Books like 'Matters to Me'
Readers who enjoyed Matters to Me by M.E. Carter also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance sports university slow-burn fake-relationship friends-to-lovers poc-mc
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The Closer I Get to You by AshleyNicole, Erin B
Rated: 4.80 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLife dealt Lou a losing hand at birth. After years of unthinkable suffering, he has reached a boss level of indifference that he has no intention of stepping down from. His daughter needs a place to live? Not his problem. Anybody else need anything? They’ll die before he offers to help. He’s content living his life alone, and nothing can change that... -
![Becoming Selfish by lizrose, Liz Tomforde]()
Becoming Selfish by lizrose, Liz Tomforde
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsELIThis is it. my senior year. My last shot to get called up to play in the National Hockey League. This season is about me. Though every season is about me. I'm the captain of my university's hockey team- the top scorer both o and off the ice- and everyone on campus knows my name.I feel the pressure every single day.I can't afford to get distracted... -
![Wins & Losses by Alexandra Warren]()
Wins & Losses by Alexandra Warren
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNasir Valentine has one thing on his mind: winning a championship title in his first year as head coach of the boys basketball team. But when his team captain’s father is murdered just before the start of the season, he quickly learns coaching high school basketball in the inner city is a lot more than just drawing numbers and arrows on a dry erase board... -
![Campus Chronicles: Kamaria & Kyree's Story by Cion Lee]()
Campus Chronicles: Kamaria & Kyree's Story by Cion Lee
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsKamaria Laurent has spent majority of her college career flying under the radar. As a plus sized girl who's always faced criticism from her peers and family, all she wants to do is stay out the way and get her degree. That all changes when she meets Mr. Popularity himself, Kyree Pierre. Kyree has had the opposite college experience from Kamaria... -
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![Saved by Love by Toni Aleo]()
Saved by Love by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsEvan Adler can’t get out of his own head.Worthless.Broken.Failure.Those are just a few of the words he uses to describe himself now. Medically retired from the NHL before he even had a chance to live up to the Adler legacy, Evan has returned to his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee, to focus on his mental health... -
![Like You’ve Nothing Left to Prove by E.L. Massey]()
Like You’ve Nothing Left to Prove by E.L. Massey
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAs the headline-stealing captain of the Houston Hell Hounds, nineteen-year-old Alexander Price has one goal: the Stanley Cup. He’s got the talent. He’s got the drive. But he’s also got an anxiety disorder and his therapist on speed dial. And, oh yeah, he’s gay. And he’s not willing to hide it anymore... -
![Tight Hold by Lisa Suzanne]()
Tight Hold by Lisa Suzanne
Rated: 4.63 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe pro football player I’m faking a relationship with has the perfect solution to my career woes. He’s encouraging me to lean into the pseudo-celebrity life I was born into instead of trying to outrun it, and for the first time in my life, someone sees me for me.I feel like he’s falling for me, too.And then my ex shows up... -
![Wild Love by Rebecca Jenshak]()
Wild Love by Rebecca Jenshak
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJohnny Maverick is a lot of things.Great hockey player.Loyal friend.Rule breaker.Always up for a good time.And now, he’s my new roommate.It’s only for a few weeks while I intern for the Wildcats—his new NHL team.And there are some pros to living with my hot and ridiculous friend (or is that ridiculously hot?). He’s fun and unexpectedly sweet, and he reminds me not to take myself too seriously... -
![Sweeter Than Honey by Joy Avery]()
Sweeter Than Honey by Joy Avery
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA talented baker and a small-town sheriff forced into a fake relationship decide whether to take a chance on love in this delectable romance from Joy Avery.Baker extraordinaire Rylee Harris has a recipe for everything—except love. It’s been five years since she lost her husband, but romance is still a struggle for Rylee... -
![Chosen by Love by Toni Aleo]()
Chosen by Love by Toni Aleo
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCameron White is the most famous student influencer on the Bellevue campus. Not only that, she is one hell of a gymnast, ready to stick every landing her senior year. It’s time to go out with a bang...Categorized as:
university sports friends-to-lovers fake-relationship romance contemporary fiction coming-of-age -
![Snowflake by Nia Forrester]()
Snowflake by Nia Forrester
