Books like 'Hands Down'
Readers who enjoyed Hands Down by Mariana Zapata also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary funny sports friends to lovers athletes second chances slow burn himbo age difference sassy heroine
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Becoming A Vincent by C.M. Owens
When you live in a place where “turbo speed” internet is a slight step above dial-up, men carry on nine-year beard-growing challenges out of stubborn pride, and your brothers do things like nail all your panties to the outside of your cabin just for funsies, you tend to be a little crazy. You can call it a "locational" hazard, if you will. That’s Tomahawk for you... -
Complete by Kortney Keisel
Ben and I are just friends.We've tried to be more, but it never works. There's no chemistry between us.At least that's the story I tell everyone.Truth is, I'm pining for Ben. HARD. Like Taylor Swift, You Belong With Me, hard. I don't know what happened. Suddenly, his casual touch is fire, and his easy smile stops my heart.But Ben has put me in the friend zone. Permanently...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers slow burn first-person-pov sweet heroine sunny hero super rich hero humor -
Real Fake Love by Pippa Grant
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 30 ratingsIf people have polar opposites, Luca Rossi is mine.His butt is in the baseball hall of fame. Mine’s comfortably seated in the hall of lame.When he’s not snagging fly balls out in center field, he’s modeling in shampoo commercials. I once jammed my own finger while stirring cookie dough, and sometimes I forget shampoo is a thing.He’s a total cynic when it comes to love...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers athletes grumpy sunshine m-f first-person-pov humor contemporary -
Jock Blocked by Pippa Grant
She can't let him score… Call it superstition, but when a guy bats as hot as Brooks Elliott, you don't mess with what's working. And what's working is him keeping his pants zipped and doing all of his scoring on the field...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers cheerful heroine competent heroine sassy heroine athletes slow burn m-f -
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Maybe We Won't by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA sexy and soul-stirring novel about love, family, and rediscovering what matters most by Melissa Foster, the New York Times bestselling author of Maybe We Will.When workaholic Boston attorney Deirdra de Messiéres is passed over for a well-deserved promotion, she takes a two-month hiatus to show her boss just how much he needs her and heads home to Silver Island... -
Mother Maker by Jenni Bara
All I want is one night.One night away from the falling down brownstone filled with my three best friends, a broody billionaire, and our seven children. Oh, and you can’t forget those adorable raccoons.But the universe apparently has other ideas because I get drunk and sleep with the baseball player.Now two little lines turn my escape into a completely new adventure... -
Moonshine Kiss by Lucy Score, Claire Kingsley
All those years of adolescent fantasies and this was how Bowie Bodine first touched my boobs. And he apologized. Real life was stupid and unfair. Small town deputy Cassidy Tucker’s dating life is a train wreck on repeat. All she ever wanted was a solid partner. A man to share pajamas with. The handsome, big-hearted Bowie Bodine. Wait. Scratch that. Mr...Categorized as:
friends to lovers cheerful heroine siblings-bff humor contemporary explicit-open-door -
Killing Booth by Lani Lynn Vale
Rated: 4.55 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEvery single thing you want is going to require you to be uncomfortable. Those words had been shared with her by the one man she didn’t think she could take a chance on. She just didn’t know that he was right, or that he was going to be the one making her uncomfortable. Nash Wilder Christopherson was the world’s golden boy. For fifteen years, she watched Nash race from the safety of her phone... -
Love Me Forever by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA surprise baby romance from USA Today bestselling author Layla HagenThe first time I met Travis Maxwell, he completely charmed me. We spent a glorious week together, knowing that we'd go our separate ways in the end.One month later, two blue lines turn my life upside down. I'm pregnant. And the number Travis gave me is no longer in service... -
Your One True Love by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsShe’s the one who got away. This time, he refuses to let her slip through his fingers. *A sizzling second chance romance* Daniel Bennett has no regrets, except one: letting go of the woman he loved years ago. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he’s been pining for Caroline ever since. But his meddling family can read him like an open book... -
Tight Hold by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsThe pro football player I’m faking a relationship with has the perfect solution to my career woes. He’s encouraging me to lean into the pseudo-celebrity life I was born into instead of trying to outrun it, and for the first time in my life, someone sees me for me.I feel like he’s falling for me, too.And then my ex shows up... -
Your Fierce Love by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.47 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsThe strong and sexy Blake Bennett is downright irresistible. And Clara Abernathy is doing everything she can to resist his charm. After spending her life in group homes, Clara yearns for the love and warmth of a true family. With the Bennetts treating her like their own, she can't possibly fall for Blake. That would be crossing a line.. -
