Books like 'Hands Down'
Readers who enjoyed Hands Down by Mariana Zapata also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny sports athletes friends to lovers himbo second chances slow burn age difference sassy heroine
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One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune
A radiant escape to the lake from #1 New York Times bestselling author of Every Summer After and This Summer Will Be Different. As featured in People ∙ Good Morning America ∙ Cosmopolitan ∙ TODAY ∙ E! News ∙ Buzzfeed ∙ Us Weekly ∙ The New York Post ∙ SheReads ∙ and more! I never anticipated Charlie Florek. Good things happen at the lake. That’s what Alice’s grandmother says, and it’s true... -
Full House by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.79 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsMiles “Iowa” Walker is a fighter on a mission. He’s determined to win this year’s Stacked Deck tournament. He plans to get his six-year-old daughter out of a bad situation. And if there’s any time and money leftover, he’d love to take her out for ice cream without worrying about the cost or deadly consequences. Miles and his daughter have known only what it’s like to struggle...Categorized as:
sports m-f found-family sweet heroine cheerful heroine strong heroine athletes new adult -
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My Dress-Up Darling, Vol. 5 by Shinichi Fukuda
Rated: 4.53 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsA loner boy and a flashy girl find common ground via cosplay in this sweet and spicy romcom! Wakana has spent every summer vacation on his own. .Categorized as:
m-f cheerful heroine strong heroine sweet-hero height-difference humor contemporary length-short -
Playboy by Brittanee Nicole
“In your dreams, Baby Hall. ”. Older. Hotter. And way out of my league, Hannah Prescott has been my obsession since the moment she uttered those five simple words. She thinks she’ll deter me by her dismissive attitude but her words only spur me on. I love a challenge and since Hannah is my literal dream girl, she’s worth putting in a bit of work...Categorized as:
sports athletes age difference m-f found-family siblings-bff competent heroine independent heroine -
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Dynamite by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.74 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThey call us the devil twins - a fallacy and unfair assumption on everyone’s part. Well. .. mostly. My name is Luke Hart, and I’m the oldest of identical twin boys. Although I may be responsible for the ‘devil’ in our name, I have no urge to set the record straight and exonerate the innocent half of our pairing. There’s no point letting the truth get in the way of a good story. Right? Not so...Categorized as:
sports m-f found-family competent heroine independent heroine new adult humor length-medium -
Christmas Wishes at the Chocolate Shop by Jessica Redland
When master chocolatier, Charlee, takes the leap to move to the picturesque seaside town of Whitsborough Bay, she is determined to follow in her grandfather's footsteps and set up a chocolate shop. Luckily, she finds the perfect location for Charlee's Chocolates on beautiful Castle Street. . -
That Swoony Feeling by Meghan Quinn
USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn brings more humor and heart with the fourth novel of her Getting Lucky series: a story about breaking curses and finally finding that swoony feeling. I'm single . . . so single it's painful. Yup, ladies, Brig Knightly--that's me--is still a lonely bachelor, stumbling through the streets of Port Snow, looking for the girl he's supposed to end up with... -
Hell Bent by Rosalind James
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEven princesses have problems. Alix: That line doesn’t exactly invite sympathy, does it? I was a fairly ersatz princess anyway, although you should try convincing my mother of that. And when I ran away from my family, my tech-bro groom, my almost-Stanford degree, and our fabulous future and right back to my trailer-living, hard-hatted life? Even I couldn’t explain it to anybody’s satisfaction... -
Charming Billionaire: The Thatcher Kelly Collection by Max Monroe
Players gonna play,. but can a wild, untamable, alpha-billionaire player. fall in love? Meet the most irresistible billionaire of all-time in one sexy, steamy, downright hilarious, and binge-worthy romantic comedy collection (all for the price of one novella, too! ). This collection includes the following three books:. *Banking the Billionaire. *Banking Her...Categorized as:
super rich hero sunny hero himbo cheerful heroine strong heroine m-f contemporary humor -
Absolutely Not in Love by Jenny Proctor
My requirements for a man are simple. Must love books. Must NOT love hockey. Which is why I will never be interested in my neighbor, the aloof and mysterious Felix Jamison, no matter how many books I see him hauling into his apartment. Unless he loses his pro hockey skates, I’m out. But then he shows up at my symphony concert. And I catch the sweet strains of Dvorak floating across the hall... -
Dirty Little Midlife Drama by Lilian Monroe
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsGeorgia wants a fresh start, and that doesn't include the handsome cowboy from her past. But Sebastian is in town now, and he has no intention of leaving until he gets what he wants. .. My high school sweetheart kissed me so naturally, I slapped him. Listen, I’m forty-three years old. I’m divorced. I’m in a new town. I don’t need ghosts from the past haunting me anymore...Categorized as:
second chances super rich hero cowboys m-f contemporary humor length-medium audiobook -
Mr. Playboy by Cala Riley
A bad decision. An irresistible temptation. Chloe Madison has a talent for chaos—and lately, her life’s been proof of that. Between a flooded apartment and a sudden job loss, she’s hit rock bottom. The last thing she expects is help from Brantley Gibson, the owner of the Boston Foxes and notorious heartbreaker. He's the one man she swore to avoid, but desperation has a way of rewriting rules...Categorized as:
m-f slow burn sports sassy heroine working class heroine sunny hero sweet-hero super rich hero -
The Fear of Falling by Dana LeCheminant
What happens in Italy…follows you home. Avery was supposed to be married by now—not stuck working alongside her ex-fiancé, pretending their failed relationship never happened. So when a solo trip to Italy introduces her to a charming stranger with a devastating smile, a no-strings-attached fling feels like the perfect way to remember there’s more to life than work and heartbreak... -
Spoke Too Soon by Dulcie Dameron
It’s every girl’s dream to move in with the hot guy who ghosted her. .. NOT. I’m about to be homeless at almost twenty-five. Cue the pathetic wah, wah, wah sound effect. And to make matters worse, I’m nowhere near having enough money to fund the clothing line startup I’ve dreamt about for years...Categorized as:
found-family m-f second chances sassy heroine independent heroine sweet-hero himbo contemporary -
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Cooper Bailey Is A Cinnamon Roll by Jen Atkinson
I’ve hated Cooper Bailey since high school. So why would a few years, a set of swoon-worthy forearms, and one shiny new law degree change anything? Leah Bradford’s never been a fan of the spotlight—not years ago at her high school prom and definitely not now with the drama her ex-boyfriend is causing. Running her cinnamon roll shop is all she needs, thank you very much...Categorized as:
m-f competent heroine sassy heroine himbo sweet-hero contemporary from hate to love humor -
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... -
Scarlett and the Big Bad Billionaire by Tru Taylor
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 3 ratingsIn my expert opinion, every woman who’s been left at the altar should follow up that singularly humiliating experience by spending a week in paradise with a totally inappropriate—and totally sexy—stranger. Even better if you meet him at the bar of the resort hotel where your destination wedding and honeymoon were supposed to take place...Categorized as:
super rich hero second chances friends to lovers m-f contemporary military humor new adult -
Call Me Maybe by Cara Bastone
Paint your toes. Pick up the wrong coffee and bagel order. Drive from Brooklyn to Jersey in traffic so slow you want to tear your hair out. It's amazing all the useless things I can accomplish while on hold for three hours with customer service. Three hours when I should be getting the Date-in-a-Box website ready to launch at the big business expo in a few days... -
Saving the Game by Susan Renee
Has this ever happened to you? You’re minding your own business after the game, buying drinks at the bar for your teammates when you overhear a woman talking on the phone. You don’t know her, but she’s telling her mother she’s in a serious relationship with you. You decide to play along and ask her when you get to meet the parents...Categorized as:
sports m-f found-family cheerful heroine sweet heroine independent heroine sunny hero sweet-hero -
Never The Bride by Kortney Keisel
