Books like 'Playing Hard'
Readers who enjoyed Playing Hard by Melanie Scott also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny athletes sports baseball
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Irresistible Trouble by Pippa Grant
I, Cooper Rock, baseball god, worshipper of women, hometown hero, beloved son and brother, and owner of a well-deserved ego, have always reached for the stars. Usually in baseball. In love? Nah. When you’ve played the field as much as I have and haven’t been bit by the bug, you’re immune. Or so I thought until she walked back into my life. Waverly Sweet. Pop music sensation... -
![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... -
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![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... -
![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... -
![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... -
![Real Fake Love by Pippa Grant]()
Real Fake Love by Pippa Grant
If people have polar opposites, Luca Rossi is mine. His butt is in the baseball hall of fame. Mine’s comfortably seated in the hall of lame. When he’s not snagging fly balls out in center field, he’s modeling in shampoo commercials. I once jammed my own finger while stirring cookie dough, and sometimes I forget shampoo is a thing. He’s a total cynic when it comes to love... -
![The Champion by Shey Stahl]()
The Champion by Shey Stahl
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA powerful love story of tragedy, love, and commitment. The fourth book in the Racing on the Edge series submerges you in the lifestyle of a champion of a sport that dominates America. Through smoke and methanol, you learn the good, the bad, and the secrets no one wants you to know... -
![The Curveball by Emily Childs]()
The Curveball by Emily Childs
He's the charmer of the infield. I'm the uptight, jaded author who won't give him a chance. .. now we're roommates? Griffin Marks can charm the socks off anyone he meets. Except me. To me he's a beautiful pest who will do just about anything to make me like him. I wish him luck... -
![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... -
![Home Run by Jordan Marie, Robin Harper]()
Home Run by Jordan Marie, Robin Harper
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 24 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... -
![Playing Dirty by Mickey Miller]()
Playing Dirty 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... -
![Faking It... At First by M.J. Fields]()
Faking It... At First by M.J. Fields
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFaking It. .. At First. is the second book in a series with ten amazing authors about the Tennessee Terrors baseball team. All books have crossover characters but are standalone novels and can be read in any order. -
![Getting Wound Up: A Sapphire Falls/ Love Between the Bases novel-- PART ONE by Jennifer Bernard, Erin Nicholas]()
Getting Wound Up: A Sapphire Falls/ Love Between the Bases novel-- PART ONE by Jennifer Bernard, Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA fun, flirty crossover novel from bestselling authors Jennifer Bernard (the Love Between the Bases series) and Erin Nicholas (the Sapphire Falls series). Caitlyn Murray has never let on that she's had fantasies about her brother's friend Eli Anderson for years...Categorized as:
athletes baseball humor contemporary siblings-bff length-novella first-in-series standalone-first -
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![Text Me Baby One More Time by Teagan Hunter]()
Text Me Baby One More Time by Teagan Hunter
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 30 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...Categorized as:
athletes sports baseball humor new adult friends to lovers from hate to love contemporary -
![Rachel Laine by Jennifer Peel]()
Rachel Laine by Jennifer Peel
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsRachel Whitney’s life changed forever when Drew, the son of her twin sister, Sydney, was placed in her arms—and there he stayed. At twenty-two, she had no idea what she was doing, but in that moment, she knew that raising Drew was what she was meant to do with her life. . Fiercely independent, Rachel makes her own way managing her family's insurance agency... -
![Outta My League by Ali Parker, Weston Parker]()
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... -
![Second Dive by Jasmin Miller]()
Second Dive by Jasmin Miller
Noah Winters was my heart’s desire, the boy I loved desperately and had hoped to spend my future with. Until our plans were derailed and life took us in completely different directions. When our fate changed, and our paths crossed again, nothing prepared me for the punch straight to the heart when I saw him . . . or his anger and bitterness...Categorized as:
sports athletes contemporary humor length-medium m-f audiobook disabilities and marks -
![Swing and a Mishap by Tara Sivec]()
Swing and a Mishap by Tara Sivec
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 20 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... -
![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... -
![Getting Wound Up: A Sapphire Falls/Love Between the Bases novel-- PART TWO by Jennifer Bernard, Erin Nicholas]()
