Book picks similar to
Cross Check by Lynn Stevens


sports-romance
college
college-young-adult
college-highschool

My Darling Arrow


Saffron A. Kent - 2020
    It’s not as if I’m ever going to send you this letter and there are a million reasons why.First of all, I was sent to St. Mary’s School for Troubled Teenagers – an all-girls reform school – as a punishment for a petty, totally inconsequential crime. Not to ogle the principal’s hot son around the campus.Second of all, you’re a giant jerk. You’re arrogant and moody and so cold. Sometimes I think I shouldn’t even like you.But strangely your coldness sets me on fire. The way your athletic body moves on the soccer field and the way your powerful thighs sprawl across that bike of yours, make me go inappropriately breathless. But that’s not the worst part. The worst part is that you, Arrow Carlisle, are not only the principal’s hot son. You also happen to be the love of my sister’s life. And I really shouldn’t be thinking about my sister’s boyfriend or rather fiancé (I overheard a conversation about the ring that I shouldn’t have.)Now if I can only stop writing you these meaningless letters that I’ll never send and you’ll never read…Never yours,SalemNOTE: This book is a standalone and DOES NOT contain cheating.

Ditched


R.C. Boldt - 2018
    Once the new shine wears off, you may end up with a case of buyer’s remorse.That’s where I come in. I set the backdrop and coach you through the breakup.Don't want overblown drama, hard feelings, or a drink tossed in your face? Then I'm your fairy godmother, child.BECKET JONESAs an NFL quarterback, endorsement ads and the media pandering after me are all part of the game.Ivy Hayes is the first woman who doesn't care about my money and the notoriety that goes along with it.But I'm a long-term guy, and she operates strictly in the now. Which means I need to bring my A-game.Otherwise, I’ll end up getting ditched.**Ditched is a sports romance/contemporary romance with a bit of a twist. It is a standalone, full-length novel.**

Hate Mates


Mickey Miller - 2020
    Or the one about his father, the head football coach. Or even the one about his special talent between the sheets.I’m talking about the one where he has a female roommate in an all-male dorm.I can’t speak to the first three, but that fourth one is true. I know because that girl in his room is me.Because of an error by the college, I’m placed with Mr. Campus Celebrity in the traditionally male dorm.Is he panty-meltingly handsome with an attitude to match? Sure.Do I accidentally fanaticize about him one (okay, maybe two) times? Fine, I’m honest enough to admit it.None of that matters, because we’re opposites in all the ways that are important for getting along as college roommates:He comes from a perfect life and old money. I come from a broken home and bowls of ramen.He’s at Greene State to party. I’m here to study.He’s a popular jock. I wouldn’t be caught dead playing sports.To say we get off to a rocky start would be an understatement.Ironically, that’s what causes our sizzling attraction to boil over one night. But even that comes at a price.Because our story has a twist neither of us could see coming.One that changes both of our lives, ‘till death do us part.

Blonde Date


Sarina Bowen - 2014
    A nervous sorority girl. A mean-spirited fraternity prank. What could possibly go wrong?As a sorority pledge, there are commandments that Katie Vickery must live by. One: thou shalt not show up for the party without a date. Two: the guy shall be an athlete, preferably an upperclassman.Unfortunately, Katie just broke up with her jerkface football player boyfriend. Even worse, her last encounter with him resulted in utter humiliation. She’d rather hide under the bed than attend a party where he'll be.Yet staying home would mean letting him win.Enjoying herself tonight was out of the question. She could only hope to get through the evening without her blind date noticing that he was spending the evening with a crazy person.Andrew Baschnagel is living proof that nice guys don’t finish first. He’s had his eye on Katie since the moment her long legs waltzed into his art history class. So when her roommate sets Andy up to be Katie’s date, he’d be crazy to say no. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have a lot of practice with either girls or parties. Yet.BLONDE DATE is a 23,000 word novella covering a four hour span of Katie & Andy's night. ALSO INCLUDED: a sneak preview of the third novel in the Ivy Years series, THE UNDERSTATEMENT OF THE YEAR.

Mismatched Mates


Melody Tyden - 2021
    So when the quarterback of the football team turns out to be her mate, she's not interested, and she assumes he won't be interested in her either. After all, what would a self-proclaimed bookworm and a dumb jock ever have in common?She predicts a quick and easy rejection, and they can both move on.Little does she know that Oliver has other plans. They may not seem like an obvious pairing, but Oliver wants her anyway. Can she hold off his advances, or will this mismatch turn out to be a perfect match after all?Part college romance, part werewolf drama, and utterly irresistible!Intended for mature audiences.

