Books About Sports

Nothing is more thrilling in a novel or nonfiction story about an underdog team winning a big game or an individual athlete’s rise to glory. But what are the best books about sports? Read on to find out.

Books about Sports

Awhile back, I rounded up my favorite steamy sports romances and my favorite books about women in sports, but those lists didn’t include some of my favorite sports books – like Beartown and The Boys in the Boat. That’s why I wanted to create a list that wasn’t so gender or genre-specific.

Below, you will find my absolute favorite fiction and nonfiction books about sports – and some of Jackie’s favorites too!

The Best Books About Sports

Each colorful block below represents the best book in a subgenre. Click on the arrow to reveal my “best” pick in any category. You’ll also be able to use a page jump to see more books in that section.

Nonfiction Books About Sports

Boys in the Boat

Author: Daniel James Brown

Year: 2013

Genre: Nonfiction

More info: New York Times Bestseller

Age Range: 16+

This bestselling book, recently adapted into a movie, tells the true tale of the 1936 USA men’s rowing team and their unlikely run for the gold medal. It’s a non-fiction story that reads like fiction, and sports nuts will love this story!

Antisemitism, War

The Olympic games gave me such a heightened sense of American pride. The heroics of the team enthralled me. The sheer force of will and strength it took to get in that boat and win. I was rooting for the team and cheering them on the whole time. I thought I would be bored by the minutia of rowing, but I wasn’t.

Find this book in: Books with Colors in the Title / Feel Good Nonfiction Books / Boat Books / Books About Sports

What Made Maddy Run

Author: Kate Fagan

Year: 2018

Genre: Nonfiction

More info: National Bestseller

Age Range: 16+

What an emotional non-fiction book about Madison’s life, her pressures, and her mental state leading up to her suicide. I remember when Madison’s suicide happened here in Philadelphia.

I was 8 months pregnant at the time. It was a tragedy that was all over the news as parents everywhere felt the pain of Madison’s parents.

Suicide

I read this book in prep for a book discussion at a local community center that works on suicide prevention. I learned so much about suicide from this book, which handled the subject with the grace and thoughtfulness it deserves.

Find this book in: Books About Women in Sports / Best Nonfiction Books / Books About Sports

The Swans of Harlem

Author: Karen Valby

Year: 2025

Genre: YA Nonfiction

Age: 12+

More info: Adapted from the

This riveting story tells the tale of five Black female ballerinas who were members of The Dance Theater of Harlem. The famed ballet company was created by Arthur Mitchell and performed for celebrities, presidents, and royalty.

Their impressive, trailblazing stories were resurrected in this non-fiction account of how the troop came to be. It also details the racism and lack of opportunities for black ballerinas during the civil rights movement.

Racism

I grew up hearing about Misty Copeland, the first Black Principal ballerina at ABA. I had no idea of the women who paved the way for her success years before she was born. Their story was inspiring and heartwarming, and sadly ignored until now. Valby did an incredible job bringing their story to life and the adapted version for young adults was just as enjoy for me as it would be to a teen.

Find this book in: Best Books for 12-Year-olds / Books About Ballet / Books About Women in Sports / Books About Sports

sea biscuit

Author: Lara Hillenbrand

Year: 1999

Genre: Nonfiction

More info: New York Times Bestseller

Age Range: 16+

If you are looking for the best feel-good nonfiction book, look no further than this story which is the perfect underdog story. Seabiscuit is the story of a horse who overcame every obstacle, bad fortune, and injury to run one of the best horse races of all time.

This book reads like fiction because the story is fantastic and is one of the rare cases where the adaptation did the book justice. It is the ultimate story of an underdog. If you are looking for an animal book for adults you will love, this should be your pick.

Find this book in: Nonfiction Animal Books / Feel-Good Nonfiction Books / Books About Sports

Contemporary Fiction Books about Sports

beartown

Author: Fredrik Backman

Year: 2016

Genre: Contemporary Fiction
More info: Beartown #1

Age Range: 16+

This is a heavy story that also has a lot of heart. It’s about a small-town hockey team and the fallout when the star player is accused of raping the General Manager’s daughter.

As the town takes sides and loyalties are tested, a gripping narrative of the complexities within a community emerges. This character-driven story is the first in a three-book series.

Rape

This was my first exposure to Fredrik Backman. I was instantly enthralled by his writing abilities. He took a coming-of-age story and wove in life lessons while simultaneously creating characters I will never forget.

Frederik Backman is a master storyteller.  He doesn’t just tell a story but, he submerges his reader deep in the lives of his characters.  This town will follow me for a long time. It’s my favorite of all the Fredrik Backman books.

