Book picks similar to
Pump Fake by Lila Price


romance
sport-romance
contemporary-romance
jocks

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.

Dominic


Kat Mizera - 2016
    Dom Gianni takes a lot of punishment in the hockey rink, but when he sees Molly McCarran getting beaten up by her husband, he’s ready to throw down his gloves and fight for her. But Molly isn’t about to trust another man—and Dom is already skating on thin ice with his NHL-mandated probation. Besides, how could a hotshot player like Dom really care about a woman so much older than he?Then a kidnapping ups the stakes. If Molly can’t believe in Dom, and if he can’t dig deep to save her, it might be the final buzzer for them both.

Getting the Down


Daphne Loveling - 2016
    Bar none. On and off the field, men want to be me, and women want to be with me. But she doesn’t care about football. All she knows is I’ve been chosen as the public face of the foundation she works for. Which means I’ll be spending a lot of time staring at that tight little a** and plump, sassy mouth. And I intend to make that time very worth my while. She’s in charge of cleaning up my image. But I can tell by the way her cheeks flush and her breath hitches when she looks at me: underneath that prim and proper exterior, sexy little Rinn Blake is all kinds of ready to get down and dirty with me. RINN I’ve worked my a** off for years to get where I am. And I’m not about to let cocky, full-of-himself Jake Ryland screw it up for me. Even though every time he looks my way -- eyes raking down my body like he owns it – I feel like I’m going to burst into flames. It makes me want to risk everything to feel his heat. My career depends on keeping Jake on the straight and narrow, and keeping my brain in the driver’s seat. But Jake Ryland makes me want to lose control. Even if letting go ends up destroying everything I’ve ever worked for. Getting the Down is a full-length, standalone novel with no cliffhanger, no cheating, and a heart-melting HEA. Special bonus novel THROTTLE included for a limited time! This book is intended for readers 18 and older due to steamy situations and explicit language.

Sweet Sixteen


Brenda Rothert - 2018
    She prefers to blend in, though she’s far from invisible. But when she protects a younger student from a bully, the spotlight turns on her in ways she never imagined. I say that every rose has its thorn… The Friday night lights shine bright on Chase Matthews. Roper’s golden boy, Chase can do no wrong, enjoying the small-town celebrity being the star quarterback brings. When Gin defends his little sister against a bully, he decides to lend her his star power and change her senior year in ways she never imagined. But maybe the thorns are part of their beauty. When Gin declines Chase’s invitation to be part of the elite Sweet Sixteen, the repercussions turn both their lives upside down. But amidst the chaos, Gin and Chase find solace in one another. Together, they confront the ugly truth— that sometimes glory has a dark side. ***Warning—Sweet Sixteen is an upper YA book with mature themes and is intended for readers 18+.

Throttled


Elizabeth Lee - 2015
    Becoming Motocross royalty was always the plan, and he was willing to make sacrifices along the way to reach his goal. Sacrifices he thought he could live with until he returned to the small town where he grew up and learned to ride, and, more importantly, where he fell in love.When fate sends Nora Bennett back into his life, he takes one look at her and realizes that he made a huge mistake breaking up with her seven years ago. Now, he'll do whatever it takes to win her back. As Reid sets out to earn her forgiveness and convince her that the guy she's dating is not the one for her, Nora finds herself torn between what her head is telling her and what her heart wants. It's a race he never expected to be in, for a girl he can't stand to lose again.

Chasing Nikki


Lacey Weatherford - 2012
    Caught up in a world of drugs and alcohol, he doesn't notice time slipping away until he's arrested for underage drinking one night.Fed up with watching her son destroy his life, Chase's mom relocates him to live in a small ranching community with his ex-military grandfather. Chase is far from happy about the situation until he meets, Nikki, the cute cheerleader who won't give football players like him the time of day.Chase enjoys a good challenge though and sets out to claim Nikki for his own. He soon discovers she's more than a pretty face--she's a balm to his troubled spirit also. But when tragedy strikes Nikki's life too, suddenly Chase finds himself put to the ultimate test. Can he trust Nikki, and all that she's taught him? Will it be enough?

