Book picks similar to
Playing the Game by Stephanie Queen


romance
sports
contemporary-romance
contemporary

Almost a Bride


Kimberly Llewellyn - 2011
    Ivy Hammond got dumped at the altar, all because she was too much of a good girl in the bedroom. So when a research study on sex appeal needs participants, she jumps at the chance to learn what it takes to be sexy. Kip Lockehart owes his foster brother his life. He repays the debt by agreeing to participate in a new sex appeal study. From the first sizzling assignment, Kip is immediately intrigued by the lovely Ivy, who’s innocently curious about what makes a woman sensual. Kip is more than happy to show her. But as each passionate assignment brings them closer, he fears they may break the study’s number one rule―don’t fall in love. But when he can’t stop picturing Ivy as his bride, he sets out to convince her some rules were made to be broken.

Good Guy


Kate Meader - 2019
    She's a dogged sports reporter determined to get a scoop. She's also his best friend's widow...Fans can’t get enough of Levi Hunt, the Special Forces veteran who put his NHL career on hold to serve his country and fight the bad guys. So when his new Chicago Rebels bosses tell him to cooperate with the press on a profile, he’s ready to do his duty. Until he finds out who he has to work with: flame-haired, freckle-splashed, impossibly perky Jordan Cooke.The woman he should not have kissed the night she buried her husband, Levi’s best friend in the service.Hockey-stick-up-his-butt-serious Levi Hunt might despise Jordan for reasons she can’t fathom—okay, it’s to do with kissing—but her future in the cutthroat world of sports reporting hangs on delivering the goods on the league’s hottest, grumpiest rookie. So what if he’s not interested in having his life plated up for public consumption. Too bad. Jordan will have to play dirty to get her scoop and even dirtier to get her man. Only in winning the story, she might just lose her heart...

Fierce


Rosalind James - 2015
     It was true that I had a lousy job. Not to mention a lousy apartment and too much responsibility, although it was a responsibility I wouldn’t have given up for the world. That still didn’t mean I needed rescuing, if that was what you’d call the situation I ended up in. And anyway, I knew that a multimillionaire Maori CEO with too many muscles, a tribal tattoo, and a take-no-prisoners attitude was way, way out of my league. So, no, I didn’t ask him to, but he rescued me anyway. Because Hemi was fierce. But you know what I found out? So was I. Note: This is the “book within a book” that Faith is writing in Just in Time: Escape to New Zealand. Hemi isn’t Will, but you may see some of Faith’s feelings about Will coming out...

Sweetness


Lindsay Paige - 2011
    But after moving to a new town with her dad, a charming boy makes it impossible for her to disappear. Despite her feelings of unworthiness, Emily soon finds herself drawn to the safety of Jake's world. Good looking and the star of the hockey team, Jake has a lot going for him. What most people don't see is the difficult life he has at home. When quiet Emily steals his heart, Jake vows to help her discover she is worthy of love. Just when the two of them realize the sweetness of their relationship, they are put to the test. Only together can they overcome their haunted pasts to fight for a future together

Cured


Stacy Eaton - 2018
    For six years, Ember has closed off her heart, moving from one man to another, trying to feel something other than her own pain and guilt. Colt Barnes is a plastic surgeon who strives to give people a better quality of life, especially children. The night he watches Ember leave the bar with another one-night stand, he resolves to offer up a challenge to get her to view herself in a new light. Little does he know that the challenge will change both their lives, but when Embers’s secret is exposed, will Colt be able to accept it and trust her, or will Ember go back to her old ways and leave Colt broken? Love Medical Romance? Check out the rest of the Heal Me Series for sexy romances that will warm your heart as they deal with life-altering medical and psychological issues. While each book in the Heal Me Series is a stand-alone book, the characters cross between books and are best enjoyed by reading them in order. Cured, Book 1 Revived, Book 2 Mended, Book 3 Rescued, Book Eaton's romances are perfect steamy romances for fans of Melissa Foster, Carly Phillips, Mona Risk, Leanne Banks, Mimi Barbour, Carolyn Brown, and Lexi Blake and other small-town romance fans. The characters are flawed and real, dealing with real-life issues and overcoming real-life odds and earn their happily ever after.

Summer of Deception


Elva Cobb Martin - 2017
    She finds she is ill prepared to deal with the plantation’s new owner who is overflowing with bitterness and distrust. Widowed and wounded, former Marine Corps Special Forces operative, Luke Barrett, has enough to handle with his little girl and an historic property to upkeep. The last thing he needs is a feisty, stubborn woman with whom to contend. Yet, Rachel’s determined spirit awakens something in Luke that he thought died a long time ago. Luke begins to capture Rachel’s heart until the night she uncovers evidence he may be keeping his plantation solvent by allowing cocaine to be smuggled along his coastline. Devastated by the possibility, Rachel must decide whether to confront him, even while she conceals secrets of her own. Can love survive a summer of deception?

