Books like 'The Option Play'
Readers who enjoyed The Option Play by Jamie Bennett also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town fake-relationship slow-burn sports athlete grumpy-sunshine humor kind-mc
-
The Resurrection of Wildflowers by Micalea Smeltzer
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIt took me a while to learn that sometimes no matter how much, or how hard you love someone, or something, you have to let them go. You can’t save a sinking ship.Sometimes, you have someone else you have to be strong for, who needs you more.You make a choice.A devastating one.And you hope, maybe one day, they’ll come back to you... -
Redeemed by Lauren Asher
Rated: 4.41 of 5 stars · 32 ratingsSantiago AlatorreOne mistake destroys my career. I go from most eligible bachelor to monster, hiding from the world. At least until Chloe breaks into my home. My new fake girlfriend is a temporary fix to my biggest problem. But as our game changes, so do my feelings.There’s only one issue stopping me from claiming her. Me...Categorized as:
athlete cheerful-mc fake-relationship friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor slow-burn -
Finn Rhodes Forever by Stephanie Archer
Rated: 4.75 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe guy who broke my heart is now an arrogant, too-hot firefighter… who’s hell-bent on getting me back. This summer, I have one goal: field work. I need it to finish my PhD. I never expected Finn Rhodes to offer help. He broke my heart twelve years ago, and now that he’s back in town, I want nothing to do with him. Finn wants one thing—me. We were inseparable as kids until everything changed... -
Malone's Heart by Laylah Roberts, Golden Czermak
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsIt was going to be the wedding from hell . . .Lara needed a miracle.Not only was she having to attend her stepsister’s wedding without a date.But her stepsister was marrying her ex.No amount of chocolate, wine, or cute puppy videos were going to make her feel any better.Not when she needed a miracle . . .Enter Butch Malone.Sexy. Funny. Lover of chocolate chip cookies.He was her dream man...Categorized as:
fake-relationship kind-mc humor slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance -
-
Famous in a Small Town by Kylie Scott
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhat chance does a small-town girl have with a world-famous rock star?Two years after his wife’s death, rock star Garrett Hayes hasn’t moved on. But he has moved out of L.A. Where better to escape his past than a small town in the Northern California mountains? If only he could get the townsfolk of Wildwood to leave him the hell alone... -
Maybe We Should by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAn emotional and sexy novel about guarded hearts, finding love, and families lost and found by Melissa Foster, the New York Times bestselling author of Maybe We Will.After spending years wondering who she was, tattoo artist Cait Weatherby finally found her answers on the sandy shores of Silver Island... -
Southern Hotshot: An Enemies to Lovers Romance by Jessica Peterson
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLusting after the woman trying to steal my job is stupid. Sexting with her? That’s a game-changing fumble.Emma Crawford became enemy number one the second she stepped foot on Blue Mountain Farm. She might think I’m just a dumb jock, but I know she’s a stuck-up wine snob who believes she’d be a better exec than me.She can take my position over my dead body...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn sports adult alpha-mc -
Gotta Be Bayou by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHow do you get over a woman you never should have been, ahem, under in the first place?Just when FBI special agent Spencer Landry had decided to forget about investigative journalist Maxine — Max — Keller and their one hot night together, there's a threat made against her and Spencer's protective instincts get all riled up. Again... -
Romancing the Grump by Jenny Proctor
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’s a grump and happy to stay that way. But can her sunshine melt the ice around his heart? Nathan Sanders didn't earn his reputation as the grouchiest player on the Appies minor league hockey team by chance. So when Summer Callahan breezes into his life with her flirtatious smiles and endless charm, he responds like he always he completely ignores her...Categorized as:
sports grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc fake-relationship slow-burn humor friends-to-lovers -
Real Fake Love by Pippa Grant
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 19 ratingsIf people have polar opposites, Luca Rossi is mine.His butt is in the baseball hall of fame. Mine’s comfortably seated in the hall of lame.When he’s not snagging fly balls out in center field, he’s modeling in shampoo commercials. I once jammed my own finger while stirring cookie dough, and sometimes I forget shampoo is a thing.He’s a total cynic when it comes to love...Categorized as:
athlete cheerful-mc fake-relationship friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor slow-burn -
