrible.That doesn’t mean we’ll keep our hands to ourselves.If anything, I want Jace more than ever.And we’re foolish enough to repeat our own turbulent history.Both the parts that felt crazy good.And the parts that hurt the most.

Most Valuable Playboy


Lauren Blakely - 2017
    Touchdowns.Don't let the fact that I'm the leading pick in the Most Valuable Playboy charity auction fool you. These days, I'm only a player on the field. I've kept my pants zipped all season long — and it has been long — because nothing's more important than leading my team to victory every week. Except maybe escaping from the team owner's recently-widowed and handsy-as-hell sister who's dead set on winning more than a date with me.Enter Violet and a well-placed Hail Mary.She's my best friend's sister with a smile as sweet as cherry pie and a mind that runs quicker than the 40-yard-dash. After Violet saves the day with the highest bid, I don't even give her a two-minute warning before I kiss her in front of the whole crowd and then announce that she's my girlfriend. Which would be fine except my agent tells me we've got to keep up the act while he's negotiating my contract.What happens next when faking it starts to feel all too real?

Forbidden Puck


June Winters - 2017
    But success runs in the family and Ella, a fiery and self-made interior decorator, never wanted to settle for anything less than a quality man. But another disappointing breakup has Ella flirting with idea of a meaningless fling – because this whole v-card business has gone on for way too long. When Ella visits her brother Lance for the weekend, she finds herself all alone with his teammate, Ryan. The rugged hockey star is tall, chiseled and gorgeous – and based on his past, he won't get attached. It's a nice fantasy... but Ella isn't the type of girl to sleep with her brother's best friend. That's what she keeps telling herself, anyway... Live by the code, die by the code. On the ice, tough guy Ryan Ryder enforces the code of the game with his fists. And he won't let anyone mess with the team's superstar center, Lance Couture. Ryan might sleep around, but he knows to keep his distance when Lance's sister visits the two roommates at their Boston condo. The code has a rule about family members, after all: they're strictly off-limits. Not that Ryan's worried about breaking that rule – he's already heard an earful about how insane his best bud's younger sis is. But Lance never said anything about Ella being a cute babe with an adorable laugh. And he definitely never said anything about how she's finally ready to lose her v-card... But if Ryan can't keep his hands off Ella, not only will he stab his best friend in the back – he'll ruin everything he's worked for. So why can't he get that girl out of his mind? Forbidden Puck is a 60,000 word, slow-burn hockey romance! This stand-alone novel is the first entry in the Boston Brawlers series. Narrated in alternating first person. No cheating, no cliffhanger, HEA guaranteed.

The Not-Outcast


Tijan - 2020
    I was an outcast.He was best friends with my stepbrother, that same stepbrother who hated me.His two parents loved him. My mom was a junkie. My dad barely knew me.Years passed.I got my life together.Cut went onto NHL stardom.Then there was a text.I was drinking.There was a party.Cut was there...I loved Cutler Ryder since the first moment I saw him.The only problem? He never knew I existed.

Want


Emma Rider - 2015
    Savage in the bedroom.Powerful. Brutal. Mixed Martial Artist, Ryland “The Savage” Cole doesn’t play by the rules. He wants it. He takes it. And he wants Jade. Professional cuddler Jade has not only been hurt but also deceived by the one she once loved. She’s not going to make a mistake again by giving her heart to a man. Especially since she’s now free. When a motorcycle club threatens her best friend, she puts her life on the line in order to save him, but in order to do that, she must spend every night in Ryland’s arms. Longer synopsis(Paperback): A woman with an extremely odd job attracts all kinds of trouble.Jade’s career choice is unusual. She gets close to her clients for a living—super close—as in, she snuggles in bed with strangers. Professional cuddling isn’t the first job she chooses after getting her degree, but with her tainted record, it’s the first job she finds that’s lucrative. She has been knocked down and set up by guys in her past, but she pops right back up, determined to fight to survive.A playboy MMA fighter on his last tour needs no distractions.The moment Ryland “Savage” Cole lays eyes on knockout Jade, he knows he has to have her. His unexpected attraction is an unwelcome surprise, because he’s vowed to stay away from distractions during his final run, but he wants her. What the Savage wants, he gets. At any cost.When these two souls face off in their own octagon, the sparks cannot be denied.Forced to sign a contract and join Ryland’s team, she becomes his personal bed warmer for her own safety. Jade tries to keep their close contact platonic, but her body betrays her. As in any fight, Ryland doesn’t hold back, using everything he has to win.With the past catching up with her, danger closes in.Fighting to guard her heart and protect them both from her past, Jade is no match for Ryland, who wrestles her into a corner, smashes all her mental walls, and bares her deepest desires. If she submits completely, both their lives could be thrown into peril.