Find this book in: Coming-of-age Books for Adults/ Winter Books / Books like Where the Crawdads Sing / Books like A Man Called Ove / Books About Sports

the favorites

Author: Layne Fargo

Year: 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Spice Rating:đź’‹

Age Range: 16+

This fantastic story is about Katrina Shaw’s rise to the Olympics alongside her ice dance partner, and sometimes boyfriend, Heath Rocha. It’s told in a multi-narrator documentary style reminiscent of Daisy Jones & The Six.

It starts when Katrina is a motherless 10-year-old girl, captivated by Sheila Lin, an Olympic Gold Medalist. Heath is a foster child, enamored by Kat and willing to do anything to be in her orbit – including becoming her ice dance partner.

When their chemistry and technique captures the attention of Sheila and her twins – the begin to train at her facility – a dream for Katrina. But Kat’s drive for gold threatens her relationship with Heath.

Inspired by Wuthering Heights, this retelling is epic in scope and creative in execution. The secondary characters (particularly the Lins) are each as fascinating as the main protagonists and being able to hear from them as narrators really enhances the story.

There is love, passion, betrayal, death, breakdowns, comebacks, rebellion and so much more in this riveting story. The book (I recommend consuming it on audio) captured my attention and never let me go.

This one is going to be a massive hit and it’s well-deserved. Now who is gonna buy the series rights? Cause I’m ready to see it on the screen.

Find this book in: Books About Female Athletes / Books About Sports

Break the Fall

Author: Jennifer Iacopelli

Year: 2020

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Spice Rating:đź’‹

Age Range: 12+

This YA novel is all about Olympic Gymnasts. It follows a fictional gymnast’s quest to make the Olympic team while trying to juggle friendships, family, rivalry, and chronic pain. The book also heavily discusses sexual abuse from a Team USA coach.

Bullying, Sexual assault, Adult/minor relationship

It balances the fun of the games with the seriousness of the assault scandal quite well, particularly for a book geared at young adults.

Find this book in: Best Books for 13-year-olds / Books About Women in Sports / Faux Celebrity Fiction / Books About Sports

Black Cake

Author: Charmaine Wilkerson

Year: 2022

Genre: Fiction

More info: A Read With Jenna Pick for February 2022

Age Range: 16+

I absolutely loved this contemporary fiction which is a story about love, family, and acceptance. It captured me from the first page with the story and the writing.

When Eleanor Bennett dies, she leaves a voice recording for her two children Benny and Byron. She wants to tell them things about her life that she could not say when she was alive.

While listening to their mother’s story, Byron and Benny learn about their mother, family, and themselves. They try to piece their relationship back together. The novel looks at everyone’s lives in the present and the past, but in its essence, it is a book about motherhood.

Parental death

The story, the writing, and the characters all drew me in from the first page. This is such a well-written pick from the Read with Jenna Book Club.

This is such a deep look at each sibling’s relationship with their mother and each other. I could not put it down.

Find this book in: Books About Women in Sports / Books About Mothers / BIPOC Female Authors / Books with Color in the Title / Books with Food in the Title / Books About Sports

Carrie Soto

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Year: 2022

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

More info: New York Times Bestseller

Spice Rating:đź’‹đź’‹

Age Range: 16+

Carrie Soto was the world’s most decorated tennis player who has come out of retirement to take back the title. Carrie was trained to be the best there was from a young age and has dedicated her entire life to winning- at the expense of everything else in her life. 

I loved this book so much, that I could not put it down. I alternated between reading and listening to the book and have to say that the audio version was really fantastic. My heart was pounding with each and every game played.

Find this book in: Books About Female Athletes / Books Like Daisy Jones and the Six / Ultimate Beach Reads 2019 / Taylor Jenkins Reid Books / Books About Sports

Romance Sports Books

fangirl

Author: Tessa Bailey

Year: 2024

Genre: Romance

More info: Big Shots #1

Spice Rating: đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹

Age Range: 18+

Wells Whitaker was supposed to be the next big thing in golf but his career has spiraled. Josephine Doyle is his biggest fan who is always there to cheer him on no matter what until the days he quits.

Now, he knows he has made a huge mistake. He goes to find Josephine and begs her to be his caddy, which she agrees to do because she needs the money to rebuild her family’s pro shop after a storm.

I’d never read a golf romance before but was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked it! As in every Tessa Bailey book, Josephine and Wells had chemistry in spades and the sexy scenes were HOT!

