Books like 'Playing for Keeps'
Readers who enjoyed Playing for Keeps by Kate Donovan also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary athletes sports sassy heroine football m-f career professional alpha male
-
Power Play by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 23 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... -
![Hart to Heart by M.E. Carter, Jacob Morgan]()
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... -
![]()
![]()
Sponsored links -
![Lucky Bastard by Kaylee Ryan]()
Lucky Bastard by Kaylee Ryan
Emma When my best friend Aubrey asked me to tag along to an event with her, I never could have imagined that it would be the day that my life changed forever.He’s arrogant and demanding and doesn’t take a hint. Landon Barker, the quarterback for the Hermosa Beach Trojans, is a player on and off of the field. He’s got his sights set on me as his next play, but I see right through him...Categorized as:
sports alpha male athletes contemporary slow burn explicit-open-door length-medium audiobook -
![Finding Infinity by Layne Harper]()
Finding Infinity by Layne Harper
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 28 ratings"Finding Infinity" as described by Colin... "Fine Charlie.” Colin says dropping his hands in defeat. “Here's what I want. I want everybody to back off and let me play football. I want you to go back to practicing medicine because I’m ready for you to be happy again - not this forced shit that you keep trying to sell me... -
-
![The Score by Kristen Proby]()
The Score by Kristen Proby
An all-new meet-cute sports romance from New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Kristen Proby, featuring Sophie Montgomery!I have millions of followers on social media, and it has absolutely nothing to do with my last name. It’s because I’m good at what I do. I work hard, and it has paid off. I’m not a trainer who only talks the talk, either...Categorized as:
sports sassy heroine alpha male m-f contemporary insta-love dual-pov explicit-open-door -
![The Legend by Shey Stahl]()
The Legend by Shey Stahl
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsIn a lifestyle of speed, adrenaline and desire, one racer has sacrificed everything for the sport he loved. In turn, he will fight for his name, his family and now his life to be the legend he’s been portrayed to be. You can be everything you set out to be if you want it bad enough. You can be that record breaker you said you’d be. You can be that hero you always thought you would be... -
![Home Run by Jordan Marie, Robin Harper]()
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... -
![Mason by Tijan]()
Mason by Tijan
Mason Kade is not known to be nice. He is ruthless, manipulative, and unforgiving. Most will say that he is an a**hole and he is to those that cross him or cross his loved ones. However, he does not want to be who he is. He does not enjoy hurting others, but there is no limit to the lengths he will go to protect himself and his brother... -
![Kade by Tijan]()
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... -
![Love Irresistibly by Julie James]()
Love Irresistibly by Julie James
HE’S USED TO GETTING WHAT HE WANTS… A former football star and one of Chicago’s top prosecutors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Cade Morgan will do anything to nail a corrupt state senator, which means he needs Brooke Parker’s help. As general counsel for a restaurant company, she can get a bug to the senator’s table at one of her five-star restaurants so the FBI can eavesdrop on him...Categorized as:
athletes alpha male sports sassy heroine career professional m-f suspense contemporary -
![Just One Look by Rosalind James]()
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... -
![Captive by Brenda Rothert]()
Captive by Brenda Rothert
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsTwo years ago, Jason and Kate Ryker were brought together by grief and bound to one another by love. Now married, they’re confronting their fears together. But heartbreak finds them again, and the ties that bind Kate and Ryke are tested as she struggles against fear and sadness. As a grief counselor, Kate understands all too well the pain of her clients... -
![Infinity. by Layne Harper]()
Infinity. by Layne Harper
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsColin McKinney has wanted three things since he met Caroline “Charlie” Collins when he was a junior at Texas A&M University: to make her his wife, play professional football, and have a family. In the first three books of the Infinity Series, Colin and Charlie met, fell in love, broke apart, reunited eight years later, and got married... -
![Edge by Brenda Rothert]()
Edge by Brenda Rothert
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsOne bad hit has left the career of young NHL Center Luke Hudson in question. When he arrives for rehab with a minor league team, his injury has robbed him of the edge that made him great. Team trainer Adella Price’s job is to help Luke get back in peak condition. But their one on one sessions shake her resolve to remain unattached... -
-
![Hart to Heart by ME Carter, Murphy Rae]()
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... -
![Made to Love You by Megan Smith]()
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... -
![From Now Until Infinity by Layne Harper]()
From Now Until Infinity by Layne Harper
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsEight years have passed since Colin and Caroline “Charlie” ended their college romance. A chance meeting reunited them confirming that time had not diminished their love for each other. Now, they have to turn their passionate reunion into a legitimate and sustainable relationship. Charlie’s medical practice is in Houston. Colin is the starting quarterback for Dallas... -
![Just Say Yes by Rosalind James]()
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... -
![A Callahan Wedding by Monica Murphy]()
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:
alpha male athletes sports m-f contemporary friends to lovers new adult found-family -
