Books like 'Playing at Home'
Readers who enjoyed Playing at Home by Jax Calder also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance mlm sports lgbtq friends-to-lovers slow-burn family boss-employee children
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Free from Falling by E.L. Massey
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJustin “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... -
![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... -
![#HEA: Happily Ever After by Cambria Hebert]()
#HEA: Happily Ever After by Cambria Hebert
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsJingle Bells Christmas smells Chopping down a tree Travis states: Santa’s fake! Oh for goodness sake! Trent, Drew, and the entire hashtag crew are back for holiday shenanigans! When Travis declares, “Santa’s fake!” the family bands together to deliver Christmas magic and the joy of family into the heart of a little boy who never had a reason to believe... -
![Take a Chance on Me by Alexa Land]()
Take a Chance on Me by Alexa Land
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFree-spirited ballet dancer Quinn is sure he made a terrible mistake by agreeing to be Duke’s roommate. The big cop is the most uptight person Quinn’s ever met, and both men begin driving each other crazy from day one. Before long though, an undeniable spark of attraction ignites between them... -
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![Beautiful Hearts by Jax Calder]()
Beautiful Hearts by Jax Calder
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTim:I lost my husband three years ago. Since then I’ve survived by focusing on raising my daughter. Until I meet Jamie. He’s wrong for me for so many reasons. Too young. Too charming. Too beautiful. But he works at the school I teach at, and I can’t escape him even if I wanted to. As much as I try to resist, our connection is undeniable... -
![Home and Away by Samantha Wayland]()
Home and Away by Samantha Wayland
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsYou can build a team, but you have to find your home. Rupert Smythe is fond of many things. Callum Morrison isn’t one of them. Rupert is a quiet, thoughtful business man and, sadly, a total wimp. Maybe not the ideal candidate to run a professional hockey team, but he signed on to do it anyway... -
![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... -
![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... -
![Ember by Emma Renshaw]()
Ember by Emma Renshaw
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsOne night changed an entire town.Ten years ago, I left Hawk Valley. I never planned to return. Not to the regrets. The bitter memories. The guilt.My baseball career gave me both the excuse and the money I needed to start over. Then my mom called, and I found myself headed back to the one place I swore I wouldn’t step foot again.Meeting Delilah wasn’t part of the plan... -
![Navigating Noah by Jaclyn Quinn]()
Navigating Noah by Jaclyn Quinn
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsNoah HathawayThe saying 'livin' the dream' is usually said with sarcasm, but I truly am living my dream in Coral Pointe Inlet with my four best friends. Still, as I watch three of them fall in love, my heart aches a little with longing. It doesn't help when Hunter, a man I spent an incredible weekend with, comes back to Coral Pointe--not alone, I might add... -
![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... -
![Wanted: Boss Daddy by Sammi Cee]()
Wanted: Boss Daddy by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratings“Why would my boss want someone as young and broken as me for his boy? But the way he looks at me…” Levi has seen more life than anyone his age should have. He’s responsible for more than anyone knows. The weight on his shoulders is crippling, but he’d do anything for his family... -
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![Poetry in Motion by Samantha Wayland]()
Poetry in Motion by Samantha Wayland
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTravis Campbell has been at this hockey thing for a while. He knows his days on the ice are numbered, but he’s happy with the Moncton Ice Cats and he’s still got some time to figure out what comes next. He’s been taking college classes online and thought he knew what he was doing, but then he made the ultimate rookie mistake... -
![Family Rules by Jacki James]()
Family Rules by Jacki James
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsJustin had three simple rules for dating: No co-workers, no repeats, and absolutely no men with kids. He was happy with those rules. And no one had ever tempted him to break them. Until a night on the prowl had him crossing paths with an adorably geeky accountant. Mark spent the last year being the best dad possible to his little girl while enjoying life as an openly gay man for the first time... -
![Suffocate: A Senses Series Novel by Xavier Neal]()
Suffocate: A Senses Series Novel by Xavier Neal
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsER Nurse, Luke Hart, is known for his desire to take care of others and his need to be in control at all times. However, Stuart Ducane knows exactly which buttons to push to make sure Luke relinquishes both. When the chance comes for them to take their delicate friendship that's coated in secret desires to the next level, the timing isn't convenient and neither are the circumstances... -
![Playing by the Rules by Beth Bolden]()
