Books like 'Head in the Game'
Readers who enjoyed Head in the Game by Rebecca Rathe also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance dark romance age difference sports queer-awakening college somnophilia from hate to love football
-
The Bridge of Silver Wings by John Wiltshire
The third book in the series More Heat Than the Sun Ben discovers the truth of the old adage 'be careful what you wish for'. Nikolas has exorcised his demons, but when they end up stranded in Russia, the monster inside needs to be let loose. Siberia in winter isn't a place for good men. There is nothing Nikolas won't do to keep Ben alive... -
Wolves vs. Hearts by Anna Green
The second volume of The Heart Rate of a Mouse trilogy.A new band, a new city, and new lover - Ryan dusts himself off and starts again, but the god-like status that his former band's tragic end has given him isn't as easy to shake off. As he should be focusing on making a comeback with his new band, he runs into the one person he hasn't been able to forget... -
This Other Country by John Wiltshire
Nikolas is the sanest, straightest, person Ben knows, so can anyone tell him, why is he on a gay therapy course?Nikolas Mikkelsen could make a very long list of unpleasant things he's endured in his life. Then order it from 'nearly killed me' to 'extremely horrific and don't want to do again'...Categorized as:
age difference alpha male angst cheating bdsm hurt-comfort other-man-woman secret-relationship -
Garron Park by Nordika Night
Garron Park, where hope dies and no one ever gets ahead. Until… When Devon Sawyer desperately searches for his brother in the middle of the night, beaten and broken, he finds Maddox Kane instead. With his dad on his trail, he has no choice but to stand on his enemy’s doorstep and let Maddox help. Maddox has never seen Devon this vulnerable... -
-
The Rational Faculty by Gregory Ashe
Rated: 4.54 of 5 stars · 23 ratingsThree months have passed since Emery Hazard and John-Henry Somerset faced a madman and lived to tell about it. Three months have passed since Emery Hazard resigned from his job as a detective. Three months can be too long and too short, all at the same time. On Halloween, a professor at the local college is murdered in his apartment, in front of dozens of witnesses. Then the killer disappears... -
The Scent of Winter by Tiffany Reisz
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsThe 2016 Original Sinners Christmas story, free on December 20th.Kingsley Edge thought he was being driven to the airport. He never expected he'd be kidnapped and relocated to a cabin in the middle of nowhere, Maine to help Søren celebrate his birthday. But it's not quite the sexy party Kingsley hoped for... -
Unbroken by Sloane Kennedy
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsEverything was supposed to go back to normal when I was rescued. It hasn't. And I'm starting to think it never will because I don't even know what normal is anymore... It's been two years since Aleks Silva was rescued by his older brother from the dark underworld of sex trafficking and every day since then has been a battle... -
Little Demon in the Details by Nordika Night
When an arranged marriage between two powerful families sparks suspicion, Blake Carter doesn’t hesitate to take advantage of the bride’s younger brother for answers...Categorized as:
dual-pov hurt-comfort forced proximity age difference bad boys anal sex caretaking bdsm -
The Silver Cage by Anonymous
A bitter, mysterious author. A young and naive journalist. A tragic past, a dark secret, and an unforgettable tale of passion and love. The Silver Cage is intended for mature readers; it contains graphic sensuality and strong themes including suicide, sexual identity, and self-harm.---Anonymous is a pseudonymous international bestseller...Categorized as:
queer age difference angst dual-pov forbidden love hurt-comfort bisexual tortured hero -
Home by Cara Dee
For as long as I can remember, I've only had one goal: survival. It's what I know. There is no future beyond making it through another night and getting my hands on as much money as possible, by any means necessary. Pride and dignity are things I can't afford. It's been the worst year yet—and not because I live on the streets. That's nothing compared to being separated from my little girl...Categorized as:
angst new adult age difference tortured hero anal sex hurt-comfort queer teacher-hero -
The Air That I Breathe by Cara Dee