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsRunning away from his feelings is the one race he'll never win ... A star athlete and Olympic prospect, Kal Carter is bound for greatness. Everyone says it, only he's not sure he entirely believes it. Because he’s lost something he can’t replace, and most days feels like he’s holding up the sky; and doing it all on his own... -
![Caspian: A Carolina Reapers Novel by Samantha Whiskey]()
Caspian: A Carolina Reapers Novel by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsShe’s the girl next door, and for the next two weeks I’ll be her NHL star boyfriend.When Ryleigh Dunham needs a date for my sister’s wedding—one confident and sexy enough to make her ex jealous—I’m more than happy to sign up for the job.After all, Ryleigh isn’t the feisty teenager I used to know—now she’s all fiery passion, delectable curves, and a smart mouth I can’t get enough of...Categorized as:
fake-relationship friends-to-lovers sports adult book contemporary fiction small-town -
![3 Count by Nikki Castle]()
3 Count by Nikki Castle
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsA charming ladies' man that everybody loves.A badass photojournalist that treats every day as a new adventure.A friends with benefits relationship.When Aiden and Dani meet on his college campus, their playful banter and physical chemistry immediately draws them to each other. It's easy for one accidental meet-cute to become a standing date, and for a certain understanding to develop between them... -
![Bounce Back by Nicole Falls]()
Bounce Back by Nicole Falls
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratings“This thing between us is unexpected for me…”With her professional basketball career seemingly in her rearview, Micaiah Kennedy is trying to figure out what the future holds for her... -
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![Greek by Kandi Steiner]()
Greek by Kandi Steiner
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe epic conclusion to the Palm South University Series...Sisterhood is forever, but can it survive life’s biggest curveballs?Erin fights for justice while Bear continues to fight his demons in order to be the man he wants to be for the woman he loves. Skyler considers what will come after graduation -- and whether or not Kip will be a part of the plan... -
![Cravings of the Heart by Nicky James]()
Cravings of the Heart by Nicky James
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFor years, Arden McMillan has been hiding his phobia in plain sight. People can believe whatever they want to believe about him so long as they never learn the truth. It’s easier to lie than to be seen as a coward. Besides, it’s no one’s business but his own.It’s been ten years since Ignatius Rojas—or Iggy—has seen Arden...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers poc-mc slow-burn university adult book contemporary domestic-drama -
![Portland Storm: The First Period by Catherine Gayle]()
Portland Storm: The First Period by Catherine Gayle
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsBREAKAWAY She’s reaching for a breakaway pass. Dana Campbell has spent the past seven years in self-imposed isolation for a crime she didn’t commit. The danger is well in the past, but her panic attacks make it impossible to have a normal, healthy relationship with a man. Even her counselor has given up on her... -
![Forgetting the Rules: A Second-Chance-Romance Sports Standalone by Mariah Dietz]()
Forgetting the Rules: A Second-Chance-Romance Sports Standalone by Mariah Dietz
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA standalone sports romance. Book 6 in The Dating Playbook Series... -
![Like Real People Do by E.L. Massey]()
Like Real People Do by E.L. Massey
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNineteen-year-old hockey phenom Alexander Price is the youngest-ever captain in the NHL. With a polarizing social media presence and a predilection for dirty play, he typifies the stereotype of young, out-of-control athlete. But away from the cameras, Alex is a kid with an anxiety disorder and the expectations of an expansion franchise on his shoulders... -
![Second-Rate Superstar by Siena Trap]()
Second-Rate Superstar by Siena Trap
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsEver heard of imposter syndrome?Well, if you look it up in the dictionary, you’ll find my picture beside the definition.I’ve been living in my older brother’s shadow since the day I was born.Anyone would struggle to live up to the legacy of the great Jaxon Slate, hockey superstar and face of the league. But it’s worse for me. Everyone expects me to be Jaxon 2...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance new-adult found-family contemporary athlete -
![A Love Song for Rebels by Piper Lawson]()
A Love Song for Rebels by Piper Lawson
