Books like 'Downforce'
Readers who enjoyed Downforce by Hannah Lily also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary sports athletes office grumpy sunshine from hate to love forced proximity slow burn competent heroine sassy heroine
-
Fumble. Pass. Repeat. by T'Lyn
Rated: 4.62 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsKyce Jefferson understood change. His life had been a continuous reminder that nothing last for ever. However, his one constant had always been football. Women come and go but the Chicago Bears was his team, his home and his life. Being traded was the last thing he expected or wanted. Iyoni Nixon lived and breathed for her son. He was her reason...Categorized as:
sports athletes grumpy sunshine office african-american friends to lovers contemporary football -
Truly Medley Deeply by Kate Watson
Lucy Jane. The 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 grumpy sunshine office contemporary humor length-medium glimpses-kisses audiobook -
Sponsored links / Remove ads
-
Path To Resolution by TheFeveredBookaholic
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWolfe Emerson is notorious for two things: being an absolute beast in a boxing ring and being a voluntary mute. His story remains unspoken and he prefers to live his life in silence. That is, until, his world is turned upside down when he meets someone who is louder than life... -
Lucky Bastard by Kaylee Ryan
Emma. When my best friend Aubrey asked me to tag along to an event with her, I never could have imagined that it would be the day that my life changed forever. He’s arrogant and demanding and doesn’t take a hint. Landon Barker, the quarterback for the Hermosa Beach Trojans, is a player on and off of the field. He’s got his sights set on me as his next play, but I see right through him...Categorized as:
sports slow burn athletes contemporary alpha male explicit-open-door length-medium audiobook -
-
Isabelle and the Beast by Marie Soleil
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt was supposed to be a quick meeting. I’ve been trying to break into acting for years, and now I’m FINALLY up for a lead role in a romcom movie. It’s a huge step up from barista #3, especially considering who’s supposed to play my love interest—Adam Stone...Categorized as:
forced proximity grumpy sunshine from hate to love contemporary humor length-medium audiobook -
Broken Deal by Yinn Quirós
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSophia. In front of the world, I'm the loud, funny best friend. The perfect eldest daughter. The talented journalist. The one who plays the game but never lets her heart get involved. But underneath, I’m a mess—hiding from the one thing I fear love. Then I meet Lorenzo Mancini, the infamous billionaire player... -
The Match by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsConfronting my family’s nemesis wasn’t on my to-do list. Neither was falling for him. After my difficult divorce, I thought my life was over. But now, I’m happier and more successful than I could’ve ever imagined. My cosmetics business is thriving and I’m almost ready to get back out there and find Mr. Right. Almost... -
Rosie and the Beast Next Door by Kaylee Baldwin
Rosie Forrester is in desperate need of cash after an embarrassing run-in with the law. Enter Dylan Savage, the prodigal son of Winterhaven's sheriff, who needs a place to stay for a few months. He's taciturn and every bit as beastly as his fans' nickname for him would imply—nothing like the handsome, charming bookstore owner she's in love with from afar...Categorized as:
sports cold hero grumpy sunshine contemporary hockey length-medium glimpses-kisses audiobook -
Strictly Pretend by Carrie Elks
A knight in shining armor? Hardly. More like my worst enemy wrapped in a swoon-worthy tux…. When Brooks Salinger saves me from heartbreak at a wedding, I never expect to see him again—let alone find him back in my life, set to destroy my family’s bookstore. But when he offers me a wild deal—pretend to be his girlfriend at a ritzy wedding in exchange for saving the store—I reluctantly agree... -
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... -
Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI’m sarcasm with a messy bun. He’s a sweetheart with a slapshot. Sparks were one thing—those fireworks, though? Yeah…no one warned me about those. Mabel. Returning to Maple Falls wasn’t part of my five-year plan—or my backup plan. Or any plan, really. But here I am, back in my quirky hometown, dodging my mother’s judgment and trying not to cringe every time someone mentions the viral moment... -
Over & Out by Claire Wilder
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIntroducing a brand new enemies to lovers romance from USA TODAY Bestselling Author Claire Wilder! Three months ago, a dirt bike accident stole my confidence, my beloved ride, and the one thing that made me feel alive. Now I’m going through the motions in my coastal tourist town, totally adrift… and trying not to think about the stranger who pulled me from the wreckage...Categorized as:
from hate to love office forced proximity grumpy sunshine humor length-medium contemporary m-f -
Single-Minded by Amy Knupp
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsContractor West Aldridge’s main goal in life is to protect his three daughters from another heartbreak. The wealthy new girl in town who hires him for a remodeling project is off-limits times ten…so why can’t he follow his own no-heartbreak rule? -
Not That Impressed by Ranee S. Clark
I’m totally fine if America wants to cast me as the villain. So why do I care if brooding football player Will Pemberton believes it too? But honestly? It stings more than it should when Will—grumpy football star and walking scowl—judges me based on a five-second video from Being the Bennets, my family’s reality TV show. Maybe it’s because his best friend is dating my sister...Categorized as:
sports from hate to love competent heroine sassy heroine cold hero athletes football humor -
-
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 -
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 slow burn forced proximity office competent heroine sassy heroine athletes insta-love -
Not A Side Chick by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEdith “Eddy” Wheeler was having a bad day. A no good, very bad day. It’s understandable, really. I mean, there didn’t seem to be anything worse than walking in on your elderly parents doing things no child should ever see. Add into that their proclivities, and Eddy is disgusted and disturbed...Categorized as:
from hate to love forced proximity sports contemporary military length-medium audiobook -
Perfectly You by Claudia Y. Burgoa
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsUSA TODAY Bestselling Author Claudia Burgoa brings us a light-hearted small-town romantic comedy full of a swoon-worthy billionaire, single dad romance, and big laughs. I need a massive break. So long to my cheating boyfriend and betraying roommate. Goodbye hectic emergency room and long hours... -
Free Falling by Jill Shalvis
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsCollege rivals become workplace frenemies-turned-lovers in this warm, sexy contemporary romance from New York Times bestseller Jill Shalvis. First, they were rivals… Now they're stuck with each other…. Retired hockey player Caleb Colburn needs this construction project to prove himself in the family business, but he also needs to recover from the injury that ended his pro career...Categorized as:
from hate to love office forced proximity sports audiobook small town found-family strong heroine -
Mood Swings and Hockey Flings by Marika Ray, Sylvie Stewart
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIn the cutthroat world of professional sports, I’m the agent who always calls the shots. Until a decade-old feud with hockey superstar Banks Bennet resurfaces, and I’m forced to play nice. When his agent drops him and rumors of a trade swirl through the league faster than a puck on a breakaway, I find myself in the dreaded role of Banks’s new agent...Categorized as:
sports from hate to love office forced proximity hockey contemporary mature couple humor -
Southern Hotshot by Jessica Peterson
Lusting after the woman trying to steal my job is stupid. Sexting with her? That’s a game-changing fumble. Emma Crawford became enemy number one the second she stepped foot on Blue Mountain Farm. She might think I’m just a dumb jock, but I know she’s a stuck-up wine snob who believes she’d be a better exec than me. She can take my position over my dead body...Categorized as:
from hate to love office grumpy sunshine forced proximity sports contemporary dual-pov cowboys -
Delayed Call by Toni Aleo
Vaughn 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...Categorized as:
sports athletes from hate to love contemporary independent heroine m-f explicit-plentiful audiobook -
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... -
Fa-La La-La Land by Brittany Larsen
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe’s got a list to finish. He’s got a song to escape. Neither planned on falling in love this Christmas. Stella Sparks has no time for love—not when her 30 Before 30 list is calling and her new job depends on reviving rockstar Rhys James’s image before he headlines Winter Lights Live... -
-
One Hundred Desires by Kelly Collins
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe’s all work. He’s all play. Can they meet in the middle for love? Vivian Armstrong has taken control of Vortex, her family's security business, and she’s determined to prove her worth. She may be the youngest of seven and the only woman bodyguard on the team, but she’s every bit as tough as her older brothers...Categorized as:
forced proximity sassy heroine from hate to love contemporary suspense humor length-short audiobook -
Hate You Up Close by Morgan Paige
