Books like 'Delay of Game'
Readers who enjoyed Delay of Game by Jen Frederick also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary sports new adult friends to lovers football
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The Favorites by Layne Fargo
To the world, they were a scandal. To each other, an obsession.An epic love story set in the sparkling, savage sphere of elite figure skating about a woman determined to carve her own path on and off the iceShe might not have a famous name, funding, or her family’s support, but Katarina Shaw has always known that she was destined to become an Olympic skater...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers sports ice-skating contemporary abuse length-long behind-doors -
Hart to Heart by M.E. Carter, Jacob Morgan
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsListening Length: 5 hours, 6 minutesWe’re the Harts. Between an engagement, a wedding and an adoption, we’ve had the best year of our lives. Things have never looked better for any of us.But just because you say “I do” doesn’t mean you get a happily ever after. And sometimes, you get tackled more in life than you ever did on the football field... -
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... -
Under Pressure by Bella Matthews
Is it possible to meet the right person at the wrong time?I had my friends. I had football. I had a future I was set on, until her.Eleanor Kingston was the girl. The one I’d choose if I could, but all I had to give wasone night. My life had been decided for me, my future predetermined. There’s no room left for football or love... -
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Roman by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsI’m one of the fastest running backs in the NFL, but I can’t outrun my feelings for my best friend.I’ve wanted Teagan Hall for over a decade, but I’ve never been willing to risk our friendship.Then she shows up at my doorstep, fleeing her abusive ex, and everything changes.Now she’s not just my best friend—she’s my roommate.She's also the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.Every innocent touch crackles... -
Change My Game by Kelsey Clayton
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsMy name is Jace London,And I may have screwed up.I’ve always been the guy who had it all.Privilege, entitlement, and a life of luxury.But after one college night gone tragically wrong,Nothing has ever been the same.Everyone thinks I should be happy.With a trust fund like mine, who could be sad?But no one knows what’s going on with me,Or the nightmares that keep me awake at night... -
DITCHED by R.C. Boldt
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsHe's playing for the heart she's had sidelined for years. IVY HAYES Dating can be a rocky journey. Once the new shine wears off, you may end up with a case of buyer’s remorse. That’s where I come in. I set the backdrop and coach you through the breakup. Don't want overblown drama, hard feelings, or a drink tossed in your face? Then I'm your fairy godmother, child... -
Every Kiss You Steal by J.E. Parker
Her past is plagued with darkness... He's determined to make her future brighter. -Ashley- My life was once a nightmare. Because of my past, the walls I've constructed are mighty. But those walls begin to waver the day I meet him... Chase Jacobs, star quarterback, and the cutest boy I've ever seen. With his easy smile and sweet words, he's perfect. Problem is, I'm not... -
The Hail Mary by Ginger Scott
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsSixteen years is a long time. In a marriage, it’s a milestone. On the gridiron, it’s a miracle. Reed Johnson wants more time for everything, but time is funny that way. It can be cruel. With a body that can’t quite take the hits it used to and a heart tired of being torn in two different directions, Reed is faced with a reality he’s not quite ready for—life without the game... -
Fortunate Son by Jay Crownover
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsRy Archer and Bowe Keller are as different as night and day. But that doesn’t stop the childhood frenemies from reconnecting whenever one of them needs some help tackling any of life’s major puzzles, like figuring out why getting what you always thought you wanted isn’t living up to all the hype... -
Writing the Rules by Mariah Dietz
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsPoppy Anderson was nailing her sophomore year at Brighton University. She liked her classes, had the greatest best friend, and was finally ready to start dating again. Or she was … until her ex, Mike, transferred to Brighton and started exchanging long stares and inside jokes that Poppy thought he’d forgotten.Paxton Lawson was long ago labeled ‘The Golden Boy...Categorized as:
new adult sports friends to lovers football contemporary college siblings-bff length-long -
If It's Only Love by Lexi Ryan
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom New York Times bestseller Lexi Ryan comes a sexy new standalone romance in the bestselling Boys of Jackson Harbor series. Meet single dad Easton Connor as he leaves the NFL and returns to Jackson Harbor to fight for another chance with the love of his life. *** I don’t regret much. Not my decision to enter the NFL draft before finishing college...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers new adult contemporary single-father siblings-bff length-medium -
Landon: Small Town Roommate Romance by Cora Brent
