Books like 'Love's Defense'
Readers who enjoyed Love's Defense by Laura Marquez Diamond also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny multicultural sports m-f athletes dual-pov
-
Forever Paired by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.77 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsLandon Davies had worked hard to start his own restaurant. It was a very different path than most of his family had taken. He was one of the few family members that were not military or law enforcement. But his hard work had given him a restaurant that was beginning to take off when a woman’s scream in the alley outside his kitchen changed everything... -
Made For You by Natasha Madison
From Wall Street Journal and USA TODAY bestselling author Natasha Madison comesA brand new stand-alone enemies-to-lovers grumpy/sunshine sports romance.A spin-off from the Only One seriesVivienneI did the last thing I ever expected to do. I bought a boat. A beautiful boat that was all mine to spend the summer on.Only thing I was looking forward to was the calm being on the water brought me...Categorized as:
sports athletes dual-pov m-f contemporary forced proximity grumpy sunshine from hate to love -
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... -
Playing Games by Max Monroe
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsDickson University’s star quarterback and campus golden boy is used to winning on and off the field…until he meets the one woman who changes the game. Blake Boden is the ultimate distraction—annoyingly handsome, enigmatic, and confident enough to make my teeth grind. He’s the kind of guy who could charm anyone with a single smile, and somehow, I’ve become his latest challenge... -
-
Black Flag by Shey Stahl
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsWhen the taste you thought you never needed becomes a thirst you cannot quench, then what? Jameson Riley, a NASCAR rookie driver, and Sway Reins, his pregnant girlfriend, are put to the test. They have love; they have lust, and a bond that proves to be vital. But do they have what it takes to make it through his lifestyle. When tested, it’s either fight, or give in... -
Home Run by Jordan Marie, Robin Harper
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 23 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... -
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... -
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... -
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... -
Thrill of Love by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDiscover the magic of New York Times bestseller Melissa Foster's writing, and see why millions of readers have fallen in love with the Bradens. Fall in love with Ty Braden and Aiyla Bell in this epic love story... -
Dirty Flirty Enemy by Piper Rayne
He’s the arrogant Manhattan realtor with billboards advertising his six-pack more than his expertise in negotiations. I’m the competing broker who stupidly moved across the hall from his office. From day one, I’ve been his sworn enemy. Okay, so I might have accidentally stolen one of his clients... -
Delayed Call by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 27 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... -
Cocky Senator’s Daughter: Hannah by Faleena Hopkins
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsHANNAH COCKER Every man I've dated in this city has either bored me or hurt me. When Sofia Sol, my crazy cousin, offers a ride on the back of her Harley with no destination in mind besides out-of-Atlanta, what do you think my answer is? I'll give you one guess. TOBIAS KYRKOS Life doesn't ever hand you what you want. You have to take it... -
Text Me Baby One More Time by Teagan Hunter
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 28 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... -
-
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... -
The Fall of East by Nana Malone
Rated: 4.83 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTHE SIZZLING CONCLUSION TO THE HEAR NO EVIL TRILOGYNyla 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... -
Protecting Her Heart by Chance Carter
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI'm going to make her beg. Emma asked me to take her all the way. She wants to experience every delicious thing a woman can feel. She wants to be brought to the very edge of ecstasy, and then she wants to leap right off the cliff. I'm a complete playboy, an expert in the ways a man can make a woman beg, so naturally I accept. I love a good challenge... -
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... -
Crossing the Brooklyn Briggs by Dana LeCheminant
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsHigh school teacher Brooklyn Briggs has always been great with chemistry but terrible with relationships. When a guy drops into her life—literally—and offers to coach her into getting a date with her longtime crush, she's willing to accept any help she can get.Even if her new flirting coach is her brother Houston's best friend, the guy who drove her crazy all throughout high school...Categorized as:
dual-pov multicultural m-f contemporary forced proximity siblings-bff from hate to love humor -