The Game Series, Book 3.5 “In that moment, I stopped caring about right and wrong.” The only thing that stood between us were the boundaries set by others, by society, by our parents. But together we could knock them down. Together, we could find freedom and live life on our own terms. Screw the rest of the world. He was all that mattered. He was the air that I breathed... -
Anti-Valentine by T. Ashleigh, Ashlyn Drewek
This Valentine’s Day…the bad boys come out to play…Get ready for an anti-Valentine to remember in this limited release M/M romance anthology. Sixteen authors have come together to bring you a collection of brand-new short stories with a combination of dark, enemies to lovers, and bully themes...Categorized as:
from hate to love sports age difference secret-relationship bdsm forced proximity angst new adult -
Backdraft by Cole McCade
ABOUT THIS EPISODE When a 911 call goes wrong and a young man goes missing, it falls to Malcolm and Seong-Jae to investigate the responding officers when Internal Affairs' internal politics leave the case compromised and the officers aren't willing to talk... -
The Vengeance of Roan Sinclair by Ashlyn Drewek
After a lifetime of death and suffering, Aleksandr Vassiliev finally has everything he could ever want — the most important being someone to share his future with. Somehow a spoiled American named Roan gave Sasha a reason to see life could be more. Except, that’s where the fairytale ends...Categorized as:
new adult angst age difference secret-relationship bad boys alpha male cold hero dual-pov -
-
17 Black and 29 Red by Richard Rider
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsSecond part in the Stockholm Syndrome trilogy:Some mistakes are too enormous and some people are too stubborn for anything to work except running away, but the world is never as big as you need it to be and eventually you can't help circling back to where you started... -
Pretty Black by J.R. Gray
Iris Black: There are moments in music when the crowd becomes part of the song and we all lose ourselves to the energy. I wanted to drown myself in the music. It became my escape and my savior. I thought success was what I wanted, but it only intensified my misery. Fame is a monster, and it ate me alive. I tried it all to get out of my head: sex, drugs, and rock and roll... -
Finder, Vol. 1: Target in the Finder by Ayano Yamane
During a routine journalism assignment, Akihito Takara is captured by the mysterious Asami, a powerful leader in Japan's underworld society... -
The Fishermen by C.P. Harris
At the age of twenty-five, Leland Meadows has his whole life mapped out in front of him, with four rules to live by: No new friends.No dreams or aspirations.No repeat hookups.And definitely no committed relationships.Leland’s looking for safety, not heartbreak and disappointment. Then one day he receives an offer he can’t turn down...Categorized as:
age difference other-man-woman cheating hurt-comfort angst queer bdsm forced proximity -
Strays by Garrett Leigh
!! SECOND EDITION WITH EXTENDED CONTENT !!Award winning MM romance. A grumpy hero with the sweetest heart as forced proximity and found family give two damaged men the HEA they deserve.Work, sleep, work, repeat. Nero’s lonely life suits him just fine until his best friend, Cass, asks him to take on a new apprentice—a beautiful young man who’s never set foot in a professional kitchen...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort angst bad boys bisexual tortured hero forced proximity age difference dual-pov -
What We Broke by Marley Valentine
If someone asked me to describe our love story, I would only need to use two words. Before and After. • • • •When I met Leonardo Ricci, he was determined I would only be a fling, while I was certain he was my forever. Seven years later, we're the perfect couple. Happy, married, and in love-in sickness and health, till death do us part. At least until the unthinkable happens... -
Devil by Silvia Violet
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsA Dark Mafia Romance Devil is a mobster with a dangerous secret... There's a cop who hates him. A cop he caught and released. A cop he can't get out of his mind after the one forbidden night they shared... -
WTF: Special Edition Paperback by Cambria Hebert
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsI don’t do commitment. And though I swing both ways, I don’t do men either.It’s too messy, too stressful, and just asking for trouble.I’d rather shine bright like the sun than drown in the rain, so I adopt a pounce-and-bounce lifestyle for which my sparkling charm keeps me from being hated.When I show up in Sweden for a semester abroad, I expect a roomie. What I don’t expect is Lars... -
