Book picks similar to
Fourth Down by Heidi McLaughlin
romance
sports-romance
sports
contemporary
Scoring Her Heart
Marquita Valentine - 2017
As infamous as he is attractive, Dallas has all the equipment necessary to bring home the win.The first time I met him, I was in handcuffs.The second, he saved me when I fell off a ladder.Now? Now we’re working together to plan a charity event.I may not be interested in what Dallas has to offer, but as the game goes on, I’m becoming more open to his passes.Is he looking for the win, or just determined to score?Scoring Her Heart can be read as a standalone.
Intercepted
Alexa Martin - 2018
But there's a new player on the horizon, and he's in a league of his own...Marlee Harper is the perfect girlfriend. She's definitely had enough practice by dating her NFL-star boyfriend for the last ten years. But when she discovers he has been tackling other women on the sly, she vows to never date an athlete again. There's just one problem: Gavin Pope, the new hotshot quarterback and a fling from the past, has Marlee in his sights.Gavin fights to show Marlee he's nothing like her ex. Unfortunately, not everyone is ready to let her escape her past. The team's wives, who never led the welcome wagon, are not happy with Marlee's return. They have only one thing on their minds: taking her down. But when the gossip makes Marlee public enemy number one, she worries about more than just her reputation.Between their own fumbles and the wicked wives, it will take a Hail Mary for Marlee and Gavin's relationship to survive the season.
Trick Play: A rival's little sister college sports romance
Jerica MacMillan - 2021
And she's hot. Feisty. Just the challenge I need.And the perfect way to bring her brother down.
Stroked
Meghan Quinn - 2016
There is no denying his sex appeal.I hate to admit it, but I’m head over heels infatuated with him.There is one HUGE problem though. His achingly gorgeous abs, inked up arm, and cocky swagger belong to my boss, the high-profile, reality star bitch from hell and certified heinous human being, Bellini Chambers.What I think is going to be an easy job assisting a glorified wench turns into a cluster f*ck of epic proportions.
Blindsided
Amy Daws - 2019
Midfielder Maclay “Mac” Logan is a loud-mouthed, tattooed ginger content with focusing on football. But when an adorably-freckled seamstress comes barreling into his life, he finds Netflix-And-Bickering with her to be his new favorite pastime. Freya Cook is used to being the invisible woman with a needle and thread, offering cheeky punchlines as she helps dress London’s finest. She’s plus-sized in body and spirit, and other than her friendship with Mac, talking to the opposite sex is one skill she never mastered. However, after one innocent game of Never Have I Ever, Mac offers to play Love Coach for Freya. What neither of them see coming are the feelings that develop when the clothes come off. Now they’re both about to learn the biggest lesson of all: Don't fall in love with your best friend.Blindsided is a full length (97,000 words) contemporary rom-com standalone with a sports theme.
Rushing Into Love: A small-town sports romance
Kara Kendrick - 2021
Work. Football. That’s my life summed up in three words.Sure, I used to be a pro NFL baller, but now I’m perfectly content with a quiet life in my small hometown of Peachtree Grove, Georgia.That is until Bree, a beautiful blonde dating expert, gets tackled at my Pee Wee football practice, knocking me off my game.I swore I’d never get involved again after my messy divorce left me reeling, but one date with Bree and I’m dropping all my hesitations—along with my jersey. Now she has me rethinking my plays.But will the tabloids, my ex, and Bree’s complicated past keep us in the friendzone?
Unexpected Trouble
Lauren Wood - 2021
One Mistake.Too many times.Now there is a secret to show for it.It was a new start, a break from the city.I needed to get away, and I found the perfect place,With sexy mountain men to fulfill my notion of romance.Everything was perfect, even my landlord who was rude but so damn good looking.He wasn’t interested, but I persisted.His touches made me think it was meant to be.His words fooled me as well.It didn’t last long, but I had no regrets.His ex-girlfriend was a nightmare who didn’t get the memo.She was out for blood, and it was no longer worth it.My dream of small-town living was dashed.My reputation was destroyed, and I left in embarrassment.I didn’t leave empty-handed though.Our secret baby came as a surprise, and not a good one either.How was I supposed to tell him I was pregnant after leaving him in such a way?Would he even listen? Would he care?
Rush Me
Allison Parr - 2013
Like her parents pressuring her to leave her unpaid publishing internship for law school.But when Ryan's rookie teammate attaches himself to Rachael, she ends up cohosting Friday-night dinners for half a dozen football players.Over pancake brunches, charity galas and Alexander the Great, Rachael realizes all the judgments she'd made about Ryan are wrong. But how can a Midwestern Irish-Catholic jock with commitment problems and an artsy, gun-shy Jewish New Englander ever forge a partnership? Rachael must let down her barriers if she wants real love—even if that opens her up to pain that could send her back into her emotional shell forever.89,000 words
Not My Romeo
Ilsa Madden-Mills - 2020
Somehow we end up at his penthouse. I blame the gin and tonic.The next day I learn he’s Jack Hawke—bad-boy professional quarterback with a murky past. The NDA he has me sign should be a warning that he isn’t a regular person. Please. I sign it Juliet Capulet, so goodbye, famous football player with abs of steel, and good luck tracking down this small-town librarian.But Jack keeps showing up in places I least expect him. Just when I’m sure he’s gone, he waltzes into my community theater and wins the part of Romeo to my Juliet. How’s a plain, mostly innocent girl like me supposed to resist a man like him?Is Jack my real Romeo… or will this gorgeous football player only break my heart?