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRELEASING APRIL 22nd!!! LANDON My former student. My new roommate. My greatest weakness….Autumn:It’s not that I’m hiding out in this hard luck little town. But I’m twenty-six years old, I’ve had one boyfriend and he ditched me for my sister. So I might be a little cynical. Then again, perhaps a high school math teacher shouldn’t expect romance... -
My Next Play by Carrie Ann Ryan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWhat happens when you fall for your best friend, but they fall in love with someone else? Nothing is what it seems in this unrequited love, new adult romance.Miles knew Nessa never had eyes for him. Only when someone new tries to hurt her, he knows he can’t stand back any longer. It’s time she finds out the man he is behind the glasses and beneath the shell he wrapped himself in... -
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Watch and Learn by Rebel Shaw
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNateAll I wanted to do was be me, for one night. I didn’t want to be the number one quarterback in the league. I just wanted to be Nate. I couldn’t tell you exactly what made me stop at that dive bar on the outskirts of town, but it changed my life.Our connection was instant and undeniable. Our night together was explosive, which led to another, and then another. No strings...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers new adult contemporary second chances humor friends-benefits length-medium -
Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAsher 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... -
My Rebound by Carrie Ann Ryan
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA rebound isn’t supposed to last. Though, sometimes, fate has other ideas in this opposites attract, friends with benefits romance.It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.Mackenzie Thomas started planning her future at the age of six. She knew the college she wanted, the career she needed, and the boy she would marry.Only he wasn’t supposed to break up with her in such a spectacular fashion... -
Burn by Ginger Scott
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratings**Burn is the third and final book in the brother’s-best-friend, friends-to-lovers Fuel Series by Ginger Scott. This second-chance romance completes this angsty, steamy, new adult trilogy.Dustin Bridge’s world is about speed. About the edge. His life has been carved by cutting corners and making moves, following impulsive decisions while weighing the facts at hand... -
Last Chance: A Second Chances Novel by L.P. Dover
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsA steamy, second chances novel by New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, L.P. Dover. Can be read as a STANDALONE. One Taste, the prequel to Last Chance, has been added at the beginning with all new scenes. One last chance. That's all Luke Collins, local bad boy and motocross champion, has to not only find his redemption, but win back the girl he lost...Categorized as:
new adult friends to lovers sports athletes suspense contemporary second chances length-medium -
Fight by Molly McLain, Sara Eirew
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 12 ratings**This is not a standalone. Check out FLY (Velocity, #1) first. amzn.to/2dPfsgW :) ** The story continues... I trusted Colton with every bit of myself. I believed him when he promised he'd never hurt me. But he broke me...and now I watch him give another woman everything I thought would be mine. I never saw this coming... -
JOCK by Jacob Chance
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsWhen the dean of students asked me for a favor, I had no idea it would mean tutoring Owen Dawson. Me, forced to spend time with Boston University’s notorious quarterback? With his dark hair, chiseled body, and a promising future playing in the NFL, every guy on campus wants to be him. Every girl wants to be under him. Every girl, except me... -
Broken Ties by L.A. Cotton
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFrom bestselling author of the Rixon Raiders comes a new spin-off next generation series. More angst...More drama...More Raiders...Categorized as:
friends to lovers sports new adult high-school contemporary angst athletes length-long -
Defining the Rules by Mariah Dietz
It started with friendship. The best stories always do. Our story sounds unlikely. Bizarre. A fable. Like wine and cheese and my favorite pair of jeans, Things got better over time— Too good, it seemed. Arlo Kostas was the starting running back for Brighton University. His quick smile and sharp wit Was enough to disarm even the biggest cynic... -
Spiked by Love by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsAllison Titov and Asher Brooks have been best friends their whole lives. Brought up together as part of the Assassins family, they might as well be related. But... Ally has never felt anything sisterly toward Asher.In love with Asher since she was a teen, Ally has gone pro at keeping her feelings a secret. It’s been easy.. -
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Dump and Chase by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsShelli Adler has known what she wanted since she was eleven years old. Aiden Brooks. But Aiden has always had other ideas. After spending the early years of his life without his dad, hockey legend Lucas Brooks, Aiden is determined not to settle for anything less than true love. When he’s ready. Now he’s living the fast life of an NHL bachelor... -
