Books like 'The Nature of the Game'
Readers who enjoyed The Nature of the Game by Amy Aislin also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance sports queer hockey second chances dual-pov male-pov third-person-pov height-difference
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Beautiful and Terrible Things by Riley Hart
We were six years old when I fell in love with Gage Beaumont.We were seventeen when he realized he felt the same.His dad was the town troublemaker, and I was the son of a cop. We couldn't have been more different, yet we were best friends, had each other's backs, and kept each other's secrets. What you are, I am, we always said.Then one night irrevocably changed our lives forever...Categorized as:
friends to lovers angst second chances bisexual dual-pov height-difference queer queer-awakening -
![Splintered by Isabel Lucero]()
Splintered by Isabel Lucero
Welcome to Black Diamond Resort and Spa —the best place to go when all you want to do is disappear and not have anyone expect anything of you.Overwhelmed with work and feeling like I’m being pulled in multiple directions at once, I crave the serenity a private island holds for me...Categorized as:
friends to lovers sports secret-relationship bisexual second chances angst queer queer-awakening -
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![The Last Guy On Earth by Sarina Bowen]()
The Last Guy On Earth by Sarina Bowen
One cold December day, two men are blindsided by a hockey trade; one is the most decorated goalie in the league, while the other one is the youngest coach in the majors.Jethro Hale is the last player Coach Clay Powers wants to see on his roster, but the G.M. pulls a fast one. And it's not like he can even explain why. Nobody knows about their love affair fifteen years ago... -
![Remember Me When by Brooke Blaine]()
Remember Me When by Brooke Blaine
Remember Me When is the second and final book in the heart-rending and passionate Unforgettable Duet from USA Today Bestselling Author Brooke Blaine. My worst nightmare and your greatest fear became a reality: You don’t remember me. You don’t remember the accident, or the weeks afterward. You don’t remember my bed as your safe place, or when, against all odds, you fell for me...Categorized as:
friends to lovers second chances height-difference queer queer-awakening dual-pov m-m contemporary -
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![Manhandled by Lauren Blakely]()
Manhandled by Lauren Blakely
A spicy friends-to-lovers standalone sports romance from #1 New York Times Bestselling author Lauren Blakely writing MM romance as L. Blakely...My buddies made me do it. I swear. I didn’t plan to bid big on a date with my baseball player best friend at the auction. But he looked really good in that tailored suit, and I can't resist a dare... -
![Murphy's Law by Riley Hart]()
Murphy's Law by Riley Hart
LawsonWe were eighteen when I met Remington Monroe. I’d never seen anyone like him. He got onstage at the coffeehouse, armed with a guitar and corny jokes…but unable to hide his lonely eyes. When he sang, I was entranced. When we spent the night talking together, I knew my world would never be the same.RemingtonMusic was my only passion until I met Lawson Grant... -
![Sated in Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan]()
Sated in Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThe Montgomery Ink saga continues in a seductive romance where a runaway bride and two best friends might just take the chance of a lifetime. Ethan Montgomery thought he had his life figured out until the moment he and his best friend met a woman in a wedding dress drinking wine out of a paper bag. He might work too many hours and always seems to put his family and friends first... -
![Pushing the Limits by Riley Hart]()
Pushing the Limits by Riley Hart
I was fourteen when my dad married Lane’s mom and our families became one, when my favorite moments were those spent staying up all night, talking or watching Lane create art.There aren’t many things more inconvenient than loving your stepbrother. I know the limits, and that’s pushing them too far.Over the years I’ve pulled away from him...Categorized as:
bisexual friends to lovers angst secret-relationship queer m-m contemporary stepsibling -
![Fake Boyfriend Breakaways by Eden Finley]()
Fake Boyfriend Breakaways by Eden Finley
Breakaways is a collection of short stories from Eden Finley’s Fake Boyfriend universe. They all feature side characters from the series but do not contain fake boyfriend tropes. Rebound (Fake Boyfriend 2.5) Aron and Wyatt have been best friends since college and are both rebounding from bad break-ups...Categorized as:
