Books like 'Exploring the Rules'
Readers who enjoyed Exploring the Rules by Mariah Dietz also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary new adult sports college from hate to love grumpy sunshine
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Always You by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.64 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsWhat does any self respecting socialite do when she finds her husband screwing his secretary on HER dining room table? She gets petty revenge a'la Louisville Slugger, then she runs home and pretends her whole life isn’t in tatters... -
Semantic Error, Vol.1 (Semantic Error (Novel) #1) by Soori Jeo
Computer science major Chu Sangwoo is the epitome of an inflexible and strict rule-abiding person. While working on a liberal arts group project with freeloaders who don’t put in any effort, Sangwoo reasonably decides to remove their names from the final presentation.But he didn’t imagine how involved he would become with the person whose study-abroad plans were messed up because of that project... -
A Little Jaded by Kelsie Rae
Moving in with the infamous Everett Taylor was not on my bingo card.But, after my ex hit me then left me on the side of the road, I had no one else to call.Everett is bossy and moody and controlling.He’s also my ex’s hockey rival, my new very fake boyfriend.The plan is to keep me safe until my ex gets bored and leaves me alone... -
Dangerous Exes by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsIn #1 New York Times bestselling author Rachel van Dyken’s scorching series, revenge is a justified pleasure… Isla made one teeny little mistake. Now she and her PI company, Dirty Exes, are being targeted by one seriously angry and furiously sexy ex-quarterback. Jessie freakin’ Beckett. But there’s no way some NFL superhunk is going to take her business away... -
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We Said Forever by Marie James, T E Black
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsRock bottom. They say the only way to go from there is up, but what is “up” when you’re born into someone else’s rock bottom? At ten, football became my first love. It’s what got me out of the house away from my self-destructive family... -
Strike Zone by Ginger Walls
WYATT:All my friends are under the impression I’m only at Newhouse to chase women and play baseball. Those are two of my favorite pastimes.The truth is, Newhouse is my chance to save my family’s farm. If I don’t get drafted, we’ll lose everything we’ve been working hard to keep.Then I hear her sing and she’s all I can think about. It’s messing up my game and putting my future in jeopardy...Categorized as:
sports grumpy sunshine college from hate to love new adult baseball contemporary friends to lovers -
This Fearless Girl by E.M. Moore
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsStone Jacobs must…hate me. The tenuous bonds the four of us built could end with one split-second decision. Good versus bad. Old versus new. Loyalties will be tested when the truth spills like blood from a razor’s cut. Caught between high society and the homicidal reach of a well-known gang, finding my family’s treasure is our only hope... -
Perfect Boy by Hannah Gray
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsAn entire campus knows my name. Women throw themselves at me, hoping I’ll take them home that night. Whispers from the NHL say I’m the one to watch. And the weight of each game is on my shoulders because if our opposing team scores … that’s on me. All the things that keep me up at night are probably someone else’s dreams... -
I Need You To Love Me by Genicious
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsTogether they are nothing more than madness,but they say there’s always some madness in loveSix years elapsed since he shattered her life. Four years since she’s brought him to his knees.Now, Ace is the youngest boxing champion in the world – a force to be reckoned with. He’s dangerous, heartless, and always gets his way.Calla moved to New York to chase her career... -
End Game by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThis is going to be Ryan Justice’s year. It’s his last year of college and his last year as a hockey player for the Bellevue Bullies. He’s making all the plays in preparation for achieving his dream of being drafted into the NHL. This is Sofia Castilleja’s beginning. She is starting her college career as a star member of Bellevue’s brand-new gymnastics team... -
Griz by E. Cleveland
This fake relationship romance has it all! Funny, awkward moments. The “will they or won’t they”? And so much tension and steam it'll make you sweat! One thousand dollars.I wasn’t supposed to bid at Westbury’s Bachelor Auction. In fact, I was hosting the event when I decided to lean into the microphone and yell out that ridiculous amount.I blame Bridezilla's stupid text (oops, I mean my sister)... -
Sexiled by Mickey Miller
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsMorgan Kennedy:Campus Legend.Ruggedly handsome superstar athlete turned hedge fund manager.My one night stand mistake.And now my boss at my internship.Every staff meeting, I’m taken back to the night I was filled with a need I never knew was possible.Sparks fly between us in the office... -
Anger Banger by S.M. Shade
