Books like 'Curveball'
Readers who enjoyed Curveball by Kate Angell also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary athletes friends to lovers sports m-f baseball
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Stealing Sawyer by Samantha Christy
I hired her to be my girlfriend. To fix my reputation. To save my career. It’s not that I don’t want a girlfriend. I do. I want it all. Wife, kids, side-by-side burial plots. The problem is – I can’t have any of it. So I’ve made myself untouchable. The quintessential bachelor of baseball. Because it’s not worth the risk. Not even for someone I love... -
Kade by Tijan
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsI have fought. I have bled. I have wreaked havoc for my family. Anyone who threatened us, tried to break us, I broke them instead. Then, there was peace. Marriage. Children. Life was good. Life was great.Until my phone rang one night. Retired, I was no longer in the NFL. We'd recently moved back to Fallen Crest.So I should’ve known. I should’ve remembered. There is no peace in Fallen Crest... -
Hart to Heart by M.E. Carter, Jacob Morgan
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsListening Length: 5 hours, 6 minutesWe’re the Harts. Between an engagement, a wedding and an adoption, we’ve had the best year of our lives. Things have never looked better for any of us.But just because you say “I do” doesn’t mean you get a happily ever after. And sometimes, you get tackled more in life than you ever did on the football field... -
Power Play by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsPosey Adler is coming home. After a devastating journey for what she mistakenly thought was true love, she is saying to hell with men and love forever. As the Nashville Assassins’s new assistant coach for special teams, Posey is ready to focus on her job and have the attention on her for a change... -
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Hard to Lose by K. Bromberg
I know finding and signing a military vet to the agency is a long shot--but it’ll be good press just letting him try out. That’s what I tell my family, rather than admit I can’t get the letter he wrote us five years ago out of my head. But what I tell the bartender in his hometown is a lie. I know veterans protect each other. So I pretend to be a graduate student. Sparks. Flame. Fire...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers baseball m-f contemporary military tortured hero explicit-open-door -
Grand Slam by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAlexis’s father tells me he’s going to ruin me. He does not want his pop star daughter or her brand associated in any way with the bad boy of baseball.I make it my mission to prove to her father that I’m not the bad guy he thinks I am. But he takes things a few steps too far, causing major issues that will affect my upcoming baseball season... -
Tacker by Sawyer Bennett
I am not okay. Fifteen months ago, my life was turned upside down when the plane I was piloting went down. Injured and trapped in the wreckage, I had to watch my fiancée die a painfully slow death, which is something that can really mess with your head. Since that day, I’ve had little desire to do much of anything. Except play hockey, that is... -
Just One Look by Rosalind James
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLuka Darkovic has some tackling skills. He hadn’t planned on using them to bring down a runaway dog the size of a Shetland pony, though, especially not when his neck is already buggered. At 33, a rugby forward protects his vertebrae.. He’s even less happy when the dog’s incompetent owner turns up in his hospital cubicle the next day with a plan to fix those vertebrae... -
Rogue Wave by J. Bengtsson
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA love story that survives the test of time. Keith McKallister is the king of the stoners. You know the type. Every school has one – the hot, fun, dopey guy beloved by the student body but despised by, well, just about everyone else. He spends his early mornings in the ocean and his days trying to get to class on time... -
Path To Realization by TheFeveredBookaholic
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsAsher Pryce hides behind a wall of secrets he's spent most of his life building up. How else is the adopted child whose birth parents run a drug cartel supposed to fit in? He's notorious for his overconfident swagger and total lack of patience for bullshit - a master of masks. The one thing in his life he can't fake? His feelings for his best friend's twin sister... -
Playing Dirty: A Bad Boy Sports Romance by Mickey Miller
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsI'm going to teach Andrea to play dirty...she just doesn't know it yet. Jake Pulling in eight figures a year as star pitcher for the Chicago Jaguars, there's no shortage of parties, booze, and women. I'm a beast on the mound and between the sheets but when my social media presence becomes a major problem, the team’s owner brings in a PR expert to clean up my image... -
Wreck by Cora Brent
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsTHOMASNot too long ago my future was all mapped out.Then two brutal swings of a steel bat wielded by a maniac wrecked my world.The adrenaline high I used to get from pitching a perfect game is gone.The major league dreams I counted on have vanished.And the peace of mind I took for granted is shattered.The thrills I seek out now are self-destructive.I know this and I can’t stop... -
Born to Sin by Rosalind James