friends to lovers sports queer queer-awakening m-m contemporary age difference explicit-open-door -
![Impaired Judgement by Youcouldmakealife]()
Impaired Judgement by Youcouldmakealife
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt’s kind of a shame someone that talented is that big a... -
![Grinding by Sean Ashcroft]()
Grinding by Sean Ashcroft
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTwo childhood best friends. One accidental fake engagement. One Labrador puppy. One week to fall in love.When Harvey runs into his childhood best friend—literally—on the way into Otter Bay for his cousin's wedding, he doesn't plan to end up playing the part of the guy's fiancé... -
![Whiskey Throttle by Riley Hart]()
Whiskey Throttle by Riley Hart
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsLincoln I’ve done a good job getting over my past. I’m not only proud of who I am, but revel in it. Still, I don’t let myself get too close to people. With closeness comes questions and those pesky feelings, and I’m having none of that. I’ve got a great job, friends, I’m cute and twinky, and my bed’s never empty. What more do I need? Except I can’t stop sleeping with Rush Alexander...Categorized as:
friends to lovers athletes sports queer m-m contemporary praise-kink friends-benefits -
![Second Wind by Aimee Nicole Walker]()
Second Wind by Aimee Nicole Walker
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSecond wind: a new strength or energy to continue something that is an effort. After an amicable divorce, Lincoln Huxley is ready to embrace the sexuality he repressed for more than two decades. Rush Holden is no longer willing to settle for closeted men or those who don’t share his dreams of marriage and fatherhood. A chance encounter on a lakeside pier is the second wind they both need... -
![Next Season by Lane Hayes]()
Next Season by Lane Hayes
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe injured hockey player and the grumpy chef…RileyMy time playing pro hockey will be up soon. I can feel it. And I’ve heard the he’s too old, he’s had too many injuries, he’s lost his edge. I don’t want to admit it, but they could be right. Next season might be my last.Or this season. Because of course, this is when the universe decides I need another concussion... -
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![Love and History by Lane Hayes]()
Love and History by Lane Hayes
The sporty roommate, the professor, and a history lesson…Holden-Ezra might be the most annoying roommate ever. He’s loud, obnoxious, and full of himself. So what if he’s a tall, muscular, tattooed jock? His tendency to strip to his boxers in the kitchen while helping himself to my food isn’t endearing in the slightest. Nope. Ezra has to go...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers athletes bisexual queer queer-awakening m-m forced proximity -
![The Professor's Date by Lane Hayes]()
The Professor's Date by Lane Hayes
The professor, the hair stylist, and a wedding date…TommyHelp! My sister is getting married and according to her, I need a date. And a makeover. I’m a busy man, though. I don’t have time to meet eligible bachelors, and the tape holding my glasses together works just fine. Until my hair stylist steps on them... -
![Extended Stay by Mia Monroe]()
Extended Stay by Mia Monroe
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI’ve never been interested in a man before. So why do I want to kiss this one?Promising my sick uncle I’d help fix his rundown hotel in San Diego was just the beginning of my problems. I plan to do what I can, convince him to sell, and then take off, returning to my calm and structured existence back east. I double down on that plan when I arrive to find it in worse shape than I expected... -
![Dauntless by Victoria Denault]()
Dauntless by Victoria Denault
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHe’s everything I’ve ever wanted, at the worst possible moment.One and done. That’s always been my motto when it comes to guys, because I’m not about to pull someone else into the closet my parents have locked me inside. I’ve been waiting years to claim my inheritance and live the life I want to live–out, free, and oh yeah, rich... -
![Change of Heart by K.M. Neuhold]()
Change of Heart by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsDoes my husband's heart still miss me now that it beats in the chest of another man? Lub-dub A heartbeat more familiar than Easton’s own Lub-dub He vowed to love his husband until death do they part. And then the worst happened. Lub-dub His heart kept another man alive. River. A stranger in the world with Easton's husband's heart pumping the blood that warms his skin... -
![You Could Make a Life by Taylor Fitzpatrick]()
