"I don’t consider myself to be sporty, but when the first hint of springtime weather hits, I suddenly love baseball. As I write this, we’re heading into May, and I’ve already gone to a game this season. Baseball is a sport full of community, rivalries, great food, good beer, and athleticism. Baseball players are a special breed of athlete. They’re strong, focused, fast, and they’re not afraid to get dirty when they slide onto a base.
let's face it: meeting someone in the wild is a lot easier said than done
With baseball being as timeless as it is and the virality of TikToking, lip-syncing and hip-thrusting teams like The Savannah Bananas, it’s no surprise that baseball players are the inspiration behind an entire sub-genre of romance novels. The fictional baseball players are often feeling down after a bad game or a career trade. But underneath their broody, gruff, athletic exteriors are hearts of gold.
Their love interests have often sworn off baseball players or are overthinking, assuming these players are out of their league. All many of these characters need is each other to realize their full potential and re-center their lives. These novels are full of romantic tension and spicy scenes that give “hitting a home run” the double meaning we all know and love. Here are 16 baseball romance books that you should add to your TBR roster.
If you’re still in your Taylor & Travis era (aren’t we all), this is the baseball romance for you. Lacey Logan is a superstar whose life no longer feels like her own. But when Lacey discovers her boyfriend has two major secrets–a drug problem and a girlfriend with a baby on the way–everything changes. So when Lacey is out with her friend, venting about the current situation, former Rookie of the Year Jimmy Hodges walks into the bar. On the surface, he is not what Lacey imagined for herself, but maybe that’s exactly what she needs.
Georgie Castle’s family runs a successful home renovation business, but far from real estate, Georgie is a clown for children’s birthday parties. She wants to show everyone that she’s not just a clown; she’s a sexy adult woman. At the same time, ex-pro baseball player Travis Ford must prove that he’s not a washed-up party boy. So, the two decide to fake-date. It’s an innocent scheme for them to both get what they want, but it turns out what they both want is each other. This is the first book in a series and can be read as a standalone.
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 his team. Gene and Luis can’t manage a civil conversation off the field or a competent play on it. As the two grow closer, the tension between them turns electric, and their chemistry spills past the confines of the stadium. Gene has to reconcile his quiet, minor-league-sized life with the major-league dreams Luis makes feel possible.
Daphne doesn’t follow baseball, but it certainly beats sitting at home in the days after her divorce. After one too many ballpark beers, she heckles Carolina Battery player Chris Kepler. Horrified, Daphne DMs Chris on social media to apologize, but forgets to say she’s the one who heckled him. When a DM from “Duckie” catches Chris’ eye, he impulsively messages back. Daphne isn’t sure how much longer she can keep lying to Chris, especially as she starts working with the team in real life and their feelings for each other deepen.
Brooks Alden has only ever loved two things: baseball and his high school girlfriend, Nora Foster. Returning home in the off-season gives Brooks a second chance with a now-divorced Nora. They make a bargain to spend five Fridays sharing new experiences in the hopes that Brooks will discover that there’s more to life than baseball, while helping Nora cope with the grief of her divorce and the demands of single motherhood. This book is a part of a series but can be read as a standalone.
There are two versions of this book–one is spicy and one is a closed-door romance. Everything is the same aside from the intimate scenes, so readers can choose their level of spice. Gale Frost has one rule: no dating baseball players. Finn Nixon has been rewriting the rules since he started playing the game. When a foul ball sends these two opposites on a literal collision course, sparks fly. For Finn, it’s love at first sight, but Gale’s unimpressed by Finn’s fun-loving antics. Will Gale throw out her rule book for a chance at a home run romance, or will Finn strike out?
Kelsey Colette is a young, single mother who works multiple jobs to support her infant son. One night, while taking a final call on the ride-share app, she meets Sam Drummon, a Major League baseball player. Sam has just signed a huge contract, only to discover that he’s dealing with a case of the yips, aka his pitches are no longer working. Kelsey is less than impressed with their first meeting, but as fate intervenes, the couple has another chance meeting. Maybe Kelsey is the good luck charm Sam needed all along.
