Books like 'The Hardest Route'
Readers who enjoyed The Hardest Route by A.S. Teague also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance sports friends-to-lovers age-gap celebrity slow-burn athlete children multi-pov
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Stealing Sawyer by Samantha Christy
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsI hired her to be my girlfriend. To fix my reputation. To save my career. It’s not that I don’t want a girlfriend. I do. I want it all. Wife, kids, side-by-side burial plots. The problem is – I can’t have any of it. So I’ve made myself untouchable. The quintessential bachelor of baseball. Because it’s not worth the risk. Not even for someone I love... -
Sawyer by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsI never thought I’d achieve my dream of playing for the NHL— Not while I’m my mom’s sole caretaker. But the Carolina Reapers offer me a deal I can’t refuse: A spot on their roster and top-rated support for my mom’s battle with Parkinson’s... -
Broken Harbor by Catherine Cowles
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsSince the moment our lives fell apart, the only thing that mattered was making a good life for my son. A life where he was happy and safe. I just never expected to find that safety with a hockey player known for his brutal dominance on the ice and his recklessness off it.But Cope Colson is so much more.The gentle way he makes sure we’re okay. The playful care he shows my son... -
Through His Eyes by Nikki Ash
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe moment I saw her walk through the door of Forbidden Ink, I knew she was the one. With her wide hips, thick thighs, and perfect breasts, she’s every man’s wet dream. Add to that her dark, soulful eyes, pouty lips, and a body covered in gorgeous art, and I knew I needed to make her mine... -
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This Is Wild by Natasha Madison
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom the best selling series, Something So comes the spin-off Series This is... Zoe When you grow up surrounded by hockey players you know one thing for sure, I was never going to settle down with one. Heck, I didn’t even know what icing was. I was too busy climbing the corporate ladder, becoming one of the most successful realtors in New York City... -
Wheeler by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsI’m the Seattle Sharks’ power player. Some call me the Wheeler. That’s because I score on and off the ice more than any other Shark. Well, until her. The one girl I’ve wanted for years. And her brother just convinced me to hire her as my personal assistant. Faith Gentry. Sharp. Sexy. Funny as hell. My best friend’s little sister. Now that I’m her boss, she’s twice as off-limits... -
Tight End by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI knew playing with my feelings was a huge gamble with someone like him, but I did it anyway. And now I’ve learned the hard lesson that gambling and life in Vegas just aren’t for me.I have a lot of decisions I need to make on my own, so I take a job that will allow me to relocate, regroup, and make new friends as I try to figure out what comes next for me... -
Winning With Him by Lauren Blakely
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsResisting the shortstop has never been my strong suit. I failed at it during my first spring training. It sure as hell looks like I'm about to fail at it again. The sport I love playing with my very soul hangs in the balance. But everything my heart craves lies with the guy I've got to resist. A guy who's asking me to make the toughest choice ever. But how do I become the man I want to be.. -
In Too Deep by Lexi Ryan
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Lexi Ryan brings readers a sexy NFL player who's pulled out all the stops for one more chance with the love of his life. I have thirty days to make my wife fall in love with me or let her go forever. I loved Bailey Green long before she watched her loser ex take his last breaths... -
The Wildcat by Bella Matthews
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhat do you get when you mix a devastatingly handsome hockey player who doesn’t do casual with a blonde bombshell cheerleader who doesn’t do serious?I was supposed to be taking the summer off from dating. . . and flirting. . . and men in general. A cleanse. It sounded great in theory. But theory went out the window when my own personal kryptonite sat on the barstool next to mine... -
His To Hold by Serena Akeroyd
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEver 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... -
Dirty Secret by Mira Lyn Kelly
Rated: 4.31 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn my defense, I didn’t know she was his sister… A sexy hockey standalone from USA TODAY bestselling author Mira Lyn Kelly This team hates me. Something about my chronic case of resting prick face and that thing with the captain when the season started. My fist, his jaw. Yeah, we go back and not in a good way. Coach says no more “confrontational BS” or I don’t play at all... -
The Sweet Spot by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsShe wants forever. He plays it day by day. They’re both wishing for the best in USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke’s charming and sexy hopefully-ever-after romance.Single mom Palmer Clark will not be sidelined by the new man in town. Sure, the honey-tongued baseball legend is gorgeous, loves puppies, and has charmed his way into the community’s heart, but Palmer craves stability... -
Dear Rosie, by S.J. Tilly
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsRosieI was eight when Nathan moved away.He was my best friend.My only friend.My safe space.And then he was gone. And my life turned into Hell.But I survived.I broke free and made a life for myself.And I tried to forget about the boy who grew up to be Nate Waller, the famous retired football player.I really did try to forget... -
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Brazen Girl by Ali Dean
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIt 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
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsHer 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... -
