Books like 'giving in to the influence'

Readers who enjoyed giving in to the influence by Youcouldmakealife & Imogenedisease also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

contemporary  gay romance  queer  sports  friends to lovers  bisexual  athletes

  • Promises Part 3 by A.E. Via

    Promises Part 3 by A.E. Via

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 20 ratings
    A bounty hunter’s partners to lovers’ story. The hunt is on… and he’s the prey. Bradford (Ford) King was sure he had the rest of his life mapped out. Though he was no longer a SEAL Lieutenant, his brother was home safe and he had a job that still allowed him to satisfy his hunger for hunting bad guys...
  • Limited Edition Husband by Lauren Blakely, Teddy Hamilton

    Limited Edition Husband by Lauren Blakely, Teddy Hamilton

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    One night with no strings was supposed to be the plan.After barely escaping my last train wreck of a romance, I’ve got a new dating goal—play it cool.I stick to that strategy when I bump into a charming Brit I met once before. He’s newly out and eager for all the things he’s never done, so I make the helpful suggestion we jet off to the city of sin for the night, then say good-bye...
  • Sponsored links
  • Manhandled by Lauren Blakely

    Manhandled by Lauren Blakely

    Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 26 ratings
    A spicy friends-to-lovers standalone sports romance from #1 New York Times Bestselling author Lauren Blakely writing MM romance as L. Blakely...My buddies made me do it. I swear. I didn’t plan to bid big on a date with my baseball player best friend at the auction. But he looked really good in that tailored suit, and I can't resist a dare...
  • Sated in Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan

    Sated in Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan

    Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    The Montgomery Ink saga continues in a seductive romance where a runaway bride and two best friends might just take the chance of a lifetime. Ethan Montgomery thought he had his life figured out until the moment he and his best friend met a woman in a wedding dress drinking wine out of a paper bag. He might work too many hours and always seems to put his family and friends first...
  • Fake Boyfriend Breakaways by Eden Finley

    Fake Boyfriend Breakaways by Eden Finley

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 19 ratings
    Breakaways is a collection of short stories from Eden Finley’s Fake Boyfriend universe. They all feature side characters from the series but do not contain fake boyfriend tropes. Rebound (Fake Boyfriend 2.5) Aron and Wyatt have been best friends since college and are both rebounding from bad break-ups...
  • Final Play by Eden Finley

    Final Play by Eden Finley

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 33 ratings
    It’s a vacation none of them will forget. Before their futures become the present, Noah convinces his friends they need a group vacation—a final play before they’re all tied down by responsibility and unyielding schedules. Everything is changing. Marriage. Kids. Careers. A trip to Fiji is the last hurrah to end all hurrahs...
  • Impaired Judgement by Youcouldmakealife

    Impaired Judgement by Youcouldmakealife

    Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    It’s kind of a shame someone that talented is that big a...
  • Perfect Gifts by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Perfect Gifts by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Family comes first in all things. Whatever the cost.Ten had always heard the saying ‘Out of the mouth of babes,’ but he’d not expected it to hit home as it had. After a comment from their daughter, Ten and Jared find themselves pondering an addition to the family. Moving into the adoption process is nerve-wracking and riddled with anxiety—kind of like how the Railers have been playing of late...
  • Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers

    Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers

    Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Asher 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...
  • Manhandled by Lauren Blakely, Teddy Hamilton

    Manhandled by Lauren Blakely, Teddy Hamilton

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    My buddies made me do it. I swear.I didn’t plan to bid big on a date with my baseball player best friend at the auction. But he looked really good in that tailored suit, and I can't resist a dare.The media jumps all over the story–the city’s new quarterback nabs a date with the bigshot star shortstop.Not so fast–we’re just friends.Until we hit the links for the strictly platonic date I won...
  • Play Dead by Avery Cockburn

    Play Dead by Avery Cockburn

    Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    The popular Scottish gay-romance series returns with this must-read novella! Colin’s wounds have finally healed. He’s ready for his big comeback on the football pitch and can’t wait to return to a normal life—especially the rampaging sex he and his boyfriend, Lord Andrew, once indulged in. But Andrew has his own invisible wounds...
  • Whiskey Throttle by Riley Hart