Dirty Little Midlife Drama by Lilian Monroe
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsGeorgia wants a fresh start, and that doesn't include the handsome cowboy from her past.But Sebastian is in town now, and he has no intention of leaving until he gets what he wants...My high school sweetheart kissed me so naturally, I slapped him.Listen, I’m forty-three years old. I’m divorced. I’m in a new town. I don’t need ghosts from the past haunting me anymore... -
Your Inescapable Love by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 16 ratings*A sizzling friends-to-lovers romance from a USA TODAY BESTSELLING Author* *This book is a standalone. Each book in The Bennett Family series will follow a different couple.* Max Bennett is a successful man. His analytical mind has taken his family’s company to the next level. Outside the office, Max transforms from the serious business man into someone who is carefree and fun...Categorized as:
friends to lovers super rich hero cheerful heroine humor contemporary tortured heroine -
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She Loves Me by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsWhat are two besties willing to risk for something more? The New York Times bestselling author of This Is Love has the answer in this fun, sexy, and emotional romance about friendship, family, and giving love a chance. Something is off in Piper Dalton’s life, and she has a feeling it might just be her. All her siblings are blissfully settled with their forever loves...Categorized as:
friends to lovers independent heroine sassy heroine strong heroine humor contemporary -
Van by Melanie Moreland
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsVince Morrison, known to most people as Van. Good with his hands, be it crafting a piece of wood, playing his guitar, or pleasing a lover—he excels at them all. Friendly, flirty, and talented, he’s cool under pressure, and hot everywhere else. But he keeps his heart closed, even as his interest and emotions are tested. Olivia Rourke works alongside him at BAM... -
A Greene Family Christmas by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.45 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPreparing a Christmas to remember is no small feat with a family the size of the Greenes. Especially, when the woman who has always been the planner down to every minute detail falls ill, only five days before the holiday.The family has no choice but to scramble to ensure that nothing is amiss. Cookies need to be decorated, gingerbread houses assembled and decorations to be hung... -
Just One Taste by Carly Phillips
Rated: 4.37 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsOne grumpy billionaire.One sassy-sweet supermodel.Add in a tropical private island paradise.What could go wrong?As owner and CEO of Dirty Dare Spirits, thirty-three year old, Asher Dare has it all. Money. Power. Women whenever he wants. A private island retreat when he doesn’t. People he trusts? He can count those on one hand... -
Tight Spot by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI don’t date football players.I’m not interested in the ones who are a decade older than me. I want nothing to do with the ones who play on the same team as my brothers, and I certainly avoid the ones who spend more time in strip clubs than kids’ clubs... -
John by Jenna Myles
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI never planned on getting out of prison. I did what I did to keep my brother safe, and I could live with that.But now I'm out, and I don't know what the hell I'm doing. Everything is too loud, too busy, too overwhelming. And for a man who's used to every decision being made for him...well, let's just say I'm on the verge of doing something stupid to get sent back.Until she walks in, that is... -
Beauty and the Beefcake by Pippa Grant
She’s my sun and moon. My stars, my air, my sunshine. She’s every heartbeat. There are two kinds of women in the world – those I can bang, and those I can’t. My teammate’s sister? She’s a can’t. I moved in with her to protect her from a nasty ex, not to be the next guy in line. She’s the brains. I’m the brawn. She’s the fruit. I’m the sausage. She talks too much... -
Just Faking It by Katy Kaylee
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI seduced my brother’s best friend to take my innocence, And he convinced me to fake marry him! Jake Dunne: Sinfully handsome. Naughty . Funny. Piercing Blue eyes. And kisses like nobody’s business… Jake Dunne: Also the man who broke my heart, five years ago. My fake husband but my baby’s REAL father! It was supposed to be….well, let’s call it ‘a business arrangement... -
The Wild Card: A Small Town Fake Dating Sports Romance by Cassie-Ann L. Miller
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt was supposed to be harmless. One fake date with a football player.Except Harry Westbrook is the exact opposite of harmless. My first mistake? Underestimating that boyish smile, those playful eyes, the charming words on those perfect lips. He claims to have a crush on me. But, as hot as he is, I'd bet he's scheduling booty calls like a dentist booking teeth cleanings... -
Cross by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsCross Jacobs was a screw-up. Everyone knew it, especially him, and the point was hammered home when Kallie Welch drove herself right out of his life. But, she’s back. Seeing Cross wasn’t on Kallie’s to-do list. She didn’t think she could avoid him forever but trying never hurt anyone... -
