Books like 'Playing Hard to Get'
Readers who enjoyed Playing Hard to Get by Monica Murphy also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance sports university friends-to-lovers steamy forced-proximity slow-burn multi-pov enemies-to-lovers
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All the Sauce by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOwen Adler has spent his whole life being half of a matched set. But when his twin brother Evan leaves hockey—and him—behind on the Carolina IceCats, Owen finds he has to skate a new path on his own.Angie Paxton knows a lot about being on her own. She pushed Nashville, and the trauma she experienced there, to the back of her mind and started over in South Carolina...Categorized as:
athlete enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers slow-burn sports steamy university adult -
Could Be the One: (Lucas and Becca) by Claire Kingsley
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsI’ve always been the good girl, doing what people expect. But when I find myself dumped, instead of engaged, I realize it’s time for a change. I want to stop being so timid. Take risks. Find my naughty side. And who better to help me than my friend Lucas? Sure, Lucas is sexy as sin, with a smile that turns my brain inside out and a body that makes me think a lot of very bad girl thoughts...Categorized as:
steamy friends-to-lovers forced-proximity slow-burn alpha-mc romantic-love contemporary audiobook -
Do You Dare? by Lylah James
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsWhat happens when a dare goes too far?Maddox Coulter. Reckless bad boy. Infamous playboy. My nemesis. And now my best friend.I know he'll never leave me hanging. He knows I'll never refuse a dare. Everywhere we go we turn heads, but it's not like that.Until it is.For one of us, anyway.I've always known he would be my downfall. But I trusted him to catch me.He proved me wrong...Categorized as:
alpha-mc athlete coming-of-age enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers multi-pov slow-burn sports -
Chosen by Love by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCameron White is the most famous student influencer on the Bellevue campus. Not only that, she is one hell of a gymnast, ready to stick every landing her senior year. It’s time to go out with a bang...Categorized as:
university sports friends-to-lovers coming-of-age multi-pov athlete romance contemporary -
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Fallen Snow by Jolie Vines
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHot rock star meets injured snowboarder. Even broken hearts can melt.ViolaAfter a hit and run, my gold medal dreams are forced on hold. I can’t walk, let alone snowboard, and a wheelchair is my new way to get around.Everything I worked for has been destroyed.Then the world’s number one rock star strides into my life.He’s staying in my castle and working with my family... -
The Red Zone by Amie Knight
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThey say the red zone is the hardest place to score. But for me, those last twenty yards were my sweet spot. They didn't call me Lukas "Last Minute Lucy" Callihan for nothing. I was at the top of my game...until life sacked me harder than any linebacker ever could. Losing my mom was devastating and left me as the sole person responsible for my little sister... -
Player by Natalie Rios
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCocky. Player. A**hole. Without a doubt, Theo Montgomery is the university's most promising student athlete – and it’s biggest player. Confident, charming, and handsome as sin, there isn’t a single girl at Carlton University who’s immune to this quarterback. Except Allie. Smart. Driven. Sassy. Make no mistake, Allie Perez can’t stand jocks...Categorized as:
athlete enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers multi-pov slow-burn sports university book -
3 Count by Nikki Castle
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA charming ladies' man that everybody loves.A badass photojournalist that treats every day as a new adventure.A friends with benefits relationship.When Aiden and Dani meet on his college campus, their playful banter and physical chemistry immediately draws them to each other. It's easy for one accidental meet-cute to become a standing date, and for a certain understanding to develop between them... -
Only One Regret by Natasha Madison, Connor Crais
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsListening Length 7 hours and 4 minutesCooper My name came with big skates to fill. At the top of my game, I had everything I wanted - or so I thought. Being traded to Dallas was not what I was expecting, but neither were the divorce papers I was served. Now I’m a single dad in a city that isn’t my home. Erika Handed my biggest client when I was 22 made my dreams come true... -
The Strike Out by Meghan Quinn