Dirty Little Midlife (Fake) Date by Lilian Monroe
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsSingle mom Mia has a problem. Her new landlord Des just raised her rent, and even in her dreams, Mia wouldn’t be able to afford it.Not that she’d want to dream of Des. Ever.To make matters worse, Des is big, grumpy, and apparently his heart is made of granite. He’s not willing to meet Mia in any sort of middle.Suffice it to say, Mia’s forties aren’t off to a good start.Until...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc fake-relationship grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor adult book contemporary -
Hand Picked by May Archer
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsOnce upon a time, I moved to Vermont… and wound up accidentally sort of married.Webb Sunday is the straight single dad next door.He’s lumberjack-gorgeous,Strong and steady as the trees in his family orchard,A grumpy fairytale prince...And entirely off-limits.Or so I thought.Until the drunken night the two of us walked into a bar…And landed ourselves in the middle of small-town history...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc fake-relationship friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor slow-burn adult -
Promise Me This by Karla Sorensen
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsImagine this: an author with a raging case of writer’s block finds an unexpected source of inspiration in her grumpy, gorgeous new roommate. Sounds amazing, right? Except that new roommate is my childhood best friend. And Ian Wilder has been off-limits since I was five...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc sports humor romance -
Love Notes & Lifelines by Avery Maxwell
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsThe job was simple. Always answer the phone—no exceptions—then solve the caller’s catastrophe as efficiently as possible.The rules were simpler. They contact you, not the other way around. Never give them your real name, number, or any personal information not required to help a newly single dad keep his head above water.And never, ever get involved with a caller...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn fake-relationship friends-to-lovers humor romance -
-
Strike Zone by Ginger Walls
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWYATT:All my friends are under the impression I’m only at Newhouse to chase women and play baseball. Those are two of my favorite pastimes.The truth is, Newhouse is my chance to save my family’s farm. If I don’t get drafted, we’ll lose everything we’ve been working hard to keep.Then I hear her sing and she’s all I can think about. It’s messing up my game and putting my future in jeopardy...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc kind-mc slow-burn romance -
Slap Shot Surprise by Melanie Harlow
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIn my defense, I thought the plane was going to crash.Otherwise, I never would have blurted out those embarrassing things to a perfect stranger.Did I mention he turned out to be a scorching hot superstar of professional hockey?But wait, there’s more.When the plane lands safely, I rush off, praying I’ll never have to face him again... -
The Roommate Mistake by Pippa Grant
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAn injured rugby star, his pregnant roommate, and one rule they can’t Don’t date the owner’s daughter. It was supposed to be an easy house- and dog-sitting gig while the owner was gone for a month. But when my sportsing landlord comes home unexpectedly, injured and in need of a new arrangement, we end up as accidental roommates instead...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc athlete kind-mc humor -
Lilah by Ashlyn Montgomery
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsHe'd never met someone with such a bubbly personality. Not to mention the wildness and odd phrases she'd say every five minutes. He hates it. He hates how he can't stay away from it. He hates what she does to him; it's not like him to chase after some girl. She gets under his skin like no other.She'd never met someone with such a bad attitude. He's ill-mannered and menacing...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers slow-burn humor romance contemporary -
Nine Month Contract by Amy Daws, Erin Mallon
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA brand new spicy small town romance by Amazon #1 Bestselling author, Amy Daws. This book is the start of a mountain man spinoff series based on the three Fletcher brothers featured in her previous release, Last on the List.Coming April 11Help Wanted: Grumpy Mountain Man seeks baby momma. Job is an incubator position only...Categorized as:
humor grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance contemporary -
Sterling Brick by L.B. Dunbar
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLove wasn’t part of the blueprint when high school sweethearts reunite in their small town. But this former military man never forgot the girl he left behind and he’s more determined than ever to rebuild their relationship brick by brick and heart by heart.Getting locked in the men’s restroom during my mother’s funeral wasn’t exactly how I expected to run into my high school sweetheart...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn romance contemporary military small-town -
