Books like 'My Only Reason'

Readers who enjoyed My Only Reason by Leigh Lennon also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

contemporary  romance  mlm  sports  lgbtq  friends-to-lovers  second-chances  enemies-to-lovers  athlete

  • Iced Out by C.E. Ricci

    Iced Out by C.E. Ricci

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 20 ratings
    All's fair in hate and hockey.My path to success never included an enemy as a teammate, especially one as infuriating as Quinton de Haas.Clawing under my skin is his favorite pastime, only feeding the animosity between us as the years pass.We’re as completely opposite as two people can be; the golden boy and the black sheep.Constantly at odds or at each other’s throats...
  • 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...
  • My Dinner with Hayden: A Heated Rivalry Short Story by Rachel Reid

    My Dinner with Hayden: A Heated Rivalry Short Story by Rachel Reid

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    "This story takes place slightly before the actual epilogue in Heated Rivalry. So it’s an…epilogue prologue? It takes place almost sixteen months after the last chapter of Heated Rivalry, and about three weeks before the epilogue...
  • 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
  • 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
  • Taming the Bad Boy by Ivy Coleman

    Taming the Bad Boy by Ivy Coleman

    Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    ...
  • 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...
  • Home Game by Raleigh Ruebins

    Home Game by Raleigh Ruebins

    Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    He’s pro football’s hottest wide receiver…But for me he’s pure, red-hot trouble.Storm Rosling is cocky. Charming. A bad boy football player who can’t keep his name out of headlines and scandals.In my life, he’s one big red flag.I’m working with Fixer Brothers Construction to take their home renovation TV show to the stratosphere. I’m all business, and I’m damn good at it...
  • You Could Make a Life by Taylor Fitzpatrick

    You Could Make a Life by Taylor Fitzpatrick

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    The first thing Dan says to him is, “we’re in the NHL!”, because that’s how he’s been greeting anyone wearing a jersey, and Marc Lapointe, 'the future of the franchise', is wearing Dan's colours. “I think you’re my new best friend,” Dan says, his excitement beating out common sense, social filters, the need to play it cool. “It is nice to meet you, new best friend," Marc says, his mouth twitching...
  • The Freshman Year by Adam Van Dyck

    The Freshman Year by Adam Van Dyck

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 24 ratings
    Hey guys! It’s Tyler here, and this is the newest chapter of my life. Y’all are not going to believe this, but…I just joined the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee’s Men’s Soccer team! No, seriously, I actually did! I’m officially a Panther now! I did well on my youth soccer team, and I destroyed the opposing team in high school lacrosse, so I should be ready for college soccer, right?I wish...
    Categorized as:
    lgbtq  mlm  sports  book  contemporary  fiction  young-adult  romance
  • Hit the Brakes: A Fake Boyfriend Food Truck Romance by Beth Bolden

    Hit the Brakes: A Fake Boyfriend Food Truck Romance by Beth Bolden

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Can they fake it til Tate makes it?Tate Ward is in a bind. His food truck hasn’t been the runaway success he’d always dreamt it would be. When he tries to join a new food truck collective to gain a larger following, his sales aren’t even high enough to win a spot. What he needs is a high profile endorsement—and he knows just the guy.Tate hasn’t seen Chase Riley since high school...
  • Playing by the Rules by Beth Bolden

    Playing by the Rules by Beth Bolden

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Ex-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...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  friends-to-lovers  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  age-gap  book
  • Winning the Season by Beth Bolden

    Winning the Season by Beth Bolden

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Coach Asa Dawson has fallen wildly in love only twice in his life.First with football.Then with Scott Callaway.But Scott isn’t just the one who got away.He’s the one person—the one man—Asa hoped might finally show him how all-consuming passion could be.Instead, fate (and football) intervened and they never got the chance to explore their attraction...
  • The Red Zone by Beth Bolden

