Explore these popular hockey and figure skater romance books like Icebreaker by Hannah Grace.
Books Like Icebreaker by Hannah Grace55 books
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Sweet
After a year of being the dance program’s most notorious punching bag, Ivy Di Laurentis only has one goal for sophomore year at Briar University: keep her head down, survive, and make her way to New York and the ballet career she walked away from. She has zero interest in hockey players, entanglements, or AJ Connelly―her brother’s former best friend, certified golden boy, and the last person she’d ever expect to find her crying on a roof at two in the morning.
AJ has his own problems. His best friendships are in ruins, his hockey season is in turmoil, and his only plan is to drink through his feelings and hook up with anyone who isn’t emotionally complicated. Ivy, vulnerable and familiar, is nothing but emotionally complicated. Which means she’s off-limits.
Except she’s also funny. Sweet. Achingly beautiful. And obsessed with somebody else. When she propositions him to gain experience, he doesn’t know how to say no. And maybe there’s something dangerously satisfying about hooking up with his ex-best friend’s little sister…
What starts as an unlikely alliance becomes something neither of them was looking for. But with the wrong people watching, the wrong choices catching up to them, and the clock ticking on Ivy’s time at Briar U, this bad idea could be the end of them both.
Bad Idea
Elle Kennedy · 2027
📅 Mar 16, 2027
contemporarysports romancehockey romanceballerina fmcbrother's former best friendcosy
When trouble follows you home…
Lily
His name was Cayden, and he was a golden boy, an instant hit with everyone I knew.
But the mask chipped and cracked in front of me, and I saw underneath.
If I hadn’t, maybe everything would have been different.
Maybe he would have let me go.
I guess I’ll never know.
I saw him, and I can never change that.
Most importantly…. he saw me.
Now, the Coach says he’s staying with us for the season, in the room right next to mine…
I’m locked inside with my bully, and he’s watching my every move.
Aspiring musician Pippa Hartley has sworn off heartbreak, but her new job as a personal assistant is about to test that resolve. Her boss is none other than Jamie Streicher, the surly, intimidatingly hot hockey player she’s crushed on since high school. The only problem? He’s incredibly demanding, perpetually grouchy, and doesn't seem to have a single memory of who she is. Pippa is determined to keep things strictly professional, convinced that her teenage infatuation is firmly in the past.
However, as they spend more time together, the cracks in Jamie’s stony exterior begin to show. Beneath the surliness lies a man who is surprisingly protective and unexpectedly sweet. From posing as her fake boyfriend to make her ex jealous to encouraging her musical dreams and making her feel truly seen, Jamie begins to break down her defenses. When he discovers her past romantic disappointments, his competitive nature kicks in, leading to a tension that is anything but professional.
As the lines between assistant and lover blur, Pippa discovers the biggest secret of all: Jamie hasn't forgotten her at all. In fact, that high school crush was entirely mutual, and he’s been waiting for his chance to prove it. Pippa knows that falling for the town's most notorious grump could lead to the ultimate heartbreak, but with Jamie playing for keeps, it might just be a risk worth taking.
Behind The Net
Stephanie Archer · 2023
sports romancegrumpy x sunshinehockey romanceforced proximitysteamy
Hockey star Grayson Crawford is in hot water. Amidst grieving a family member, he can’t seem to pull his act together, threatening everything he’s worked so hard for—and the team he can’t live without. To clean up his image and prove he can change, he agrees to a PR relationship, but there’s only one woman he wants by his side.
Except, Bella Stratford couldn’t be a worse candidate. Only recently taking the role of his personal assistant to pay for her mother’s medical bills, she already has her hands full dodging puck bunnies and fixing Grayson’s messes. Not to mention her heart is under strict lock and key after life taught her that men cannot be trusted. But when her mother’s health gets worse, becoming Grayson’s fake girlfriend is the last solution left.
In public, they’re the perfect doting couple. In private, all those carefully drawn lines are beginning to blur. Because the shy, sweet man is not what she expected, and the guarded, caring woman just needs someone looking out for her. And with each stolen glance and tender kiss, their broken hearts might be starting to heal.
Cara Hunter is a self-made woman. Driven and fearless, she’s never lost a battle. In fact, the only time she’s fallen to her knees was, well . . . for him.
Emmett Brodie might be one of hockey’s hottest players, but the moment he sees Cara, he’s reduced to a single word: hers. And he’ll stop at nothing to change her last name.
With a love as all-encompassing and fierce as theirs, they become the ultimate power couple and the backbone of their family. But when they decide it’s time to have a baby, they discover their journey to conceiving will be anything but easy. As they face off with infertility, a battle that strips them to their bones, they’ll see just how unshakable their foundation really is.
They thought they could survive anything together, but how do you survive when you’re barely breathing?
When Evie's life seemingly shatters in a day she expects her brother to come running.
The last person she expects to show up is Matteo Valenti.
Her brother's best friend. Her childhood crush. The man she's loved in silence since she was a little girl.
What Evie doesn't know is that Matteo has spent a lifetime loving her right back.
With nowhere else to turn, Evie reluctantly lets Matteo help pick up the pieces of her broken world. But for Matteo, being there for her isn't a burden, it's everything he's ever wanted. The chance to be the one she leans on. The one she trusts. The one she loves.
And this time, neither of them can ignore the tension that's been simmering between them for over twenty years.
But while Matteo is determined to help her find her spark again, Evie carries the weight of a devastating secret, one powerful enough to destroy everything. Because some wounds cut deeper than anyone can see and even Matteo's unwavering love might not be enough to save the woman he's spent a lifetime wishing upon every star.
Chasing Hope
Mads Rafferty · 2026
contemporarysports romancehockey romancebrother's best friendchildhood friends to loversemotional
Carter Beckett is at the absolute top of his game as the NHL’s premier player, dominating both the ice and the social scene. With a peak career and an endless rotation of women, he seemingly has everything, until he meets Olivia Parker. Olivia is no stranger to the world of professional hockey, but thanks to her best friend’s relationship with a player, she’s seen enough of the lifestyle to know she wants no part of it. She’s perfectly content with her quiet life as a teacher, free from the drama and oversized egos of arrogant athletes.
However, from the moment their paths cross, Carter becomes singular in his focus, unable to get Olivia out of his head. Despite his best charms, Olivia is determined to keep him at arm's length, refusing to become just another notch on his pedestal. Realizing that his usual playbook won't work on a woman who sees right through him, Carter decides it’s time to change his strategy. In a high-stakes pursuit where the traditional rules of engagement no longer apply, he’s prepared to do whatever it takes, fair or not, to prove to Olivia that he’s the one player worth taking a shot on.
Consider Me
Becka Mack · 2022
sports romancehockey romancegolden retriever x black catblack cat fmcsteamy
Amelia Green is making a name for herself as an assistant coach in the NHL. A woman who isn’t intimidated by the people who try to pull her down, she handles the attention on her without batting an eye. What she didn’t account for was the hockey player who keeps showing up in her life.