Getting Wound Up: A Sapphire Falls/Love Between the Bases novel-- PART TWO by Jennifer Bernard, Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPart TWO of three. A fun, flirty crossover novel from bestselling authors Jennifer Bernard (the Love Between the Bases series) and Erin Nicholas (the Sapphire Falls series). Caitlyn Murray has never let on that she's had fantasies about her brother's friend Eli Anderson for years... -
![Off Limits by Chelle Sloan]()
Off Limits by Chelle Sloan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsProfessional football has an actual rulebook, but it’s the unwritten rules that come with the harshest consequences. The biggest one of all: don’t date your teammate’s sister. And if you do, don’t you dare fall in love with her. I never meant to fall, but when it comes to Brenna Donald, I never stood a chance. She’s everything I’m not--a light-hearted wild child who shines brighter than the sun...Categorized as:
sports athletes friends to lovers forbidden love contemporary humor siblings-bff length-medium -
![My Kinda Player by Lacey Black, Sara Eirew]()
My Kinda Player by Lacey Black, Sara Eirew
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAJ Summer witnessed four of her sisters fall in love and settle down. But not her. She’s stuck in a rut, destined to spend the rest of her life watching from the dugout, kissing frogs. Then one night, she meets a mysterious stranger, who makes her feel alive and realize she’s not as broken as she thought–until she wakes up alone... -
![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... -
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![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... -
![Curve Ball: An Older Man/Younger Woman Curvy Girl Romance (Curvy Soulmates ) by Kat Baxter]()
Curve Ball: An Older Man/Younger Woman Curvy Girl Romance (Curvy Soulmates ) by Kat Baxter
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNanny…or soulmate? Maddox. I may be a quarterback, not a baseball player, but that didn’t keep life from throwing me a curve ball. I'm contracted to play my final season in the NFL, my career is on a high and I want to go out on top. Complication? Six months ago, I gained custody of my sister’s young kids. They are my priority, but I need help in the form of live-in nanny extraordinaire, Finley...Categorized as:
sports athletes contemporary humor age difference boss & employee virgin heroine single-father -
![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... -
![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... -
![Check Swing by Carrie Aarons]()
Check Swing by Carrie Aarons
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSinclair Callahan is a trust fund baby. Born into one of the richest, most notorious families in the country, the black sheep title was stamped on him from an early age. While the rest of his relatives earn their keep at the top tier baseball team they’ve owned for generations, Sin prefers spending his time and money on booze, babes and bad decisions... -
![Stout of My League by Sylvie Stewart]()
Stout of My League by Sylvie Stewart
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLynn Brooks is officially over it. With four overprotective brothers, the youngest Brooks sibling has had enough with bossy alphas. So, when professional baseball star Joey Martel makes a play for her, she's determined to steer clear of him and his toxic circle of jocks. Being the latest conquest for another overbearing caveman? No thanks...Categorized as:
sports athletes contemporary friends to lovers age difference grumpy sunshine humor length-medium -
![Stealing You by Mollie Goins]()
Stealing You by Mollie Goins
Beck Daines has everything he needs—at least that’s what he wants everyone to believe. As the starting first baseman for the Blues, he has his dream job, amazing friends, and while he’s a romantic at heart— watching his friends find the love they deserve is more than enough. However, love for himself is an idea he’s benched for good...Categorized as:
sports baseball athletes contemporary m-f forced proximity friends-benefits found-family -
![Getting Wound Up by Jennifer Bernard, Erin Nicholas]()
Getting Wound Up by Jennifer Bernard, Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA fun and flirty crossover novel from bestselling authors, Jennifer Bernard (Love Between the Bases) and Erin Nicholas (Sapphire Falls)! Caitlyn Murray has never let on that she’s had fantasies about her brother's friend Eli Anderson for years. She'd do anything for the sexy baseball player who walked away from stardom to stay in Sapphire Falls and take care of his family... -
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![Screwball (Hall of Fame) by Eva Haining]()
Screwball (Hall of Fame) by Eva Haining
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen the pitcher becomes the catch, all bets are off. .. Major League Baseball pitcher for the Yankees, Anders Verbeck, is blindsided when he meets the star batter for the USA women’s baseball team. He's at the top of his game, with a host of willing fangirls, but the moment Brooke comes hurling into his life, he only has eyes for her... -
![Slow Pitch by Amy Lane]()
Slow Pitch by Amy Lane
