Books like 'Hard Knocks'
Readers who enjoyed Hard Knocks by Ruby Lang also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny athletes sports from hate to love east-asian-mc hockey fated-mates found-family
-
Made For You by Natasha Madison
From Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY bestselling author Natasha Madison comesA brand new stand-alone enemies-to-lovers grumpy/sunshine sports romance.A spin-off from the Only One seriesVivienneI did the last thing I ever expected to do. I bought a boat. A beautiful boat that was all mine to spend the summer on.Only thing I was looking forward to was the calm being on the water brought me...Categorized as:
sports athletes from hate to love hockey contemporary forced proximity dual-pov grumpy sunshine -
![When Alec Met Evie by Jenny Proctor]()
When Alec Met Evie by Jenny Proctor
Evie told herself not to fall for her pro-hockey crush. But when she sees him holding her baby girl, all bets are off.When Evie moves South to the same mountain town where her childhood crush plays pro-hockey, she arms herself with all the reasons why she can’t fall for him again.Number Alec is her best friend’s much older brother... -
![]()
![]()
Sponsored links -
![Playing Mr. Perfect: Clay Braden by Melissa Foster]()
Playing Mr. Perfect: Clay Braden by Melissa Foster
Quarterback Clay "Mr. Perfect" Braden is determined to show sexy scientist Pepper Montgomery the benefits of hands-on research in PLAYING MR. PERFECT, the first book in the Bradens at Ridgeport series by New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Melissa Foster. Loaded with heat, humor, and heart, this steamy, small-town, opposites-attract standalone romance is unputdownable... -
![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... -
-
![Arrogant Playboy by Alex Wolf, Sloane Howell]()
Arrogant Playboy by Alex Wolf, Sloane Howell
Rated: 4.49 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThere’s a hot new hire. Too bad she’s Donavan’s ex. Oh, and there’s one other problem—they hate each other. The last thing he expected to see when he walked into the office was Paisley Williams. She was the only person to graduate ahead of him at Columbia. The one woman who could give it back better than he could dish it out. She was also the biggest regret of his life... -
![Puck Performance by Alley Ciz]()
Puck Performance by Alley Ciz
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAll's fair in love and potatoes. Melody Brightly Broadway Star. Pink hair. A smile that hits me harder than a slap shot. Terrible taste in hockey teams. Full of secrets. The one woman I fail to defend my heart against. Jase Donnelly Defenseman.Charming. Sexy as puck. Makes my hormones give a standing ovation. The one guy I can never be with, but can't stay away from... -
![Cocky Quarterback: Eric Cocker by Faleena Hopkins]()
Cocky Quarterback: Eric Cocker by Faleena Hopkins
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsBRAND NEW IN THE HIT SERIES WITH OVER 250,000 SOLD I told her I hope he knows how lucky he is. ERIC: The waitress with the bird tattoo up her middle finger has gotten my attention by not caring if she does. My team thinks it’s hilarious that she’s not into me. I think it’s almost as fascinating as she is. Trouble is she likes musician types... And has one for a boyfriend... -
![Pucks & Penalties: Pucked Series Outtakes and Deleted Scenes by Helena Hunting]()
Pucks & Penalties: Pucked Series Outtakes and Deleted Scenes by Helena Hunting
An extensive compilation of outtakes, deleted scenes and a crossover novella from The Pucked Series, which now includes:ENDORSE THIS: An Area 51 invasion outtake in which Alex once again tries to persuade Violet that he should go where no man has gone before. And likely never will... -
![Delayed Call by Toni Aleo]()
Delayed Call by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsVaughn 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... -
![The Assassins Series by Toni Aleo]()
The Assassins Series by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsNow all four novels and the companion novella are together in one can’t-miss eBook bundle: TAKING SHOTSTRYING TO SCOREEMPTY NETFALLING FOR THE BACKUPBLUE LINES The Assassins may be the hottest things on two legs and ice skates, but when the gloves come off, the chiseled men of this Nashville NHL team will do anything for the women they love: A reformed bad boy helps a charming, willful beauty... -
![The Tenacious Act by Marion De Ré]()
The Tenacious Act by Marion De Ré
