Books like 'Unexpected'
Readers who enjoyed Unexpected by EJ Blaise also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary college grumpy sunshine forced proximity friends to lovers sports new adult alpha male friends-benefits secret-relationship
-
The Stolen Moments Trilogy: Carter & Emilia's Love Story by Catharina Maura
Rated: 4.83 of 5 stars · 3 ratingsA single kiss changes everything for two lifelong rivals in this best friend’s brother romance. It was hate at first sight for Emilia and Carter. Neither remembers how their feud started — yet every day, their war intensifies. Until one night. One unexpected kiss blurs the lines between love and hate, and their lives are forever changed. The stakes have never been higher... -
This Much Is True by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsWhen celebrity Laina Kelley bolted from her small hometown church on her wedding day, she ran to the first place that came to mind—the home of the local farrier, a gorgeous playboy who just so happens to be her first love … and biggest frenemy... -
Sponsored links / Remove ads
-
Dr. Beckett by Grace Maxwell
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWe were childhood enemies. Now I’m sleeping in his guest room… and I’m not sure I want to leave. Beckett. Sadie Calloway showing up on my doorstep in the middle of a storm wasn’t on my bingo card. She’s my best friend’s little sister, the girl I used to torment for fun, and now she’s standing in my living room, dripping wet and out of options... -
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... -
-
Writing the Rules by Mariah Dietz
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsPoppy Anderson was nailing her sophomore year at Brighton University. She liked her classes, had the greatest best friend, and was finally ready to start dating again. Or she was … until her ex, Mike, transferred to Brighton and started exchanging long stares and inside jokes that Poppy thought he’d forgotten. Paxton Lawson was long ago labeled ‘The Golden Boy...Categorized as:
new adult sports friends to lovers college siblings-bff contemporary football length-long -
Long Shot Bonus Epilogue: Double Overtime by Kennedy Ryan
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 14 ratings -
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... -
Hold 'Em Tight by Alisha Williams, Amber Nicole
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThey weren't kidding when they say life can change in the blink of an eye. One moment, I think I have it all. My men. Happiness. Friends. Family. And the next, my whole life comes crashing down around me. Betrayal like I’ve never felt before consumes me. A heartbreak so gut-wrenching it hurts to breathe...Categorized as:
new adult sports friends to lovers from hate to love contemporary queer length-medium m-m -
Careless Storm by Katherine Jay
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI’m not his to protect, but the NFL's bad boy has never been one to follow the rules. Six years ago, I was living my dream life. Supportive family, amazing friends, admission into my dream college. .. And a secret relationship with my brother’s best friend. Zane and I had it all worked out until one horrific moment tore our worlds apart, sending us spiraling in different directions... -
Block Shot Bonus Epilogue by Kennedy Ryan
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 12 ratings -
Of Pucking Course by Sarah Smith
I’ve had a crush on Dakota Richards since I met her five years ago. One problem: she’s my teammate’s little sister, which means she’s off-limits. When she breaks up with her ex and needs a place to stay, I offer her the guest room in my house. It’s a favor between friends, nothing more. But one night I overhear her using a toy in her bedroom and crying out my name…... -
Silver Linings by Violet Page
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsSilver James has perfected the art of keeping everything at a distance—her career, her friends, and most definitely romance. Her motto is simple: keep life carefree and fun. The more she avoids the unexpected, the less likely she is to get hurt... -
Hopelessly Devoted to Violet: Hopelessly Devoted Novella by Terri Anne Browning
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEvery time someone mentions planning their wedding, Violet finds a reason why they should wait. Luca is her soulmate and Love Bug’s favorite person. They are already a family, but they need to make it official. Luca is getting tired of calling her his fiancée and not his wife. But Vi is torn. Saying “I do” to Luca will mean releasing the last hold Remington had on her heart... -
A Christmas Auction: A Marriage Auction Novella by Audrey Carlan
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Audrey Carlan comes a new story in her Marriage Auction series…. “’Tis the Season,” some people say, as if the month of December could somehow magically make the world a better place. Fat chance of that happening in Sin City. In my world, nothing is merry and bright. More like dark and dank...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine forced proximity from hate to love contemporary length-short audiobook -
-
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 forced proximity from hate to love college grumpy sunshine dual-pov angst -
Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 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... -
Quake by Giuliana Victoria
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLark Hughes is the kind, sweet, and outgoing veterinarian who owns Toute la Famille, a non-profit veterinary clinic on the outskirts of Philadelphia. It's a typical night for Lark, working a late shift at the clinic, when one of the players from the Divine Flyers soccer team arrives with his golden retriever rescue, Pickles. He clearly takes them both by surprise when he asks her out...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers friends-benefits found-family soccer contemporary length-long -
Her Pretty Words by Amber Evergreen
