Books like 'Rim Shot'

Readers who enjoyed Rim Shot by Skylar M. Cates also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.

contemporary  romance  sports  mlm  university  lgbtq  friends-to-lovers  athlete  slow-burn  coming-of-age 

  • Free from Falling by E.L. Massey

    Free from Falling by E.L. Massey

    Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Justin “Matts” Matthews is good at a lot of things: Rubik’s Cubes, playing guitar, herding cattle, and most importantly for his career in the NHL, hockey. He’s not good at human interactions or social cues, especially when it comes to women. This deficiency is an annoyance rather than a problem, right up until he meets Sydney Warren. If it’s not love at first sight, it’s sure something close...
  • 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
  • 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...
  • Catching Chance by M.E. Parker

    Catching Chance by M.E. Parker

    Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    What happens when you suddenly get everything you ever wanted? First, you don’t believe it’s real. Then you want more… Let’s be honest, gay nerds from small towns in North Carolina don’t get to date the hot, popular quarterback. It’s just one of those impregnable laws of nature. Even if he was my best friend growing up. Even if it turns out by some miracle that he’s gay too...
  • Extra Credit by Sarina Bowen

    Extra Credit by Sarina Bowen

    Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars
    · 14 ratings
    Three novellas, including all new Ivy Years fun! BLONDE DATE: A nervous sorority girl, a mean fraternity prank and an adorkable basketball player with a heart of gold. Blonde Date follows Katie and Andy’s first blind date… STUDLY PERIOD: One hunky hockey player with a language barrier. Plus one awkward English tutor with a big crush...
  • Gravity: Written in the Stars Book 2 by Mia Monroe

    Gravity: Written in the Stars Book 2 by Mia Monroe

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    He was only meant to be a hookup. Until he became my coworker.Only I could ruin the hottest potential hookup ever. One look at the gorgeous ginger, and I was done for. I summoned every bit of courage I had, then panicked. As is my way. I managed to put it behind me until he became my new coworker. Now, every day is a reminder of my insecurities and what might have been...
  • 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...
  • 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...
  • 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...
  • 过门 - Guomen by Priest

    过门 - Guomen by Priest

    Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” -Matthew 7:14Guomen, 過門/过门, meaning marriage in Chinese. If explained literally, it means going past the gates/door-a reference to the Bible(see above).“Through the Strait Gates”: to me, it’s the best way to explain it.The gate’s narrow, the road small for them...
  • 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  slow-burn  sports  abuse  adult
  • 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...
  • Back to Center by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood

    Back to Center by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood

    Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    EckieThere 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...
  • 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...
  • Marc Jillson & The Gazebo by Anyta Sunday

    Marc Jillson & The Gazebo by Anyta Sunday

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Want true, heart-throbbing romance? Put down the Cheetos, and stop being a jackass.The question is, can I do it?I’ve been an epic dick to my friends, my uncle. Him.Travis Hunter. Photographer, econ-student, paraplegic. Can I redeem myself? Apologize? Make a fresh start?Hunter seems to think so. Even roped me into saving his favorite gazebo from the bulldozers.The confidence of this man amazes me...
  • 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  friends-to-lovers  lgbtq  mlm  sports  university  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...
  • Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers

    Golden Boy and the Two Bears by Nash Summers

    Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Asher Williams is obsessed with love. His column is thriving, fellow students trust him with their relationship woes, and he’s on his A-game when it comes to matchmaking. At least, matchmaking other than his own. After a heartfelt letter written to his column, Asher is set on aiding the two love-struck heroes who desperately need his help...
  • 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...
  • 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...
  • The Waiting Game by Brigham Vaughn

    The Waiting Game by Brigham Vaughn

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 12 ratings
    Fans Have Mixed Reactions to Engagement of Fisher Cats’ Hale and BrewerOn the eve of their first playoff game this post-season, the Toronto Fisher Cats organization sent out a press release announcing the engagement of their top d-pair.The release insinuates the childhood friends may have been involved as far back as college and makes it clear the front office supports the relationship...
  • Pull Me Under by Zarah Detand