Playing The Game


Lisa B. Kamps - 2017
    But he learned how to play the game and survived, crawling his way up with the help of a friend-turned-lover. This time is different: he has nobody to blame but himself for his trip to the bottom. His mouth, his attitude, his crappy play that landed him back in the minors instead of playing pro hockey with the Baltimore Banners. And this time, he doesn't have anyone to help him out, not when his own selfishness killed the most important relationship he ever had.Courtney Williams' life isn't glamorous or full of fame and fortune but she doesn't need those things to be happy. She of all people knows there are more important things in life. And, for the most part, she's been able to forget what could have been--until Harland gets reassigned to the York Bombers and shows back up in town, full of attitude designed to hide the man underneath. But the arrogant hockey player can't hide from her, the one person who knows him better than anyone else. They had been friends. They had been lovers. And then they had been torn apart by misunderstanding and betrayal.But some ties are hard to break. Can they look past what had been and move forward to what could be? Or will the sins of the past haunt them even now, all these years later?

Bluestone Homecoming


M.J. Fredrick - 2012
    Leo doesn’t know how to be a single parent since the death of his wife, and he certainly has no desire to return to Bluestone. But he needs a place for his son, a place where he’ll be with family, while Leo does his job. He’ll stay long enough to get Max settled, then go back to work.School counselor Trinity Madison watches Leo struggle with his son, trying to overcome the mental barricade she’s erected against the man who sent his son away when he’s perfectly capable of caring for the child. The situation brings about her own unsettled feelings about giving her child up for adoption when she was young. But as she observes Leo’s difficulties, his sacrifices, she softens toward the man.While he’s in town, he ends up working with some old friends and Trinity on a committee to revitalize Bluestone. The former resort town is struggling and looking for ways to bring tourists back. Leo finds himself charmed, then smitten with the feisty counselor, but will he still love her when he learns her secret?

Material Witness


Lisa Mondello - 2012
    Researching the cool, blue-eyed and dashingly handsome man at the end of the bar stirred her senses more than she wanted to admit. But was this man of leather armor all he appeared to be?Playing White Knight to an innocent wasn't how Detective Jake Santos planned to spend his time under cover. But there was no way "CJ" was what she claimed to be and that nagging tightness in Jake's chest told him he'd better take her home to safety and leave it at that. Then the barroom exploded with gunfire, leaving a trail of dead that includes a notorious Providence crime boss and an undercover FBI agent. When Cassie's name is leaked to the media as the only witness to the grisly murders, Cassie insists she only trusts Jake to protect her.The FBI wants their star witness happy and will do anything to make sure Cassie testifies. But it is clear to Jake that the shooter isn't the only person who wants Cassie dead. Not knowing who to trust, he vows to protect Cassie at all cost despite the fact that guarding the beautiful novelist is a serious distraction. MATERIAL WITNESS is the follow-up Romantic Suspense Novel by Lisa Mondello's Yuletide Protector and is book 1 of her new Heroes of Providence series.

Return to You


Melanie Shawn - 2018
    For Allison Walsh, that line was a tightrope hanging a hundred feet in the air, with no safety net to catch her if--or when--she fell. Ali was barely treading water after losing her big brother, who was her hero and best friend. His sudden death left her to raise her twin nephews when the man that was supposed to share the responsibility with her went MIA after the funeral. Kade's MMA training made him a champion, but it never equipped him to fight off the one force beyond his control: his feelings for his best friend's little sister. He's sure his demons mean he's not good enough for her, but he's going to do everything in his power to conquer them. When the sexy, tattooed fighter shows up on Ali's doorstep out of the blue with a bag hanging over his shoulder and a smile that would make a nun blush, he seems different. But after all he's put her through, Ali's not in a forgive-and-forget kinda mood. Will Kade prove that he's the man worthy of Ali's heart and trust, or will his past sins determine their future?

Secret Seduction


Jill Sanders - 2013
    She wanted a little house in upper Boston, and four kids fathered by her best friend Jason, who she’s been infatuated with since she was eight. After a devastating family secret is exposed, all she wants now is to escape the media hype that follows her everywhere she turns. Leaving her family, friends, and Jason behind, she travels to places she’s only read about, to find a father she’s never known.Jason is on a mission and he’s come halfway around the world to complete it. Despite his feelings for Katie, he won’t let her resistance deter him, even if it means she’ll never trust him again. As their world spirals out of control, their relationship will be tested and changed forever. If he can keep them alive and out of harm’s way, he may have a chance to make everything right.

Reluctant Romance


Leighann Dobbs - 2013
    Connor Dunn is a ruthless corporate executive who only cares about the profits. When the two are pitted against each other in a corporate buy out, sparks fly… and not just sparks of anger.Connor has everything most women find attractive: he’s wealthy, astonishingly handsome, successful, charming and he loves his dog Picasso.But the last thing Risa wants is to be attracted to Connor, especially since he’s trying to buy her pet-food company and shut down the low-cost vet clinic that she loves so dearly.As their worlds collide a spark of attraction turns into a burning desire. But both of them are hiding secrets that could jeopardize everything. Will Risa and Connor satisfy their desire or will the secrets between them extinguish their reluctant romance?