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsA canceled flight. A beautiful stranger who seems to delight in getting under her skin. A hotel with only one room. Everything that could go wrong during Macy’s escape to Florida does. But when Grayson—the frustrating stranger in question—offers to share the room he already has, she has no choice but to take him up on it—platonically, of course. One night with him is more than enough... -
A Callahan Wedding by Monica Murphy
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe sweet and sexy conclusion to New York Times bestselling author, Monica Murphy’s standalone Callahan series, bringing readers along for the ride as fan favorites, Jake and Hannah get married! Hannah Walsh. Gorgeous. Intelligent. My first love. My high school sweetheart. My everything. And now my fiancée...Categorized as:
alpha male friends to lovers sports new adult found-family athletes contemporary m-f -
Love You From Afar by Morgan Paige
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI always thought a person had to be a ghost to haunt you,. but Everett Thompson is very much alive, and to make matters worse, he's my fiancé's brother. For years, I promised myself I would stay away from him. I tried putting as much distance between us as possible, yet here we are on a twelve hour road trip together... -
End Game by Riley Paige
Rated: 4.69 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSloane-. My dad’s cancer is back and I keep trying to outrun the inevitable with practice, routines, and lists—anything to keep my hands busy so my heart doesn’t break. Logan Brooks, my brother’s best friend, moving back in with us was the changeup I didn’t see coming. I want to hate him, but he’s the only person who seems to quiet the panic in my chest... -
Falling into Forever by Avery Maxwell
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhat’s a brokenhearted romance novelist to do when an interview accidentally turns her into the villain? I’ll tell you one thing—the plan definitely wasn’t to turn to the man who taught me that happily ever afters exist only on the page... -
Van by Kat Mizera
Rated: 4.57 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsTemptation could destroy everything he’d spent his career building…. Professional hockey player Jean-Michel Vander is living the dream…. And the Las Vegas strip is a long way from the small town in Quebec where he grew up. He works hard but he plays harder, especially in the off-season. The sexy redhead he spots doing a striptease in a Paris nightclub is all kinds of fun...Categorized as:
sports friends-benefits friends to lovers new adult contemporary hockey length-medium -
Deja Brew All Over Again by Sylvie Stewart
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTrouble has always had a way of finding me, but I never expected to be carjacked by a hot girl in a wedding dress. As the official family screw-up, not many people count on me for anything but a good time. But Maisy Romero and her little brother need a knight in shining armor, and they need him yesterday... -
-
Caution by A.K. Evans
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLike every hardworking member of Harper Security Ops, Forrest Hickman takes time away from work to relax and recharge. And he often does that while riding his snowboard on the slopes of his favorite ski resort. He wasn’t sure anything would be better than some time alone to clear his head. That is, until he meets someone to spend his break with... -
Burn by Ginger Scott
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratings**Burn is the third and final book in the brother’s-best-friend, friends-to-lovers Fuel Series by Ginger Scott. This second-chance romance completes this angsty, steamy, new adult trilogy. Dustin Bridge’s world is about speed. About the edge. His life has been carved by cutting corners and making moves, following impulsive decisions while weighing the facts at hand... -
How to Date the Guy You Hate by Julie Kriss
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsI hate Jason Carsleigh. Gorgeous, sexy, perfect Jason Carsleigh. He was the golden boy in high school - the one every girl dreamed about. Except me. I have my reasons. He owes me big, so I’m calling in a favor. I need Jason as my date for my ex’s wedding. Simple - wear a suit, look hot, and pretend he likes me. That’s it. Then I’m done with him forever. I’m not going to tell him my secrets... -
Savage Vicious Heir: Part Two by Caitlyn Dare
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsBestselling author Caitlyn Dare brings you a new dark high school romance story in the Heirs of All Hallows' series. Savage Vicious Heir is a dark high school bully romance. If possessive, rugby playing alphaholes aren't your thing, you probably won't like this book!Categorized as:
secret-relationship found-family sports new adult from hate to love contemporary cruel hero angst -
Secrets Vol. 2 by Ella Steele
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsSexy thoughts about Cole fill Anna's dreams. Every detail burns brightly in her mind; the way his hands feel on her bare skin, the soft brush of his lips against hers, and the way their bodies fit perfectly together. Anna awakes breathless, tingling as if it really happened. What caused her to think about Cole like that? It was completely forbidden... -
Cost of Redemption by Hayden Hall
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe was my forbidden craving. My biggest regret. And now, he’s my only weakness. Elio. Some mistakes you bury. Others crawl under your skin and never let go. Jaxon Mercer was supposed to be my past. The stolen kiss. The fist that followed. The silence after. But now? He’s here—cocky, dangerous, and looking at me like he already knows how this ends. I should shut him out... -
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... -
Baby for my Brother's Best Friend by Josie Hart
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIf “sexy” had a mascot, my brother’s best friend would be it. Deep hazel eyes and a diamond cutting jawline. He offers me the business deal of a lifetime,. If I play a convincing date for his ex’s destination wedding. But pretending we're smitten is easier said than done. His devilish smirk and cocky attitude work me up,. Until I can't decide if I want to punch him or kiss him... -
-
Fight by Molly McLain, Sara Eirew
