Book picks similar to
Playing for Keeps by Michele Shriver


romance
hockey
sports
contemporary-romance

Power Play


Maria Luis - 2017
    She's a (struggling) sports journalist looking for her big break. Charlie Denton has been handed the most impossible assignment from her stick-in-the-mud boss: get an exclusive interview with the NHL's golden boy, Duke Harrison. The catch? She's got eight days or she’ll be demoted. Fired. Kicked to the curb - No way is she letting her future rest on the broad shoulders of a goalie who is at least three seasons past his prime. She has eight days to convince Duke that the loyal fans of The Cambridge Tribune (annual circulation: 1,000) are dying to know about his life, on and off the ice. Eight days to stand toe to toe with a man who is pure sex on a stick. Eight days to remember that every mind-blowing kiss is nothing but a power play. What could go wrong?

Not by the Playbook: A Fake Relationship Football Romance (Wrong Place, Right Time, #1)


Ivy Hunt - 2020
    It is the first book in the Wrong Place, Right Time series.

The Light in the Wound


Christine Brae - 2013
    When Jesse Cain enters her life, she falls hopelessly in love with him, and every sadness she’s ever felt is washed away by his intensity and passion. But people change as they grow up. Things can never stay the same forever.Jesse and Isabel fight to stay together, determined to hold on to what they once had. Isabel wonders if a second love can ever be enough to make her forget her first.*Kindle version also available

Buried Alive


Stacey Marie Brown - 2018
    This is the very place that destroyed her, where her whole world ended, and the reason she now goes by Hannah Jennings.Struggling with his own tragic past, Rhys Axton, an infamous sexy snowboarding champion, wants nothing more than to be the next Olympic hopeful. Sex, snowboarding, and working out are all he cares about, which helps shut off the demons that haunt him and the family who rejected him.The moment Hannah walks into his room, he knows something is different about her. Drawn to her, he can’t seem to stay away from the mysterious, guarded girl. They are two heartbroken souls who both understand the darkness.Little does he know she lives in lies and carries secrets that will bring his universe to its knees and secrets that will bury them both alive.

The Opening Act Box Set


Taryn Elliott - 2014
    But who said having it all was easy? On the band’s first tour, bassist Deacon discovers a desire for a lot more than tour chef Harper’s chocolate coconut popovers. But is the woman he craves a momentary way to satisfy his hunger or are they on their way to a lifetime love?What’s included in The Opening Act boxed set:- Book 0.5: Seduced prequel- Book 1.0: Rocked- Book 1.5: Rock, Rattle and RollALSO includes TWO brand new bonus Christmas scenes featuring Deacon and Harper and the rest of the Oblivion gang, as well as a bonus scene from Jazz’s point-of-view of a certain *ahem* event in Seduced!

Where I End and You Begin


Andra Brynn - 2013
    It may tangle, it may knot, it may stretch or fray, but it will never break. It is a future as indelible as the past.I hope that isn't true. I pity anyone destined to meet me.----For Bianca Ray, the past is always catching up, one way or another. Now in her third semester at college, it's doing it again. Too much drinking has led to plummeting grades and rising absences, putting her scholarships in peril. When she makes it clear that she needs help—all over the floor of her history class—she’s given one last chance to shape up: seek therapy and bring her grades up by the end of the semester, or she’s out.Enter Catholic seminarian Daniel McGuire. The last thing Bianca wants is an aspiring priest to counsel her on how to live her life, but the handsome graduate student is different from the holy rollers she fled from at home. Gentle and unobtrusive, he helps her pick up the pieces and find a new way to live: not running from the past, but facing it head on. But opening up her heart to release the pain means that something else can come in. As Bianca and Daniel grow closer, their relationship moves onto dangerous ground and the fragile courage Bianca has built up threatens to fail her. Can she exorcise the ghosts of her past, or will they catch hold and drag her down where not even Daniel can reach her?

