Book picks similar to
Worth the Risk by Karen Monroe


college
sports
sports-romance
sports-football

The Quarterback's Secret


Kylie King - 2019
    He’s star quarterback for his college and, of course, all the girls clamor over him. Life is going great for the campus star...that is, until his best friend’s little sister transfers to the school. Zach remembers little Janie Fuller all too well. She’s the same girl who snuck around with him at night behind her brother’s back, and the same girl who asked him to be her first. He doesn’t remember many girls’ names, but he will never forget what he did with little Janie. Now she’s all grown up, and she knows exactly what she wants: her brother’s best friend. Zach & Janie’s past soon catches up with them, and the secret crush they harbored years ago returns full force. Neither of them will be able to resist one another, and their struggle to keep their forbidden affair under wraps will be much harder than they expected.

Boy on a Train


Leslie McAdam - 2021
    Big plans. 1. Get the hell out of Merlot, California. 2. Ride trains around the world.Though I have a secret third entry on the list of things I want to do ...3. Tate LemieuxBut when my family gets a life-changing diagnosis just as I'm about to graduate, all my plans look like they’ll go up in smoke. Right when I finally get the chance to be with the boy I’ve always loved ... Will it end before it’s even begun?Boy on the Train is a standalone new adult friends to lovers romance from USA Today bestselling author Leslie McAdam full of sweet tension, fun banter & a side of family drama.

Reckless Entanglement


Iona Rose - 2021
    I was late at college, and then I went off to work my shift at the restaurant and the first thing I do is trip on someone's handbag.I'd have fallen flat on my face if not for a pair of hands that appeared out of nowhere to catch me.Oh my, what strong hands.I looked up and nearly fainted. The man was a freaking god! Those fabulous cheekbones, the extravagant sweep of sooty lashes, and that chiseled, arrogant jawline.Apparently, Matt Hunter was there to work though. Which kinda shocked me. What would a guy like him be doing in a job like this?Later I found out he had been running another branch of the restaurant chain, got demoted for unknown reasons, and sent here.Curiouser and curiouser.And then I found out his secret, and exactly what he was doing there... but not before our reckless entanglement and after I let myself fall for him. NOTE: This book is a full length standalone romance with a happily ever after.

#Nerd


Cambria Hebert - 2014
    He wants to stay on the team. An awkward alliance doesn't even begin to cover Rimmel and Romeo's relationship.But that's about to change.It starts with a dare. An initiation. A challenge.Quickly, it turns into more. But when you're a victim of your status, there is no room for anything real. The rules are clear and simple.Stick to your circle.And never fall in love with anyone on the outside.

The Player and the Bet


Liv Reid - 2021
    (Doesn’t it always?)The star quarterback. The school loser. You know the rest… But our story is anything but typical.Mace Law is the bad boy football player all the girls want—except me.I’ve hated him since the day we met, all those years ago.Now, we are both at Winterford University, and the school is forcing me to keep him out of trouble if I don’t want to get expelled.It’s an almost impossible task, and I’m about to learn he has secrets darker than I could have ever imagined.But I’m not going to let some obnoxious, hard-partying player destroy everything I’ve worked so hard for. I’m not going to let him bully me.Sorry—not sorry—Mace, this is one game you aren’t going to win.The Player and the Bet is an enemies-to-lovers college sports romance. It’s a standalone story with a HEA. It’s filled with smoking-hot bad boys, sarcastic heroines, twists, and banter for days. It contains scenes that may be offensive or triggering for some readers.

Just Please Me: Standalone College Sports Romance (Westbrooke Angels Book 1)


Deanna Grey - 2021
    Star athlete. Talented graphic designer. And an absolute heartthrob... living a double life. We've sat next to each other all semester in silence. It takes a group project for us to finally talk. For some reason, I'm open with him about my secret darkness. And when Weston learns about my sadness he's determined to help.His offer takes me by surprise. Weston wants to please me. He promises to be the perfect distraction. And I'm in dire need of one of those. There’s a just list of rules I have to follow: No bullshit.No titlesListen to my bodyScream his name when appropriateLeave when I don't need him anymore...Seems simple enough. That is until his secrets start growing. He can't keep his double life in the shadows anymore. I can't take on any more shadows. Leaving is inevitable. But my want for him outweighs logic. And his want for me forces him to make a decision. Does he want to take on the darkness or become it?