Center Ice


Cate Cameron - 2015
    After her mother’s death, she moved to Corrigan Falls to live with strangers—her dad and his perfect, shiny new family—and there doesn’t seem to be room for a city girl with a chip on her shoulder. The only person who makes her feel like a real human being is Tyler MacDonald.But Karen isn’t interested in starting something with a player. And that’s all she keeps hearing about Tyler.Corrigan Falls is a hockey town, and Tyler’s the star player. But the viselike pressure from his father and his agent are sending him dangerously close to the edge. All people see is hockey—except Karen. Now they’ve managed to find something in each other that they both desperately need. And for the first time, Tyler is playing for keeps…This Entangled Teen Crush book contains adult language, underage drinking, sexual situations, and crazy squirrels. It may cause you to become a fan of hockey - or at least hot hockey players.

Hard to Handle


K. Bromberg - 2020
    Bromberg is back with an all new second-chance, standalone hockey romance.At first, the request seemed simple—sign a new athlete to the agency. Then I found out the new athlete was none other than the most wanted man in hockey today: Hunter MaddoxGifted. Sexy. At the top of his game. And the only man who has ever broken my heart.If signing him will help save our family business, I’ll swallow my pride and do what’s asked. But when it becomes clear his uncharacteristic antics off the ice are a hint of something deeper, keeping things strictly professional between us becomes more than complicated. But I know better than to cross that line. I’ll never date a client. Not even for him.***Win the Stanley Cup and do it before time runs out. Not a small feat, but it’s what’s motivated me since the start of my career. And time is running out.Enter Dekker Kincade.Feisty. Dogged. Damn gorgeous. The one I let get away.I have no idea why she’s traveling with the team, but hell if resisting her is going to be easy. But I have a job to do, and I refuse to lose sight of that end game. Even if she confuses me. Even if she sees parts of me I’ve hidden from the world. I can’t lose focus. Not even for her.Are you ready to fall for the Kincade sisters and the men who love them in K. Bromberg's sexy, contemporary, sports romance series? These books can all be read as standalones, but you’ll enjoy reading them as a series!Hard to Handle (Hunter & Dekker's story - hockey romance)Hard to Hold (Rush & Lennox's story - soccer romance)Hard to Score (Drew & Brexton's story - football romance)Hard to Lose (Gunner & Chase's story - baseball romance)Hard to Love (Finn & Stevie's story)

Two For Holding


Kay Gordon - 2019
    I had my son, a great career, and a home that I’d made for both of us. One puck over the glass at a hockey game made me realize I wanted more. The larger-than-life hockey player inserted himself into our world and I never wanted to let him go. The thing is, I don’t know if I’m strong enough to keep him.PorterMy home was on the ice, with a stick in my hand and a puck on my tape. It took one little boy with a toothless smile and his spitfire mother to change all that. I wanted them to be my home and I was willing to take all the penalties necessary to make it happen.Now I just have to convince her that we can handle it all together.Melding three lives into one isn’t as easy as it seems, especially with the traveling, the media, and the insecurities. Savannah and Porter have to decide whether to use the breakaway to head to the goal or take a seat on the bench.After all, 425 Madison is the perfect place to fall in love!For more information on the 425 Madison series and all the amazing stories, check out https://www.425madisonseries.com/