Further To Fall


Catherine Cowles - 2018
    An innocent teacher trying to make the world a better place. He never expected her to become his best friend. But she fought her way into his life, one tongue-lashing at a time. Until one night, one mistake tore them apart. Losing her… that gutted him. But now, as one of the top fighters in the world, he’s back and determined to battle for his girl. But, from the sidelines, someone watches. Someone who’ll do just about anything to keep them apart. Their second chance might be over before it even begins…

Sweet with Heat


Addison Cole - 2018
    They're sassy, flawed, and so easy to relate to, you'll be begging to enter their circle of friends!Addison Cole is New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster's sweet-romance pen name. Sweet with Heat books are the sweet editions of Melissa's award-winning steamy-romance collection Love in Bloom.In READ, WRITE, LOVE at SEASIDE...Bestselling author Kurt Remington lives to write. He spends twelve hours a day in front of his computer, rarely leaving the seclusion of his beach-front property, where he's come to finish his latest thriller — that is, until free-spirited Leanna Bray nearly drowns in the ocean trying to save her dog. Kurt's best-laid plans are shot to hell when he comes to their rescue. Kurt's as irritated as he is intrigued by the sexy, hot mess of a woman who lives life on a whim, forgets everything, and doesn't even know the definition of the word organized.Leanna's come to the Cape hoping to find a fulfilling career in the jam-making business, and until she figures out her own life, a man is not on the menu. But Leanna can't get the six-two, deliciously muscled and tragically neat Kurt out of her mind. She tells herself she's just stopping by to say thank you, but the heart-warming afternoon sparks an emotional and unexpectedly sweet ride as Kurt and Leanna test the powers of Chemistry 101: Opposites Attract.In DREAMING at SEASIDE...Bella Abbascia has returned to Seaside Cottages in Wellfleet, Massachusetts, as she does every summer. Only this year, Bella has more on her mind than sunbathing and skinny-dipping with her girlfriends. She's quit her job, put her house on the market, and sworn off relationships while she builds a new life in her favorite place on earth. That is, until good-time Bella's prank takes a bad turn and a handsome police officer appears on the scene.Single father and police officer Caden Grant left Boston with his fourteen-year-old son, Evan, after his partner was killed in the line of duty. He hopes to find a safer life in the small resort town of Wellfleet, and when he meets Bella during a night patrol shift, he realizes he's found the one thing he'd never allowed himself to hope for — or even realized he was missing.After fourteen years of focusing solely on his son, Caden cannot resist the intense attraction he feels toward beautiful Bella, and Bella's powerless to fight the heat of their budding romance. But starting over proves more difficult than either of them imagined, and when Evan gets mixed up with the wrong kids, Caden's loyalty is put to the test. Will he give up everything to protect his son — even Bella?In HEARTS at SEASIDE…Jenna Ward is vivacious, spontaneous, and confident — except when she’s around the man who stole her heart years earlier, strikingly handsome, quiet, and reliable Pete Lacroux. After years of trying to get his attention and overwhelmed from dealing with her mother’s new cougar lifestyle, Jenna’s giving up on Peter — and is ready to explore other men. As the eldest of five siblings, with an alcoholic father to care for, boat craftsman Pete Lacroux always does the right thing and has no time for a real relationship. He’s looking forward to seeing his friend Jenna, a welcome distraction who’s so sexy and painfully shy that she equally entertains and confuses him. When Jenna picks up a hard-bodied construction worker, jealousy ignites Pete’s true feelings, and he’s unable to ignore the desires for Jenna he never realized he had. But Pete’s not the quiet guy he appears to be, and his life is anything but conducive to a relationship. Can Jenna handle the real Pete Lacroux — the most alpha male she’s ever seen — or will she crack under pressure? And can Pete reclaim the life he once had without tearing apart his family?