Grant Everett is the newest player on the DC Stars roster and adjusting to life in the NHL. A guy who loves his teammates, he’s never one to break the rules. But after an accidental run-in with the league’s most talked about coach, Grant can’t stop thinking about Amelia no matter how off-limits she is.
He should stay away from her. He’s supposed to stay away—she’s older. She’s not looking to date, and he’s someone who wants to settle down.
Years of friendship and fighting their feelings turns to something more after one night together, and they never look back.
Except… hiding a relationship from the league isn’t easy.
Between secret meetups and Amelia landing a new job as the head coach of the league’s newest expansion team, she and Grant are forced to confront their future. Is there a chance their relationship can withstand the scrutiny from those on the outside, or are they a quick cross check away from disaster?
Cross Check
Chelsea Curto · 2026
contemporarysports romancehockey romancestrangers to lovershe falls firststeamy
Henry Turner is in over his head. Thanks to his chronic procrastination, he’s trapped in a nightmare class with his least favorite professor, and the stakes couldn’t be higher. He’s just been named the captain of the hockey team, a title he never asked for and feels wholly unprepared for, and failure isn’t an option if he wants to keep his life from spiraling. His luck takes a turn for the weird when he accidentally crashes a book club and meets Halle Jacobs, a fellow junior who is as academically brilliant as Henry is struggling.
Halle’s life is a meticulously balanced deck of cards: elite grades, a job, her beloved book club, and a secret novel she’s struggling to finish. While she doesn't have the sweeping romance of her favorite fictional heroines, she has plenty of stress, and adding "private tutor for a hockey player" to her plate seems like a recipe for disaster. However, Halle is suffering from a brutal case of writer's block, and Henry, with his chaotic energy and "new experiences" mantra, might be exactly the inspiration her story needs.
They strike a deal: she’ll help him pass, and he’ll help her live a life worth writing about. It’s a simple arrangement with a clear rule book, but as the lines between tutor and muse begin to blur, Henry and Halle find themselves facing a plot twist they didn't outline. In a season of high stakes and new chapters, they’ll have to decide if following the rules is worth missing out on the kind of love that only happens in books.
Daydream
Hannah Grace · 2024
sports romancehockey romancefake datingmental health repcosy
Emerson “Emmy” Hartwell has spent her entire career fighting for a place in the NHL. Now, she’s finally earned a spot with the struggling DC Stars, and she’s determined to make the most of it.
Maverick Miller is the best player in the league, but even his talent hasn’t been enough to turn the Stars into winners. As team captain, he’s desperate to change turn things around, which means keeping the peace with the team’s fiery new left-winger—even if the two of them clash at every turn.
But when the tension between them reaches a tipping point and they fall into bed together, Emmy and Maverick agree it was a one-time mistake to get the distraction out of their systems so they can focus on the season. After all, Emmy doesn’t date hockey players, and Maverick—infamous for his playboy reputation—doesn’t date anyone.
Except…what should’ve happened just once happens again, then again. They tell each other their friends with benefits arrangement is only for the season. But despite facing off on the ice, behind closed doors, the pair is nothing but fire.
Face Off
Chelsea Curto · 2024
contemporarysports romancehockey romancerivals to loversfriends with benefitssteamy
Growing up, Dani was the shadow of her mom’s best friend’s adorable son. Funny, a little nerdy, and softhearted, Alec was her constant companion during their childhood. From play dates to sneaking into movie theaters, Dani and Alec were inseparable, until the day Dani moved away. Alec promised they’d stay in touch, except, they didn't.
Flash forward to senior year and Dani is back in Minnesota, living with her grandfather while navigating the wreckage of her parents’ devastating divorce. She wouldn’t mind a quiet nerd,out with the cozy, comforting Alec she remembers, and maybe a chance to confront him for going MIA. But the teenage Alec she finds is a stranger. He’s a hockey star in a town where players are worshiped as gods, and Dani’s old place by his side has been replaced by a sea of drooling fans, a reality he clearly loves.
Resolved to ice out her former best friend, Dani is pulled back into his orbit by an unlikely series of events that forces them to fake a relationship. Once stuck together, the former childhood sweethearts begin to reconnect, unearthing complicated family secrets and facing their true feelings, including the real reason Alec has been pushing Dani away all these years.
Fake Skating
Lynn Painter · 2025
young adult romanceYAfake datingfriends to loverscosy
Jaxon Riley is exceptional at three things: starting fights on the ice, picking up women post-game, and going home to fulfill his role as the world’s best cat dad. Relationships, unfortunately, missed the list.
Lennon Hayes is supposed to be on her honeymoon. Instead, she’s alone and single, vacationing next door to a surly tattooed man who ran his date off the resort. When a run-in at the bar results in a night of bickering and cocktails, she finds herself tumbling into bed with the enemy next door, then sneaking out before the sun comes up.
Lennon’s plan to start over in a new city is going great, until she starts her new job. The job? The Vancouver Vipers’ new photographer. And the defenseman scowling at her from across the room? The one-night stand she wasn’t supposed to see again. Good thing neither of them are looking for anything serious… right?
Jaxon may not be used to falling, but if he’s going to go, he refuses to go alone. If he falls, he wants Lennon to fall with him.
Fall With Me
Becka Mack · 2024
sports romancehockey romanceone night standfound familyemotional
Famous hockey player Kieran Ashford is the NHL's favourite headline, but when his reputation catches up to him in the form of a surprise phone call and a mute three-year-old daughter he didn't know existed, Kieran is suddenly thrown into the depths of fatherhood. Now at least, he has something the quick witted book addict can't say no to--a job offer.
Because Layla Carson needs a paycheck. After spending over a year in Berlin participating in a clinical trial for her lupus, Layla is painfully aware of how her medical bills have drained her parent's bank account. When the opportunity arises to become a nanny, Layla can't refuse.
As the pair help build a home for the little girl who desperately needs them both, the walls around their hearts begin to crumble. Layla learns there's more to Kieran than the flirtatious winks and playful personality, while he's determined to give Layla everything her illness robbed her of.
But when forever was never guaranteed for either of them, they'll need to fight for the chance of a new life.
She's never been kissed. He's never felt this way about anyone.
Paige has ticked off everything on her senior year bucket list except one tiny thing — she’s never kissed anyone. And her best friend, Grayson Darling, is to blame.
Grayson is the school hockey team’s notorious enforcer, and he’s been scaring away any eligible bachelors that so much as look in Paige’s direction. With time running out, she demands that Grayson stop defending her honor. Instead, he’ll become her dating coach, training her to win the guy of her dreams.
But Grayson has plans of his own. He’s been in love with Paige since they were kids, and his clock is running, too. Coaching Paige might be his last chance to show her how good they’d be together. After all, practice makes perfect.
Riley Mitchell has everything he could ever want. A championship career, a tight-knit team, and a future in the NHL that feels guaranteed—until one night changes everything.
After a devastating accident leaves him adjusting to life with an amputation, Riley is forced to confront who he is without hockey. As he struggles, both physically and emotionally, the last thing he expects is to form a connection with the one person assigned to help him heal.
