Book picks similar to
The Hardest Cut by Jamie Bennett


sports-romance
dnf
romance
contemporary-romance

The Matchmaker's Playbook


Rachel Van Dyken - 2016
    As one of the masterminds behind Wingmen, Inc., a successful and secretive word-of-mouth dating service, he’s putting his extensive skills with women to work for the lovelorn. But when Blake Olson requests the services of Wingmen, Inc., Ian may have landed his most hopeless client yet.From her frumpy athletic gear to her unfortunate choice of footwear, Blake is going to need a miracle if she wants to land her crush. At least with a professional matchmaker by her side she has a fighting chance. Ian knows that his advice and a makeover can turn Blake into another successful match. But as Blake begins the transformation from hot mess to smokin’ hot, Ian realizes he’s in danger of breaking his cardinal rule.…

The Warrior Groom: Texas Titans Romances


Lucy McConnell - 2018
     Maia fell hard for London Wilder. She was the daughter of a woman of low standards and he was the home-town hero destined for football greatness. Their love sparked quickly and burned hot—until the night that rained heartache like a Texas hail storm. Maia hasn’t seen London in years and certainly didn’t expect to see him at a bachelor auction she hosted as part of the promotional campaign for her first animated film. She thought the years between them would protect her from his soulful brown eyes and electric touch. She was wrong. London brought to life her long-silent heart with one touch of his gentle hand. London agreed to be a last-minute substitution in the Titans’ annual bachelor auction to honor the memory of his grandfather, a military vet. He’s stunned to see the woman he let slip away calling out for the highest bidder. Maia chased after her dreams and became the superstar he always knew she could be. Under the layers of fame, designer clothes, and flashy jewelry, London can see the woman who set the rhythm of his heart and he wants a second chance. As Maia and London try to reconnect, old heartaches and old enemies rise up like demons and threaten to destroy the tenderness between them. They’ll have to face their past and their present troubles to find a future together—or say goodbye one last time. Check out these fantastic Texas Titans Romances: The Fearless Groom by Cami Checketts The Persistent Groom by Jennifer Youngblood The Tough Love Groom by Taylor Hart The Miracle Groom by Lucy McConnell The Second Chance Groom by Taylor Hart The Trustworthy Groom by Cami Checketts The Ghost Groom by Jennifer Youngblood The Forbidden Groom by Sarah Gay The Beastly Groom by Cami Checketts

The Varsity Dad Dilemma


Lex Martin - 2021
    Until someone drops off a baby with a note pinned to her blanket that says one of those jocks—either Rider or one of his roommates—is the father. The problem? Baby mama doesn’t mention which of these numbskulls is the sperm donor.I wouldn’t care about their paternity problems—not the slightest bit—except my brother lives there too. Which means that adorable squawking bundle might be my niece, and there’s no way I’m leaving her unattended with those bumbling football players.They need my help, even if they don’t know it yet. Once we solve this dilemma and figure out who’s the daddy, I’m out.I’ll just ignore Rider and those soul-searing looks he gives me every time I reach for the baby. He broke my heart three years ago. He won’t get a second chance.

Just Enough Luck


Aspen Hadley - 2021
    That dream job, however, comes with a twist that has her heading to northern Montana for the monthlong annual family retreat at The Lucky Wolf ranch. She packs a suitcase of warm clothes and a fake it 'til you make it attitude, prepared to do all she can to win the family over. Once there she comes face to face with the Drake brothers.Alexander, Lucy's new boss, is literally a magazine cover model. He's also a numbers geek like her, which makes him dreamy beyond belief, and Lucy can't stop staring. He's too perfect to be real. Daniel is the first person Lucy meets when she arrives at the ranch in the most humiliating way possible. His warmth and humor quickly put her at ease, and she's grateful to have a friend in this unknown, way off the beaten path, frozen part of the country.In one short month Lucy contends with animal attacks, a temporary roommate who's more robot than human, some ranch-hand flirting sessions, and a little eavesdropping, all while attempting to show her new boss that she can do the job.When the month ends, and it's time to return home, her story is far from over. Now her heart belongs to the one man who seems perfect for her. Can they overcome all the obstacles in their way?