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Flirting with the CEO by Layla Hagen
Rated: 4.35 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI wanted to hate her. Instead, I desperately need her. I didn't get to be CEO by playing nice. I'm driven and ruthless—and yes, occasionally rude. But it gets the job done, and that's all I care about. My business partners disagree. They insist I need to improve my communication skills. That's how I end up with Zoey Thomas shadowing me... -
First and Tension by Tara Sivec
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt all started with a dare.Emily Flanagan has been living her dreams the last four years as a professional cheerleader for the Los Angeles Vipers, thousands of miles away from her tiny hometown of Summersweet Island, Virginia. She’s got the world at the tips of her pom-poms... until she tells her boss to shove those pom-poms where the sun doesn’t shine... -
Keeper by Amy Daws
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsThey were best friends until they became roommates.Booker Harris has spent the last several years pushing himself to become the best goalkeeper in the Championship League. Tired of living in the shadows of his headline-splashing brothers, he has finally carved a path of his own...Categorized as:
sports pregnancy athletes friends to lovers sweet heroine humor new adult contemporary -
Home Run by Jordan Marie, Robin Harper
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsGreen Lucas doesn't know what's about to hit him. Complete Standalone Romance Wanted A woman with grit and fire who will help me get my son’s head out of his ass. You must be self-sufficient and not looking for a gravy train. Common sense is a plus, book smarts are optional. Cannot have red hair, as my son seems to go for that type and he needs something to shake him up... -
How to Honeymoon Alone by Olivia Hayle
A paradise island. Two strangers. The attraction they never saw coming…When Eden dumped her cheating ex before the wedding, the last thing she expected was to go on their tropical honeymoon alone. But with no refunds possible, she packs her budget guidebook and broken heart, and sets off... -
Swing and a Mishap by Tara Sivec
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 15 ratings“Hawks fans still in shock after centerfielder, Shepherd Oliver, sustained season-ending injury last night in the 5th inning of the playoffs against Chicago.”Two years ago, I was a pretty big deal. I thought I had it all, until a blast from my past popped up on my social media feed, keeping my ego in check and reminding me how basic I am. Except sassy Wren Bennett isn’t just a blast from my past... -
The Hot Mess and the Heartthrob by Pippa Grant
A rock star / single mom / fairy tale romcomYou don’t know me, but you do know me... -
Mother Maker by Jenni Bara
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsAll I want is one night.One night away from the falling down brownstone filled with my three best friends, a broody billionaire, and our seven children. Oh, and you can’t forget those adorable raccoons.But the universe apparently has other ideas because I get drunk and sleep with the baseball player.Now two little lines turn my escape into a completely new adventure...Categorized as:
pregnancy friends to lovers super rich hero sports forced proximity insta-love contemporary humor -
Body Check by Maria Luis
They call me the Bad*ss of Hockey. The Beast of the Northeast. And I’m not just referring to my stick play on the ice. As Captain for the Boston Blades, I’ve spent years working toward bringing home the Stanley Cup. But when the owners sell us out to Hollywood, suddenly we’re not just playing for thousands of fans, we’re cracking open our lives on a new reality show, Getting Pucked... -
Misunderstood by Katy Kaylee
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRyder Malloy. Selfish. Arrogant. Self-absorbed. Prick. An epitome of manliness. Six-foot-three, all hard, chiseled muscle. My brother’s ex best friend, and my new client. Four years ago, he took my innocence and left – without a word.Today, he’s the star quarterback who needs an image makeover,And I’m his publicist, who doesn’t quite believe him... -
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Third and Long by K.T. Quinn
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTHIRD AND LONG is a scorching sports romance filled with humor, suspense, and football-related excitement...Categorized as:
sports super rich hero age difference strong heroine new adult humor contemporary from hate to love -
Indescribable: A Friends to Lovers Romance by Jennifer Van Wyk
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI walked down the aisle and said “I do” to the wrong man.Unfortunately, it took me eight years to figure it out.It took me even longer to realize who was in front of me the entire time.You’d think that being a romance author would have helped me to see the signs that I chose wrong the first time and I would have been able to write my own happily-ever-after so easily...Categorized as:
second chances sassy heroine friends to lovers siblings-bff contemporary humor alpha male -
Playboy’s Reward by Gina Azzi
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt was supposed to be a favor between neighbors…When sexy-as-sin Harper Henderson launches profanities into the night sky from the balcony below mine, I intervene. I volunteer to be her date to her ten-year high school reunion. I may be a professional hockey player with a playboy reputation, but I’m also a good guy and I make an exceptional plus-one.Being Harper's fake date is easy... -