Lexi Armstrong is determined to get Riley back on his feet. As the DC Stars’ athletic trainer, she’s used to keeping things professional—but there’s nothing professional about the tension building between them. So, they make a deal: one night, no strings, no complications.
But once quickly turns into something more. As Riley fights to rebuild his future and Lexi becomes impossible to let go, they’ll have to decide if what they have is just a temporary distraction or something strong enough to last beyond the game.
Hat Trick
Chelsea Curto · 2025
contemporarysports romancehockey romancefriends with benefitsforced proximitysteamy
Shane Hollander, the disciplined captain of the Montreal Voyageurs, has one singular focus: his career. He has spent years ensuring nothing interferes with his game, especially not his long-standing rivalry with the captain of the Boston Bears, Ilya Rozanov. Ilya is Shane’s polar opposite, a cocky, self-proclaimed "king of the ice" whose talent is matched only by his arrogance. While the world sees two bitter enemies battling for hockey supremacy, the reality behind closed doors is a volatile, magnetic attraction that neither man can resist.
What starts as a string of secret hookups quickly evolves into a high-stakes emotional entanglement that threatens to upend their lives. As the pressure of the spotlight intensifies and the risk of a media scandal looms, Shane and Ilya find themselves caught between the sports they live for and the connection they can't let go of. Walking away would be the smart move to save their reputations, but as their private world begins to collide with their public personas, they realize that keeping their love a secret might be the one game they are destined to lose.
Heated Rivalry
Rachel Reid · 2023
🔥 BookToksports romanceenemies to loversmm romancehockey romancesteamy
Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wise-cracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were eighteen? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.
Ryan Wesley’s biggest regret is coaxing his very straight friend into a bet that pushed the boundaries of their relationship. Now, with their college teams set to face off at the national championship, he’ll finally get a chance to apologize. But all it takes is one look at his longtime crush, and the ache is stronger than ever.
Jamie has waited a long time for answers, but walks away with only more questions—
can one night of sex ruin a friendship? If not, how about six more weeks of it? When Wesley turns up to coach alongside Jamie for one more hot summer at camp, Jamie has a few things to discover about his old friend...and a big one to learn about himself.
Anastasia Allen has spent her entire life training for a singular goal: a spot on Team USA. Her meticulously planned path seems perfectly on track when she scores a full scholarship to the University of California, Maple Hills, and a coveted position on their elite figure skating team. She is disciplined, driven, and possesses a schedule that leaves absolutely no room for error, or for the arrogant captain of the hockey team, Nate Hawkins.
Nate’s own priorities are strictly centered on his teammates and keeping them on the ice, a task that becomes significantly more complicated when a facilities mishap forces the hockey team and the figure skating team to share a single rink. The tension is immediate, especially with Anastasia, who makes it crystal clear that she has no time for Nate’s distractions.
However, when a sudden crisis leaves Anastasia’s skating partner’s future in jeopardy, she finds herself in the unthinkable position of needing Nate’s help to keep her Olympic dreams alive. As they are forced into a partnership neither expected, the icy friction between them begins to generate a heat that neither can ignore. Anastasia is certain she could never actually fall for a hockey player, but as the sparks fly, she’s forced to wonder if Nate might be the only one capable of helping her take her shot.
Icebreaker
Hannah Grace · 2022
sports romanceenemies to lovershockey player x figure skatergolden retriever mmcsteamy
My path to success never included an enemy as a teammate, especially one as infuriating as Quinton de Haas.
Clawing under my skin is his favorite pastime, only feeding the animosity between us as the years pass.
We’re as completely opposite as two people can be; the golden boy and the black sheep.
Constantly at odds or at each other’s throats.
The only thing we can agree on is hockey is our true love, and we’ll do whatever it takes to come out on top.
I never imagined that drive would lead me to do the unthinkable: falling into bed with my not-so-straight rival.
But athletes are a superstitious bunch, and when our hook-ups lead to victories, we tell ourselves we can’t stop.
Besides, it’s all for the sake of the team, right?
Iced Out
CE Ricci · 2022
sports romancemm romancehockey romancerivals to loverssteamy
The sexy single dad is not only a world-class hockey player, but my brother’s best friend. Strictly off-limits, and always has been.
But when I inherit an old firehouse to transform into my dream bakery? The bossy, protective athlete also becomes my hero, buying in when the financing falls through.
I have to keep reminding myself – no more flirting with my new business partner… no matter how tempting he looks helping me paint.
It’s a good rule to remember when he starts making surprise shirtless appearances after each win.
Insists I wear his jersey to games.
Stands up for me when a celebrity chef is rude.
Soon, his heated glances make me feel like I’m the answer to his dreams.
Falling for the hockey player I work with could cost us everything: the bakery, his friendship with my brother, and my family who already thinks I’m a hot mess.
But when Corbin shows up after a rough game one night and tells me he can’t stop thinking about me and hasn’t been able to for years?
I’m ready to break all the rules.
Just Breaking The Rules
Lauren Blakely · 2026
sports romancehockey romancesingle dadbrother's best friendsteamy
Ever hear the story about the dating coach who got dumped on the hockey arena’s jumbotron?
Everyone did. But I lived it. Including the moment when the team’s broody, tattooed star Lake Axelrod swooped in on skates to rescue me from public humiliation.
Even more surprising? When the famously grumpy (and ridiculously sexy) hockey player insists on being my fake boyfriend for my sister’s high-profile wedding.
It’s the perfect sweet revenge plan since my ex is the best man. Bonus – I might even salvage my professional reputation.
We need rules though.
To pull this off, everyone from his teammates to my boss has to believe we’re a real couple.
That means swoony touches and knee-weakening kisses are required.
When it ends, we walk away.
But the intensity in Lake’s eyes after every post-game kiss makes me wonder if he’s pretending. With each whispered secret, the line between fake and real bends. Until it shatters one night in a hotel room.
Soon, he isn’t just playing the protective boyfriend—he’s the only one who truly sees me.
Just Playing for Keeps
Lauren Blakely · 2026
sports romancehockey romancegrumpy x sunshinefake datingsteamy
Evan Zanders is the undisputed villain of Chicago hockey, a role he embraces by racking up penalty minutes and leaving the arena with a different woman every night. His charmed life hits a snag, however, when he meets the new flight attendant on the team’s private plane, Stevie, who refuses to stroke his massive ego. Determined to make her quit by the end of the season, Zanders relentlessly pushes her buttons, only to find the lines blurring with every road trip.
Stevie, a veteran flight attendant who thought she’d seen it all, is suddenly second-guessing her vow to never date another athlete as she navigates working for the most self-righteous diva in the NHL. Though she despises the unfiltered, arrogant image Zanders projects to the world, she finds it increasingly difficult to hate the man behind the persona, especially when his annoying charm becomes impossible to resist.
Mile High
Liz Tomforde · 2022
contemporaryenemies to loverssports romancehockey romancesteamy
I was never anyone's first choice. Until two monsters made me their only one.