The residents of Happy Haven Trailer park have been waiting for this for a long time. The slumlord who abandoned this place and let our homes deteriorate has been court ordered to live here while making repairs. Imagine our surprise when the guy who shows up to move in to the dilapidated trailer across the street isn't the sixty year old man we expected, but his son...Categorized as:
new adult from hate to love grumpy sunshine found-family contemporary humor forced proximity -
Callous Heir by Michelle Heard
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsI made the mistake of falling for one of my brother’s friends. As if that wasn’t stupid enough, I then declared my love to him.Yeah, I know. Big mistake. Huge mistake.But here I am with my rejected feelings, and Noah won’t even look at me. Whenever he has to talk to me, his words are blunt. Yet they cut deeper than any knife... -
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Wreck My Plans by Kelsey Clayton
My name is Carter Trayland,And I really screwed up.I should’ve ended things before they began.Instead, I wound up in a twisted love triangle,One that I never wanted to be a part of.The wrong choice sent my life on a whirlwind.A woman I forced myself to love is dead.My best friend was nearly blamed for her murder.And the one I’ve always wanted, now wants revenge... -
On Thin Ice by L.A. Cotton
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAn emotional and angsty grumpy x sunshine hockey romance from USA Today and WSJ bestselling author L A Cotton. Are you ready to fall in love with a Laker?When Harper Dixon discovers her father is the Lakeshore U Lakers new assistant coach, she wonders if her life can get any worse.Enter Mason Steele.Arrogant. Cold. With enough ice around his heart to freeze anyone who gets too close...Categorized as:
sports new adult from hate to love college grumpy sunshine dual-pov forced proximity angst -
The Plan by Karla Sorensen
Have you ever fake dated your bodyguard? I don't recommend it. Especially if he's anything like Erik Wilder: former football player, world class know-it-all and unapologetic grump. To be clear, I didn't want a bodyguard (hence the fake dating idea). Most days, I can’t figure out why he wants the job either. We drive each other insane, probably because we’re as opposite as two people can be... -
Brutal Days by Isla Vaughn
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNo sacrifice is too big.No secret too small.I’m out to win, and I don’t even know the game.My opponents? They’re the Academy’s football stars, gods among their peers, and I want nothing to do with them. But I’m stuck on a mission to help out a friend, and keeping my distance shouldn’t be too hard... -
Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAsher Williams is obsessed with love. His column is thriving, fellow students trust him with their relationship woes, and he’s on his A-game when it comes to matchmaking. At least, matchmaking other than his own. After a heartfelt letter written to his column, Asher is set on aiding the two love-struck heroes who desperately need his help... -
Fighting For Your Touch by Nikki Ash
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCaleb As a teenager I learned firsthand how untrustworthy and cruel a woman could be. She destroyed me from the inside out and took everything from me. The first chance I got, I ran, and have been running from my past ever since. Until I met Hayley. She's a complete game changer. She's everything I never thought a woman could be... -
The Roommate Route by Mariah Dietz
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsUSA Today Bestselling Author Mariah Dietz Delivers a delicious and page-turning, forced-proximity, found family, standalone sports romance you don't want to miss!Nolan Payne, wide receiver for the Camden Knights is equal parts impulsive and reckless, and utterly addictive.He’s also my new roommate.My orderly existence implodes when Nolan proposes…. a situation... -
Defining the Rules by Mariah Dietz
It started with friendship. The best stories always do. Our story sounds unlikely. Bizarre. A fable. Like wine and cheese and my favorite pair of jeans, Things got better over time— Too good, it seemed. Arlo Kostas was the starting running back for Brighton University. His quick smile and sharp wit Was enough to disarm even the biggest cynic... -
The Way Back To me by Anne Mercier
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsShe was perky, fun, and full of life—everything I hated about girls and their bullshit exterior. People called her bubbly; I called her “fake-as-hell.” The edgy, dark, lonely girl in front of me was not the Olivia Brennan I knew from high school—far from it, actually. I knew the story—the whole town knew the story, we witnessed it all... -
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... -
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The Trouble with Gravity by K.K. Allen
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsKai’s life is a series of choreographed steps, each one shielding her from her tragic past. Audition, dance, get paid, repeat. It’s a broken record, but it’s what keeps her world spinning.When a dangerously handsome man with trouble written all over his face rides into her life, his entrance makes a disastrous splash... -
Wright Kind of Trouble by K.A. Linde
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAn age gap, enemy’s little sister romance set in the Wright world about Harley Wright & Chase Sinclair from USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde. He didn’t know I was ten years younger.I didn’t know he was a Sinclair.He didn’t care that I was a Wright.I knew exactly what I wanted.Yet, I know none of this when I fall into his bed... -
