I’ve never been much of a romance reader, but there’s just something about athletes (especially hockey players) that intrigues me. I’ve noticed how popular these hockey romances are on social media, and I wanted to see what all the hype was about.
But wow, there are so many books to choose from! To make it easier for anyone else diving into this subgenre, I looked up the most popular hockey romance books online and categorized them by their dominant tropes.
That way, whether you love enemies-to-lovers, fake dating schemes, or grumpy x sunshine pairings, you can quickly find your next hockey romance read!
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Before we dive in, here’s a quick breakdown of spice levels:
No spice means no explicit scenes—think kisses, tension, or fade-to-black moments.
Medium spice includes some explicit scenes, but they’re not the main focus.
High spice means there’s plenty of on-page heat throughout the book.
1. Enemies to Lovers
This is by far the most loved and talked-about trope on social media. It sets the perfect stage for a romance novel: two people who are enemies, rivals, or just strongly dislike each other somehow end up falling for one another.
Plot: Emmy Joins the D.C. Stars, chasing her dream of making it onto an NHL roster. Maverick, her new teammate, tries to play nice despite their total differences—but one night they end up in bed together, promising it’s a one time thing… only for it to happen again.
Plot: Summer dreams of becoming a sports psychologist and is paired with the hockey team’s captain, Aiden Crawford, on the advice of her thesis advisor. When Aiden lands in trouble, he becomes the subject of her student research project. At first, all her worst assumptions about hockey players seem true, but once they let their guards down, their feelings quickly spiral out of control.
2. Grumpy X Sunshine
Do you love it when two opposites personalities clash and click? Whether it’s a broody hockey player meeting a lively, cheerful woman—or a playful goalie falling for someone more reserved—this trope are all about opposites attracting.
Plot: Rhys, an NHL captain, suffers a brutal hit and wonders if he’ll ever play again. Sadie, a figure skater with a less-than-stellar reputation on campus, notices him having a panic attack and steps in to help. As they spend more time together, something begins to develop between them—Rhys wants to feel again, while Sadie wants to feel less.
Plot: Pippa, a struggling musician, starts working as the assistant of professional hockey player and quickly finds him to be extremely egotistical. She soon finds herself living in close quarters with a man she had a childhood crush on. As they spend more time together, feelings begin to bloom, and Pippa rediscovers her passion for songwriting.
3. Fake Dating / Pretend Romance
This is one of the most fun tropes there is in hockey romance. It usually involves a player pretending to date someone—maybe to make an ex jealous, keep the media off their back, or satisfy an expectation. The twist? Fake feelings almost always turn real.
Plot: College student Hannah makes a deal with Garrett, the captain of the hockey team: she’ll tutor him to keep his grades, and she hopes to make her crush jealous. But after one kiss and an intimate night Garrett no longer wants to play pretend, and he convinces Hannah to be with him for real.
Plot: Dani and Alec used to be best friends until she moved away. Now that she’s back, she finds her ex-best friend has become a local hockey star, adored by the entire town, When an awkward moment sparks a pretend romance, things get complicated, and they start to unravel the real reason their friendship ended years ago.
Plot: In an attempt to prove she’s moved on, Violet does something she never expected—she starts dating Reed, a gorgeous hockey player who also happens to be her ex’s biggest rival. Although their ‘relationship’ comes with rules, Reed has other ideas and is determined to win her over.
4. Secret Romance
When two people fall for each other but have to keep their relationship hidden from teammates, family, or the public. The secrecy and late rendezvous adds tension, sparks, and that irresistible excitement that keeps readers hooked.
Plot: Two elite professional hockey stars, Ilya and Shane, are fierce rivals on the ice but share a long-running romance off it. They try to keep their relationship private despite the tension and publicity surrounding their rivalry. Eventually, they must confront their feelings and figure out how their love will impact their careers.
5. Friends To Lovers
What starts as friendship slowly turns into something more, with shared history and inside jokes making the sparks even hotter. This trope is for anyone who loves a slow burn: two people who keep crossing paths and connecting, only to realize their feelings might be deeper than they ever expected.
Plot: Jordan makes the biggest mistake of her life by marrying a man who is cruel behind closed doors. After leaving him, she turns to his best man, Camden—a hockey captain and a bit of a daredevil—who encourages her to embrace the same boldness. He’s not her usual type, but he’s determined to show her why he’s the perfect man for her.
Plot: Two lifelong hockey friends reconnect at summer training camp after four years of not speaking to each other because of what happened one crazy night. Now that they are back at summer camp they both need to figure out their feelings.
6. Forbidden Romance
When two people fall for each other but something—rules, rivals, or family—keeps them apart, every encounter feels fun. The tension and stakes make their romance impossible to resist.
Plot: Josie moves to a new city and, on her first night, finds herself locked out of a friend’s place wearing almost nothing. She meets a stranger and decides to step out of her comfort zone by spending the night with him only to discover he’s her brother’s hockey teammate. They agree to keep things casual, until one day Wes shows up at her door, declaring he wants to break all the rules.
7. Reformed Player
A reformed player is the guy known for endless flings who finally meets the one and decides to change his ways. Watching that shift from being afraid to commitment to being all-in is what makes this trope so satisfying, especially when he’s willing to go to any length just to be with her.
Plot: Professional hockey player Evan Zanders has a notorious reputation on the ice. When a new flight attendant joins, he expects her to quit by the end of the season, but he quickly finds himself confused. Is he teasing her just to annoy her, or is it because he actually likes having her around?
Plot: Carter is the NHL’s notorious womanizer, bringing home a new woman every night, until he sets his sights on Olivia and decides he wants to win her over. Olivia has no interest in his charm… until he starts showing her the sides of him she never knew existed.
8. Why Choose
Why settle for one when you can have them all? This trope is perfect for readers who don’t want just one love interest, but multiple partners who each bring something different to the table.
Plot: Rachel is chasing her dream job as an ambitious sports medicine practitioner, but her love life has other plans. Suddenly, she’s caught the attention of three hockey players: the guy she had a one-night fling with, his best friend, and the team’s goalie.
Which Series Will Be Your Next Read?
So, which hockey romance trope is your favorite from the list, or is there one you love that didn’t make the list? Let me know!