Rocked
Julia Wolf - 2020
Bromberg’s Everyday Heroes World.What happens when a star begins to fade?My life’s a mess. Record sales are plummeting and my inspiration has flown the coop. I’d do anything to climb back to the top of the rock music charts, even temporarily relocating to a small town to clear my head.What I didn’t count on is the pretty paramedic named Kat next door who takes an instant dislike to me. Nor did I ever think I’d enjoy hanging out with her quirky, twelve-year-old daughter and a dog who doesn’t believe the rules apply to him.My new neighbor is strong, heroic, and unlike any woman I’ve ever met. I should stay away—and focus on reviving my career—but that’s become impossible when I can’t stop thinking about her.Kat makes me want things I’ve never dreamed of before. She’s tempting me to give up the spotlight, which is crazy since she’s not asking me to stay and I know I can’t.So why does the thought of walking away make me feel more faded than ever?
How The Cookie Crumbles
Melanie Ting - 2013
He’s beer and burgers.Frankie Taylor has a perfectly organized life—including a checklist for her ideal man. Just when she thinks her dream boyfriend is going to propose, he dumps her instead. Heartbroken, she impulsively flees across the country. She lands in a small town where her only romantic prospect is unshaven, unsophisticated, and definitely not her type.Jake Cookson likes living large. After the grind of playing hockey eight months of the year, he wants to party in the off-season. And while he doesn’t do commitment, he’s more than willing to have a summer fling with the curvy brunette who’s new in town. To his surprise, she’s unimpressed by his NHL fame, money, and athletic prowess.Can Frankie throw away her plans for the future and appreciate what’s in front of her now? And can Jake even pronounce the word relationship?
All Lined Up
Cora Carmack - 2014
My life has always been ruled by both.Dallas Cole loathes football. That's what happens when you spend your whole childhood coming in second to a sport. College is her time to step out of the bleachers, and put the playing field (and the players) in her past.But life doesn't always go as planned. As if going to the same college as her football star ex wasn’t bad enough, her father, a Texas high school coaching phenom, has decided to make the jump to college ball… as the new head coach at Rusk University. Dallas finds herself in the shadows of her father and football all over again.Carson McClain is determined to go from second-string quarterback to the starting line-up. He needs the scholarship and the future that football provides. But when a beautiful redhead literally falls into his life, his focus is more than tested. It's obliterated.Dallas doesn't know Carson is on the team. Carson doesn't know that Dallas is his new coach's daughter.And neither of them know how to walk away from the attraction they feel.
Knock Out
Michele Mannon - 2013
Dropped by her ex on national TV, she's gone from prima ballerina to ring card girl, reduced to revving up the crowds before MMA bouts. However distasteful she finds her new job, it pays well…and she needs the money if she's ever going to rebuild her life. Promised a huge bonus if she can convince a brooding, gifted welterweight to keep fighting, she'll do whatever it takes to earn his trust.Keane O'Shea is unbeatable in the octagon. A former marine, he fights with a ruthlessness no gym jockey can match. He knows his brutal strength is too much for the delicate ex-ballerina, regardless of how fascinating he finds Logan's tight dancer's body. But one private performance and he's drawn to her in a way he can't—or won't—resist.As Logan discovers the heartbreaking truth that lies beneath this handsome warrior's rage, she'll need to forfeit everything she thought mattered for the one thing that matters the most: saving Keane from himself.
Even the Score
Beth Ehemann - 2016
No parent likes being sidelined, so Andy decides to hire someone to share the workload. But when one of the hottest agents in the industry applies, Andy knows that this deal is definitely trouble.Danicka Douglas works her butt off, but being an attractive woman in a testosterone-heavy industry isn’t exactly a cakewalk. She guards her professional reputation fiercely, which means no crushing on her gorgeous boss. But the more they ignore that sexy little spark, the more it sizzles…Just when it looks like romance might be in the game plan, Dani is threatened by a stalker with dark intentions. To keep her safe, Andy must cross the line between professional and very personal…because this time, he’s playing for keeps.
Prince Pucking Charming
Jillian Quinn - 2020
And the team owner has given me two months to whip his broody butt into shape, or he’s trading Duke to another team.I can’t let that happen. Not when I can help Duke work through his anger issues.Except there’s one problem….As we grow closer, Duke thinks I’m the cure for thawing the ice around his heart.And he wants me.