Books like 'Wrestling with Desire'

Readers who enjoyed Wrestling with Desire by D.H. Starr also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

contemporary  romance  mlm  sports  coming-of-age  lgbtq  high-school  friends-to-lovers  athlete  family 

  • Line Brawl by Bianca Sommerland

    Line Brawl by Bianca Sommerland

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Not all fights are one on one. In a team, no man should stand alone. ‘You can’t keep me.’ Shawn ‘Easy’ Pischlar has given his speech so often, it should be written on the white board in the Dartmouth Cobra’s locker room. Too many of his own teammates have heard the words. And the games he’s played are finally catching up to him...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  family  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  book  contemporary
  • #HEA: Happily Ever After by Cambria Hebert

    #HEA: Happily Ever After by Cambria Hebert

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Jingle Bells Christmas smells Chopping down a tree Travis states: Santa’s fake! Oh for goodness sake! Trent, Drew, and the entire hashtag crew are back for holiday shenanigans! When Travis declares, “Santa’s fake!” the family bands together to deliver Christmas magic and the joy of family into the heart of a little boy who never had a reason to believe...
  • Take a Chance on Me by Alexa Land

    Take a Chance on Me by Alexa Land

    Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Free-spirited ballet dancer Quinn is sure he made a terrible mistake by agreeing to be Duke’s roommate. The big cop is the most uptight person Quinn’s ever met, and both men begin driving each other crazy from day one. Before long though, an undeniable spark of attraction ignites between them...
  • The Other Brother by Jax Calder

    The Other Brother by Jax Calder

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    What happens when you fall for the one person you can't have?Ryan has had seventeen years of being compared to Cody, part of his toxic fractured family, so you’ll forgive him for some epic eye-rolling when it comes to Mr Perfect. Although not related to him by blood, Cody has always been annoying background noise in Ryan’s life...
  • Perfect Gifts by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Perfect Gifts by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Family comes first in all things. Whatever the cost.Ten had always heard the saying ‘Out of the mouth of babes,’ but he’d not expected it to hit home as it had. After a comment from their daughter, Ten and Jared find themselves pondering an addition to the family. Moving into the adoption process is nerve-wracking and riddled with anxiety—kind of like how the Railers have been playing of late...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  age-gap  book  contemporary
  • You Are Not Me by Leta Blake

    You Are Not Me by Leta Blake

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Follow Peter into the summer following his senior year to face new beginnings, new friends, and old baggage. After a tumultuous final year of high school, Peter Mandel needs a break. It's the summer of 1991, and his secret relationship with his ‘best friend’ Adam Algedi is put on hold as Adam goes away to Italy for the summer...
  • Desert Dreams by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Desert Dreams by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    When danger stalks their new home, it’s only their strength as a couple that keeps them safe.Ryker misses Jacob every day he’s away. At the start of a new Raptors season with everything to play for, Jacob, the desert ranch, and their small menagerie of animals have become an oasis of peace in a turbulent world...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  book  contemporary  fiction
  • Tigers on the Way by Sean Kennedy

    Tigers on the Way by Sean Kennedy

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Sequel to Tigers on the Run Documentary producer Simon and ex-footballer Declan are taking some big steps toward a lasting life together. They’ve bought a house, and they’ll need it for the family they plan to start. Their friend, Nyssa, has made the generous offer to be their surrogate, and Declan couldn’t be more excited about the idea of a baby...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  family  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  book  contemporary
  • The Music of the Spheres by Chase Potter

    The Music of the Spheres by Chase Potter

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    An athlete and introvert from a family touched by loss, Ryan Mattson splits his life between reading and spending time with his dad and precocious younger sister. With the wounds of Ryan’s past almost healed, high school is simple, and so is everything else.But that changes when he’s paired with Adam for a class project...
  • Rules of Engagement by Brigham Vaughn

    Rules of Engagement by Brigham Vaughn

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Rule #1: Don't fall in love with your best friend's brotherAfter Anders Lindholm lost his wife and baby daughter in a car accident, he knew he’d never find love like that again.Hockey, routines, and his team are all that have kept him going since.But as he approaches forty, an injury makes him consider what life after retirement will be like...
  • Contessa by Lori L. Otto

