Just in time for the NCAA Frozen Four and Stanley Cup playoffs: hockey-themed romances!

Until two months ago, I’d never even picked up a hockey romance, but here I am going down the hockey-romance rabbit hole and loving it! 

This is what I’ve learned from reading this particular romance sub-genre: all hockey players are hot and the action off the ice is even hotter. Their rock-hard abbed exteriors hide smushy, gushy hearts and an endless supply of emotional baggage, and all they need is a good woman or man to make them whole and wholly themselves.

Hockey romances are rollercoaster rides of emotion, angst, sex, and hockey. Who knew I could love hockey so much? Not too long ago, after having read a few hockey romances, I watched a professional hockey game on TV and actually understood what was going on (the big surprise was that I wanted to watch hockey at all.) So not only are hockey romances sexy and entertaining, they’re also educational. Also, don't be surprised if you suddenly find yourself Googling "hottest hockey players."

Here are 11 hockey romances (and series) that are  straight, gay, teen, new adult, adult, sweet, sexy, sensual, funny, angsty and, above all, romantic.

11 Hockey Romance Novels

The Deal by Elle Kennedy (Off Campus series)

The plot: Star student Hannah needs help getting over some sexual hang-ups. Star hockey player Garrett, who has his own hang-ups, needs help in philosophy class. So, they strike a mutually beneficial deal that leads to much much more.

My take: Holy moly, this is good! This is the book that started it all for me and sent me down the hockey romance road. If you enjoy this one, each of Garrett’s Briar College hockey team roommates has their own romance with a spirited, independent girl. Flirty banter? Check. Angst? Check. Plenty of sexy scenes? Double check. Other books in the series include The Goal, The Mistake, and The Score.
 

Check Please!: Hockey! Vol. 1 by Ngozi Ukazu

The plot: Eric Bittle is a former junior figure skating champion, a talented baker, and the newest freshman recruit to the Samwell University hockey team. But the kind of hockey his new team plays is nothing like the club hockey Eric played back in Georgia. Follow Eric’s adventures as he becomes a hockey bro, bakes pies, and falls for Jack, the hot, moody team captain.

My take: A sweet, hilarious graphic novel of friendship and first crush that gives you all the feels.
 

Good Luck Charm by Helena Hunting

The plot: Eight years ago Lilah’s hockey-playing boyfriend Ethan walked out of her life and into an NHL career, and now he’s back. In between, she’s been married and divorced, and now wants to concentrate on herself and her career. Ethan is determined to right his past wrongs and make Lilah his number one priority.

My take: Helena Hunting knows her way around a romance scene that will touch your heart, and sex scenes that will leave you breathless.

Cold Day in the Sun by Sara Biren

The plot: Holland Delviss is a star hockey player on her school’s varsity hockey team—she also happens to be girl. She has a few rules: 1) Practice harder than everybody else; 2) Keep a low profile, and give the trolls no reasons to come after her; and 3) Don’t date fellow teammates.

All those rules go out the window when Holland's team gets nominated for a statewide honor and her bossy team captain, Wes, starts looking at her in a very non-teammate kind of way.

My take: Holland is a girl boss who takes no one’s BS, and she meets her match in Wes. A fun YA romance that flips the script on the usual hockey romance tropes.
 

The Understatement of the Year by Sarina Bowen (The Ivy Years series)

The plot: Five years ago, Michael Graham betrayed the only person that really knew him and, since then, he’s hidden his true self, including his sexuality, from everyone—including himself. So, it’s a shock when that very person, John Rikker, walks into the Harkness College hockey team locker room. John is the only "out" player in NCAA Division One hockey. He didn’t expect a welcome party from his new team, but he didn’t expect his old friend Graham to just ignore him either.

My take: OMG, the angst! This is Olympic-level angst and it makes the eventual romance all the sweeter and sexier. I wanted to re-read this book the moment I finished it! If you enjoy the Harkness hockey players, there’s a whole series devoted to their love lives. Sarina Bowen, I bow to you. Other books in the series include The Year We Fell Down, The Year We Hid Away, and The Shameless Hour. 
 

