Books like 'The Defending Goal'
Readers who enjoyed The Defending Goal by Crea Reitan also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary gay romance found-family queer-awakening caretaking slow burn sweet-hero hockey sports friends to lovers
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Hard Knox by Riley Hart
CallumA gay guy walks into a straight bar and notices the hottest man he’s ever seen.Why am I not surprised my life sounds like the beginning of a bad joke? First, my ex cheated on me, and I went running to Havenwood and the mom I have a complicated relationship with. Then, there’s Knox, the gorgeous lumberjack I don’t stand a chance with...Categorized as:
friends to lovers bisexual queer queer-awakening slow burn anal sex sweet-hero found-family -
![Second Shot by Con Riley]()
Second Shot by Con Riley
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSecond Shot (Second Chance School #2)Welcome back to Glynn Harber School for another steamy, swoony romance between two bruised souls.Passion always leads to heartbreak for Hayden Novac. Nice guys always get picked last. That’s what my coach at a soccer academy once promised... -
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![Wheels Down by Beth Bolden]()
Wheels Down by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsShaw isn’t his friend—until Ross discovers he’s so much more. Ross Stanton is having a bad week—a bad month—really, a bad year . But the last thing he wants, after the betrayal of his friend and business partner, is for anyone else to know just how much he’s fighting for survival...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity hurt-comfort queer m-m contemporary length-medium -
![Sated in Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan]()
Sated in Ink by Carrie Ann Ryan
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsThe 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... -
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![Fake Boyfriend Breakaways by Eden Finley]()
Fake Boyfriend Breakaways by Eden Finley
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...Categorized as:
friends to lovers sports queer queer-awakening m-m contemporary age difference explicit-open-door -
![The Idiot by Dianna Roman]()
The Idiot by Dianna Roman
You can't pick who you love...nor can you run from them.Murphy Malone loves his orchard, his mother, and his dog. Life is great until he can't stop thinking about what he's missing—someone to share it all with. When he realizes that his love for his best friend, Jesse Carver, runs deeper than the bonds of friendship, it just makes things worse...Categorized as:
queer-awakening friends to lovers forced proximity queer bisexual m-m grumpy sunshine contemporary -
![Rising Tide by E.M. Lindsey]()
Rising Tide by E.M. Lindsey
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsOnce upon a time, Ghost was the best enforcer the Reapers MC had ever known—until the Hydra appeared and destroyed everything he’d worked for. After witnessing corruption down to the very core of their club, his only option was to take off his cut and leave...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity praise-kink bisexual queer found-family m-m age difference -
![Chasing You: A Single Dad Romance by E.M. Lindsey]()
Chasing You: A Single Dad Romance by E.M. Lindsey
“Playing house-husband to my best friend isn’t weird, right? Even though I’m head over heels in love with him and he doesn’t have feelings for me?”Adele is a caretaker. Always has been, always will be. So when his lifelong best friend comes home after losing his job to a nervous breakdown and chronic illness, Adele steps in...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer bisexual caretaking hurt-comfort anal sex found-family sweet-hero -
![The Contractor by Raleigh Ruebins]()
The Contractor by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsHe’s my best friend, my best worker, and it was just a silly crush.Then he kissed me. Now it feels like he's mine…I’ve shown my best friend Tristan everything: how to use a circular saw, how to lay grout, and how to do a kitchen renovation right. On the job, we became close friends—then even closer as we learned to share a camping tent.It was all harmless. Just like my crush on him...Categorized as:
friends to lovers queer found-family queer-awakening m-m contemporary office length-short -
![Meant To Be: A Prequel Daddy Novella by Sammi Cee]()
Meant To Be: A Prequel Daddy Novella by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.39 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPJ couldn't be more surprised that he needs a Daddy in the bedroom...Joel and PJ met as pre-teens at Takoda Outreach Center. They’ve shared every secret, first as best friends, then roommates. But now that they’ve graduated from college, adulting presents circumstances and unforeseen problems that they never saw coming... -
![Assisted by Carly Marie]()
Assisted by Carly Marie
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFoolish is judging a book by its cover… or a hockey coach by his suitAs assistant coach of the Nashville Grizzlies, Imil Bouchard has everything he needs, except maybe a Daddy. On the wrong side of forty and not looking for a traditional Dom, he knows there’s no point wishing for what he can’t have. And of course, he’s drawn to the extra-anxious director who exudes the need for a Daddy not a boy... -
![Whiskey Throttle by Riley Hart]()
Whiskey Throttle by Riley Hart
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsLincoln 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...Categorized as:
friends to lovers sports praise-kink queer m-m athletes contemporary friends-benefits -
![Relief Pitcher by Lee Blair]()
Relief Pitcher by Lee Blair
I thought I was helping him get his groove back. Turns out he’s helping me fall in love.TylerI have one rule when it comes to matters of my one and done. Consensually, of course. Fun with no complicated romantic feelings. Not that I’m built to experience those, anyway.After my car breaks down on a remote road, I follow a lumbersnack back to his creepy cabin for the cell service...Categorized as:
forced proximity hurt-comfort sports friends to lovers exhibitionism queer m-m contemporary -
![Love and History by Lane Hayes]()
Love and History by Lane Hayes
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...Categorized as:
sports forced proximity friends to lovers bisexual queer found-family queer-awakening m-m -
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![Extended Stay by Mia Monroe]()
Extended Stay by Mia Monroe
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI’ve never been interested in a man before. So why do I want to kiss this one?Promising my sick uncle I’d help fix his rundown hotel in San Diego was just the beginning of my problems. I plan to do what I can, convince him to sell, and then take off, returning to my calm and structured existence back east. I double down on that plan when I arrive to find it in worse shape than I expected... -
![The Rivals of Copper County by May Archer]()
The Rivals of Copper County by May Archer
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMy childhood friend. My biggest rival. The only man I’ve ever wanted. If there were a prize for the most contented man in Copper County, I’d win it every time. I’ve got my business. My son. My family. My friends… and no romantic prospects, sure, but only because I don’t need any. My life’s great as it is. Seriously. Could not be better. I’m practically bleeding serenity over here... -
![Free Me by Mia Monroe]()
Free Me by Mia Monroe
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsOnly his ropes can unravel the past. I never thought I’d see him again, but when my former best friend shows up ready to make amends, it becomes clear just how tied to the past I am. He disappeared when I needed him the most, leaving me to navigate my truth alone. Now he’s back.Nixon’s art leaves me vulnerable, defenseless, and I like it... -
![Frat Bro by Raleigh Ruebins]()
Frat Bro by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThis 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...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort sports queer queer-awakening m-m age difference contemporary -
![A Wedding in a Week by Con Riley]()
A Wedding in a Week by Con Riley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsA second chance with his brother’s best friend also comes with a deadline. Three years after inheriting his family farm, an accident forces Stefan Luxton to rethink his future. Turning his farm into a five-star wedding venue is one goal. Another is to reconnect with Marc, who Stefan loved but let slip away to the city...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort forced proximity queer found-family m-m age difference contemporary -
![Fancy Free by Mia Monroe]()
Fancy Free by Mia Monroe
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe last thing I need is a curious straight guy sniffing around me. So why is he so hard to resist?My life is everything I ever wanted - by design. Being one of the nation’s most sought after wedding planners has led to a life of traveling to glamorous locations, bumping elbows with the rich and famous, and sampling every handsome hunk the world has to offer... -
![Scene Queen by Charlie Novak]()
Scene Queen by Charlie Novak
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNote to self: just because he's hot and funny doesn't change the fact he's annoying AF.Hooking up with my irritating as hell neighbour wasn't on my agenda for the week, even if he is ridiculously gorgeous with a smile that lights up my life. His music is too loud, he’s too nosy… but I can’t stop myself from wanting more than a taste...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort forced proximity sports queer m-m grumpy sunshine contemporary length-medium -
![Huddle!, Vol. 3: A "Check, Please!" Sketch Zine by Ngozi Ukazu]()
Huddle!, Vol. 3: A "Check, Please!" Sketch Zine by Ngozi Ukazu
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWelcome to Huddle! Vol. 3 . If you're brand new here, Huddle zines are 18+ fan Service booklets that feature characters from the webcomic Check Please .And for a sketch zine that started on a goddamn whim, the Huddle series continues a strong legacy of spiciness and smut. How did we even get her, folks?.. -
![Rebound by V.L. Locey]()
Rebound by V.L. Locey
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsIf there’s one thing that’s a certainty in life, it’s change. It’s taken Victor Kalinski years to settle into the kind of happiness that he thought he’d never find. The small town of Cayuga, New York, has welcomed him warmly. It’s given him a championship team to coach, a tightly-knit group of friends, a father who he has reconciled with, and a safe place to raise the son he adores... -
![Somehow Finding Us (Second Chance Sinners) by Claudia Y. Burgoa]()
Somehow Finding Us (Second Chance Sinners) by Claudia Y. Burgoa