Playing by the Rules by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsEx-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... -
![Winning the Season by Beth Bolden]()
Winning the Season by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCoach Asa Dawson has fallen wildly in love only twice in his life.First with football.Then with Scott Callaway.But Scott isn’t just the one who got away.He’s the one person—the one man—Asa hoped might finally show him how all-consuming passion could be.Instead, fate (and football) intervened and they never got the chance to explore their attraction... -
![Rescue by Alison Hendricks]()
Rescue by Alison Hendricks
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratings"I don't need you to rescue me." Tiberius "The Beast" Caulville is the bad boy of the NFL: an arrogant PR nightmare who doesn't care about his public image. But when an off-season fight lands him in hot water, he's forced to hide out in Hidden Creek and clean up his act with the help of the one person who doesn't buy it... -
![Kade & Cameron by A.D. Ellis]()
Kade & Cameron by A.D. Ellis
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsCameron Lewis is left reeling when his perfect life—two beautiful children, an adoring husband, and a house on the lake—is ripped apart by loss. Kade Ramsey is living the American dream with a wife, two amazing children, and a comfortable job. But dreams are often only illusions, and Kade discovers his life isn’t all he thought it to be. Kade and Cam have been friends for years... -
![The Wilderness by Rosalind Abel]()
The Wilderness by Rosalind Abel
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsWill Epstein had it all—playboy good looks, wealth and prestige, and a gorgeous fiancé to costar with him on a reality television show. But that was years ago, before he was abandoned at the altar on national television. In the aftermath, Will’s world crumbled, leaving him humiliated and lost. Andre Rivera married his first love and lived a dream life until tragedy stepped in... -
![Little Harbour by Sophia Soames]()
Little Harbour by Sophia Soames
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThis is a story about life and death, because there was never anyone else for Jens. He had been with Sofie almost all his life, from the day they met at school when they were fifteen, until the day she took her final breath against his chest. She was always everything to him. As he was to her. He never doubted that. Not for a minute... -
![Catcher Interference by Haven Hadley]()
Catcher Interference by Haven Hadley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMarcus 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... -
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![Trade Deadline by Jodi Oliver]()
Trade Deadline by Jodi Oliver
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsBLAINEWhen 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... -
![A Daddy In Cameron by Sammi Cee]()
A Daddy In Cameron by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsIndie’s determined to navigate this world alone, but he’s never come up against a determined Daddy before. Normally, everyone likes Cameron. As the General Manager of The Tap Tavern, he’s protective, empathetic, and considerate of his employees and their needs. Especially those who’ve come in through the Takoda Career Center. Indie knows betrayal. He’s lived with the consequences and survived... -
![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... -
![Worth the Risk by Carly Marie]()
Worth the Risk by Carly Marie
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsTwo single dads in a small town. Is their connection a recipe for love…or for disaster?Mark Murray is used to chaos. Between his job as an emergency room doctor and being a single father to two boys, he’s the definition of exhausted. Yet he always makes it work. When a new job finds him moving to a small town, he’s faced with a different set of challenges... -
![Chandler: Training Days Book 1 by J.D. Light]()
Chandler: Training Days Book 1 by J.D. Light
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsChandler Bell When my boyfriend breaks up with me because I'm overweight, I go to the one place I feel the most comfortable. Oddly enough, it's the gym I was basically raised in. Things have changed over the years, but the people inside are my family. Some of them literally. Baker reluctantly agrees to help me get in shape, and so begins the torture... -
![Love & Other Inconveniences by Catherine Cloud]()
Love & Other Inconveniences by Catherine Cloud
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsMorgan 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... -
![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... -
![Fancy Free by Mia Monroe]()
Fancy Free by Mia Monroe
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThe last thing I need is a curious straight guy sniffing around me. So why is he so hard to resist?My life is everything I ever wanted - by design. Being one of the nation’s most sought after wedding planners has led to a life of traveling to glamorous locations, bumping elbows with the rich and famous, and sampling every handsome hunk the world has to offer... -
![The Christmas Manny by Sammi Cee]()
The Christmas Manny by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsThis single dad needs to find his joy. When Jace is hired to watch the precocious Rebecca and her adorable little brother Max, this sunshine manny can’t help noticing the dark cloud hanging over their lonely dad. Bringing love, happiness, and cheer, Jace sprinkles so much joy and glitter into their lives, that even the workaholic father gets caught up in his spell... -