All We Are by Jessie Walker
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsPride.Will and Waylon have been through hell and back—more than once. But they’re still standing, still loving each other, still embracing their found family. And that’s something Will is stupidly proud of. He’s happier than he’s ever been, and more in love than he ever thought possible. He just hopes he can find a way to make Waylon believe in them as much as he does.Pride... -
Rend by Roan Parrish
After a whirlwind romance, a man with a painful past learns to trust the musician who makes him believe in happy endings. Matt Argento knows what it feels like to be alone. After a childhood of abandonment, he never imagined someone might love him—much less someone like Rhys Nyland, who has the voice of an angel, the looks of a god, and the worship of his fans...Categorized as:
angst age difference new adult possessive hero tortured hero working class hero dual-pov queer -
-
Dragon by K. Webster
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom USA Today Bestselling Author K Webster comes a new motorcycle club dark standalone MM romance novel!They created this monster when they took me as a teen.Abused me, tortured me, psychologically ruined me.I was once innocent, fragile, and good.Now I’m older and everything wicked.The worst of the worst... -
Blurred Lines by Andi Jaxon
I’ve been in love with my best friend for years. The problem? He thinks I’m straight. And now that I share a dorm with him, his insistent need to cuddle -and lack of clothes- are blurring the careful lines I’ve drawn. I'm struggling to keep my defenses up. I love him but I’m afraid. Afraid I’m not enough to make him stay. Afraid he’ll rip my heart out. Afraid he won’t love me back...Categorized as:
college forced proximity hurt-comfort sports angst secret-relationship dual-pov athletes -
Enemy Combatant by Cara Dee
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThe Renegades #2 • Romantic Suspense • Stockholm Syndrome • Hurt Comfort • Action • MM“The best intelligence is the knowledge that your enemy doesn’t know you have.”Crew Finlay’s ego had taken a hit or two. He couldn’t lie. As a Marine, he’d been one of the best. As a private military contractor, he’d…messed up a bit. Or failed spectacularly. Whatever...Categorized as:
from hate to love age difference bisexual hurt-comfort forced proximity queer dual-pov m-m -
Black and Brown by A.E. Via
Rated: 4.48 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGrace’s composed, yet lethal disposition balances his partner Mirage’s impulsive nature, creating a duo—the second-generation Brown Ravens—with the potential for greatness. Grace was one of the most decorated sharpshooters in the Marines. He’s fiercely committed to righting the wrongs that plague the world and protecting the innocent...Categorized as:
forbidden love forced proximity dual-pov alpha male from hate to love queer m-m dark -
Garron Park: Special Edition by Nordika Night
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 34 ratings*This is the same book with the same content as Garron Park [the original] but with special edition formatting and illustrated cover.*Garron Park, where hope dies and no one ever gets ahead. Until… When Devon Sawyer desperately searches for his brother in the middle of the night, beaten and broken, he finds Maddox Kane instead...Categorized as:
bisexual from hate to love dual-pov bad boys angst hurt-comfort sports forced proximity -
The Dangerous Convenience Store Vol. 5 by 945
THE LONG GOODBYEIt’s been three years since Eui-joon last saw Gunwoo and there have been a lot of changes. Eui-joon no longer works his punishing graveyard shift at the convenience store, but instead works in sales at a small company where, as the newest employee, he’s constantly running errands for his boss... -
My Dark Jock: The Complete Series by Arden Long
“You hide it so well from everyone else. Your friends, the guys on the team. But you can’t hide it from me. I can see how much you need to be dominated. I own you, and I can do whatever I want with you, and you’ll love every second of it. Isn’t that right?”Meet Malcolm Blackwood—tall, dark, brooding, and undeniably hot. The problem? He hates my guts... -
Matchstick Men by Adira August
