Books like 'Play Dead'
Readers who enjoyed Play Dead by Avery Cockburn also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance mlm sports lgbtq athlete angst university family multi-pov
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Unwanted by Marley Valentine
Rated: 5.00 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwo halves of a whole, Arlo Bishop and I were both unwanted kids brought together by the foster system. Dealing with the aftermath of neglect and abandonment, we grew up side by side and found solace in one another.We wanted.We needed.We loved.Desperately.But somewhere along the way, Arlo wanted and needed and loved drugs more. So, I did the only thing I could and broke my own heart to save his... -
![Fast Time by Shey Stahl]()
Fast Time by Shey Stahl
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHow can you move on when your heart is taken away from you? Axel and Lily Riley live the life most dream of. Seven years after saying, “I do,” they have three great kids and a life full of speed and adrenaline that most men can’t handle. Being a professional racecar driver, Axel’s dream is winning that prestigious World of Outlaws Championship... -
![Summer Sweat by Daryl Banner, Golden Czermak]()
Summer Sweat by Daryl Banner, Golden Czermak
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEx-football player and town sweetheart Harrisonprepares for another hot summertending to the Strong farm. All he wants to do iswork hard, care for the animals, and enjoy thepeace and quiet of the Spruce, Texas countryside... -
![Line Brawl by Bianca Sommerland]()
Line Brawl by Bianca Sommerland
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNot 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... -
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![Seth by Carly Marie]()
Seth by Carly Marie
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBe 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... -
![Just Winging It by Crea Reitan]()
Just Winging It by Crea Reitan
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOne weekend can change everything. CaulderI’ve lived a very quiet life, keeping my deepest secrets close to my chest. I let no one in; not even my closest friends. When I’m invited to participate in the All-Star Games, I’m suddenly forced to share a hotel room, and a single bed, with a stranger. My carefully guarded world starts to come undone when he kisses me, and I can’t get enough... -
![All In With Him by Lauren Blakely]()
All In With Him by Lauren Blakely
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOnce upon a time all I needed was baseball, friends and extracurricular activities. Then everything changed when Declan Steele stormed into my life and upended all my priorities with his heart, his love, his passion.So my next five-year plan will include this new ground rule—Love big... -
![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 ratingsFamily 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... -
![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 ratingsWhen 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... -
![Enjoy the Ride by Rebecca Sharp]()
Enjoy the Ride by Rebecca Sharp
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom International Bestselling author, Dr. Rebecca Sharp, comes the new standalone in the Winter Games series... Chance The Wheel of Fortune (Card 10): Things tend to go in cycles. Good times then bad.Do you know what it's like to lose everything? I do.Eight years ago, Jessa Lynn Madison and the title "Best Snowboarder in the US" were both mine... -
![Tigers on the Way by Sean Kennedy]()
Tigers on the Way by Sean Kennedy
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSequel 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... -
![Bootleg Diva: Confessions of a Quarterback Princess by Levi Brody by Mercy Celeste]()
Bootleg Diva: Confessions of a Quarterback Princess by Levi Brody by Mercy Celeste
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA Southern Scrimmage BiographyAll heroes need an origins story. From trailer park to the Super Dome.Everybody’s All-American quarterback by day.Infamous exotic dancer by night. Levi Brody is one of the undisputed greats of the game... -
![Hat Trick by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey]()
Hat Trick by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsStan Lyamin has seen many of his dreams come true. He’s found his soulmate, loves Noah like his own, hoisted the Cup, and has his Mama living with him in his new country. But his fantasies of a loud, loving, madcap home overflowing with childish laughter linger... -
![End Game by Samantha Wayland]()
End Game by Samantha Wayland
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGarrick LeBlanc never intended to fall in love with two people, but he has, and now he has to figure out what to do about it. He wants to make them happy, but is afraid he’s doing just the opposite. To make matters worse, he’s trapped in New Brunswick until the end of the hockey season, while his lovers are both in Boston... -
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![Extra Credit by Sarina Bowen]()
Extra Credit by Sarina Bowen
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThree 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... -
![Don't You Dare by C.E. Ricci]()
Don't You Dare by C.E. Ricci
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIt was never meant to be more than a dare.A party game. A dare. A single kiss.That’s all it took to flip my world upside down.I’ve always classified myself as straight, and as far as I can tell, so has he.I didn’t think one kiss would change that, but I was so wrong.Now, I can’t stop thinking about him. In all the ways I shouldn’t.My best friend.Aspen... -
![When I Grow Up by John Goode]()
When I Grow Up by John Goode
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA Tales from Foster High Story After graduation, Kyle Stilleno and Brad Graymark move to California to pursue their dreams. But high school sweethearts are called that for a reason, and their love rarely stands up to the test of time. As money, school, sex, and jealousy test their relationship to the breaking point, Kyle and Brad fight to hold on to the love that brought them together... -