I Want It That Way


Ann Aguirre - 2014
    But between maintaining her college scholarship and working at the local day care to support herself, she barely has time to think, let alone date. Then she moves into a new apartment and meets the taciturn yet irresistible guy in 1B…. Daniel Tyler has grown up too fast. Becoming a single dad at twenty turned his life upside down—and brought him heartache he can't risk again. Now, as he raises his four-year-old son while balancing a full-time construction management job and night classes, a social life is out of the question. The last thing he wants is for four noisy students to move into the apartment upstairs. But one night, Nadia's and Ty's paths cross, and soon they can't stay away from each other. The timing is all wrong—but love happens when it happens. And you can't know what you truly need until you stand to lose it.

Midnight Lily


Mia Sheridan - 2016
    At least he was before he lost it all... or more to the point, before he threw it all away. Now he's out of a job, out of the public's good graces, and perhaps just a little out of his mind. So when a friend offers up his remote lodge in the wilds of Colorado, giving Holden some time away to get his life back on track, he can hardly say no. The last thing he expects is to see a beautiful girl in the woods—one wearing a white, lace dress who appears in the moonlight, and leaves no footprints behind. Is she a dream? A ghost? A product of his muddled imagination? Or something entirely different? Midnight Lily is the haunting love story of two lost souls reaching for each other in the dark. A tale of healing, acceptance, and the worlds we create to protect our own hearts. It is a story of being lost, of being found, and of being in the place between. This is a stand-alone Sign of Love novel, inspired by Virgo Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Game, Set, Match


Nana Malone - 2010
    On the court, he's down forty-love. A knee injury is shutting down his game, and the paparazzi are splashing his love life on every magazine. A comeback is in order, but the makeover he needs to save his faltering career is in the hands of the woman he loved and left fifteen years ago.While single-mom, Izzy Connors, sees people for who they really are through the lens of her camera, even without it, she knows Jason isn't the star he appears to be. Although his charm and good looks haven't dimmed since he broke her heart, all she sees is his wasted talent and playboy lifestyle.Can Izzy put the past behind her and help Jason get his game, and his image, back on track? Or will the click of her camera shatter his world as well as his heart?Librarian's note: Alternate cover edition of ASIN B0090QWA1M.

Tigers and Devils


Sean Kennedy - 2009
    His friends despair of him ever meeting someone, but despite his loneliness, Simon is cautious about looking for more. Then his best friends drag him to a party, where he barges into a football conversation and ends up defending the honour of star forward Declan Tyler—unaware that the athlete is present. In that first awkward meeting, neither man has any idea they will change each other's lives forever.Like his entire family, Simon revels in living in Melbourne, the home of Australian Rules football and mecca for serious fans. There, players are treated like gods—until they do something to fall out of public favour. This year, the public is taking Declan to task for suffering injuries outside his control, so Simon's support is a bright spot.But as Simon and Declan fumble toward a relationship, keeping Declan's homosexuality a secret from well-meaning friends and an increasingly suspicious media becomes difficult. Nothing can stay hidden forever. Soon Declan will have to choose between the career he loves and the man he wants, and Simon has never been known to make things easy—for himself or for others.

Scoring With the Wrong Twin


Naima Simone - 2018
    Then Zephirin Black walks onto the set. The brooding, aloof, and gorgeous tight end for the Washington Warriors. But she can keep it professional… She has to. Because the adorkable Cruz twin has no luck with guys once they compare her to her sister. After a bad break-up, Zeph hasn’t been big on second chances — and even less with trust. But he finds himself giving please-call-me-by-my-middle-name-Sophia both. The woman he’d dismissed as a spoiled cover model is different from the first time he met her. Quirkier. Funnier. Definitely sexier. What started as one night turns into another... and another… and another…Still, Sophia can’t go on keeping her secret from him. But telling Zeph the truth will mean losing him for good.

The Last Strike


A.R. Henry - 2021
    I got a drink... spilled on me... by a guy.No, not just any guy. A man. A hot man. America's hottest baseball coach, apparently.And he didn't even apologize.That was the first time we met.Or what I like to call strike one.The second time we met? He was late to a parent teacher conference.The one where I realized I was his daughter's new teacher, and where he told me I should quit my job.Strike two.You know what they say in baseball?Third strike.You're out.