    Whiskey Throttle by Riley Hart

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    Lincoln I’ve done a good job getting over my past. I’m not only proud of who I am, but revel in it. Still, I don’t let myself get too close to people. With closeness comes questions and those pesky feelings, and I’m having none of that. I’ve got a great job, friends, I’m cute and twinky, and my bed’s never empty. What more do I need? Except I can’t stop sleeping with Rush Alexander...
  • Next Season by Lane Hayes

    Next Season by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    The injured hockey player and the grumpy chef…RileyMy time playing pro hockey will be up soon. I can feel it. And I’ve heard the he’s too old, he’s had too many injuries, he’s lost his edge. I don’t want to admit it, but they could be right. Next season might be my last.Or this season. Because of course, this is when the universe decides I need another concussion...
  • Love and History by Lane Hayes

    Love and History by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 15 ratings
    The sporty roommate, the professor, and a history lesson…Holden-Ezra might be the most annoying roommate ever. He’s loud, obnoxious, and full of himself. So what if he’s a tall, muscular, tattooed jock? His tendency to strip to his boxers in the kitchen while helping himself to my food isn’t endearing in the slightest. Nope. Ezra has to go...
  • The Professor's Date by Lane Hayes

    The Professor's Date by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 5 of 5
    Explicit and plentiful [?] · 12 ratings
    The professor, the hair stylist, and a wedding date…TommyHelp! My sister is getting married and according to her, I need a date. And a makeover. I’m a busy man, though. I don’t have time to meet eligible bachelors, and the tape holding my glasses together works just fine. Until my hair stylist steps on them...
  • Frat Bro by Raleigh Ruebins

    Frat Bro by Raleigh Ruebins

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    This fall, I have one simple rule: don't fall in love with my fake boyfriend.I’m awful at following the rules.One minute I was a nobody in a small Colorado town, getting by on contract work, home renovations, and a dumpster fire of a dating life—and then suddenly, my life was on TV...
  • Waking Up Filthy by R. Cayden

    Waking Up Filthy by R. Cayden

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Why in the hell is there a naked, tattooed man in my bed?I’m a closeted tennis pro, and I’m certainly not accustomed to waking up with strange men.Never mind that Gabriel is a notoriously flirty rock star and, according to the marriage certificate we find in our Vegas hotel room, my new husband.Last night is a drunken blur, but there’s no doubt in my mind what needs to happen this morning...
  • Definitely Deacon by Vawn Cassidy

    Definitely Deacon by Vawn Cassidy

    Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars
    · 7 ratings
    Jesse Ainsley’s life running his busy veterinary practice in the sleepy Cornwall bay he grew up in leaves no time for a serious relationship… at least, that’s what he tells himself, but the simple truth is much more cliché...
  • Undisputed by Aimee Nicole Walker, Nicholas Bella

    Undisputed by Aimee Nicole Walker, Nicholas Bella

    Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars
    · 17 ratings
    There was once a time in my life where the only thing that mattered to me was fighting and winning. I’d step into that octagon with all the confidence in the world that I’d leave the victor. There was no challenge too great that I couldn’t handle. That was until I met a sassy and sexy reporter by the name of Aiden James and he flipped my world upside down...
  • Third Time Lucky by R.G. Alexander

    Third Time Lucky by R.G. Alexander

    Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    From Author New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author R.G. Alexander, Book 3 in the Finn's Pub Romance series! Ever had a thing for the man next door? My sexy new neighbor is confusing the hell out of me. Elliot Ransom is a baseball player and a single dad, but he doesn’t know his butter beer from a snozzberry...
  • Breakaway by Kindle Alexander