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsSometimes it's the cop who needs to hit the floor... Haunted by the worst case of my career, I knew only one way to exorcise the images from my mind, the victim from my soul ... Inside the club, I scanned the room. He was here—Camden Snow—a sex god in the guise of unpretentious youth... -
Deliverance by Garrett Leigh
Banished gangster Benito Martell is living on the edge. An explosive hook-up in a club gifts him the relief he craves, but nothing about his life is ever so simple. Complications abound, and before long, he’s falling for the only man who can save his family from eviction.Recovering addict Mickey Larwood has worked hard to leave his past behind... -
Hook by Gianni Holmes
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsKITDodging bullets and jumping from two story buildings are things I’d only ever seen in movies.Never would I have expected that this would become my life.I keep deadly secrets for the man I love.I’ll follow him across countries to have his back.Why am I willing to risk everything for him?Because of the look in his eyes when I purr for him.SULLYWorking with Kit is my greatest joy... -
-
Happy Krampus Xmas & The Meet Not Cute: Two Xmas Novellas by Paulina Ian-Kane
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratings-Happy Krampus XmasHappy Krampus Day!Krampus who? Santa’s evil brother, duh.The horned demon sort of cursed me, and I need to find a way to appease him.Otherwise, I won’t be able to proceed with my donor initiation: blood, torture, death, screams—not in that order.All I need is to follow my three-step groveling plan... -
Surviving the Merge by C.P. Harris
My name is Justin, and when I was seventeen, I fell in love with a boy named Damon.Damon was sick, only I didn’t know it at the time. And like any disease left untreated, it festered and burrowed into the unaffected areas of us, until we were both so far from healthy, we were killing one another. Then a tragedy sparked our implosion... -
Make Me Soar by K.C. Wells
Collars and Cuffs: Book Six Anyone who frequents Collars & Cuffs knows Dorian Forrester is built for pain, including Dorian himself. But everyone has it wrong. For six years, Dorian’s chased a feeling that remains tantalizingly out of his reach. Unteachable, Dorian can take anything and everything a Dom can throw at him. Still, it’s not enough. Dorian needs… something more... -
Forbidden Titan by E.V. Olsen
"The devil wears many faces. Today, he wore the one I've been running from for five years."Five years spent running, reinventing myself at every turn, until my stepbrother finally caught up to me.Zach Knight is cold, dangerous, and determined to make me pay for almost destroying his hockey career. But beneath that icy exterior burns something far more intense than revenge...Categorized as:
sports queer from hate to love hurt-comfort exhibitionism new adult forbidden love bdsm -
D!ckhead by K.A. Merikan
“He says I’m the dumbest hostage he’s ever had. But I’m also the hottest.”Hammer. Enforcer for the Demon Brethren MC. Sociopath. Butcher. Weapon of choice: SledgehammerDex. Shameless. Perpetually horny. No impulse control. Weapon of choice: Dumb jokesFrom the moment Dex saw Hammer smash a man’s head open like it was a watermelon, he was obsessed. No, really, obsessed...Categorized as:
age difference bdsm from hate to love forced proximity bisexual anal sex dual-pov queer -
Demon by Joel Abernathy
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsFalling in love with an obsessive serial killer was the last thing on my to-do list.I was born into a world of villains, so it came as no great surprise when my brothers fell for the most twisted monsters of all. A sociopathic fixer. A psycho sadistic cop whose name belongs in the dictionary next to corruption.Maybe I’m the one who’s crazy, thinking I could have any semblance of a normal life...Categorized as:
bdsm from hate to love forced proximity age difference queer queer-awakening m-m contemporary -
The Prez by R.S. McKenzie
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsRafaelAs the president of the Devil’s Mayhem MC, I make the hard decisions so my men don’t have to. They’re my family, but I have to keep myself separate from them. After I failed my own family, I can’t risk failing them too.A visit from the sheriff changes everything. Suddenly I find myself raising my estranged sister’s six month old son and completely out of my depth...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort age difference from hate to love bad boys queer anal sex forced proximity dual-pov -