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. And, as it happens, Bodhi felt the same tug---this irresistible attraction that drew us to one another...Categorized as:
sports multicultural m-f siblings-bff humor forced proximity contemporary length-medium -
All Hung Up by Kathleen Brooks
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThis novella originally appeared in the Three Southern Beaches collection released July of 2014. Taylor Jefferies fled the Hollywood spotlight and found herself helping the citizens of the small town of Keeneston. As luck would have it, the sexy man who caught her eye and found a place in her heart joined her at college that fall... -
Second Dive: A Second Chance Sports Romance by Jasmin Miller
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNoah 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... -
Somebody Like You by Carrie Elks
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHe’s rich, talented and way out of her league. Now he’s making her an offer she can’t refuse…Football has always been Cam Hartson’s life. When he's forced to retire following an injury, he slinks back to his small home town, planning to lie low and lick his wounds. Until he meets Mia Devlin. The beautiful single mom of two tearaway boys has no interest in love... -
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... -
-
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... -
Hard Fall by Sara Ney
"Hard Fall"That's what my mom is always saying: "The bigger you are, the harder you fall." She's talking about love—I've never been in it myself, but that doesn't stop me from secretly matchmaking for my friends. Who would suspect me, a world class athlete, of meddling in other people's love lives? I love Love, especially when it’s not me who’s doing the falling…"No Thanks... -
Savor by Xavier Neal
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLately, Logan "Unbreakable" Kellar's life has been a series of miscommunications with catastrophic consequences. However, this time around, the consequences threaten to not only damage his current relationships but erase a future he only ever dreamed of... -
Power Play by C.J. Cartwright
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat if the one who got away… comes back? They say you never forget your first love. But does time truly heal all wounds?Levi Fawkes knows hockey, and not much else. As the captain of the Astoria Bay Thunder, his eyes are always locked on the goal... -
Trey by A.M. Madden
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThey say time heals all wounds. And maybe they’re right. But what about wounds no one sees? The kind that open again and again? The kind that have you feeling like you swallowed glass?Those are the wounds I carry. Years of heartbreak have created layer after layer of scar tissue over my whimpering heart... -
Shopping for a Turkey by Julia Kent
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI don’t understand Americans. Or, as we say in Scotland, I dinna understand ye eedjits. And I definitely dinna understand the crazy mother-in-law of my cousin Declan... -
The Sweetest Chirp by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAudrinaI ran.I left everything I knew, and I didn’t look back.I have loved my best friend since I the moment I knew what love was. While I adore a good best-friends-to-lovers trope, that was never our story. We danced around each other, skated along the line but didn’t cross it, and I never knew why. Until one night, I took matters into my own hands... -
Bad Boy by Janet Elizabeth Henderson
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA Bad Boy trying to be good, a Good Girl driven to be bad and a five year old who wants to rule the world… Being good is so freaking hard. And boring. Flynn Boyle has only been doing it for a couple of hours and already he’s had enough... -
Play Me by Kelly Elliott, Kristin Mayer
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsShe has a head for business and a body for sin. He is a coach who knows how to use his equipment. Neither is looking for love. Should be easy, right? Wrong. This might be the most important game Kendall Wales and Hunter Owens have ever played where everything is on the line. With one wrong play, they could lose it all... -
The Friend Face Off by Grace Worthington
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGetting 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... -
-
Hot Pickle by J.J. Knight
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI'm rock hard.No, not like that.When that happens, you won't need me to tell you.I'm a competitive bodybuilder, ready for my very first contest. And winning requires more than killer workouts and stage presence.It's all about the tan.My training partner Franklin uses the best in the business — Camryn Schultz. She understands the career killer of a badly placed white spot.She’s also his sister... -
Just Say (Hell) No by Rosalind James
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNeed an Escape to New Zealand?Valentine's Day. Even a hard man needs a soft side. Marko Sendoa isn’t a beach man. He’s not an Auckland man. He’s a hard man. Born Basque tough, raised in the heart of New Zealand’s Southern Alps, and bred on hard work, discipline, and getting the job done... -
