Books like 'Just a Football Star'
Readers who enjoyed Just a Football Star by Deb Goodman also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny sports friends to lovers office forced proximity disabilities and marks
-
The Sandcastle Hurricane by Carolyn Brown
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsFamily, wounded hearts, and a Texas bed-and-breakfast are in need of repair in New York Times bestselling author Carolyn Brown’s inviting novel about down-home comfort and second chances.Cousins Tabby and Ellie Mae are due for a change... -
Truly Medley Deeply by Kate Watson
Lucy JaneThe first rule of touring? Don’t fall for your crew.Especially not the grumpy, emotionally caged, impossible-to-read sound guy who acts like tolerating pop-country singers is pure torture.Patrick “Patty” O’Shannan clearly doesn’t want to be here. He does his job and barely looks at me unless it’s to scowl...Categorized as:
forced proximity office contemporary grumpy sunshine humor length-medium glimpses-kisses -
Hold Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsTyler Maxwell's story will be released on January 18th.As the leagues’ top goalie for the Chicago Blades, I stay disciplined and follow three principles:1. Keep a pristine image.2. Play smart and hard on the ice.3. Stay out of relationships... -
Kiss Me Tonight by Maria Luis
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 36 ratingsI had it all.The Super Bowl rings.The hot shot TV gig.Then I got fired.Now I’m living in middle-of-nowhere Maine, playing assistant coach to the woman of my nightmares.Did I mention that she and her son are my new neighbors?If you talk to the locals, they’ll tell you Aspen Levi is the queen of high school football.But if you ask me, my new head coach is a pain in my left nut sac.She’s too blonde...Categorized as:
office sports forced proximity friends to lovers from hate to love athletes single-mother dual-pov -
-
Rogue Wave by J. Bengtsson
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA love story that survives the test of time. Keith McKallister is the king of the stoners. You know the type. Every school has one – the hot, fun, dopey guy beloved by the student body but despised by, well, just about everyone else. He spends his early mornings in the ocean and his days trying to get to class on time... -
Give Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsHe was my first love. Now he's my roommate. And he won't stop until he wins me back.Conned out of my business I have no other choice but to move back home to Chicago. I’m determined to rebuild everything, but I’m so broke that I can’t even afford to pay rent.Then my first love, Sam Maxwell, unexpectedly pops back into my life and turns out to be my knight in shining armor...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity humor super rich hero contemporary length-short m-f -
The Problem with Players by Brittainy C. Cherry
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsAs a female coach, I’ve always lived by a simple mantra: throw hard, swing for the fences, and never, ever look back--especially when it comes to past flames.So when my ex-boyfriend somehow manages to land the job as my new assistant coach, my life is flipped upside down. The game I thought I'd mastered is now being played with a whole new set of rules.My ex is baseball's all-star Nathan Pierce...Categorized as:
forced proximity sports friends to lovers office baseball from hate to love black-mc found-family -
Love Songs Suck by Becky Monson
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA reluctant woman, a determined popstar, and the song that started it all.After growing up in Nashville with two musician parents, I promised myself one thing—I would never, ever fall in love with anyone who had anything to do with the music scene. I will take my stable, albeit boring, accountant boyfriend, thank you very much, and live securely ever after. At least that was the plan... -
Sterling Fight by L.B. Dunbar
These former friends might be faking their engagement, but revealed crushes prove there might not be anything fictional about their arrangement.In college, I often saw Judd Sylver in the library. He was a cool, broody type of guy who reminded me of a deeply tortured soul who might write poetry... -
Are We There Yet? by Savannah Scott
A vintage VW van. Four friends. A cross-country road trip.It will be the best adventure of my life, if only I can shake the feelings I have for Cameron .Cameron Reeves is as gorgeous as his name makes him sound.He’s about six feet tall, which is the height I always wrote in my ideal man list in my journal. Yes. I have a list of qualities I want in a man... -
Fling by Adriana Locke
CONTEST: WIN A DATE TO MY HONEYMOONI realize that a social media post isn’t the usual way to secure a date to your honeymoon—for obvious reasons—but here we are.My wedding was canceled. What’s not canceled is the nonrefundable, ten-thousand-dollar all-inclusive vacation at a luxury resort, and I’m not about to let it go to waste.I’m packed and ready to hit the beach...Categorized as:
friends to lovers office forced proximity contemporary humor angst open-door length-medium -
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... -
Knock Out by Jiffy Kate