Game Day by Piper Lawson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsIn the heat of victory, I asked her to be mine forever. We’d both triumphed in our own way:Nova broke free from her past.I led my team to a championship and discovered life beyond the court. Our journey to "I do" was supposed to be easy. Except…The hottest resort in Aspen is only available is on short notice.A new season with the Denver Kodiaks looms on the horizon... -
Risk by Skye Jordan
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Skye Jordan returns with another adrenaline-infused story from the Renegades stunt team!After two years sidelined from the Renegades, Duke Reid wants nothing more than the excitement of his stuntwork—except for Caitlyn Winters. She's country fresh and just as naive, the kind of woman you rarely find in LA... -
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.An injury at the end of the spring semester has me working my way back to full health all summer long... -
Love Inn Books by Erin Branscom
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHe doesn’t believe in love.She’s a romantic at heart.He’s her sworn enemy…and her new boss.Preston Steele is a buttoned up, Ivy League lawyer from an affluent prominent Boston family.He ditches the city life and moves to small town Freedom Valley to start over where he finally feels like he belongs.His new friends think he could use some fun and love in his life... -
Fallen Crown by W. Million
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMaren Tucker is done with men who check in for the good times and check out for the bad. As a member of one of the oldest families in Bellerive, she doesn't have to play nice with the Summerset Royals. Especially not the youngest who represents everything she detests... -
Until Now by Laura Ward
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsFocus. Dean Goldsmith is Indiana University’s star quarterback, and his dreams are about to come true. His undefeated season means he has a legitimate shot at the NFL. If he stays focused. Football comes first. College senior, Grace Yeates, is determined to defy the odds. She is months away from graduating with a business degree, something no one thought she would be able to pull off... -
Blindsided by Victoria Denault
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsWhat if Romeo wore hockey skates, and Juliet was raised on a farm next door?As a life-long Vermonter, there are three beliefs I’ve always held true:1. Our family farm is everything2. Hockey is a close second3. The Todds next door are our sworn enemiesBut this season will test everything I stand for. I have an illicit side job that could cost me my hockey scholarship...Categorized as:
new adult sports from hate to love college contemporary secret-relationship m-f hockey -
Bide by E.J. Blaise
Oscar Jackson is a good man in a storm.Luna Evans is the storm.A notorious flirt.A serial anti-monogamist, Wild, carefree, and very, very loud.Luna has one rule in life; don't get attached.Until she meets Jackson. The nice guy on campus.People-pleaser to his core. Reluctant thrower of kick-ass parties. Quiet and unassuming and content to live his life firmly out of the spotlight...Categorized as:
new adult sports grumpy sunshine college contemporary length-long explicit-open-door -
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Fixated on You by Pamela Ann
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsEmma Anderson’s career was thriving. Her personal life too—but she knew—it was all a ticking time bomb until everything blows up. What happens then? Even if he’s relationship with Emma was going great, Bass Cole still had a long way to go to make amends after the grief he’d caused Emma last year. No matter what the future held for them, he knew one thing—Emma owned his heart... -
Bide by E.J. Blaise
Oscar Jackson is a good man in a storm.Luna Evans is the storm.A notorious flirt.A serial anti-monogamist,Wild, carefree, and very, very loud.Luna has one rule in life; don't get attached.Until she meets Jackson.The nice guy on campus.People-pleaser to his core.Reluctant thrower of kick-ass parties.Quiet and unassuming and content to live his life firmly out of the spotlight...Categorized as:
new adult college sports grumpy sunshine dual-pov contemporary explicit-open-door length-long -
Off-Ice Collision by Cali Melle
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsVaughn One moment in time, one freak accident, and my entire hockey career was over. Two years had passed since my injury and I am still mentally struggling with this loss. Mad at the world and everyone in it, I sought solace at my parents' lake house for the summer. It was supposed to be somewhere for me to be alone and heal...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine sports new adult college from hate to love friends to lovers dual-pov contemporary -
Trick or Treat by L.A. Cotton
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsCalliope James would rather live life through a lens than in the spotlight. So when she reluctantly agrees to go with her best friend to a party, she doesn’t expect to find herself on the other side of the camera.Zachary Messiah left Bay View High School without so much as a word.Now he’s back. He’s not the boy she remembers, but she’s exactly the girl he’s tried so hard to forget... -
Icing by Jami Davenport