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIt started with one night out with the boys.She was the hot diner waitress putting herself through school.I was the rich, arrogant player everyone misjudges.On paper we didn’t match.Yet all it took was one day. One single day to change her mind.She wasn’t planning to spend her day off with me.She wasn’t supposed to fall for my charm...Categorized as:
athlete enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers multi-pov slow-burn sports steamy university -
Maxim by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe leading scorer on the Reapers has the unspeakable yips…and it’s me.The second my NHL legend of a father appears, I can’t shoot to save my life.And my mistakes might cost my team our playoff spot.No pre-game superstition can fix it—I’m broken.Adding to the pressure, my little sister’s best friend just became my roommate for the next five months.Evangeline Walsh... -
Making His Play by Mari Carr
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAlex has a big name in hockey, famous for his stick skills—on and off the ice. But he’s also got a freckle-faced female problem. He took his sister’s tomboy best friend, Charley, to a Vegas wedding to cheer her up after a bad breakup.Too much champagne later and he’s waking up with Charley in his bed and his ring on her finger. And the crazy part is…Mrs. Alex Stone has a nice ring to it... -
Riptide by Kathryn Nolan
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAvery Dacosta never expected to find a protester in front of her office.Especially not now, when she’s this close to achieving a professional milestone years in the making: building a luxury hotel on Playa Vieja, San Diego’s untouched beach paradise.Finn Travis, local surfer and all-around nice guy, never expected to find himself the leader of Playa Vieja’s resistance... -
Pull You In by Jessica Gadziala
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt was always supposed to be her little secret.That she got lonely and desperate enough to call him on his phone sex line.It was wrong, she knew, to keep calling, knowing who he was, but having him in the dark about who he was talking to.She always planned to stop.After the next call.When their boss gets wind of what is going on, she hatches a plan... -
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Forgetting the Rules: A Second-Chance-Romance Sports Standalone by Mariah Dietz
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA standalone sports romance. Book 6 in The Dating Playbook Series... -
No Chance by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe screaming fans in the crowd are proof the world loves Brett Pitzer, but I hate him. Those women lusting after him as he bangs on his drums have this fantasy of one night with him. He granted that dream to my sister, except he left her with a baby to raise on her own.She couldn’t tell him about their boy, but with her life on the line the same night he’s back in town, I have no choice...Categorized as:
alpha-mc enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity multi-pov slow-burn steamy adult age-gap -
Declan: A Brash Brothers Billionaire Romance by Jenna Myles
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe's all I've dreamed of for years, but she's my employee...and around her, I turn into a stuttering teenage boy.We’ve been dancing around each other for years. It’s not a dance I’m proud of. The day we met, I fell out of my chair. Now, we’re stuck in this repeating pattern: she corners me, I freeze then I bolt. I’m 33 years old and I should be able to handle a woman better than this... -
Wild Card by Maggie Rawdon
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe infamous playboy and star wide receiver for the Seattle Phantom is the last person on earth I would ever expect to come to my rescue. Tobias Westfield and I can’t see eye-to-eye on anything. But when my date goes to hell and I end up stranded in the pouring rain on my birthday, he’s there—holding my hand and playing the adoring boyfriend. I might have had him all wrong...Categorized as:
sports enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity friends-to-lovers steamy multi-pov romance humor -
Stone: A Pittsburgh Titans Novel by Sawyer Bennett
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsMinor league player Stone Dumelin lost his younger brother when the Titans’ team plane went down...Categorized as:
athlete enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity friends-to-lovers multi-pov slow-burn sports adult -
A Love Song for Rebels by Piper Lawson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI swore I’d never fall for a rockstar. He swore he’d never become one.Tyler didn’t mean to break my heart. He did it anyway.Now, I’ll never play by anyone’s rules but mine.When he shows up in the last place I expect, with a confession and a promise…There’s going to be a reckoning.Because the naive girl he shattered is gone.And the woman in her place is ready for a fight...Categorized as:
coming-of-age enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers slow-burn university book contemporary fiction -
Hard Fall by Brenda Rothert, Kat Mizera