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 12 ratings**This is not a standalone. Check out FLY (Velocity, #1) first. amzn. to/2dPfsgW :) **. The story continues. .. I trusted Colton with every bit of myself. I believed him when he promised he'd never hurt me. But he broke me. .. and now I watch him give another woman everything I thought would be mine. I never saw this coming... -
-
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... -
Undeniable Love by Samantha Chase
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA Small Town, Enemies to Lovers, Sports Romance from New York Times bestselling author, Samantha Chase. She’s a small town girl looking to escape her monotonous life. He’s the NFL superstar looking to return to his roots. Twelve years ago, he nearly destroyed her family. Now they’re working together and the attraction she feels is…completely undeniable... -
Perfect Pairing by Amanda Chaperon
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsLife has been good for Ezra Wendt and his son, Hansen, since he accepted the head chef position at the Chateau Delatou winery. Well, mostly good—except for that time he pushed away Brie, the girl of his dreams, in a moment of cowardice. Bakery owner Brie Delatou has everything a girl could an amazing family, a thriving business, and the perfect small town to call home... -
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... -
Two for Charging by Lasairiona E. McMaster
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDedicated. Driven. Divorced. Coach Elliott Swift is under pressure from all sides. His players are counting on him to return the team to championship success despite his recently graduated star players. His toxic ex-wife dogs his every move, and his sickly, aging parents require constant care... -
The Fastball by Emily Childs
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe's the coach's aggravating daughter. He's the shy guy on first base. And they have no idea they're keeping the same secret. After a devastating accident that leaves his throwing hand in shambles, MLB first baseman, Dax Sage, finds out the woman handling the PR for his recovery is none other than the gorgeous, frigid daughter of his head coach... -
Cruel Love by Isla Vaughn
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI fell for the enemy. He broke me, and then put me together again. Our future? It’s worth fighting for. Or it was before the accident. The accident stole Phoenix from me. Now, he’s nice… kind even. But the memory of me—of our baby—is gone. Despite everything, I’m left fighting for our child and the man I’ve come to love...Categorized as:
from hate to love sports new adult found-family forced proximity angst second chances contemporary -
Billionaire Bachelor by Laura Lee
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEscaping to my family’s cabin after my engagement imploded seemed like the perfect plan. But when Logan Edwards—my brother’s best friend, bad boy tech billionaire, and the man who’s haunted my fantasies for years—shows up unexpectedly, everything changes. With only one bed and a snowstorm raging outside, it doesn’t take long for the sparks between us to ignite... -
Two for Roughing by Lasairiona E. McMaster
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt’s a simple rule: don’t bang your teammates’ siblings. Finn O’Brien didn’t just break the rule, he annihilated it. Falling in love with his best friend’s younger sister when they were teens was an accident. He fought it for years, hiding behind a list of one-night stands a mile long, anything to convince himself Molly Morrison wasn’t the woman for him...Categorized as:
sports new adult friends to lovers siblings-bff humor contemporary hockey length-medium -
-
Two for Tripping by Lasairiona E. McMaster
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAwkward. Adrift. Alone. Fresh out of college, Will Morrison finds himself at a loss. Graduating top of his class was all well and good, but with no idea of what to do next, it’s all meaningless, and his recent mistakes have put him on tenuous ground with his best friend and sister... -
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... -
Cap by Elise Faber
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsShe’s the one he wants. And he’s not going to give her up without a fight. As the newly named captain of the San Francisco Gold, Josh is used to pressure and hard work. What he’s not used to? Women despising him. Jess, however, has taken an instant dislike to him, and no matter what he tries to do, he can’t seem to get beyond her prickly exterior... -
Fortunate Misfortune: Clear Lake Quartet Book 1 by Miah Onsha
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMallory Edwards is the queen of plans and hers are always on schedule. Captain and soccer goalie for Clear Lake University? Check. 4. 0 student? Check. On track for graduate school and an amazing career? Check. Everything is right on target. Until it suddenly isn’t... -
Fake Out Shot by Lyssa Lemire
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsAfter meeting Seattle’s bad-boy hockey star, my game plan was simple: avoid Reed Wallace like the plague. So why am I asking him to take my V-card just one week later? He’s everything I know I should avoid. Arrogant. Cocky. Notorious. With tattoos covering a body built for sin and piercing, gray-blue eyes that can make a girl forget her own name, he’s the personification of temptation...Categorized as:
forced proximity new adult sports friends-benefits virgin heroine contemporary length-medium -
Broken Bridges by Tania Joyce
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsHe's lost his band, his lover and his grandfather - the friends and family who'd accepted his lifestyle choices. She's lost her career, the love of her life and after a freak accident has to accept she'll never be the same. A chance audition for The Flintlocks could change his life. A move across the country could be the fresh start he needs. She needs to find her way in the world again...
Find out more about romance.io.
Get recommendations by genres & tropes
Use the romance book finder to mix and match over 100 content keywords to find the books that match your preferences
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.