You Could Make a Life by Taylor Fitzpatrick
The first thing Dan says to him is, “we’re in the NHL!”, because that’s how he’s been greeting anyone wearing a jersey, and Marc Lapointe, 'the future of the franchise', is wearing Dan's colours.“I think you’re my new best friend,” Dan says, his excitement beating out common sense, social filters, the need to play it cool.“It is nice to meet you, new best friend," Marc says, his mouth twitching... -
![Frat Bro by Raleigh Ruebins]()
Frat Bro by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThis fall, I have one simple rule: don't fall in love with my fake boyfriend.I’m awful at following the rules.One minute I was a nobody in a small Colorado town, getting by on contract work, home renovations, and a dumpster fire of a dating life—and then suddenly, my life was on TV...Categorized as:
friends to lovers athletes sports queer queer-awakening m-m age difference hurt-comfort -
![The Christmas Summons (Wild Heart Ranch) by Kelly Fox]()
The Christmas Summons (Wild Heart Ranch) by Kelly Fox
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom USA Today Bestselling Author Kelly Fox comes a Wild Heart Ranch Christmas novella. I’ve loved Gael Hernandez from the moment I laid eyes on him. We had a moment back in the summer, but he needed time to recover from the traumatic events that reshaped his family.It’s now Christmas, and I think my talented shoemaker is finally ready to let me love him for the rest of his life... -
![Angel by Linden Bell]()
Angel by Linden Bell
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe was only supposed to be gay for pay. Angel I’ve never had sex before. And I've definitely never looked at a guy that way before. But with his brightly-colored hair and beautiful outfits, Rhys is hard to ignore--especially after I learn what he does for a living...Categorized as:
queer queer-awakening height-difference friends to lovers anal sex dual-pov m-m length-medium -
![Fancy Free by Mia Monroe]()
Fancy Free by Mia Monroe
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe last thing I need is a curious straight guy sniffing around me. So why is he so hard to resist?My life is everything I ever wanted - by design. Being one of the nation’s most sought after wedding planners has led to a life of traveling to glamorous locations, bumping elbows with the rich and famous, and sampling every handsome hunk the world has to offer... -
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![Playing by the Rules by Beth Bolden]()
Playing by the Rules by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEx-quarterback Davis Abernathy knows he’s on his last chance.If he strikes out as Paxton Kelly’s coach, nobody else is going to call him. Not to get back on the field, and not to stand on the sidelines.He’s got a lot to teach Pax, and as a second-year quarterback, Pax has a lot to learn. But Davis doesn’t anticipate the irresistible way they’ll be drawn together from their first meeting... -
![Winning the Season by Beth Bolden]()
Winning the Season by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCoach Asa Dawson has fallen wildly in love only twice in his life.First with football.Then with Scott Callaway.But Scott isn’t just the one who got away.He’s the one person—the one man—Asa hoped might finally show him how all-consuming passion could be.Instead, fate (and football) intervened and they never got the chance to explore their attraction...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers athletes second chances secret-relationship dual-pov angst queer -
![Back to Center by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood]()
Back to Center by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEckieThere are ways to get ahead in college hockey, but having a meltdown, trying to get rid of your coach, and stalking his boyfriend isn’t one of them... -
![Huddle!, Vol. 3: A "Check, Please!" Sketch Zine by Ngozi Ukazu]()
Huddle!, Vol. 3: A "Check, Please!" Sketch Zine by Ngozi Ukazu
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWelcome to Huddle! Vol. 3 . If you're brand new here, Huddle zines are 18+ fan Service booklets that feature characters from the webcomic Check Please .And for a sketch zine that started on a goddamn whim, the Huddle series continues a strong legacy of spiciness and smut. How did we even get her, folks?.. -
![Hit the Brakes by Beth Bolden]()
Hit the Brakes by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsCan they fake it til Tate makes it?Tate Ward is in a bind. His food truck hasn’t been the runaway success he’d always dreamt it would be. When he tries to join a new food truck collective to gain a larger following, his sales aren’t even high enough to win a spot. What he needs is a high profile endorsement—and he knows just the guy.Tate hasn’t seen Chase Riley since high school... -