    Contessa by Lori L. Otto

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Book one of the YA/New Adult Choisie series by the author of Emi Lost & Found! When she was four, a generous couple welcomed orphan Olivia Sophia into their lives. As she grew up, her parents made good decisions for her, raising “Livvy” to be an intelligent and creative young girl...
  • Leaning Into the Look by Lane Hayes

    Leaning Into the Look by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Grant Kostas made a career based on his looks before joining his family’s real estate firm. He may not love his job but he’s better at sales than he thought. And when he’s poised to bring in the biggest account of the company’s history, even his father is impressed. Unfortunately, the extra attention highlights Grant’s personal life. His parents accept that he’s gay...
  • Family Rules by Jacki James

    Family Rules by Jacki James

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Justin had three simple rules for dating: No co-workers, no repeats, and absolutely no men with kids. He was happy with those rules. And no one had ever tempted him to break them. Until a night on the prowl had him crossing paths with an adorably geeky accountant. Mark spent the last year being the best dad possible to his little girl while enjoying life as an openly gay man for the first time...
  • The Long Run by James Acker

    The Long Run by James Acker

    Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars
    · 7 ratings
    Two track and field athletes find an unexpected but powerful love in this unapologetically blunt and unforgettably real YA debut. Sebastian Villeda is over it. Over his rep. Over his bros. Over being "Bash the Flash," fastest sprinter in South Jersey. His dad is gone, his mom is dead, and his stepfather is clueless. Bash has no idea what he wants out of life. Until he meets Sandro...
  • Suffocate: A Senses Series Novel by Xavier Neal

    Suffocate: A Senses Series Novel by Xavier Neal

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    ER Nurse, Luke Hart, is known for his desire to take care of others and his need to be in control at all times. However, Stuart Ducane knows exactly which buttons to push to make sure Luke relinquishes both. When the chance comes for them to take their delicate friendship that's coated in secret desires to the next level, the timing isn't convenient and neither are the circumstances...
  • Kade & Cameron by A.D. Ellis

    Kade & Cameron by A.D. Ellis

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Cameron Lewis is left reeling when his perfect life—two beautiful children, an adoring husband, and a house on the lake—is ripped apart by loss. Kade Ramsey is living the American dream with a wife, two amazing children, and a comfortable job. But dreams are often only illusions, and Kade discovers his life isn’t all he thought it to be. Kade and Cam have been friends for years...
  • Trade Deadline by Jodi Oliver

    Trade Deadline by Jodi Oliver

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    BLAINEWhen my name is involved in yet another scandal, I’m told to keep my head down and my stats up. The trade deadline is looming, and I don’t want to leave Chicago.But that night, I meet Alex. The guy with the bluest eyes and the kindest smile.My reputation precedes me, and he’s determined to resist me, but the more time we spend together, the harder it is to deny the chemistry between us...
  • Sheets by Sareyen

    Sheets by Sareyen

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    [BxB] Waking up next to someone after having a little too much to drink was no new, riveting story in this day and age. Waking up next to another boy, when you were also a boy, was a little more interesting, but still nothing to write home about. But waking up in Nico Beckett's sheets?To Wesley, it was a nightmare come to life...
  • Rookie by Eddie Cleveland

    Rookie by Eddie Cleveland

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    * Although part of a series, you will enjoy it as a standalone as well! Rookie is everything you love in an MM first time gay romance. A journey of self-discovery, the undeniable sparks with the man who makes him question everything, the moment of realization, the secret relationship, and coming out...
  • Chandler: Training Days Book 1 by J.D. Light

    Chandler: Training Days Book 1 by J.D. Light

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Chandler Bell When my boyfriend breaks up with me because I'm overweight, I go to the one place I feel the most comfortable. Oddly enough, it's the gym I was basically raised in. Things have changed over the years, but the people inside are my family. Some of them literally. Baker reluctantly agrees to help me get in shape, and so begins the torture...
  • Fearless by Chris O'Guinn