    Breakaway by Kindle Alexander

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    Greer Lockhart set out to save the world from itself when he organized his first beach cleanup at the age of twelve. Now, as a uber-successful venture capitalist for eco-friendly startups, he doesn’t let anything get in the way of his goals—whether personal or professional. When a new fitness app schedules a site-wide cycle race, Greer’s competitive side won’t let him back down...
  • School and Rock by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    School and Rock by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    When Colorado Penn finds an unexpected package on his front step, his life will be changed forever.Colorado Penn is living the dream. Starting goalie for the Arizona Raptors when in season, lead singer for a hard rock band when summer rolls around. He’s the quintessential free spirit who’s making sure he enjoys all the carnal blessings of his athleticism, and gritty singing voice...
  • How To Save A Life by Andria Large, Jena Brignola

    How To Save A Life by Andria Large, Jena Brignola

    Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    How do you save someone’s life? There’s the obvious way of physically saving them from a tragic end. Then there’s the more subtle way of saving someone who doesn’t know they need to be saved. Someone who is drowning emotionally and has no idea that they are slowly dying. Ezra Whitmore is one of those people...
  • Yesterday by Sarina Bowen

    Yesterday by Sarina Bowen

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    It’s been seven years since John Rikker left his childhood home in Michigan. Surely that’s long enough to scar over the wounds he received there...
  • Call It Home by Catherine Cloud

    Call It Home by Catherine Cloud

    Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    On the worst day of his life, Ryan Harris, formerly a rising star, gets traded to the Connecticut Cardinals. On the best day of his life, Louie Hathaway, struggling hockey royalty, gets called up from the Cardinals’ farm team. When they decide to move in together for convenience’s sake, worlds collide...
  • Enforce by Charity Parkerson

    Enforce by Charity Parkerson

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    They were supposed to be a one-night stand, and then a weekend fling… a just-for-this-season affair… soulmates. When Chip met Jai during All-Stars weekend, their hookup should’ve ended there. At the time, it was no big deal. As the assistant coach for the Phoenix Ice Rays, Chip can’t be in a relationship with a player from his team. Lucky for him, Jai plays for the Red Zones...
    Categorized as:
    athletes  sports  queer  m-m  contemporary  length-short
  • Playing the Player by Beth Bolden

    Playing the Player by Beth Bolden

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Center Logan Banks didn’t come to Miami looking for a best friend.He came for football and for a chance at freedom—the freedom to live out of the closet.But after a water main break, he lands an unexpected roommate, the new Piranhas kicker, Dylan Leonard. Between practices, games, and too many late nights on the couch, a best friend is exactly what he gets...
  • Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson, Quinn Ward

    Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson, Quinn Ward

    Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    Four years ago, he gave his heart to a rookie pitcher and struck out. Now, they have a second chance to get things right.No longer living on the streets and surrounded by men who supported him, Cody Marshall’s life was finally looking up. He hadn’t expected to hook up with anyone on his first spring training trip, but there was something about Nick Stone that called to him...
  • Holiday Crush by Lane Hayes

    Holiday Crush by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    The hockey has-been, the barista, and some holiday magic… Court Cut from the team, fired my agent…now what?  This can’t be it for me. Unfortunately, the phone isn’t ringing. My best bet is to head home for the holidays and regroup.  Problem: I don’t know what to do with myself. Helping out at the rink might be my ticket out of here, but nothing is happening fast enough. And then there’s Ivan...
  • Betting Brett by Joy Danvers

    Betting Brett by Joy Danvers

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Brett is seriously clueless. He’s a great friend and a great father to his little girl, but how could he not realize after all this time that I’m gay? And I’m in love with him? I know I’ve never said anything, but I feel like I’m pretty obvious.Now I messed up and made a tipsy bet with him about a blow job that I really don’t want to take back. I’m not sure if it was a mistake though...
  • Nauti or Nice by Ava Olsen

    Nauti or Nice by Ava Olsen

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Being a first officer on board the superyacht Now, Voyager is a dream come true. And my personal life? I’m in and out and on to the next port, so to speak. I don’t have the inclination for a boyfriend. So when my boss asks me to work over the Christmas holiday, I’m happy to say yes.And then Kiernan Doyle arrives.The Irish bodyguard is a brawny grump with sad eyes and a shy smile...
  • Break Down by Rebecca Norinne