![Rebound by V.L. Locey]()
Rebound by V.L. Locey
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIf there’s one thing that’s a certainty in life, it’s change. It’s taken Victor Kalinski years to settle into the kind of happiness that he thought he’d never find. The small town of Cayuga, New York, has welcomed him warmly. It’s given him a championship team to coach, a tightly-knit group of friends, a father who he has reconciled with, and a safe place to raise the son he adores... -
![Definitely Deacon by Vawn Cassidy]()
Definitely Deacon by Vawn Cassidy
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsJesse Ainsley’s life running his busy veterinary practice in the sleepy Cornwall bay he grew up in leaves no time for a serious relationship… at least, that’s what he tells himself, but the simple truth is much more cliché... -
![When Stars Align by Denver Shaw]()
When Stars Align by Denver Shaw
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsScarred by the past. Terrified to love again. SavionOnce upon a time, my life was a fairytale. Engaged to a beautiful woman, we were planning our perfect future. Then, the sick act of an obsessed man ruined everything. Alone, disfigured, and betrayed, I fled to LA to focus on my work as a paleontologist.It was there I met Declan... -
![Name From a Hat Trick by L.A. Witt]()
Name From a Hat Trick by L.A. Witt
He’s a hockey star. And he’s my daughter’s hero. And now he’s…my boyfriend??When Jase Kelly scores his fourth professional hat trick, it’s more than just a career highlight. In one of the hats raining down onto the ice, there’s a note from two fans—a girl whose migraines keep her from coming to games, and her dad, who hopes to get her an autograph for her birthday... -
![Third Time Lucky by R.G. Alexander]()
Third Time Lucky by R.G. Alexander
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom Author New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author R.G. Alexander, Book 3 in the Finn's Pub Romance series! Ever had a thing for the man next door? My sexy new neighbor is confusing the hell out of me. Elliot Ransom is a baseball player and a single dad, but he doesn’t know his butter beer from a snozzberry... -
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![When Forever Ended by Cara Dee]()
When Forever Ended by Cara Dee
At ten years old, Kelly and I were two rambunctious boys who carved our initials into a tree in the forest. We promised to be best friends forever and bumped our fists to seal the deal. I never should've kissed him that summer before college. It was a day that buried me in shame, a day I spent the next twenty-four years regretting, a day I never told anyone about...Categorized as:
friends to lovers second chances dual-pov secret-relationship queer m-m cheating contemporary -
![Delicious by Sierra Riley]()
Delicious by Sierra Riley
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 17 ratings“You’re exactly what I never knew I needed.” “I don’t have time for love.” Gavin Campbell has poured everything he has into starting up his bakery, Delicious... -
![Goaltender Interference by Ari Baran]()
Goaltender Interference by Ari Baran
Will two struggling hockey players grab their second chance at love, or will it slide right through their grasp?Newly retired hockey star Aiden Campbell should be a man with no regrets. Instead he is consumed by them. When he runs into his ex in New York City ten years after they broke up, he’ll have to confront his biggest regret of them all... -
![Calling Your Bluff by Saxon James]()
Calling Your Bluff by Saxon James
ZaneFour years ago, I met Liam Holdsworthy.Hot, snarky, and hiding behind a sadness I couldn’t place. I wanted him, even back then. There were only two problems.One, I was deeply closeted.And two, he was dating my best friend.Now I’m retired from the NFL and openly out, there’s nothing to stop me from getting my gay on...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers secret-relationship dual-pov athletes queer contemporary m-m -
![School and Rock by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey]()
School and Rock by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsWhen Colorado Penn finds an unexpected package on his front step, his life will be changed forever.Colorado Penn is living the dream. Starting goalie for the Arizona Raptors when in season, lead singer for a hard rock band when summer rolls around. He’s the quintessential free spirit who’s making sure he enjoys all the carnal blessings of his athleticism, and gritty singing voice... -
