Books like 'The Lateral'
Readers who enjoyed The Lateral by Jamie Bennett also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary romance small town sports slow-burn found-family enemies-to-lovers marriage-of-convenience friends-to-lovers animals
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Bluff by Emilia Finn
Rated: 4.70 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsTucker Morris - affectionately known by his most annoying friends as Chuck Norris - is a lover, not a fighter.He’s a charmer, with a fast tongue and equal wit. Mechanic by day, motorcycle racer by night, Tucker is magic with his hands, and makes a hobby out of sliding filthy innuendo into as many conversations as he possibly can...Categorized as:
animals enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers slow-burn sports action-adventure adult book -
![Enticing by Bella Matthews]()
Enticing by Bella Matthews
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsFrom USA Today and #1 Amazon Bestselling Author Bella Matthews comes a Single Mom, Marriage Of Convenience, Hockey Romance.You’d think a romance author would know better than to fall for her fake husband. It’s the oldest trope in thebook . . . literally. But it turns out writing it and living it are two very different things... -
![Puck Performance by Alley Ciz]()
Puck Performance by Alley Ciz
Rated: 4.60 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAll's fair in love and potatoes. Melody Brightly Broadway Star. Pink hair. A smile that hits me harder than a slap shot. Terrible taste in hockey teams. Full of secrets. The one woman I fail to defend my heart against. Jase Donnelly Defenseman.Charming. Sexy as puck. Makes my hormones give a standing ovation. The one guy I can never be with, but can't stay away from... -
![Stay Anyway by Kaylee Ryan]()
Stay Anyway by Kaylee Ryan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsStella Getting pregnant in college wasn’t part of the plan, but I’ll never regret giving birth to the best part of me. Even if my parents did disown me for it. A fresh start in a small town seems like a good idea, until a handsome stranger shows me a little kindness and has me feeling things, I thought I’d never feel again… things I have no business feeling about a man I just met...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers slow-burn found-family romance contemporary small-town kind-mc new-adult -
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![Overruled by Bella Matthews]()
Overruled by Bella Matthews
Rated: 4.43 of 5 stars · 14 ratings“You gonna catch me if I fall, Becks?” I should have known those words, whispered to my best friend’s brother, would come back to haunt me . . . But I had no idea he’d be the only one who could save me when my world threatens to come crashing down. Becket Kingston is a lot of things... -
![Catch the Sun by Jennifer Hartmann]()
Catch the Sun by Jennifer Hartmann
Rated: 4.71 of 5 stars · 7 ratings"Kissing you feels like catching the sun…" At seven years old, Ella Sunbury and Max Manning were inseparable—until life scattered them in different directions, forcing Ella to abruptly leave town. A decade later, she returns for their senior year of high school, moving in across the street from her childhood best friend. But she's not the same girl Max once knew...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers slow-burn found-family romance young-adult contemporary coming-of-age high-school -
![Southern Hotshot: An Enemies to Lovers Romance by Jessica Peterson]()
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... -
![Love Me Like You Do by Erika Kelly]()
Love Me Like You Do by Erika Kelly
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHow did the hottest hockey player in the NHL wind up braiding hair and hosting tea parties?Because someone was foolish enough to name him co-guardian of their children. That's how.Cole Montgomery's living his best life--until he gets a call from an attorney letting him know he's been entrusted with the care of two little girls. He can't imagine why anyone would think he was a good role model... -
![Late Nights & Love Lines by Avery Maxwell]()
Late Nights & Love Lines by Avery Maxwell
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe job was simple. Answer the phone, solve the single dad’s dilemma, and move on.I’m the temporary solution.The fill-in.The short-term Single Dad Hotline Helper until a more suitable one can be found.I don’t get attached, I don’t stick around, and I certainly don’t fall for the single dad.Until the job said, “Hold my beer,” and tipped my world upside down...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers found-family enemies-to-lovers romance contemporary small-town multi-pov drama -
![Never Too Close by Chelle Bliss]()
Never Too Close by Chelle Bliss