Our contractor declared bankruptcy and we now have to leave our bookstore opening into the hands of a professional hockey team.Thankfully, the guys are also skilled off the ice and dedicated to help us make our dream come true.Particularly, Maxime, my friend’s brother who’s a relentless flirt with a goofy personality.And as hot as he might be, I don’t do boyfriends... -
![Rosie and the Beast Next Door by Kaylee Baldwin]()
Rosie and the Beast Next Door by Kaylee Baldwin
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt is a truth universally acknowledged that a hockey player in possession of a bad reputation must be in want of a fake girlfriend.Rosie Forrester is in desperate need of cash after an embarrassing run-in with the law. Enter Dylan Savage, a disgraced hockey player who needs a place to hide out for a few months while he figures out how to get back on his team... -
![Light 'em Up by Kelly Jamieson, Bang Brothers]()
Light 'em Up by Kelly Jamieson, Bang Brothers
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsLight 'em Up by Kelly Jamieson is book 5 in the Bang Brothers Hockey seriesAnnie BangI’m thrilled to be working in professional hockey, since my five brothers are all hockey players. My new role as skating coach to the New York Bears is the perfect fit and I can’t wait to whip all these guys into shape so we can win more games... -
![The Wild Card by Cassie-Ann L. Miller]()
The Wild Card by Cassie-Ann L. Miller
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt was supposed to be harmless. One fake date with a football player.Except Harry Westbrook is the exact opposite of harmless. My first mistake? Underestimating that boyish smile, those playful eyes, the charming words on those perfect lips. He claims to have a crush on me. But, as hot as he is, I'd bet he's scheduling booty calls like a dentist booking teeth cleanings... -
-
![Lost the Handle by Toni Aleo]()
Lost the Handle by Toni Aleo
Emery “Just tell me to wait for you,” Quinn whispers desperately as he slides his nose along mine. My ribs are having a hard time containing my hammering heart as I keep my eyes locked with his blue ones. I stroke my fingers along his cheek as a sob hiccups out of me. “I can’t. I wouldn’t do that to you.” “I would, though.” His words match the promise in his eyes... -
![The Day the Jerk Started Falling by Max Monroe]()
The Day the Jerk Started Falling by Max Monroe
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsMy name is Oliver Arsen, but my mates call me Ollie. I live hard and love harder, and it’s love that usually gets me in the most trouble. According to the greater population, I’m the ultimate jerk. My affection tends to be short-lived—a quality I’ve been assured multiple times by the fairer sex isn’t becoming—and the leaving part of loving and leaving has always come natural... -
![Breakaway (The Rule Book Collection) by A.M. Johnson]()
Breakaway (The Rule Book Collection) by A.M. Johnson
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAs Tampa Bay's star center, Mark Carmelo's life was hockey, and after a bitter and public break up, all he wanted to do was focus on the game. Until he saw her. The one that got away. The one he thought he'd never see again. For thirteen years, Stevie West drowned in her lackluster life. Recently divorced from her “roommate” with passionless benefits, she was ready to start over... -
![Power Play by C.J. Cartwright]()
Power Play by C.J. Cartwright
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat if the one who got away… comes back? They say you never forget your first love. But does time truly heal all wounds?Levi Fawkes knows hockey, and not much else. As the captain of the Astoria Bay Thunder, his eyes are always locked on the goal... -
![The Sweetest Chirp by Toni Aleo]()
The Sweetest Chirp by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAudrinaI ran.I left everything I knew, and I didn’t look back.I have loved my best friend since I the moment I knew what love was. While I adore a good best-friends-to-lovers trope, that was never our story. We danced around each other, skated along the line but didn’t cross it, and I never knew why. Until one night, I took matters into my own hands... -
![Ice Ice Maybe by Rich Amooi]()
Ice Ice Maybe by Rich Amooi
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratings“I want you to date my daughter.”Those seven words hit Nolan Reid like a puck to the head.Once destined for NHL stardom, a skiing accident left Nolan driving the Zamboni for the San Diego Sea Lions. But his humble life of maintaining the ice is about to get complicated.The billionaire owner’s insane plan? Nolan fake-dates his daughter Zena to ignite her ex’s jealousy... -
![Iced by Colleen Charles]()
Iced by Colleen Charles
