Books like 'The Ninth Inning'

Readers who enjoyed The Ninth Inning by J. Sterling also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

contemporary  romance  sports  university  friends-to-lovers  multi-pov  humor

  • Consider Me by Becka Mack

    Consider Me by Becka Mack

    Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    Carter Beckett is the NHL's resident badboy, top player both on the ice & in the bedroom, and quite possibly the sexiest man to ever grace my field of vision. But worst of all? He knows it.He’s arrogant, self-centered, and the man doesn’t seem to know what a filter is, let alone how to use one...
  • Frat Wars: Master of Mayhem by Saxon James

    Frat Wars: Master of Mayhem by Saxon James

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 16 ratings
    Bro big or bro home. RobbieAs social chair of Sigma Beta Psi, I’m the life of the party. It’s what I’m known for, and if it’s not fun, I’m not interested, simple as that.I’m not someone who overthinks.So when one of my brothers hooks up with a dude from another frat house, it catches me off guard when I can’t stop thinking about them … together...
  • Blocker by Samantha Whiskey

    Blocker by Samantha Whiskey

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 16 ratings
    I’m the Seattle Sharks’ number one goalie. The blocker. The wall. The opposition’s worst nightmare. I’m driven, committed to my team, and have zero time for distractions—on or off the ice. My focus is on my new contract—one that will secure my position and take care of my family. So, naturally, when Coach’s daughter moves back to town, he asks me to watch out for her...
  • Tackled in the Stacks: A Love Letters Prequel by S.J. Tilly

    Tackled in the Stacks: A Love Letters Prequel by S.J. Tilly

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    I caught her staring at me from across the quad, eyes fixed on the football jersey stretched across my wide chest. And if I flexed my muscles, showing off the strength of a defensive tackle, it was just to see her blush.And then she did, and I couldn’t get her out of my mind.Her wide eyes. The freckles on her cheeks.I needed to know her...
  • Player by Natalie Rios

    Player by Natalie Rios

    Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    Cocky. 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...
  • 3 Count by Nikki Castle

    3 Count by Nikki Castle

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    A 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...
  • His To Hold by Serena Akeroyd

    His To Hold by Serena Akeroyd

    Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Ever hear the kid song, Jack and Beau sitting in a tree K I S S I N G?Well, she met me when I was up in a tree, but kissing her has never been an option. She isn’t the kind to fall for a daredevil.And I’m a Formula One race car driver. Adrenaline Junkie is my middle name. Taking risks and tossing my fate to the wind is what I do.Being her friend is no longer enough...
  • Slap Shot Surprise by Melanie Harlow

    Slap Shot Surprise by Melanie Harlow

    Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    In my defense, I thought the plane was going to crash.Otherwise, I never would have blurted out those embarrassing things to a perfect stranger.Did I mention he turned out to be a scorching hot superstar of professional hockey?But wait, there’s more.When the plane lands safely, I rush off, praying I’ll never have to face him again...
  • Brazen Girl by Ali Dean

    Brazen Girl by Ali Dean

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    It only takes a second for her world to come crashing down.Jordan’s crash is a wake-up call for everyone. Recovering from a head injury brings new challenges no one is expecting or prepared to handle. Jordan begins to doubt that she has what it takes to make it as a pro skateboarder...
  • Brazen Tricks by Ali Dean

    Brazen Tricks by Ali Dean

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Her new path is all about split second decisions. One of them will change her life forever.Jordan’s ready to embrace her identity as a pro skateboarder but wants to do it on her own terms.With her boyfriend the most popular skateboarder in the world, it’s not easy being seen and treated as just the girlfriend...
  • Making His Play by Mari Carr

    Making His Play by Mari Carr

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Alex 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...
  • Defending Donovan by Jillian Quinn

    Defending Donovan by Jillian Quinn

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    He'll do anything to earn her v-card... and her heart. Here’s the thing about Drake Donovan. He’s a hotshot hockey player with a secret the size of his stick, a real monster of a problem. And I’m the only one who can help him. But as we grow closer, I realize there’s more to Drake than good looks and a big stick. If he wants to be the one to punch my v-card, he has to work for it...
  • Forgetting the Rules: A Second-Chance-Romance Sports Standalone by Mariah Dietz

    Forgetting the Rules: A Second-Chance-Romance Sports Standalone by Mariah Dietz

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    A standalone sports romance. Book 6 in The Dating Playbook Series...
  • Vengeful Rotten Casualties by Lucy Smoke

    Vengeful Rotten Casualties by Lucy Smoke

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    I sold my soul to the devil only to turn around and slit his throat… Thomas Kincaid took everything from me. My mother. My hopes. My innocence.Now, it’s my turn.He thought he was safe.They all did.They were wrong.Men always think they can take without ever having to deal with the consequences. Well, now I’m back, and I'm the last consequence they’ll ever see...
  • Seth by Carly Marie