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHate You Up Close is a STANDALONE novel following Love You From Afar. A new job. A new city. This was supposed to be a fresh start for me. I expected the move to come with challenges, but no one could have prepared me for him. My new boss - Elliot Thompson. He’s cold, selfish, miserable, and the most gorgeous man I’ve ever laid eyes on. I hate that he smells of whiskey and leather... -
Game Day by Piper Lawson
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 11 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... -
The Atelier Assignment by Annie Dyer
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHer assignment is to not fall in love with him…. Zeke Brooksbank is in need of a wake-up call. One that shakes him out of the grump he’s permanently in and turns him into a reasonable human being. I’m not staying at his country residence to tame the beast. I’m meant to be cataloguing his art collection, not fangirling over his own paintings, or becoming attached to his little daughter... -
Whipped by J.J. Arias
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIf she can’t get through to her in the office, she’ll smash into her on skates. . . Newly minted lawyer Cheyenne Flores-Moore is excited to start her career at one of the most prestigious law firms in Miami. That is, until she meets her mentor Erica. It seems that no matter what she does, she can’t win her over - something the perennially sunny Cheyenne has not experienced before... -
A Risk on Forever by N.S. Perkins
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsWhen Matthias Phillips imagined the new caretaker for his mother with ALS, the last thing he had in mind was a gorgeous twenty-something who didn’t look like she had a day of experience in the field. However, his mother has always been stubborn, and despite his objections, she’s insistent: it’s Adelaide Samson she wants him to hire... -
Red Zone by Lisa Suzanne
My job is make Maverick Jennings, the world’s grumpiest quarterback, look like a decent human being. If I can’t fix his reputation, I can kiss my dream of launching my own brand consulting business goodbye. His job? Making my life a living nightmare. He’s arrogant, impossible, and entirely too handsome for someone so determined to self-destruct... -
Hard Boss by Iona Rose
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJuliette. Hudson Sinclair is such a grumpy, snarly, arrogant nightmare no one on the temp agency's books is willing to take on the job of replacing his secretary while she is off sick. Well, here I am, it’s my first day at the agency and I should probably give it a pass as my first job too. At least, that would be the prudent thing to do, but ‘prudent’ is not on my list of virtues... -
Heart on Ice by J.A. Low
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPierre St. Pierre is a runaway groom. Catching his fiancée cheating the night before their wedding wasn’t the fairytale he imagined. He’s on the next flight out of Italy, leaving the embarrassing mess behind him. The last person Isabelle Alessi ever expected to see again is her first love and the man who broke her heart...Categorized as:
athletes from hate to love sports forced proximity cheating hockey contemporary second chances -
Formula Dreams by Sawyer Bennett
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThings heat up on and off the track when the first female driver in Formula International history goes head-to-head with one of the sport’s biggest names. Formula Dreams is a high-speed enemies-to-lovers standalone romance. Francesca Accardi is rewriting the record books at Titans Racing... -
-
The End of Us by Kennedy Fox
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhat happens when a stalker threatens your life and you’re flown to a private beach house with your sexy new bodyguard? You break the rules and hope he falls madly in love with you. The End of Us is an age gap, bodyguard, forced proximity standalone romance. -
Formula Chance by Sawyer Bennett
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIn the second book of New York Times Bestselling Author Sawyer Bennett’s Race Fever series, she turns up the heat when a familiar name looks to shake up the world of formula racing. Buckle up for this heart stopping, second chance ride in Formula Chance... -
Two Tickets by A.J. Manney
She’s a tender-hearted English teacher; he’s a hardened professional hockey player. They have nothing in common, but the world wants to see them together. Brielle Campbell is a fun-loving English teacher whose goal in life is to make everybody love Christmas as much as she does...Categorized as:
from hate to love sports grumpy sunshine christmas dual-pov contemporary length-medium behind-doors -
Implode by Victoria Dawson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsNic. I should have stayed away from her. Even I know this. I used to convince myself that I’m irreparable. But what if the one woman I shouldn’t crave is the only person who can mend my jaded heart? Claire Nettles is hiding more than just her feelings from me. And when I find out what has her so scared, I’m never allowing her to walk out of my life again... -
