Trophies and rivalries. Hockey sticks and toe picks. Sabers and sabotage. Tears and cheers. Hometown heroes and underdog zeros. These 12 Queer stories from across the world of sports have it all!
1) Icebreaker
by A.L. Graziadei
Queer Genre: Achillean Romance
Genres: Young Adult Romance, Coming-of-Age Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance, Rivals-to-lovers Romance, Forced Proximity Romance
Sport: Ice Hockey
Awards: Michael L. Printz Honor Award for Excellence in Young Adult Literature, The American Library Association YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection 2023, Junior Library Guild Sports Selection 2022
2) Playing for Keeps
by Jennifer Dugan
Queer Genre: Sapphic Romance
Genres: Young Adult Romance, Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, School Romance, Enemies-to-lovers Romance, Forbidden Romance
Sport: Baseball/Softball
Awards: ALA Rainbow Book List Selection
3) Predestined
by Kat Vancil
Queer Genre: Achillean Romance, Bisexual Romance
Genres: Young Adult Fantasy, Contemporary Fantasy, Coming-of-Age Romance, Coming-of-age Fantasy, Romantasy, Myth Punk, Small-town Romance, Sports Romance, Norse Fantasy, Dance Romance, School Romance, Forced Proximity Romance
Sport: Dance Team
4) All’s Fair in Love and Field Hockey
by Kit Rosewater
Queer Genre: Sapphic Romance
Genres: Young Adult Romance, Coming-of-Age Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance, Rivals-to-lovers Romance
Sport: Field Hockey
5) Fence
Volume One
by C.S. Pacat (Author) & Johanna the Mad (Illustrator)
Queer Genre: Queer Fiction, Achillean Romance
Genres: Young Adult Action Romance, Coming-of-Age Romance, Sports Comics & Graphic Novels, Romance Comics & Graphic Novels, Sports Story, Slow-burn Romance, Forced Proximity Romance
Sport: Fencing (specifically èpèe)
Awards: GLAAD Media Award Nominee for Outstanding Comic Book 2019
6) She Drives Me Crazy
by Kelly Quindlen
Queer Genre: Sapphic Romance
Genres: Young Adult Romance, Coming-of-Age Romance, Contemporary Romance, RomCom, Sports Romance, School Romance, Enemies-to-lovers Romance
Sport: Basketball & Cheerleading
7) The Foxhole Court
All for the Game Book 1
by Nora Sakavic
Queer Genre: Demisexual Action Romance, Achillean Action Romance
Genres: New Adult Action Romance, Dark Romance, Organized Crime Drama, Enemies-to-lovers Romance, Sports Romance, Slow Burn Romance, College Romance, Forced Proximity Romance
Sport: Exy (lacrosse)
8) It’s a Love/Skate Relationship
by Carli J. Corson
Queer Genre: Sapphic Romance
Genres: Young Adult Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance, Enemies-to-lovers Romance, RomCom, Slow-burn Romance, Forced Proximity Romance
Sport: Ice Hockey & Figure Skating
9) Skater Boy
by Anthony Nerada
Queer Genre: Achillean Romance
Genres: Young Adult Romance, Coming-of-Age Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports Story, Dance Story, based on a song
Sport: Skateboarding & Ballet
Awards: Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize Finalist 2025, Children’s Book Council Young Adult Favorites Award selection, Indigo Best Teen Book of 2024, Bookshop.org Best of YA Fiction 2024, ABA Kids’ Indie Next Pick 2024, Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Book for Teens
10) Cleat Cute
by Meryl Wilsner
Queer Genre: Sapphic Romance
Genres: Contemporary Romance, RomCom, Sports Romance, Rivals-to-lovers Romance, Forced Proximity Romance, Workplace Romance
Sport: Soccer
Awards: Indie Next Pick 2023
11) See You at the Finish Line
by Zac Hammett
Queer Genre: Bisexual Romance, Achillean Romance
Genres: New Adult Romance, College Romance, Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance, Enemies-to-lovers Romance, Forced Proximity Romance
Sport: Rowing
12) Roller Girl
by Vanessa North
Queer Genre: Trans Romance, Sapphic Romance
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Sports Romance
Sport: Roller Derby
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