The ice rink has long been a popular setting in the rapidly growing genre of romance novels—but the hockey-romance subgenre has officially been sent into the stratosphere, thanks to Heated Rivalry becoming an indisputable cultural phenomenon. Now, an even wider audience can’t get enough of love stories that blend ice and spice (like, a lot of spice).
Luckily for hockey romance fans, new and old, entries in the category abound, spanning nearly every other romance trope. In addition to the Rachel Reid-penned book series that serves as source material for Heated Rivalry—which you really must read if you’re a fan of the show—another rinkside series will soon hit TV screens, as Prime Video is set to release an adaptation of Elle Kennedy’s Off Campus series in 2026. After you’ve added all of those to your TBR, you’ll want to skate through the following list for plenty more hockey romance novels sure to keep you warm through hockey season and beyond.
The Best Fake Dating Hockey Romance Books
Looking for a fresh start, Pippa takes on a new job as professional hockey player Jamie’s personal assistant. It might not have been a big deal that she had a crush on him all through high school—if only the job didn't require her to move into his house and spend practically every waking moment with him. Cut to: a smidge of fake dating, the discovery that Jamie is actually extremely sweet beneath his gruff exterior, and his determination to improve upon her ex’s performance in the bedroom. So…a perfect roommate.
Before Prime Video's take on Elle Kennedy’s best-selling Off-Campus series hits TV screens this year, you’ll want to study up on the source material. Start here: the first book in the series, in which college student Hannah forms a flirty friendship with Garrett, the hockey player she’s tutoring. Inevitably, they enter a fake-dating agreement to help her make another guy jealous. A perfect recipe for love, if you ask us.
The Best Forced Proximity Hockey Romance Books
Figure skater Anastasia and hockey player Nate find themselves constantly at odds after their college forces them to share one ice rink between two very rigorous practice schedules. But they may have to put their rivalry aside when Anastasia suddenly needs a new skating partner.
Prolific romance writer Kate Meader has multiple hockey-themed, Chicago-set series, but the original Chicago Rebels collection might be the best of the bunch. It starts with this one, in which headstrong Harper Chase takes over leadership of a struggling hockey team after her father’s death, putting her on a collision course with one Remy DuPre, the (very hot) pro she’s added to the team roster, much to his chagrin.
Basically the ultimate example of the “forced proximity” trope, Kiss and Don’t Tell starts with Winnie getting stranded while driving in the mountains and, while looking for help, stumbling upon a cabin filled with five extremely attractive professional hockey players. The only hitch to an otherwise dream situation: One of the players just so happens to be the half-brother of Winnie’s ex.
The Best Friends-to-Lovers Hockey Romance Books
This #BookTok-beloved spicy romance kicks off Becka Mack’s Playing for Keeps series with a bang (or several). (Sorry, not sorry!) It follows Olivia, a teacher who’s definitely not interested in dating a hockey player like her best friend is, and Carter, who meets Olivia and is immediately smitten. It's a will-they-won’t-they for the ages.
After being thrown into each other’s orbit for a hockey tournament, superstar Bryce and middle-of-the-road player Hunter strike up a close friendship over the course of the weekend, culminating in an impulsive first kiss. What ensues is a very tender, romantic friends-to-lovers story as they navigate the complications of a potential relationship and as their connection deepens throughout their overlapping hockey schedules.
A childhood-friends-to-lovers tale, Her Greatest Mistake centers on Maddox and Braxton, who could be soulmates—if they’d ever given a relationship a chance. They might get that opportunity when they reunite in adulthood under classic romance-trope circumstances: Hockey pro Maddox needs a major reputation makeover, and Braxton agrees to pretend to be his girlfriend to help rehab his image.
The Best Secret/Forbidden Love Hockey-Romance Books
Penny Ryder and Cooper Callahan can’t officially be together, considering she’s the daughter of the college hockey coach who has serious sway over Cooper’s professional future. But that certainly won’t stop them from setting up a secret friends-with-benefits arrangement to help Penny work through every item on the sex bucket list she’s developed after getting out of a bad relationship.
Heated Rivalry is technically the second book in Rachel Reid’s Game Changers series, and you definitely should make sure to read book 1 (and all the others in the series). But there's a reason why the slow-burning secret romance between rival hockey pros Shane and Ilya was the one that earned the TV adaptation and subsequently captured hearts the world over. It’s charming, funny, and, of course, extremely steamy.
Another Chicago-set sports romance series, Liz Tomforde’s Windy City books kick off with Mile High, the story of the forbidden romance between cocky hockey player Zanders and Stevie, a flight attendant on the team’s private plane. The two initially butt heads before giving in to the undeniable spark between them, adding a perfect dose of enemies-to-lovers to the mix.
After a bad breakup, Bailey rebounds by hooking up one night with scandal-plagued hockey player Chase, and they find themselves irresistibly drawn to each other. There’s just one problem: He plays for the rival college team to Bailey’s brother, meaning her attraction to Chase would constitute a full-on betrayal if anyone found out.
The Best Second Chance at Love Hockey Romance Books
Both Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy are acclaimed writers of the hockey romance genre, so their team-up on the Him series is nothing short of legendary. In this first installment, two friends—estranged for years since things got a little steamy one night at hockey camp in their teens—get a second chance at something more when they find themselves working together as coaches at the summer camp where it all began.
Pucking Around may fall into several other romance tropes—ahem, “why choose”—but it all starts as a second-chance love story. Two months after Rachel has a glorious one-night stand with a perfect, nameless man, she runs into him again at her new job as the physical therapist for the Jacksonville Rays, the hockey team that he plays for. Now, she’s in close contact not only with Mr. Perfect, but also with a handful of other players who are teammates on the ice…and also in the bedroom.
Years after one magical—and then heartbreaking—summer, former figure skater Zoe and NHL star Chase find their paths crossing once again when Zoe takes a gig as a skating coach for Chase’s hockey team. They can’t stand each other outside the rink, of course, but with the whole world watching, they’ll have to put their animosity aside and learn to work together again.