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBeing sentenced by a woman in a black robe is not a meet-cute.Quinn Jeffries follows the rules. A judge in small-town Sinful, Montana, doesn’t have much room for missteps, and when you spend your childhood training for the Olympics, you don’t have time for anything but discipline anyway. And, see? It’s worked! Her life is just fine... -
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Smokeshow: A Hockey Love Story by Raine Miller
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsBe "just friends" with a smokeshow like her? That's pretty much a p#cking impossible ask.—Tyler Lockhardt, VEGAS CRUSHI'm just over here minding my business playing hockey for the Crush when the SMOKESHOW of my dreams turns up and seriously rocks my world.For real.Beautiful, smart, and so incredibly sweet I cannot help myself from wanting to get to know her a whole lot better... -
Hart to Heart by ME Carter, Murphy Rae
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWe’re the Harts. Between an engagement, a wedding and an adoption, we’ve had the best year of our lives. Things have never looked better for Jaxon, Addison and myself. But just because you say “I do” doesn’t mean you get a happily ever after. And sometimes, you get tackled more in life than you ever did on the football field... -
Home Run by Jordan Marie, Robin Harper
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsGreen Lucas doesn't know what's about to hit him. Complete Standalone Romance Wanted A woman with grit and fire who will help me get my son’s head out of his ass. You must be self-sufficient and not looking for a gravy train. Common sense is a plus, book smarts are optional. Cannot have red hair, as my son seems to go for that type and he needs something to shake him up... -
A Callahan Wedding by Monica Murphy
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe sweet and sexy conclusion to New York Times bestselling author, Monica Murphy’s standalone Callahan series, bringing readers along for the ride as fan favorites, Jake and Hannah get married! Hannah Walsh. Gorgeous. Intelligent. My first love. My high school sweetheart. My everything. And now my fiancée...Categorized as:
athletes friends to lovers sports m-f alpha male contemporary new adult found-family -
When Our Worlds Stand Still by Lindsey Iler, Pink Ink Design
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsTime is said to heal all wounds. Kennedy Conrad embraces survival. Group therapy, friends, and dance are helping her find the person she was. Overcoming the darkest period of her past is getting easier every day. Still, the ache in her chest tells her something is missing. Him. The more precious something is, the harder you fight for it. Graham Black embraces change... -
Tight Hold by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe pro football player I’m faking a relationship with has the perfect solution to my career woes. He’s encouraging me to lean into the pseudo-celebrity life I was born into instead of trying to outrun it, and for the first time in my life, someone sees me for me.I feel like he’s falling for me, too.And then my ex shows up... -
Hold Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsTyler Maxwell's story will be released on January 18th.As the leagues’ top goalie for the Chicago Blades, I stay disciplined and follow three principles:1. Keep a pristine image.2. Play smart and hard on the ice.3. Stay out of relationships... -
Swing and a Mishap by Tara Sivec
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 19 ratings“Hawks fans still in shock after centerfielder, Shepherd Oliver, sustained season-ending injury last night in the 5th inning of the playoffs against Chicago.”Two years ago, I was a pretty big deal. I thought I had it all, until a blast from my past popped up on my social media feed, keeping my ego in check and reminding me how basic I am. Except sassy Wren Bennett isn’t just a blast from my past... -
Text Me Baby One More Time by Teagan Hunter
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsA SECOND-CHANCE ROMANTIC COMEDY! I love you , he said. Forever , he said. Turns out, he lied. When he leaves me high and dry after a cross-country move, I push him out of my life as much as I can, which is hard to do when the guy who broke your heart also happens to be the most famous dude in town... -
Game Day by Piper Lawson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsIn the heat of victory, I asked her to be mine forever. We’d both triumphed in our own way:Nova broke free from her past.I led my team to a championship and discovered life beyond the court. Our journey to "I do" was supposed to be easy. Except…The hottest resort in Aspen is only available is on short notice.A new season with the Denver Kodiaks looms on the horizon... -
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Outta My League by Ali Parker, Weston Parker
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe way she looks, smells, laughs is killing me.I fell in love with my sister’s best friend. To top it all off, she’s brilliant. And I’m failing Chemistry.Of course, when I get her help, she’s laidback about it. Charming and helpful as always, like she doesn’t know how much I want her. I’ve got to play it cool and let her see a different side of me... -
Fake Start by Jasmin Miller
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsYou know that awkward moment when your agent tells you to fake date your best friend’s sister so you can get the endorsement deal of your dreams? No? Call me crazy for considering it, but why not? Daisy’s my friend, after all, and I’ve gotten quite close to her and her two awesome boys over the last few years since her douche-nozzle husband divorced her... -