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI’ve heard it all before. I need to grow up. Take things more seriously. Stop making headlines for anything other than my game.Even though it wasn’t my fault that I recently got into a fight at a bar over a woman…yeah yeah, no one wants anymore excuses. My agent just wants me to overhaul my public image before I lose my contract... -
![The Wedding Winger by Delancey Stewart]()
The Wedding Winger by Delancey Stewart
Sly Remington has a plan. And it does not involve falling in love with his high school crush, the literal girl next door. But sometimes, fate makes plans of its own...Pro hockey has always been my destiny. And now that I’m right wing for the Wilcox Wombats? It’s my past and present… but I’m not so sure if it’s my future...Categorized as:
sports athletes found-family hockey contemporary humor single-mother forced proximity -
![The Friend Face Off by Grace Worthington]()
The Friend Face Off by Grace Worthington
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGetting involved with your brother’s best friend is risky enough. But when he's a hockey player? It's a whole new level of bad idea.As a ravenous reader, I’ve got a I’m obsessed with hockey romances.But let me tell you, real life hockey players are nothing like my book boyfriends.So I threw down the gauntlet on BookTok. I challenged any single guy out there to prove me wrong... -
![The Trouble With Gravity (Gravity Series) by K.K. Allen]()
The Trouble With Gravity (Gravity Series) by K.K. Allen
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsKai's life is a series of choreographed steps, each one shielding her from the tragic memories of her past. Audition, dance, paycheck, repeat. It's a broken record, but it's what keeps her world spinning... -
-
![The Christmas You Crash by Piper Hale]()
The Christmas You Crash by Piper Hale
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsOne blizzard. One cabin. One uninvited hockey player. Ho, ho, humbug. Normally I love Christmas. The lights, the snow, the cozy traditions. Then my parents divorced. Intent to avoid awkward holiday drama, I head to our family’s secluded cabin for a nice, relaxing week alone.At least that’s the plan until Ryder Hanson shows up uninvited and dressed like a serial killer... -
![Traded by Lisa Suzanne]()
Traded by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe first time I met pro football’s hottest quarterback, we ended up horizontal just before the most embarrassing moment of my life.The second time, I unleashed all my pent-up anger on him.The third time was when the owner of the Vegas Aces introduced him as the newly traded player I’d be coaching for the next year. No…I’m not a football coach. I’ve been hired as his full-time behavior coach... -
![Turn of the Tides by Jessica Prince]()
Turn of the Tides by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsWhen Beau Wade left his small hometown of Whitecap, Oregon, he swore to himself he’d never go back. But when his NFL career goes up in smoke, that’s exactly what he finds himself doing. Not much has changed in the ten years he’s been gone... -
![Puck Love by Carmen Jenner]()
Puck Love by Carmen Jenner
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsStella Hart is the hottest thing in country music. For ten years, she’s been Nashville’s darling. She’s pure, sweet, and a positive role model in an industry rife with scandals, sex, and sequins. Men want to own her, women want to be her—everyone wants a piece of her, and Stella? Well, she wants out... -
![Wheeler by Colleen Charles]()
Wheeler by Colleen Charles
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThroughout my time as an elite hockey player, I’ve had a few hookups.But there's only one I can’t get out of my mind.Stella left me high and dry in Costa Rica with a bruised ego and a broken heart after a single perfect day.I wish I’d ignored all the rules with her. I wish I’d made her mine in every way that mattered... -
![Trivial Pursuits by Aven Ellis]()
Trivial Pursuits by Aven Ellis
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLandon Holder is exactly the kind of man Livy Adams should stay far away from. The flashy, flirty star defenseman for the Chicago Buffaloes is known for hooking up with women all over Chicago. Livy finds herself attracted to Landy, but his sexy good looks and charm are irrelevant... -
![Grinder by Colleen Charles]()
Grinder by Colleen Charles
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsScarlett Stone hates me. Every time she takes the mic during her popular sports podcast, she rips me a new one.Some would call us enemies but I make it a rule not to make a rival of a smart, sexy woman like her. If I make one single error on the ice, she calls it out in a way that both frustrates me and turns me on... -
