Books like 'Starting Line'
Readers who enjoyed Starting Line by Michae Marie also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary sports bad boys from hate to love athletes friends to lovers found-family forced proximity
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Made For You by Kami Holt
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 20 ratingsTHIS IS A RERELEASE!!!!Please be aware that this book has been previously released under the same title.Why doesn’t she love me? That’s the question that lives rent free in CiyaniRobinson’s head. After tragedy strikes, her mother completely abandons herleaving her with responsibilities that she was not old enough to handle on herown...Categorized as:
friends to lovers found-family sports african-american length-medium contemporary dual-pov -
Imperfect Arrangement by Vikki Jay
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsRaymond Teager is the last man I ever expected to fall for— mostly because I can’t stand him.My biggest rival, the arrogant billionaire, is determined to buy the land my grandfather left me. The same land I’ve spent my whole life dreaming about turning into a wedding estate. We’re sworn enemies and this small town isn’t big enough for the both of us… until his daughter chooses me... -
The Stolen Moments Trilogy: Carter & Emilia's Love Story by Catharina Maura
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA single kiss changes everything for two lifelong rivals in this best friend’s brother romance.It was hate at first sight for Emilia and Carter. Neither remembers how their feud started — yet every day, their war intensifies.Until one night. One unexpected kiss blurs the lines between love and hate, and their lives are forever changed.The stakes have never been higher... -
Path To Resolution by TheFeveredBookaholic
Rated: 4.61 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWolfe Emerson is notorious for two things: being an absolute beast in a boxing ring and being a voluntary mute. His story remains unspoken and he prefers to live his life in silence. That is, until, his world is turned upside down when he meets someone who is louder than life... -
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This Much Is True by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsWhen celebrity Laina Kelley bolted from her small hometown church on her wedding day, she ran to the first place that came to mind—the home of the local farrier, a gorgeous playboy who just so happens to be her first love … and biggest frenemy... -
The Legend by Shey Stahl
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsIn a lifestyle of speed, adrenaline and desire, one racer has sacrificed everything for the sport he loved. In turn, he will fight for his name, his family and now his life to be the legend he’s been portrayed to be. You can be everything you set out to be if you want it bad enough. You can be that record breaker you said you’d be. You can be that hero you always thought you would be... -
Path To Realization by TheFeveredBookaholic
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsAsher Pryce hides behind a wall of secrets he's spent most of his life building up. How else is the adopted child whose birth parents run a drug cartel supposed to fit in? He's notorious for his overconfident swagger and total lack of patience for bullshit - a master of masks. The one thing in his life he can't fake? His feelings for his best friend's twin sister... -
The Champion by Shey Stahl
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA powerful love story of tragedy, love, and commitment. The fourth book in the Racing on the Edge series submerges you in the lifestyle of a champion of a sport that dominates America. Through smoke and methanol, you learn the good, the bad, and the secrets no one wants you to know... -
Strawberry Fields for Never by Kate Watson
She’s the desperate CEO hired to rebrand a sleepy Southern orchard. He’s the stubborn heir determined to see her fail.All’s fair in love and farming.As CEO of my marketing firm, my friends’ careers rest on my shoulders. And my shoulders—and company—are failing. Rebranding a famous farm is my final chance to fix what I’ve broken, and nothing can get in my way... -
All Hail the Underdogs by E.L. Massey
When seventeen-year-old Patrick Roman is offered a scholarship to a top hockey preparatory school, he thinks maybe his notorious bad luck has finally ended. With a hearing for his legal emancipation on the horizon, he dreams of getting scouted and securing a place on a D1 college team. There’s only one Roman has serious beef with his new winger on the team, Damien Bordeaux...Categorized as:
sports from hate to love forced proximity found-family contemporary hockey length-medium new adult -
Running Wild by K.A. Tucker, Callie Dalton
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 42 ratings11 hours, 40 minutesFrom the internationally bestselling author of The Simple Wild comes the story of a woman at a crossroads in her life, struggling between the safe route and the one that will only lead to more heartbreak.Veterinarian Marie Lehr knows unrequited love all too well after pining for her best friend, only to watch him marry another woman... -
Green by Nicole James
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsCan a face from my past change my future?When an invitation shows up out of the blue, I’m reminded of a promise I made to a girl twenty years ago and suddenly my heart is pounding.Do I dare keep it?She’s the one girl that ever meant a damn to me, and the one girl that got away. She walked out of my life once and it devastated me...Categorized as:
friends to lovers bad boys from hate to love contemporary bikers high-school length-short -