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsSteele:I'm a second-year hockey player for the Seattle Sockeyes. Imagine my shock when I return from a trip to find my former roommate has transferred his lease to my nemesis. She's so annoying I can't stand to be in the same room with her. She pushes all my buttons and is my exact opposite. Despite it all, I want to rip off her clothes and make mad passionate love to her... -
Getting Schooled by Christina C. Jones
When 26 year old Reese accepts a position as a grad assistant, she has no idea an unpleasant encounter with a student will lead to the discovery of what she calls “the trifecta”: fine, intellectual, and a little bit rude – three qualities she finds irresistible in a man. She has no intention of doing anything with that discovery – nothing long term, at least...Categorized as:
new adult from hate to love grumpy sunshine contemporary cold hero open-door length-short -
THE RULE BREAKER by Crystal Kaswell
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsRule #1 Hands off my kid sister’s best friendRule #2 See rule number oneRule #3 Seriously, don’t even think about touching LunaLuna is my new room mate. My very off limits room mate. My gorgeous, feisty, painfully tempting room mate.I try to keep my distance. To ignore her soft laugh, her intense eyes, her sweet smile... -
Oar Than Friends by Lulu Moore
She's rowing for Cambridge. He's rowing for Oxford. A boat race to go down in history.Arthur Osbourne-Cloud has always had his future mapped out for him – graduate Oxford and follow his dreadful father into politics. Except Arthur wants to do anything but that. He’s more than happy filling his days rowing for golds at the Olympics or World Championships, and this year he has The Boat Race to win... -
Kiss To Remember by Anna B. Doe
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSome moments define the trajectory of your life.Grace Shelton has experienced her fair share of loss and trauma, but moving to Blairwood is her chance for a new beginning.For Trent Remington, going to college is a chance to break free of his overprotective parents and finally play basketball.Some moments will change it forever... -
For Crosby by J. Nathan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCrosby Parks had the life most guys only dreamed of. A wealthy family, girls vying for his attention, and pro scouts after his hockey skills. But when the life he knows comes crumbling down, he’s sent to Alabama to escape the media storm and to rebuild his life. If Crosby has any shot of playing professional hockey, he must keep a low profile and graduate from college... -
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You’re the Reason by J. Nathan
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWelcome to Crestwood University...Where smiles conceal secrets.Gossip runs rampant.And everyone hides the truth.Sophia Galloway has no idea what she’s walking into when she transfers to Crestwood University.Returning to Texas was her only goal.But nothing could prepare her for stepping foot on a campus where no one is what they seem.In a world where frat guys think they can do no wrong... -
The Winning Defense by Jamie Bennett
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIf she follows her rules, Chloe is guaranteed a win—but now she’s not sure what she’s playing for.Chloe Carpenter has developed a system. After a life that has been anything but easy, she has a plan to get what she wants, and what she wants is justice. She’s on offense to make up for the wrongs done to her and punish those responsible.They’re going down... -
Caught Looking by Kimberly Readnour
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat happens when the girl of your dreams turns out to be the very one to destroy them?With the sting from not being drafted still fresh, Dalton Boyd gets sent to the strictest coach with the most rules in summer league ball.Was it mentioned the coach also serves as his host family? No? Well, everyone knows the player staying at the coach’s house has the most brutal regime.But here’s the thing... -
His Curvy Enemy by Piper Sullivan
Rated: 4.05 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsWelcome to Pilgrim, Texas… home of women with curves and the men who can’t get enough of them! Oliver March was a thorn in my side.The man was determined to take down my Matchmaking Agency with his stupid blog.But I wasn’t going down without a fight. I had a proposition for the enemy.I bet the pompous jerk I could find him his perfect woman.It was supposed to be simple... -
Cutter by Stacy Borel
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsDid somebody say baby? Macie Rosewood was a firecracker, in and out of the bedroom. She lived her life according to her own rules and high standards. When she caught the attention from one of the most eligible Brooks brothers two years ago, Macie had found real love. Dodger Brooks was the sensible brother that played hard and loved even harder... -
The Tomboy and The Captain by Ginger Scott
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt was supposed to be my year, but then he made a bet that I couldn’t refuse…A star senior on the Tiff U volleyball team, it’s been my goal to come back strong after an injury that nearly took me out of the game. But I’m Laney freaking Price, and I’m taking my shot to make it on the new pro women’s team, despite the lack of support from my father.The problem? Cutter McCreary...
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