Love in Overtime by Melissa Baldwin
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsPlaying hockey in Maple Falls was meant to be just a charity gig, but then my new publicist showed up, melting the ice—and my heart. Cooper. I never anticipated being roped into a charity hockey game during the off-season. But here I am, heading to Maple Falls, all because my publicist decided to retire. Change was inevitable, but I didn't foresee it coming so soon... -
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... -
Stout of My League by Sylvie Stewart
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLynn Brooks is officially over it. With four overprotective brothers, the youngest Brooks sibling has had enough with bossy alphas. So, when professional baseball star Joey Martel makes a play for her, she's determined to steer clear of him and his toxic circle of jocks. Being the latest conquest for another overbearing caveman? No thanks...Categorized as:
sports grumpy sunshine athletes contemporary friends to lovers age difference humor length-medium -
A Tycoon Undercover by Blair Babylon
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOne wild night with a sexy stranger has changed Wulfram’s life forever. I’ve been living undercover in the US for years. No one realized that the man living a very private life in the Southwest was the child victim of an infamous crime in Europe decades before. But my privacy has come at a cost... -
Isabelle and the Beast: A Sweet Rom-Com Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by Marie Soleil
It was supposed to be a quick meeting. I’ve been trying to break into acting for years, and now I’m FINALLY up for a lead role in a romcom movie. It’s a huge step up from barista #3, especially considering who’s supposed to play my love interest—Adam Stone... -
The Stud by Xavier Neal
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsFrom USA TODAY BESTSELLING author Xavier Neal comes a laugh-out-loud, off-limits, hockey romance! He wants her. .. even more than she hates him. Loose lips sink ships. .. Which isn't a problem unless it causes her twin sister - who you might be in love with - to hate you. And, of course, if it could get you traded from your dream team due to becoming a PR problem you swore you wouldn't be...Categorized as:
sports from hate to love office forced proximity athletes grumpy sunshine hockey contemporary -
-
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... -
Luca & Ivy and the Four Calling Birds by Ellie Hall
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWould you rather be stranded in a snowstorm with Miss All-things Christmas or the Grinch? Ivy. If you ever find yourself on the run, do not, I repeat, do not drive off the road and into an icy pond. Should you have such an accident, do not wander into the woods to a chalet with a blazing fire. But if you lose feeling in your toes and go inside to warm up, do not, I repeat, do not, doze off. Luca...Categorized as:
grumpy sunshine forced proximity from hate to love christmas contemporary humor length-short -
Ice Deke by Ellie K. Drake
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsJordan “Bougie” Boucher has a reputation – one he didn’t earn. The star NHL defenseman plays the part of a rich young playboy who doesn’t take anything seriously, and he lets everyone believe it—because it’s easier than explaining the truth. Thinking his love life was cursed, he’d almost given up on finding something real. Until Kennedy Kramer stepped onto the team plane...Categorized as:
sports forced proximity office grumpy sunshine athletes from hate to love hockey age difference -
Challenged by the Single Dad by Whitley Cox
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsWhat happens when the island prince no longer trusts his instincts, and makes an enemy of the one woman who can make him whole again? Welcome to San Camanez, a humble, peaceful little island in the Puget Sound and home to the McEvoy brothers... -
Resist by Mari Carr
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsThis one-night stand is going into overtime. The Stingrays call goalie Coulton Moore their gentle giant. The tall, imposing man is the team’s rock, their steadying influence on and off the ice. However, that mild disposition disappears completely when the beautiful bartender he’s been lusting after from across a crowded bar is attacked... -
The Joy of Us by Kennedy Fox
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhat happens when your rental cabin ends up being a scam and you’re forced to stay with a sexy lumberjack? You try to avoid him and his annoying Christmas spirit because the last thing you have time for is love. The Joy of Us is a reverse grumpy/sunshine, close proximity romance.
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.