Quake by Giuliana Victoria
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLark Hughes is the kind, sweet, and outgoing veterinarian who owns Toute la Famille, a non-profit veterinary clinic on the outskirts of Philadelphia. It's a typical night for Lark, working a late shift at the clinic, when one of the players from the Divine Flyers soccer team arrives with his golden retriever rescue, Pickles.He clearly takes them both by surprise when he asks her out...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers found-family soccer friends-benefits contemporary length-long -
Campus Legend by Jennifer Sucevic
He's Always Hidden Behind a Mask. Until it Was No Longer Possible.Asher Stevens is a legend when it comes to Wildcat football. If the gossip that swirls through campus is true, he’ll be one of this year’s top NFL draft picks. To say I can’t stand the guy is a major understatement. Other women might be taken in by his handsome face, chiseled body, and athletic prowess, but not me...Categorized as:
from hate to love sports friends to lovers athletes forced proximity bad boys college new adult -
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A Callahan Wedding by Monica Murphy
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe sweet and sexy conclusion to New York Times bestselling author, Monica Murphy’s standalone Callahan series, bringing readers along for the ride as fan favorites, Jake and Hannah get married! Hannah Walsh. Gorgeous. Intelligent. My first love. My high school sweetheart. My everything. And now my fiancée...Categorized as:
athletes friends to lovers sports found-family alpha male contemporary new adult m-f -
Off the Ice by Tierney Rose
How do you forgive the person who crushed your dreams and left you a crippled wreck? Ethan Russell doesn’t know, and he doesn’t want to find out. He’s too busy trying to rebuild something resembling a life from the ruins of what remains after defenseman Tanner McCoy shattered his hip and ended his career as the most promising goalie for the Miami Spirit in twenty years... -
Falling into Forever by Avery Maxwell
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhat’s a brokenhearted romance novelist to do when an interview accidentally turns her into the villain? I’ll tell you one thing—the plan definitely wasn’t to turn to the man who taught me that happily ever afters exist only on the page...Categorized as:
friends to lovers forced proximity from hate to love contemporary grumpy sunshine m-f -
Heavy Shot by Toni Aleo
From the Nashville Next Generation series, comes your next book-boyfriend!Dimitri Titov was on hockey skates before he could walk. All he’s ever wanted is to play for the Assassins, his dad’s team. After growing up in Russia, he’s back in Nashville, Tennessee, and ready to pursue his lifelong goal.Austen McDavid escaped the kind of life they make Netflix documentaries about... -
Only One Forever by Natasha Madison
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsFrom The Something So Series and the This Is series comes Only One Forever.DylanMy dreams came true when I was adopted at ten.I was the best on the ice. Living the life of what every kid dreams of.We’ve been best friends since then. Even when she was the annoying little sister following us around.I would do anything for her.It is another family vacation; except this time it feels different...Categorized as:
sports forced proximity friends to lovers athletes contemporary new adult forbidden love hockey -
Trading Paint by Shey Stahl
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsA must have companion to Happy Hour that give you an inside look into the characters of the Racing on the Edge series. Step into the magic where the clay met rubber and desire defined greatness. Trading Paint takes you inside the hasty driver’s mind to what led him to a decision that changed the path of two souls... -
Pretty Drunk by Lacey Black
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHallieNo one pushes my buttons the way Logan Johnson does. I’ve spent most of my adult life trying to ignore him, which isn’t easy when you live in a small town and share the same friends.So, when I have a little too much to drink and need a place to crash after our friends’ wedding, it would figure I find myself at Logan’s house. What I’m not expecting is ending up in his bed. With him. Naked... -
Caution by A.K. Evans
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLike every hardworking member of Harper Security Ops, Forrest Hickman takes time away from work to relax and recharge. And he often does that while riding his snowboard on the slopes of his favorite ski resort.He wasn’t sure anything would be better than some time alone to clear his head. That is, until he meets someone to spend his break with... -
Love You From Afar by Morgan Paige
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsI always thought a person had to be a ghost to haunt you, but Everett Thompson is very much alive, and to make matters worse, he's my fiancé's brother.For years, I promised myself I would stay away from him. I tried putting as much distance between us as possible, yet here we are on a twelve hour road trip together... -
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 from hate to love athletes found-family m-m contemporary -
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Searching for Sunshine by Hollie Luckie
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsYou know what they say— when everything’s falling apart, move to the beach and marry the grumpy boat captain you haven’t seen in over a decade. After losing both my teaching job in the city and my grandmother, I feel like I have no idea what to do with my life... -