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn the blink of an eye, Willow Bernard goes from stocking shelves at the Piggly Wiggly to kicking butt at Viking MMA.Willow Bernard has taken a lot of hits in her twenty-two years but always manages to come back swinging. Hoping to fly under the radar for a change, she relocates to Green Valley...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers forced proximity fighters contemporary grumpy sunshine humor length-long -
The Scientist by Kristen B. Cole, Margo Lipschultz
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWhen an outgoing musical maven meets the enigmatic neuroscientist next door, will their worlds clash in a dramatic showdown of art versus science, or will they discover that love is the ultimate experiment worth conducting?When celebrated Broadway composer Hadley Olivier’s best friend receives a life-threatening diagnosis, Hadley says goodbye to her beloved home in NYC and sets off to the West...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity grumpy sunshine contemporary humor menage length-long -
-
The French Chateau Dream by Julie Caplin
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsYou are invited to a summer of sparkling champagne, warm buttery croissants and a little bit of je ne sais quoi… With a broken heart and a broken spirit, Hattie is in need of a summer escape. So when an opportunity comes up to work at a beautiful, stately chateau in the Champagne region of France she books her flights quicker than the pop of a cork...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity contemporary humor insta-love love triangle length-medium -
The Day the Jerk Started Falling by Max Monroe
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsMy name is Oliver Arsen, but my mates call me Ollie. I live hard and love harder, and it’s love that usually gets me in the most trouble. According to the greater population, I’m the ultimate jerk. My affection tends to be short-lived—a quality I’ve been assured multiple times by the fairer sex isn’t becoming—and the leaving part of loving and leaving has always come natural... -
Earn Your Extra Credit by Meghan Quinn
"She went home with someone else that night?" Hearing the disbelief from my best friend's mouth makes the events of my failed date sting that much more. I would like to make it known, I have a lot more swagger than what it seems. I don't normally ask a girl out, have her fail to recognize it's a date, and then give me a high five--as if I'm her wingman--and take off with someone else. No...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity sports office humor from hate to love new adult contemporary -
How to Get Lucky by Lauren Blakely, Joe Arden
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA sexy standalone romance written by #1 NYT Bestselling Author Lauren Blakely and Award-Winning Romance Narrator Joe Arden! Every man knows there are lines you don't cross. Like this one -- don't bang your boss's little sister.Too bad I didn't know sexy, clever, irresistible London is related to the guy who signs my paychecks... -
Lights Out Lucy: Roller Derby 101 by Elicia Hyder
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI love Lucy! "OMG! I love Lucy!! Seriously loved this book. Laughs, romance, and some serious a$$ kicking as Lucy tries out for the roller derby. Lights Out Lucy deserves much more than 5 stars! Excellent read from start to finish." --Amazon Reviewer A fresh, fun, feel-good book... -
Pining For You by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI’ve been in love with my best friend since the day I met her freshman year of high school. She was a halo of sunshine on a rainy day, pulling me out of the shadows and making me feel like life was one big roller-coaster ride of excitement. Until the day we graduated and she left on the back of a Harley with some guy who didn’t deserve her, middle fingers in the air...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity contemporary marriage of convenience humor length-short m-f -
The One I Want by Chelle Sloan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAs a professional football player, I had a playbook for everything on the field. Then I retired and found out there’s no playbook for life—especially when the one you thought was perfect gets flipped upside down. There’s no play for suddenly becoming a divorced, single dad. There’s no plan for moving your family back to the town you grew up in...Categorized as:
sports office forced proximity friends to lovers single-father age difference contemporary humor -
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... -
Write or Wrong by Heidi Hutchinson, Smartypants Romance
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsZara Lorna is kind of a big deal. After winning Artist of the Year (again), having a public argument with her boyfriend (again), and being whisked away by a man she barely knows (that’s new), it feels like she can’t go anywhere without drawing attention. It’s taking a toll on her and she could use a break.Deciding to spend some time out of the public eye, she moves to Chicago to be close to Nikki...Categorized as:
forced proximity office friends to lovers contemporary rockstars humor length-medium -
Coaching the Kicker by Jacob Chance
From USA Today bestselling author Jacob Chance comes a brand new laugh-out-loud enemies-to-lovers romance about two professional athletes finding love where they least expect it. When I purchased a home in an upscale neighborhood, I never imagined having one of the Charleston Pirates living next door.Knox Irons knows just how to push my buttons... -