One bad decision leads me into the woods and straight into the hands of two masked strangers who chase me through the dark, pin me down, and leave me questioning everything I thought I knew about myself.
Then I learn who they are.
Serpents.
And not just any Serpents, but six-foot-ten Hunter Kincaid and his other half, six-foot-eight Atlas Trembley.
Atlas gets under my skin like a splinter. He fights me, steals from me, and doesn't care that I want to kill him. He's counting on it.
Hunter doesn't speak. He takes. He decides. And he's decided on me.
They even call me Little Titan like I belong to them.
The worst part?
I want to belong to the two hockey players who fight over marshmallows and look at me like I'm the best thing that's ever happened to them.
But Hunter's past isn't done with him. And when it threatens to tear us apart, I learn exactly what kind of monsters my Serpents are.
Monstrous Serpent
E.V. Olsen · 2026
sports romanceMMM romancehockey romanceenemies to loversdark
There are only two things I’ve ever truly wanted in my life. To be a goalie in the NHL and JJ Hanson.
In a twisted way, both dreams have come true. Rather than a spot on the roster though, I’m now the first female goalie coach in the NHL. JJ Hanson’s coach, specifically.
Not only is he one of my players—making him totally off limits—he’s also a single dad and still technically married. Oh, and thanks to my father’s meddling, he’s now my roommate, along with his cousin and her three kids, my sister and her four-year-old twins, my cousin, and JJ’s daughter, who I unfortunately adore.
Yup, I’m living with six kids under the age of five, and the only man I’ve ever loved.
There was a time when JJ was my closest friend, and for one perfect moment, he was mine. Now we don’t even talk. JJ is determined to change that, though, and when opportunity strikes and suddenly both of my dreams are within reach, I have to make a decision. Can I step out onto that ice as the first female goalie in the NHL and trust JJ with my heart?
I’ve never been one to walk away from a challenge. Maybe the only way JJ and I can move forward is to go back to the start.
Paper Rings
Brittanée Nicole · 2026
sports romancehockey romancefriends to loverssingle dadcosy
He’s found the perfect person, but she’s the only one he can’t be with…
Garrett Andersen knows that playing professional hockey requires absolute dedication to the rules. There’s just one rule he’s finding difficult to follow: stay away from his captain’s younger sister.
As a professional dancer, Jennie Beckett knows what it takes to excel. She prides herself on being every bit as confident and bold as her brother, sassy as hell, and the only person in charge of her pleasure. No wonder Garrett can’t stay away from her, even if he forgets how to form sentences whenever she’s around.
Jennie would rather avoid her brother’s teammate, especially after several embarrassing run-ins, but suddenly they’re neighbors. And as the connection between them grows, Garrett and Jennie decide to have some fun, no strings attached. Between their busy schedules and her brother’s disapproval, they know keeping things casual and low-key is the smartest play.
But what if their feelings get in the way? After all, they’re only supposed to be playing with each other…
Play with Me
Becka Mack · 2022
sports romancehockey romancebrother's best friendforced proximityemotional
He’s a scandal. He’s a role model. Together, they’re a headline.
When a candid photo of professional problem Mo—son of the Arizona Canyon’s’ owner—and Adam, the league’s first openly drafted golden , hits the internet, it doesn’t spark rumors. It confirms them. According to everyone, they’ve been secretly together for years.
Mo is one scandal away from losing everything, including his family’s support. Captain Adam, Phoenix’s most eligible gay bachelor, has spent his entire career being careful, respectable, unmessy. Publicly denying Mo could have a negative impact on him and his team.
So they make a deal: fake it.
What starts as damage control tuns into a full-time performance—public appearances, staged dates, late nights that feel a little too real. The more convincing they are, the safer they’ll be. But the closer they get, the harder it is to tell what’s real and what’s strategy. Because somewhere between the arguments, the chemistry, and the us-against-the-world pressure… they stop pretending. Too bad the rules of the game don’t leave room for catching feelings….
Piper Mitchell is ready to take control of her life again. Newly divorced, stuck in a rut at work, and completely out of practice when it comes to dating, she decides there’s only one solution: learn how to be good in the bedroom.
Liam Sullivan might be the NHL’s most intimidating goalie, but behind the scenes he’s exactly the expert Piper needs. Quiet, guarded, and surprisingly patient, Liam agrees to give Piper a few private lessons—strictly casual, no strings attached.
But when a wild night in Vegas leaves them waking up with matching wedding rings, Piper and Liam decide to figure out how much more fun they can have as husband and wife.
It’s only temporary. Only for the season. And it definitely doesn’t mean anything. Except the longer they pretend to be married, the harder it becomes to remember where the act ends and their real feelings begin.
To Jasper Gervais's fans, he's the handsome, talented hockey heartthrob on TV. But to Sloane, he'll always be the lost boy with the sad eyes and a heart of gold.
The man she's loved in secret all her life.
So when her life falls apart on the day she's supposed to marry someone else, it only makes sense that he's the one to swoop in and save her. And when his world comes crashing down around him, she's there to return the favor.
But the more time they spend alone, the more Jasper isn't looking at her like a friend anymore. He isn't touching her like one, either. And after all these years, he's still everything she's ever wanted, everything she thought she could never have.
Their feelings aren't straightforward, though. They twist and turn around the pain of Jasper's past and the reality of Sloane's present.
Jasper Gervais might act like he wants her.
But after years of turning her away, he's going to need to prove it.
Powerless
Elsie Silver · 2022
sports romancechildhood friends to loversrunaway bridehockey romanceemotional
Violet Hall has zero interest in legendary hockey star Alex Waters. Between his "pretty, beat-up face" and rock-hard physique, he’s exactly the kind of distraction she avoids, especially since having a pro athlete for a stepbrother has taught her that most players are notorious heartbreakers. Every hockey game she attends is strictly under duress, and she’s determined to keep her distance from the league's most eligible bachelor.
That is, until Alex starts talking books.
The moment he proves there’s a brain behind the brawn, Alex becomes more than just a hot body, and Violet discovers exactly how talented he is with "the hockey stick in his pants." She’s prepared to write their night of orgasmic magic off as a one-time event, but Alex has other plans. He begins a relentless pursuit, flooding her world with calls, texts, emails, and a series of extravagant, quirky gifts that make him nearly impossible to ignore and even harder to dislike.
The problem remains: Alex is a world-class player on and off the ice, and Violet has no desire to be just another trophy in his collection. As his persistence wears down her defenses, she has to decide if Alex is truly changing his game, or if she’s just about to get played.
Rachel Price thought she had pulled off the perfect escape: one magical, nameless night with a man so sweet and hot it should have been illegal, followed by a clean break. No strings, no regrets, and zero expectation of an encore. But when she walks into her career-defining fellowship as the new physical therapist for the Jacksonville Rays, she comes face-to-face with her "Mr. Perfect", who happens to be the NHL’s most notorious playboy grinder. The ultimate insult? The jerk doesn’t even recognize her.