Hate to Love You


Jennifer Sucevic - 2018
     Brody McKinnon is Whitmore University's star defenseman destined for NHL greatness. He made a name for himself playing juniors before gracing us with his esteemed presence. As much as it pains me to admit it, he’s exploded at the college level. While other girls fall all over themselves trying to gain his attention, I do my best to steer clear just as I would a particularly nasty case of crabs. For reasons I can't fathom, Brody takes great pleasure in messing with me. And I, in return, enjoy slicing him to ribbons with my razor-sharp tongue. You'd think after three years, he'd learn to keep his distance. No such luck. Unfortunately for me, I’m about to experience the worst week of my life. It starts with my ex-boyfriend announcing at a party that I’m a lousy lay. He’s the hockey-playing jerk I dated last year who left a bad taste in my mouth (*eyeroll* seriously…get your mind out of the gutter). Want to guess who rides in on his trusty white steed to rescue me? Or should I say, opens his big mouth? Yep, you guessed it. Brody freaking McKinnon, the guy I love to hate. He only makes matters worse by telling everyone that we’re together and then punching Reed in the face. The first…I plan on strangling him for. The second…I’m only sorry I didn’t get to Reed first. Now I’m stuck fake-dating Brody, the one guy who makes me feel like a rabid dog on a choke chain, for the foreseeable future. I guarantee we won’t last more than seventy-two hours without me killing him. *This is a mature New Adult novel with strong language and sexual situations intended for readers over the age of 18*

Holiday Games


Jaci Burton - 2013
    Despite over a year of trying, conception hasn’t been successful. But for a high-achiever like Elizabeth, she must succeed at everything. That means making the very most of every opportunity with her husband. And when it comes to nonstop sex Gavin’s not really complaining. Exhausted, maybe...Unfortunately, this holiday season they’re not exactly given a lot of private time. Elizabeth is hosting the holiday, Gavin’s sister is getting married, and the house is wall-to-wall with family. For Elizabeth and Gavin the nights may be chilly, but the urge is still hot. And they’re not about to let any distraction get in the way of their necessary pleasures during a holiday game that yields so many unexpected surprises.Includes a preview of Jaci Burton's upcoming novels Melting the Ice and Hope Flames.

Dirty Point


Amber Thielman - 2020
    A promising NHL career, amazing friends, and the best college ice hockey team the state had ever seen. Then one reckless night derailed my entire future. It was an accident, of course, but it doesn’t matter. The accident killed my best friend and destroyed our entire team. How can we ever come back from this? How can I ever come back from this?Ali GarettFigure skater protegee, trained by my champion of a mother. At least, that’s who I used to be until the car accident that changed my life forever. When my father receives a job offer to coach the best college team in the state, they offer me paid tuition into the city’s most prestigious university. Meeting and falling for the charming Ice Hockey Captain of my dad’s new team is just icing on the cake. Nathan Davison is tall, charming, and sexy as sin, and we can’t get enough of each other...Until I find out that Nate was there the night my mother was taken from me in that accident. And he had a bigger role to play than I expected, shattering the illusion I had for our happily ever after.Can we move past this together, or will the night of that accident tear us apart forever?“Dirty Point” is a steamy college sports love story with a hero. If you like your main man athletic, deep and steamy, you’re going to love Nate. As always, it’s a full length novel with no cheating, no cliffhanger, and a guaranteed happily-ever-after.

Hot Stuff


Carly Phillips - 2004
    Now the girls are publicists in their uncle's firm, The Hot Zone. Despite her upbringing, Annabelle is all woman. She's naturally drawn to real men—like her latest client, businessman and former football legend Brandon Vaughn. The chemistry is potent, undeniable, irresistible. Annabelle soon realizes that Brandon is much more than just another jock. And that she'd better hold on tight if she doesn't want to lose her heart.

The End Zone


L.J. Shen - 2017
    She knows that her best friend, Sage Poirier, is a bad idea. He’s a walking, talking cliché. The Adonis quarterback with the bulging biceps and harem of fangirls trailing behind him on campus like a stench you can’t get rid of. Sadly, that’s also the reason she can’t stay away from him. Well, that and the fact that they’re roommates. Jolie is already straddling the line between friendship and more when Sage comes to her with an offer she cannot refuse: be his fake girlfriend and live for free for the rest of the semester. She tells herself that she can handle it. He’s just the boy she saved ten years ago, right? Wrong. So very wrong. He is a man now, and she is his captive Heart, body, and soul…

The Enemy Trap


Maren Moore - 2021
    Hayes Davis is America’s sweetheart, the #1 hockey player in the country, and my fake fiancé.Simple, right? It would be, if my betrothed were anyone else.But it turns out America’s sweetheart is arrogant, selfish, and a guy I have no intentions of letting break my heart again.It was never supposed to happen.But then one night changes everything.Now, he’s not only my pretend fiancé but my very real baby daddy.How can two people who hate each other pull off the lie of a lifetime while figuring out how to raise a child together?Everything between us was supposed to be fake, but I’m not pretending anymore