Just One Kiss


Tory Baker - 2019
    The minute he saw Summer Jones standing there, however, that’s exactly what happened. Summer never fit into the mold her family wanted to put her in and because of that, she forged her own life, tired of feeling as if she didn’t belong. When her father calls for a last minute favor, she reluctantly agrees. Strong, safe and devastatingly handsome, Rome Carter instantly makes Summer feel as if she fits somewhere for the first time—with him. Tory is back again! If you like over the top alphas, sweet, innocent heroines, happily ever afters, and a story that is hot and satisfying, then you’re definitely in the right place.

First Score


Lyssa Lemire - 2021
    Star of the hockey team. He spends more time in bed with sorority girls or passed out on frat house floors than he does in classrooms. Which is why he’s about to get kicked off the team unless he passes every one of his finals.Me: Girl genius who started college so young that I’ve just turned eighteen my senior year. Which has made dating while in college, well, pretty much impossible.Hence, the v-card.Blaze and I both have something the other wants. If I tutor him, I can guarantee he’ll pass all his exams. And he has a personality so repugnant to me that with him I can have a totally un-emotional, no-strings-attached first time. Because there’s no way I could fall for someone like Blaze Walker.Not even as my eyes begin to linger a little too long on his jagged muscles, and his on my thighs as we sit next to each other at the study table. Not even as the occasional brush of our hands elicits enough sparks to smell the smoke. Not even as our time studying together begins to peel back layers of the sexy-as-sin jock to reveal someone a lot more complicated than his reputation lets on …Nope, there’s just no way.Truly, a plan worthy of my genius. Nothing could go wrong.First Score is a full-length, 80k word standalone sports romance novel featuring lots of drama, lots of heat, lots of sparks, lots of laughs, a lovable cast of characters you won't soon forget, and two total opposites who fall for each other in a way that will make you swoon! Heart-warming happy ever after guaranteed!

Camden: On the Ice


Lexi Buchanan - 2020
    My dream came true and now I was a forward for the Boston Bay Vikings. I never gave much thought to having that ‘special’ someone in my life until I saw the young woman who hunkered down like a scared rabbit in the team’s shower room. I went from a carefree bachelor to a fierce protector.MollyExhausted and scared, I fell asleep in an empty room and came awake to find the gaze of three naked men on me. It turned out I’d found my way into the shower room of the Boston Bay Vikings—I’d never heard of them. However, it was the fourth man to appear who gave me hope. He spoke with confidence and made me feel safe. I didn’t want to leave his side, but I’d learned the hard way that anything good never lasted.Meet Camden Edwards and Molly Lewis in the first book of a new series by NYT and USA Today bestselling author, Lexi Buchanan.

Mr. O.M.G


Stephanie Brother - 2019
     Cole Want me to dirty-talk you into the big O? Just listen to my show. And if that's not enough, I'll show you precisely what a man needs to do to bring a woman to her knees. I don't want to be at this ridiculous frat party, and I certainly don't deserve to get it in the neck from a rude girl in a sparkly purple dress. But when she pushes me away, I feel like I'd do anything to get in her bed. And when I find out she's forbidden fruit, I want her even more. I tell myself I'm only looking to fill her mouth with something other than smart talk, but it turns out my little spitfire has way more to her than meets the eye. Katie When I hear his voice...Oh My Goodness... The Big O has always been a big flop for me until I hear Mr. OMG on the radio. Let's just say his dulcet tones, and my finger make enough magic together that I see stars. For the first time ever! I call his show and ask for advice on my failing love life, and he tells me I need to loosen up and have some fun. That's easier said than done until I meet Cole. I tell myself he's just an arrogant frat boy with a bad attitude and way too much sex appeal. But there's something about him that I just can't ignore. Mom tells me he's going to be my stepbrother, and it's just another reason to say no. But when Cole touches me, I'm calling out OMG for all the right reasons. And when he holds me, I feel like we could be made for each other. I need to protect my heart the way I always have, and I try, but it seems that Mr. OMG has other plans for me...and I might not be able to resist. This is a 60,000-word standalone novel with a happy-ever-after ending.