Off Limits by Chelle Sloan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsProfessional football has an actual rulebook, but it’s the unwritten rules that come with the harshest consequences.The biggest one of all: don’t date your teammate’s sister. And if you do, don’t you dare fall in love with her.I never meant to fall, but when it comes to Brenna Donald, I never stood a chance. She’s everything I’m not--a light-hearted wild child who shines brighter than the sun... -
Felix by Lulu Moore
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsI have a secret. Twelve years ago I crushed on my teammate’s little sister, before firmly putting her in the friend zone. Which then became the best friend zone. And my teammate became more of a brother.But now we have two problems.1. I just found out she’s been crushing on me too, and my feelings have come hurtling back like a puck heading for the net2... -
After All by Kristen Proby
The last sizzling novel in Kristen Proby's Romancing Manhattan series finds a widower falling deeply in love again with a woman who has scars of her own. When Carter Shaw’s wife died five years ago, he was left to pick up the pieces not only of his own broken heart but also that of his devastated eight-year-old daughter, Gabby—leaving him with no time for anything else, let alone dating... -
The Chameleon Effect by Joe Arden
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsLights. Camera. Action…I've got everything it takes to make it in Tinseltown: confidence, charisma, and a killer chin. Now all I need is a chance.But Los Angeles is full of hot, young hunks, and talent might not be enough to separate me from the cookie-cutter crowd.Well, you know what they say: fake it till you make it.So I devise a wild scheme to get noticed... -
Fake Start by Jasmin Miller
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsYou know that awkward moment when your agent tells you to fake date your best friend’s sister so you can get the endorsement deal of your dreams? No? Call me crazy for considering it, but why not? Daisy’s my friend, after all, and I’ve gotten quite close to her and her two awesome boys over the last few years since her douche-nozzle husband divorced her... -
Mr. Park Lane by Louise Bay
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI haven’t seen him in over a decade, but Joshua Luca can still get to me. And I hate it.At twenty-nine, I’m a doctor and I’ve travelled the world, but just the thought of him has me sliding my sweaty palms down my jeans and wishing I could steady my racing heartbeat.Joshua was an almost obsession until, at seventeen, he cost me my future. In one night, I grew up and let go of my silly crush... -
Lucky by Carina Adams
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEveryone loves Lucky # 7. He’s the whole package – smart, athletic, and sexy as sin. A filthy talking bad boy, he can have any woman he wants. Except me. A chance encounter. One unforgettable night. That’s all we could ever have. At least, that’s what we tell ourselves. Fate has other plans. If anyone found out, I would lose my job. He could lose his scholarship... -
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Duke: Faking the Play by Kayley Loring, Connor Crais
#4 Callum Duquette. Placekicker for the Boston Tomcats. Former underwear model. NICKNAME: Duke. I thought the most annoying thing about being a single dad was that my friends were always trying to find me a date. Until a sassy British ray of sunshine bumps into me at a bookstore... -
Puck Shy by Teagan Hunter
I’m having the definition of a bad year.Game Six loss costing my team the Cup? Check.Getting arrested and ruining my image? Check.Almost getting run over after my car breaks down? Oh, look—a hat trick.My contract is up with the Carolina Comets this year, and I need to get it together if I want to stay with the team.I need relaxation, not a relationship...Categorized as:
sports friends to lovers height-difference m-f humor contemporary explicit-open-door hockey -
Something like Love by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 11 ratingsI want to. I can’t. I’ve been friends with Cooper Rice from the moment we met. He was just as famous a decade ago on our college campus as he is now being the star quarterback for the Chicago Grizzlies. But he’s not only talented on the field, he’s also the gorgeous football star women fawn over, posing in underwear and razor ads... -
Happy Place by Emily Henry
Harriet and Wyn have been the perfect couple since they met in college—they go together like salt and pepper, honey and tea, lobster and rolls. Except, now—for reasons they’re still not discussing—they don’t.They broke up six months ago. And still haven’t told their best friends... -
Mine To Love by Natasha Madison
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsPresley After my sisters’ disastrous weddings, I’m never going to get married. I’ll just stay single forever. It doesn’t matter that I’m in love with my brother’s best friend. Or that Bennett and I shouldn’t even be friends with benefits. Until the positive sign tells me I’m pregnant. Bennett I fell in love with Presley when she was eighteen and asked me for a favor... -
The Wrong Mr. Right by Stephanie Archer
He'll make her a hot girl, but can he make her his girl?Shy, quiet Hannah is surrounded by handsome, sensitive, swoon-worthy men...who are fictional. As her thirtieth birthday looms, she takes stock of her life: her small-town bookstore isn't making ends meet and she's never been in love. Something needs to change.She knows exactly who's going to help her...
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