Cold Calculation by Cole McCade
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHow do you profile a serial killer who keeps changing his pattern? A body encased in ice and a cryptic message make Malcolm, Seong-Jae, and Aanga Joshi question everything they thought they'd learned about the Golden Ratio Killer. If their suspect can change his methods and alter his patterns, he could easily disappear... .. -
Lost in a Moment by Nicky James
When the only person Grayson has to lean on is his straight best friend, what could go wrong? After a horrific accident and an amputation, Grayson isn’t sure where to turn. Not only is he an emotional wreck, but his problems seem to be getting worse, not better. When his childhood best friend insists he come and stay with him for a while, Grayson isn’t sure how to feel...Categorized as:
bisexual angst forced proximity tortured hero queer queer-awakening m-m friends to lovers -
Signs of Life by Melanie Hansen
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSuccessful lawyer Jeremy Speer has it all—a loving husband, a beautiful home, and a cherished dream that’s about to become reality. He’s learned not to take happiness for granted, meeting the challenges of life and love head-on with unwavering commitment and fierce devotion. A series of tragic events leave Jeremy shattered, adrift on a sea of unimaginable pain... -
-
One for Sorrow by Louise Collins
The press nickname him “The Countdown Killer”, branding his victims with a number, but Chad knows him as Romeo. Captured by the killer he’s hunting, Chad’s situation seems dire, but Romeo doesn’t want to kill him because Chad doesn’t fit his pattern. Instead, he’s keeping Chad for two months, hiding him away where no one will find him, making sure Chad can’t reveal who he is... -
Save Me by Ariana Nash
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe third and final book in the outstanding mafia/priest MM Forgive Me series. Vitari Angelini knows selling a cache of Battaglia guns to a drug lord is not what Francis would call legal, but he’ll never find out. Besides, it’s for a good cause: Francis’s happy ever after...Categorized as:
queer dual-pov hurt-comfort forced proximity from hate to love m-m dark contemporary -
Secrets & Lies by Nicky James
I didn’t plan for him to come into my life. He came without warning. Without permission. I didn’t want him there, and a small part of me loathed his very existence. But then something changed. Overnight, he became everything to me. I loved him. I cherished him. He was mine. But they took him from me. They tore him from my life with such cruelty, my heart wept. My soul cried...Categorized as:
age difference angst hurt-comfort forbidden love new adult dual-pov forced proximity alpha male -
Broken by Nicola Haken
When Theodore Davenport decides to switch his mundane job for a career, he walks into Holden House Publishing with enthusiasm and determination to succeed. As he settles into his new role, makes new friends, and dreams of making it to the top, everything is going to plan. Until he meets James Holden, CEO of Holden House...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort tortured hero alpha male angst new adult dual-pov forced proximity secret-relationship -
If the Seas Catch Fire by L.A. Witt
Rated: 4.09 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsSergei Andronikov was a child when the Mafia wiped out his family, leaving him with nothing but a hunger for revenge. Years later, through ruthless strategy and tireless patience, he’s a contract killer working for the three families ruling Cape Swan… and he’s nearly in position to bring them all down from the inside.Domenico “Dom” Maisano is Mafia royalty, a made man… and a hitman...Categorized as:
from hate to love queer angst age difference hurt-comfort forbidden love m-m contemporary -
His Bane by Courtney W. Dixon
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsPLEASE READ THE BLURB AND WARNINGS IF YOU'RE SENSITIVE TO TRIGGERS!He is mine. I don't care how long it takes. I will have Malik Amin. Sullivan BeauchampSome people call me a monster. A psychopath. As if I care what others think. So what if I relish in the mayhem of slaughter or enjoy feeling the life blink out of someone? I am who I am...Categorized as:
age difference forced proximity queer bdsm dual-pov secret-relationship forbidden love dark
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.