No rings. No vows. No ‘til death do us part. As a top divorce attorney who’s built her career—and her walls—on the belief that marriage doesn’t last, Camila swears she’ll never walk down the aisle. After years of watching relationships crumble, she’s made it her personal mission to convince her little sister to avoid getting married at all costs. The problem? Camila’s already married. Secretly...Categorized as:
m-f slow burn independent heroine strong heroine sunny hero sweet-hero cowboys latinx-mc -
It's Always Sonny by Kate Watson
Sunshine always melts ice eventually. And I’m starting to feel the burn. People may call me an “overachieving ice queen,” but I would do anything for the people I love. So when my friends ask me to host an event at their famous farm, I’m more than happy to help…until I discover I’ve been set up. The “event” is actually a reunion for my ex’s family...Categorized as:
sports m-f found-family football second chances forced proximity contemporary grumpy sunshine -
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... -
The Christmas List by Maren Moore
From bestselling author of The Mistletoe Bet, Maren Moore comes a second chance, single dad, holiday novella full of Christmas sugar and spice. I love Christmas. So much so that in my smalltown I’m known as The Queen of Christmas. And no one knows holiday festivities quite like Strawberry Hollow. Only this Christmas season delivers an unexpected twist in the form of Wyatt Owens... -
Mine To Love by Natasha Madison
Presley. After my sisters’ disastrous weddings, I’m never going to get married. I’ll just stay single forever. It doesn’t matter that I’m in love with my brother’s best friend. Or that Bennett and I shouldn’t even be friends with benefits. Until the positive sign tells me I’m pregnant. Bennett. I fell in love with Presley when she was eighteen and asked me for a favor...Categorized as:
sassy heroine friends to lovers strong heroine m-f contemporary humor pregnancy explicit-open-door -
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Tight Hold by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe pro football player I’m faking a relationship with has the perfect solution to my career woes. He’s encouraging me to lean into the pseudo-celebrity life I was born into instead of trying to outrun it, and for the first time in my life, someone sees me for me. I feel like he’s falling for me, too. And then my ex shows up...Categorized as:
sports age difference friends to lovers m-f contemporary humor length-short audiobook -
As You Ice It by Emma St. Clair
If 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...Categorized as:
sports found-family athletes m-f second chances independent heroine super rich hero humor -
Be Still My Racing Heart by Madison Love
This is a dual POV, kisses only, sports romance in the Sweet Sports Kisses Series. A reformed bad boy, an heiress with a secret, and a forbidden love. Blake. Groomed to run my father’s company, I dream of flying down the speedway. Not "flying" a desk. Forbidden from chasing my dream, I spend my free time helping kids chase theirs while waiting for fate to claim me...Categorized as:
sports m-f siblings-bff competent heroine sassy heroine strong heroine independent heroine athletes -
First and Tension by Tara Sivec
It all started with a dare. Emily Flanagan has been living her dreams the last four years as a professional cheerleader for the Los Angeles Vipers, thousands of miles away from her tiny hometown of Summersweet Island, Virginia. She’s got the world at the tips of her pom-poms. .. until she tells her boss to shove those pom-poms where the sun doesn’t shine...Categorized as:
sports sweet heroine football m-f slow burn cheerful heroine competent heroine independent heroine -
The Fall of East by Nana Malone
Rated: 4.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTHE SIZZLING CONCLUSION TO THE HEAR NO EVIL TRILOGY. Nyla Kincade has stolen my ruthless heart. Now that she owns it I’m not taking it back. I’ve vowed to protect her and all that we love with everything that I have. I will die before I break that oath. Considering the danger we face, that might be a careless promise. But I’ve fought this hard for vengeance, I must see it through... -
Charity Case: The Complete Series by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThese three women are the toughest juries they’ll ever have to plead their case to. THIS BOX SET INCLUDES…. Clean Slate (Charity Case #0. 5). Moving two thousand miles away wasn’t my plan, but when family needs you, you come. Before I can head back to my hometown of Chicago though, I have two men to say good-bye to. Neither one of them will be happy to hear the news... -