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsVito Bianchi had given up on love years ago after his wife walked out the door. He immersed himself in his work, letting one day pass into the next so he didn’t dwell on what was missing in his life. But when he’s called out to a fire at the home of Star Falls newest resident, he couldn’t stop himself from being sucked in to her world...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers found-family slow-burn romance in-uniform contemporary small-town fiction -
![Never Too Soon by Chelle Bliss]()
Never Too Soon by Chelle Bliss
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsGrace Bianchi has always been drawn to men who are allergic to relationships. But when a mysterious man walks into her shop, saving her from a disaster, she finds herself wondering… is he different than the others?Ryder Cooper is fumbling his way through life. He’s been lost since his wife passed away, leaving him to raise two young children alone...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers found-family slow-burn romance contemporary family steamy small-town -
![Bayou Dreaming by Lexi Blake]()
Bayou Dreaming by Lexi Blake
Rated: 4.42 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsNew York Times bestselling author Lexi Blake’s heartfelt contemporary romance set in Louisiana's Butterfly Bayou. Roxanne King left the big city looking for a simpler life, but after years of proving herself on a SWAT team in New York City, being deputy in a sleepy Louisiana parish is something of an adjustment... -
![Strike Zone by Ginger Walls]()
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... -
![Slap Shot Surprise by Melanie Harlow]()
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... -
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![The Path to Loving Him by Meghan Quinn]()
The Path to Loving Him by Meghan Quinn
Rated: 4.67 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Meghan Quinn comes a new forced proximity, single dad romantic comedy. This steamy, laugh out loud, enemies-to-lovers, small town standalone romance delivers the perfect happily ever after. What does one do when they completely blow an interview?If you're me, you pick up a one-night stand with the most gorgeous man you've ever seen.Categorized as:
sports enemies-to-lovers found-family romance audiobook contemporary small-town forced-proximity -
![Lilah by Ashlyn Montgomery]()
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... -
![The One I Need by Chelle Sloan]()
The One I Need by Chelle Sloan
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsYou’re cordially invited to the wedding of Oliver Price and Izzy McCall…That’s how my wedding invitations should have started. I should know, I’ve had my wedding planned since I was ten. I should’ve been wearing a designer tuxedo, not a tuxedo t-shirt. The wedding should’ve been in a church with family and friends, not in a 1960’s style chapel with Elvis as the officiant... -
![Cowboy and the Convict by Janice Whiteaker]()
Cowboy and the Convict by Janice Whiteaker
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsSome days life is a little messy.Other days, you get arrested by the small-town cop who loves to lecture you on all the ways you could be doing better.Officer Peters has never been Janie’s biggest fan, but when he picks her up for a warrant she didn’t know she had, he lays into her.And, for the first time in years, she breaks...Categorized as:
slow-burn friends-to-lovers enemies-to-lovers romance contemporary womens-fiction small-town humor -
![Someone to Love by Kelly Elliott]()
Someone to Love by Kelly Elliott
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe Seaside ChroniclesJanuary 3, 2023On the HookSeasiders,News on the beach is Braxton Bradley has caught the eye of Seaside’s very own darling, Harlee Tilson. Now, this might come as a shock to many of you, since the eldest Bradley sibling has been rumored to have made a vow to never marry. After all, his fishing charter has always been his number one love... -
![Along Comes Trouble by Abby Brooks]()
Along Comes Trouble by Abby Brooks
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsFrom the moment we met, Tessa Morgan pegged me as trouble. Why? Your guess is as good as mine. I’m funny. Easy-going. My years as a high school football star worked wonders on my body as well as my reputation. I’m Colton Carmichael. Everyone likes me. Everyone except Tessa. And believe me, the feeling is mutual... -
![The Problem with Players by Brittainy C. Cherry]()
The Problem with Players by Brittainy C. Cherry
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAs a female coach, I’ve always lived by a simple mantra: throw hard, swing for the fences, and never, ever look back--especially when it comes to past flames.So when my ex-boyfriend somehow manages to land the job as my new assistant coach, my life is flipped upside down. The game I thought I'd mastered is now being played with a whole new set of rules.My ex is baseball's all-star Nathan Pierce... -
