Sports Romances from Avon

Today marks the culmination of a season’s worth of anticipation, strategy, and heart-pounding action. For those who love the thrill of sports and the depth of romance, we’ve curated a list of Avon Books’ latest and upcoming sports-themed romances that are as engaging as the game day itself. Here’s a lineup that promises to score big with readers looking for both love and a touch of competitive spirit.

1. “Fangirl Down” by Tessa Bailey

#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey launches a super sexy sports romance series with a rom-com about a bad boy professional athlete who falls for his biggest fan…

Big Shots 1

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. He curses, she cheers. He scowls, she smiles. 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 begins to wonder 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…

As they travel together, spending days on the green and nights in neighboring hotel rooms, sparks fly. Before long, they’re inseparable, Wells starts winning again, and Josephine is surprised to find a sweet, thoughtful guy underneath his gruff, growly exterior. This hot man wants to brush her hair, feed her snacks, and take bubble baths together? Is this real life? But Wells is technically her boss and an athlete falling for his fangirl would be ridiculous… right?

Our take: A heartwarming tale that captures the essence of unexpected love found in the chaos of fandom. When a dedicated fan’s life collides with her sports idol’s world, sparks fly in the most unexpected ways.

Release Date: February 13, 2024

Why You’ll Love It: Bailey masterfully blends the excitement of sports culture with the unpredictability of love, making it a perfect read for those who cherish both.

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2. “The Au Pair Affair” by Tessa Bailey

#1 New York Times bestselling author Tessa Bailey returns with an all-new sports rom-com about a burly, surly, single dad who falls head-over-hockey-stick for his quirky live-in nanny…

Big Shots 2

Tallulah is smart, vivacious, and studying to be a marine biologist. She’s also twenty-six and broke. So when Burgess, a battle-scarred hockey veteran and newly single dad, offers her a job as his live-in nanny, she jumps at the opportunity to get paid while living in a super fancy neighborhood and being around Lissa, his cool but introverted tween.

Her tween charge isn’t the only one who could use some help fitting in, though. According to…well, everyone except Burgess, he needs to get back on the dating scene, and adventurous Tallulah is just the girl to show him how. But as boundaries are slowly crossed and Burgess finds himself pulled between his daughter, who wants her parents back together, and his insane chemistry with Tallulah, a huge rift is formed, and Tallulah does the “right” thing—breaks her own heart and walks away.

Though Burgess knows it’s for the best—he’s too jaded, with too much baggage—a chance meeting, and a new push from his daughter, forces him to put everything on the line and fight to prove he learned his lessons well and is worthy of a happily ever after with Tallulah.

Our take: This story takes a turn towards the personal side of sports, focusing on a single dad in the sports world and the au pair who enters his life, challenging and changing everything he thought he knew about love and family.

Release Date: July 16, 2024

Why You’ll Love It: It’s a touching exploration of the complexities of family dynamics, personal growth, and the healing power of love, set against a backdrop that sports fans will find familiar and comforting.

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3. “Fix Her Up” by Tessa Bailey

A spicy, hilarious HGTV-inspired romantic comedy trilogy from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of It Happened One Summer and Hook, Line, and Sinker!

Georgette Castle’s family runs the best home renovation business in town, but she picked balloons instead of blueprints and they haven’t taken her seriously since. Frankly, she’s over it. Georgie loves planning children’s birthday parties and making people laugh, just not at her own expense. She’s determined to fix herself up into a Woman of the World… whatever that means.

Phase one: new framework for her business (a website from this decade, perhaps?)

Phase two: a gut-reno on her wardrobe (fyi, leggings are pants.)

Phase three: updates to her exterior (do people still wax?)

Phase four: put herself on the market (and stop crushing on Travis Ford!)

Living her best life means facing the truth: Georgie hasn’t been on a date since, well, ever. Nobody’s asking the town clown out for a night of hot sex, that’s for sure. Maybe if people think she’s having a steamy love affair, they’ll acknowledge she’s not just the “little sister” who paints faces for a living. And who better to help demolish that image than the resident sports star and tabloid favorite?

Travis Ford was major league baseball’s hottest rookie when an injury ended his career. Now he’s flipping houses to keep busy and trying to forget his glory days. But he can’t even cross the street without someone recapping his greatest hits. Or making a joke about his… bat. And then there’s Georgie, his best friend’s sister, who is not a kid anymore. When she proposes a wild scheme—that they pretend to date, to shock her family and help him land a new job—he agrees. What’s the harm? It’s not like it’s real. But the girl Travis used to tease is now a funny, full-of-life woman and there’s nothing fake about how much he wants her…

“Her voice feels as fresh and contemporary as a Netflix rom-com.” —Entertainment Weekly

“Fix Her Up ticks all my romance boxes. Not only is it hilarious, it’s sweet, endearing, heartwarming and downright sexy. It’s a recipe for the perfect love story.” – Helena Hunting, New York Times bestselling author of Meet Cute

Our take: A charming renovation of hearts and homes, this novel follows a young woman determined to flip her life around and the baseball player who discovers there’s more to life than the game.