![Resonance by Neve Wilder]()
Resonance by Neve Wilder
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI gave the rumor mill fodder for a lifetime the day I walked away from a lucrative music career without explanation. People can talk all they like; my record stores are my lifeblood now, and I’m devoted solely to keeping them afloat in the digital age. There’s just one little thing distracting me: an earth-dwelling sunbeam named Owen Harper. I don’t know what I was thinking when I hired him... -
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![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... -
![Playing for Keeps by Jax Calder]()
Playing for Keeps by Jax Calder
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFalling 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... -
![Traded by Carly Marie]()
Traded by Carly Marie
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsDangerous is moving the new trade in when you have secrets to hide Trevor Cane’s built a name for himself in the NHL. At 5’4” he’s one of the shortest players to ever play professional hockey. He also has a secret. A secret that he’s kept from everyone. But a surprise phone call from a friend leaves Trevor risking it all... -
![Extended Stay by Mia Monroe]()
Extended Stay by Mia Monroe
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsI’ve never been interested in a man before. So why do I want to kiss this one?Promising my sick uncle I’d help fix his rundown hotel in San Diego was just the beginning of my problems. I plan to do what I can, convince him to sell, and then take off, returning to my calm and structured existence back east. I double down on that plan when I arrive to find it in worse shape than I expected... -
![Heart Strain by Michele Notaro, Sammi Cee]()
Heart Strain by Michele Notaro, Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHolden~ When I get a call that my twin brother’s been shot, I’m in shock as I head back to Baltimore to be with him. Seeing him in a coma is the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do; sitting here not knowing whether he’s going to live or die is the worst thing I can imagine. But at least Jameson is with me—he makes it more bearable, and I don’t feel like I’m in this alone... -
![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... -
![The Play by Beth Bolden]()
The Play by Beth Bolden
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsLast year, defensive end Deacon Harris witnessed the very worst of the Charleston Condors. After everything he and the team went through, he promised himself he’d walk away from football. But before he can retire, the team is sold to the last person he ever expected to see again.Deacon stays because the Condors are going into major rebuilding mode. New owner. New coach. New players. New rules... -
![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... -
![If I Could: An M/M Romance by B. Celeste]()
If I Could: An M/M Romance by B. Celeste
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsI never considered myself a selfish man until I met Lawrence “Ren” McKinley.When pro baseball’s “would have been” becomes Exeter High’s newest coach, it takes one look of those flirty brown eyes and cocky smile before everything changes.I thought I knew exactly what I wanted out of life until he walked into it... -
![Spiced Kisses by Charlie Novak]()
Spiced Kisses by Charlie Novak
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsOne 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... -
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![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... -
![No Wrong Moves by Becca Seymour]()
No Wrong Moves by Becca Seymour
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPining 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... -
![Star of the Game by Amy Aislin]()
Star of the Game by Amy Aislin
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFelix only wants two things:1. To make music.2. His best friend, Emery.But he’s not willing to risk two decades of friendship for something more. Besides, a bout of writer’s block is preventing him from creating new material, and he’s got deadlines to meet. He doesn’t need any distractions—and Emery is the biggest distraction of all.Emery only wants two things:1. To play hockey.2... -
![Hail Mary by Julianna Marley]()
Hail Mary by Julianna Marley
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHe’s football’s poster boy with one thing on his mind. Well, perhaps two things, but Shay Cunningham’s outstanding football career and contract negotiations take precedent over everything else. Even women. Living life to the extreme, Shay’s past indiscretions continue to fuel his lifestyle. And that’s just how he likes it. Whitney Scott is broke, anxious and afraid... -
![This Time for Always by Andrew Grey]()
This Time for Always by Andrew Grey
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPolice officer Finnigan Pettaprin’s life is his job. He’s driven to be the best, always. Past relationships have largely been heartbreaking, so he keeps to himself. The last thing he expects is for a near-disastrous car chase through town to bring him in contact with Mark, the one who got away.Mark Wallace hasn’t had the best luck in life... -
![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...
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