Tenner Gibson has a job he enjoys, a prickly ex-wife, and an adorable daughter he wouldn’t trade for the world. With no romance, no sex life, and no other hobbies, a rec league softball team is as close as he gets to hedonism. But life throws him a curveball when cocky Ross McTierney sets his sights on getting under Tenner’s skin... -
![Changing Lanes by Katie Graykowski]()
Changing Lanes by Katie Graykowski
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 21 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...Categorized as:
athletes sports humor contemporary length-medium audiobook standalone standalone-first -
![Day One by Lauren Runow]()
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. #alonetogether... -
![The Cleat Retreat by Kris Butler]()
The Cleat Retreat by Kris Butler
The only thing worse than almost dying as a child… surviving. Now, hear me out. I was very much happy to be alive. It was the constant need to feel grateful for something I had no control over… that grated on me. I’d become so passive in my own life that when my boyfriend proposed, I couldn’t remember what I liked about him outside of his dimple. I mean, it was cute...Categorized as:
sports athletes contemporary humor virgin heroine first-person-pov other-man-woman length-novella -
![The Copper Valley Fireballs Complete Series by Pippa Grant]()
The Copper Valley Fireballs Complete Series by Pippa Grant
Meet the Copper Valley Fireballs, baseball's lovable losers whose hot heroes are determined to turn this team around and resisting finding love along the way! This box set includes four full-length romantic comedies and a bonus novella. About the...Categorized as:
sports baseball athletes forced proximity from hate to love humor length-epic contemporary -
![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 contemporary new adult from hate to love dual-pov humor length-medium -
![Love So Perfect by Marquita Valentine]()
Love So Perfect by Marquita Valentine
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsLove So Perfect, Book 5 in Marquita’s contemporary romance series about the Lawson Brothers. Star quarterback Austin Lawson’s dating life is fair game to the myriad gossip bloggers. Thanks to his most recent screw up with a social media savvy super model, he’s forced to return home so that his PR team can do damage control...Categorized as:
athletes sports humor contemporary virgin heroine small town curvy heroine length-novella -
![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:
sports athletes hockey friends to lovers curvy heroine contemporary humor length-medium -
![Breakout by Aven Ellis]()
Breakout by Aven Ellis
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 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... -
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![Trick Shot by Lyssa Lemire]()
Trick Shot by Lyssa Lemire
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen I need a fake fiancée, my best friend Abby seems like the safe choice. But I should have known there’s nothing more dangerous than pretending to love your best friend – after you realize pretending isn’t enough. There’s a lot that makes me one of a kind. Being the best defensive player in college hockey. My status as a local celebrity and campus superstar...Categorized as:
sports athletes friends to lovers forced proximity contemporary new adult humor hockey -
![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...Categorized as:
athletes sports humor new adult contemporary length-medium audiobook first-in-series -
![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... -
![All Your Reasons Why by Kenzie Reed]()
All Your Reasons Why by Kenzie Reed
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom Bestselling author Kenzie Reed comes a hilarious, standalone, billionaire, enemies-to-lovers, hockey romance. I got pucked . . . Never in a million years did I think that I’d have to become a babysitter in order to secure my place as the publicist for the local NHL team, the Rovers. Yet here I am, organizing events to help rebuild the public image of their MVP, Mason Raker...Categorized as:
sports athletes hockey contemporary from hate to love super rich hero humor length-medium -
![Make My Heart Malt by Gia Stevens]()
Make My Heart Malt by Gia Stevens
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsA sizzling hate to lovers, unrequited crush, standalone sports romance by romantic comedy author Gia Stevens…. Dessa should have been mine. .. until my brother kissed her first. Ten years is a long time to be infatuated with your former best friend, especially when she’s dating your brother...Categorized as:
sports baseball athletes from hate to love contemporary forced proximity humor friends to lovers -
![P.S. Not If You Were The Last Man On Earth by J. S. Cooper]()
P.S. Not If You Were The Last Man On Earth by J. S. Cooper
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTo my tent mate,. I am only going to say this once. I am not interested in you. I will not be sharing a sleeping bag with you. I will not be asking you to. keep me warm with your 'hot body'. Who calls their own body. hot by the way? I will not be doing a belly dance for you in the middle of the night and I definitely won’t be making you hot chocolate...Categorized as:
sports athletes contemporary humor super rich hero from hate to love forced proximity length-short
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