Release Date: Available Now

Why You’ll Love It: Bailey’s knack for creating relatable, flawed characters who find love in the messiness of life makes this a home run for anyone looking for a feel-good romance with depth.

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4. “The Wall of Winnipeg and Me” by Mariana Zapata

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Mariana Zapata’s most beloved book, The Wall of Winnipeg and Me—now with new exclusive content!

Vanessa Mazur refuses to feel bad for quitting—she knows she’s doing the right thing. The thankless job of personal assistant to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans for her life, and none of them include washing extra-large underwear one more day for a man who could never find it in him to tell her good morning, congratulate her on a job well done, or wish her a happy birthday—even when she was spending it working for him.

The legendary “Wall of Winnipeg” may be adored by thousands, but after two years Van has had enough.

But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door begging her to come back, she’s beyond shocked. Mr. Walled-Off Emotions is actually letting his guard down for once. And she’s even more dumbstruck when he explains that her job description is about to become even more outrageous: something that takes the “personal” in personal assistant to a whole new level.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?

Our take: An engaging slow-burn romance that delves deep into the lives of a professional football player and his assistant, exploring the lengths they’ll go to support each other.

Release Date: Available Now

Why You’ll Love It: Zapata has a gift for slow-building romances that explode with emotional depth and complexity, making it a standout choice for readers who enjoy a slow and steady journey to love.

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5. “Simply the Best” by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

#1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Elizabeth Phillips returns with the next book in her Chicago Stars series where a successful sports agent and the sister of his biggest client engage in a take-no-prisoners battle of the sexes.

Take one hard-driving sports agent…

Throw in a failed chocolatier…

And her superstar football player brother…

Add a quirky pink and purple food truck…

Then, to really screw things up, mix in a very unfortunate murder.

Brett Rivers is the hottest sports agent in the business—fast and furious, swift and deadly. Failure? Not an option.

Rory Garrett is—let’s be honest—a disaster. She has a big heart, an empty bank account, a passion for making exquisite chocolate, and a huge inferiority complex from living in the shadow of Brett’s most important client, her football legend brother.

Brett and Rory should never have met, and they absolutely, positively should never have had to deal with the consequences of one stupid, drunken night…one disastrous lie…one career in jeopardy…one missing football player…and a very dead body.

It’s going to get messy…and dangerous…and heartbreaking…and sexy. To Rory, Brett represents skewed values and a devious mind. To Brett, Rory is forbidden fruit, off limits, do not disturb, and no entry—definitely no entry.

A woman who has succeeded at nothing and a man who’s succeeded at everything confront the challenge of their lives as they struggle with themselves and each other. When it comes to love—what price are any of us willing to pay to be simply the best?  

Our take: This story brings together the world of professional sports and the high stakes of love in a narrative that challenges its characters to find what it means to be the best at love and life.

Release Date: February 13, 2024

Why You’ll Love It: Phillips’ ability to weave humor, heartache, and triumph into her stories ensures that readers are not just entertained but deeply moved.

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6. “You Should Be So Lucky” by Cat Sebastian

An emotional, slow-burn, grumpy/sunshine, queer mid-century romance for fans of Evvie Drake Starts Over, about grief and found family, between the new star shortstop stuck in a batting slump and the reporter assigned to (reluctantly) cover his first season—set in the same universe as We Could Be So Good.

The 1960 baseball season is shaping up to be the worst year of Eddie O’Leary’s life. He can’t manage to hit the ball, his new teammates hate him, he’s living out of a suitcase, and he’s homesick. When the team’s owner orders him to give a bunch of interviews to some snobby reporter, he’s ready to call it quits. He can barely manage to behave himself for the length of a game, let alone an entire season. But he’s already on thin ice, so he has no choice but to agree.

Mark Bailey is not a sports reporter. He writes for the arts page, and these days he’s barely even managing to do that much. He’s had a rough year and just wants to be left alone in his too-empty apartment, mourning a partner he’d never been able to be public about. The last thing he needs is to spend a season writing about New York’s obnoxious new shortstop in a stunt to get the struggling newspaper more readers.

Isolated together within the crush of an anonymous city, these two lonely souls orbit each other as they slowly give in to the inevitable gravity of their attraction. But Mark has vowed that he’ll never be someone’s secret ever again, and Eddie can’t be out as a professional athlete. It’s just them against the world, and they’ll both have to decide if that’s enough.

Our take: A refreshing take on love and luck intertwines the lives of a reporter and a baseball hero, leading to a journey filled with discovery, laughter, and, potentially, love.

Release Date: May 7, 2024

Why You’ll Love It: Sebastian’s unique voice and charming characters make this novel a delightful read for anyone who enjoys a mix of humor, romance, and a touch of sports.

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Whether you’re watching the game or taking a break from the action, these novels offer the perfect blend of sports and romance to keep your heart racing. From the tension of the field to the tenderness of love found in unexpected places, each story promises to deliver its own kind of thrill. So, as the game plays out, consider adding these titles to your reading list for a winning combination of passion, sports, and heartwarming tales.