Sports and romance might seem like an odd pair, but both involve intense physical awareness and a state of nervous excitement. This subgenre has grown exponentially over the past few years with more diverse pairings and changing sports trends. The popularity of HBO’s Heated Rivalry guarantees that more adaptations will be sure to follow.

For this month, I am listing some romance books that feature a wide variety of organized sports. Every conceivable activity had multiple options– even some capitalizing on the latest pickleball craze!

The Long GameThe Long Game - Elena Armas

"Disgraced soccer exec Adalyn Reyes reluctantly enlists the help of a handsome soccer star in coaching a children's team, even though he is set on running her out of town."

Fangirl Down Fangirl Down - Tessa Bailey

"A super sexy sports romance duology with a rom-com about a bad boy professional athlete who falls for his biggest fan..."

Two Left Feet Two Left Feet - Kallie Emblidge

"A Premier League football star must defend his roster spot--and his heart--when a threateningly talented and handsome midfielder joins his team."

The Total Package The Total Package - Stephanie Evanovich

"A hot quarterback must figure out how to score big with a beautiful and talented media analyst after a heartbreaking fumble."

Icebreaker Icebreaker - Hannah Grace

"Anastasia lands a place on a competitive figure skating team. Nothing will stand in her way of gatting on Team USA, not even the captain of the hockey team, Nate Hawkins."

See You at the Finish Line See You at the Finish Line - Zac Hammett

"George and Lucas can't stand each other, but as they face rivals within their own squad and cutthroat competitors, George and Lucas find themselves unexpectedly becoming closer..."

One on One One on One - Jamie Harrow

"One on One examines the pressure put on college athletes, challenges the sexism in the world of sports, and exposes the dangers in whole communities idolizing the big men on campus."

Meet Me in a Mile Meet Me in a Mile - Elizabeth Hrib

"A Manhattan architect’s attempts to win over her office crush set her on a collision course with a personal trainer who’s got all the right moves."

The Charlie Method The Charlie Method - Elle Kennedy

"When Charlie finally meets them in person and realizes she's been chatting with two gorgeous Briar U hockey players, things get steamy--fast."

Pickle Perfect Pickle Perfect - Ilana Long

"Maybe an all-inclusive picklecation is just the pick-me-up Lulu needs to loosen her grip. Or it would have been if she wasn't backhanded by the sight of her high school fling."

Beauty and the Baller Beauty and the Baller - Ilsa Madden Mills

"An NFL quarterback turned small-town coach gets sacked by a Texas beauty queen in this swoony, passionate romance."

Natural Born Charmer Natural Born Charmer - Susan Elizabeth Phillips

"He's recovering from a career-threatening injury and she has no where to go since her ex stole all her money. They are attracted to each other but neither trusts love."

Heated Rivalry Heated Rivalry - Rachel Reid

"Ilya and Shane have made a career on their legendary rivalry, but when the skates come off, the heat between them is undeniable."

Cross the Line Cross the Line - Simone Soltani

"After a social media disaster leaves Formula 1 driver Dev Anderson with an angry team and sponsors threatening to jump ship, he bumps into the woman who can fix it all. There’s just one problem: she’s his best friend’s little sister."

The Singles Game The Singles Game - Lauren Weisberger

"Sexy, unputdownable read about young tennis stars who train relentlessly to compete at the highest levels while living in a world obsessed with good looks and Instagram followers,"

Summaries sourced from publisher materials

February Two-Minute Review

Deep End

Deep End - Ali Hazelwood

Don’t judge the candy-colored cover of this book as an indicator of innocence. Dive Deep is as steamy and racy as any “shades of gray” you may have experienced. The unusual kink-based relationship between two college swim teammates is compelling, but its drawn-out course is as torturous as their shared proclivities.

DVDs in the GPL Collection:

Art of Racing in the RainCinderella Man
Love & BasketballVision Quest
Fever PitchBend It Like Beckham
The Cutting EdgeJerry Maguire
SouvenirBring it On

Hop on the Holds List

Revenge Prey – John Sandford

Ballad of Falling Dragons – Sarah A. Parker

American Fantasy – Emma Straub

The Things We Never Say- Elizabeth Strout

Shippers – Katherine Center

Quote of the Month:

"In sports, as in love, one can never pretend" - Rita Mae Brown

Bookish News and Links:

Want personalized recommendations? Fill out a questionnaire to get a customized list sent directly to your email: https://gpl.org/services/reade...

Can't get enough Sporty Romances? Here are even more lists to pad your "TBR:"

https://fivebooks.com/best-boo...

https://nypost.com/shopping/be...

https://people.com/heated-riva...

Adaptation News: Upcoming movies and shows based on books:

Pillion based on Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones - in theaters, 2/6

Cold Storage by David Koepp - in theaters, 2/6

Crime 101 based on Broken by Don Winslow - in theaters, 2/13

Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte - in theaters, 2/14

Recent Reads

I have recently finished reading Foster by Claire Keegan and Cool for America by Andrew Martin. I also just finished listening to Something Rotten by Andrew Lipstein.

I am currently reading Whidbey by Kira T. Madden and Fair Play by Louise Hegarty. I am also listening to the audiobook of The Fisherman by John Langan.

Are you a sucker for a racy racing romance? How about a steamy soccer story? Let me know: jegan@gpl.org.

Until next time: Be safe, be well, and be well-read!

Joelle


So, who am I, anyway? I am a resident of West Groton, with a husband, four mostly-grown children, and a Samoyed that keeps my vacuum well-employed. I am currently working part-time at the Groton Public Library and writing monthly reviews for Booklist Magazine. In a former life, I was a Director of PR/Marketing at a high-tech consulting firm. My BA is in Psychology, but most of my time was spent in college earning a Concentration in the Novel. That is all to say that I make no claims at being an expert of any kind, and my thoughts, opinions. and mistakes are solely my own. I am just a person whose passion for books has continued to grow from the moment I was first able to grip and gnaw on them. I have been devouring them ever since.

Feb 01, 2026 / Joelle M Egan