With a ten-month fellowship on the line, Rachel is determined to stay professional, but the locker room is a minefield. While Mr. Perfect Mistake is suddenly desperate to get back on her good side, his best friend, the surly, tattooed equipment manager, seems intent on riding her case at every turn. To make matters worse, Rachel is locked in a battle of wills with the team's uncooperative goalie, who is clearly masking a season-ending injury and refuses to let her in.
Rachel knows that falling for a player, let alone three, is a professional death wish. She’s worked too hard to risk her reputation on a team of high-stakes athletes who are used to getting exactly what they want. But as secrets are revealed and boundaries are pushed to the breaking point, Rachel realizes these men aren't just playing for the Stanley Cup, they’re playing to win her heart. And in this game, the traditional rules of engagement are about to be shattered.
Cammie Darling is a phenomenal pairs figure skater, but she’s notoriously difficult to work with, and she’s just lost yet another partner.
Seth Walker has just been kicked off the hockey team for something he didn’t do, and his college hopes are looking bleak. When he’s offered the chance to join forces with the ice princess of Ransom High, he sees an intriguing way out.
The two have never gotten along, but their intensive training sessions soon shift from frustration to unexpected chemistry. And when Cammie finds out why Seth was kicked off the hockey team, she faces an impossible choice: keep his secret and keep her partner or reveal the truth.
Rebel Darling
Alexandra Moody · 2026
📅 Nov 3, 2026
sports romanceyoung adult romanceYAhockey romancefigure skater x hockey playercosy
Hallie Hart and Rio DeLuca were each other’s everything, childhood neighbors, first crushes, and teenage sweethearts, until they shattered each other's hearts at nineteen. Six years later, Hallie is a determined interior design intern moving to Chicago for a fresh start, only to discover that the city isn't nearly big enough to escape her past. In a cruel twist of fate, she unknowingly moves in right next door to the star hockey player she once loved, and her make-or-break career assignment turns out to be renovating his bachelor pad into a family home.
While Hallie insists she is no longer the girl who loved Rio, Rio is grappling with the realization that he has never truly moved on. As the only single man left in his friend group, he has spent years searching for a connection he now realizes he found when he was only twelve years old. Having Hallie back in his life, and his house, forces him to confront the jaded history and secret memories he’s kept guarded for years. As they struggle to work together on a house meant for a future neither is sure they can share, they must decide if their second chance at being neighbors will lead to a second chance at forever.
Rewind It Back
Liz Tomforde
sports romancechildhood friends to loverssecond chancehockey romanceemotional
She has a (fake) date with a Devil...
When Violet is left heartbroken by the captain of her school’s ice hockey team, she vows never to date a jock again. But to prove she’s moved on, she turns to the most unlikely person: her ex’s biggest rival, the notorious captain of the Ransom Devils.
Reed Darling is gorgeous, mysterious, and intimidating, the only thing people love to talk about more than his hockey skills are his exploits as a ruthless heartbreaker and bad boy. Who better to serve as Violet’s fake boyfriend until her ex gets the message, right?
But Violet soon starts to wonder if there’s more to Reed than the gossip suggests. And Reed is determined to win her over and show her he’s not the guy everyone thinks he is. Is this jock about to break all her rules?
Rival Darling
Alexandra Moody · 2025
young adult romanceYAhockey romancerivals to loverscosy
Brody Saunders is the best coach in the NHL. With two Stanley Cups under his belt and a reputation for being grumpy and unapproachable, he knows better than to cross the one line that could cost him everything—getting involved with his player’s younger sister.
Hannah Everett has spent her entire life chasing perfection on the ice. A world champion figure skater, she’s burned out and unsure of what comes next, searching for a way to rediscover both herself and her love of skating.
When Hannah agrees to coach Brody’s daughter for the season, keeping their distance should be easy. One night was already a mistake—one they’re determined not to repeat. But the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore the connection growing between them.
As the tension builds and the stakes rise, Brody and Hannah will have to decide if their relationship is worth risking everything—including his career—once the truth comes out.
Sin Bin
Chelsea Curto · 2025
contemporarysports romancehockey romanceforbidden lovegrumpy x sunshinesteamy
Hudson Hayes, star defenseman for the DC Stars, needs help. He’s been looking for a private chef for months but keeps coming up short. With the NHL season starting and no prospects in sight, he’s close to giving up.
Madeline Galloway needs a job. Recently let go from her executive chef position in Las Vegas, she’s desperate as can be when she reaches out to an old acquaintance about a possible job opportunity…. in Washington DC.
After hitting it off with her prospective employer--the blond hockey star who seems to have a heart of gold--she and her daughter, Lucy, make the move east.
The rules were simple: no personal relationships. No falling for the romantic guy who always made her smile, even if they are living together and spending all their free time with each other.
But after a kiss on New Year’s Eve, everything changes. The lines blur. Being Hudson’s friend—and only his friend—is the last thing on her mind.
And when Hudson learns American Sign Language for Lucy, his feelings might be a slap shot to Madeline's heart.
Slap Shot
Chelsea Curto · 2025
contemporarysports romancehockey romancefriends to loversslow burnsteamy
I accidentally witnessed a brutal murder.
I froze, pretended I saw nothing, hoping I could leave it behind.
But my plan backfired, and my life spiraled downward.
Now, I'm the target of cold-blooded revenge.
Jude Callahan isn't just a hockey god―he's a devil no one dares to cross.
My existence disrupts his stardom, prestige, and possible serial killer career choice.
And he's set out to make me pay for that moment of silence.
No matter how much I run or hide, he finds me, watching from the shadows.
Like a predator.
I thought he'd stop at the stalking.
Or even better, he'd kill me and finally end my misery.
But Jude has other plans.
He says I can't die. I have to pay for my sins.
And just like that, he drags me into his depraved world, kicking and screaming.
When two ruthless enemies collide.
My name is Preston Armstrong, and I'm the most depraved bastard you'll ever meet.
I take what I want, ruin what I don't, and live exactly how I please.
That is, until I crash into the force of nature that is Marcus Osborn.
Captain of our rival hockey team and the perpetual thorn in my side.
A migraine in human form and the one person who refuses to play by my rules.
He's my brand of heartless and just as deranged.
I set out to crush him, his career, and his infuriatingly gorgeous face.
But Marcus hits back with equal force, turning our rivalry into a violent, addictive dance neither of us can walk away from.
We were supposed to annihilate each other.
Instead, we spark a fire that threatens to devour everything in its path.
In this battle of two unhinged souls, our bodies become collateral damage.
But I never expected our stone-cold hearts to get involved.
Lennon
Saint Devereaux has a reputation that precedes him.
Orleans University’s resident bad boy on and off the ice.
And I know to stay far away.
Until there’s a mixup and we’re forced to share our ice time.
I can’t stand his cocky attitude, or how annoyingly attractive he is.
He’s the reason the Bad Boy Rule exists.
Because guys like him will break your heart.
But the more time I spend with the hot, tattooed enforcer, the more I realize that being bad… has never been so much fun.
Saint
Lennon Rousseau plays the role of a high society socialite well.
She’s the definition of a good girl.