Pretty Little Puppet


L.J. Woods - 2021
    𝘔𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘺, 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘱𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘣𝘰𝘥. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥, 𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘸𝘯𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰.𝑅𝒶𝓎𝓃𝑒Christian Perez thinks he’s entitled to my attention but he’s as delusional as this elite small town.Doesn’t matter how sparkly his eyes are, or how chiselled his body is.I hate that bully and everything he stands for.But when he finds me in the worst position imaginable, there’s nowhere left to run.Being the coach’s daughter won’t help me now. Fake-dating the star hockey captain is my only solution.Now I’m his puppet. Perez property who must bow to his demands.Every want, every desire, I’m at his beck and call.But something tells me this campus “King” won’t stop until he owns my all.𝘍𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘤𝘩’𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯. 𝘚𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘵𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘮𝘺. 𝘈 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘭𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘩𝘦’𝘴 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘰𝘸𝘯 𝘪𝘵 𝘢𝘭𝘭.𝓒𝓱𝓻𝓲𝓼𝓽𝓲𝓪𝓷I have one rule on campus. Don’t get distracted.But Rayne Rose is the sultriest, sassiest distraction yet.She’s also the coach’s daughter and that’s one line I can’t cross.That is until she’s everything I need to save my future NHL career.Fake-dating the enemy is my only solution.She’s burned me once and I won’t let her do it again.I’m not a bully, I’m determined and for three months, Rayne is mine.She’ll do what I say. Even if it breaks her.But when secrets unravel, my career isn’t the only thing on thin ice.I’ll have to risk my heartAnd my life.Love rich alpha possessive bad boys? This book is for you! PLP is a full-length new adult college sports romance novel with mature themes that include bullying. This enemies-to-lovers romance is recommended for mature readers.Authors note: This is a standalone book that can be read as part of an interconnected series. PLP is a spin-off of Elite Royal Academy with characters and storylines that overlap. That said, prior reading is NOT required.

Player


Natalie Rios - 2017
    Player. Ready to score. Theo Montgomery is Carlton University's most promising student athlete – and it’s biggest player. Confident, charming, and handsome as sin, there isn’t a single girl on campus who is immune to this quarterback. Except Allie. ​ Smart. Sassy. Not interested. Allie Perez can’t stand jocks. Especially the spoiled, cocky, womanizing types like Theo. She could have gone her entire college career without ever seeing his smarmy smile again. Except…they’ve been paired together for a major class project. ​ The solution seems simple: set their differences aside for the sake of their grades. Until one bet changes everything. ​ She thinks he's the last guy she should fall for. He's determined to change her mind. What happens when the one person you hate becomes the one person you can't live without? An enemies to lovers romance filled with heat, snark, and a dash of football.

Ridge


Bethany Lopez - 2019
    She had a boyfriend she loved, a softball scholarship, and the best roommate a girl could have. When it turned out her man was a lying, cheating ballsack, she may have gone off the rails a bit. Now, it's a new year and Karrie's ready to build herself back up and move on to bigger and better things. Still, a little revenge would go a long way in helping the healing process. He's got a plan for revenge that will suit them both... Ridge is used to being the BMOC. Sergeant of Arms of his frat and the ability to land any chick within snapping distance has made life pretty easy for him. His home life is another story. He and his brothers are in the middle of a battle between his socialite mother and asshole father. Ridge is looking for a stand-in to placate his mother and her matchmaking ways, and he has a feeling he's just met the girl he can perfectly mold. This makeover has nothing to do with love and everything to do with Karrie and Ridge using each other to get what they want. What starts as a ruse soon becomes an attraction they cannot deny. When it's all said and done, they'll both have more to confess than a need for revenge.