    Seth by Carly Marie

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Be yourself because everyone else is taken. But what if that risks everything you know? Seth Johnson has worked his entire career to be remembered more for his skill than as an openly gay NHL player. Finding a boyfriend has been pushed to the back burner. As for exposing his softer side, the side that loves lace and lingerie? It’s not happening...
  • Wild Card by Maggie Rawdon

    Wild Card by Maggie Rawdon

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    The 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...
  • Hat Trick by Toni Aleo

    Hat Trick by Toni Aleo

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Good things happen in threes. D’Artagnan Miklas is a lucky dude. He’s the leading scorer of hat tricks for the Carolina IceCats, he’s got a solid group of loyal friends, and he has a cute little sister he adores.But his friends are all coupling up, and Dart is tired of being the odd man out...
    Categorized as:
    sports  multi-pov  humor  romance  contemporary  athlete  fiction  book
  • Score by Jacob Chance

    Score by Jacob Chance

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    I have a crush on Nolan Archer, Boston University’s freshman running back. He’s the definition of tall, dark, and swoon worthy. My knees weaken every time our eyes meet. There’s only one problem… he’s a virgin. As much as I try to convince myself he’s too young for me, or that I prefer experienced guys, I can’t deny the flames of attraction flaring between us...
  • Complete by Kortney Keisel

    Complete by Kortney Keisel

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Ben and I are just friends.We've tried to be more, but it never works. There's no chemistry between us.At least that's the story I tell everyone.Truth is, I'm pining for Ben. HARD. Like Taylor Swift, You Belong With Me, hard. I don't know what happened. Suddenly, his casual touch is fire, and his easy smile stops my heart.But Ben has put me in the friend zone. Permanently...
  • Defining the Rules: A Friends-to-Lovers Sports Romance by Mariah Dietz

    Defining the Rules: A Friends-to-Lovers Sports Romance by Mariah Dietz

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    It started with friendship. The best stories always do. Our story sounds unlikely. Bizarre. A fable. Like wine and cheese and my favorite pair of jeans, Things got better over time— Too good, it seemed. Arlo Kostas was the starting running back for Brighton University. His quick smile and sharp wit Was enough to disarm even the biggest cynic...
  • Sexiled by Mickey Miller

    Sexiled by Mickey Miller

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Morgan Kennedy: Campus Legend. Ruggedly handsome superstar athlete turned hedge fund manager. My one night stand mistake.And now my boss at my internship. Every staff meeting, I’m taken back to the night I was filled with a need I never knew was possible. Sparks fly between us in the office...
  • 68 Days And Counting by Nikki20038

    68 Days And Counting by Nikki20038

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    ~Sequel to The Bad Boy And The Tomboy~Macy Anderson and Sam Cahill are together in Manchester, England living the new university life. Their relationship is striving as they meet new people and experience different things and strengthen their beautiful relationship. But then again there's soccer, the Cahill family and girls because where there's Sam Cahill there will also be many girls...
  • Lovestruck by Julie Capulet

    Lovestruck by Julie Capulet

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    She’s completely off-limits.But some rules were made to be broken.Elias O’Shea isn’t just Hawthorne University’s star quarterback—he’s the campus heartthrob. With the looks of a god and an easygoing charm that leaves women swooning, he’s at the top of his game. The NFL is within reach and endorsements are pouring in...
  • Behind the Plate: A New Adult Sports Romance by J. Sterling

    Behind the Plate: A New Adult Sports Romance by J. Sterling

    Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    Chance Carter is the son of local baseball legend, Jack Carter. Now in his junior year at Fullton State, Chance is facing challenges he never saw coming. Failing a class will stop his draft season short, making him ineligible to play and pushing his goal of professional baseball even further away.In steps Danika, a mouthy tutor from New York, who only wants to help him pass his class..
  • Triple Play for the Single Mom by Rebel Bloom

    Triple Play for the Single Mom by Rebel Bloom

    Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    My plan was transfer to the college where my ex, the star quarterback, could finally be a dad.But life threw a curveball when I accidentally collided with three of his hunky teammates!Being a young single mom hasn’t been easy.My ex shirks fatherhood, and I’m a magnet for judgmental stares.But it’s all been worth it for how much I love my little boy...
  • Awake at Dawn by Amelie Rhys

    Awake at Dawn by Amelie Rhys

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 16 ratings
    When Gemma Briggs moves in with her brother’s friend, the only thing harder than keeping the arrangement a secret is resisting the explosive chemistry she has with her new roommate—hot NFL player, Noah London.After a workplace one-night stand leaves her high and dry with a baby on the way, Gemma Briggs is forced to leave her job as a college figure skating coach...
  • Game Ender by B.J. Harvey