    The Red Zone by Beth Bolden

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Spencer’s deep in the Red Zone and it’s time to even the score. Nine years ago Spencer Evans became the first player out of the closet to be drafted into the NFL. Everyone believed he had aspirations to change the world but all Spencer ever wanted to do was play football for a team that accepted him wholeheartedly...
    Categorized as:
    lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  book  contemporary  fiction  romance
  • Playing the Field by L.M. Reid

    Playing the Field by L.M. Reid

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Work hard. Play harder.I’m a player - both on and off the field.Avery and I have been friends since we were kids.In a moment of weakness, she winds up being the latest addition in my playbook and everything falls apart – our friendship and my life.I’m spiraling out of control, and with my football career on the line, there is only one person who can save me...
  • Catcher Interference by Haven Hadley

    Catcher Interference by Haven Hadley

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Marcus Warnes. The catcher at the top of his game.A knack for smack talking, a master play caller, and the quickest pop time in the league. The world saw the team playboy when all he wanted was to settle down with someone. To find the one. Marcus longed for holidays at home and a family to spend them with. His time in the spotlight didn’t make it easy to find...
  • 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...
  • Neutral Zone by Catherine Gayle

    Neutral Zone by Catherine Gayle

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    USA Today bestselling author Catherine Gayle presents another novella in the emotional Portland Storm hockey romance series. Being stuck in the Neutral Zone is no way to live… Portland Storm defenseman Cole Paxton never intended to be the poster boy for gay hockey players...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  friends-to-lovers  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  age-gap  book
  • Beautiful Mistakes by Felice Stevens

    Beautiful Mistakes by Felice Stevens

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    The other side of loathing might be lust ...Or love ...WolfDesire: What Wolf struggles with from the moment he sees Spencer Hawkins the first day of college.Fear: Not a word in Wolf’s vocabulary except when it comes to facing his feelings for Spencer.Lust: What he gives in to that changes everything between them. And his life forever...
  • 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...
  • The Linebacker by Emerson Beckett, Rheland Richmond

    The Linebacker by Emerson Beckett, Rheland Richmond

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Is it wrong for me to want the world to know I’m in love with Patrick Griffin and have been since we were eight-years-old? Patrick Griffin I hurt him. I didn’t mean to.Now he’s gone, and I deserve it.As a linebacker in the NFL, I've never found the right time to come out of the closet. Not even when I promised Cole I would...
  • Be My Endgame by Zarah Detand

    Be My Endgame by Zarah Detand

    Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars
    · 9 ratings
    Sometimes the endgame is only the beginning. In the heated world of the Premier League, Earl Alex Beaufort, a charming Liverpool midfielder, collides on-pitch with Lee Taylor, Manchester United’s top striker. But when England’s World Cup dream brings them to sunny Spain, the real game sharing a room...
  • Free Me: Tattoos and Temptation Book 3 by Mia Monroe

    Free Me: Tattoos and Temptation Book 3 by Mia Monroe

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Only his ropes can unravel the past. I never thought I’d see him again, but when my former best friend shows up ready to make amends, it becomes clear just how tied to the past I am. He disappeared when I needed him the most, leaving me to navigate my truth alone. Now he’s back.Nixon’s art leaves me vulnerable, defenseless, and I like it...
  • 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...
  • Poke Check by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Poke Check by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    One scorching summer in each other’s arms could never be enough. Stanislav “Stan” Lyamin is happy playing for the Railers. The towering goalie is well-loved, respected, and making a home for himself even though that home only contains him, his cat, and his growing Pokemon trading card collection. Stan prefers it that way...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  enemies-to-lovers  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  book  children
  • Una maldita confusión by América Rodas

    Una maldita confusión by América Rodas

    Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    Jean intenta confesar su atracción hacia Olivia en una fiesta, pero por culpa del alcohol termina declarándose a su mejor amigo, Oliver. ***Cuando invitaron a Jean a la fiesta de una desconocida sabía que debía decir que sí, sobre todo porque necesitaba liberar el estrés de la escuela, de su casa, de su equipo de básquetbol y de él mismo...
  • My Ride, I Love You by Patrick Rangimant