Valedictorian, president of the esteemed Social Club, a purity pact with her friends.
And I want to ruin her the way that her father ruined my life.
I can think of a hundred ways to dirty her up, and getting her beneath me is the perfect place to start.
I thought she might be the answer to getting my revenge, but now I’m beginning to wonder if she’s the one who’ll bring me to my knees instead.
The Bad Boy Rule
Maren Moore · 2025
contemporarysports romancehockey romancegood girl x bad boycollege settingsteamy
Merritt
I’m done with hockey players.
Done with their egos.
Done with their lies.
Done with being the girl who isn’t good enough.
My focus is law school. My future. A life better than the one I came from.
Then I get paired with Bennett Legros in creative writing.
Orleans University's resident playboy.
The star goalie with a reputation for breaking hearts as easily as he stops pucks.
And the guy who somehow doesn’t remember the humiliating night between us sophomore year... even though I’ve never forgotten.
He’s the last person I should trust.
But when my cheating ex transfers to Orleans University and has the audacity to parade the other woman around, Bennett offers me the perfect solution.
Fake date the campus golden boy.
Make my ex jealous.
Prove I’ve moved on.
No feelings. No complications. No risk.
Except the more time I spend with the annoyingly charming goalie, the harder it becomes to remember why I disliked him in the first place.
And the more real our fake relationship feels, the more I wonder if I'm about to make the same mistake twice.
Bennett
Everyone thinks they know who I am.
The life of the party.
The flirt.
The guy who never takes anything seriously.
What nobody sees is the pressure crushing me from every direction.
My NHL dreams are slipping away.
My starting position is suddenly at risk.
And for once in my life, I’m done chasing distractions.
No more meaningless hookups.
No girls.
No exceptions.
Until Merritt St. Pierre comes crashing into my world.
My beautiful, sharp-tongued class partner.
Oh and surprise…she’s my rival’s ex.
One unexpected kiss leads to the best game of my career.
Now I need another one.
For luck, obviously.
Turns out convincing her to fake date me is way easier than getting her to actually like me.
But the more I’m around her, the less I care about lucky superstitions.
For once, this isn’t about the chase…
The girl who doesn’t seem to want me might be the only one I can't let go.
Because for the first time in my life, I'm not worried about defending the net.
I'm worried about keeping the girl.
And that’s a game I have no idea how to win.
Charlotte Kingston is living two lives―and she's nailing both of them.
By day, she's the perfect sorority girl, a biomedical engineering student, and the adopted daughter of an overachieving family. By night, she's Charlie: a risk-taking daredevil looking for fun who finds herself chatting on a dating app with two anonymous hotties.
Will Larsen may seem like the breezy boy next door, but his congressman father is a constant thorn in his side. After a scandal hits another Division 1 hockey program, Will's dad is determined to distance his son from it, hiring a journalist to prove how squeaky-clean Will and his team are. Which means the last thing Will wants is for anyone to find out he and his best friend Beckett Dunne―a laidback Aussie shielding secret heartache―sometimes share girls in the bedroom.
When Charlie finally meets them in person and realizes she's been chatting with two gorgeous Briar U hockey players, things get steamy―fast. But all their messy secrets are piling up, and real life soon threatens to shatter the fantasy. With Charlie, Will, and Beckett all coming to terms with what they want and what others want for them, difficult decisions will need to be made.
Especially when lust starts to look a lot like love.
The Charlie Method
Elle Kennedy · 2025
contemporarysports romanceMFMhockey romancefriends to loverssteamy
Summer Di Laurentis is a whirlwind of sunshine, sparkles, and sass, arriving at Briar U determined to prove there is a serious fashion student beneath her "party girl" exterior. Her fresh start comes with a major complication: she’s moving into a house full of her brother’s hockey teammates. While she is used to having every head in the room turn her way, she quickly meets her match in Colin "Fitzy" Fitzgerald, the tattooed, quiet gamer who seems completely immune to her charms.
Fitzy is a man of few words who prefers the solitude of his sketches and video games to the chaotic spotlight Summer brings with her. To him, she is too loud, too bold, and a guaranteed headache. Yet, as the reality of being roommates sets in, his carefully constructed walls begin to crumble. Summer gets under his skin in a way no one else ever has, sparking a slow-burn tension that neither of them can ignore. Amidst wild parties and brutal hockey seasons, Summer and Fitzy must navigate their clashing personalities and undeniable chemistry, discovering that the person who is the "opposite of everything they wanted" might be exactly what they need.
The Chase
Elle Kennedy · 2018
sports romancegrumpy x sunshinehockey romancecollege settingcosy
Hannah Wells is confident, sharp, and successful in almost every area of her life, except when it comes to sex and seduction. Burdened by a heavy set of baggage from her past, she’s struggled to get the attention of the one guy she actually wants. To step out of her comfort zone and finally get noticed, she strikes a deal with the last person she ever expected to help her: Garrett Graham, the cocky, childish, and undeniably annoying captain of the college hockey team.
Garrett’s only goal is to play professional hockey, but his plummeting GPA is about to bench him for good. He needs a tutor, and Hannah is his only hope. In exchange for her academic help, Garrett agrees to a "pretend dating" scheme designed to make Hannah’s crush jealous. It’s a win-win arrangement until one unexpected, earth-shattering kiss turns their "fake" relationship into the wildest physical connection either has ever experienced. As the lines between the deal and their real feelings blur, Garrett realizes he’s no longer playing a part. Now, he just has to convince the sarcastic brunette that the guy she’s been looking for has been standing right in front of her all along.
Jack Baker is on top of the world now that he’s back on the rink where he belongs. But the high comes crashing down when he reinjures his arm immediately following his return to the ice, and this time, he might never be able to play again. After a lifetime as the strong, happy hockey guy whose sister needed him, Jack is left questioning everything he knows about himself.
Abigail Thompson feels like she’s hit rock bottom. It’s only been a few months since the massive scandal that finally severed the cord between her and her narcissistic father. And now, in her last weeks of grad school, she’s been kicked out of her building with very short notice. The last thing she wants to do is ask her half-brother for help after what she’s put him through, but it’s looking like his best friend’s spare room might be her only choice.
Jack is flighty, flirty, and a little full of himself—all the things Abby’s learned to avoid in men. However, spending every day together breaks the ice between them, and she starts to realize that Jack might not be who he seems. It’s possible that maybe, just maybe, he might be struggling as much as she is. Soon, confiding in each other leads to falling into bed, and this fling will either play with their hearts—or score them the ultimate goal of love.
Sabrina James is a woman with a plan. A college senior with her sights set on a cutthroat law career, she is determined to outrun a difficult past through sheer ambition and academic excellence. Her blueprint for success definitely doesn’t involve falling for a hockey player, let alone one who believes in soulmates. However, a single night of intense passion and unexpected tenderness with John Tucker changes everything, leaving Sabrina facing a future she never factored into her spreadsheets.