    Game Ender by B.J. Harvey

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    From USA Today bestselling author BJ Harvey comes the fourth and final book in the Game series and this time, it's the last two single friends left standing; the reformed playboy and the single mom. *** "You have chlamydia." Three words no man wants to hear...
  • Thrill Ride by Breezie Bennett

    Thrill Ride by Breezie Bennett

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    "Flirty, dirty, and downright irresistible! Breezie Bennett's books sizzle like a steamy Florida night." - Kresley Cole, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Thrill Ride: South Florida Riders Book 4 NFL kicker Dylan Rivera and quirky yoga teacher Melody Hayes have absolutely nothing in common, except they both believe in "one true love...
  • Off the Market at Christmas by Chelle Sloan

    Off the Market at Christmas by Chelle Sloan

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    The saying goes that nice guys finish last. The more accurate statement is that nice guys and nerds finish last. We don’t get the girl. We don’t get the happily ever after. Even if it is the one thing we’ve asked for from Santa Claus this Christmas. So when Presley Dawson comes back into my life after twenty years, I don’t even try...
  • Just One Kiss by C.A. Harms

    Just One Kiss by C.A. Harms

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    What do you get when you mix Tequila with a house full of rowdy Fraternity brothers who have no boundaries? A cucumber, a pink thong, and a bottle of lube. Oh yeah, and super glue. There is always super glue… Parties, drinking, and plenty of mornings where you can’t remember what you did the night before...that was my life. Yet, there was one memory that lingered in my mind...
  • Break the Ice by Piper Rayne

    Break the Ice by Piper Rayne

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    The Winter Games are over, but the bedroom games are just beginning… This is about the time I normally hang up my snowboard and chill for a while. Except this year. This year, I’m dealing with what fate dealt me at the Winter Games—nope, not gold. A broken arm. Since I’m not close to my family, I head to my best friend, Skylar’s pad to recoup...
  • Between Cases by Annie Dyer

    Between Cases by Annie Dyer

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    He was the plot twist she hadn't planned for... Workaholic? Check. Poor choice in men? Check. Debatably losing the plot? Check. Payton Callaghan has had enough. She needs time away from her stressful job, time away from her disaster of a love life and what she really doesn’t need is a hot bookshop owner trying to verbally outwit her in the middle of his store...
  • Ear Candy by M.E. Carter, Andrea Johnston

    Ear Candy by M.E. Carter, Andrea Johnston

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    He’s the plot twist she didn’t hear coming. Becoming a book narrator was never my goal. But if your deep voice tempts romance listeners to swoon and throw their proverbial panties at you, plans change...
  • Heartthrob by Robin Bielman

    Heartthrob by Robin Bielman

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    He likes a challenge… Here’s the deal: I’m the best center fielder in the major leagues. I’m also the guy who cost his team the championship game and acted very unsportsmanlike. So, when the team hires a social media manager to repair the damage to my reputation, I don’t argue...
  • Saving the Game by Susan Renee

    Saving the Game by Susan Renee

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Has this ever happened to you?You’re minding your own business after the game, buying drinks at the bar for your teammates when you overhear a woman talking on the phone. You don’t know her, but she’s telling her mother she’s in a serious relationship with you. You decide to play along and ask her when you get to meet the parents...
    Categorized as:
    sports  multi-pov  humor  romance  contemporary  fiction  book  adult
  • Hooked by Jacob Chance

    Hooked by Jacob Chance

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Avoiding bad boy hockey player Marshall Winters has been one of my goals since he did me wrong four years ago.However, with both of us attending Boston University and his younger sister being my best friend, it’s damn near impossible.Then he saves me from a dangerous situation, whisking me away to his family’s cabin, changing everything...
  • On His Face: A Brother's Best Friend Romantic Comedy by Tabatha Kiss

    On His Face: A Brother's Best Friend Romantic Comedy by Tabatha Kiss

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    5 Goals for a Perfect Freshman Year1. Learn a new life skill.2. Get a tattoo.3. Pay off my car.4. Enter the Art Fest. Win.5. Fall in love with a stranger.Yes, I know #5 isn’t technically a goal, but I couldn’t think of anything else. Little did I know, I’d cross it off my vision board two weeks into my first semester at Chicago North University.He was the model in my art class...
  • Upsy Daisy by Chelsie Edwards