Heart on Ice by J.A. Low
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPierre St. Pierre is a runaway groom.Catching his fiancée cheating the night before their wedding wasn’t the fairytale he imagined. He’s on the next flight out of Italy, leaving the embarrassing mess behind him.The last person Isabelle Alessi ever expected to see again is her first love and the man who broke her heart...Categorized as:
athletes from hate to love sports forced proximity cheating hockey contemporary second chances -
Tapout by J.C. Valentine
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 22 ratingsHistory brought them together. Circumstances may keep them apart. Alyson Blake’s past left her with scars. Scars that she tried to fix the only way she knew how—by helping others. But actions have consequences, and Alyson is about to find out that being naïve is no excuse. Fighting is Jamison Weston’s passion. Alyson is his obsession...Categorized as:
friends to lovers bad boys athletes sports contemporary alpha male fighters cruel hero -
Aftersome by Remi Rose
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsTen years ago, I lost the love of my life.In a blink of an eye, he was gone and to this day, I still seem to be picking up the pieces of my broken heart.But in losing Hayes, we had also lost Mal. The misunderstood hockey player who wished more than anything that he could turn back time and trade places with his best friend. So, in his grief and guilt, he left. Without a goodbye... -
The Fastball by Emily Childs
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsShe's the coach's aggravating daughter. He's the shy guy on first base. And they have no idea they're keeping the same secret. After a devastating accident that leaves his throwing hand in shambles, MLB first baseman, Dax Sage, finds out the woman handling the PR for his recovery is none other than the gorgeous, frigid daughter of his head coach... -
Cruel Love by Isla Vaughn
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI fell for the enemy.He broke me, and then put me together again. Our future? It’s worth fighting for. Or it was before the accident.The accident stole Phoenix from me. Now, he’s nice… kind even. But the memory of me—of our baby—is gone. Despite everything, I’m left fighting for our child and the man I’ve come to love...Categorized as:
from hate to love sports found-family forced proximity new adult angst second chances contemporary -
Cruel Love by Isla Vaughn
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI fell for the enemy.He broke me, and then put me together again.Our future? It’s worth fighting for.Or it was before the accident.The accident stole Phoenix from me. Now, he’s nice… kind even. But the memory of me—of our baby—is gone. Despite everything, I’m left fighting for our child and the man I’ve come to love...Categorized as:
from hate to love sports found-family forced proximity new adult angst second chances contemporary -
Full Throttle by Brittany Ann
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDominiqueHe was the boy next door, my escape from my splintered home. I fell in love with him too early, thought about him too much, and hoped for something he could never give me–a fairytale. He pushed me away, but I followed. I chased the ghost of Cain Donovan across the country, heart racing for him and him alone.Eventually, I did find him–right where he told me to look...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers from hate to love found-family mafia angst contemporary suspense -
Faked and Fumbled by Gina Azzi
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratingsKnoxville Coyotes football heartthrob Cohen Campbell is my brother’s best friend. Now, he’s the man posing as my fake boyfriend. Simple, right? Wrong.I thought my luck couldn’t get worse than when my long-term boyfriend publicly dumped me. Wrong again. Now, my ex is dating my cousin, and our friend group is embarking on an annual ski trip.Desperate to save face, I beg Cohen to pretend to like me...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers athletes forced proximity football humor contemporary siblings-bff -
Fallen Crown by W. Million
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMaren Tucker is done with men who check in for the good times and check out for the bad. As a member of one of the oldest families in Bellerive, she doesn't have to play nice with the Summerset Royals. Especially not the youngest who represents everything she detests... -
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Fumbled by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsAs a pro football player, I’m known for scoring both on and off the field. But all that changes when a tragic accident leaves me as a single dad to a little girl. With both our lives flipped upside down, I’m scrambling to balance my career while supporting the needs of a girl who just had her life torn apart... -
Make My Heart Malt by Gia Stevens
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 5 ratingsA sizzling hate to lovers, unrequited crush, standalone sports romance by romantic comedy author Gia Stevens… Dessa should have been mine... until my brother kissed her first. Ten years is a long time to be infatuated with your former best friend, especially when she’s dating your brother... -
Stolen Vows by Penelope Black
Rated: 4.18 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsGraham Carter: ethical hacker, resident grump of Avalon Falls, and the man who’s about to make me his wife.For convenience, of course.I need an escape plan—fast. My family expects me to marry a man I can’t stand, and Graham needs a wife to secure his inheritance. A simple deal, no emotions involved. Just one year of marriage, and we both walk away with exactly what we want... -