John Tucker has always been the ultimate team player, content to let others take the spotlight as long as the job gets done. But when he discovers he’s going to be a father at twenty-two, he refuses to sit on the sidelines. He is fully committed to Sabrina and their baby, captivated by her sharp wit and fierce independence. The challenge? Sabrina has spent her life building walls to protect her heart, and she is far too stubborn to let anyone, especially a charming athlete, derail her dreams or offer her an "assist."
As Sabrina struggles to balance her legal aspirations with her new reality, Tucker must prove that he’s more than just a fleeting distraction. He’s determined to show her that a "happily ever after" isn't a sign of weakness, and that the most important goals in life are the ones you don't have to reach alone.
Maisie
The night I decided to stop being the good girl…I met him.
Dark eyes. Rough hands. Dangerous edge.
A stranger who made me forget every rule I’ve ever lived by.
But turns out Wilder Hawthorne isn’t just the hookup I can’t stop thinking about.
He’s the new hockey coach at my university.
More than a decade older.
And the man who says I was a mistake…
Now we’re forced to work together, pretending nothing happened.
Soon every glance starts to feel like a promise.
Every touch feels dangerous.
The more time I spend with the grumpy, callous coach, the more I wonder if I’m the one thing he can’t resist.
The way he looks at me says he’s already broken his own rules.
And the more he tries to keep his distance, the more I want to push him over the edge.
Wilder
Getting kicked out of the NHL was supposed to be rock bottom.
Now the only way to fix my reputation is coaching at the one place I never wanted to return to…Orleans University.
New job. Clean image. No scandals.
Until her.
Maisie Delacroix.
The sunshiney preacher’s daughter I spent one reckless night with before I knew who she was.
College student. My team’s new philanthropy liaison. The off-limits distraction I can’t afford.
One rumor could cost me everything.
She’s too sweet. Too innocent. Too good for a guy like me.
But the more she looks at me like I’m worth saving, the more I realize the only thing more dangerous than crossing the line…is wanting to.
Gigi Graham is a force to be reckoned with: focused, fearless, and tired of being known only as "Garrett Graham’s daughter." With her sights set on the national team, she is determined to carve out her own legacy on the ice. Enter Luke Ryder: six-and-a-half feet of brooding intensity and the new co-captain of the Briar hockey team. Luke is currently drowning in "baggage" and struggling to lead a fractured roster, leaving him with zero patience for anything that doesn't involve winning, especially not a distracting favor for a rival's daughter.
But they both have something the other needs, leading to a high-stakes, strictly business arrangement. Luke agrees to help Gigi sharpen her legendary goal-scoring skills, and in exchange, she’ll use her influence to help him win the hard-earned favor of her father, his legendary coach.
The plan is simple: keep their heads down and their skates on the ice. However, the more they push each other to their limits during late-night practice sessions, the more the professional friction ignites into something much more personal. As their "business deal" begins to melt under the heat of an undeniable attraction, Gigi and Luke have to decide if following their hearts is worth the risk of losing their focus, and the game.
The Graham Effect
Elle Kennedy · 2023
sports romancecollege romancehockey romanceenemies to loverssteamy
College junior John Logan is the ultimate campus heartthrob, a star hockey player who navigates a world of endless parties and easy hook-ups with a killer grin. But beneath his carefree exterior, Logan is spiraling, hiding a growing sense of despair about the dead-end life awaiting him after graduation. When he meets freshman Grace Ivers, he expects another brief, sexy distraction to numb the pressure. Instead, a thoughtless mistake on his part sends the one girl who actually matters walking out of his life, leaving Logan to spend his final year at Briar University desperate to prove he’s worth a second chance.
But the Grace who returns for her sophomore year isn't the quiet, shy "butterfly" Logan remembers. Older, wiser, and completely over the arrogant hockey players who think the world owes them a favor, Grace has no intention of being just another notch on a puck bunny's belt. She isn't looking for a charity case or a hollow apology; she’s looking for a man who will actually work to earn her trust. As Logan realizes that his usual game won't work on the new-and-improved Grace, he finds himself in the passenger seat for the first time, and Grace is more than happy to drive him absolutely wild.
The Mistake
Elle Kennedy · 2015
sports romancecollege settinghockey romancestrangers to loverssteamy
Allie Hayes is in full-blown crisis mode. With graduation fast approaching and no career path in sight, she’s also nursing the sting of a major breakup. The last thing she needs is a complicated romantic entanglement, but Briar University’s resident heartthrob, Dean Di Laurentis, is a temptation she can't seem to shake. One night of wild rebound sex was supposed to be the cure, but Allie is determined to leave it at that. She has enough uncertainty in her future without adding a notorious "one-night stand king" to the mix.
Dean Di Laurentis is used to a life of easy wins, whether it’s his grades, his hockey stats, or his legendary success with women. He’s never met a challenge he couldn’t charm his way through, until Allie. After one world-rocking night, she does the unthinkable: she puts him in the friend zone. Refusing to accept defeat, Dean launches a full-court press to win her back, but he quickly realizes that Allie requires more than just flashy moves and easy lines.
As graduation looms and unexpected, life-altering changes strike, the "scoring" king finds himself playing a brand-new game. Dean is forced to decide if he’s ready to trade his reputation for something permanent, proving to Allie, and himself, that he's finally ready to shoot for love.
The Score
Elle Kennedy · 2016
sports romancehockey romancefriends with benefitsreformed playboysteamy
Toren Kane has always been a magnet for trouble. Branded as dangerous and brutal, his reputation has followed him from the playground to the ice rink. After a scandal cost him his first-round NHL draft pick, Toren’s last shot at redemption lies with Waterfell University’s hockey team, who all despise him for what he did to their captain at the last Frozen Four competition. To make matters worse, Waterfell’s new assistant coach is Christophe LaBlanc, Toren’s former coach and the man who knows all his darkest secrets.
Lillian LaBlanc is out of chances, according to her father. After flunking out of an Ivy League, she’s struggling and her father’s strict rules are the only things keeping her afloat. Suffering beneath the weight of his suffocating control, Lily is desperate to keep her need to paint as hidden as her depression. But her fragile stability is threatened when she discovers that Toren Kane, her childhood best friend and first love, is also attending Waterfell, and is on her father’s team.
As Toren and Lily’s lives collide once more, old wounds and unresolved feelings resurface. Toren must confront his self-destructive tendencies and learn to let others in, while Lily faces the daunting task of breaking free from her father’s grip. Their connection could be the key to healing, or the spark that reignites the chaos they’ve both been trying to escape.
Undone
Peyton Corinne
📅 Oct 27, 2026
sports romancehockey romancesecond chanceantihero mmc x coach's daughteremotional
When it comes to dating, Adam Lockwood wouldn’t know luck if it hit him in the face. After a failed relationship and a string of dates gone wrong, the thought of being vulnerable with someone is terrifying, most women only see his fame. But when his dog runs into Rosie Wells, a beautiful woman with a blush as pink as her hair, she doesn’t seem to have a clue who he is, and Adam seizes the opportunity as a chance to finally be himself.