Fore-Ever Yours by Bella Greene
A viral photo, a fake relationship, and one big problem. Matthew. All I wanted was a quiet few days. Instead, I get coffee poured on me, a gossip scandal, and a fake girlfriend. My agent insists this PR stunt will boost my career. Fake dating her for a few months? Fine. No problem. Except it’s definitely a problem. The more we fake this, the more I forget it’s not real. Beth...Categorized as:
sports m-f slow burn competent heroine cheerful heroine sassy heroine sweet-hero athletes -
Happy New You by Brenda St. John Brown, Cassie-Ann L. Miller
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratings★10 Resolutions. 2 Friends. 1 Shot At Love. ★. I’ll admit, having nine New Year's resolutions makes me twitchy. After all, I’m Allison Gottlieb; overthinker, overachiever, hot mess extraordinaire. I’ve spent my entire life trying to be the best but for some reason, I’ve always fallen short... -
Lessons in Heartbreak by Karla Sorensen
A playboy football player. A shy librarian. When old friends reunite, opposites attract in a witty and lighthearted romance about taking chances and falling in love against the odds. It’s an unwritten rule somewhere: small-town librarians shall not commit spontaneous acts, for fear of mortal embarrassment. I’d certainly just proved it true, though hiring an escort was perfectly logical...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers m-f slow burn football competent heroine sweet heroine sunny hero -
When I'm with You by Samantha Brinn
The first time I saw Julie Parker, the gorgeous, brilliant, sharp tongued lawyer knocked the wind right out of me. The second time I saw Julie Parker, our eyes met across a football field. The third time I saw Julie Parker, we had a *moment* and I was certain she was meant to be mine. The fourth time I saw Julie Parker, she was struggling...Categorized as:
sports football found-family friends to lovers athletes m-f independent heroine strong heroine -
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Accidentally Falling For My Fake Wife by Abby Greyson
This is a dual POV, kisses only, sports romance and the second standalone in the Accidentally In Sports Series. A hidden identity, a fake marriage, and one very real crush. Adam. Finding out my visa expired days after being traded to a new professional football team? Worst two weeks of my life...Categorized as:
football athletes sports m-f siblings-bff sweet heroine cheerful heroine sassy heroine -
Catch a Wave by Savannah Scott
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsDid you ever see a guy and just know you had to meet him? That was me and Bodhi Merrick. I couldn't take my eyes off him as he donned his wetsuit at the famous big-wave surf spot, Mavericks. I'll never forget that day. Or every time our paths crossed after that. Big wave surfing is a small world...Categorized as:
sports multicultural siblings-bff m-f humor forced proximity contemporary length-medium -
The Crush by Karla Sorensen
You know that girl from your past that you can’t quite stop thinking about? The one that you pushed away because you had a goal that seemed so much bigger, so much more important than any crush you might have had? That’s Adaline Wilder for me. Nothing came before football. Not in college, and not in my five years in the pros... -
That Time I Kissed My Beachfront Boss by Julie Christianson
My dream job just got snapped up by the one man who rejected me…. That’s right. I’m an unemployed twenty-something stuck sleeping on my grandmother’s old futon while Hudson Blaine, the guy who shot me down, gets to manage The Beachfront Inn. Talk about life being unfair. I’m about to flee town with what’s left of my pride when Mr. Rejection begs me to stay... -
Connell by Samantha Whiskey
I’m famous for two things—being one of the best defensemen in the NHL and my classic pranks. My teammates always said one of my jokes would bite me in my Scottish arse one day, and they were right. After a prank goes wrong, I’m sentenced to six weeks community service under none other than the sexy, rule-abiding, smart-mouthed city clerk of Sweet Water—Annabelle Clarke... -
Charming as Puck by Pippa Grant
The man could charm the panties off a nun. .. Nick Murphy. Hockey god. My best friend’s big brother. My friend-with-mindblowing-benefits. The best thing to happen to my nether regions since my subscription to the toy of the month club. The man I’ve been secretly in love with for years. And total ass. I am so done with him. Except there’s one small problem...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers athletes himbo competent heroine m-f second chances siblings-bff -