Tight Fit by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt’s okay to admit I’m scared.Outside forces are working hard to tear us apart, but we’ve teamed up against them. It’s the internal struggles we’re battling that could spell the ultimate end.When Ben makes a public show to prove how committed we are, I’m left confused as I struggle to figure out whether his feelings for me are real or if they’re part of the act...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers m-f age difference forced proximity contemporary length-short -
Just Say Yes by Rosalind James
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsSome fires warm you up. And some burn you down. Kevin McNicholl may be a brutal force on the rugby field, but off the field, the star New Zealand All Black is a famously nice guy. His new tenant, though, arouses more than his protective side. She sets him on fire. Pity he’s evicting her. Every woman deserves her dreams. Chloe Donaldson can’t afford dreams, so she's given them up... -
Made to Love You by Megan Smith
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsJaylinn McCormick had finally found the man who makes her life complete. After putting the most terrifying night of her life behind her, she’s moving on. Suddenly, unexpected life altering events have Jaylinn spiraling in an unknown direction. Will she be able to survive? Cooper Cahill finally found a balance in his life... -
Off the Mark by Kathryn Nolan
Fake dating my hottest friend was not my smartest move… The cocky ex-baseball player—and flirty playboy—is the one man I’d never fall for. Which is why I stupidly thought he’d make the perfect fake boyfriend. As the reigning queen of the dirt bike racing circuit, my only goal is to win this next championship race. Except I’ve got a bit of a…reputation problem...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers baseball m-f contemporary dual-pov sassy heroine length-medium -
Dump and Chase by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsShelli Adler has known what she wanted since she was eleven years old. Aiden Brooks. But Aiden has always had other ideas. After spending the early years of his life without his dad, hockey legend Lucas Brooks, Aiden is determined not to settle for anything less than true love. When he’s ready. Now he’s living the fast life of an NHL bachelor... -
Rafe by Sawyer Bennett
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsI was living my dream until one phone call changed everything. As the second line center for the Arizona Vengeance, my mind has been on one thing—helping my team bring home a championship. But that all changed when I found out my dad had cancer and only months to live. In that moment, nothing mattered more than getting home to North Carolina to be by his side... -
Playing the Field by Meghan Quinn
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThe gang is back and this time there is a wedding to celebrate, except that is the last thing on Molly Meyers’ mind. After losing her fiancé, Luke, two years ago, the last thing on her mind is helping her best friend, Jane Bradley, plan her wedding and celebrate the annoyingly, obnoxious, lovey-dovey relationship Jane has with Braves first baseman, Brady Matthews... -
Drive You Wild by Jennifer Bernard
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt’s game on for love in the third novel of USA Today bestselling author Jennifer Bernard’s sexy, baseball-themed series. Kilby Catfish left-fielder Trevor Stark is a ballpark legend. With his good looks, hitting records, and played-for-the-fans arrogance, Trevor makes women lose their minds and men lose their cool... -
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Full Count by Kimberly Readnour
Dating my bestie? Yeah, I can only wish... Garret Cartel.Cessna University’s starting shortstop.Painstakingly gorgeous.ReservedFriend-zoned since freshman year.I have a knack for falling for unattainable guys.Blame my trust issues.They keep me safe.But this is our final year.My last chance to break the dreaded friend-zone chains before graduation.There’s one slight problem... -
The Art of Falling in Love with Your Fake Fiancé by Anne Kemp
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAll’s fair in love and war…until you agree to be your best friend’s fake fiancé.Levi: Life as an NFL player has always been fast-paced, but nothing prepared me for becoming the guardian of my godson, Duncan. With his grandmother contesting custody, I need to prove that I’m a steadfast influence who’s not going anywhere and there’s one sure-fire way to show that: get engaged... -
Warning Track by Meghan Quinn
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratings**SPOILER ALERT**READ BOOKS ONE AND TWO FIRST** Book three of the Hot-Lanta Series. Life is never as it seems and for Molly Meyers, life has been one hell of a roller coaster the past couple of years. When she thinks she finally has a handle on where her future is taking her, she gets a visit from her past which throws her entire life plan up in the air... -
On the Fly by Catherine Gayle
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsInjury after injury has put Brenden Campbell's NHL career on hold for years. Now he's playing for the Portland Storm and determined to make it stick. Few things in life drive him more than being told he can't have something he wants, and what he wants most is to prove he belongs. Brenden also wants Rachel Shaw, the cute, little redhead who just got hired as the general manager's new assistant... -
Ghost Dance by Catherine Gayle
