Sports and romance are two fictional book genres that many of us would normally never put together in our minds.
It can be easy to keep the frantic nature of sports far away from the slow and passionate aspect of romance, but the truth is, there are many authors who have decided to combine the two, making for some of the most unique love stories out there.
Whether it’s two strangers forming an unlikely relationship over their love for a particular sport, or a fierce rivalry quickly becoming something a lot more intimate and meaningful, there are some incredibly talented writers who have managed to merge the two to create a gripping and captivating romance novel that still has that sports backdrop.
In fact, sports romance is quickly growing into a very well-established and immensely popular subgenre, but with so many new books coming out, which ones are worth reading?
That’s exactly what we’re going to take a look at today as we run through the 6 most highly acclaimed and beloved sports romance novels that you need to check out for yourself if you’re curious about the genre.
1. Coach By Devney Perry
Devney Perry tells the story of a young woman who was once in a warm and loving relationship with the world-renowned football player, Ford Ellis, but after nearly a decade of trying to erase his rugged smile and glistening blue eyes from her mind, fate brings the two of them back together in an unlikely fashion.
However, this time, Millie can’t simply avoid seeing Ford’s face by switching off the TV with a remote, or by removing him from all her social media. Instead, she’s now going to have to acknowledge his presence every day, and even worse, she can only refer to him as “coach” from now on.
Throughout the book, we follow Millie’s struggles with focusing on her football career, while being under the tutelage of the man she has been dreaming about ever since they first met on that fateful night 10 years ago in Minnesota.
Intense, thoughtful, and full of twists that no reader could ever see coming, Coach is a fantastic book that expertly merges the world of football with a gripping romance plot that is so hard to forget about after you finish that last page.
2. The Third Baseman By Lulu Moore
To everyone watching him play from the stands, Jupiter Reeves seems like a man with a bad attitude off the court, but who also has an incredible talent for baseball.
Covered in tattoos and wearing a permanent scowl that never leaves his face even in victory, Jupiter is a star player of the highly successful Los Angeles Dodgers, so it came as a surprise to everyone when he suddenly decided to leave to join the New York Lions, despite the fact that he was at the peak of his career in a team that taught him everything he knew.
The truth is, while Jupiter puts on this rough and gritty persona to the fans, behind closed doors, he’s desperately seeking out the woman who stole his heart all those years ago when he first laid eyes on her, Marnie Matthews.
After switching teams, Jupiter now finds himself under the same roof as Marnie, who to his surprise, wants nothing to do with him, even with all his fame and illustrious reputation.
As the story progresses, we start to ask more questions about Jupiter, such as how did he lose Marnie in the first place?
And what makes him so desperate to win her back? Is it for his own reputation? Or maybe something even deeper? Read this one until the very end to find out.
3. Icebreaker By Hannah Grace
If you’re looking for a romance novel that’s a little more on the lighthearted side, but still full of intrigue and suspense when it needs to be, Icebreaker is a delightful read that tells the tale of a hockey team captain and a competitive figure skater who form a bond after sharing the rink together.
This is very much an enemies-to-lovers story that begins with the two main characters, Nate and Anastasia, wanting nothing to do with each other, and that’s putting it lightly.
After a facilities mishap means the two must share a rink together with their teams, they soon realize that there’s only enough space for one of them to compete, leading to arguments, banter, and a lot of confusion.
As time goes on however, and Anastasia learns that one of her skating partners is in deep trouble, she eventually turns to Nate for some friendly assistance, that is until sparks begin to fly and the two begin to confide in one another.
With excellent character development throughout and some fascinating comparisons between ice hockey and skating, this is a book that starts off as a fairly by-the-numbers sports novel, but soon becomes an elegant story about how romance can blossom between the most unlikely of pairings.
4. Pucked By Helena Hunting
Raunchy, tantalizing, and full of mystery and intrigue, Pucked is a book that can best be described as an emotional thrill ride from beginning to end, and while that’s certainly true for the readers, it’s just as true for our main character, Violet Hall.
With her stepbrother being an NHL player, Violet knows all about the infamous Alex Waters, a chiseled and handsome young man whose personal life has been well-documented by the sports media.
Everyone knows that Alex is a player, and he doesn’t hide the fact that he wants to be known as a womanizer, but when Violet randomly bumps into him, she can’t resist his devilish charm and provocative way of words, leading the two to spend the night together.
As Violet tries to leave the one-night stand in the past, she can’t escape Alex who constantly texts her, calls her, and even visits her, making it near impossible for Violet not to fall for him, despite the fact that she knows it will only end badly for her.
The story of Pucked dives deep into the emotions felt by a person after a one-night stand, and how to deal with liking someone that you know is only going to hurt you in the end.
5. The Fake Zone By Mariah Dietz
Greyson Meyers has dedicated everything to his football career and his education, in the hopes that one day, he will be able to earn enough money for his family so that his mother won’t have to work another day of her life.
However, while Greyson is no doubt an incredibly talented player on the field, he doesn’t quite have the charisma to land him any sponsorship deals, something that keeps putting him on edge and that causes him to question if he really is capable of making his dream a reality.
His luck changes however when Mila, someone Greyson has been friends with for several years, comes to Grey, proposing to strike a deal.
If Mila pretends to be Grey’s girlfriend in order to make his life seem more balanced and marketable for potential sponsors, then he must train her in self-defense, something she’s been wanting to learn in order to rebuild her sense of security that was shattered by an unfortunate incident years ago.
The “fake” relationship seems like it should be easy, especially since the two have already been good friends for such a long time, but when they both gradually grow closer, and their feelings start to develop, they begin to question if things have really gone too far, and if it was all even worth it in the first place.
6. Consider Me By Becka Mack
Olivia thinks she knows all about Carter Beckett, the NHL’s top player, and self-proclaimed bad boy.
The arrogant and self-centered young man gets everything he wants, whether it’s more money, more fame, or another girl he can take home, but Olivia is determined not to be just one of the many girls who have fallen for Carter’s seductive charm.
Instead, she wants to be the first woman to show Carter how disgusting his behavior is by rejecting all of his advances.
The only problem is every time Olivia talks to this supposedly dishonest and perverted young man, he speaks as if he is someone completely different, revealing himself to be a very insecure and introverted individual, but is this all just an act to win over the stubborn Olivia?
Consider Me is a book that will constantly keep you on the edge of your seat as we learn all about the mysterious NHL star player Carter Becket, and if he really is the unlikeable womanizer that the media loves to portray him as.
Summary
The next time you’re looking to sink your teeth into a romance book that is a little different from what you’re used to reading, consider picking up one of these fantastic sports romance books which are all easy to read and full of emotion to keep you hooked right until the very last page.