    Fearless by Chris O'Guinn

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    At fifteen, Justin is already a cynic. He’s experienced too many betrayals, too many disappointments. He doesn’t want to be involved in anything. He doesn’t want to be popular. He doesn’t even want friends anymore, since they only ever let you down. He just wants to get through high school and the best way he can come up with to accomplish that goal is to simply be invisible...
  • Love & Other Inconveniences by Catherine Cloud

    Love & Other Inconveniences by Catherine Cloud

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Morgan Boyle wants two things in life: to play hockey and to be left alone. Noah Andersson is loud, outgoing and probably hasn’t stopped talking since he learned how to say words. When Morgan ends up on a team with Noah at the Olympics, they get closer than either of them expected, and even when they’ve returned home Morgan still finds himself drawn to Noah...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  coming-of-age  lgbtq  mlm  sports  abuse  adult  book
  • Baby Makes Three by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Baby Makes Three by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    When baby makes three, Christmas will never be the same for Ten and Jared.There's not much that Tennant Rowe hasn't accomplished, and all before reaching thirty. Hoisting the Cup, marrying the man of his dreams, and becoming a spokesman for LGBTQ2+ athletes' rights have filled his world with great joy...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  family  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  age-gap  book
  • Fancy Free by Mia Monroe

    Fancy Free by Mia Monroe

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    The last thing I need is a curious straight guy sniffing around me. So why is he so hard to resist?My life is everything I ever wanted - by design. Being one of the nation’s most sought after wedding planners has led to a life of traveling to glamorous locations, bumping elbows with the rich and famous, and sampling every handsome hunk the world has to offer...
  • Suddenly Beck by Vawn Cassidy

    Suddenly Beck by Vawn Cassidy

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    A surprisingly sweet, sinfully sexy, and deliciously hilarious romp along the Cornish coast.Nathan Elliott has run away from home at the age of twenty-six. His teenage rebellion may have come ten years late, but better late than never...
  • Away Games by Misha Horne

    Away Games by Misha Horne

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    One step forward… and then what?When you live your whole life just wishing for things to be good enough, suddenly having everything you ever dreamed about is pretty unsettling. Safety, security, love… not the senior year I expected.Coach T calling me into his office, talking about untapped potential, didn’t see that coming either...
  • Concussion Protocol: A Short & Spicy MM Romance by Rebecca Rathe

    Concussion Protocol: A Short & Spicy MM Romance by Rebecca Rathe

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    A sweet and spicy short story by Rebecca RatheHe's a ten, but he's my ex-boyfriend's straight teammate and my patient...
  • Stronger In Your Hands by Diane Adams

    Stronger In Your Hands by Diane Adams

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Eighteen and still trapped at prep school, Alex feels he and Jared will never get together, and then a surprise visit from Jared puts all doubt to rest. After Alex graduates everything seems to fall right into place. The heat between them is scorching, but secrets from Jared's past and his need to take care of everyone around him, jeopardizes their fledgling relationship...
  • Attractive Forces by Jax Calder

    Attractive Forces by Jax Calder

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    LoganEveryone looks at me and thinks I rule Heath Valley High School. All they see is the captain of the champion rugby team, the guy who has got everything.They don’t see my secret, one I’ll do anything to keep.I’m so used to keeping my sexuality buried I’ve never stopped to think about what it’s costing me.Until I need a chemistry tutor, and Jake Stenton waltzes into my life...
  • The Professor's Date by Lane Hayes

    The Professor's Date by Lane Hayes

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    The professor, the hair stylist, and a wedding date…TommyHelp! My sister is getting married and according to her, I need a date. And a makeover. I’m a busy man, though. I don’t have time to meet eligible bachelors, and the tape holding my glasses together works just fine. Until my hair stylist steps on them...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  family  friends-to-lovers  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  book
  • Playing for Keeps by Jax Calder

