Guest post written by Cross The Line author Simone Soltani
Simone Soltani is a romance author and former ghost writer for a serialized fiction platform. Born and raised in Washington, DC, she holds a BA in Geography from The George Washington University, which she likes to think comes in handy for world-building in her novels. When she’s not writing, she spends most of her time planning vacations she’ll probably never get to go on, reorganizing her many bookshelves, and watching sports while cuddling with her dogs.
I’ve been a huge sports fan since the day my parents signed me up for my first soccer team at the tender age of five, and romance books have lined my shelves ever since I sneakily checked my first one out of the library at fourteen (shh, don’t tell). When I discovered that there was a fiction subgenre that combined my two favorite things—sports and romance—I was forever hooked.
We’re currently in a beautiful era of sports romance, with amazing new releases coming out every week featuring a variety of athletic pursuits. I’ve curated a few of my recent favorites here, perfect for your summer reading list.
Collide by Bal Khabra (Hockey)
College-set hockey romance is booming these days, and Collide should be at the top of your list. This steamy, heartfelt story will have you both fanning yourself and kicking your feet in delight.
She’s an honors student with ambitious graduate school plans and he’s a jock with only hockey on his mind, but once their worlds collide, their connection is hot enough to melt an ice rink. Summer can’t stand Aiden’s blasé approach to life, and Aiden doesn’t understand why she’s twenty years old with a twenty-five-year plan. But their bickering soon turns to bantering—and once they let their guards down, there’s nothing to check their feelings.
Let the Games Begin by Rufaro Faith Mazarura (Olympic runner)
With the Olympics happening this summer, there’s no way I could leave this gold-medal worthy romance off the roster!
Olivia Nkomo has always been a go-getter. Now that she’s graduated from university, she’ll do whatever it takes to land her dream job at the Summer Games, where she hopes to run into some of her favorite athletes.
Ezekiel “Zeke” Moyo, the heartthrob star runner of Team Great Britain, is more than ready to claim his title as the fastest man in the world. His future to the finish line is looking bright―despite his recent breakup with a celebrated gymnast constantly making headlines.
When Olivia and Zeke collide―literally―on the first day of training, sparks fly. As the games grow closer, so do they. But the competition stirs up uncomfortable memories from Zeke’s past . . . and Olivia’s internship doesn’t turn out to be what she expected. Will they be able to overcome these hurdles and achieve their dreams? Or will it come at the cost of their budding romance?
The Art of Catching Feelings by Alicia Thompson (Baseball)
If you like a little bit of mess (in the best way possible) in your sports romance, this one’s a homerun. A little accidental catfishing ever hurt, right?
A professional baseball player and his heckler prove that true love is worth going to bat for. Daphne Brink doesn’t follow baseball, but it beats sitting at home after signing her divorce papers.
After one too many ballpark beers, she heckles player Chris Kepler, who quickly proves there might actually be a little crying in baseball. Horrified, Daphne reaches out to Chris on social media to apologize . . . but forgets to identify herself as his heckler in her message.
Chris doesn’t usually respond to random fans on social media, but he’s grieving and fragile after an emotionally turbulent few months. When a DM catches his eye, he impulsively messages back. Daphne isn’t sure how much longer she can keep lying to Chris, especially as she starts working with the team in real life and their feelings for each other deepen. When he finds out the truth, will it be three strikes, she’s out?
Night Shift by Annie Crown (Basketball)
Another one for my college sports romance lovers! This fast-paced romance about a bookworm and a basketball player will have you swooning in chapter one—and you won’t stop until the very last page.
Kendall Holiday spends her Friday nights exactly where she wants to be: with her head buried in a spicy romance novel while she works at her university’s library. She knows she could join her friends for a weekend of drunken debauchery and college parties, but she likes her alone time, so she tells herself she isn’t hiding when she gets lost in the pages of fictional love stories.
But that all changes when Vincent Knight, captain of the basketball team, turns up with an injured wrist, a sour mood, and a pressing need for poetry recommendations for a class he hates. Vincent is tall, smart-mouthed, and challenges Kendall like no one has before. Suddenly, she’s falling headfirst into her very own romance novel—but it takes a lot more truth than tropes to get to a happy ever after in real life.
The Rule Book by Sarah Adams (Football)
“Oops, we accidentally got married in Vegas” is one of my favorite tropes, but when the groom is a hotshot football player? And it’s his agent he’s accidentally gotten married to? A recipe for an unputdownable book.
College exes break all the rules when they reunite years later in this enemies-to-lovers, second-chance romance. Nora Mackenzie’s career lies in the hands of famous NFL tight end Derek Pender—her extremely hot college ex-boyfriend. Nora didn’t end things gracefully, and now it has come back to haunt her. Derek is her first client as an official full-time sports agent, and he’s holding a grudge.
Derek has set his sights on a little friendly revenge. If Nora Mackenzie, the first girl to ever break his heart, wants to be his agent, he’ll let her be his agent. The plan is simple: make Nora’s life absolutely miserable. But if Derek knows anything about the woman he once loved—she won’t quit easily.
Instead of giving in, Nora starts a scheme of her own. But then a wild night in Vegas leads to Nora and Derek in bed the next morning married. With their rule book out the window, could this new relationship save their careers and spark the romance of a lifetime?
Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey (Golf)
Tired of all the really popular sports? Well, Tessa Bailey’s got you covered with this absolutely hilarious golf rom-com between a grumpy golfer and his biggest fan.
Wells Whitaker was once golf’s hottest rising star, but lately, all he has to show for his “promising” career is a killer hangover, a collection of broken clubs, and one remaining supporter. No matter how bad he plays, the beautiful, sunny redhead is always on the sidelines. But when Wells quits in a blaze of glory and his fangirl finally goes home, he knows he made the greatest mistake of his life.
Josephine Doyle believed in the gorgeous, grumpy golfer, even when he didn’t believe in himself. Yet after he throws in the towel, she wonders if her faith was misplaced. Then a determined Wells shows up at her door with a wild proposal: be his new caddy, help him turn his game around, and split the prize money. And considering Josephine’s professional and personal life is in shambles, she could really use the cash
Before long, Wells starts winning again, and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff exterior. But Wells is technically her boss and an athlete falling for his fangirl would be ridiculous… right?
Cross the Line by Simone Soltani (Formula 1)
I couldn’t leave myself off this list, now, could I? If you like fast cars, slow-burn romance, and sunshine characters, do I have a book for you…
Her brother’s best friend sends her heart racing in this sparkling Formula 1 romance.
Formula 1 driver Dev Anderson’s career is on the line. After a social media disaster leaves him with an angry team and sponsors threatening to jump ship, he needs someone to help save his image. At a party in Monaco, he bumps into the woman who can fix it all. There’s just one problem: she’s his best friend’s little sister. And, okay, maybe there’s another problem—he kissed her last year and hasn’t been able to stop thinking about it since.
Recent college grad Willow Williams needs a job. She may have a talent for seeing the bright side of any bad situation, but it’s hard to stay positive when she’s struggling to get hired. So when Dev offers her a temporary solution, she can’t help but say yes. Even if it means ignoring the crush she’s had on him since childhood.
Willow and Dev are determined to keep things strictly professional, regardless of old feelings and the blazing chemistry between them. But in the glittering and high-stakes world of Formula 1, some lines are meant to be crossed…