Bliss by Kaylee Ryan
Cooper Reese Latham was about to make the biggest mistake of her life. At eight-years-old, we vowed to be best friends for the rest of our lives, thinking nothing could ever change that. We were both wrong— we made mistakes, and grew apart. Until I realized living without her wasn’t an option.I was almost too late... but I wouldn’t stand by and watch her walk down the aisle to another man...Categorized as:
sports new adult friends to lovers football contemporary explicit-open-door dual-pov sweet heroine -
DRIVE by Jacob Chance
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsKissing a complete stranger shouldn’t be a life altering experience, but with him it was. One look into his mischievous hazel eyes and our lips were colliding without a second thought. Now, months later, not only do I know his name, we’ve also become friends. Good friends. The kind of friends that kiss and cuddle together, all night long... -
The Game by H.J. Bellus
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsBorn to shine. Groomed to dominate. Levi Wilks is destined only to be a champion… Number one on the field, in the record books, and in every fans’ heart. This star QB is perfection from head to toe. Only his looks rival his talent on the field... -
With a Hitch by R.C. Boldt
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsRC Boldt brings us a smart, sexy new standalone about a matchmaker/dating coach who's faced with the challenge of finding Mrs. Right for the city's beloved NFL wide receiver... She’s playing it safe. He’s playing for keeps. DARCY Growing up in the foster system, I learned the hard way that lasting love doesn't always come easy... -
Full Count by Kimberly Readnour
Dating my bestie? Yeah, I can only wish... Garret Cartel.Cessna University’s starting shortstop.Painstakingly gorgeous.ReservedFriend-zoned since freshman year.I have a knack for falling for unattainable guys.Blame my trust issues.They keep me safe.But this is our final year.My last chance to break the dreaded friend-zone chains before graduation.There’s one slight problem... -
Captured by Mr. Wild by Elle Nicoll
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThere are men. And then there’s Blake Anderson.He was my best friend.Until I left.Ten years apart have turned him into a handsome, rugged, tattooed wall of muscle.He even has his own fan club, following the success of his smash-hit TV survival show.They call him Mr. Wild.One night he shows me just how wild.For a moment, I almost believe in magic again.Almost... -
Two for Charging by Lasairiona E. McMaster
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDedicated. Driven. Divorced.Coach Elliott Swift is under pressure from all sides. His players are counting on him to return the team to championship success despite his recently graduated star players. His toxic ex-wife dogs his every move, and his sickly, aging parents require constant care... -
Flip Shot: A Friends to Lovers, Hockey Romance by MJ Fields
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTheoReturning from Texas after summer break, which I spent working, and training, I expected a temperature change. Hell, I welcomed the chill, but I didn’t expect to be completely frozen out by the only chick at Lincoln University who I thought about almost as much as I do hockey.When I saw Riley Park for the first time, the universe shifted...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers new adult college contemporary second chances humor length-short -
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The Art of Falling in Love with Your Fake Fiancé by Anne Kemp
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsAll’s fair in love and war…until you agree to be your best friend’s fake fiancé.Levi: Life as an NFL player has always been fast-paced, but nothing prepared me for becoming the guardian of my godson, Duncan. With his grandmother contesting custody, I need to prove that I’m a steadfast influence who’s not going anywhere and there’s one sure-fire way to show that: get engaged... -
Nixon by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsI’m the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL because I know how to read the field.I control the plays—and my life—with absolute precision.Until Liberty Jones delivers the ultimate hit to my blind side with a story about two pink lines.The beautiful, free-spirited brunette has starred in my dreams since she disappeared after our wild weekend in Vegas, but I’ve been burned before... -
STORM: Best Friends To Lovers Romance by Michelle Mankin
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA childhood best friends to lovers romance.He wants her, but he can’t have her. She wants him even though she doesn’t know who he really is. Storm Hardy left Ocean Beach to pursue a career in the music industry.Lotus Irving stayed behind, her world rocked by one terrible tragedy after another...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers new adult multicultural mystery suspense contemporary length-long -
Wreck by Ginger Scott
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratings**Wreck is the second book in the brother’s-best-friend, friends-to-lovers Fuel Series by Ginger Scott.When Dustin Bridges left Camp Verde to try to make it on his own, he left half his heart behind. A life with Hannah Judge was just too dangerous... -
Broken Ties: A Friends-to-Lovers Sports Romance by L A Cotton