The Reno by Maggie Grant
The Reno is a grumpy-sunshine romcom for fans of Tessa Bailey and Talia Hibbert, with the quirky characters of Gilmore Girls. Love wasn’t in the plan…When self-proclaimed flop Kat Williams moves miles north to Everly Heath to refurbish her late father’s childhood home, she thinks it will be a quick fixer-upper... -
Sliding Home by Kate Angell
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 28 ratingsWHO’D BEEN SLEEPING IN KASON RHODES’S BED? The left fielder for the Richmond Rogues had returned from six weeks of spring training in Florida to find someone had moved into his mobile home. That person was presently in his shower. And no matter how sexy the squatter might be, Kason wanted her out. He had his trusty dobie, Cimarron; he didn’t need anyone else in his life... -
THE RULE BREAKER by Crystal Kaswell
Rated: 4.07 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsRule #1 Hands off my kid sister’s best friendRule #2 See rule number oneRule #3 Seriously, don’t even think about touching LunaLuna is my new room mate. My very off limits room mate. My gorgeous, feisty, painfully tempting room mate.I try to keep my distance. To ignore her soft laugh, her intense eyes, her sweet smile... -
Bela Jogada by Vi Keeland, Penelope Ward
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 35 ratingsFrom New York Times Bestselling authors Vi Keeland and Penelope Ward comes a new, sexy standalone novel.It all started with a bet.When my young son inherited half of his great grandfather’s historic inn, I decided to move us both to the place where I grew up.Notice I said half of the Inn... -
Seal The Deal: A Second Chance Hockey Romance by Hailey Rodger
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTwelve years. Two hearts. One love that refuses to fade. Jake Twelve years ago, I let her walk away.For one unforgettable summer, Charlie and I were inseparable—camp counselors sharing stolen laughs, late-night talks, and a bond so rare it left a mark. But when the summer ended, we said goodbye, thinking the world was too big for us to hold onto each other...Categorized as:
sports found-family friends to lovers athletes hockey single-mother dual-pov contemporary -
Fighting Dirty by Stacey Lynn
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Raleigh Rough Riders are back, and this time Super Bowl Quarterback Beaux Hale finds himself playing the most important game of his life. Every woman knows Beaux Hale is nothing but a player. Yet the first time he walks into Paige Halloway’s restaurant and flashes his sexy grin, she feels a heat between them spark. Too bad he opens his mouth and ruins it... -
Storm Warning by Nellie Wilson
I’m used to people writing me off as a joke, a peppy blonde with a Southern accent who couldn’t possibly know anything. But this is my spring. I’ve got a fully-funded two weeks to chase tornadoes and no one is getting in my way. Everything is organized and perfect until Julian Lehrer shows up as my co-pilot all summer... -
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On the Rocks by Marja Graham
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLacey Decker has always felt like a footnote in her own reality, settling comfortably out of sight behind the lens as an NHL photographer. Her life of curated, clear cut lines and control is thrown into a tailspin after she finds letters from her late mother. The discovery forces her to reconnect with her rockstar father and face old wounds... -
Bodychecking by Jami Davenport
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsAs the wild child of the family, Bellani Maxwell isn’t interested in settling down. Between a fledgling party crashing business, teaching self-defense at a martial arts studio, and hitting the bar every night, she has her hands full. She doesn’t need the added responsibility or commitment of a relationship... -
Pour Decisions by Amanda Chaperon
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsFor years, Delia Delatou has been searching for a project to throw all of her restless energy into. When an opportunity arises in the form of a new business venture—a distillery on Old Mission Peninsula—Delia knows she’s found it. The only problem? She has to nail this meeting with her potential partner first... -
Wildflowers and Wide Receivers by Kathryn Andrews
A few years ago, I wrote a short story set at a private party on New Year’s Eve about Jonah Dallman, the Tampa Tarpons newest wide receiver, and Sophie Black. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about them, his teammates and what would have happened next...Categorized as:
found-family sports athletes forced proximity age difference football single-father contemporary -
Curveball by Kate Angell
Rated: 4.04 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsThe bad boys of baseball, they are the top power hitters of the Richmond Rogues, and the team's best hope for a shot at the World Series. But when all three have to be benched for brawling, it's the beginning of a whole new ball game, and the opposing team could win something more than a trophy--these ladies are after their hearts... -
The Effects of Falling by Mariah Dietz
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI have loved my best friend for eleven years. Eleven years of celebrations. Eleven years of victories and losses. Eleven years of inside jokes and shared smiles. Eleven years of helping him raise his daughter as a single father. He smiles at me and my world brightens. He ignores me and I forget how to function. He holds my hand and takes more of my heart...
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