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsUSA Today Bestselling Author Claudia Burgoa brings you a MM romance full of angst and tragedy that might turn to hope in a redemption love story that’ll break your heart and mend it all over again. Emotional, endearing, and full of romancePeople think they know me. They only know what I allow them to see. I’ve learned to control the narrative.I have secrets...Categorized as:
friends to lovers hurt-comfort queer found-family queer-awakening contemporary christian m-m -
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![Margins by Landry Brennan]()
Margins by Landry Brennan
“Didn’t know you were gonna sell me a love story.”“Is that what I did?”Restless and full of doubt amid a divorce from his high school sweetheart, single father Alex Ramos goes for an early morning walk and stumbles upon a garage sale held by Elijah Caplinger, who’s been tasked with clearing out his late grandfather’s home... -
![Charisma Check by Katherine McIntyre]()
Charisma Check by Katherine McIntyre
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNever fall for the straight guy—Jasper knows better. At least until his straight guy crush starts crushing back…Jasper Tanaka has made an art form out of avoiding commitment. Which is why his crush on a nearby café owner, Matt, has been perfect—the guy is straight, vanilla, and far too sweet—everything that puts him out of Jasper’s reach...Categorized as:
queer friends to lovers bisexual bdsm queer-awakening m-m contemporary length-medium -
![Heal Me by Beck Grey]()
Heal Me by Beck Grey
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA lawyer and an architect walk into a bar…Jocelin:What do you do when your boss’s pushy nephew repeatedly asks you out and won’t take no for an answer? You create a fake boyfriend. One who works a lot, so he never comes to office functions or meets you for lunch. It works well until le salaud calls my bluff...Categorized as:
hurt-comfort friends to lovers found-family queer m-m contemporary death length-medium -
![When Stars Align by Denver Shaw]()
When Stars Align by Denver Shaw
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsScarred by the past. Terrified to love again. SavionOnce upon a time, my life was a fairytale. Engaged to a beautiful woman, we were planning our perfect future. Then, the sick act of an obsessed man ruined everything. Alone, disfigured, and betrayed, I fled to LA to focus on my work as a paleontologist.It was there I met Declan... -
![Deck the Fire Halls by N.R. Walker]()
Deck the Fire Halls by N.R. Walker
Doctor Robinson O’Reilly is burned out. Exhausted, jaded, and disillusioned with the bureaucracy of his profession, he’s ready to throw away his entire career. Convinced to take a part-time position in a small town instead, he packs his medical bag for Hartbridge, Montana.Who knows, maybe the change of pace and mountain air will do him good... -
![Delicious by Sierra Riley]()
Delicious by Sierra Riley
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 17 ratings“You’re exactly what I never knew I needed.” “I don’t have time for love.” Gavin Campbell has poured everything he has into starting up his bakery, Delicious... -
![Landing Levi by Jaclyn Quinn]()
Landing Levi by Jaclyn Quinn
Rated: 4.15 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsSage Rafferty I've wanted Levi ever since my friend Cole introduced us. When Levi moved to my hometown of Coral Pointe Inlet, I thought I finally had a chance to land the sexy, misunderstood man. After months of trying, though, it's clear he doesn't want me the way I want him. Putting some space between us is the only way to reclaim some of my dignity... -
![Friends Like Them by Aimee Nicole Walker]()
Friends Like Them by Aimee Nicole Walker
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsOwen Doyle’s rough beginnings taught him not to form attachments, yet he’s drawn to Tyler Booth like a magnet. Their relationship has blossomed from strangers to the best friends, with each twist in the journey weaving their connection tighter. But Owen has a six-year secret that’s become unbearably painful to keep...Categorized as:
found-family queer friends to lovers queer-awakening hurt-comfort m-m contemporary christmas -
![Love Comes Silently by Andrew Grey]()
Love Comes Silently by Andrew Grey
Caring for a loved one with cancer is tough. Doing it alone is overwhelming—especially when that loved one is a child. But ever since Ken Brighton’s partner left him, Ken has spent his days at the hospital with his daughter, Hanna, hoping for a miracle...Categorized as:
friends to lovers anal sex queer caretaking hurt-comfort found-family sweet-hero contemporary -
![Seaworthy by K.L. Noone]()
Seaworthy by K.L. Noone
An epic motion picture! A gay Napoleonic War love story! Ballrooms and battles at sea! Romantic happy endings on the silver screen! And a film that’ll change everything for its stars ...Jason Mirelli can’t play adrenaline-fueled action heroes forever. He’s getting older, plus the action star parts have grown a little thinner since he came out as bisexual...Categorized as:
forced proximity slow burn queer friends to lovers hurt-comfort praise-kink sweet-hero m-m -
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![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 ratingsHow 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...Categorized as:
bisexual friends to lovers queer queer-awakening m-m contemporary single-father length-short -
![In the Gray by Christina Lee]()
In the Gray by Christina Lee