![Tide Over by Eve Holmes]()
Tide Over by Eve Holmes
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThe storm will always pass…Desperate to escape his pain, Liam Fraser returns to his home province of Nova Scotia—but not to the place he once called home. Instead, he finds himself in Torrin Cove, a tiny, remote fishing village that seems like the perfect place to hide from the painful memories he can’t outrun... -
![The Renegade Billionaire by Avery Maxwell]()
The Renegade Billionaire by Avery Maxwell
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsHe’s got two reasons for getting out of bed every morning: Running his family’s empire and ruining his father. Braxton Reyes doesn’t have time for anything else in his life. At least not until his grandfather’s will is read. The only man Braxton ever trusted has just derailed everything he’s worked for... -
![Swing and a Mishap by Tara Sivec]()
Swing and a Mishap by Tara Sivec
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratings“Hawks fans still in shock after centerfielder, Shepherd Oliver, sustained season-ending injury last night in the 5th inning of the playoffs against Chicago.”Two years ago, I was a pretty big deal. I thought I had it all, until a blast from my past popped up on my social media feed, keeping my ego in check and reminding me how basic I am. Except sassy Wren Bennett isn’t just a blast from my past...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers slow-burn sports adult audiobook book contemporary -
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![That Last Secret: A Brothers Best Friend Romance by Jenn McMahon]()
That Last Secret: A Brothers Best Friend Romance by Jenn McMahon
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAll secrets kept in the dark eventually come to light. Being the youngest Ford sibling and the only girl out of the four of us, I feel like the bar is set high for me.My brothers have built very successful lives for themselves and the pressure to live up to them is often too much for me to handle.But I don't tell them that.I keep my struggles to myself.I can handle everything on my own...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers found-family enemies-to-lovers slow-burn romance contemporary age-gap small-town -
![Are You Ready? by Kaylee Ryan]()
Are You Ready? by Kaylee Ryan
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsNYT and USA Today Bestselling author Kaylee Ryan brings you the continuation of the stand-alone series surrounding five best friends who co-own a tattoo studio. "Are You Ready?” is an age gap, single mom, found family, small-town romance.ForrestThe moment I met Briar, I couldn't stay away. She's my sister's friend, but that didn’t stop me. Especially after her daughters stole twin pieces of me...Categorized as:
found-family friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance contemporary age-gap small-town insta-love -
![Reckless Love by Willow Aster]()
Reckless Love by Willow Aster
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsA sexy small-town, single dad, friends-to-lovers romance by USA Today bestselling author, Willow AsterI fell in love with Rhodes Archer the night we met thirteen years ago.We made a pact that night to never cross the just-friends zone.However, Rhodes crossed that line by kissing me recently, and I can’t get over it...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers found-family slow-burn romance audiobook contemporary womens-fiction -
![Wicked Promises by L.A. Cotton]()
Wicked Promises by L.A. Cotton
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsThe edgy, angsty, addictive YA/NA crossover series from L A Cotton continues...Forever is a long time.Summer Stone-Prince has her whole life mapped out. Attend college with her childhood sweetheart. Graduate. Get married and live happily-ever-after. But all it takes are two little words and everything changes.Everything...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers sports book contemporary fiction kind-mc multi-pov -
![Break the Ice by Piper Rayne]()
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... -
![Calling Cassie by Kat Mizera]()
Calling Cassie by Kat Mizera
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTwenty-three-year-old hockey stud Logan Pelletier is having the time of his life as the ultimate bachelor. It’s all about hockey and living it up with his friends. He has no time for love, let alone a relationship. Until a spunky, hockey-playing stripper dances into his life... and his bed.Miss independent Cassidy Reynolds is already 0-2 in the marriage department... -
![My Life as a Mixtape by L.J. Evans]()
My Life as a Mixtape by L.J. Evans