Mister Hockey by Lia Riley (Hellion’s Angels series)

The plot: Jed West is captain of the NHL’s hottest team, the Denver Hellions, and one of the hottest players on the ice—at least according to hockey fan and librarian, Breezy Angel. So what’s a fangirl to do when the object of her fantasies walks into her library? Her only problem is that Jed has one rule: never date a fan. But he's never met a fan like this librarian before.

My take: Swoon, swoon. Two favorite romance tropes get checked here: a library setting and a librarian heroine! Other volumes in the series, Virgin Territory and Head Coach complete a hat trick of  sexy swooning.

 

Him by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy

The plot: Four years ago, best friends Jamie and Wes had a drunken encounter at hockey camp but haven’t seen or spoken to each other since. Now, they’ve returned to coach at the camp where their friendship started—only this time, Wes is openly gay and about to join the NHL and Jamie is a college hockey star with a serious girlfriend. Can they finally own up to everything that is pulling them together and keeping them apart?

My take: What is it about hot, angsty gay guys struggling to be themselves and succeed in a heteronormative, macho sport? Authors Bowen and Kennedy combine to write an engrossing romance with characters who have steel-melting chemistry. A really well-done, super sexy and sweet read that will leave you wanting more. Good news, there's a sequel: Us and a companion duology , Stay and Good Boy. 

 

Rookie Move by Sarina Bowen (Brooklyn Bruisers series)

The plot: Leo Trevi has spent the last six years trying to succeed in the NHL and get over the girl who broke his heart in high school, Georgia Worthington. Imagine his surprise when he gets a call from the new Brooklyn NHL team and discovers the team publicist is none other than Georgia. When a hot mic at a press conference intercepts some of their personal drama, things get complicated very fast.

My take: I do enjoy it when the guy is the one whose heart gets broken, and he has to chase the girl that did the breaking. Makes for a nice change of romantic pace. Bowen has great dialogue and realistic characters, and always leaves you aching for more. Other books in the series include Hard Hitter and Pipe Dreams. 
 

Pucked Off by Helena Hunting (Pucked series)

The plot: NHL defenseman, Lance Romero, aka Lance "Romance", has a certain reputation among his teammates and the puck bunnies that follow the team. He’s known as the thrower of debauched parties and a lover of threesomes—but what he really wants is a relationship that is the opposite of all that. Enter Poppy, a massage therapist and girl from his past who could help wipe his slate clean.

My take:Whoa, Lance has enough emotional baggage for a whole hockey team. He could use an actual therapist instead of just a massage one. Luckily, he’s also super sexy and an absolute mensch. And bonus, he’s Scottish! FYI, Helena Hunting has written a whole series about Lance’s teammates, who have nowhere near the baggage he does, phew. The series includes Pucked Under, Pucked Love, Forever Pucked, Pucked Over, Pucked Up, and Pucked.
 

Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

The plot: Stressed-out figure skater, Sloane Emily Jacobs, and fiery hockey player, Sloane Devon Jacobs, meet by chance and decide to trade places and lives for the summer. There are no strangers to judge Sloane E., and no scouts expecting Sloane D. to be a hero.

But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that, while avoiding sequins and axels, she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home.

My take: So a teen girl Trading  Places on ice? I’m all in! A fun, sweet teen romance with a hockey girl twist.

Misadventures with a Rookie by Toni Aleo (Misadventures series)

The plot: Gus Persson, a stud, rookie hockey defenseman for the NHL's Malibu Suns, has never had any trouble scoring, whether it’s racking up goals or girls, on or off the ice. Bo St. James is a trainer for the Suns, and she has no time for a rookie hotshot with too much swagger—no matter if he’s the hottest guy she’s ever laid eyes on. However, there’s an ice melting chemistry that neither of them can deny.

My take: This is cheesy, breezy, mature, sexy fun that can be read in an afternoon or less. Perfect for when you need to turn your brain off for a few hours.