Trope

Clean Sports Romance Books

Sports romance is part book about an athlete, part book about the very specific person who finally sees them as a regular human. I didn't think I was a sports romance reader until a hockey series pulled me all the way in, and now athletes take up a suspicious amount of my TBR.

It's all no spice, closed door if anywhere on the page. The pull of the trope is straightforward: athletes have devotion, real stakes, a public version of themselves that doesn't match the private one, and one person who gets to see the whole picture. Clean writers do sports romance especially well because the chemistry can play out at practice, in the parking lot after a loss, at the team dinner where she's the only one who isn't a fan.

Hockey shows up a lot in this corner (I have a dedicated page for it). What you'll find here: football players who got drafted out of small towns, baseball players whose careers are nearly over and who don't know what comes after, college athletes whose love interests aren't impressed by their stats, and the rare retired pro whose second act is the actual love story.

Cover of The Player and the Pop Star by Cait Elise

The Player and the Pop Star

Cait Elise

#1 in The Vista City Kings

Cover of One Last Play by Annah Conwell

One Last Play

Annah Conwell

#4 in Sweet Peach

Cover of The Perfect Putt by Annah Conwell

The Perfect Putt

Annah Conwell

#2 in More Than a Game

Cover of Love Never Happens with your Brother’s Best Friend by Francesca Spencer

Love Never Happens with your Brother’s Best Friend

Francesca Spencer

#3 in Love Never Happens

Cover of The Golden Goal by Annah Conwell

The Golden Goal

Annah Conwell

#1 in More Than a Game

Cover of My Wife by Ellie Hall

My Wife

Ellie Hall

#2 in Love in Hockey Town

Cover of Redd, Whit & Blue by Ellie Hall

Redd, Whit & Blue

Ellie Hall

#2 in Nebraska Knights

Cover of As You Ice It by Emma St. Clair

As You Ice It

Emma St. Clair

#7 in Appies Hockey Romance

Cover of Home Run Heart by Hailey Gardiner

Home Run Heart

Hailey Gardiner

#2 in Kitt's Harbor

Cover of Love at First Skate by Ellie Hall

Love at First Skate

Ellie Hall

#6 in Love on Thin Ice

Cover of Offside and Off-Limits by Kate O'Keeffe

Offside and Off-Limits

Kate O'Keeffe

#2 in Love in Maple Falls

Cover of Runaway Bride and Prejudice by Emma St. Clair

Runaway Bride and Prejudice

Emma St. Clair

#5 in Appies Hockey Romance

Cover of Perfectly Complicated Christmas Romance by Grace Worthington

Perfectly Complicated Christmas Romance

Grace Worthington

#4 in Perfect Crush Hockey Romance

Cover of The Sugar Creek Blame Game by River Ford

The Sugar Creek Blame Game

River Ford

#6 in Seasons of Sugar Creek (The Fletcher Family)