    Upsy Daisy by Chelsie Edwards

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    College, cookies, capers, Oh my!Daisy Payton has everything.Exceptional grades.Impeccable clothes.Model family.But perfection comes at a high cost, and Daisy is wilting. Determined to use college as her chance to bloom anew, she’s focused on only one thing, leaving the Payton name behind and forging her own path—even if she has to tell the teeniest of fibs to do it.Trevor Boone has nothing...
  • No Paine No Gain by McKinley May

    No Paine No Gain by McKinley May

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    One thing I've learned from three years as an undergrad?College is all about balance.Juggling a science-heavy course load, weekend bar crawls, and my plentiful dating life is an art form. An art form I've got down to a T...Until the campus Casanova comes barreling into my biology class and throws my mojo for a major loop...
  • Agony by Kaylee Ryan

    Agony by Kaylee Ryan

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Reese Cooper Reeves was the boy-next-door. Every milestone, every memory of my youth was entangled with his. We were inseparable... until college.It wasn’t his friends, girls or even sports that came between us— it was me. Tired of being in the friend zone, I finally made a move. Turns out it was the wrong one...
  • Extra Credit by Sarina Bowen

    Extra Credit by Sarina Bowen

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    Three novellas, including all new Ivy Years fun! BLONDE DATE: A nervous sorority girl, a mean fraternity prank and an adorkable basketball player with a heart of gold. Blonde Date follows Katie and Andy’s first blind date… STUDLY PERIOD: One hunky hockey player with a language barrier. Plus one awkward English tutor with a big crush...
  • Fallen Crest Extras by Tijan

    Fallen Crest Extras by Tijan

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    These were written for a promo tour I did for Fallen Crest Home’s book release. I added a few extra surprises in here, and wanted to make them available for everyone. This is done as a thank you to the readers...
  • Iced by Jacob Chance

    Iced by Jacob Chance

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    Oliver Ice, one of Boston University’s notorious hockey players, has been on my radar since I slammed into his rock-hard body during my first week of college, three years ago. He helped me to my feet, muttered an apology, and ran off after his girlfriend, dashing my hopes of a happily ever after. Now, he’s the bartender where I work, and this time, very much single...
  • Desperately Seeking Roommate by Micalea Smeltzer

    Desperately Seeking Roommate by Micalea Smeltzer

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    WANTED: 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...
  • JOCK by Jacob Chance

    JOCK by Jacob Chance

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    When the dean of students asked me for a favor, I had no idea it would mean tutoring Owen Dawson. Me, forced to spend time with Boston University’s notorious quarterback? With his dark hair, chiseled body, and a promising future playing in the NFL, every guy on campus wants to be him. Every girl wants to be under him. Every girl, except me...
  • Felix by Lulu Moore

    Felix by Lulu Moore

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    I have a secret. Twelve years ago I crushed on my teammate’s little sister, before firmly putting her in the friend zone. Which then became the best friend zone. And my teammate became more of a brother.But now we have two problems.1. I just found out she’s been crushing on me too, and my feelings have come hurtling back like a puck heading for the net2...
  • Tripped by Jacob Chance

    Tripped by Jacob Chance

    Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Eight hundred and eighty days. That’s how long it’s been since my no good ex broke my heart. And I was doing just fine without him. But now, with both of us playing hockey for Boston University and running in the same circles, I can’t seem to avoid him—no matter how hard I try. And boy do I try.It seems my former boyfriend is cockier than ever—if that’s even possible...
  • The Gamble: A Novel by Xavier Neal

    The Gamble: A Novel by Xavier Neal

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    3 friends. 2 players. 1 bet. When Luca Larson makes an expensive wager, guaranteeing the bedding of his only real female friend, he's expecting the situation to go as smoothly as sleeping with any other woman would. It doesn't take long before he realizes his usual plays won't work. She knows them too well. She knows HIM too well...
  • Checking It Twice by Claire Hastings

    Checking It Twice by Claire Hastings

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    She's made a list of her own, and he's just the man to help...Haven Taylor is tired of being called a Goody Two-shoes, and her brother's best friend might be the key to fixing that.DB Elliot is seriously sexy and without a doubt someone she can trust for a no-strings-attached secret fling. After all, she's known him her entire life...
  • Caught in a Jam by Lila Felix

    Caught in a Jam by Lila Felix

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    I’ve loved her since we were kids. But loving someone gets tough when they don’t love you back. Nixon Black has made mistakes. He made one mistake that would change his life forever. Now he’s working and in school—and he’s got a three year old. He gave up dating when Scout was born, but every night he retreats to another life in his mind, one he could’ve had with her...
The Ninth Inning by J. Sterling
Fantastic book recommendations by book lovers for book lovers.
Find out more about thebooknaut.com.

Looking for more inspiration? Enter another book title to get more suggestions on what to read next.

Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.

romance book finder preview 1
romance book finder preview 2
romance book finder preview 3