    Break Down by Rebecca Norinne

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 5 ratings
    His heart says no, but his body says yes Liam Donnelly's honed, athletic body craves something he can't have. Not when the last time ended in disaster. Now, the Dublin Rugby player is seeking redemption with a new team in Edinburgh. His fresh start is going strong, but one look at Chef Lachlan MacLeod's inked forearms and whiskey-colored eyes and he's tempted by far more than what's on the menu...
  • Night Shift: Dirty Things Happen in the Dark by Kindle Alexander, Toni Aleo

    Night Shift: Dirty Things Happen in the Dark by Kindle Alexander, Toni Aleo

    Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    Summer in the Big Easy is hot. Inside Tulane Medical Center the temperature is on the rise. Six never before released stories that will leave you breathless. Dirty things happen in the dark. Off Duty Sawyer Bennett A member of the New York Fire Department, single father Tim Davis is about as tough as they come...
  • Broken Ice, Mended Hearts by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood

    Broken Ice, Mended Hearts by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood

    Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    PIERRE (“GAGS”)My life is complicated.Hell, I’m complicated.I don’t know a life beyond how I’m perceived. After a devastating divorce, it looked like I never would.Can a hockey fight change your life?I may not understand my attraction to Sven Holmer, but I can tell you my obsession with kissing him started in the middle of a fight...
  • The Back-up Plan by Eden Finley

    The Back-up Plan by Eden Finley

    Rated: 4.03 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 4 of 5
    Explicit open door [?] · 30 ratings
    ThadFailing to make it in pro ball left me absolutely devastated. Baseball has been my life, my dream, but it’s time to move on.Becoming a sports agent was always my back-up plan, and now that I’m interning at the biggest queer-focused firm in the country, I’m doing my best not to let my bitterness toward baseball affect my future...
  • Playing With Fire by Avery Cockburn

    Playing With Fire by Avery Cockburn

    Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    “I don’t want options. I just want you.” Robert McKenzie has a secret. As the only straight player on an all-LGBT soccer team, he’s known to fans as “McWhatAWaste.” No one would guess Robert’s actually bisexual. At twenty-one, on the verge of a brilliant career in video game design, he’s finally ready to be his true self...
  • You, Again by Lane Hayes

    You, Again by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars
    · 13 ratings
    The hometown hockey hero and his best friend's brother...VinnieHockey is in my blood. I learned to skate before I learned how to ride a bike. I’ve been on a wild ride, playing at the highest level for some of the biggest and best teams in the league. But now it’s over, and I’m not sure what to do with myself.So I'm going home to Elmwood...
  • Tangled Up In You by Jaclyn Osborn

    Tangled Up In You by Jaclyn Osborn

    Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    Becoming best friends at an early age, Corbin and Hunter were inseparable. Where one went, the other followed. As years passed, their friendship blossomed into something more and both boys fell madly in love. Corbin loved Hunter’s quirkiness and obsession with Shakespeare, and Hunter loved Corbin’s goofy personality and kind heart...
  • Poetry in Motion by Samantha Wayland

    Poetry in Motion by Samantha Wayland

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Travis Campbell has been at this hockey thing for a while. He knows his days on the ice are numbered, but he’s happy with the Moncton Ice Cats and he’s still got some time to figure out what comes next. He’s been taking college classes online and thought he knew what he was doing, but then he made the ultimate rookie mistake...
  • Change Up: An Out For You Gay Sports Romance by Quinn Ward

    Change Up: An Out For You Gay Sports Romance by Quinn Ward

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 11 ratings
    No one expected the loudmouth of the team to be hiding in the biggest closet of them all. When he’s paired with someone who just wants to keep his head down and play the game, sparks are going to fly.Kevin Green has always been the life of the party. He’s the one everyone turns to for a bit of comic relief...
  • Change Up by Sloan Johnson