Undisputed


A.S. Teague - 2016
    Parties, women, fame—what more could I want? As the undisputed MMA light heavyweight champ, I’ve faced the world’s toughest men. But, with a single glance, I knew that the five-foot-five redhead with a smart mouth and innocent eyes would be my hardest opponent yet. Sidney O’Neil isn’t my type. While I spend my nights out drinking at the trendiest clubs in town, she spends hers taking care of her sick nephew. She is nothing I thought I wanted, yet she’s somehow become the one thing I need. But what happens when the world is tipped on end and I’m no longer who she needs? How do I convince her that we’re worth the fight when all she knows is defeat?I’ve never lost a match, and I refuse to start now.But, sometimes, the toughest fight of your life is outside the cage.

The Playbook


Kelly Elliott - 2016
    Football and my cock. And not necessarily in that order. Being the head football coach for a top university in Texas had its ups and its downs. The ups? Endless women to f*ck.The downs? The politics that came with the job. From the moment Aubrey Cain walked into my office, she turned my world upside down. Being forced to have her follow me around for a month was going to be a pain in the ass. Especially since I couldn’t keep my eyes off of her.The best I’d hoped to come out of this was a few nights with her in my bed. I never imagined she’d be the game changer. Brett Owens was my assignment. Head football coach for a top college, bad boy reputation, short temper, and handsome good looks should have scared me off. But I was tougher than that. From the first words out of his obnoxious, dirty-talking mouth, I knew it was going to be a long month. It wasn’t five minutes after meeting him, he hit on me. If only I had known his blue eyes would haunt my dreams and awaken a desire inside of me I never knew existed.This was business. There was no way I would be tempted by him no matter how good looking he was or how many things he whispered in my ear.He was only supposed to be my assignment. Not the man who threatened to destroy both my heart and my career. I would follow along with his playbook for now. But who would end up winning was anyone’s guess. The Playbook is a stand-alone novel.

Next to You


Daisy Prescott - 2016
    I’d never let you go.” I added Sage to my rugby club’s annual list of women who are off limits thinking I could protect her from the gorillas I play with. Aspen's a small town in the off season when the dating pool shrinks to the size of a melted snowflake. Never did I think I’d be the one to break the code and date her. Even if it’s all for show. A wager between friends. An excuse to hang out with her more. Nothing more than that. Right? *** Who agrees to date their best friend over a green smoothie? Apparently this girl right here. Now the man-bun-sporting South African rugby god next door is my fake boyfriend. I need to rebuild my confidence after some poor dating decisions. Who could be better to fluff my ego than Aspen’s hottest bachelor? This situation is a win-win. Right?Next to You is a standalone Romantic Comedy/sports romance about a rugby player and an heiress in Aspen. Next to You is book one in the Love with Altitude series of standalone romances set in the small town of Aspen.Stan and his man bun first appeared in the Modern Love Story Short, Take for Granted. This is a full-length novel told in dual POVs.

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.***

This Is Crazy


Natasha Madison - 2019
     Zara Stone All my life, I’ve said I will never date a hockey player. I know better because I’ve seen and lived it all. My father is a hockey god, my brother is the captain of the most successful NHL team in the world, and my brother-in-law also plays in the league. Their lives are complicated, so I went in the opposite direction. I fell in love with a scholar. But instead of proposing marriage, he broke up with me. Three months later, I saw his engagement picture on Instagram. I couldn’t let him get away with that. No, it didn’t matter what, I was going to make that man see that I did not need him. Evan Richards I was in the running to pass my point record from last year, ready to claim the number one spot in the league. On top of my game, I was riding my career high wave. Then, Hockey’s Princess, Zara Stone tweeted me. She wanted me to crash her ex’s wedding. The worst that could happen? A PR nightmare. The best? A fun night with a beautiful woman. It started out as a game—something I’m good at. Her crazy idea twisted into something I wasn’t looking for, something neither of us wanted. When push comes to shove, one thing runs through my mind: This is Crazy. Also, this is crazy right.