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThe St. Louis Mavericks are having the best season in team history. On pace for a pro hockey record, the unexpected death of their captain and star player knocks them off course in ways they never expected.WestonMy world was turned upside down the day Ben Whitmer died. Best friends since junior hockey, Ben was like a brother to me. My voice of reason and a grounding force on and off the ice...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity friends-to-lovers multi-pov slow-burn sports steamy adult -
Cooper by Lulu Moore
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThirteen years ago I fell for the wrong person and swore I’d never let another woman into my heart. Ever since, I’ve lived on a diet of bunnies and casual sex. That was until Francesca Danvers walked into my life. The sister of my team Captain’s fiancée, her Maid of Honor to my Best Man. She’s my match in every stubborn way. Boiling my blood during the day, lighting me on fire at night...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers forced-proximity slow-burn steamy enemies-to-lovers athlete romance -
Alluring Seduction by Skye Turner
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWarning: This book contains explicit language and explosive sex. It is an adult romance and not intended for anyone under the age of 18.Jessie Adams is the womanizing, lead guitarist for the hottest rock band in the country, Bayou Stix. Seduction is his game. He does what he wants, when he wants, and with whom he wants... -
Lucky Bastard by Kaylee Ryan
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsEmma When my best friend Aubrey asked me to tag along to an event with her, I never could have imagined that it would be the day that my life changed forever.He’s arrogant and demanding and doesn’t take a hint. Landon Barker, the quarterback for the Hermosa Beach Trojans, is a player on and off of the field. He’s got his sights set on me as his next play, but I see right through him... -
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My Lucky #13 by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsLucky.The one adjective used to describe my entire hockey career. I prefer to call it hard work, at least I did until my game went to complete crap. I haven’t scored in eight games and my team owner is talking about trading me. I’ve never believed in superstitions. Never needed one. I suppose I was “lucky” in that way. But now the best way to refer to me is desperate...Categorized as:
athlete enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity friends-to-lovers multi-pov slow-burn sports steamy -
Going Deep by Nikki Ash
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratings*Standalone enemies-to-lover's football romance* Going deep: In football it means running down the field for a long pass. You’re serious. Committed. Unstoppable. As a wide receiver, it’s a term I’m all too familiar with. It’s who I am, at least when it comes to my career. For the past decade, football has been the only thing I’ve allowed myself to commit to... -
Off Camera by Chelsea Curto
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAvery Sinclair is good at her job as the social media manager for the Baltimore Thunderhawks. She’s one of the best in the NFL, in fact. The only thing stopping her from being the account of the year? The DC Titans, run by the mystery man she’s been feuding with for years.Reid Duncan isn’t the world’s biggest sports fan, but he loves his job...Categorized as:
sports enemies-to-lovers steamy multi-pov friends-to-lovers slow-burn forced-proximity romance -
Connell by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI’m famous for two things—being one of the best defensemen in the NHL and my classic pranks.My teammates always said one of my jokes would bite me in my Scottish arse one day, and they were right.After a prank goes wrong, I’m sentenced to six weeks community service under none other than the sexy, rule-abiding, smart-mouthed city clerk of Sweet Water—Annabelle Clarke.Lucky for me it’s offseason...Categorized as:
athlete enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity friends-to-lovers multi-pov sports adult book -
My Bad Decisions by Carrie Ann Ryan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe first time he kissed me, we kept it a secret.Tanner and I have been at each other’s throats ever since.The second time he kissed me, I told myself not to fall.I should have known something burned beneath the surface and I couldn’t resist him.The third time led to something more and now one positive test later, neither one of us can walk away...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity friends-to-lovers sports steamy university adult book -
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... -
Resisting the Rookie by Jacob Chance