![Something About Us by Riley Hart]()
Something About Us by Riley Hart
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFalling in love was the easy part. Lucky and Saint are head-over-heels for each other. It doesn’t matter that they met only a few months ago. It also doesn’t matter that this is Saint’s first real relationship and Lucky’s first with a man. They’re infatuated, happy, and excited to start their life together in LA. It isn’t as easy as they thought... -
![How To Save A Life by Andria Large, Jena Brignola]()
How To Save A Life by Andria Large, Jena Brignola
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsHow do you save someone’s life? There’s the obvious way of physically saving them from a tragic end. Then there’s the more subtle way of saving someone who doesn’t know they need to be saved. Someone who is drowning emotionally and has no idea that they are slowly dying. Ezra Whitmore is one of those people...Categorized as:
bisexual friends to lovers queer queer-awakening m-m contemporary single-father length-short -
![Yesterday by Sarina Bowen]()
Yesterday by Sarina Bowen
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt’s been seven years since John Rikker left his childhood home in Michigan. Surely that’s long enough to scar over the wounds he received there... -
![Call It Home by Catherine Cloud]()
Call It Home by Catherine Cloud
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsOn the worst day of his life, Ryan Harris, formerly a rising star, gets traded to the Connecticut Cardinals. On the best day of his life, Louie Hathaway, struggling hockey royalty, gets called up from the Cardinals’ farm team. When they decide to move in together for convenience’s sake, worlds collide... -
![Risking the Shot by Amy Aislin]()
Risking the Shot by Amy Aislin
Time for distractions? Hardly. A chance at making the playoffs? It’s a dream for NHL forward Taylor Cunningham that just might come true. If he can keep his eyes on the ball—ahem, puck. And study for midterms. Dakota Cotton, eleven years his senior, isn’t just a distraction, though—he’s everything Tay’s ever wanted... -
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![Enforce by Charity Parkerson]()
Enforce by Charity Parkerson
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThey were supposed to be a one-night stand, and then a weekend fling… a just-for-this-season affair… soulmates. When Chip met Jai during All-Stars weekend, their hookup should’ve ended there. At the time, it was no big deal. As the assistant coach for the Phoenix Ice Rays, Chip can’t be in a relationship with a player from his team. Lucky for him, Jai plays for the Red Zones... -
![Playing Deep by Beth Bolden]()
Playing Deep by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsKenyon Ellis knows getting involved with Julian Anderson is an enormous mistake—but from the very first night, he finds him annoying, intriguing and ultimately, irresistible.One, Kenyon is a player, and Julian is a reporter, so hooking up with him, no matter how spectacular the nights are, is a terrible idea.Two, he’s falling for him, even if Julian continues to be prickly and impossible... -
![Unconditional Love by Andrew Grey]()
Unconditional Love by Andrew Grey
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratings"A Seven Days Story" Can a person's life change in just one day? How about seven? Donald Pottier and Jason Greene are barely more than boys when they meet on Chincoteague Island, Virginia. A day of crabbing soon turns them from strangers to friends, then to something more, but the boys' time is limited: at the end of the summer, Jay will leave Don and the island behind... -
![Playing the Player by Beth Bolden]()
Playing the Player by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCenter Logan Banks didn’t come to Miami looking for a best friend.He came for football and for a chance at freedom—the freedom to live out of the closet.But after a water main break, he lands an unexpected roommate, the new Piranhas kicker, Dylan Leonard. Between practices, games, and too many late nights on the couch, a best friend is exactly what he gets... -
![The Pro vs The Fan by Nicole Dykes]()
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![The Jock by E.M. Denning]()
The Jock by E.M. Denning
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsColby Bennett is straight.At twenty-five, he’s the middle of three boys raised by a single father. He’s always been a jock, so managing a gym feels like his calling. If only being a big brother were as easy. When Colby stumbles on his younger brother trying on feminine clothing, Taylor is angry and embarrassed...
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