During the summer 2024 Olympics in Paris, it became glaringly evident that the world craved even more sports-related content. Viral romantic moments celebrating historic wins and grieving heartbreaking losses took over social media, with the Olympians and the audience engaging. I found myself running to TikTok and Goodreads in between Olympic events, looking for my next best sports romance book. As an avid romance reader, I am no stranger to this subgenre; in fact, I might even go as far as to say that it has become one of my absolute favorites. It’s high time we dive into this showstopping genre that will make you feel so high school again.

What exactly is a Sports Romance?

The name is very self-explanatory; it is a romance story infused with athletic elements. It could be a subplot, or it could be the main driving force in a story. While these have been popular for decades, discovering trending sports romance genres on BookTok has brought it to life again. Some readers credit author Susan Elizabeth Phillips as the mother of sports romance as we know it today. If you fancy a trip down memory lane and onto the football field, her trailblazing Chicago Stars series might be worth a read!

Hockey Romance: The Most Popular of Them All!

The Deal, Pucking Around, Icebreaker, Behind the Net, the list goes on and on! TikTok-viral Hockey romance books have quickly run away with the crown as the most popular sport of the athletic romance world. Famous for their unique, witty, and often cheeky wordplays, these books are incredibly easy to spot on bookstore tables . A quick search on TikTok reveals that almost 300,000 videos are tagged as hockey romance. It’s safe to say it is a massive fan favorite.

It is difficult to pinpoint precisely what makes the ice rink setting so popular. Is it the fun wordplay? The broody alpha males? Or the fast-paced, action-packed games? If you haven´t already, this might be your sign to head into the bookstore and pick up your first (or next) hockey romance read to see what the hype is about. Fair warning though; some of the books mentioned are hot enough to melt ice.

The Nicher the Sport – the More Fun the Book

You might have noticed an uptick in F1, golf, and chess content on your feed over the past year or so. What makes sports romance books unique and interesting is the fact that it has never been easier to get swept into a sport you otherwise would’ve known nothing about. As mentioned in our 2025 trends prediction blog, we truly believe that 2025 will be the year where we continue to see more developments in the sports romance genre – with even more sports unfolding on the pages of a book. Who knows, maybe the next bestseller will be an Ultimate Frisbee-themed sports romance?

The Rapid Fire Recs: 4 New Sports To Read

• Tennis: Check out Match Point by Katherine Reilley—sizzling hot enemies to lovers with a forced proximity.
• American Football: Playing Hard to Get by Monica Murphy. This is the ultimate sports romance for all the So High School and Alchemy readers who just can´t get enough of the happily ever after. Football player x Bookworm Swiftie with a hint of the tutor trope.
• Golf: Hear me out… Golf can be hot. Fangirl Down by Tessa Bailey is the ultimate romance for readers wanting to test the water with different sports. Grumpy x Sunshine romance books are always a hit!
• Olympics: Baby, let the games begin, no really! With Let the Games Begin by Rufaro Faith Mazarura is the perfect read for anyone obsessed with the Olympics and athletic competitions. It perfectly captures the essence of the romantic Paris 2024 Olympics. 

Final thoughts

Whether you’re team ice rink, team football field, or currently booking a ticket for the next summer games, there is a sports love story out there waiting for you. The sports romance subgenre is only getting bigger, bolder, and more diverse with its tropes, proving that you don’t have to be a sports fanatic to fall completely head over heels for a protective athlete and some elite-tier banter. To make your next trip to the bookstore easy, we’ve put together a quick-reference summary table of these top reads right below. So, are you a die-hard hockey romance fan, or are you ready to test the waters with a completely new sport?