Reckless Fate by Kate Crew
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsDaisy WellsI never planned to kiss Kye that night, but with him being the only one not scared of my ex, it became my only chance to get back at him. But now, I’m pretending to be the girlfriend of the town troublemaker while trying to not let that be known to my father...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc sports fake-relationship romance university -
Savor It by Tarah Dewitt
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 9 ratingsSummer won't last forever.Sage Byrd has lived in the coastal town of Spunes, Oregon (not to be confused with Forks, Washington) her entire life. She's learned to love her small world, with the misfit animals on her hobby farm, and her friendships with the town’s inhabitants...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc humor romance contemporary fiction -
Between Now and Forever by Adriana Locke
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsNeighbors to lovers can be a risky proposition in this funny, sexy, and swoony romantic comedy between a single mother and the grumpy man next door by USA Today bestselling author Adriana Locke.When Gabrielle Solomon falls, she falls hard. Even if that means literally toppling over a porch railing in nothing but a flimsy towel—right in front of her sexy new neighbor...Categorized as:
humor grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance audiobook -
Fireworks with Three Mountain Men by K.C. Crowne
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA childhood friend wants to make me his.And his two equally HOT buddies are itching to join the party.With all this sexual tension between the four of us...I'm feeling sparks like the Fourth of July!! Three rugged Mountain Men.Two fierce UFC fighters.And one VERY lucky lady. Dylan is protective, strong and as big as the mountains he calls home...Categorized as:
athlete cheerful-mc friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor sports action-adventure -
-
Can't Help Falling by Courtney Walsh
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsAll it takes to start a fire is one single match. . . Owen Larrabee is not my soulmate. He wasn't when I confessed my love to him on his wedding day, and he isn't now. I should probably say that I wasn't the bride when that happened. I don't have the best timing. He’s got a temper, he's moody, and he has a history of being misunderstood and making big mistakes...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers slow-burn humor romance contemporary -
The Pretend Fiancé Fiasco by Pippa Grant
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA reclusive former celebrity, a recovering good girl, and small town trouble...It started as a joke. After a string of bad boyfriends, I made up a fake boyfriend so people would quit asking when I was going to meet a grumpy lumberjack trying to save his mama’s inn in my adopted hometown.When my grandma demanded proof from afar, I sent her a picture of me and my “boyfriend...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers fake-relationship grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc humor slow-burn romance -
How My Neighbor Stole Christmas by Meghan Quinn
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 17 ratingsA new winter holiday, enemies-to-lovers romance, from the undeniably funny and always spicy, USA Today bestselling author, Meghan Quinn. Every Kringle in Kringletown loved Christmas a lot.But Cole Black on Whistler Lane, unfortunately did not. Cole was a recluse during the Kringle Christmas season.No one knew why, no one could quite give a reason...Categorized as:
humor grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn friends-to-lovers fake-relationship romance -
Say You Do by Weston Parker
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsMy brother is an idiot; he's getting married. And I’m in charge of getting things together since our folks are gone. Lucky me. The guy who thinks love is for the birds and worn-out 80s songs. I honestly don’t have time for this drama. I run a billion-dollar company, have women to entertain, and am working on my plans to rule the world. No, seriously... -
Break the Ice by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe Winter Games are over, but the bedroom games are just beginning… This is about the time I normally hang up my snowboard and chill for a while. Except this year. This year, I’m dealing with what fate dealt me at the Winter Games—nope, not gold. A broken arm. Since I’m not close to my family, I head to my best friend, Skylar’s pad to recoup... -
What Hurts Us by Maggie C. Gates
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsAsking Layla Mousavi to be my fake fiancé wasn’t the weirdest thing I had done this week. It didn’t even crack the top ten. Not when my days were filled with escaped pigs, radioactive casseroles, and cow-induced car crashes._____________The population of Falls Creek, North Carolina, is a collective menace to society... -