![Losing Princeton Charming by Frankie Love, C.M. Seabrook]()
Losing Princeton Charming by Frankie Love, C.M. Seabrook
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAll is fair in love and war ... but is this love? Spencer Beckett may have fallen hard for Charlotte Hayes, but one lie has their relationship crashing to the ground. Their glass castle is about to shatter. Breaking Spencer's heart in the process. When tragedy strikes, Charlie needs a man who won't let let her down. Even Princes need second chances .. -
![Nixon by Samantha Whiskey]()
Nixon by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsI’m the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL because I know how to read the field.I control the plays—and my life—with absolute precision.Until Liberty Jones delivers the ultimate hit to my blind side with a story about two pink lines.The beautiful, free-spirited brunette has starred in my dreams since she disappeared after our wild weekend in Vegas, but I’ve been burned before... -
![Delayed Call by Toni Aleo]()
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 audiobook -
![Grow with Me by Kristen Proby]()
-
![Game Day by Piper Lawson]()
Game Day by Piper Lawson
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 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... -
-
![Until You Loved Me by Brenda Novak]()
Until You Loved Me by Brenda Novak
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsSometimes starting over means finding everything you’ve been missing… After catching her fiancé cheating—with another man–usually straight-laced, workaholic scientist Ellie Fisher liberates her wild side just long enough to indulge in a passionate one-night-stand with a tall, dark stranger she meets at a trendy Miami bar...Categorized as:
sports career professional athletes football contemporary pregnancy length-long audiobook -
![The Game by H.J. Bellus]()
The Game by H.J. Bellus
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsBorn to shine. Groomed to dominate. Levi Wilks is destined only to be a champion… Number one on the field, in the record books, and in every fans’ heart. This star QB is perfection from head to toe. Only his looks rival his talent on the field... -
![Ghost Dance by Catherine Gayle]()
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... -
![Shattered by Tracy Wolff]()
Shattered by Tracy Wolff
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe Extreme Risk series—Tracy Wolff’s edgy, emotional take on the New Adult genre—continues with the story of a lost soul and the fearless beauty who inspires him to take a flying leap back into life. Ash Lewis has poured every last ounce of his blood, sweat, and tears into reaching the very top of the professional snowboarding world—until the unthinkable happens...Categorized as:
athletes alpha male sports sassy heroine contemporary bad boys virgin heroine new adult -
![Love To Love You: A Love/Hate Novella by Isabelle Richards]()
Love To Love You: A Love/Hate Novella by Isabelle Richards
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAfter a long year of heartache and loss, Chase and Arianna pulled together the shattered pieces of their hearts and rebuilt a relationship that is stronger and more secure than ever before. Letting go of the mistakes of their past, their focus is on the future—their happily ever after... -
![The Story of Us by Brittney Sahin]()
The Story of Us by Brittney Sahin
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA football fanatic sports columnist. A sexy Italian soccer player. When in Rome . . . Maggie Lane, a sports columnist and diehard football fan, is not exactly enthused when her editor-in-chief sends her to Rome, Italy, to write a feature story on Italian soccer star Marco Valenti... -
![Sugar and Spice by Kat Baxter]()
Sugar and Spice by Kat Baxter
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAll she wants is a weekend rendezvous…I love the small town I’m from. I love having so much extended family close by and I love my mail order chocolate company. But what what I don’t love is being everyone’s favorite aunt. It’s like being cock-blocked by the entire town... -
![Defending Hayden by L.P. Dover]()
Defending Hayden by L.P. Dover
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThe Carolina Cougars keep fighting for love as the Second Chances series from bestselling author L. P. Dover continues! In Defending Hayden, a damaged football star teams up with the only woman who can take the pain away. No one’s tougher than Carolina Cougars linebacker Derek McLaughlin... -
![Your Play to Call by Rachel LaBerge]()
Your Play to Call by Rachel LaBerge
Global superstar Willow already has ten best-selling albums and sells out stadiums across the world, so how can she say no to playing the Super Bowl half-time show? She has to keep it a secret until the moment she takes the stage, but it’s still a dream come true... -
![A Twist of Fate by T. Gephart]()
A Twist of Fate by T. Gephart
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsLexi is a successful PR manager for a multinational firm, based in Melbourne, Australia. She is an energetic and impulsive soul whose passions sometimes control her life. Through a twist of fate she is chosen to represent a famous client, catapulting her into a new life in New York – fulfilling her in a way that she had never imagined. When Lexi meets Alex, sparks fly... -
-
![Waiting Game by Lisa Suzanne]()
Waiting Game by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsComing April 1!My wedding to Prince Charming is interrupted with accusations that it’s a sham.It is, but we both hold tight to the story that we’re marrying for love. I don’t have to fake it, but I’m not so sure about my husband.As I play the waiting game for him to return home from training camp, I start to find my niche with the wives of his pro football teammates... -
![The Art of Falling in Love with Your Fake Fiancé by Anne Kemp]()
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... -
![Hannah by Faleena Hopkins]()
Hannah by Faleena Hopkins