FosterI moved to a new city for a librarian job at the university, and though I’m enjoying the change, it does little to dispel the dull grayness of my world. When my dog, Oscar, forms an instant bond with a man living in a yellow tent, my surroundings begin to feel more vibrant and full of possibility. I’m first drawn to Lachlan’s soulful eyes, and then to his kind nature and resilient spirit...Categorized as:
forced proximity hurt-comfort friends to lovers queer caretaking anal sex found-family contemporary -
![Protecting the Nerd by Nora Phoenix]()
Protecting the Nerd by Nora Phoenix
I’m proud to be a geek.I’m smart, but I’m also awkward and somewhat socially inept—forever doomed to live in the shadow of my dead brother.My job as research engineer is amazing, though, and recently, I’ve managed to make some friends in my hometown of Forestville.But when the wrong people show too much interest in my latest invention, my boss wants me protected...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity hurt-comfort queer queer-awakening found-family m-m contemporary -
![Playing the Player by Beth Bolden]()
Playing the Player by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCenter 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... -
![The Jock by E.M. Denning]()
The Jock by E.M. Denning
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsColby Bennett is straight.At twenty-five, he’s the middle of three boys raised by a single father. He’s always been a jock, so managing a gym feels like his calling. If only being a big brother were as easy. When Colby stumbles on his younger brother trying on feminine clothing, Taylor is angry and embarrassed... -
![Baby Queen by Charlie Novak]()
Baby Queen by Charlie Novak
Note to self: falling for the new queen you're mentoring will only lead to trouble.Being broke, single, and homeless after winning the UK's biggest drag show wasn't how my life was supposed to go. I’m meant to be the one with everything, but thanks to an unscrupulous tour company I've got nothing but my image and a mountain of debt... -
![Gin & Sin by Mia Monroe]()
Gin & Sin by Mia Monroe
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHelping him explore his attraction to men was supposed to be no strings fun, not turn me into a whipped puppy dog, but here we are. The college twink scene is wearing on me. Sure, it works out for a no-commitment guy like myself, but the constant drama and faceless rotation of pretty boys in and out of my bed isn’t as exciting as it once was... -
![Gay on a Train by K.C. Wells, Meredith Russell]()
Gay on a Train by K.C. Wells, Meredith Russell
I’m straight. So when a gay guy on the train asked me out on a date, why in the hell did I say yes? And why am I excited about seeing him again? Okay, let’s start again…I thought I was straight for all of my twenty-six years. I dated women. I slept with women. And yeah, occasionally I’d wondered what it would be like to experiment with a guy...Categorized as:
bisexual queer queer-awakening friends to lovers sweet-hero slow burn anal sex contemporary -
![Stay by K.M. Neuhold]()
Stay by K.M. Neuhold
Rated: 4.12 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhat happens to a couple when one of them discovers a new kink that he’s not sure his partner will be into? Dear Art, I’m sure you get messages like this all the time, but I feel like I don’t even know who I am anymore. I suppose I should start from the beginning… Three weeks ago, I saw puppy play for the first time, and now I can’t stop thinking about it... -
![Break Down by Rebecca Norinne]()
Break Down by Rebecca Norinne
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsHis 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... -
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![Try To Fly by Hinsel Meyer]()
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![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 ratingsPIERRE (“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... -
![Faker by Kiki Clark]()
Faker by Kiki Clark
Falling for your straight best friend while he pretends to be your boyfriend is something not even Samuel would be foolish enough to do.And yet... All Samuel wanted was to not show up to his ex's wedding alone, but his friend Will has a better idea: go as fake boyfriends to make him jealous.What could possibly go wrong?Well, for starters, Samuel’s ex knows Will isn’t gay...Categorized as:
queer bisexual friends to lovers queer-awakening forced proximity found-family praise-kink m-m -
![Poetry in Motion by Samantha Wayland]()
Poetry in Motion by Samantha Wayland
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsTravis 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... -
![Requited by Jesse H. Reign]()
Requited by Jesse H. Reign
If you've read Unrequited, and have been left longing for more of Andy and West's story - you are in luck. Requited tells the story of roommates and best friends Andy Montgomery and West Baxter from West's perspective. It is a sweeping story of friendship that turns into longing that can't be ignored...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity queer queer-awakening bisexual anal sex m-m contemporary -
![Love Song by Christina Lee]()
Love Song by Christina Lee
Thirtysomething bandmates, Nolan Metcalf and Ellis Bloom, have been there for each other through thick and thin. So when a life-changing event sends Ellis to the safety of Nolan’s apartment, he’s grateful for the comfort his best friend provides. They’ve never done anything resembling cuddling and sleepovers before, but Ellis finds he needs it just the same...Categorized as:
queer bisexual friends to lovers queer-awakening hurt-comfort forced proximity m-m contemporary
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