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
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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... -
![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... -
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![Rosie and the Beast Next Door by Kaylee Baldwin]()
Rosie and the Beast Next Door by Kaylee Baldwin
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 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... -
![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... -
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![Delayed Call by Toni Aleo]()
Delayed Call by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 28 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... -
![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... -
![A Smoky Mountain Hockey Holiday by Toni Aleo]()
A Smoky Mountain Hockey Holiday by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.59 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsOne chalet in the Smokies. Four loving families. While all the grandbabies are on Santa’s Nice List, a few of the adults are getting coal in their stockings. But no matter their status with the man in the red suit, Elli Adler will spoil each and every one of her favorite people with love and holiday cheer... -
![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... -
![Arrogant Playboy by Alex Wolf, Sloane Howell]()
Arrogant Playboy by Alex Wolf, Sloane Howell
There’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...Categorized as:
sports from hate to love humor contemporary betrayal length-medium explicit-open-door -
![Blades of Glory by Toni Aleo]()
Blades of Glory by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsOld vs. Young. Experience vs. Attitude. No Teeth vs. Also No Teeth…. It’s the game some of these players have been waiting a lifetime for. The veterans of the Nashville Assassins versus the new generation of players—their sons... -
![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 SHOTS. TRYING TO SCORE. EMPTY NET. FALLING FOR THE BACKUP. BLUE LINES... -
![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... -
![Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp]()
Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI’m sarcasm with a messy bun. He’s a sweetheart with a slapshot. Sparks were one thing—those fireworks, though? Yeah…no one warned me about those. Mabel. Returning to Maple Falls wasn’t part of my five-year plan—or my backup plan. Or any plan, really. But here I am, back in my quirky hometown, dodging my mother’s judgment and trying not to cringe every time someone mentions the viral moment... -
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![Hockey Player Seeking Fan by J.S. Cooper]()
Hockey Player Seeking Fan by J.S. Cooper
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHe’s the hottest hockey player in the league and she hates him. She’s his best friend's little sister and he knows to stay away. Neither one of them fully understands how he became her secret relationship coach. Hockey superstar Tyler Kane knew that Erica Carrington was going to be trouble the very first moment he met her...Categorized as:
sports hockey from hate to love siblings-bff super rich hero age difference contemporary alpha male -
![Soulmates and Slapshots by Melissa Baldwin]()
Soulmates and Slapshots by Melissa Baldwin
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI'm escaping the city. He’s chasing a fresh start. In a town full of surprises, love might be the biggest one. Fiona. I’m a city girl turned temporary small-town resident—yes, I know, cliché. But after my life in Manhattan unraveled, I needed a reset. So when my aunt invited me to Maple Falls, I didn’t hesitate. The slower pace is exactly what my burned-out brain needs... -
![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 series. Annie Bang. I’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... -
![Ice Ice Maybe by Rich Amooi]()
Ice Ice Maybe by Rich Amooi
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 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... -
![Scoring Chance by A.J. Truman]()
Scoring Chance by A.J. Truman
A totally fake marriage… with very real feelings. I'm a carefree bachelor who never wanted kids. But it seems life has other plans. When my best friend and hockey teammate Tanner Chance finds himself jobless with four kids to support, I suggest a wild marriage. My health insurance can cover Tanner’s family, but to keep nosy coworkers from sniffing out the scheme, the whole Chance clan moves in... -
![Mood Swings and Hockey Flings by Marika Ray, Sylvie Stewart]()
Mood Swings and Hockey Flings by Marika Ray, Sylvie Stewart
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIn the cutthroat world of professional sports, I’m the agent who always calls the shots. Until a decade-old feud with hockey superstar Banks Bennet resurfaces, and I’m forced to play nice. When his agent drops him and rumors of a trade swirl through the league faster than a puck on a breakaway, I find myself in the dreaded role of Banks’s new agent...Categorized as:
hockey sports from hate to love contemporary office forced proximity mature couple humor -
![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. On her own... -
![The Christmas You Crash by Piper Hale]()
The Christmas You Crash by Piper Hale
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 15 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... -
![As You Ice It: An Appies Hockey Romance by Emma St. Clair, Emily Ellet]()
As You Ice It: An Appies Hockey Romance by Emma St. Clair, Emily Ellet
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsIf at first you don't succeed,. do not. try, try again. At least not when it comes to dating a hockey player. When Naomi met Camden Cole on Oakley Island, she assumed he would be gone in a week or two like any other tourist passing through. Perfect for a fun summer relationship. A temporary one... -
![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... -
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![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 Ex Puck Bunny by Ellie Hall]()
The Ex Puck Bunny by Ellie Hall
Life Rule #1: Never date your brother’s best friend, especially if he’s a hockey player. He’ll break your heart. Life Rule #2: Never fall for your brother’s other best friend who’s also a hockey player. I’m a former hockey hype girl, aka a puck bunny. After a big win, I fell for the center who happened to be one of my brother’s best friends...Categorized as:
sports from hate to love found-family hockey athletes humor length-short glimpses-kisses -
![The Nest Before Christmas by Piper Rayne]()
The Nest Before Christmas by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsA grounded plane. A questionable Greyhound bus. A brotherhood on a mission. When the team’s plane gets grounded right before Christmas, the Falcons will stop at nothing to make it home for the holidays, including launching their own Planes, Trains, and Automobiles-style mission across the country to get back to their wives and kids... -