    Playing for Keeps by Jax Calder

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Falling for your former best friend? Never a good idea.Ethan Lewis is the joker of his rugby team, the guy who’s always up for a good time. The only thing that can wipe the smile from his face is any mention of his former best friend, Luke. He has no idea why Luke has actively avoided him for the past five years...
  • Traded by Carly Marie

    Traded by Carly Marie

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Dangerous is moving the new trade in when you have secrets to hide Trevor Cane’s built a name for himself in the NHL. At 5’4” he’s one of the shortest players to ever play professional hockey. He also has a secret. A secret that he’s kept from everyone. But a surprise phone call from a friend leaves Trevor risking it all...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  family  friends-to-lovers  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  age-gap
  • Risking the Shot by Amy Aislin

    Risking the Shot by Amy Aislin

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Time for distractions? Hardly. A chance at making the playoffs? It’s a dream for NHL forward Taylor Cunningham that just might come true. If he can keep his eyes on the ball—ahem, puck. And study for midterms. Dakota Cotton, eleven years his senior, isn’t just a distraction, though—he’s everything Tay’s ever wanted...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  family  friends-to-lovers  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  age-gap
  • Exchange of Hearts by N.R. Walker

    Exchange of Hearts by N.R. Walker

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Eighteen-year-old Harrison Haddon has grown up alone. Surrounded by wealth, nannies, and material things, all he craves is the approval of his father. Sent away to the boarding school his father and grandfather attended, it’s assumed he will follow in their footsteps from Sydney’s prestigious Ivy League school straight into medical school.But Harrison doesn’t want to be a doctor...
  • Playing at Home by Jax Calder

    Playing at Home by Jax Calder

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Falling for your kids' nanny? Never a good idea.Jacob Browne comes from rugby royalty but try as he might, he’s never been the same heroic idol his father was on the rugby field. And now he’s failed off the field with the breakdown of his relationship to New Zealand’s favorite ‘It Girl’ Matilda Neilson...
  • Henry Hamlet's Heart by Rhiannon Wilde

    Henry Hamlet's Heart by Rhiannon Wilde

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    A sparkling queer YA romance set in Brisbane, Henry Hamlet’s Heart follows one guy and his sometimes hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking journey to love.Henry Hamlet doesn’t know what he wants after school ends. It’s his last semester of year twelve and all he’s sure of is his uncanny ability to make situations awkward. Luckily, he can always hide behind his enigmatic best friend, Len...
  • Changing the Rules by Brigham Vaughn

    Changing the Rules by Brigham Vaughn

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Rule #1: Don’t fall in love with the coach.Gabriel Theriault’s been skating on thin ice for the past two seasons with Toronto but his arrest following an off-ice fight is the final straw.His only shot at redemption is to start over in Evanston and prove that he still has what it takes to be a pro player.No more fights. No more drinking. No more random hookups. Rule #2: The team always comes first...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  book  contemporary  fiction
  • Sugar Tycoon by Charity Parkerson

    Sugar Tycoon by Charity Parkerson

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Bored, rich, and wild. Who could love someone like that? Wyld West is the billionaire playboy who’s as eccentric as his name. Not only has he never been in love, Wyld doesn’t believe it exists. Until an angelic younger man comes to his rescue and nothing makes sense any longer. While delivering meals to the homeless, Micah stumbles upon Wyld, bleeding and in need of help...
  • A Merry Little (Hat Trick) Christmas by Samantha Wayland

    A Merry Little (Hat Trick) Christmas by Samantha Wayland

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    ‘Tis the season to be jolly Something is bothering Rhian, and his friends and family want to know what that is. His lovers, Garrick and Savannah, think they have an idea and they’re trying to give him some space. His teammates haven’t any clue, but they’re convinced that enough nights out and beautiful women making eyes at him will make it better...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  family  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  book  contemporary
  • Room for Recovery by D.J. Jamison

    Room for Recovery by D.J. Jamison

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    New Edition found hereBeau James isn't out, but he's not fooling anyone. When he's cornered by two bullies, he's rescued by none other than the broody Wade Ritter, who he's crushed on from afar. Despite their family connection, Wade has resisted all of Beau's attempts at friendship -- until now. His protective streak gives Beau an opportunity to get past Wade's prickly exterior...
  • Shoot The Gap by Jordan Ford