Happy Hour by Shey Stahl
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsBetween revving engines, smoking tires, and high speeds, two friends form a vital bond in the shadows of the blaring spotlight. Sway Reins, a track owner’s only daughter, and Jameson Riley, a gritty NASCAR rookie driver, have been best friends since they were kids. Over the years, Sway becomes his safety shield during his rapid rise to the elite levels of auto racing... -
Turn of the Tides by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsWhen Beau Wade left his small hometown of Whitecap, Oregon, he swore to himself he’d never go back. But when his NFL career goes up in smoke, that’s exactly what he finds himself doing. Not much has changed in the ten years he’s been gone... -
The Race by Alice Ward
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI like it fast. She likes it faster. Who will win this race? As founder and CEO of UnCaged Fitness, I sponsor some of the hottest fitness properties around. Top female athletes and models beg for my attention. I’m rich. I’m ruthless. And when it comes to my business, I don’t play around. Until Emma James and her beautiful curves comes to Daytona... -
Famous Last Words by Shann McPherson
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA laugh out loud haters-to-lovers, fake-dating hockey romance. Not so long ago, Robbie Mason had it all. Three Stanley Cup wins, two Hart trophies, and sponsorship deals worth millions. But then he went and broke his own teammate’s jaw, and the best defenseman in the history of the NHL hit rock bottom, hard... -
Only One Chance by Natasha Madison
Miller They called me the pretty boy on and off the ice. Hockey’s most eligible bachelor.When my teammate asked me to donate one date to his charity, I figured why not. Worst case, I’d spend the night with a fan. Best-case scenario, she would be hot. What I wasn’t expecting was for my dream girl to be the highest bidder...Categorized as:
sports athletes dual-pov m-f humor from hate to love contemporary explicit-open-door -
Changing Lanes by Katie Graykowski
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 20 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... -
One Steamy Pucking Meet Cute by Penelope Bloom
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI’ll tell you about the two very large pickles I’ve found myself in, but only if you promise not to laugh… Pickle number one: I'm unexpectedly pregnant by an NHL star, who just so happens to be my big brother's best friend—and no, we weren't exactly dating. For reasons that totally make sense (trust me for now), I never told him about the baby... -
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... -
-
Surprise Package by Donna Alam
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsTechnically, I might be breaking and entering, I didn't come down the chimney. And I'm no Ho (Ho Ho) But I did get my hands on his . . . Surprise Package. When I arrive at my remote holiday cottage, I don't expect to find a hot Scotsman in my bed. I also don't plan on being snowed in with him. He says I have the wrong address—that the cottage is his, But I think there's another story... -
Thanks For Last Night by Lauren Blakely
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA sexy new friends-to-lovers standalone!Let me list the reasons why dating a sexy, charming, pro hockey star is a bad idea:1. He’s one of my closest friends2. All our friends are friends3. The wounds I’ve got from past relationships go deep. And so do his.We’re both devoutly single -- it’s just safer for the heart that way... -
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 dual-pov contemporary new adult from hate to love humor length-medium -
Dear Hattie by Cassie Mint
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsHattie’s Guide to Crushing on Your Workplace Arch Nemesis:Rule one: Do not engage. Do not give that doorway-leaning, sinful-smirking jerk the satisfaction.Rule two: No more late nights together in the office. No more sparks flying by the water cooler. And absolutely no tackling him into the corporate ball pit.Rule three: Never forget that you loathe each other. Never admit to any squishy feelings...Categorized as:
dual-pov multicultural m-f contemporary from hate to love office humor length-novella -
The Shake-Up by Evie Mitchell
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAnikaMy milkshakes may bring all the boys to my bar, but that doesn't mean they wanna hang around for dessert.Despite being the perfect woman - attractive, confident and a world class chef - I'm not marriage material. I've resigned myself to that fact. But that doesn't mean I don't want a man in my bed.And Mac? Or should I say, Mac-Daddy? Well, he's just the man I'm looking for.Temporary... -
Pitch to Palace by Aven Ellis
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsShe was a princess who found solace and happiness in books, determined to stay hidden from the world forever. But will her crush—a sexy Canadian footballer with a playboy past—be the one to lure her out of her shell and into his arms instead?Comfort for Isabella York is found buried in the pages of books...
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.