In a previous life, I worked on the sports desk for a local newspaper. I wasn’t writing—though in my college days I did cover not one, but two volleyball matches—but instead had to know all the things about all the sports in order to edit stories, lay out sports pages, and get the section out by deadline. Can you believe I used to know offhand which teams were in the American and National Leagues? Because I can’t.
I’ve never been a sports person, but it was such a fun job. Every night is like Election Night in sports, chock full of chaos, adrenaline, and racing against the clock.
I like to think that’s why I’ve fallen into reading so many sports romances the last few years. They’re fun and dramatic and sometimes you even walk away knowing a bit more about the sport than you did before you started reading.
Britta’s first writing opportunity at her magazine job is to chronicle her experience with a body-positive fitness app. She doesn’t expect to land the CEO as her coach, or for the two of them to hit it off immediately in the app’s messenger. They eventually trade phone numbers and Wes has no problem breaking the rule he set about maintaining a barrier between real life and app connections with clients. They start working out in person and pretending the attraction between them isn’t real, until both their careers are on the line and they have to decide whether a relationship or job is more important. Also: Things get steamy.
I’ve written about why I love this romance series about college hockey before, but let’s go back to the first book. Hannah’s tutoring the obnoxious captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date so she can make her crush jealous. But she doesn’t expect fireworks to erupt between her and Garrett, or for their chemistry to be off the charts.
Elliot is living the dream: She landed a job as communications manager for the Denver Mustangs, and all is going beautifully. Until the star quarterback takes a knee during the national anthem and turns her job into a nightmare. She’s put on special duty to contain the Quinton situation, but as the son of a former player who was chewed up and spit out by the league, he refuses to back down. This romance deals with heavy topics—grief, trauma, racism—and is at times more of a downer than an upper, but the payoff is well worth it. I’m so glad Alexa got to write this story.
📚 Do you have a favorite sports romance? Please tell me all about it in the comments so we can swoon together!
I tried to figure out the mystery author behind Corinne, but came up short. Here are the steps I took, in case you’re a better armchair detective and can definitively say whether or not it’s Stephenie Meyer.
Truly the best part of reading nonfiction is all the tiny factoids you get to keep in your pocket. Here are some of my faves and I’m not sorry that most of them are about poop.
An author tweeted this list with the comment “sex is cool but have u tried being on a Book Riot roundup list???” and I love it.
To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
The boost
Charlie Lavender and the Origin of Everythingby Carson Bowie, out Sept. 20.
A bundle of awkwardness and social anxiety, Charlie Lavender isn’t sure about starting her freshman year in a small-town. Little does she know that her new best friend, a love triangle, and…a magical owl(?) are waiting for her in the fall of 1993. She definitely didn’t expect ominous priests, probable witches, and a secret, several-thousand-year-old war to become part of everyday life. Welcome to Normal, where nothing ever is. As she and her friends search for the truth about a world of magic just out of view, can Charlie accept the last thing she ever expected to happen? For the first time ever, she’s fitting in.
The PUCKED series by Helena Hunting, hands down my favorite hockey romance series. She also has a new series, about the kids (they are in college ) that she writes under the name: H. hunting
The PUCKED series by Helena Hunting, hands down my favorite hockey romance series. She also has a new series, about the kids (they are in college ) that she writes under the name: H. hunting
I love a good sports romance. Have you read any of Kennedy Ryan's or Jayce Burtons?