    My Ride, I Love You by Patrick Rangimant

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 5 ratings
    This is a love story of Mork, who is a motorcycle taxi driver in Bangkok, and Tawan, a junior internal medicine resident doctor in the university hospital. Seems like they both have a small chance to meet, let alone the falling in love, but it did happen...
  • Blink by Rick R. Reed

    Blink by Rick R. Reed

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Life can change in the blink of an eye. That's a truth Andy Slater learns as a young man in 1982, taking the Chicago 'L' to work every morning. Andy's life is laid out before him: a good job, marriage to his female college sweetheart, and the white picket fence existence he believes in. But when he sees Carlos Castillo for the first time, Carlos’s dark eyes and Latin appeal mesmerize him...
    Categorized as:
    lgbtq  mlm  second-chances  adult  book  contemporary  fiction  romance
  • False Start by Sloan Johnson

    False Start by Sloan Johnson

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Nixon Cross isn’t wired to share his life with anyone. He’d considered a relationship once, but after the one man patient enough to put up with all his quirks shut him down, he committed all of his energy to football and helping his players. Now, one of his players need more help than Nixon can provide and his former flame is the one man who will know what to do...
  • 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
  • Royal Lines by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Royal Lines by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    They’re setting fire to the sheets, but a romance between an out and proud hockey star and a closeted playboy prince could end up burning them both.Marquis Miller might be one of the NHL’s best players, single, wealthy, and open about his sexuality, but he knows his future lies in taking over the reins of the family’s multimillion-dollar company after retirement...
    Categorized as:
    lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  book  contemporary  fiction  romance
  • What You Are by Erin E. Keller

    What You Are by Erin E. Keller

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Alex walks down the road of his life, apparently without any detours. He has a job, friends, a nice apartment and a girlfriend who meets his needs. A smooth life lived on a smooth road. But when Daniel shows up at his door, Alex meets the first bump in road -- which turns out to be more like a boulder -- in his way...
  • Riptide by Ruthie Luhnow

    Riptide by Ruthie Luhnow

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    "The weirdest part about kissing my best friend is that it isn't weird at all." Drew Riordan is excellent at compartmentalization. It's the only way he's managed to survive three years at Bellamy university—and on the crew team—and how he's made peace with staying in the closet for the foreseeable future...
  • Jericho Candelario's Gay Debut by R. Cooper

    Jericho Candelario's Gay Debut by R. Cooper

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Jerry Candelario, known as Potts to almost everyone, has spent his entire adult life focused on raising his siblings and his niece. But the home he fought hard to make feels empty since everyone has grown up and moved out, and his precious baby niece is now a teen with a life of her own...
  • Summer Kisses by Charlie Novak

    Summer Kisses by Charlie Novak

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Two chefs. Two summers. One shot at a second chance.Aaron’s PlanThen:1. Get a better job2. Learn more skills3. Get money for restaurant4. Don’t fall in love with JoshNow:1. Finesse menu2. Stop being angry at Josh3. Swear less (Ben’s idea)4. Stop wanting to kiss Josh5. Get Michelin stars6. Stop being in love with JoshJosh’s PlanThen:1. Start new job2. Try not to burn out3...
  • The Doctor's Wish by Andrew Grey

    The Doctor's Wish by Andrew Grey

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Dr. Jackson Burnside is an orthopedic surgeon who made his own way. Always different, he got out of Natchez before his family could throw him out, but still wishes things could be reconciled. He's built a successful practice and a sound reputation in Carlisle. When he's called to the hospital for a consultation, the last person he expects to meet is Wes...
  • Foul Ball by Haven Hadley

    Foul Ball by Haven Hadley

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Declan Armitage. The right fielder Espen got in a trade.A powerful hitter, a hard throw, and an unmatched stolen base percentage. Not expecting to be traded, he was happy to learn where he was headed. If only he didn’t need to find a new place to live. One phone call from his brother and the plan was put into motion. Brock Richmond was loyal to a fault...
  • Face Off by Marina Vivancos