![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 ratingsCan 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... -
![Ineligible Receiver: A Friends-to-Lovers MM Sports Romance by Rheland Richmond, Emerson Beckett]()
Ineligible Receiver: A Friends-to-Lovers MM Sports Romance by Rheland Richmond, Emerson Beckett
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA sexy and emotional story about two best friends that secretly fall in love, but struggle to keep a heartbreaking secret from tearing them apart.When I met Greg Foster, the straight tight end for the Portland Pirates, the rookie needed a friend to bring him out of his shell. There was more to the shy twenty-two-year-old bookworm than met the eye, and I was the perfect person for the task... -
![Blindsided by Carly Marie]()
Blindsided by Carly Marie
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI sent my boss into subspace before lunch. Now what?Easton knows, in the world of professional hockey, he’s getting old and his body can’t take many more hits. When a job offer too good to pass up falls into his lap, Easton goes for it. What should be the start of a new chapter, opens another he thought had closed when he'd been drafted... -
![Advance & Retreat by Brigham Vaughn]()
Advance & Retreat by Brigham Vaughn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA competitive swimmer and a glamorous drag queen … a love worthy of gold or a crushing defeat?Openly gay college swimmer Ian Harrington is fighting against a current of tragedy. He's grieving the loss of his parents and best friend, and now he's dealing with a toxic coach and judgmental brother. But he won't let that stop him from chasing his dream: Olympic gold... -
![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... -
![Save The Date by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey]()
Save The Date by R.J. Scott, V.L. Locey
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEver since he first set foot in Harrisburg, Tennant’s life has been a rollercoaster. Ups and downs too numerous to mention, hard knocks and championship rings. Through all of those monumental moments, one thing has been a constant for him, Jared Madsen. Now that their wedding day is drawing nearer, Ten is seriously considering eloping... -
![Off the Ice by Lindsay Paige, Mary Smith]()
Off the Ice by Lindsay Paige, Mary Smith
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn the second installment of The Penalty Kill Trilogy, Levi Carr and Presley McCarthy continue to rebuild their relationship as they deal with surprises and other problems. Levi is trying his best not to hover with worry over his father after his heart attack. Presley is still trying to gain the love and respect from her parents and keep her independence as well... -
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![Line Drive by Sloan Johnson]()
Line Drive by Sloan Johnson
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsPJ Nolan just has to get through this year. He’d been hoping for a trade to Milwaukee, where he wouldn’t have to hide the fact that he was gay, but that didn’t pan out. He’s close enough to achieving his goal that he can’t walk away, no matter how hostile the Miami clubhouse had become... -
![#HookUp by Cambria Hebert]()
#HookUp by Cambria Hebert
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMissing your favorite #family? This is your exclusive invitation back into their world. #HookUp is an explosion of the award-winning #Hashtag series by Cambria Hebert and makes the perfect collector’s item and addition to the series... -
![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 ratingsWhen 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... -
![Clutch by E. Davies]()
Clutch by E. Davies
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsCocky racing driver Tyler Joseph is sidelined after one risk too many. After being at the center of a fiery crash, he’s forced to rest and recover at his best friend’s farmhouse or he’ll miss the rest of the season. Tyler does what he wants, though, and what he wants right now is the hot, sexy little physiotherapist whose hands only touch him where it hurts... -
![Falling For You by Gianna Gabriela]()
Falling For You by Gianna Gabriela
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsZack Hayes was taught that hard work pays off. He lives by that adage, working a part-time job, playing football and taking a full load of courses in the hope that his parents can stop working themselves to the bone. However, when things start to go wrong, Zack begins to believe that when you come from nothing, working hard doesn’t get you anywhere... -
![Back to Center by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood]()
Back to Center by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEckieThere are ways to get ahead in college hockey, but having a meltdown, trying to get rid of your coach, and stalking his boyfriend isn’t one of them... -
![Twincerely Yours by Eden Finley]()
Twincerely Yours by Eden Finley
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsEMMETTMy twin brother and I have gotten ourselves into a lot of messes growing up. We would constantly switch places to escape consequences while protecting each other at every cost.But sleeping with Ben’s professor is a whole new level of mess, because there’s something Jonah doesn’t know. He might have been Ben’s professor last semester, but the person he was lecturing wasn’t Ben. It was me... -
![The Linebacker by Emerson Beckett, Rheland Richmond]()
The Linebacker by Emerson Beckett, Rheland Richmond
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIs 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... -
![Playing Deep by Beth Bolden]()
Playing Deep by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsKenyon Ellis knows getting involved with Julian Anderson is an enormous mistake—but from the very first night, he finds him annoying, intriguing and ultimately, irresistible.One, Kenyon is a player, and Julian is a reporter, so hooking up with him, no matter how spectacular the nights are, is a terrible idea.Two, he’s falling for him, even if Julian continues to be prickly and impossible... -