![The Friend Face Off by Grace Worthington]()
The Friend Face Off by Grace Worthington
Getting 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... -
![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... -
![Wheeler by Colleen Charles]()
Wheeler by Colleen Charles
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 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... -
![Love at First Skate by Ellie Hall]()
Love at First Skate by Ellie Hall
They say love is messy. Turns out friendship is too, especially when you’re stranded in a cabin with your best friend and hearts are on thin ice. Teddy. I’ve heard that men and women can’t be friends without it becoming something more. Harlow and I put that theory in the penalty box, thank you very much... -
![Only One Chance by Natasha Madison]()
Only One Chance by Natasha Madison
Miller. They called me the pretty boy on and off the ice. Hockey’s most eligible bachelor. When my teammate asked me to donate one date to his charity, I figured why not. Worst case, I’d spend the night with a fan. Best-case scenario, she would be hot. What I wasn’t expecting was for my dream girl to be the highest bidder...Categorized as:
sports from hate to love athletes hockey humor contemporary explicit-open-door length-medium -
![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... -
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![Love in Overtime by Melissa Baldwin]()
Love in Overtime by Melissa Baldwin
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsPlaying hockey in Maple Falls was meant to be just a charity gig, but then my new publicist showed up, melting the ice—and my heart. Cooper. I never anticipated being roped into a charity hockey game during the off-season. But here I am, heading to Maple Falls, all because my publicist decided to retire. Change was inevitable, but I didn't foresee it coming so soon... -
![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... -
![Going All In by Ali Parker, Weston Parker]()
Going All In by Ali Parker, Weston Parker
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBeing the nice guy leaves me open to being a rebound romance. Which I’m not interested in. I’ve got better things to do. Like taking my spot on the NBA draft picks. It’s all that matters to me. Love has never been on the radar. I’m too focused for all that fluff. Then life slows me down. Way down... -
![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... -
![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 -
![Pretty Ever After by Tabatha Kiss]()
Pretty Ever After by Tabatha Kiss
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRobbie Wheeler. My muse. The classic bad boy with a leather jacket and a heart of gold. But I'm not making that mistake again. A girl can't keep banging her ex-husband. That would be naughty. I left him, but he never left me. He signed the papers with a smile and promised to win be back someday. I didn't believe he could change. Then, he showed up when I needed him the most...Categorized as:
fated-mates from hate to love sports contemporary humor length-long audiobook first-in-series -
![Powerplay by Laura Marquez Diamond]()
Powerplay by Laura Marquez Diamond
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMAEVE. Sergei Petrov is sex on legs; thick, muscular, hockey player legs. He’s also a wealthy Russian flirt who can make women swoon in multiple languages. The man strolled into my life the way he walks into every room he enters. Like he belongs there. Like he owns it. When I find myself in trouble, he uses his influence to save me from disaster... -
![The Enemy Plot by Marion De Ré]()
The Enemy Plot by Marion De Ré
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe’s searching for Prince Charming, but can a grumpy neighbor rewrite her love story? My dream came true. A man walked into my bookstore asking to buy some books. As a hopeless romantic who's been kissing plenty of grenouilles, I thought I might finally meet my prince charming. Except it wasn’t Prince Charming—it was Deacon Collier, my neighbor and my personal nemesis...Categorized as:
from hate to love found-family contemporary grumpy sunshine age difference humor length-medium -
![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... -
![Puck Proposal by Delancey Stewart]()
Puck Proposal by Delancey Stewart
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMy hockey career is on fire, so when my best friend from high school (and the girl I'd always want) shows up on my doorstep in trouble, I have a turn her away (not likely! ) or propose. Back then, Josephine Baxter was the unattainable debutante who took pity on the kid from the wrong side of town. We were unlikely best friends. And she was the girl I’d never have. At least not like that... -
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![One Timer on Top by London Casey]()
One Timer on Top by London Casey
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDON’T SLEEP WITH YOUR BEST FRIEND’S EX. Okay. I get that. I respect that. But what about sleeping with your biggest rival’s ex? And… what about marrying her…? * * *. I caught my boyfriend enjoying some “oral service” from another woman. Dumping him is easy. Getting rid of him his almost impossible since I work in PR and he’s one of my clients. (Yeah, I know, don’t mix business with pleasure... -
![Whiskey Wednesdays: Book 3 in the Palm Springs Poolside Series by J. L. Brannick]()
Whiskey Wednesdays: Book 3 in the Palm Springs Poolside Series by J. L. Brannick
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsConnor McCoy’s professional hockey nickname is The Hammer. And the first time we met, that’s exactly what he did to me. He hammered orders, barked instructions, and interrupted me three times. Then he tried to walk off before I could tell him I was not his latest assistant. But the intense, hot-as-sin man spectacularly outdoes himself when he almost gets me charged with felony burglary... -
![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...Categorized as:
sports from hate to love hockey humor contemporary open-door length-medium audiobook -
![The Flirty Forward by A. J. Manney]()
The Flirty Forward by A. J. Manney
Sebastian Hart, the flirty forward for the Green Thunder, has mastered the art of keeping women at arm's length with his carefully crafted player persona. But when he crosses paths with Stephanie, a no-nonsense history teacher, sparks fly in a way he never expected. Convinced she's the one, Sebastian makes a bold move that backfires, thrusting Stephanie into the spotlight of unwanted attention... -
![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... -
![ICED by Jacob Chance]()
ICED by Jacob Chance
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsOliver Ice, one of Boston University’s notorious hockey players, has been on my radar since I slammed into his rock-hard body during my first week of college, three years ago. He helped me to my feet, muttered an apology, and ran off after his girlfriend, dashing my hopes of a happily ever after. Now, he’s the bartender where I work, and this time, very much single...
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