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBodhi Shine, my brother’s best friend, is the closest thing I have to an enemy. Tall, with irritatingly good looks, this cocky jerk has been a thorn in my backside for as long as I can remember.We’re like oil and water—we just don’t mix. I do my best to avoid him, but now that he’s the new running back for the Charleston Pirates and staying with my twin, that’s damn near impossible... -
Strong and Wild by Sloane St. James
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMickyI’m new to this city, but things are looking up. My bestie’s husband hooked me up with a great apartment above the hockey bar where I currently work, and I’ve got a great side gig bringing in plenty of cash to help fund my dream of opening my own cocktail lounge, Sugar & Ice. Life is sweet. My new neighbor, on the other hand, is not.When he reveals his true self, I hate what I discover...Categorized as:
sports enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity steamy multi-pov romance contemporary fiction -
Midnight Renegade by Hayden Locke
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOne night. No attachments. All their forbidden fantasies. They say New Year's Eve is for lovers. Except when your boyfriend accidentally video calls you while sleeping with his secretary, then it’s all aboard the hot mess express... -
Dirty Curve by Meagan Brandy
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsYou know how in college there’s that one guy everyone wants to be?That’s me. I’m the top dog. The number one. The big man on campus.Some say those things are solid wins. My new tutor would disagree. My title means nothing to her. My status lost on her. And now my mind? That sucker is stuck on her...Categorized as:
alpha-mc athlete enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity friends-to-lovers multi-pov slow-burn sports -
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The Final Play by Amie Knight
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Final Play isn’t always the end. Sometimes, it’s the beginning of something far more beautiful. As a professional linebacker, I lived and breathed football. The only thing I loved as much as the game was my twin brother, Max, who kept me almost as busy cleaning up his messes. The most recent of which landed him behind bars... -
Air Kiss: A Running on Air Novella by L.H. Cosway
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLeanne Simmons and Callum Davidson are complete opposites. As soon as they meet they know they won’t get along. However, for the sake of their TV show they agree to put their differences aside, but it’s not as easy as they think. For one, there’s the unexplainable physical attraction they can’t seem to shake. And for two, everything out of their mouths seems to rub the other the wrong way...Categorized as:
sports enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers multi-pov alpha-mc athlete steamy romance -
Mine to Take by Natasha Madison
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen two worlds crossover. From the This Is Series and The Southern Series. Things are supposed to go smoothly on your wedding day. Aren't they? Sofia Barnes I’ve always loved to play dress-up.Creating fake weddings was my childhood pastime.Now it is my dream come true.I’ve finally been handed my first client.But nothing could prepare me for who greeted me when I walked in...Categorized as:
sports enemies-to-lovers slow-burn steamy forced-proximity athlete romance contemporary -
Alluring Temptation by Skye Turner
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWarning: This book contains explicit language and explosive sex. It is an adult romance and not intended for anyone under the age of 18. Liam Christianson is the devil-may-care, rhythm guitarist for Bayou Stix, the hottest rock band around. He’s a playboy and likes to do things his way. No regrets. He knows that women love him, and he uses that to his advantage. He’s cocky and shallow... -
Rush: The Season by Nicole Edwards
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsKingston Rush Becoming a goaltender in the NHL is the only thing I ever wanted for myself. Goal accomplished. Two years ago, I was the best goalie in the league, for the third time. With our Stanley Cup win, the Austin Arrows were on top of the world. Nothing could possibly bring us down. Wrong. Turns out, even when you’re at the top, you can find yourself back at rock bottom... -
The Pact by Belle Harper
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen we were ten we made a pact.When we were twelve she moved away.Now she’s sixteen and returned home.Hunter:We made the pact when we were ten.It would be the end of our friendships, we said.We all agreed. Mila was off limits.I broke the pact when I was twelve…I won't break it again.Jace:Mila was my best friend, my neighbor and first crush.But she wasn't just mine...Categorized as:
alpha-mc athlete coming-of-age enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers slow-burn sports steamy -
Puck Block by S.J. Sylvis
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsFord Collins is my brother’s best friend and Bexley U’s favorite defender on the ice. Unfortunately, he feels the need to block much more than the puck.Namely, ME and any chance I have with a guy.Encouraged by my older brother, Ford has ruined every single date I’ve ever had...Categorized as:
sports university slow-burn friends-to-lovers forced-proximity enemies-to-lovers multi-pov romance -
Gage by Sawyer Bennett
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsVeteran player Gage Heyward retired from the league following a successful career. Now the Titans need him, but does he have what it takes to get back on the ice and pull this team together?After achieving the goals I set for myself, I walked away from my professional hockey career. It was a tough decision, but the right one at the time... -
Secret Puck by Rebecca Jenshak
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSecretly hooking up with the team captain's sister was a bad idea. In my defense, the first time I saw her I didn't know who she was.Kind, gorgeous, a little naïve. Ginny brightened my world from day one.I knew I was no good for her. She was just out of a relationship and I had a reputation for having a new girl in my bed every weekend. I tried to do the right thing. Honest... -
Fair Catch by Kandi Steiner
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAs if things aren’t already tough enough as the only girl on a college football team, Coach had to go and assign Zeke Collins as my roommate.A cocky kick returner and my brother’s best friend who should have been ripped of that title years ago, he’s as infuriating as he is undeniably sexy.I hate him, and for good reason — reason I won’t ever let him forget...Categorized as:
alpha-mc athlete enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity friends-to-lovers slow-burn sports university -
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The Rebound by Kendall Ryan
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA smokin' hot new standalone romance from New York Times bestseller, Kendall Ryan.My coach hates me, and our team captain now watches my every move, so that's super fun.Which is why I'm trying something new—being a good guy. It might not be what I'm known for, but I'll try anything once.The part of this that’s not an act? Helping out my new neighbor Kinley. She's beautiful, funny and newly single...Categorized as:
athlete forced-proximity friends-to-lovers multi-pov slow-burn sports adult audiobook -
Desperately Seeking Roommate by Micalea Smeltzer
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWANTED: A ROOMMATE Requirements 1. Don’t be a smoker. That’s gross. 2. Don’t be a jerk. I have no time to deal with your mood swings. 3. Clean up after yourself. Is it really so hard to put dirty clothes where they belong? If you meet these qualifications, call me...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity friends-to-lovers multi-pov sports steamy university adult -
Shameless by Michelle Horst
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFrom International Bestseller Michelle Horst, comes a new, sexy standalone novel in the Enemies To Lovers series. RHETT Evie Cole . She's the one person I can't figure out. People say they love you, but what they really mean is that they love how you make them feel about themselves, or what they can take from you...Categorized as:
alpha-mc enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers slow-burn steamy university adult billionaire -
Personal Foul by Maggie Rawdon
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratings“I’m her dirty little secret, the one she loves to hate.”She knows just what to say to cut deep, and I know how to press every single button she has.We hate each other, until one night after I lose the biggest football game of the year. When she offers the kind of mercy I need. It changes everything… until the next morning.Now I’m her dirty little secret, and she’s avoiding me like the plague...Categorized as:
sports university enemies-to-lovers forced-proximity steamy multi-pov romance new-adult -
Claiming Carter by Jennifer Bonds
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsQuarterback Austin Reid’s got it all—talent, looks, women. The only thing missing? A national championship. Something he intends to rectify. With his kicker laid up and the university’s home opener in three weeks, he’s not above poaching talent from the women’s soccer team. Or recruiting a sassy, STEM-loving brunette who wants nothing to do with football or him.Kennedy Carter is no jersey chaser...Categorized as:
sports university enemies-to-lovers steamy athlete friends-to-lovers multi-pov contemporary -
Rivals by Piper Lawson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen the biggest rockstar in the world invited me into his home, there was one rule:Don’t touch his daughter.For a kid from the wrong side of the tracks with no future, the offer should have been a dream come true.Classy new digs.A fancy prep school.Someone who cares what happens to me.Except for that rule.The rich pricks at my new school worship me. I couldn’t care less...
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