October and November mark the start of the National Hockey League season, an excellent time of year to read hockeyromancenovels. The romance genre is a broad category encompassing many subgenres, themes, and tropes, with some of the best romance books being based around the time of year.Fall is the perfect opportunity to snuggle with witchy romances, while summer vacation romances are ideal in the summer. As winter quickly approaches and the NHL season kicks into full gear,now is the perfect occasion to consider reading some hockey romance books.
There is a wide selection of hockey romances to choose from, featuring a range of tropes, character personalities, and situations. Many ofthese books are popular on BookTok, but some might not be as well known. Some hockey stories are also greatLGBTQ+ romance books, although there are not as many. Popular tropes in hockey romances include rivals with benefits, sunshine and grumpy, fake dating, and best friend’s sibling. However,tropes do not make a romance book great — the relationship must be riveting. Thankfully, several hockey romance books contain compelling romantic relationships.
10Heated Rivalry By Rachel Reid
The Second In The Game Changers Series
Heated Rivalryby Rachel Reid is the second book in herGame Changersbooks, an LGBTQ+ hockey romance series. The two leads,Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov, are sworn rivalsbecause of the teams they play for, but they had established their rivalry before even getting drafted into the NHL.However, they quickly begin a secretive no-strings-attached relationship, which eventually turns into an epic romance. Shane and Ilya are an iconic couple, with their electrifying chemistry on and off the ice, flirty banter, and undying devotion.
This LGBTQ+ Romance Is The Perfect Red, White & Royal Blue Replacement Book
Red, White & Royal Blue is a beloved LGBTQ+ romance book, but another novel in the same genre acts as the perfect replacement for those seeking more.
AlthoughGame Changersis a series of standalone romance novels, the final book in the series,The Long Game, is actually a direct sequel toHeated Rivalry, portraying all the obstacles Shane and Ilya must overcome for their relationship to work.Heated Rivalryhas high levels of spice, but a lot of heart as well. It is impossible not to root for Shane and Ilya’s romance, despite Shane’s anxieties and Ilya’s reservations about their relationship.Heated Rivalryis the perfect book to read while watching this NHL season.
9Out On The Ice By Kelly Farmer
The First Book In Out On The Ice Series
Meanwhile,Out on the Iceis the first book in a hockey romance trilogy by Kelly Farmer. It revolves around a former hockey player, Caro Cassidy, who is now a coach, and a current hockey player hired to mentor kids at camp, Amy Schwarzbach.Out on the Iceis a rewarding novel, given everything that Caro and Amy go throughindividually and together. Both characters endure excellent growth, which only strengthens their romance. Furthermore,Out on the Iceis a perfect illustration of why there need to be more sapphic sports romance books.
8Play With Me By Becka Mack
The Second Book In Playing For Keeps
Play With Meis the second book in Becka Mack’s popularPlaying for Keepsseries, focusing on the romance between hockey player Garrett Andersen and dancer Jennie Beckett. Their relationship has extra flavor, given thatJennie is Garrett’s team captain’s younger sister, making it somewhat of a forbidden romance.Although their relationship begins as a friends-with-benefits agreement, they slowly let their walls come down and become more vulnerable with each other, making their romance that much more satisfying.
7Icebreaker By Hannah Grace
The First Book In Maple Hills
Icebreakeris the first book in Hannah Grace’sMaple Hillsseries, and Nate and Anastasia’s romance is an excellent way to kick off these books.Not only is Nate a hockey player, but Anastasia is a figure skater,and the forced proximity of sharing a skating rink makes the prospect of their inevitable romance so much more exciting. It becomes even more interesting when Anastasia enlists Nate’s help for figure skating because she is in dire need of a temporary partner. It is comical when Nate steps into figure skating, but it also raises the stakes of their dynamic.
Maple Hillsis not a hockey romance series, but rather, a college series. There are two further installments:WildfireandDaydream.
The chemistry between Nate and Anastasia is immediate, even if their relationship starts as rocky frenemies. The rapport they build over time is also incredibly rewarding. Another great aspect aboutIcebreakeris that it is more than just an epic romance —Nate and Anastasia are well-written characters who are easy to fall in love with. Both Nate and Anastasia face everyday struggles that make them much more real and relatable.Icebreakeris another great way to kick off the NHL season, especially for those who also like figure skating.