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsFrom USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author L A Cotton, comes a slow burn, friends-to-lovers romance. Angst... drama... friendship... and football. Will you survive senior year?Poppy Ford has been in love with her best friend forever.But she’s firmly in the friend zone and fears she may never get out.Aaron Bennet has been dreaming of a football scholarship forever...Categorized as:
new adult sports friends to lovers athletes high-school angst contemporary length-long -
Off-Limits Grumpy Player by Clarissa McKay
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTwo things I’m gonna do at college: land an internship, and lose my virginity.I just didn’t expect it to be with my brother’s best friend.But the way he swings his hockey stick around as the captain of the team has me seeing stars.He may be a bad-tempered hockey player with everyone else, but he’s always had a soft spot for me... -
A Friendly Wager: A Secret Baby, Fake Engagement Romance by Ajme Williams
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMy next-door neighbor is wifey material .Calm down... I’m not proposing to her.A fake engagement will do for now.My mother won’t get off my back.As a star hockey player love isn’t on the cards for me.Not now, not ever.I had a one-night stand with Ruby a decade ago.But that shouldn’t come in the way of our ruse.I doubt she misses the way I made her shake when I took her v-card...Categorized as:
new adult sports friends to lovers contemporary second chances secret child length-medium -
Faceoff by Rebecca Connolly, Heather B. Moore
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsShe isn’t supposed to want him. He isn’t supposed to want her. But wanting each other is inevitable. Clint McCarthy has finally achieved his dream of playing for a professional hockey program, and is eager to make his mark with his new team... -
Talk British to Me by Robin Bielman
Rated: 4.26 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAs the Dating Guy on L.A.‘s top morning show, I give the single guy’s perspective on dating, love, and sex—and I give great advice. Everyone’s hooking up…well, except for me. Sure, I can get any woman I want, but I’ve got a “no relationship” clause in my contract and the only woman I want has “relationship” written all over her. Probably stamped on her ass, too... -
Trying to Score by Kendall Ryan
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsTeddy King excels at many things. Playing hockey. Check. Scoring on and off the ice. Check. Being stupidly attractive ... Double check. I knew him way back when. Before he was the guy everyone wanted a piece of, he was just a rebellious college co-ed and one of my more energetic study partners... -
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Until Now by Laura Ward
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsFocus. Dean Goldsmith is Indiana University’s star quarterback, and his dreams are about to come true. His undefeated season means he has a legitimate shot at the NFL. If he stays focused. Football comes first. College senior, Grace Yeates, is determined to defy the odds. She is months away from graduating with a business degree, something no one thought she would be able to pull off... -
The Red Zone by Amie Knight
They say the red zone is the hardest place to score. But for me, those last twenty yards were my sweet spot. They didn't call me Lukas "Last Minute Lucy" Callihan for nothing. I was at the top of my game...until life sacked me harder than any linebacker ever could. Losing my mom was devastating and left me as the sole person responsible for my little sister...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers new adult football contemporary slow burn athletes virgin heroine -
Victor by Brenda Rothert
He’s a hockey star with a headboard full of notches. She’s a shy NHL concession worker at who’s never been kissed. Lindy They don’t call me Belinda Boring for nothing. It’s my name, after all. And for a 23-year-old with plain brown hair who still lives at home and gets tongue tied over nothing, it’s a fitting one...Categorized as:
sports new adult friends to lovers contemporary hockey length-short explicit-open-door -
Catching Summer by L.P. Dover
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsHailed by Heidi McLaughlin as a bestselling author who “knows how to create the men who make us swoon,” L. P. Dover returns with an edgy, emotionally gripping Second Chances novel about a beautiful widow who can’t resist a chiseled NFL player. Former nurse Summer Jacobs has seen her fair share of suffering, but she never expected tragedy to hit so close to home... -
The Revenge Plan by Linda Kage
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsAfter I caught my boyfriend cheating, I tried to be mature about it with an amicable split. But he took his retaliation too far, and I have officially had enough. No more Miss Nice Haven. No one is allowed to lie to me, betray, embarrass, and devastate me, fill me with self-doubt, or put my future at risk, and expect to get away with it. He is going to feel my wrath... -
COACH by Jacob Chance
“Are you looking for the cheerleading tryouts, sweetheart?” Zeke Kingston is the arrogant, tattooed, and sinful coach of Boston University's women's football team. And I’m their new quarterback. From the moment the dark and broody hunk mistook me for a cheerleader we've clashed. His smirking lips make my blood boil and his god-like muscles turn my knees weak...
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