    Pull Me Under by Zarah Detand

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 15 ratings
    After accidentally outing himself as the first openly gay soccer player in the British Premier League, Ben has three choices:1. Deny, deny, deny.2. Hope that his team and the public will just get over it.3. Make himself look better by means of a long-term, committed relationship.The problem? He has yet to really kiss another man.The solution? His manager knows just the guy...
  • 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...
  • Unconditional Love by Andrew Grey

    Unconditional Love by Andrew Grey

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    "A Seven Days Story" Can a person's life change in just one day? How about seven? Donald Pottier and Jason Greene are barely more than boys when they meet on Chincoteague Island, Virginia. A day of crabbing soon turns them from strangers to friends, then to something more, but the boys' time is limited: at the end of the summer, Jay will leave Don and the island behind...
  • Spiced Kisses by Charlie Novak

    Spiced Kisses by Charlie Novak

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    One broken collarbone, two stubborn men, three interfering chefs, four weeks to go, five chewed garlands, and The Pear Tree covered in snow…Ben’s Christmas Plans:1. Finish the staff schedules, get the orders done, and make sure the next month runs smoothly because December is hell.2. Break collarbone at rugby.3. Scrap all plans. Drag Ianto in to help.4...
  • Nice Catching You by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood

    Nice Catching You by Ryan Taylor, Joshua Harwood

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    What happens when the No. 1 college hockey star in the country falls in love—with a man?Nick Johnson, a top prospect for a pro hockey team, has a secret: he’s gay. Tired of living in the closet for the sport he loves, he sees no way out.Jacob Meyer’s string of bad boyfriends left him cynical about love. Instead, he focuses on his studies as a third-year law student...
  • 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
  • No Wrong Moves by Becca Seymour

    No Wrong Moves by Becca Seymour

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Pining for your best friend sucks ass—and not the good kind of sucking. But I can’t back away, and I definitely can’t let go. Eddie Phelps is too damn important to me. He has my heart and soul. Well, he and his daughter, a ten-year-old who one day will run the world.It’s not like I can even blame Eddie for mixed signals or anything. He’s done everything right. He always does...
  • 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...
    Categorized as:
    athlete  friends-to-lovers  lgbtq  mlm  sports  university  adult  book
  • The Last Summer by Ruthie Luhnow

    The Last Summer by Ruthie Luhnow

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    "It's not even really a first kiss if you're practicing on a friend." Trapped in a conservative prairie town, Alfie Alder has spent his whole life enduring bullying from his classmates and indifference from his teachers. Only one person has ever seen past Alfie's sarcastic, standoffish exterior—his best friend and the love of his life, Wynn...
  • Breaking the Record by Raleigh Ruebins

    Breaking the Record by Raleigh Ruebins

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    “When will I see him again? And why do I want to so badly?” Ben Lakeland owns a failing record store in small-town Welling, New York, and it's the last place he wants to be. Everything used to be easy: watching football with his frat buddies, drinking beer, and being popular in school. But at 24 years old, everyone else seems to have grown up but Ben...
  • Forever and Ever by Devon McCormack

    Forever and Ever by Devon McCormack

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    They missed out on love...or so they thought.At seventy-seven, Wes Brenner is certain he's lived a full life. But one thing he'll never know is true love.When he heads to Heathrow Estates retirement community, planning to spend the rest of his days playing golf and taking spin classes, he runs into an acquaintance from his hometown: Art Cromley...
  • Defenseman No. 9 by Xavier Neal

    Defenseman No. 9 by Xavier Neal

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    A New Adult Romantic Comedy. Once upon a time, the Vlasta Vipers hockey team was so incredible — on and off the ice — they were almost mythical. Back then, they were the undefeated conquerors of the rink. Coveted prizes for Puck Bunnies. Their reputation was ironclad until the wrong skates landed on the wrong feet...
  • The Fly-Half by Charlie Novak