-
Kind of a Sexy Jerk by Lili Valente
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSo let me get this straight... For the next few days I’ve got myself a grumpy fake husband who’s also kind of my...bodyguard?I guess that’s a better way to spend the weekend than binge-watching reality television, especially since it’s kind of my fault we’re on the run from the mob and I need a protector.Oops... -
Jesse's Girl by Hannah Brixton
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsBuckle up, Buttercup…Three nosy relatives, two jobs, one fledgling side hustle, and zero roommate prospects. No wonder Ada Russo is saltier than the rim of a margarita glass. When her brother’s best friend lands in Lennox Valley needing a place to stay for the summer, Ada’s spare room is the logical choice... -
The Backpack Bride by Dulcie Dameron
Marry a stranger, adopt my nephew. Sounds easy enough...right? After my brother’s untimely death, I’m left brokenhearted and fighting for a teenage nephew who doesn’t seem to care whether he’s out on the streets or tucked into bed at night.Maybe I’m not the most responsible person to raise Axel, but I’m all he has left... -
The Show by Lulu Moore
As any true sports fan will tell you, once you have an allegiance to a team it's set in stone. It's unwavering. It's finite. You never leave.Yet somehow, I’ve been asked to do just that.To set aside my love for The Yankees and take ownership of The New York Lions - the worst team in Major League Baseball.Oh, yes, and turn them into winners...Categorized as:
sports forced proximity friends to lovers office super rich hero humor age difference alpha male -
50 Ways to Win Back Your Lover by Kelly Siskind
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom Kelly Siskind comes a slow-burn romantic comedy about one man’s creative attempt to win back his high school sweetheart after a change in fortune gives them a second chance at love.Growing up, I had it all—my art, close friends, a gorgeous girlfriend who owned my heart—but then my life exploded.Turns out my father was laundering money, and my whole family got shoved into witness protection... -
Tanner by Katy Regnery
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Katy Regnery is back with an addictive six-book series featuring the Stewarts of Skagway!When Tanner Stewart learns his crazy ex is returning for a summer in Skagway, he places a personal ad, looking for someone to pose as his fiancée for the summer. Enter McKenna Cabot, a commitment-phobic college professor from Seattle caring for her aging grandmother... -
Fake Start by Jasmin Miller
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsYou know that awkward moment when your agent tells you to fake date your best friend’s sister so you can get the endorsement deal of your dreams? No? Call me crazy for considering it, but why not? Daisy’s my friend, after all, and I’ve gotten quite close to her and her two awesome boys over the last few years since her douche-nozzle husband divorced her... -
Falling for Your Brother’s Best Friend by Emma St. Clair
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsOlder brothers are the worst. Older brother's best friends, however, are the BEST. Except when they don't seem to return your feelings... My crush on my brother's best friend, Mason, has grown into something totally unmanageable over the years. In fact, I'm pretty sure it's not a crush at all, but something bigger I'd rather not name... -
Huck by Lulu Moore
You don’t date the Coach’s daughter. It’s the first thing you learn in Hockey 101.Except whoever made that rule had never met Nora Campbell.She came into my life like the blondest ray of sunshine, and I thought all my dreams had come true.Then I found out who she was...Categorized as:
sports forced proximity office friends to lovers contemporary dual-pov forbidden love humor -
The Wednesday Morning Wild Swim by Jules Wake
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsFor fans of The Saturday Morning Park Run! Take the plunge and discover a gorgeous new read full of friendship, love and the healing power of community!Ettie is trying to figure out her future.Dominic’s just trying to forget his past...Categorized as:
sports disabilities and marks small town humor insta-love contemporary length-medium -
-
Traded by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe first time I met pro football’s hottest quarterback, we ended up horizontal just before the most embarrassing moment of my life.The second time, I unleashed all my pent-up anger on him.The third time was when the owner of the Vegas Aces introduced him as the newly traded player I’d be coaching for the next year. No…I’m not a football coach. I’ve been hired as his full-time behavior coach... -
She's a Keeper by Ali K. Mulford
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThey’re both used to temporary. Have they unexpectedly found forever?Lark Lachlan has her life under control. Although she enjoys the occasional summer fling with women, the devoted-to-her-career, bisexual zookeeper has no trouble keeping her heart in its cage. So she’s a little surprised to feel an instant, all-consuming attraction to the handsome new volunteer, Logan... -
Better Off Wed by Portia MacIntosh