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsUSA Today bestselling author Catherine Gayle presents another novel in the sexy Tulsa Thunderbirds hockey romance series. He had it all. And lost it in an instant. The night Dmitri Nazarenko won hockey’s Holy Grail, he lost more than he ever bargained for. With a world of guilt weighing him down, Dima can never forgive himself for his tragic misjudgment... -
Day One by Lauren Runow
My thoughts of how I’m going to survive this indefinite amount of time alone are interrupted by a notification from my Tinder app.Yes, we’re on quarantine. Yes, I reactivated my account out of pure boredom. And, yes, Drew’s one profile photo is smoking hot.I hit Reply.Day by day, as the world tries to stay healthy, we find creative ways to pass the time together... -
Game Changer: A Wynn Hockey Novel by Kelly Jamieson
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsJackson Wynn I don’t want anything to do with my crazy family’s drama, which I’ve been watching unfold from a distance over the last year, but now my grandfather has Alzheimer’s and I feel I need to at least make a quick visit to see him. My hockey season’s over, all I have to do is get through my teammate Steve’s wedding, and then I’m on a plane to Los Angeles to do my family duty... -
Three and Out by Meghan Quinn
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsPiper was dead to him. The minute she walked out the door on Mason, he was done. D.O.N.E. Now, three months later, he’s still trying to act like he doesn’t care. Like his heart hasn’t been torn into shreds and obliterated beyond recognition. But it’s not working. He’s broken and beyond repair. Then Piper goes missing... -
Grand Slam by Heidi McLaughlin
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWin the game. Lose your heart. Everyone knows who I am and that I could have any female fan I want. That's supposed to be the "perk" of playing left field for the Boston Renegades. But I don't want just any woman; I want her. She should be just another face in the crowd, but I can't stop thinking about the one night we spent together-and her look of regret the morning after... -
The Fake by Rebecca Jenshak
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsI've made a lot of dumb mistakes but none dumber than losing her.Senior year. I should be partying and living it up with my friends before graduation, but one more mistake and I'm off the team.Enter Chloe. She comes into my life at a low point, but she becomes the bright spot I reach for every day. She's the kind of girl who makes a guy want to be a better man... -
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Let Me Be the One by Bella Andre
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 48 ratingsHow far would you go for a friend? Back in San Francisco preparing for her big art show, Vicki Bennett needs help protecting herself and her career from the unwelcome advances of one of the judges. She knows that her longtime friend and baseball star, Ryan Sullivan, will know just how to handle things, and he's the only person she can imagine asking for help...Categorized as:
athletes friends to lovers sports m-f baseball contemporary second chances alpha male -
Only One Forever by Natasha Madison
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsFrom The Something So Series and the This Is series comes Only One Forever.DylanMy dreams came true when I was adopted at ten.I was the best on the ice. Living the life of what every kid dreams of.We’ve been best friends since then. Even when she was the annoying little sister following us around.I would do anything for her.It is another family vacation; except this time it feels different...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers athletes m-f contemporary new adult forced proximity forbidden love -
Delayed Call by Toni Aleo
Vaughn Johansson is the Nashville Assassins' star player. He's brash, cocky, and talented. And he isn't afraid to let anyone know it. He lives his life on his own terms, never forming romantic attachments, and only allowing his very closest to see his true, caring self. Brie Soledad has the weight of the world on her shoulders...Categorized as:
sports athletes m-f contemporary from hate to love independent heroine explicit-plentiful -
Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson, Quinn Ward
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsFour years ago, he gave his heart to a rookie pitcher and struck out. Now, they have a second chance to get things right.No longer living on the streets and surrounded by men who supported him, Cody Marshall’s life was finally looking up. He hadn’t expected to hook up with anyone on his first spring training trip, but there was something about Nick Stone that called to him... -
Thanks For Last Night by Lauren Blakely
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA sexy new friends-to-lovers standalone!Let me list the reasons why dating a sexy, charming, pro hockey star is a bad idea:1. He’s one of my closest friends2. All our friends are friends3. The wounds I’ve got from past relationships go deep. And so do his.We’re both devoutly single -- it’s just safer for the heart that way... -
Catching Summer by L.P. Dover
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsHailed by Heidi McLaughlin as a bestselling author who “knows how to create the men who make us swoon,” L. P. Dover returns with an edgy, emotionally gripping Second Chances novel about a beautiful widow who can’t resist a chiseled NFL player. Former nurse Summer Jacobs has seen her fair share of suffering, but she never expected tragedy to hit so close to home...
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