This Much is True


Katherine Owen - 2013
    A ballerina who lies. A baseball player who believes her. Well, the truth changes everything. Tally Landon just wants to escape her tragic story if just for one night. She doesn't count on meeting Lincoln Presley, Stanford's baseball wonder, but plans to add him to her long list of one-night stands. That's the plan. Lying to him about her age and her name is just a part of her don't-get-emotionally-attached style. She doesn't count on being found out, nor on ever seeing Linc again or falling in love. Lincoln Presley's life is all mapped out. There is only baseball. With the major leagues circling their favorite prospect with a lucrative offer, he cannot afford to mess up. And, he doesn't; until he meets up with the girl he saved from the burning wreckage on the 101 on Valentine's Day months before. By the time he learns her real name and of all the lies she's told, he's in far too deep to ever really let her go. When fame and lies tear them apart, one truth remains; and fate, most definitely, has a different set of plans. This much is true.Author's Note: A coming of age story? Could be. A powerful love story? Most definitely. An unforgettable read? Most likely. Intended for mature audiences, ages 17+? Absolutely. This best selling new adult contemporary romance novel will take you on an emotional roller coaster ride and is the first book (which should really be two books) in the Truth In Lies series, but it can be read as a standalone. It is 432 pages long in 12-point type so carve out some time.

Puck Daddy


Cass Kincaid - 2018
    That is, until Faith walks into my life and proves just how wrong I am. I shine on the ice, and off. At least, I used to. I’ve got my reasons for holding things in and keeping to myself. Besides, being a single dad isn’t for the faint of heart. So, when the nanny I hired doesn’t get what she wants—which happens to be me—she leaves my kids stranded at the arena. It not only infuriates me and puts my career comeback in jeopardy… It leads me to Faith Wilson. She’s innocent, sheltered, and sexy as sin. She’s also looking after my kids while I attempt to lead our team to the playoffs. I’ve never let myself touch the nanny before…until now. But one fleeting taste isn’t enough. And though I might score, this might be a game I’m bound to lose. **Puck Daddy is a steamy standalone romance with no cliffhanger, no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA**

The Cheat Sheet


Sarah AdamsSarah Adams - 2021
    The first step is admitting, right? Except, I can never admit it to him because he clearly doesn’t see me that way, and the last thing I want is for things to get weird between us.Nothing but good old-fashioned, no-touching-the-sexiest-man-alive, platonic friendship for us! Everything is exactly how I like it! Yes. Good. (I’m not crying, I’m just peeling an onion.)Our friendship is going swimmingly until I accidentally spill my beans to a reporter over too much tequila, and now the world seems to think me and Nathan belong together. Oh, and did I mention we have to date publicly for three weeks until after the Super Bowl because we signed a contract with...oops, forgot I can’t tell anyone about that! Bottom line is, now my best friend is smudging all the lines and acting very un-platonic, and I’m just trying to keep my body from bursting into flames every time he touches me.How am I going to make it through three weeks of fake dating Nathan without anything changing between us? Especially when it almost-sort-a-kinda seems like he’s fighting for a completely different outcome?Send help.XO Bree

Fake Marriage to a Baller: A Wilder Brothers Romance


Aria Scott - 2016
     Chase Football’s biggest bad-boy. That’s what they called me. And I was more than willing to live up to the name. But when my wild ways threatened the thing I loved most – football – my agent convinced me there was only one way to save my football career: get married. To a girl more virtuous than Mother Teresa. Where in the world would I find a chick like that? Aubrey How did a small-town girl like me get caught up in a fake marriage to a football star? Marrying for money? Stupid. Marrying an absolute ‘manwhore’ who spent all his considerable charm and energy trying to get into my pants, despite our ‘no sex’ marriage contract? Reckless. Falling in love with such bad boy? Complete insanity.