Naughty or Ice


Sylvia Pierce - 2016
    Where was I supposed to kiss you?” Eva Bradshaw used to have standards. But with Christmas around the corner and a six-year-old daughter to feed, there’s not much the former Olympic figure skater wouldn’t do for some extra cash, even if it means violating her hard limit: hockey players. Like the filthy-mouthed, sex-on-skates hockey god who’s about to slide straight into her penalty box… NHL center Walker Dunn has been stuck on the injured list for months. So when his trainer springs for some one-on-one time with a beautiful woman, Walker’s more than ready to take the edge off… until he realizes the ice princess with the perfect ass isn’t there to handle his stick. She’s there to coach him back into action—whether he likes it or not. Walker puts the cock in hockey. Eva’s a champion ball-buster. Hate-f*cking their way onto Santa’s very naughty list might be their only shot at settling the score. But falling for each other? Never. No way. Not a snowball’s chance in hell…

Fight For Me


Bethany Bazile - 2014
    She carries the blame on her shoulders after losing a big piece of herself. When Ryder Hayes sweeps back into her life, she has something to hold on to, but just as quickly as he appeared he was gone. When fate-or meddling parents-throw them back together they can no longer deny the heat that’s burned between them for years.Ryder has always wanted Lexi, but he’s never fought so hard against something in his life. Saving Lexi from her past was never on his agenda, but he could never bear letting her drown in it. With his UFC championship title on the line, the last thing he needs is to be distracted by Lexi. When she’s thrown back into his life he can no longer fight their attraction. But once he claims her he knows he’ll never let go.Mature content warning: this title is intended for adults 18+ due to language and explicit sexual content. If you have an aversion to steamy scenes, you may not want to board this ride, because it will be a hot and sweaty one.

Ballbuster


Lane Hart - 2016
    I’m all for women playing professional football. But what I’m not for is The Ballbuster waltzing onto my field, trying to take over my position as the Wildcats’ starting kicker. The woman dislocated my knee with her freaking Jeep, for chrissake, and yet all of my teammates love her! So what if Roxy’s…gorgeous and sweet and loves football more than anyone in the world? This is my team; and once I recover, she’s gonna have to get used to sitting her fine ass on the bench. It’s nothing personal. Football is a dirty sport where only the best survive. Now I just have to figure out how to survive a season without ending up with a busted heart; because despite how hard I try to avoid falling for Roxy, she keeps pulling me back into her bed. Forget her Jeep. With one look, the woman can bring me to my knees. And the worst part is, I keep going back for more. ***Ballbuster is a full-length standalone romance. Also included at the end of Ballbuster is a bonus novel, the bestselling sports romance, JAX.***

Playing For Keeps


Liz Matis - 2011
    Fresh from the battlegrounds of Iraq, reporting on a bunch of overgrown boys playing pro football is just the change of scenery she needs. If trying to be taken seriously in the world of sports writing wasn't hard enough, Ryan, her college crush, is only making it harder. As a tight-end for the team she's covering, he is strictly off limits. Ryan Terell is a playmaker on and off the field, but when Samantha uncovers his moves, he throws out the playbook. Just as he claims his sweetest victory, Samantha's investigation into a steroid scandal involving his team forces him to call a time-out to their off the record trysts. But then a life threatening injury on the field will force them both to decide just how far they'll go to win the game. Winner of the NERWA First Kiss Contest A Kindle Bestseller.

Lost and Found


K.F. Breene - 2013
    She gets her life back on track in San Francisco with a job that has limitless potential.Unfortunately, to achieve her dreams, she must brave the star of the company; a charming and handsome salesman that isn’t used to the word no. Krista tries to run from him at every turn, but his pull continually sucks her back in; her hesitancy to trust the only thing saving her from being another notch on a bedpost.Sean never has to try with women. He's the type of guy to jump in with both feet, get bored, and sprint right back out. But when a geeky new hire stumbles through the company, befuddling him with a keen intellect he doesn’t expect, he starts to lose his way. Before he knows it, all his efforts are concentrated around trying to capture the interest of the only woman to run when he tries to deliver a line. As she opens up, so does he, landing him in a terrain as disconcerting as it is invigorating.word count: 99,000

Fresh Temptation


Reeni Austin - 2012
    Victor pursues Cara, but Cara is not sure of his intentions: Is he using her to make Alexis jealous? Does he just want her for sex? Or is love Victor's true aim?

Off Guard


Marian Tee - 2014
    Finally. But because of the sheltered life she's led, she needs a chaperone of sorts. Enter Hadrian Bancroft, the hottest guy in uni - and her best friend. Or at least he was until he kissed her.