His Bare Obsession


Lacey Thorn - 2007
    Until they investigated a noise and stumbled upon the body of the latest victim of the rapist and killer who was preying on the women in their town. Now being stalked by this madman, Moira is put under the protective custody of Detective Gil Daniels. He's tall, dark, handsome and just about the sexiest thing she's ever seen. The good news is he's crazy about her too. The bad news is so is the killer and he'll use anyone to get to her. Can she trust the detective to keep her body safe or only to bring her the ultimate pleasure a woman can have? Sex with Gil Daniels is better than anything she's ever dreamed of and she just might be falling in love. All she has to do is survive meeting his family and avoid the obsessed killer and she might find that happily ever after.

Walk With Me, One Hundred Days of Crazy


Ernesto H. Lee - 2019
    As a successful commodities trader with one of the leading London trading houses, he was happy, healthy and, engaged to be married to the woman he loved. Then came the devastating news that would change his life forever. Less than two years later, his health is in tatters, his fiancée is gone, and his life is reduced to nothing more than a series of difficult choices and harsh realities. In search of answers and, in search of a drink, he walks an unfamiliar part of London. He doesn’t find the answers he is looking for, but he does find Karen. With Karen, he finds hope. With Karen, he finds love. With Karen, nothing is ever going to be the same again.Reviewed By K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite- 5 StarsWalk With Me: One Hundred Days of Crazy is a romantic and bitter sweet work of fiction penned by author Ernesto H Lee. Written for mature audiences, but not overly graphic in its romantic content, this tale focuses on love later in life. Our central hero Mark Rennie is a man who once thought he had a perfect life all figured out, but then his life and health fall apart aged forty-one. In a world of difficult choices, Mark chooses to drift the streets of London in search of some kind of answer. When he finds Karen, however, he gets a lot more than he was looking for.This is an emotional and unusual love story in the realm of tragic romances, but it has so many beautiful and uplifting qualities in spite of the situation that Mark finds himself in. The back drop of London is well drawn to bring out the atmosphere of each moment in Mark and Karen's relationship, and author Ernesto H Lee has a cinematic sense of how to construct scenes and move the plot along without any unnecessary details derailing it. The narration is personal, close to the characters, and sensitive in matters of health, the future and the notion of hope. What results is an emotionally intelligent and realistic romance that will grip its readers from start to finish. Overall, Walk With Me: One Hundred Days of Crazy is a rollercoaster ride with stylish narration, compelling dialogue and a plot you'll cry over again and again.Reviewed By Rabia Tanveer for Readers' Favorite- 5 StarsWalk With Me: One Hundred Days of Crazy by Ernesto H Lee is a novel about love, acceptance, and learning to live in the moment. We are all guilty of it and we all take our present for granted while we push for the future. This is something that happened to Mark Rennie in this novel. He kept looking forward and worked hard, only to have his life slip away from him. His story is heartbreaking as well as encouraging.The author did a great job of creating an atmosphere that is sensitive yet hopeful. There were emotional ups and downs in the story, but the author kept the momentum going and ensured that the reader enjoyed the journey with Mark and Karen. While the topic of cancer is very bleak,the author added as much hope and happiness to the story as possible. To say that I got emotional reading this novel would be an understatement. I was so involved and invested in Mark and Karen that I just didn't want their story to end. Absolutely beautiful! “Walk With Me, One Hundred Days of Crazy is a novel with a powerful tale of romance and one that explores the deep longings of the human heart.” Ruffina Oserio for Readers Favorite. “Walk With Me, One Hundred Days of Crazy by Ernesto H Lee is a fascinating book packed with craziness, emotions, family, and love (lots of love).” Ankita Shukla for Readers Favorite.

Shadowboxer


Cari Quinn - 2014
    I’ve faced the darkest parts of life and survived. But now I’m starting a new life with my baby sister. And that means I need cash.Quick. To get the money I need, I’m going to beat the reigning king of the male fighters in New York’s underground MMA circuit, Tray “Fox” Knox. Tray refuses to fight a woman, until he learns I’m not what he expected. At all. Then he makes me a bet I can’t refuse. He’ll fight me, but if he wins, I will spend the night in his bed. All night long, his rules. No tapping out. I agree, certain he will lose. Because I have to win. I have no choice. What I didn’t realize is that Tray loves to fight dirty…and that this match may end up being the most important one of our lives.Author’s note: Shadowboxer is a full-length MMA novel and is book 1 in the Tapped Out MMA series. It has a happily ever after ending and no cliffhanger, though it contains violent material that may be triggering. It was previously published by Cari Quinn in 2014 and has been lightly re-edited.