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI swore I’d never fall for a rockstar. He swore he’d never become one.Tyler didn’t mean to break my heart. He did it anyway.Now, I’ll never play by anyone’s rules but mine.When he shows up in the last place I expect, with a confession and a promise…There’s going to be a reckoning.Because the naive girl he shattered is gone.And the woman in her place is ready for a fight...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers slow-burn university book coming-of-age contemporary enemies-to-lovers fiction -
![Bad Crush by Rebecca Jenshak]()
Bad Crush by Rebecca Jenshak
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsReasons not to crush on Adam:He's my best friend's brother.He's my neighbor.He's the captain of the hockey team.He's a serial monogamist who's sworn off dating. Reasons not to fake date Adam:See above.He has no idea I actually like him—like really like him. But do I listen to any of those really great reasons? Of course not...Categorized as:
fake-relationship friends-to-lovers sports university book contemporary fiction new-adult -
![68 Days And Counting by Nikki20038]()
68 Days And Counting by Nikki20038
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratings~Sequel to The Bad Boy And The Tomboy~Macy Anderson and Sam Cahill are together in Manchester, England living the new university life. Their relationship is striving as they meet new people and experience different things and strengthen their beautiful relationship. But then again there's soccer, the Cahill family and girls because where there's Sam Cahill there will also be many girls... -
![Behind the Plate: A New Adult Sports Romance by J. Sterling]()
Behind the Plate: A New Adult Sports Romance by J. Sterling
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsChance Carter is the son of local baseball legend, Jack Carter. Now in his junior year at Fullton State, Chance is facing challenges he never saw coming. Failing a class will stop his draft season short, making him ineligible to play and pushing his goal of professional baseball even further away.In steps Danika, a mouthy tutor from New York, who only wants to help him pass his class.. -
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![Mollify by Xavier Neal]()
Mollify by Xavier Neal
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsDean "Mr. O" Kellar has been following closely in the footsteps of his famous adopted father for years, but when Megan Davis pops back into his life suddenly he starts following him in a new light. She was the girl who saved Dean when they were children and the girl he needs to save now... -
![My Next Play by Carrie Ann Ryan]()
My Next Play by Carrie Ann Ryan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhat happens when you fall for your best friend, but they fall in love with someone else? Nothing is what it seems in this unrequited love, new adult romance.Miles knew Nessa never had eyes for him. Only when someone new tries to hurt her, he knows he can’t stand back any longer. It’s time she finds out the man he is behind the glasses and beneath the shell he wrapped himself in... -
![The PreGame Ritual by Alexandra Warren]()
The PreGame Ritual by Alexandra Warren
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAva knows that she’s the best girls basketball player in the country at the collegiate level. She knows that she’s going straight the pros once her senior season comes to an end. And she knows that finding a man is the least likely thing to happen while she’s chasing that dream. That’s until she meets Miles... -
![If We Dare by J.H. Croix]()
If We Dare by J.H. Croix
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA fake relationship, friends to lovers romance from USA Today Bestselling author J.H. Croix!WalkerI’m definitely not looking for love, but I need a date. A fake date for a wedding.Jade owes me a favor. Because I rescued her from a dumpster—don’t ask. Jade might turn my crank, but she’s hands off when it comes to men. She’s perfect... -
![偷偷藏不住 by Zhu Yi]()
偷偷藏不住 by Zhu Yi
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 7 ratings十三岁那年，桑稚偷偷喜欢上一个男人。 男人的模样冷淡慵懒，说起话来吊儿郎当的，经常来她家，一个下午窝在她哥哥房间里打游戏。 偶尔见她进来送水果零食，也只是漫不经心地掀起眼皮，笑得像个妖孽：“小孩，你怎么回事啊？一见到哥哥就脸红。” *妖孽腹黑x乖戾少女 内容标签： 情有独钟 励志人生 甜文 主角：桑稚，段嘉许 ┃...Categorized as:
slow-burn friends-to-lovers university romance fiction contemporary young-adult age-gap -
![Outta My League by Ali Parker, Weston Parker]()
Outta My League by Ali Parker, Weston Parker
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe way she looks, smells, laughs is killing me.I fell in love with my sister’s best friend. To top it all off, she’s brilliant. And I’m failing Chemistry.Of course, when I get her help, she’s laidback about it. Charming and helpful as always, like she doesn’t know how much I want her. I’ve got to play it cool and let her see a different side of me...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers slow-burn sports university action-adventure adult book contemporary -
![Full Count by Kimberly Readnour]()
Full Count by Kimberly Readnour
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDating my bestie? Yeah, I can only wish... Garret Cartel.Cessna University’s starting shortstop.Painstakingly gorgeous.ReservedFriend-zoned since freshman year.I have a knack for falling for unattainable guys.Blame my trust issues.They keep me safe.But this is our final year.My last chance to break the dreaded friend-zone chains before graduation.There’s one slight problem... -