![12 Days of Mistletoe: An Enemies to Lovers, Fake Dating, Holiday RomCom by Jen Atkinson]()
12 Days of Mistletoe: An Enemies to Lovers, Fake Dating, Holiday RomCom by Jen Atkinson
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHow to end up in Christmas kissing lessons with your downstairs enemy… Break apartment rules? Guilty.Send holiday cards to the downstairs neighbor's grandma? Done. Accidentally become said neighbor's fake girlfriend for a family Christmas photo? Wait, what?I, Bonnie Miller, am no troublemaker. I’m just an anxious girl trying to keep my emotional support pup in a no-pets apartment building... -
![Famous Last Words by Shann McPherson]()
Famous Last Words by Shann McPherson
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA laugh out loud haters-to-lovers, fake-dating hockey romance. Not so long ago, Robbie Mason had it all. Three Stanley Cup wins, two Hart trophies, and sponsorship deals worth millions. But then he went and broke his own teammate’s jaw, and the best defenseman in the history of the NHL hit rock bottom, hard... -
![Perfectly Faked by Grace Worthington]()
Perfectly Faked by Grace Worthington
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHe’s a hot-headed hockey star. A grump with a broody glare. Hater of playing by the rules. Bigger hater of figure skaters like me. And now, my new fake boyfriend.I’ve spent my entire life working for a shot at Nationals, but when my figure skating partner gets an injury right before the biggest season of my career, my chances of making a comeback vanish overnight...Categorized as:
sports hockey from hate to love contemporary forced proximity second chances humor length-medium -
-
![The Winning Score by G.K. Brady]()
The Winning Score by G.K. Brady
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe can’t stand him. The feeling is mutual. Can they make it through quarantine together?Quinn Hadley only does one thing as well as he plays hockey—wheeling the ladies. He’s the envy of his teammates. With puck bunnies on speed dial in every city, he never spends a night alone unless it’s by choice. He has a certain type—hot, blond, and easy...Categorized as:
from hate to love hockey sports athletes contemporary forced proximity dual-pov secret-relationship -
![Cap by Elise Faber]()
Cap by Elise Faber
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe’s the one he wants.And he’s not going to give her up without a fight.As the newly named captain of the San Francisco Gold, Josh is used to pressure and hard work.What he’s not used to?Women despising him.Jess, however, has taken an instant dislike to him, and no matter what he tries to do, he can’t seem to get beyond her prickly exterior... -
![Kind of a Hot Mess by Lili Valente]()
Kind of a Hot Mess by Lili Valente
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI'm a hot mess single mom with no time for players…or anything else. He's a wounded NHL star stuck in the small town he's fought to escape. So we strike a deal to become roomies--Aaron will babysit my little boy to help me through the busiest catering season of the year. In exchange, I'll give him a place to heal away from his overbearing family... -
![Want You to Want Me by Lorelei James]()
Want You to Want Me by Lorelei James
The new sexy contemporary romance in New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James's Want You series, set in Minneapolis-St. Paul.Hockey player Gabriella "Gabi" Welk spent her life in pursuit of championships, but she has little to show for it besides dusty trophies and second-place medals. Now her career consists of several part-time jobs to make ends meet... -
![Changing Lanes by Katie Graykowski]()
Changing Lanes by Katie Graykowski
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsProfessional Football Player, Devon Harding found his soul mate at the age of seventeen. Trouble is, he can’t remember her last name. For the last fourteen years, he’s been waiting for The Universe to send her back to him. When that day comes, he nearly falls all over himself to get to her. But he plays it cool and waits for her to come to him. And she walks right past him... -
![The Christmas Clause by Meg Easton]()
The Christmas Clause by Meg Easton
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA hockey star who can’t wait to skip town. A videographer whose career relies on him. The Denver Glaciers’ new right-wing hockey player, Connor Greene, is far from jolly this Christmas... -
![One Steamy Pucking Meet Cute by Penelope Bloom]()