![The Professor's Date by Lane Hayes]()
The Professor's Date by Lane Hayes
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe 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... -
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![Blythe College Series Box Set by Rochelle Paige]()
Blythe College Series Box Set by Rochelle Paige
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLooking for an alpha male in your new adult romance read? You just found four! Complete Blythe College Series: Push the Envelope, Hit the Wall, Summer Nights, Outside the Box On sale now for a limited time to celebrate the upcoming release of Sucked Into Love on September 24. "I love alpha males... -
![Adore by E. Davies]()
Adore by E. Davies
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratings“I’m gonna go from twink to twunk.” Tired of hookups, Caspian Grey is hitting the gym, though he can’t decide who he’s trying to impress—the sexy gym owner, or his dating app buddy, Bi Unicorn. If he can pack on some muscles, maybe a man will finally overlook his quirks and hold onto him. Matt Rowan owns a safe, welcoming gym, but his bank account and love life are equally empty... -
![Risking the Shot by Amy Aislin]()
Risking the Shot by Amy Aislin
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTime 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... -
![An Unrivaled Off Season by Ashlyn Kane]()
An Unrivaled Off Season by Ashlyn Kane
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAny other year, hockey player Grady Armstrong would be licking his wounds after a disappointing playoffs exit. Somehow, this year, he’s in the stands as his rival-turned-boyfriend Max Lockhart competes for the Stanley Cup… and there’s nowhere he’d rather be. Well, except maybe lifting the Cup himself... -
![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 ratingsOne 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... -
![Country Boy by A.E. Wasp]()
Country Boy by A.E. Wasp
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSometimes the toughest thing to have faith in is yourself. The first time Paul Dyson met Robbie Rhodes, they ended up naked in Robbie’s bed. The last time they met, on the ice the morning after, Paul punched Robbie in the face and called him something he’d rather not repeat. Two years later, they’re teammates on the Seattle Thunder hockey team... -
![Illegal Contact by Neve Wilder, Riley Hart]()
Illegal Contact by Neve Wilder, Riley Hart
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI've hated spoiled, cocky Patrick Whitt since the first time I saw him at football camp when we were kids.Once we made it to the NFL, of course, he landed on the LA Royals, the biggest rivals of my team, the Denver Rush. Everything about him rubs me the wrong way...until one unexpected night, we happen to rub each other the right way, and suddenly I can't get enough of him... -
![Game Winner by Lindsay Paige, Mary Smith]()
Game Winner by Lindsay Paige, Mary Smith
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn the final installment of Levi Carr and Presley McCarthy’s story, he’s playing in the AHL a state away in Pennsylvania while she’s back home trying to finish school. Presley’s only dream has been going to law school. That goal has remained strong, even with falling in love with Levi. He’s off playing hockey, and she’s still trying to focus on that goal... -
![Fixer Upper by Jason Collins]()
Fixer Upper by Jason Collins
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsKIP: Rule one of hiring a handyman: don’t fall in love with him. My new house needs some renovations, and I’ve got my eye on Ted. He’s a contractor from my support group with a hands-on approach and a million-dollar smile, and I’m thrilled when he agrees to help. As it turns out, this renovation isn’t the only thing he’s got in hand. Every time he’s around, I go weak in the knees... -
![Changing the Rules by Brigham Vaughn]()
Changing the Rules by Brigham Vaughn
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsRule #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... -
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![Rules, Schmules! by Becca Seymour]()
Rules, Schmules! by Becca Seymour
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe first Zone Defense series spin-off with a rule-following basketball player and an unimpressed twink who thinks rules are made to be obliterated.It’s not my milkshake that brings Kieran Kendall to my yard. Okay, maybe it’s a little bit my milkshake. But I also like to think it’s my dazzling personality and my magical… uhm… you get the idea... -
![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... -
![The Fairy Dance by Tara Lain]()
The Fairy Dance by Tara Lain
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat if the man of your dreams dances into your life—and he’s a nutcracker?Maintenance man, Jed, might yearn for an alpha-femme guy, but where’s he going to find him in his small Oregon town?New York ballet rising star, Henri, just wants to dance, but his desire for top roles only leads him into the pervy artistic director’s bed.The chances of these two meeting are less likely than a grand jete... -
![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... -
![Masc (Femme) by Marshall Thornton]()
Masc (Femme) by Marshall Thornton
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLionel and Dog are back in this follow-up to the Lambda finalist, Femme. Almost six months have passed and, after taking an online quiz, Lionel believes their relationship is doomed because they have nothing in common. To save their future together, the pair joins a gay bowling league and discovers that Lionel is an excellent, if somewhat eccentric, bowler... -
![Out for the Holidays and Out for Gold by Lane Hayes]()
Out for the Holidays and Out for Gold by Lane Hayes
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOut for the HolidaysA Dream Come True…Derek-This is it! I’m finally opening my own bistro. I’ve spent the last two years getting ready for this moment. I can’t decide if the holidays are the perfect time to begin a new venture, but I’m excited. It would be nice if my family were on board too.Gabe-I play water polo...
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