Motorcycles & Teddy Bears by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsWelcome to Takoda Outreach Center. Prepare yourself for open hearts, a full belly, and all the love you can handle. Look, I know my life doesn’t look easy. I adopted the three children I fostered, and they keep me on my toes. My house is a little lived in, they eat constantly, and someone always needs a ride somewhere. It’s amazing, stressful, and exhausting, but mostly amazing... -
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... -
Brazen Steele by Ali Dean
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBeckett Steele knows what he wants and he’s finally going after it. But there’s one thing that might complicate his mission. It was easy to sign the legally-binding contract prohibiting a public relationship when he had no intention of falling in love... -
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... -
4th Degree by Nikki Castle
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe's her coach.She's too young.They're both risking everything.Forced to grow up too soon, Skylar has built her entire life around taking care of her family. But when she catches her first lucky break, she’s finally able to pick up the sport that has always intrigued her. Signing up at the local MMA gym is where she meets Coach Dominic...Categorized as:
sports age-gap slow-burn friends-to-lovers multi-pov insta-love romance contemporary -
Second-Rate Superstar by Siena Trap
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEver heard of imposter syndrome?Well, if you look it up in the dictionary, you’ll find my picture beside the definition.I’ve been living in my older brother’s shadow since the day I was born.Anyone would struggle to live up to the legacy of the great Jaxon Slate, hockey superstar and face of the league. But it’s worse for me. Everyone expects me to be Jaxon 2...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers slow-burn athlete romance new-adult found-family contemporary -
Luca by Brenda Rothert
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAbby I only have one love now—the home furnishings business I’m building into an empire. Maybe money and success can’t love me back, but they keep what’s left of my heart safe. One-night stands are my way of scratching the occasional itch I get for something more. And no one’s better for that than a sexy as sin hockey player I’ll never see again after one very hot night together...Categorized as:
athlete friends-to-lovers insta-love sports adult anthologies audiobook contemporary -
Misadventures with a Speed Demon by Chelle Bliss
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratings***MISADVENTURES ARE STANDALONE ROMANCES THAT CAN BE READ IN ANY ORDER*** Brooks Carter is wild, reckless, and the youngest stock car driver on the professional circuit. He’s the one everyone’s gunning for when they’re not hoping for his failure at every turn. But Brooks is too hot to be left in the dust by anyone. Even with masses of female fans, Brooks only has eyes for one woman—Faith Ridley... -
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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 insta-love slow-burn athlete romance contemporary found-family -
The Game by Vi Keeland
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIt started out like any other Tuesday.I spent twelve hours writing algorithms for one of the largest companies in the world and then came home to work on a pet project of mine—feeding facts about the men I knew into a formula to find my perfect match before my twenties came barreling to a close.But then a man knocked on my door and handed me some papers that turned my life upside down... -
The Crush by Karla Sorensen
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsYou know that girl from your past that you can’t quite stop thinking about? The one that you pushed away because you had a goal that seemed so much bigger, so much more important than any crush you might have had?That’s Adaline Wilder for me.Nothing came before football. Not in college, and not in my five years in the pros... -
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... -
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... -
Provoke by Rachel Van Dyken
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Rachel Van Dyken comes a new story in her Seaside Pictures series…The music industry called me a savant at age sixteen when I uploaded my first video and gained instant fame. And then Drew Amherst of Adrenaline became my mentor, and my career took off. Everything was great... -
Struck by Emma Louise
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPlayboy. Gym rat. Womanizer. I’ve been called them all. Until one-night changes everything. Changes me. Trying to drown a broken heart in cheap whiskey and a willing body leaves me with the last thing I ever expected. All that matters now is my son. There’s no room for anything, or anyone else. Until her. A free spirit. A nomadic soul. She intrigues me. She excites me... -
Frat Bro by Raleigh Ruebins
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThis fall, I have one simple rule: don't fall in love with my fake boyfriend.I’m awful at following the rules.One minute I was a nobody in a small Colorado town, getting by on contract work, home renovations, and a dumpster fire of a dating life—and then suddenly, my life was on TV... -
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... -
Ice Prince by Nichole Rose
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWhen life spins wildly out of control, a bossy hockey star and a curvy maid will find forever…or be forever ruined. Theo Kline I know everything there is to know about hockey.Right now, I'd give everything just to understand her.Charlotte Mabry is a curvy little goddess with the sweetest smile.She's also my mother's boyfriend's favorite niece... -
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Despite It All by Mollie Goins
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWyla My trip to Nashville for my sister’s bachelorette trip was going to be my weekend to let go. I was starting my last year of college and I finally felt like I had a plan for my life. I wanted one weekend of freedom. My plan was to drink some whiskey, sing karaoke, and ride that mechanical bull... -