Rated: 4.06 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsEvery boyfriend I've ever had either bored me......or hurt me.I'm tired of what the world thinks they know.The gossip. Retaliation.So after another 'date' betrays my trust,when Sofia Sol, my rebellious cousin, says,“Hey...let's get out of here.A vacation from EVERYTHING.”My answer?A big fat YES.I mean, why not?Life can be an adventure.With true love where you least expect it…If you just say yes... -
![No More Mr. Chai Guy (The Coffee Loft: Fall Collection) by J.P. Sterling]()
No More Mr. Chai Guy (The Coffee Loft: Fall Collection) by J.P. Sterling
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWelcome back to The Coffee Loft, where a new round of stories has been brewed especially for you.Those of you stopping by to visit again, we’ve missed you. The feeling of home is the same that you loved before. If it’s your first time, prepare to be swept off your feet.While our menu hasn’t changed, we think you’ll be pleased with the fall favorites we’ve added... -
![Owned By My Roommate by Imani Jay]()
Owned By My Roommate by Imani Jay
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsOne curvy girl, one hot roommate... things are about to get steamy!Asher Lee is a retired professional rugby player, on his way to Europe to discuss a coaching opportunity.Anta Konan is a Silicon Valley working girl, flying to London for a much needed getaway...Categorized as:
alpha male athletes sports contemporary multicultural forced proximity length-novella -
![It's A Win For Me by Clarissa Mae]()
It's A Win For Me by Clarissa Mae
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAmelia Cruz-Taylor is a hopeless romantic, always glued to her rom-coms and billionaire romance books. But after a shattering betrayal, her belief in love has crumbled to dust. With a destination wedding approaching and her ex on the guest list, she needs a date to prove she’s moved on... -
![Three and Out by Meghan Quinn]()
Three and Out by Meghan Quinn
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 14 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... -
![Curveball by Kate Angell]()
Curveball by Kate Angell
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsThe bad boys of baseball, they are the top power hitters of the Richmond Rogues, and the team's best hope for a shot at the World Series. But when all three have to be benched for brawling, it's the beginning of a whole new ball game, and the opposing team could win something more than a trophy--these ladies are after their hearts... -
![Sugar Rush by Tracey Ward]()
Sugar Rush by Tracey Ward
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 24 ratings$.99 for a Limited Time! Colt Avery is on fire. Dubbed one of the NFL's best kept secrets, he's in the spotlight for the first time in his career. Women want him, coaches are courting him, and his Kansas cornfield good looks are too good not to be shared. His face is everywhere; TV, magazines, billboards. The entire world is in love with him. Everyone wants a piece of him... -
![Scoring Mr. Romeo by A.M. Madden, Joanne Schwehm]()
Scoring Mr. Romeo by A.M. Madden, Joanne Schwehm
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsHere's a tip: never underestimate romance. Falling in love was the furthest thing from my mind. I'm a single mother raising a strong little boy, and he is my one and only priority. The universe felt otherwise, sending me--actually, my son's soccer ball--hurdling toward a stunningly handsome, perfect man, who said all the right things. He made it hard to ignore how much I missed romance... -
-
![The Chase by Erin McCarthy]()
The Chase by Erin McCarthy
Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsKendall Holbrook is determined to make it to the top, even with the challenge of being a woman on the male-dominated racing circuit. She doesn't have time for romance-especially not with racing rival Evan Monroe, the man who nearly crushed her dream years ago... -
![Southern Playboy by Jessica Peterson]()
Southern Playboy by Jessica Peterson
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA Nanny/Boss Romance Hiring the woman who wrecked me to nanny the kid I just found out I have is a dumb idea. Getting naked with her in the back of my truck is even dumber. But old habits die hard. Amelia Fox was my high school sweetheart, the girl who broke my heart and nearly ended my football career nine years ago... -
![Playing the Field by Meghan Quinn]()
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... -
![City of Champions by Chloe T. Barlow]()
City of Champions by Chloe T. Barlow
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHow do you find the will to try, when you've spent all your life playing on a field strewn with shattered lives and broken rules? Tragedy and betrayal taught Jenna Sutherland early on that her safest bet was to fiercely avoid any risk, whether it is in work, life, or love... -
![Forward Passes by Jami Davenport]()
Forward Passes by Jami Davenport
Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsQuarterback Tyler Harris is about to find the woman who can get past his defensive line and reach his heart. With two championships in as many years, superstar Tyler Harris is the best quarterback in the league. Gorgeous and rich, he’s at the top of his game. But everyone’s looking to take him down... -
![Closing the Distance by Cadence Keys]()
Closing the Distance by Cadence Keys
Rated: 3.93 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIt was only supposed to be one night...until two pink lines changed everything.LexiIt was completely out of character for me to be so reckless.Losing my parents at a young age and then growing up in the foster system made me closed off, but when my only friend asked me to go out to a club with her, I couldn’t say no...
Fantastic book recommendations by romance book lovers for romance book lovers.
Find out more about romance.io.
Find out more about romance.io.
Get recommendations by genres & tropes
Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.