![My Rebound by Carrie Ann Ryan]()
My Rebound by Carrie Ann Ryan
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsA rebound isn’t supposed to last. Though, sometimes, fate has other ideas in this opposites attract, friends with benefits romance.It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.Mackenzie Thomas started planning her future at the age of six. She knew the college she wanted, the career she needed, and the boy she would marry.Only he wasn’t supposed to break up with her in such a spectacular fashion... -
![My Fair Puck Bunny by Xavier Neal]()
My Fair Puck Bunny by Xavier Neal
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsFrom bestselling romance author Xavier Neal comes a sizzling new standalone in the series that's being called a MUST READ for any sports romance fans! Once upon a time, the Vlasta Vipers hockey team was so incredible — on and off the ice — they were almost mythical. Unfortunately, seasons passed and things changed for the worst, like a curse the team didn't know how to break...Categorized as:
sports university fake-relationship friends-to-lovers poc-mc romance contemporary black-mc -
![Heartbreaker Handoff by Lex Martin]()
Heartbreaker Handoff by Lex Martin
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsBilly’s not my baby daddy, but he doesn’t mind pretending to be…I’m a Division 1 cheerleader with hopes of becoming a sports broadcaster. None of my plans for college include getting knocked up by a cheating ex who just got engaged to another girl. When my father finds out I’m pregnant, he goes ballistic...Categorized as:
sports university friends-to-lovers fake-relationship poc-mc romance new-adult contemporary -
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![Off the Mark by Kathryn Nolan]()
Off the Mark by Kathryn Nolan
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFake dating my hottest friend was not my smartest move… The cocky ex-baseball player—and flirty playboy—is the one man I’d never fall for. Which is why I stupidly thought he’d make the perfect fake boyfriend. As the reigning queen of the dirt bike racing circuit, my only goal is to win this next championship race. Except I’ve got a bit of a…reputation problem... -
![No Paine No Gain by McKinley May]()
No Paine No Gain by McKinley May
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsOne thing I've learned from three years as an undergrad?College is all about balance.Juggling a science-heavy course load, weekend bar crawls, and my plentiful dating life is an art form. An art form I've got down to a T...Until the campus Casanova comes barreling into my biology class and throws my mojo for a major loop...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers sports university book contemporary enemies-to-lovers fiction humor -
![Legacy by Kandi Steiner]()
Legacy by Kandi Steiner
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWritten like your favorite drama television show, the Palm South University series has been called "a mix of Greek meets Gossip Girl with a dash of Friends." Follow seven college students as they maneuver unrequited love, teacher/student romance, the tangles of “no strings” relationships, love triangles and more... -
![Reckless With You by Carrie Ann Ryan]()
Reckless With You by Carrie Ann Ryan
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom the NYT Bestselling Author of Breathless With Her comes a fake relationship romance that’s all too real.Professing her love to her best friend while wearing only her favorite panty set and coat probably wasn’t the best decision Amelia Carr has ever made. In fact, it’s perhaps the worst...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers slow-burn fake-relationship romance contemporary audiobook family fiction -
![Fake Crown by W. Million]()
Fake Crown by W. Million
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsPreviously published as Olympic Crown by W. Million.Posey Jensen is a friend collector, boyfriend avoider, and thrill seeker. When someone posts in a group chat looking for a wedding date to Bermuda, Posey jumps on the chance to prove to a new friend that she’s the reigning queen of adventure... -
![Tell Me a Story by Kaylee Ryan, Lacey Black]()
Tell Me a Story by Kaylee Ryan, Lacey Black
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsJoey I don’t want to be someone’s dirty little secret. I know all too well what that feels like. Guarding my heart means staying out of pro football player Brock Williams’s bed and out of the spotlight. But after all these years, he’s exactly like I remember, charming, determined, and used to getting what he wants. And what he wants now is me. The chemistry between us is undeniable... -
![DIRTY REBOUND: A Slayers Hockey Novel by Mira Lyn Kelly]()
DIRTY REBOUND: A Slayers Hockey Novel by Mira Lyn Kelly