Pre-order the brand new laugh-out-loud friends-to-lovers romantic comedy from international bestseller Portia MacIntosh!Save the date...!Olivia can’t believe it when her boyfriend, Teddy, proposes out of the blue... -
Flirting with the CEO by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsI wanted to hate her. Instead, I desperately need her. I didn't get to be CEO by playing nice. I'm driven and ruthless—and yes, occasionally rude. But it gets the job done, and that's all I care about. My business partners disagree. They insist I need to improve my communication skills. That's how I end up with Zoey Thomas shadowing me...Categorized as:
office friends to lovers contemporary humor super rich hero grumpy sunshine length-medium -
Perfect Praise by Grace Pearce
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsMaren and Locke both exist in the same world of professional golf—he's the number one player in the world while she just takes his picture.Never mind that Locke unintentionally leads the press to believe that he and Maren are dating, because when she confronts him, he couldn't care less... -
Check Swing by Carrie Aarons
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSinclair Callahan is a trust fund baby.Born into one of the richest, most notorious families in the country, the black sheep title was stamped on him from an early age. While the rest of his relatives earn their keep at the top tier baseball team they’ve owned for generations, Sin prefers spending his time and money on booze, babes and bad decisions... -
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... -
Wright Kind of Love by K.A. Linde
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe conclusion to the Wright duet age gap romance from USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde.Chase Sinclair should be my enemy.Wrights and Sinclairs don’t mix. Not with years of history and turmoil between our families. A rivalry that only seems to fester and corrode with time.Except I’m done denying what I want.We both are.Just when we think we have it figured out, it all blows up in our faces...Categorized as:
friends to lovers sports office contemporary humor new adult age difference from hate to love -
Love You Fiancee by Julia Kent
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThere once was a man named Kell, Who fell under Rachel Hart’s spell. In public he proposed, Wearing dubious lemur clothes, Never guessing he’d end up in zipper hell. Kell Luview has decided to make Rachel Hart his wife after two perfect years together, and the man has plans. Big plans... -
Faked and Fumbled by Gina Azzi
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKnoxville Coyotes football heartthrob Cohen Campbell is my brother’s best friend. Now, he’s the man posing as my fake boyfriend. Simple, right? Wrong.I thought my luck couldn’t get worse than when my long-term boyfriend publicly dumped me. Wrong again. Now, my ex is dating my cousin, and our friend group is embarking on an annual ski trip.Desperate to save face, I beg Cohen to pretend to like me...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers forced proximity football humor contemporary siblings-bff athletes -
-
On a Flight to Sydney by J.A. Forde
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat if the very last thing you’re looking for turns out to be exactly what you need?Joss Morgan is perfectly happy with her life in Sydney, thank-you-very-much. She may be single, have only one true friend, and live alone… but she doesn’t need a man… or more friends… or anything at all...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity contemporary dual-pov military humor length-medium -
CONFLICTING VENTURES by A.K. Landow
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsSkylar Lawrence is the quiet sister. The one that doesn’t need to be the center of attention. The one who wants happiness above all else. She’s been content to stay in the background and support her sisters as their stars shine bright.She internalizes her struggles. The lingering pain of losing her father, followed by the ending of her relationship with the man she thought was her forever... -
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... -
Blindsided by Shey Stahl
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsLandon Slade. Highest paid quarterback in the NFL. Demi-god. Certifiable ladies’ man. It’s no secret my ego is boosted. Being light on my feet and good with my hands, I control the plays and my stamina is legendary. And on and off the field, I make the decisions, the rules. Do I do complicated? Hell, no. I take what I want, tackle life my way. But then there’s her... -
Just Friends Forever by Martha Keyes
Stephanie “Stevie” Jacobs: Marriage to an A-list actor has its perks, but no one ever tells you about the drawbacks—paparazzi infesting your life like cockroaches after the divorce, for instance... -
The Real Fake Fiancé by Sara Jane Woodley
Hi, I’m Dee, and I’m captain of the friend zone. I didn’t ask for this dubious honor, but don’t worry, I like it this way. I’m happy not dating and just being “one of the guys” on my volleyball team. Until my scary new boss informs me that my job—I’m a developer at a dating app (ironic, right?) that I coded from scratch, an app that is essentially my baby—is in jeopardy. So I lie...
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.