    Change Up by Sloan Johnson

    Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Kevin Green has always been the life of the party. He’s the one everyone turns to for a bit of comic relief. With so many of his teammates coming out of the closet and living healthy lives, it’s getting harder for him to keep the secret only one other person knows: that he’s not as straight as everyone assumes when they see him out with his hot girlfriend...
  • Summer Lessons by Amy Lane

    Summer Lessons by Amy Lane

    Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    a Winter Ball novel Mason Hayes’s love life has a long history of losers who don’t see that Mason’s heart is as deep and tender as his mouth is awkward. He wants kindness, he wants love—and he wants someone who thinks sex is as fantastic as he does...
  • Clip by Charity Parkerson

    Clip by Charity Parkerson

    Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Luka was nothing more than a job to Brady… until he wasn’t. When the owner of the Phoenix Ice Rays starts receiving death threats, the first thing he does is hire Brady to protect his son, Luka. It’s a move that leaves Luka less than thrilled. Ever since moving out on his own six years earlier, he’s come to embrace the silence of his workaholic ways...
  • Rival by M.A. Gray

    Rival by M.A. Gray

    Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    The last time I saw Grant Sullivan, I told him to leave Winter Harbor and never return.And now he's back.For good? I doubt that. Doesn't matter if he's the new coach of a rival football team. Doesn't matter if looking at him makes my blood heat, my pulse throb in longing. He's dead to me.Grant Sullivan is the first man I ever fell in love with.The man who stomped my heart into pieces...
  • There For You by Anyta Sunday

    There For You by Anyta Sunday

    Rated: 4.00 of 5 stars
    · Steam rating: 3 of 5
    Open door [?] · 26 ratings
    Sam’s freaking out. He’s 30 in three weeks. And what has he done in his twenties? It’s pretty simple math: nothing exciting at all. But hey, he has three weeks right? Maybe that’s just enough time to tick his way through a 20s Must Do List . . . Luke’s freaking screwed. He’s come out to his family, and his friends...
  • Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson

    Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson

    Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Four years ago, it took no time at all for Cody Marshall to fall for the rookie pitcher at spring training. While their lives were nothing alike, Cody understood Nick Stone’s insecurities and pain. And then… Nick left. Eventually, Cody found his own passion and landed a dream internship with the Mavericks. His life was finally turning around. And then… Nick came back...
    Categorized as:
    athletes  sports  queer  m-m  contemporary
  • Knowing Me, Knowing You by Renae Kaye

    Knowing Me, Knowing You by Renae Kaye

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Loving You: Book Four Can friends turned occasional lovers move beyond past mistakes and wrong assumptions to build something that can last? Quiet bookworm Shane has a big secret—one he’s kept for fifteen years. AFL superstar Ambrose Jakoby grew up next door to Shane. They were close friends, and Shane supported Ambrose through school. One night, everything changed...
  • We Could Do This Forever by Emerson Beckett

    We Could Do This Forever by Emerson Beckett

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Preston James did things to me. Things that had me wanting more of him and his dirty mouth, even though I knew I better. Things that made my heart race. Things that made me come to realize there was more to my boss’s best friend than met the eye.Nick ReedAs one of the bartenders at Alejandro’s Bar, I’ve seen it all...
  • Tell Me Lies by Hinsel Meyer

    Tell Me Lies by Hinsel Meyer

    Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars
    · 7 ratings
    DrewA wedding planner moves to Las Vegas to start a new business…Does that sound like the start of a bad joke? Well it’s my life...
  • Out in the Field by Lane Hayes

    Out in the Field by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Max Maldonado loves baseball. He knows playing first base at a private college probably won’t get him to the big leagues, but he doesn’t mind. He loves the game and his teammates. If he has to stay in the closet until he graduates, that’s okay. Baseball comes first. Relationships are complicated anyway. And after his recent messy breakup, Max prefers to keep things simple...
Fantastic book recommendations by romance book lovers for romance book lovers.
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

romance book finder

Looking for more inspiration? Enter another book title to get more suggestions on what to read next.


Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.