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsFrom award-winning author LJ Evans comes an emotionally charged, standalone romance between a sexy bassist and a small-town nurse who can’t walk away from each other when the chips fall down… “I always saw relationships as a burden instead of a gift...until Wynn showed me the way...Categorized as:
friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance audiobook contemporary small-town fiction young-adult -
![Side by Side by Nicole Pyland]()
Side by Side by Nicole Pyland
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsSports Series Book #6. This series is related by a sports theme, not by characters.As teenagers, Belle Elrod and Chandler Wolfe had been chosen to be part of Team USA figure skating’s elite training program. But when something happened, and Belle left the program, they were both left wondering what might have been... -
![The Copper Valley Fireballs: The Complete Series by Pippa Grant]()
The Copper Valley Fireballs: The Complete Series by Pippa Grant
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsMeet the Copper Valley Fireballs, baseball's lovable losers whose hot heroes are determined to turn this team around and resisting finding love along the way! This box set includes four full-length romantic comedies and a bonus novella...Categorized as:
sports enemies-to-lovers found-family friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance audiobook contemporary -
![Saving the Halfback by Aly Westman]()
Saving the Halfback by Aly Westman
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsTraumatic past, dark secrets, found family.I spent most of high school as a ghost. Avoiding, blending, disappearing. It wasn’t until my ex slipped into a coma after a freak accident that something inside me shifted. I was able to breathe again, find myself. I even joined the football team, something my ex never would’ve allowed...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers slow-burn romance reverse-harem high-school contemporary young-adult -
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![Seth by Lynn Raye Harris]()
Seth by Lynn Raye Harris
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsDead to their pasts. Ghosts. No family ties. No connections.Six men with a top-secret mission move to a small town where they have to navigate local life, protect their secret, and, above all, stay single.Software engineer Caroline Crowell is a dead woman walking. When the top-secret lab she’s working in goes up in flames and she barely makes it out alive, she knows her time is up...Categorized as:
found-family enemies-to-lovers animals slow-burn romance military forced-proximity contemporary -
![Irresistibly Wicked: Zander Wicked by Melissa Foster]()
Irresistibly Wicked: Zander Wicked by Melissa Foster
Rated: 4.58 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsZander Wicked lives life fast, on his bike, on the job, and with women. But one split second shatters his world and forces him to face truths he’s spent a lifetime outrunning. His family doubts he can change, but Zander knows better, and when the woman who helped save him needs more than a little help herself, he sets out to prove everyone wrong... -
![If You Give a Billionaire a Bride by Ann Einerson]()
If You Give a Billionaire a Bride by Ann Einerson
Rated: 4.38 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsI, Everly Townstead, need to stop fantasizing about my brother’s billionaire best friend.Should I have accidentally married the notorious charmer in Vegas? No, because he’s trying to buy my family’s company.Nothing says trust and unity between two businesses like an (accidental) marriage of convenience, right?3 reasons why I absolutely cannot fall for my fake husband:1... -
![Striking by Bella Matthews]()
Striking by Bella Matthews
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsAn accidental marriage, forbidden, billionaire romance, From USA Today and #1 Amazon Best Selling Author, Bella Matthews.In my defense, I never planned on marrying my husband.But after one wild night and one too many cocktails, I wake up tangled in silk sheets, with a diamond ring on my finger, a sinfully sexy prince next to me in bed, and palace guards banging on the door with devastating news... -
![Otterly into You by Erin Nicholas]()
Otterly into You by Erin Nicholas
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsThey’re not-quite enemies. They’re not-really friends. They’re definitely not lovers.But they’re absolutely going to be one of those things when this is over. He really doesn’t want to want this woman.Or her otters.And no, “otters” is not a euphemism.She has otters. And she wants him to take care of them. And he's going to say yes.Is that going to get him laid?Probably...Categorized as:
animals enemies-to-lovers friends-to-lovers adult audiobook book contemporary fiction -
![Can't Take The Heat? by Hailey Shore]()
Can't Take The Heat? by Hailey Shore
