Recommendations based on "Most Valuable Player"

“A queer sports romance and a triumphant debut . . . a heartstring-pulling tale of two minor-league baseball rivals who realize they play much better together.”—Elle, The Best (and Most Anticipated) Romance Books of 2024, So Far“I completely adored it.”—Casey McQuiston, author of Red, White & Royal BlueMinor leagues. Major chemistry.Hope is familiar territory for Gene Ionescu. He has always loved baseball, a sport made for underdogs and optimists like him. He also loves his team, the minor league Beaverton Beavers, and, for the most part, he loves the career he’s built. As the first openly trans player in professional baseball, Gene has nearly everything he’s ever let himself dream of—that is, until Luis Estrada, Gene’s former teammate and current rival, gets traded to the Beavers, destroying the careful equilibrium of Gene’s life.Gene and Luis can’t manage a civil conversation off the field or a competent play on it, but in the close confines of dugout benches and roadie buses, they begrudgingly rediscover a comfortable rhythm. As the two grow closer, the tension between them turns electric, and their chemistry spills past the confines of the stadium. For every tight double play they execute, there’s also a glance at summer-tan shoulders or a secret shared, each one a breathless moment of possibility that ignites in Gene the visceral, terrifying kind of desire he’s never allowed himself. Soon, Gene has to reconcile the quiet, minor-league-sized life he used to find fulfilling with the major-league dreams Luis inspires.This triumphant debut romance reveals what’s possible when we allow ourselves to want something enough to swing for the fences.

The highly anticipated follow-up to the TikTok sensation Unsteady which follows hopeless romantic Ro and player - on and off the ice - Freddy as they form an unexpected bond. Matt "Freddy" Fredderic is all smiles - at least on the surface. On the ice, he's the star left winger for the Waterfell Wolves with a stellar reputation in bed. But in the classroom, he's retaking failed classes and struggling with dyslexia, dyscalculia, and ADHD. Now tied to a National Hockey League contract upon graduation, Freddy needs help to pass biology. Ro Shariff has a history of terrible luck in love - and now, she is Freddy's tutor. Trying to convince herself that she's very happy with her on again/off again boyfriend, Ro is desperate for real affection. As her tutoring sessions with Freddy lead to late-night phone calls and an understanding of each other's pains, a friendship emerges between them. And, inevitably, a wistful secret pining hidden by them both. Together, they will show each other how easy it is to love the right person, no matter their flaws.

In this heartfelt sports romance, a British bad boy rugby player finds an unlikely ally in the coach's daughter. British bad boy Cillian "Kill" Cairney is ruthless on the rugby pitch. After getting a permanent red card from his team in London, the only team that will have him is an Ivy League school in New Hampshire. But the guys hate him, his coach doesn't trust him, and worst of all? His starting position is in the hands of his coach's fiery, rugby-obsessed, very off-limits daughter, Rory. He'll have to earn the respect of both his coach and Rory--and nothing has ever seemed more difficult. That is, until she approaches him with a proposition that could benefit them both . . . Rory St. James has spent all her life immersed in rugby. She's tired of being friend-zoned. She wants to get the guy, and to do that, she needs the frustratingly charming Cillian to teach her. But the more time they spend together, the more lines begin to blur. In a game where trust and loyalty are tested, who will be the winner? Or will love be the final red card?

A football player has to let down his guard in this Play-by-Play novel from New York Times bestselling author Jaci Burton.Football star Cole Riley is notorious for doing as he pleases—on the field and off. He parties hard and fights harder, but if he doesn’t clean up his act, his career is over—so Cole reluctantly agrees to work with image makeover consultant Savannah Brooks. He’s not used to being told what to do, especially by some (admittedly hot) Southern belle. As for Savannah, she’s not convinced she can transform this cocky (and aggressively sexy) force of nature. But she’s determined to give it her best shot. When the sparks start to fly, Savannah lays down the ground rules: no personal complications. If she can turn off the tingle she feels every time Cole gives her a hot stare with his gorgeous baby blues, he can turn off his desire as well. But for two people determined to have it all, a hands-off policy can only last so long before one of them yields.