Cover of The Holiday Assist by Taylor Epperson

The Holiday Assist

Taylor Epperson

#5 in The Peppermint Playbook

Cover of Serving Scrooge by Katie Nelson

Serving Scrooge

Katie Nelson

#2 in The Peppermint Playbook

Cover of Presley's Christmas Catch by Ranee S Clark

Presley's Christmas Catch

Ranee S Clark

#3 in LA Rays Sports Romance

Cover of Could've Fooled Me by Jenny Proctor

Could've Fooled Me

Jenny Proctor

#1 in Georgia Jaguars Hockey

Cover of Stupid Cupid by Ellie Hall

Stupid Cupid

Ellie Hall

#1 in Nebraska Knights

Cover of Love Catch by Laura Langa

Love Catch

Laura Langa

#2 in The Love Playbook

Cover of A Very Merry Matchup by Becca Kinzer

A Very Merry Matchup

Becca Kinzer

Cover of Goalie and the Girl Next Door by Elsie Woods

Goalie and the Girl Next Door

Elsie Woods

#5 in Love in Maple Falls

Cover of The Safety and the Secret by Cait Elise

The Safety and the Secret

Cait Elise

#2 in The Vista City Kings

Cover of Mistletoe Face Off by Kate O'Keeffe

Mistletoe Face Off

Kate O'Keeffe

Cover of Holiday Hostilities by Katie Bailey

Holiday Hostilities

Katie Bailey

#2 in Cyclones Christmas

Cover of Fake Skating by Lynn Painter

Fake Skating

Lynn Painter

Cover of A Match Made in Fall by Melissa Baldwin

A Match Made in Fall

Melissa Baldwin

Cover of Love at Teamsgiving by Ellie Hall

Love at Teamsgiving

Ellie Hall

#6 in Nebraska Knights

Cover of His Jersey by Ellie Hall

His Jersey

Ellie Hall

#1 in Love in Hockey Town

Cover of Fumble All the Way by Deb Goodman

Fumble All the Way

Deb Goodman

#4 in The Peppermint Playbook

Cover of Breaking the Ice by Whitney Dineen

Breaking the Ice

Whitney Dineen

#1 in Love on Thin Ice

Cover of Love Between Innings by Laura Langa

Love Between Innings

Laura Langa

#1 in Waves Baseball

Cover of Flirtation or Faceoff by Leah Brunner

Flirtation or Faceoff

Leah Brunner

#2 in D.C. Eagles Hockey

Cover of Chess Not Checkers by Annah Conwell

Chess Not Checkers

Annah Conwell

#1 in RomCom University

Cover of The Icing on the Cake by Grace Worthington

The Icing on the Cake

Grace Worthington

#7 in Love in Maple Falls

Cover of My Merry Mistake by Courtney Walsh

My Merry Mistake

Courtney Walsh

#3 in Holidays With Hart

Cover of Love on the Ropes by Mary Rudder

Love on the Ropes

Mary Rudder

Cover of Season's Schemings by Katie Bailey

Season's Schemings

Katie Bailey

#1 in Cyclones Christmas

Cover of The Love Gimmick by Mary Rudder
Sep 9

The Love Gimmick

Mary Rudder

Cover of Summer Ever After by Kortney Keisel

Summer Ever After

Kortney Keisel

#1 in Falling for Summer

Cover of Rookie Season by Katie Bailey

Rookie Season

Katie Bailey

#1 in Hockey Boys of Loft 3B

Cover of The Parent Playbook by Elsie Woods

The Parent Playbook

Elsie Woods

#5 in Love on Thin Ice

Cover of Jingle Blades by Tomi Tabb

Jingle Blades

Tomi Tabb

#1 in The Peppermint Playbook

Cover of The Run Option by Annah Conwell

The Run Option

Annah Conwell

#3 in More Than a Game

Cover of The Romcom Remake by Jen Atkinson

The Romcom Remake

Jen Atkinson

#1 in Just A Guy With A Goal

Cover of Skating and Fake Dating by Ellie Hall

Skating and Fake Dating

Ellie Hall

#4 in Love in Maple Falls

Cover of The Lucky One by Monique Brasher

The Lucky One

Monique Brasher

#4 in Enchanted Hollow

Cover of The Ex Puck Bunny by Ellie Hall

The Ex Puck Bunny

Ellie Hall

#5 in Nebraska Knights

Cover of When Alec Met Evie by Jenny Proctor

When Alec Met Evie

Jenny Proctor