One Steamy Pucking Meet Cute by Penelope Bloom
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI’ll tell you about the two very large pickles I’ve found myself in, but only if you promise not to laugh… Pickle number one: I'm unexpectedly pregnant by an NHL star, who just so happens to be my big brother's best friend—and no, we weren't exactly dating. For reasons that totally make sense (trust me for now), I never told him about the baby... -
![Cocky Quarterback: Eric Cocker by Faleena Hopkins]()
Cocky Quarterback: Eric Cocker by Faleena Hopkins
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsThis series is 18+ERIC do you capture a girl's heart? Make her laugh. The waitress with the bird tattoo drawn up her middle finger got my attention by not caring if she has it. My team thinks it's hilarious she's not into me. Trouble is she likes musician types.... But hey, I'm a star quarterback and a Cocker which means I don't drop the ball...Categorized as:
sports athletes from hate to love contemporary new adult dual-pov humor length-medium -
![Bender by Colleen Charles]()
Bender by Colleen Charles
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsMy second chance is the biggest gamble of my life. I am Marco Rossi, once an Italian nobody, now living the dream as a Vegas Venom player. I thought I was swapping my lonely orphan past for a team-family. But I was wrong. I am on thin ice with everyone, but especially when it comes to Madison McKay...Categorized as:
hockey sports athletes friends to lovers curvy heroine contemporary humor length-medium -
![One Vegas Night by Mickey Miller]()
One Vegas Night by Mickey Miller
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAmazon Bestselling Author Mickey Miller brings you a sexy over-the-top marriage of convenience romance. What do you say when you wake up next to hockey’s biggest playboy…with a ring on your finger? The first time I met Dustin LeBlanc, I wanted to slap that cocky smirk off his face... -
-
![Overtime Obsession by London Casey]()
Overtime Obsession by London Casey
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI finally land my dream apartment so I can write my next book. There’s just one problem. A tall, muscular hockey player shows up and says the apartment is actually his. I tell him to leave. He tells me to leave... -
![The Love You Win by Piper Hale]()
The Love You Win by Piper Hale
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsOne broken heart. One winning bid at a date auction. One hot, grumpy hockey player. What could go wrong? According to my best friends, five months is too long to nurse a broken heart. They’re determined to push me out of my nest made of sweatpants and sadness. I need to date; they say. They have the perfect plan; they say... -
![Breakout by Aven Ellis]()
Breakout by Aven Ellis
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhile Texas is known for loving football, Lexi Stewart has always been drawn to the ice. Hockey is her passion, and she wants nothing more than to pursue a career in video editing for the home network of the Dallas Demons hockey team. Lexi has an editing job for a corporate account, but it’s not fulfilling... -
![The Gate to Everything by Ava Miles]()
The Gate to Everything by Ava Miles
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMillions of readers have fallen in love with Ava’s bestselling Dare series…come join the family. USA Today Bestselling Author Ava Miles presents a heartwarming and romantic second-chance story about love and family. Quarterback Jordan Dean thought he had everything until his long-time girlfriend broke up with him. His football rock star life had become too burdensome to her... -
![Cage's Misconduct by Nikki Worrell]()
Cage's Misconduct by Nikki Worrell
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDalton ‘Cage’ Booker is the number one goalie for the San Diego Scorpions. Most people describe him as willful and stubborn—sometimes even difficult to control. More often than not, words fly out of his mouth without the benefit of passing through his brain first. And women love him... -
![Going All In by Stephanie Kay]()
Going All In by Stephanie Kay
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAll Darcy Collins wants is to focus on finishing her master’s degree. She doesn’t have the time to get involved with anyone. But her meddling mother is persistent in her unwanted matchmaking for Darcy. When her mother tries once again to set her up on a date, Darcy tells her she’s already seeing the San Francisco Strikers' latest handsome hockey star, Jake Northman...
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.