Kailey Henderson dealt in code. Well, code, social anxiety, and online gaming. What she didn't deal in was sexy hockey players. And she certainly didn't deal in sexy hockey players like Connor Smith. He was brass. He was loud. He was funny and charming and...ballsy. Kailey was about the furthest thing from ballsy someone could find. Connor didn't seem to care. From the moment she'd showed up at the rink to help her friend set up a player development program for the Baltimore Breakers, he had led a campaign to win her heart. The thing was, Kailey didn't actually want her heart to be won, and the more Connor campaigned, the more she resisted. And...the more she resisted and argued and pushed back, the more she found out that she actually could be ballsy. And the worst thing about that? It made Connor campaign even harder.

Sydney Smoke star recruit Kyle Leighton can’t believe the best sex of his life was just a one-night stand. He didn’t even know her name… Until she shows up at the locker room two weeks later and he connects the dots. Val King. Oh shit. Coach has one hard and fast rule: Never, ever date (much less f*ck ten ways to Sunday) his daughter. And not only did Kyle break that rule, but he wants to break it over and over again. In the shower. Against a wall. On every flat surface in his home.But the coach and his daughter share more than just DNA. Their issues run deep and fooling around with her could widen the family chasm. And get Kyle benched for life.So why can’t he stop thinking about her? Flirting with her? Suggesting they date for real and damn the consequences?Each book in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series is STANDALONE:* Playing By Her Rules* Playing It Cool* Playing the Player* Playing With Forever* Playing House* Playing Dirty* Playing It Safe* Playing It Tough

She's always played it safe... College junior Lucy Washington abides by one rule-avoid risk at all costs. She's cautious in every aspect of her life, from her health, to her mock trial team, to the boring guys she dates. When a brash, gorgeous jock walks into the campus coffeeshop and turns his flirt on, Lucy is stunned by the force of attraction. For the first time ever, she's willing to step out of her comfort zone, but can she really trust the guy who's determined to sweep her off her feet? He's always played around... Entering his last year of college eligibility, linebacker Matthew "Matty" Iverson has the team captaincy in his sights. And it's his for the taking, if he can convince his quarterback Ace Anderson to give up the starting position. Luckily, Matty already has an edge-the hottie he's lusting over just happens to be Ace's childhood best friend. Getting Lucy on his side and in his bed? Hell yeah. Matty is more than confident he can have both, but when he falls hard for Lucy, it's time for a new game plan: convince the woman of his dreams that she's not sleeping with the enemy.

I have three superstitions I live by:1. No dating all season.2. Don't jinx a no-hitter while one's in progress. 3. Be cold-hearted. If you find something you think about more than baseball, destroy it. Calliope Thomas is one of those things. Ever since she left a bad review on the Max Energy Drink I endorse, I haven't been able to stop thinking about her. Obviously, when she said she hoped I had a losing season, I had to meet her and get her to take the words back.Now, she's making me do insane things. Like, obsess over the color of her panties or if I can make her blush. Read superstition one-I don't do this sort of thing. I play ball, not chase after a woman I barely know. But, I am, and she wants nothing to do with me. She thinks I'm the devil. And I have to say she makes me want to sin. I'm becoming a borderline stalker. And to make matters worse she's affecting my game. I can't pitch. I can't hit. I can't focus. Something needs to give, and it won't be me.

It's always the quiet ones you have to watch out for.I’ve had a crush on my brother’s teammate and friend for a long time…Long enough to know that my interest isn’t reciprocated.I’m destined to be his teammate’s little sister—untouchable and completely off-limits no matter how hard I try to convince him otherwise.But then…everything changes.And suddenly, I have all of Riggs’s sure-minded focus. Only, I never expected the taciturn forward for the Sierra to a have a dirty streak. But he does, and it blows my mind, and he doesn't even like me, and none of it makes sense... Because now the gorgeous, bearded hockey player wants me.Forever.