#6 in Appies Hockey Romance

Cover of Since We've No Place to Go by Kate Watson

Since We've No Place to Go

Kate Watson

Cover of Falling Back to You by Morgan Taylor Giesbrecht
Aug 25

Falling Back to You

Morgan Taylor Giesbrecht

#3 in The Reluctant Romantics

Cover of The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams

The Cheat Sheet

Sarah Adams

Cover of Betrothal Or Breakaway by Leah Brunner

Betrothal Or Breakaway

Leah Brunner

#3 in D.C. Eagles Hockey

Cover of The Friend Face Off by Grace Worthington

The Friend Face Off

Grace Worthington

#3 in Love on Thin Ice

Cover of Checking You Twice by Larissa Hommes

Checking You Twice

Larissa Hommes

#3 in The Peppermint Playbook

Cover of A Groom of One's Own by Emma St. Clair

A Groom of One's Own

Emma St. Clair

#3 in Appies Hockey Romance

Cover of Secret Or Shutout by Leah Brunner

Secret Or Shutout

Leah Brunner

#4 in D.C. Eagles Hockey

Cover of Green Card Christmas by Jen Atkinson

Green Card Christmas

Jen Atkinson

#2 in Just A Guy With A Goal

Cover of A Maui Little Christmas by Ella Beachley

A Maui Little Christmas

Ella Beachley

Cover of The Kiss Class by Ellie Hall

The Kiss Class

Ellie Hall

#3 in Nebraska Knights

Cover of Desire Or Defense by Leah Brunner

Desire Or Defense

Leah Brunner

#1 in D.C. Eagles Hockey

Cover of The Double Play by Annah Conwell

The Double Play

Annah Conwell

#4 in More Than a Game

Cover of First Love, Second Draft by Becca Kinzer

First Love, Second Draft

Becca Kinzer

Cover of The Christmas Catch by Toni Shiloh

The Christmas Catch

Toni Shiloh

Cover of Fake-Off with Fate by Whitney Dineen

Fake-Off with Fate

Whitney Dineen

#1 in Love in Maple Falls

Cover of Checking Mr. Wrong by Anne Kemp

Checking Mr. Wrong

Anne Kemp

#3 in Love in Maple Falls

Cover of The Confidentiality Clause by Annah Conwell

The Confidentiality Clause

Annah Conwell

#5 in More Than a Game

Cover of Absolutely Not in Love by Jenny Proctor

Absolutely Not in Love

Jenny Proctor

#2 in Appies Hockey Romance

Cover of Catch Me If I Fall by River Ford

Catch Me If I Fall

River Ford

#2 in Seasons of Sugar Creek (The Fletcher Family)

Cover of The Rebound Play by Kate O'Keeffe

The Rebound Play

Kate O'Keeffe

#2 in Love on Thin Ice

Cover of The Buy-In by Emma St. Clair

The Buy-In

Emma St. Clair

#1 in Love Stories in Sheet Cake

Cover of Love in Overtime by Melissa Baldwin

Love in Overtime

Melissa Baldwin

#4 in Love on Thin Ice

Cover of Soulmates and Slapshots by Melissa Baldwin

Soulmates and Slapshots

Melissa Baldwin

#6 in Love in Maple Falls

Cover of A Summer of Stars by Liana Cincotti
Aug 11

A Summer of Stars

Liana Cincotti

Cover of My Lucky Charm by Courtney Walsh

My Lucky Charm

Courtney Walsh

#2 in Holidays With Hart

Cover of The Rescue Equation by Sarah Marie Gandy
Aug 4

The Rescue Equation

Sarah Marie Gandy

#1 in Foundations

Cover of Hooked on You by Kathleen Fuller

Hooked on You

Kathleen Fuller

#1 in A Maple Falls Romance

Cover of Her Goal by Ellie Hall

Her Goal

Ellie Hall

#3 in Love in Hockey Town

Cover of Margo and the Faux Good Luck Beau by Ellie Hall

Margo and the Faux Good Luck Beau

Ellie Hall

#4 in Nebraska Knights

Cover of Penalties and Proposals by Anne Kemp

Penalties and Proposals

Anne Kemp

#7 in Love on Thin Ice

You might also like

Hockey RomanceEnemies to Lovers RomanceGrumpy Sunshine RomanceFake Dating RomanceSee all →

Get more clean reads

Curated picks like these, straight to your inbox.