    Shoot The Gap by Jordan Ford

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    The final book in a young adult romance series about a small town football team and the girls who win their hearts. Tyler Schumann has always been known as Nelson High’s goofy clown, the guy with the big mouth...
  • Land On Me by Matthew R. Corr

    Land On Me by Matthew R. Corr

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Landon Griffin has everything going for him. He’s a high school senior on the brink of receiving a football scholarship, his dad is running for mayor of Madison, Texas, and his future with his girlfriend looks bright. But his simple life shatters when feelings spark for a guy he’s never met...
  • Coming Out at the Ball Game by Jax Calder

    Coming Out at the Ball Game by Jax Calder

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    For Elijah, a trip to the ball game with his dad and his ex-friend Jaxon is a special kind of torture. He’s always been a disappointment to his dad, and there’s been an awful awkwardness between him and Jaxon since Elijah came out. Elijah hates that he still cares about what Jaxon thinks of him...
  • Off the Ice by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Off the Ice by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    A coming-of-age love story with high school, hockey rivalry, friendship, family, and coming out.Soren’s life changes in an instant when he and his younger brother are adopted by hockey royalty. Making sense of his new life is hard enough, but when he’s enrolled in a private school it means facing a whole new set of problems...
  • King of the Mountain by Aiden Ainslie

    King of the Mountain by Aiden Ainslie

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    American cycling sensation and heartthrob Clifford Du Frey is riding the wave of success. Brand Du Frey is a multi-million-dollar business, and during the Tour de France, Clifford is mobbed by fans wherever he goes. The superstar must focus on winning the Tour de France and maintaining the image of the athletic hetero alpha male at all costs.But Clifford has a secret...
  • Knowing Me, Knowing You by Renae Kaye

    Knowing Me, Knowing You by Renae Kaye

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Can friends turned occasional lovers move beyond past mistakes and wrong assumptions to build something that can last? Quiet bookworm Shane has a big secret—one he’s kept for fifteen years. AFL superstar Ambrose Jakoby grew up next door to Shane. They were close friends, and Shane supported Ambrose through school. One night, everything changed...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  family  friends-to-lovers  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  book
  • School and Rock by RJ Scott, V.L. Locey

    School and Rock by RJ Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    When Colorado Penn finds an unexpected package on his front step, his life will be changed forever.Colorado Penn is living the dream. Starting goalie for the Arizona Raptors when in season, lead singer for a hard rock band when summer rolls around. He’s the quintessential free spirit who’s making sure he enjoys all the carnal blessings of his athleticism, and gritty singing voice...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  family  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  book  contemporary
  • The Tight End: Red's Tavern, Book 6 by Raleigh Ruebins

    The Tight End: Red's Tavern, Book 6 by Raleigh Ruebins

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    He’s an introverted nerd, and I’m the football player everybody wants.But I only want to drag his shy, adorkable, irresistible self into my bed. All I’ve ever been good at is running fast with a football clutched tight to my side. As a star football player for the KMU Wolves, I’ve had any guy I wanted for years, and I'm more muscle than smarts...
  • Delay of Game by Lane Hart

    Delay of Game by Lane Hart

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    My mom is dying. The cancer is eating away at her body a little more each day, and the worst part is I know she’s so tired of fighting. She’s starting to surrender to the sickness. That’s why I stupidly blurted out at Thanksgiving that I had met a woman and was engaged. The truth is, there’s no woman in my life and never has been...
  • Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson, Quinn Ward

    Sweet Spot by Sloan Johnson, Quinn Ward

    Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Four years ago, he gave his heart to a rookie pitcher and struck out. Now, they have a second chance to get things right.No longer living on the streets and surrounded by men who supported him, Cody Marshall’s life was finally looking up. He hadn’t expected to hook up with anyone on his first spring training trip, but there was something about Nick Stone that called to him...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  book  contemporary  fiction
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.