This Time, Next Year by Ruby Barrett
Nora hates two New Year’s Eve parties (too loud, too late) and her friend group frenemy, Finn (too tall, too argumentative). Then one New Year’s Eve, their friends enforce the “everyone has to kiss someone at midnight” rule and Nora and Finn begrudgingly lock lips. And something about that kiss makes Nora rethink that Finn’s mouth might be good for something other than pestering her... -
She Loves Me by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsWhat are two besties willing to risk for something more? The New York Times bestselling author of This Is Love has the answer in this fun, sexy, and emotional romance about friendship, family, and giving love a chance. Something is off in Piper Dalton’s life, and she has a feeling it might just be her. All her siblings are blissfully settled with their forever loves...Categorized as:
friends to lovers independent heroine sassy heroine strong heroine m-f humor contemporary audiobook -
It Happened on a Sunday by Tracy Wolff
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom #1 New York Times bestselling author Tracy Wolff comes a fierce, emotional romance about surviving the spotlight, outrunning your past, and choosing love when everything says you shouldn’t. They call her the Black Widow. A pop star. A tabloid tragedy. A girl who set the world on fire—and got burned in return. But Sloane Walker doesn’t care what they say. Not anymore...Categorized as:
found-family football friends to lovers sports contemporary humor length-long audiobook -
Betting on the Best Friend's Brother by Melanie Jacobson
She doesn’t want a dating coach. Especially not one she’s been in love with since junior high. Ava’s roommates say she’s a workaholic. But when her boss temporarily suspends her extra lab time, her best friend and bossiest roommate makes fixing Ava’s love life her summer project... -
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His Forever Muse by C.R. Alam
A childhood friends to lovers second chance romance. What if you've known the love of your life since he was six years old and happens to be your little brother's best friend? But the man whom Callie runs into in the middle of the desert in Morocco isn't the little Brandon Rossi she once knew. He is a work of art. Brandon Rossi is the boy-next-door in a rock star package... -
Tussle by Jacob Chance
“Why haven’t we had sex? ”. When Jesse Gunn, one of the biggest stars of World Class Wrestling, voiced that million dollar question, yet again, I was stunned. After turning him down countless times, I thought eventually he'd give up. Unexpectedly thrown together for a work project, my mind went to places I’d never allowed...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers m-f sweet heroine competent heroine sweet-hero sunny hero slow burn -
Honeysuckle Breeze by B.R. Goodwin
Would you rather know what your best friend’s lips feel like against yours but get ghosted immediately after… or never even taste the possibility of forever? What could be worse than inconveniently falling for your long-distance best friend? How ‘bout sharing an unexpected, but magical, Christmas kiss with him, then being ghosted ever after…... -
Never Fall for the Bride's Father by Julia Kent
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsPower outages. Runaway brides. Collapsed wedding cakes. Tainted caviar. Handsy grooms. And the always jealous MILs who wear white. No wedding catastrophe can faze Katie Gallagher, because when you plan for the worst, you deliver the best. The best wedding ever. Her company, Wedding Protectors, Inc. , promises happily ever afters. Guaranteed. Whatever it takes...Categorized as:
sassy heroine age difference m-f slow burn sweet-hero competent heroine from hate to love humor -
Writing Dirty by Alley Ciz
“I’ve always been her shelter in the storm. ”. Hockey players. MMA fighters. Rock stars. The boys in blue. Even sexy SEALs have all offered to slay my dragon—or in my case, my stalker. Why can’t they get it through their thick, stubborn heads that I can take care of myself? I’m no damsel! But. . -
Wedding Bells and Wall Street Bros: A Hot Romantic Comedy by Alina Jacobs
Is the bridal lingerie embroidered with dildos too much? It might be too much…. Welcome to life as a wedding dress-maker for the rich and entitled of Manhattan. I’ve seen it all—from the most spoiled brides to the most egotistical Wall Street Bros. The worst? Mark Holbrook—Billionaire. Arrogant. Knockout sexy. Certifiable jerk. He hates weddings and I hate him...
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