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsI care too much about Cammy Wesley to marry her…Yeah, I know what you’re thinking. But hear me out. Cammy’s my best friend. The one person I can’t live without. The girl with the sunshine smile, the loaded fridge, and the most awesome kid I’ve ever met. She’s also the hot AF single mom I’ve made it my mission to protect from guys like me...Categorized as:
fake-relationship friends-to-lovers sports adult audiobook book contemporary fiction -
![Tristan by Karla Sorensen]()
Tristan by Karla Sorensen
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsThere's one thing you should know about Tristan Whitfield: he’s been in love with Anna for years. There are two problems with that: she has no idea, and she's married. Or at least, she was. Anna Callahan knows three things about her brother’s friend, Tristan: he's quiet, incredibly handsome, and has a smolder that could set the room on fire... -
![Fair Catch by Kandi Steiner]()
Fair Catch by Kandi Steiner
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAs if things aren’t already tough enough as the only girl on a college football team, Coach had to go and assign Zeke Collins as my roommate.A cocky kick returner and my brother’s best friend who should have been ripped of that title years ago, he’s as infuriating as he is undeniably sexy.I hate him, and for good reason — reason I won’t ever let him forget... -
![Iced by Jacob Chance]()
Iced by Jacob Chance
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOliver Ice, one of Boston University’s notorious hockey players, has been on my radar since I slammed into his rock-hard body during my first week of college, three years ago. He helped me to my feet, muttered an apology, and ran off after his girlfriend, dashing my hopes of a happily ever after. Now, he’s the bartender where I work, and this time, very much single...Categorized as:
fake-relationship friends-to-lovers sports university adult book contemporary fiction -
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![Just Not Mine by Rosalind James]()
Just Not Mine by Rosalind James
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsDestiny can sneak up on you. Or it can smack you in the face. Hugh Latimer's coping with a few problems just now. A broken hand, missing the European rugby tour ... and a half-brother and sister who are playing havoc with his love life. Instead of packing down in the scrum, he's driving the carpool to ballet--or forgetting it's his turn... -
![Changing the Player by Jacob Chance]()
Changing the Player by Jacob Chance
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsFlynnYou know that voice in the back of your head telling you not to do something? Well, I don’t have one, at least not one that functions properly. Mine eggs me on, daring me to do my worst. Which is how I’ve found myself in my current situation—on the verge of being traded from my team.Coach gave me one last chance to prove myself, so I begged my agent, Nadia, to help me out... -
![810 Destiny Dr. by Tracy Lorraine]()
810 Destiny Dr. by Tracy Lorraine
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe’s the one all the girls want.The talented musician. The football player. He’s also my best friend. My ride or die. The one who knows all my secrets. Well, all but one. Only, he doesn’t see me the way he does all the other girls at Cherry Falls High. It’s like I’m invisible to him. Just one of the guys. But I want more...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers sports university book contemporary fiction friendship high-school -
![Pleasure Rush by Farrah Rochon]()
Pleasure Rush by Farrah Rochon
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn Hawaii for her birthday, Manhattan restaurateur Deirdre Smallwood has one mission to accomplish. She's going to shed her humdrum image and do something totally out of character: seduce Thelonius Stokes, the gorgeous ex-linebacker for the New York Sabers. Theo is shocked by the sensual, uninhibited lover warming his bed... -
![Ain't Happenin' by Shandi Boyes]()
Ain't Happenin' by Shandi Boyes
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsLorenzo Ricci is a big-shot footballer known for his talents both on and off the field. In his hometown of Milan, he’s the divinity of all men. Women want to be bedded by him, men want to be him. However, during his one-off visit to the land of the free, he can’t even get final-year college student Skylar Maine to talk to him... -
![No Backing Down by Becca Seymour]()
No Backing Down by Becca Seymour
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen we’re both needy and tactile AF, it’s no wonder everyone thinks my best friend and I are an item. But that’s so not what’s going on.Cassius Britton, the mouthy basketball player for the Minnesota Eagles, is my soul mate. He has been since he shared his gummy bears and let me have all the red ones.Because that’s the kind of person he is—selfless and sweet. But he’s so much more than that...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers slow-burn fake-relationship poc-mc romance mlm contemporary
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