A brand new book in the USA Today Bestselling PHILADELPHIA PATRIOTS series of sexy sports romances! Big, tough, sexy…and trouble. As far as sports agent Kate Berlin is concerned, that describes Nick Rome perfectly. Landing the hard-charging, talented catcher as her new client is a huge coup, and Nick could catapult her small agency into the big leagues—or destroy her reputation if she screws up. Since Nick has a habit of butting heads with Patriots management, the chance for disaster is high. Nick’s had serious agent troubles, so he’s willing to give smart and sexy Kate Berlin a try at negotiating his new and much-needed contract. The hardworking single mom is determined to manage Nick both on and off the field, clamping down on the attraction blazing between them. But nobody keeps Nick Rome under control—either on the field or in the bedroom. Can Kate handle Nick as both her lover and her client, or will succumbing to passion destroy the professional life she’s worked so hard to achieve? The Philadelphia Patriots Series Fastball: A Prequel Novel Book One: Hardball Book Two: Bigger Than Beckham Book Three: Curveball Book Four: Payoff Pitch Praise for The Philadelphia Patriots: “This series is excellent and the 4th instalment does not disappoint. The Sykes tell a great story and for those of us that enjoy the sports aspect and the romance aspect it’s the best of both worlds…Curveball gets a GRAND SLAM – 5 Stars from SYMFB!” ~ Save Your Money for Books “Spicy new sports romance that knocks it out of the park!” The Kindle Romance Review on Payoff Pitch "PAYOFF PITCH delights with likable characters and loads of realism." ~4 stars, Single Title Reviews EXCERPT: Kate was glad she hadn’t yet taken a drink of the Scotch since she likely would have done a spit-take. Nick Rome was nothing if not blunt. And a little intimidating, especially when he pulled his chair so close that she could feel the heat radiating off his wickedly muscular body. She’d never seen him in anything other than a baseball uniform, and then only from seats high in the ballpark stands or in photographs. But even at a distance, he was clearly one seriously hot dude. Every female in Philadelphia—maybe the whole country—knew that. But sitting this close, Kate could even see the grain of bristle on his hard jaw and the knowing glitter in his dark gaze. In fact, he was so damn masculine and sexy he was practically giving her heart palpitations. Nick Rome might not be tall as professional athletes go—about six-one or so—but he was built like a human Freightliner. There was nothing trim or tapered or elegant about the guy. He didn’t even look super-athletic. He just looked powerful. Dominant, robust, hard as nails—those were the descriptions that slid easily into her head. From his massive shoulders through his deep chest to big, muscular thighs, Nick Rome looked more like a middle linebacker or even a military commando than a ballplayer. His hands—callused and rough catcher’s hands—were huge. Kate couldn’t wait to find out whether his dominating physique was matched by an equally tough, take-charge personality. From his reputation, she suspected it was. “Am I coming on too strong, too close? Do you want me to back off?” Nick asked when she didn’t respond right away. Yeah, but no way would she admit that. “Not at all.” She gave him a sugary-sweet smile. “Are you hard of hearing? I could speak louder if you like.” Nick laughed, a deep bass rumble that vibrated through her in all the right places. “This is just the sort of gamesmanship our jackass general manager tries to pull off on agents and players. Consider it a test you just passed.” Kate raised her brows. “You’re saying Dembinski invades your personal space?” When he scooted back a foot, she could finally breathe again. “No, but he might try to invade yours. The man likes his women, and you’re smoking hot, Kate, in case you haven’t noticed.” He relaxed his awesome body into the uncomfortable looking chair, sipping his Scotch as if he’d just made a comment on the slightly chilly weather outside on this early May evening. As far as Kate was concerned, it might be a case of the pot calling the kettle black when it came to the Patriots general manager, given what she knew about Nick Rome’s rakish reputation. “I’ll try not to wear something quite as sexy as this wild outfit for negotiations,” she said dryly. “Maybe a plastic trash bag or grubby sweats would do the trick.” “Nah, even then you’d still look sexy.” His voice held a low, growly note that almost made her shiver. Well, it did make her shiver, which was a bit annoying. Fun was fun, but it was time to get down to business.