Rookies Do It Better


Heather C. Myers - 2019
    Blackmail. Scandal. And they say rookies don't have fun. JackJack Ruby is a fighter - literally.At 19, he's gotten into more fights than he remembers. It probably has to do with the fact that since he was a child, he's been angry. His mother's a drug addict who only talks to him when she wants money, he lives with his best friend since he has nowhere else to go, and he's in love with said best friend's sister.He's screwed.The only good that comes out of this is he just signed with the Newport Beach Seagulls's minor league affiliate, the Irvine Mayhem.If he's good at anything, it's hockey. And sex. And fighting.As long as he stays away from Lily, he'll be fine.But Jack's never been good at playing by the rules.LilyLily Sinclair doesn't get the opportunity to say no when her brother and his best friend move in with her. She's trying to get ready for her first year of college while they're partying, getting into fights, and playing hockey.Must be nice.It wouldn't be so bad if her brother was friends with anyone but Jack Sinclair. The brown eyes, the high cheekbones, that mischievous grin.God, she's in so much trouble.When an ex shows up in her life, blackmailing her over a video Lily hadn't been aware of, she's tells him to eff off.That's when all hell breaks loose in the form of Jack Ruby.Will he ever look at her the same way again?Fans of The Slapshot Series are devouring this new adult sports romance set in the same sunny beach city.

Emma's Home


Maryann Jordan - 2014
    She raised her niece when they were orphaned and she cares for the students that she works with. Deciding to move to Fairfield where her niece now lives, she was hoping to finally find a place to call home. Jake Campbell, was gorgeous enough to catch any woman’s eye, but he had a hard time finding the right one for him. A Fairfield detective, he lives with his mother to help care for her since she was diagnosed with a debilitating disease. After meeting Emma, he knows he has met the woman of his dreams. Now he just has to convince the independent Emma that it is time someone took care of her.While helping one of her students, Emma becomes suspicious of criminal activity in her new town. Will Jake be able to save Emma in time for them to build a life together?

What's Up Doctor


Lacy Embers - 2018
    I have the deft fingers of a surgeon. And a loaded bank account to match. I can have any woman, in any room, at any time. I have them coming at me (and on me) in droves. When I see her across the room, red hair curling around her open, honest face, I know that I need her in my bed. What I never expected is that she’d find her way into my heart. Sharon I don’t do flings. Or at least I thought I didn’t until Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome corners me at the first charity gala that I host for Hearts in Hands. I find myself saying yes and following him home. His eyes. His body. His hands. All light me on fire. He says it’ll only be one night. But, for better or worse, Dr. Ross Hardwick is about to get to know me particularly well. How long is he here to stay? This is a full length standalone romance novel with a happily ever after (HEA), no cliffhanger and no cheating.

The Line Below


Ali Dean - 2018
    The place where I feel at peace. Free from the expectations. Away from the judgement. Weightless from the obligations.When I slip under the cool surface, I’m no longer sinking from the demands of family, school and the choices that I must make. Chase my dream of the Olympics or follow the expected career path? What will it be?I’m not usually one to rock the boat - that's my twin sister’s role. I find myself in uncharted territory when I meet Jett Decker on my twenty-first birthday. It's not like me to get swept off my feet, but when I do, it creates waves with those closest to us. Chemistry ignites, jealousy spikes and tension builds the more we're together. Sometimes in real life the lines between what is wanted and what must be done get blurred. Not everything is crystal clear, like the line below.

I Dare You


Ilsa Madden-Mills - 2018
    Good girl.Lover of fluffy kitties and Star Wars. Curious.His dare? Spend one night in his bed—a night he promises will be unforgettable—and she can solve the mystery of who he is. She knows she shouldn't, but what else is she going to do with her boring Valentine's Day?One sexy hook-up later, her mind is blown and the secret's out.Maverick Monroe.Bad boy.The most talented football player in the country.Just ask him.Too bad for him Delaney's sworn off dating athletes forever after her last heartbreak.But Maverick wants more than one night and refuses to give up on winning Delaney’s heart. She isn’t one to be fazed by a set of broad shoulders. Will the bad boy land the nerd girl or will the secrets they keep from each other separate them forever?