Gretchen Harper has always been dependable and predictable. She’s never taken risks, and she’s especially never bought coffee for gorgeous professional athletes in airports. That is, until she meets her favorite baseball player on the worst day of his career. When a beautiful woman offers him coffee, that simple kindness is exactly what he needs to lift him out of his funk. He asks her to join him in first class, not expecting to end up joining her in bed. What starts as a one-night stand ends up holding the promise for so much more.
The night Evie met Drew Maddox, the hottest player in Major League Baseball and the most notorious playboy in all of Manhattan, she was drunk-dialing her ex, and Drew approached her with flirtation in his eyes. Tabloids publish pictures of their first encounter, and suddenly, they’re engaged. Evie needs to prove to her ex that she’s fine. Drew must prove to his team that he’s stable. The tension is real, the kisses are fake, and the chemistry is becoming confusing. This book is part of a series but can be read as a standalone.
Ella Simone’s popstar life is what dreams are made of. Her eight-year marriage to renowned music producer Elliot Majors has helped garner the hits, awards, and adoring fans. But when Ella tires of Elliot’s many infidelities, she decides to fight for her independence. Ella is under strict orders to lay low, but is thrown a curveball after an awards show wardrobe malfunction, where she’s rescued by Miles Westbrook, MLB’s most eligible player. Amid tricky divorce proceedings, Ella’s connection with the charismatic pitcher might just be her downfall.
Coming off a World Series win, one of the last things starting pitcher Will Anderson anticipates is being traded to the Boston Blues. That and the fact he isn’t being traded alone. Over the past year, his catcher’s little sister was simply that—his teammate’s sister. When Callie Reyer showed up on her brother’s doorstep, she promised herself no more baseball players. But now, not only is she the Blue’s new team photographer, she’s also moved in next door to the team’s pitcher.
The 1960 baseball season is shaping up to be the worst year of Eddie O’Leary’s life. When the team’s owner orders him to give a bunch of interviews to some snobby reporter, he’s ready to call it quits. Mark Bailey has had a rough year and just wants to be left alone in his too-empty apartment, mourning a partner. The last thing he needs is to spend a season writing about an obnoxious new shortstop. There’s an inevitable attraction between them, but Mark has vowed that he’ll never be someone’s secret ever again, and Eddie can’t be out as a professional athlete.
When Cory Potter gets traded in the middle of the season to his childhood rival team, the Chicago Rebels, he feels like he is completely screwed. Cory has a lot on his plate, and he swears he’d never get involved with anyone during the baseball season, but then he meets Natalie. Natalie is recently divorced, trying to navigate the dating world again, and thinks Cory is too out of her league. Through many hilarious interactions and miscommunications, Natalie and Cory discover if they’re meant to be. This is the fourth book in a sports romance series but can be read as a standalone.
Tate believes professional athletes are best handled at a distance, preferably far enough away that their chiseled jawlines blur into oblivion. But when she meets Grant Navarro, everything changes. They kiss the first night they meet, which happens to be before she learns Grant is on her brother’s baseball team. For Tate, Grant is officially off limits, but Grant doesn’t see it that way. She gives in just for one night, but it may be the push she needs to finally break her one golden rule.
Nathan Sharpe’s never thought anything would rival his love of baseball–until he fell for Brenna Quinn. After high school, Brenna and Nathan each left their hometown, never expecting to see it—or each other—again. Six years later, Nathan’s father leaves them an inheritance, but only if they accept it together. Neither of them can afford to walk away. Resisting the blazing attraction between them is almost as impossible as overcoming their painful past. This is the second in a series but can be read as a standalone.
Avery Kingsley is a successful female baseball coach who lives by the mantra, “throw hard, swing for the fences, and never, ever, look back”—especially when it comes to exes. So, when her ex-boyfriend, baseball all-star Nathan Pierce, lands the job as her assistant coach, her life is flipped upside down. The smirks, lingering stares, and playful teasing show Avery that Nathan is back in town for more than just a job. Avery must decide if she can keep it professional and move on from the past or if she wants to become Nathan’s teammate for life.
Emily Wise, Contributing Writer
Emily Wise is a Virginia-based content creator with over five years of experience creating content strategies for SaaS companies. Although she spends her days in the tech world, she has spent many years as a lifestyle writer for her personal site, as well as for several publications across the web.