Upping the Ante by Emma St. Clair
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe's been the grumpiest boss a woman could ask for--or he WAS until I quit. But former football star Deacon Clark doesn't seem to be getting the memo. Instead, he tags along with me to Sheet Cake, Texas, where I'm hoping to start a new business.Deacon's only hope is to hire me back as his assistant. At least, that's what I thought. Until ... the very clear lines we've always kept start to blur...Categorized as:
humor sports grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers romance contemporary -
A Lodge Affair by Rachel LaBerge
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIvy Lawson loves a to-do list, hates surprises, and the only outdoor activity she’s interested in is brunch on a patio. After catching her long-term boyfriend—and co-worker—cheating, she’s thrown into leading a high-profile client event at The Emerald Canopy Lodge. AKA: her nightmare destination. Ivy finds herself desperate and anxious to get her job done and leave the lodge as soon as possible...Categorized as:
slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc humor romance contemporary forced-proximity -
Falling First Hell by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI’m unemployed and down to my last dollar—thank you, stranger, who bought my coffee when my card was declined this morning. If that wasn’t bad enough, I just T-boned the truck belonging to the guy I was meeting on a first date.Ethan Hellman, small-town sweetheart with a secret, and an instant—unbelievable—love for me despite the condition of his truck.It’s not that I don’t believe in love per se... -
Resting Beach Face by D.J. Jamison
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe's the only man who doesn't want me...and the only one I really need.Cash and Declan's story is coming soon in Resting Beach Face! This will be Book 4 of Swallow Cove, which follows a tight-knit group of friends in a quirky lake town... -
-
Bro Code Hell by Marika Ray
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsLiving with my older brother’s best friend wasn’t even my worst idea lately.Keeping it a secret from my brother was on the list too. Oh, and actually falling (literally) for Blaze Hellman—when every frown clearly said to stay away—was most definitely at the top of the list.I was kind of a genius normally...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers humor slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc contemporary small-town -
Drama! by A.J. Truman
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsMy arch nemesis is now my fake boyfriend. Can you say drama? Uptight drama teacher Everett and cocky jock Raleigh must pretend to be boyfriends at an upcoming wedding in order for Everett to save face in front of his mega-famous ex...Categorized as:
athlete cheerful-mc fake-relationship grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor slow-burn sports -
One Last Play by Annah Conwell
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe could be the one. I’ve spent twelve years caring for my niece Maddie who I adopted after my sister died. Having a daughter has made me picky when it comes to the women I spend time with. Not to mention dealing with the pressure of being a college football coach. But when I spot MJ at a mutual friend’s wedding, something draws me toward her...Categorized as:
sports grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers slow-burn humor romance -
Homebound by Meredith Trapp
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsShe’s Texas's toughest bull rider, and he’s determined to win her heart.Dakota and Wyatt. Storm and sunshine. Growing up, they were as inseparable as a pair of cowboy boots. The best of friends—or so Dakota thought...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance western -
Sweet & Rich by Samantha Whiskey
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI’m Luna Josling, owner of Sweet Water’s most popular clothing boutique and known as an all-around shy artist. And after I catch my long-term boyfriend cheating on me in a totally humiliating way, I’m more than ready to escape my small town for a while...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers fake-relationship humor romance contemporary small-town fiction book -
The Fake Zone by Mariah Dietz
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA romance that will have you on the edge of your seat by USA Today Bestselling Author Mariah Dietz.Greyson Meyers can’t afford the distraction of a relationship. His focus is football and earning his degree to ensure his mom never has to work another day.Mila Atwool has it all together—at least, that’s what everyone thinks...Categorized as:
sports fake-relationship friends-to-lovers athlete grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc romance -
WHERE TIME STANDS STILL by N.S. Perkins