Rosie has her hands full as a single mother and fourth-year veterinary student, and she certainly wouldn’t know a hockey player if she ran into one. She doesn’t have time to date, and she’s fiercely protective of her little family. But when a chance encounter leads her to Adam, she knows it’s worth risking her heart.
The only problem? Adam is used to wearing a mask, he’s a goalie, after all. And as he holds onto a secret that threatens to unravel him and destroy his new family, they’re both at risk of losing more than ever before.
Rhys Koteskiy is a shell of the man he used to be. As a hockey legacy and the captain of Waterfell University, his path to the NHL seemed inevitable, until a brutal hit during the Frozen Four left him grappling with a concussion and a soul-crushing fear of the ice. Now, plagued by nightmares and paralyzing panic attacks, Rhys is desperate to feel anything other than the hollow emptiness that has consumed his life.
Sadie Brown, a spitfire figure skater with a "bad attitude" and a reputation for disappearing, is feeling far too much. Drowning under the weight of mounting debt, a bitter custody battle for her younger brothers, and the relentless pressure of her sport, she is just trying to survive until tomorrow. She doesn't have time for distractions, and she certainly doesn't have time for the school’s golden boy.
Their worlds collide when Sadie witnesses one of Rhys’s private breakdowns. Instead of judgment, an unspoken understanding forms between them, a fragile bond built on shared pain and quiet comfort. While Rhys is drawn to the vibrant, high-volume emotions that seem to burst from Sadie, she finds a rare sanctuary in his presence. But as their connection deepens, the secrets they are both guarding threaten to shatter the progress they've made. In a world that demands perfection, they are both skating on thin ice, trying to decide if healing is possible when the past refuses to let go.
Unsteady
Peyton Corinne · 2024
sports romancehockey romancemental health repgolden retriever x black catemotional
Five months in, NHL forward Ryan Wesley is having a record-breaking rookie season. He’s living his dream of playing pro hockey and coming home every night to the man he loves—Jamie Canning, his longtime best friend turned boyfriend. There’s just one problem: the most important relationship of his life is one he needs to keep hidden, or else face a media storm that will eclipse his success on the ice.
Jamie loves Wes. He really, truly does. But hiding sucks. It’s not the life Jamie envisioned for himself, and the strain of keeping their secret is taking its toll. It doesn’t help that his new job isn’t going as smoothly as he’d hoped, but he knows he can power through it as long as he has Wes. At least apartment 10B is their retreat, where they can always be themselves.
Or can they? When Wes’s nosiest teammate moves in upstairs, the threads of their carefully woven lie begin to unravel. With the outside world determined to take its best shot at them, can Wes and Jamie develop major-league relationship skills on the fly?
Xander Hendrix was the only person in the world who was kind to me. Not my horrible family, and certainly no one else at school. He was the boy who protected me from bullies and made me feel . . . seen. Now, all these years later, he’s a hockey superstar, back in our hometown of Silver Springs with an injury—and he doesn’t remember me at all.
Let me tell you, that will mess with your head.
But I’ve never forgotten him. I’ve followed his amazing hockey career, cheering him on from afar while dealing with an abusive mother and a soul-crushing workload.
Now I’ve been hired as his physical therapist. Suddenly, my sole job is to spend every day with the tall, sexy athlete, helping him get back in shape to return to the ice and the sport he loves. But this isn’t just about rehab for him. The way he looks at me, takes care of me, and touches me is so much more than a simple working relationship.
When my already fragile life starts to totally fall apart, Xander is there to help me pick up the pieces. He’s the one person I can lean on. Count on. And don’t even get me started on what the man can do to my body.
But when he’s healed and it’s time for him to return to Denver, will what we’ve built be strong enough to keep us together? Or will I have to say goodbye?
What About Us
Kristen Proby · 2026
sports romancehockey romancefriends to loverssmall town romanceemotional
Enemies. Teammates. Something dangerously close to more . . .
Parker Darling is ready to take center ice, but the Ransom Devils' new coach already hates him for a dumb mistake Parker made years ago—with the help of that new coach’s daughter.
Kenzie Foster loves hockey. If only her hockey-coach dad hadn't forbidden her from playing—thanks to Parker Darling.
When the Devils’ goalie gets injured, Parker is determined to lead the team back to greatness. Kenzie, meanwhile, sees a wide-open net just waiting to prove her dad wrong.
Parker and Kenzie will need to work together to reach their goals—but does that mean risking another big mistake?
Wild Darling
Alexandra Moody · 2026
sports romanceyoung adult romanceYAhockey romanceenemies to loverscosy
Icebreaker is a college hockey romance following Anastasia Allen, a figure skater vying for an Olympic spot, and Nate Hawkins, the captain of the Maple Hills university hockey team. When a scheduling conflict forces the figure skaters and hockey team to share ice time, Anastasia and Nate are paired together and the chemistry quickly turns into something neither of them planned for. It’s a slow-burn, low-angst New Adult romance with spicy scenes, and it’s the first book in the Maple Hills series.
What books are similar to Icebreaker?
If you loved Icebreaker, try Pucking Around by Emily Rath, The Deal by Elle Kennedy, Behind the Net by Stephanie Archer, Consider Me by Becka Mack, Pucking Around in particular is a strong match if you want spicier content, while The Deal is the closest in the college hockey setting.
Is Icebreaker spicy?
Yes, Icebreaker has multiple explicit open-door spice scenes, generally rated around 4 out of 5 chilies by most reviewers. It’s spicier than something like The Deal but less intense than books like Pucking Around or Icebreaker’s often-compared counterpart Haunting Adeline. The romance itself is low-angst and sweet, with the spice feeling earned rather than central to the plot.
Do I need to read the Maple Hills books in order?
Each Maple Hills book can technically be read as a standalone since it follows a different couple, but reading in order (Icebreaker, Wildfire, Daydream, Unwritten) is recommended because characters from earlier books appear as side characters in later ones. You’ll get more out of Wildfire, for example, if you’ve already met Russ and Aurora in Icebreaker.
What tropes are in Icebreaker?
Icebreaker features forced proximity, he-falls-first, grumpy-sunshine (with Nate being surprisingly sweet), slow burn, college romance, found family with the hockey team, one bed, and a protective love interest. There’s also a sports rivalry element early on that dissolves into a supportive partnership.
Why is hockey romance so popular?
Hockey romance has exploded in popularity thanks to BookTok, and the appeal comes down to a few things: the athletes are typically portrayed as protective, physically capable, and emotionally devoted; the team dynamic creates built-in found-family elements; and the sport itself offers high-stakes moments perfect for grand gestures. Add the “puck bunny” rivalry tropes, the locker room banter, and the contrast between aggressive on-ice players and soft off-ice partners, and it’s a winning formula. The success of series like Icebreaker, Pucking Around, and The Deal cemented it as one of the dominant subgenres in contemporary romance.
Are there any content warnings for Icebreaker?
Icebreaker includes explicit sexual content, alcohol use, mentions of an absent/neglectful parent (Anastasia’s mother), themes of eating pressure and body image related to figure skating, and mild injury. It’s considered low-angst overall, with no cheating and no major traumatic plot points.