Expecting His Baby


Sophia Kenning - 2018
    All I have to do is make a baby with him. For nine months, I’ll live like royalty, in a mansion resting on a wooded estate. I’ll dine with celebrities and share hors d'oeuvres with politicians. I’ll ride on a galloping thoroughbred over rolling hills by day and let myself be driven through the glittering city lights at night. And I’ll step onto the red carpet in my couture gown on the arm of Daniel, a billionaire as gorgeous as he is mysterious. I don’t know everything about him, but I know what matters. I know that he can start my heart pounding with a single glance. That his embrace is as overwhelming as it is protective. That his scent arouses and intimidates in equal measure. That his touch makes it impossible to think. And he uses it all to get whatever he wants. I have little time to know him better. To see what kind of man he is behind the mask. To see if he can be a good father to our child. So I can convince myself that I’m not making the worst mistake of my life. Because in nine months’ time when our baby is born... I must leave them all behind. Expecting His Baby is a stand-alone novel with no cliffhanger, no cheating, and a guaranteed happily ever after.

Out in the Deep


Lane Hayes - 2018
    He’s a type A control personality with a penchant for order and a love of water polo. But he’s determined to enjoy his last year of college. The real world with a serious job and big expectations can wait for a few months. He’s going soak up every minute on campus with his friends and teammates before he moves on. The only possible kink in his plan is the new guy on the team… also known as his nemesis. Gabe Chadwick has big Olympic dreams. His transfer between Southern California universities has nothing to do with scholastics. The degree is his backup plan. He’s not there to party or make friends. And he certainly isn’t going to announce his sexuality. But he can’t deny there’s something special about the uptight team captain. However, when an unwitting friendship and mutual attraction collide, both will have to decide if this is the real thing or if they’re about to lose it all in the deep.

Fighter: A Bad Boy College Romance


Anna Ray - 2021
    

The Revenge Plan


Linda Kage - 2019
    But he took his retaliation too far, and I have officially had enough. No more Miss Nice Haven. No one is allowed to lie to me, betray, embarrass, and devastate me, fill me with self-doubt, or put my future at risk, and expect to get away with it. He is going to feel my wrath.Enter Wick Webster, his archenemy. Nothing would provoke my ex more than to see me moving on with the one guy he hates most, so that’s exactly what I plan to do. The only hitch in my brilliant scheme is Wick himself. He’s just gotta be all love-not-war and peace-is-the-only-way. He’s more concerned about helping me heal than seeking my sweet revenge. And what the hell is it about his soothing presence and yummy looks that calls to me until I forget how much pain I’m in? He’s making it awfully hard to use and abuse him for my malicious means. The damn guy is making me fall for him.

Quarterback Sneak


Baylin Crow - 2019
    RUSH: I’m in love with my best friend. There wasn’t an exact moment when I fell for him. It was something that grew and evolved over time. He loves me back, but it’ll never be more than platonic. It can’t be because he’s straight. Then one night he kissed me and left me with more questions than answers. The very next morning my trust was shattered by a family secret. I’d been lied to my whole life. He was by my side through it all, offering support when I needed it most. How can I risk losing a friendship that held me together when I was falling apart? TORIN: He friend-zoned me. Four years ago, I gathered enough courage to kiss my best friend. What I’d hoped would be a pivotal moment that would start a new kind of relationship between us was over before it began. His world was upended, so I put my feelings aside and stepped back into my role as a friend he could count on. He wasn’t ready then, but now it’s time to find out if he’s willing to take a chance on us being something more. We’ve been friends, roommates and teammates, but I want him, body and heart. Quarterback Sneak is a low angst, high steam novella about childhood friends, trust and football.

Here Comes The Fake Bride


Summer Brooks - 2020
    My fake fiancé turned almost fake husband.Before this mess, he was just a guy that I casually hated. Zach is the typical rich dude who is so clueless about people’s feelings that I wonder how no one has slapped him across the face yet. That gorgeous face. But his stone-cold heart also made him the most eligible candidate for this drama. The plan was simple. Say my fake vows. Fulfill my dad’s dying wish.Meanwhile, Zach gets his inheritance and tosses me some cash.We’ve gone to great lengths to orchestrate this. So why am I secretly wishing that he’s in love with me when he says, “I do?” And more importantly, am I in love with him too?Enjoy Clara and Zach's adorable love story and HEA! All the books in this series can be read in any order!

Try Again


Haley Pierce - 2018
     His best friend wants me in his bed… again. I’ve never forgotten how he used me and threw me away all those years ago. He was my first love and he destroyed my heart. Now he’s traded his electric guitar in for a business suit and a BMW… And I’m not going to lie, he’s hot AF. And, the heated sparks flying between us are undeniable. He’s totally off limits and giving into temptation would be ALL WRONG. But if wrong feels so good, maybe I don’t want to be right. But we’re really good at keeping secrets… aren’t we?