Egotistical Puckboy


Eden Finley - 2022
    What more could a gay NHL player want?If it weren't for Anton Hayes, my life would be perfect.Not that he affects my life in any way. At all. That would imply I care what the winger from Philly thinks of me.Which I don't.Not even a one-night stand with him can thaw his misplaced animosity toward me.He says I'm the one with the ego, but he can talk. He rivals me for most egotistical puck boy in the league.I hate him as much as he hates me. Even if I crave a repeat.ANTONWhen it comes to hockey, I'm all about the game.I've worked for years to be one of the best in the league, and l've done it without splashing my orientation all over the tabloids.My hockey image is one I've carefully cultivated, and after one night with Ezra Palaszczuk, I risk it all.He's cocky, obnoxious, and has an ego bigger than Massachusetts. And okay, maybe he's the sexiest man I've ever known.We'll never get along. Not when we sleep together. Not even when my possessive streak awakens.That doesn't stop us from falling into bed together over and over again.

Blitzing Emily


Julie Brannagh - 2014
    She's much more comfortable playing the romantic lead in front of a packed house onstage than in her own life. So when NFL star and alluring ladies' man Brandon McKenna acts as her personal white knight, she has no illusions that he'll stick around. However, a misunderstanding with the press throws them together in a fake engagement that yields unexpected (and breathtaking) benefits.Every time Brandon calls her "Sugar," Emily almost believes he's playing for keeps—not just to score. Can she let down her defenses and get her own happily ever after?

Hard Rock Desires (Until We Break Book 1)


Athena Wright - 2021
    The next moment I see him lighting up the stage with fans chanting his name.Zain Weston, guitarist of hit rock band Until We Break, can get any woman he wants. And he's got his sights set on me.But the whole sex, drugs and rock 'n roll thing? That's a hard pass. I've seen the damage that kind of lifestyle can cause, and I want nothing to do with it.This cocky rocker may lay on the charm, but I'm not giving in to his desires, no matter what.~Zain~Grace is sexy, insightful and tempting as hell. She knows when to call me out on my bullshit, too. I'm having more fun with her than I have in years.But the last thing I want is to get too attached. Because as much as I lay on the charm, there's something holding her back.I don't know what Grace's deal is, but I've got a long list of people who've walked out on me before -- and I'm not going to risk it happening again.---Hard Rock Desires is the 1st book in the Until We Break rock star romance series, and is a part of the Athena Wright Hard Rock 'verse.

All I Want is You


E.L. Todd - 2014
     Cayson is in love with Skye Preston, his best friend for over twenty years. They grew up together, bathed together, and spent every holiday together. Hoarding the secret hasn’t been easy. Every time Cayson sees her with a boyfriend, he wants to smash his fist into a wall. But he could never tell her the truth. The close friendship they have is too good to be ruined. If he confessed his deepest feelings, how would it change what they have? Would he lose her altogether? But everything changes when Cayson finds Skye at a party, drunk and incoherent. Unable to stand on her own two feet with breath reeking of alcohol, she’s easy prey to the men staring at her noticeable chest. Cayson immediately scoops her into his arms and takes her home. But when they arrive at the house, Skye doesn’t want to sleep. Instead, she wants Cayson in a way she’s never had before. What will this mean for their relationship? Is it the start of something Cayson has always dreamed of? Or will it be the end? THIS IS NOT A CLIFFHANGER.

Between The Lines (Irons #4)


Drew Sera - 2018
    I write happy-ever-after romance novels, and after writing ten romance novels you’d think I’d know a thing or two about love. But I’ve been chasing my own happy-ever-after for a long time. I seem to have no problem starting my fairytale, but the ending never comes to be. My love life isn’t the best-seller that I’ve written, so I decided to change things up and write a dark romance.While finding my way around and reading books in that genre, I discovered something unexpected. I found a sexy, romantic man who happens to have a soft spot for romances. He’s an alpha male, and that type would never have appealed to me before…but it’s amazing what you see when you look between the lines.