Jasper by Lulu Moore
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAs Captain of an NHL team, I'm rich, successful and have women falling at my feet.I thought my life was perfect until a pint sized blonde checked into me one day, knocking my life off course.Wolfie Williams is sass personified. Beautiful, fiery, funny and oh so sexy. With every eye roll she gives me I become more and more wrapped around her finger, making me realise she is my missing piece... -
Coming Full Circle (the Pembrooke series) by Jessica Prince
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsShe knew what it was like to feel unwanted. At an early age Eliza Anderson learned a very hard lesson. Sometimes the people who are supposed to love you the most are the ones that cause you the most pain. She learned to guard herself, hesitating to let anyone close for fear of feeling that rejection all over again... -
What Love Looks Like by Nikki Ash
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsHudsonSince I lost my wife, my life has consisted of being a single dad to two crazy kids and playing professional football, leaving me with no room for anything or anyone else.Until the moment I met Sawyer. Something about her feels right, and I know it’s more than just chemistry. She’s a game changer. My second chance at love.I want all of her days, her nights, and everything in between... -
Scoring Position by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI wasn’t looking to change my “bad boy of baseball” reputation. At least not until my dream girl, Pop Princess Alexis Bodega, stepped foot in my clubhouse to sing for the stadium on opening day. There’s just one problem, and it’s a big one. Her manager is also her boyfriend, and her father is her agent... -
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... -
Dirty Player by Mira Lyn Kelly
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThis NHL star isn’t afraid to play dirty to get his girl It started as a joke… A throw away promise between friends. A dare for a single kiss at our reunion and nothing more. But that kiss… That kiss was no joking matter. It was hot and wet. A hands-everywhere, breathless kind of insanity that left us both teetering on the brink... -
The Baller by Lulu Moore
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsA swoony, age gap, boy falls first, sports romance from best selling author, Lulu Moore. My name is Lux Weston and I’m currently on the national security list.All I did was meet a beautiful girl in a bookstore and attempted to rescue her from a stalker. The problem? The stalker turned out to be a Secret Service Agent, and the girl… well, she’s Radley Andrews - the President’s daughter... -
The Two Week Stand by Samantha Towle
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom NYT bestselling author Samantha Towle comes a sizzling beach romance, that will leave you hot in all the right places…Dillon Dawson loves to write romance despite her latest relationship ending with her traveling to the Maldives alone on what was supposed to be her honeymoon. Now, the only thing she wants is two weeks of uninterrupted peace and quiet with absolutely no men in sight... -
Enforcer by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsAs the Seattle Sharks number one Enforcer, nothing means more to me than hockey. I live and breathe the game. But when my short-temper gets me into one too many late night brawls, Coach threatens to bench me if I don’t clean up my act. It’ll take more than me changing my nightlife—the media needs this bad boy to go good... -
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Pulling Her Strings by Jane Fox
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAustin: As a well-known singer, I’m used to women throwing themselves at me. But it’s the caterer at one of my venues that I can’t get out of my head.Aida: Catering for Austin Smith is the biggest job I’ve ever had. So I have to try my hardest to stay professional—no matter how hot he is.Sometimes fate needs a little help... -
Fire and Ice by Jane Fox
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBen: It's my final hockey season, and I don't have time for distractions. So why can't I stop thinking about Jenna? Jessa: I might be a hockey fan, but I'm no puck bunny. Although for a player as hot as Ben Crewe, I might make an exception. Sometimes fate needs a little help... -
Playing With Attraction by Melanie Shawn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSafe. Loved. Protected.As a single mom, my son was my world.From the moment I gave birth to Anthony when I was just a scared teenager, my fate was sealed. I knew that I would do anything; sacrifice anything, to make him feel the love I'd never had. And most days, I was pretty sure I succeeded. Life hadn't always been easy. In fact, it pretty much never was. But that was fine... -
Playing by the Rules by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEx-quarterback Davis Abernathy knows he’s on his last chance.If he strikes out as Paxton Kelly’s coach, nobody else is going to call him. Not to get back on the field, and not to stand on the sidelines.He’s got a lot to teach Pax, and as a second-year quarterback, Pax has a lot to learn. But Davis doesn’t anticipate the irresistible way they’ll be drawn together from their first meeting... -
Field of Pleasure by Farrah Rochon
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOriginally Published by Harlequin Kimani Romance – September 2011 Jared Dawson is used to taking big hits on the football field, but nothing could have prepared the New York Sabers star cornerback for the blow he experiences when he catches his long-time girlfriend in bed with an ex-teammate. Seeking a balm to soothe his wounded ego, Jared decides a no-strings-attached fling is the way to go... -
Pleasure Rush by Farrah Rochon
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn Hawaii for her birthday, Manhattan restaurateur Deirdre Smallwood has one mission to accomplish. She's going to shed her humdrum image and do something totally out of character: seduce Thelonius Stokes, the gorgeous ex-linebacker for the New York Sabers. Theo is shocked by the sensual, uninhibited lover warming his bed...
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