    Face Off by Marina Vivancos

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Orion’s life turns upside down when someone outs him as the first Omega in the NHL…that anybody knows of. Now, he has to wrestle with the decisions he made throughout his life to keep that secret hidden—including the man he left a decade earlier.Problem is, that man is Gabriel McKenna, Captain of the Queen's Hounds...
  • Overtime by Marina Vivancos

    Overtime by Marina Vivancos

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Ishir is happy when his best friend Zane is traded to his team, the Brooklyn Cats. Why wouldn’t he be? They’ve known each other since they were kids. Zane was the first person he came out to as gay—an Alpha who’s attracted to other Alphas. Zane has been there for him every step of the way.Oh, and Ishir is madly in love with him.Ishir isn’t going to make it a problem, though...
  • Couture Crush by Charlie Novak

    Couture Crush by Charlie Novak

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Beau Barrett is about to become Alt. Bride’s first male cover model, but what about his own fairy-tale ending?When Beau Barrett arrives to shoot for alternative bridal magazine, Alt. Bride, the last person he expects to see is Cash, his long-lost childhood best friend. The spark between them is instant, but with Beau’s calendar splitting at the seams, he’s not convinced a relationship is possible...
  • 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...
  • 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...
  • Matched Intensity by Michelle Frost

    Matched Intensity by Michelle Frost

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Rory Wilson has been called a lot of names in his day—hot head, ginger, fire-kissed, homo—but the only one that ever mattered to him was the day Magnus Rourke looked at him and said, mine. Growing up hopping back and forth across the pond with his American dad and Scottish mum, taught him the value of roots and the strength of the kind of love that distance can’t touch...
  • Playing for Keeps by Beth Bolden

    Playing for Keeps by Beth Bolden

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Sebastian Howard is the best damn cornerback in the NFL.Or at least he was.Age and injuries have taken a toll, and while most people have written him off, Sebastian isn’t ready to acknowledge that at only thirty-two, he’s already in the twilight of his career.He signs with the Miami Piranhas intending to prove everyone wrong...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  enemies-to-lovers  lgbtq  mlm  sports  adult  age-gap  book
  • Facts, Smacts! by Becca Seymour

    Facts, Smacts! by Becca Seymour

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    It’s not my agility that catches basketball player Tyron Channing's attention. It can’t be when he found me grazed and hurt after an embarrassing slip. But my oh my, his breath-catching growls and him hauling me off my ass with a question that makes my head spin: Who did this to you? — make me dizzy with want...
  • The Game by Beth Bolden

    The Game by Beth Bolden

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Micah Rose is ready for a clean slate. He might’ve messed up his rookie year with the Miami Piranhas, but being traded to the Condors is the best way to put all that behind him.The Condors are rebuilding, too. New owner. New coach. New players. New rules.But one rule hasn’t changed: don’t marry your ex-best friend in Vegas.Beckett West isn't looking forward to seeing Micah again...
  • 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
  • Change Up: An Out For You Gay Sports Romance by Quinn Ward

    Change Up: An Out For You Gay Sports Romance by Quinn Ward

    Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    No one expected the loudmouth of the team to be hiding in the biggest closet of them all. When he’s paired with someone who just wants to keep his head down and play the game, sparks are going to fly.Kevin Green has always been the life of the party. He’s the one everyone turns to for a bit of comic relief...
  • The Nature of the Game by Amy Aislin

    The Nature of the Game by Amy Aislin

    Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Six years ago, an ultimatum forced Dan Greyson to make a choice that cost him everything he loved most. One of those things? His boyfriend, hockey player Ashton Yager. Now that they’ve crossed paths again, Dan isn’t about to let the opportunity slip away. Ash’s reappearance in his life is just the catalyst Dan needs to escape the rut he’s fallen into…and win back Ash’s trust and love...
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.