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 13 ratingsTwenty-six-year-old Wren Lawson knows she will soon forget who she is. With early familial Alzheimer’s disease written in her genes, it’s a fact she’s wrapped her whole life around; to indulge in friends or romance is a risk for everyone around her—one she’s not keen on taking. Throwing herself into her work as a lawyer is the only thing she can do... -
Craving by Lilian Monroe
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsTHE WEDPOCALYPSE CONTINUES... Marlon St. James wants only one to be left alone. He has a house, a successful private security business, and endless peace and quiet. Things are exactly as they should be. Until Camilla. His brother thrusts soft, sweet, curvy Camilla Fox in front of Marlon and announces that she’ll be moving into Marlon’s house. Otherwise, she’ll be homeless. Fine...Categorized as:
grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc slow-burn friends-to-lovers humor romance contemporary -
Break the Rules by Roxie Noir
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsShe’s my best friend’s kid sister. Now she’s not a kid any more. As a forest ranger, I believe in the simple life. I prefer cabins to apartments, trails over freeways, and trees to people. My life is orderly, predictable, and quiet. Until it’s hit by a woman I never saw coming -- Hurricane June. She’s fierce. She’s feisty... -
Just Don't Fall by Emma St. Clair
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsBefore Logan Barnes was hockey’s hottest bad boy, he was my brother’s best friend … and my first crush. Oh, yeah--and the guy who ghosted me and broke my teenage heart.Now Logan is back in Harvest Hollow, but not willingly. Recovering from an injury (and some bad press), he’s stuck playing for our minor league team. Which means I’ll be working with him almost daily...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc humor fake-relationship slow-burn -
-
Homecoming King by Penny Reid
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsRex "TW" McMurtry’s perpetual single-hood wouldn't bother him so much if all his ex-girlfriends didn't keep marrying the very next person they dated, especially when so many of those grooms are his closest friends. He may be a pro-football defensive end for the Chicago Squalls, but the press only wants to talk about how he's always a groomsman and never a groom...Categorized as:
athlete cheerful-mc fake-relationship friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor kind-mc -
Second to None by K.A. Linde
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsA stand alone second chance grumpy sunshine romance about Josie & Maddox by USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde...Maddox Nelson is the only boy I’ve ever loved.And the only one to break my heart.I thought I was over that long ago. After drowning the heartbreak in two failed marriages, I should want safe and easy, and Maddox is nothing but complicated...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine slow-burn sports adult angst -
Lost & Found in Copper Ridge by Harlow James
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIt all started with Jack & Diane…And no, not the couple from the popular 80’s song—the couple that signed a five-dollar bill with their names and the location of The Livingston Cabin in Copper Ridge, Colorado.And I just so happened to acquire that five-dollar bill on the same day of the funeral of a close friend AND the day I was supposed to be getting married.Coincidence? Perhaps...Categorized as:
cheerful-mc friends-to-lovers grumpy-mc grumpy-sunshine humor adult book contemporary -
Infamous Love by Lea Coll
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOne reality star bad girl. One small-town vet. And the passion is unforgettable... ElleMove away. Dye my hair. Change my name. Fly under the radar.That's my plan to keep the public from recognizing me. I just want to be the new business owner of an old-fashioned barber shop, the ultimate man cave. But all anyone seems to remember is that I'm the bad girl on a popular reality show...Categorized as:
slow-burn grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc contemporary small-town family fiction -
Like I Pretended by Charlie Novak
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPretending to be in love never felt so real. Henry Lu hates being a superstar. Action movies have left a sour taste in his mouth and filming a queer period drama on the Yorkshire coast sounds like the perfect antidote. Meeting grumpy coffee shop owner, Alex, is the cherry on top... -
Tight Spot by Stacey Lynn
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWhen a fake relationship feels a little too real…. I’m in a Tight Spot. I’m not a nice guy. I’m too rude. Too gruff. I want to be left alone and stay in my lane as one of the best tight ends in the NFL. Too bad management has a sudden problem with my image and all the fines I’ve been racking up. Now I’m told I need to settle down, shape up…or they’re shipping me out...Categorized as:
sports fake-relationship grumpy-sunshine cheerful-mc grumpy-mc friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance
Or - use our amazing romance book finder to get recommendations based on your favorite content tropes and themes. Mix and match at will.