6Shutout By Avery Keelan
The Second Book In Rules Of The Game
The second book in Avery Keelan’sRules of the Gameseries features another teammate’s sister romance. However,Shutoutis still considerably different fromPlay With Me— both the circumstances and the stakes significantly differ from Becka Mack’s book.Shutoutrevolves around Seraphina and Tyler, who unexpectedly become roommates for the year, along with Seraphina’s brother and another teammate. They spend the night together on Halloween, so their roommate experience begins off the back of that memorable occasion, even though they do not become intimate again right away.
Seraphina and Tyler’s relationship is difficult to maintain, given that they have their own issues. Seraphina has ADHD and is struggling due to her mother’s cancer, while Tyler bears many burdens that he cannot control all the time. However, they also establish a great friendship before resuming their fling, complicating their dynamic. There is also no third-act breakup, which can be dismaying in romance novels, especially since the trope is overdone. Seraphina and Tyler’s love story is certainly worth the read, and the delicate topics are handled respectfully.
5Unravel Me By Becka Mack
The Third Book In Playing For Keeps
Playing for Keepsis an excellent hockey romance series overall,andUnravel Me,the third book, is another installment that is ideal for the NHL season.Unravel Megoes in an entirely different direction, given that it revolves around a famous hockey player and a single mother. Adam Lockwood, the male protagonist, fears developing romantic relationships because people have used him for fame. However, Rosie, the female protagonist, does not know who he is, which is the perfect setup for someone like Adam, who has been burned too many times.
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Unravel Mealso contains a lot of drama, as Rosie struggles to finish veterinary school as a single mother, and Adam harbors a terrible secret. Despite all the drama, Rosie and Adam’s romance has plenty of spice, while they also have many similarities. The tropes inUnravel Meare not pretty frequent in hockey romances, which is another reason why this book is so unique.Unravel Meis the best of Becka Mack, with two flawed protagonists, a compelling narrative, and one epic romance that is definitely worth the read.
4Collide By Bal Khabra
The First Book In Off The Ice
Kicking off Bal Khabra’sOff the Iceseries,Collidefeatures psychology student Summer Preston and hockey player Aiden Crawford.Despite their initial distaste for one another, fate forces them together when Summer needs Aiden to be her research partner for her project.Collideportrays a sweet romance where opposites attract, and unexpected love occurs. Their love confession also happens in the rain, one of the most romantic ways to confess love in fiction.Collideis a quick and fun read, but it is still so unlike any other hockey romance.
3The Fake Out By Stephanie Archer
The Second Book In Vancouver Storm
The Fake Outby Stephanie Archer is the second book in theVancouver Stormseries, revolving around Hazel Hartley and hockey player Rory Miller as they create a fake relationship so that Hazel can get revenge on her ex-boyfriend.The Fake Outis the perfect fake dating romance book, embodying everything that makes the trope iconic — intense chemistry, a genuine friendship, rule-breaking, and a will-they, won’t-they dynamic to die for.The Fake Outis a typical hockey romance book, but it should be glossed over. In fact,The Fake Outis a must-read hockey romance classic during this season.
2Center Ice By Julia Connors
The First Book In Boston Rebels
Julia Connors began theBoston Rebelsbooks in 2024 with the first installment,Center Ice. It has unusual, often highly controversial tropes, such as secret baby and second-chance romance. The narrative follows Drew and Audrey, two people who have a one-night stand right before Drew gets drafted into the NHL. Upon returning to Boston five years later,Drew discovers that their one-night stand resulted in a child, which prompts Drew to reevaluate his priorities. Despite these tropes,Center Iceis a great book.
Center Icedescribes Audrey and Drew’s dynamic as a head and heart situation, with Drew representing the heart while Audrey represents the head.
Drew and Audrey’s dynamic does not feel too contrived, and they must work on their relationship, especially for their son, Graham.Drew also harbors feelings for Audrey, feelings that began in college that bubble up upon their reunion, complicating their potential romance. Audrey is much more reluctant to rekindle any romance, despite their old friendship from college when she tutored Drew in calculus.Center Icedescribes Audrey and Drew’s dynamic as a head and heart situation, with Drew representing the heart while Audrey represents the head. As a result, it creates a riveting narrative and romance.
1Daydream By Hannah Grace
The Third Book In Maple Hills
All theMaple Hillsbooks are worth reading, butDaydreamis the bestand most creative yet. It revolves around the series' fan-favorite character, hockey player Henry Turner, as he unexpectedly befriends nerdy writer, Halle Jacobs. Their friendship eventually turns into a beautiful romance established on trust, loyalty, and devotion. Halle also ends up tutoring Henry, which is where they really get to know each other. Halle is a complex protagonist who is easy to root for, while there is much more to Henry than meets the eye.Daydreamis the ideal book to read this NHL season.