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsCelebrity chef Antony Renard has been banished to Calico Cove while his bad-boy reputation gets a makeover, but just because he’s famous—and hotter than a french fry—doesn’t mean he gets whatever he lays those ice-blue eyes on…namely, me.This food truck girl knows he’s out of my league and probably has a trail of broken hearts that lead back to his kitchen in California... -
![Homebound by Meredith Trapp]()
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 found-family romance western contemporary fiction -
![Despite It All by Mollie Goins]()
Despite It All by Mollie Goins
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsWyla My trip to Nashville for my sister’s bachelorette trip was going to be my weekend to let go. I was starting my last year of college and I finally felt like I had a plan for my life. I wanted one weekend of freedom. My plan was to drink some whiskey, sing karaoke, and ride that mechanical bull... -
![Marrying Hope by Vikki Jay]()
Marrying Hope by Vikki Jay
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsA sinfully rich and wickedly hot businessman like Zach Teager has no business in my bland, rickety world. Yet, he barges in like a storm, leaving everyone mesmerized by his charms.Every evening I find him at my doorstep in the pretense of a silly promise he’s made to my son. And let’s not talk about my boy, Ray who believes Zach is some sort of a Prince and maybe he is. But not of my story... -
![The Buy-In by Emma St. Clair]()
The Buy-In by Emma St. Clair
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratings"You can't Schitt's Creek a town, Tank.""And you can't verb a noun, son."When a family of former pro football players buy a small Texas town, they didn't intend to start a war with its residents ... or to fall in love. Ever since his career-ending injury, Pat has bounced from job to job, idea to idea, short-lived relationship to short-lived relationship...Categorized as:
enemies-to-lovers marriage-of-convenience sports adult book contemporary fake-relationship fiction -
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![The One I Left Behind by Piper Rayne]()
The One I Left Behind by Piper Rayne
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIt’s the classic story—boy goes off into the world to fulfill his dreams and leaves the girl behind.Not every boy returns home, and I wish Ben Noughton wouldn’t have come back to our small ranching town at all after he retired from playing professional football.I figure it’s a quick layover for him. He always wanted out of this town and off his family’s ranch...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers found-family slow-burn enemies-to-lovers romance contemporary family -
![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... -
![My Silver Lining by Laura Pavlov]()
My Silver Lining by Laura Pavlov
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsA Small Town, Fake Dating, Enemies to Lovers, Standalone Romance from USA Today and Amazon #1 Bestselling Author, Laura Pavlov.Lulu Sonnet is the bane of my existence.She’s caused me more physical pain than any man should ever endure.From an accidental throat punch to a near death by shovel—Don’t even get me started on that vicious pool ball accident where she almost robbed me of my family jewels... -
![Peaks of Color by Victoria Wilder]()
Peaks of Color by Victoria Wilder
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsHot. Arrogant. Talented. Jack Deacon’s reputation arrived in my small town before he did. Leave it up to one of my brothers to hire the biggest photographer in sports and then misread the contract. Now, the six-foot-sexy, dripping with confidence notorious bachelor is staying in my pool house, calling me beautiful instead of boss, invading my workplace, my personal space…and my thoughts... -
![Meant To Be: A Prequel Daddy Novella by Sammi Cee]()
Meant To Be: A Prequel Daddy Novella by Sammi Cee
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsPJ couldn't be more surprised that he needs a Daddy in the bedroom...Joel and PJ met as pre-teens at Takoda Outreach Center. They’ve shared every secret, first as best friends, then roommates. But now that they’ve graduated from college, adulting presents circumstances and unforeseen problems that they never saw coming... -
![Iced by Cala Riley]()
Iced by Cala Riley
Rated: 4.33 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsClaytonBeing the star player on the Walker Wolves has been everything I was working towards.That is, until my grades slip, threatening to take it all from me.I have to do something drastic to keep my dreams alive, so I hire a tutor.That’s when I met her.Grace Myers.She is the complete opposite of me. Shy, innocent, kind...Categorized as:
sports friends-to-lovers slow-burn found-family romance university love-triangle contemporary
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