    The Fly-Half by Charlie Novak

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    A Way To Score With My Best Friend Meet Jonny and Devon in the second book in the Lincoln Knights series, featuring a fly-half who's been in love with his best friend for fifteen years, a number eight dealing with new feelings of jealousy, "I want you to be mine" vibes, chaotic teammates and friends, and plenty of low-angst steam and sweetness.Coming February 2025...
  • Teasing the Winger by Laura John

    Teasing the Winger by Laura John

    Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars
    · 6 ratings
    Falling for a tease is a bad idea, right?Growing up, all I ever wanted was to play soccer. I know it isn't going to be forever, but while I'm still in college, I am going to give it my all. Just like I’ve always done.Everything was going according to plan...until the universe decided it would be fun for me to develop feelings for the man I saw as nothing more than an annoyance...
  • 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...
  • Scoreless Game by Anna Zabo, L.A. Witt

    Scoreless Game by Anna Zabo, L.A. Witt

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    At nearly thirty-one years old, Pittsburgh Griffins captain Elias Karlsson’s hockey years are numbered. Everything is changing around him, including his eleven-year friendship with Nikolai Sidorov. Elias would give anything for Nisha to be a permanent part of his life, but their once bedrock-strong bond has broken into a million pieces, and Elias doesn’t know why...
  • 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...
  • Choke Up by Rebecca Rathe

    Choke Up by Rebecca Rathe

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Ellis Hope has one goal for his first year at be his own person. He’s determined to break free from his brother Elliot’s shadow, and get over the soul crushing attraction he has for his brother’s best friend. The campus meetup app provides an effective distraction from Gabe and Elliot making waves as the new star players for Huntston University’s baseball team...
  • Melting the Ice by Beth Bolden

    Melting the Ice by Beth Bolden

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    Brody’s got enough on his plate.Recovering from a knee injury he hopes won’t keep him off the ice. His team, the Portland University Evergreens, have a brand new coach, and he’s hoping to impress the legendary leader. Plus, he's got to make a decision once and for all about playing professional hockey or using his love of science to go a totally different direction...
  • Neutral Zone Trap by Crea Reitan

    Neutral Zone Trap by Crea Reitan

    Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars
    · 8 ratings
    I want something true. TorinHiding behind my mascot mask has always worked in my favor. As someone with social anxiety and paralyzing shyness, the ability to be out in the world without being seen is the only way I’m able to function. It also means I can long for my crush from afar without him knowing.I’m invisible inside my costume and try to go unseen otherwise...
  • 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
  • The Swap Masquerade by Annabella Michaels

    The Swap Masquerade by Annabella Michaels

    Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    “A night of passion and pleasure awaits you. No names, no faces, just the chance to live out your wildest fantasies. Leave your keys in the bowl and let fate decide who you’ll end up with.” After years of hiding his sexuality from his family and teammates, Elliott Stone is tired of living a lie...
  • Shots on Goal by Amy Aislin

    Shots on Goal by Amy Aislin

    Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Recently traded to the newly formed Vermont Trailblazers, professional hockey player Roman Kinsey needs to focus on helping the team win games and filling the stands, not on the blond, bespectacled part-timer who works at the library he volunteers at. He knows all too well that outing himself equals heartache and ridicule…or worse...
  • Unexpected by Felice Stevens

    Unexpected by Felice Stevens

    Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars
    · 10 ratings
    Party planner Colin Brightman doesn’t drink or dance, preferring to go to bed early with his spreadsheets and lists. All he wants is to forget the singles weekend his friends sent him on, but he’s stuck with a suitcase filled with condoms and skimpy Speedos that don’t belong to him.He doesn’t expect his luggage thief to be ex-baseball superstar Walker “Walk-Off” Scanlon...
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.