Find this book in: Sports Romances / Books About Women in Sports / Books About Sports

Evvie Drake

Author: Linda Holmes

Year: 2019

Genre: Romance

More info: July 2019 Read with Jenna Book List Pick

Spice Rating: đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹

Age Range: 18+

When Evvie’s husband dies unexpectedly in a car crash, she is still staying in her house a year later.  Everyone in her small town thinks that she is overcome with grief but in actuality, it is guilt. 

Dean is a retired major league baseball pitcher who woke up one day and was unable to throw the ball over the plate. When he moves into the apartment in the back of Evvie’s house the two become friends and agree to never talk about baseball or her husband. 

Emotional Abuse

I just adored this celebrity romance book.  It was such a sweet and light romance, easily read on the beach.

Find this book in: Sports Romances / Celebrity Romance Books / Friends-to-Lovers / Books About Sports

bromance

Author: Lyssa Kay Adams

Year: 2019

Genre: Romance

More info: Bromance Book Club #1

Spice Rating:đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹

Age Range: 18+

Gavin, a professional baseball player in Nashville, recently discovered his wife has been faking her orgasms. Determined to do better in the bedroom, and avoid a divorce in the process, Gavin joins a secret club – a book club!

But this book club is unlike any other. It’s comprised of the biggest alpha males in Nashville and they only read romance books. Together, the members of the bromance book club help Gavin win back his wife.

This book was the perfect break I needed into a world of romance. The idea of a bunch of men getting together to read romance novels to try and improve their relationships is amazing.

Although now that I think of it, maybe this book is a fantasy. This book is a perfect light read that I finished in a day and as far as rom-com novels go, it is a definite must-read!

Find this book in: Sports Romance Novels / Faux Celebrity Fiction / Books about Books / Rom-Com Books / Second Chance Romance / Books About Sports / Romance Books About Books

How to Date a Douchebag

Author: Sara Ney

Year: 2019

Genre: Romance

More info: How to Date a Douchebag #1

Spice Rating:đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹

Age Range: 18+

When champion college wrestler, Oz, is dared to kiss a girl in the library, he has no idea that Jameson is not as much of a good girl as her diligent studying makes her look.

He loves how she treats him like guy on campus instead of the star athlete he is. He can’t get enough and will try anything to capture her heart for good.

This series is laugh-out-loud funny.  Each book is a stand-alone featuring a dedicated bachelor from a University’s Wrestling team. They are each tamed by a woman in a totally predictable way, but these books set in college are hysterical.

For starters, the author has funny pick-up lines between chapters that I found utterly hilarious, but the dialogue between the characters is witty too.

Find this book in: Sports Books / Rom-Com Books / Books Set in College / College Romances / Fluff Reads / Books About Sports

The Deal Off campus 1

Author: Elle Kennedy

Year: 2015

Genre: Romance

More info: Off-Campus #1

Spice Rating:đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹đź’‹

Age Range: 18+

The first in a series of books set in college about hockey players is also the series that got me hooked on the college romance books sub-genre! This one features a bunch of bachelor hockey players who are the campus hotshots.

To get the attention of the man she really wants, Hannah convinces the cocky captain to go on a pretend date with her in exchange for her tutoring services. Garrett is desperate to get his GPA up so that he can stay on the hockey team and play professionally when he graduates.

But when one kiss leads to a STEAMY hook-up, Hannah needs to reevaluate which man she wants.

Rape

It’s very similar to the How to Date a Douchebag series, but it has a bit more heart and a little less humor. This is one of the steamy fake dating books EVER but I loved it.

The Off-Campus series is now going to be adapted for TV on Amazon Prime Video. Louise Levy, Wick Godfrey, and Marty Bowen will be producing it. Each book in the series will be one season.

Find this book in: College Romances / Sports Romances / Fake Dating Romances / Books Set in College / Books About Sports

Historical Fiction Books About Sports

Malibu Rising

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Year: 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction

More info: June 2021 Read with Jenna Book Club Pick,

Spice Rating:đź’‹

Age Range: 16+

Nina Riva is having her annual summer party which is famous for its epic scale and exclusivity. But this year, the party will end with devastation. Nina and her siblings are famous children of one of the biggest rock stars of all time and they each have their secrets. Perfect for a list of books about music, right?

I have loved the last two books by Taylor Jenkins Reid so much that I often recommend them to friends for their universal appeal. I had high hopes for this family saga but it didn’t quite live up to my expectations.

I enjoyed the book but I felt that it was a little drawn out at times. Still, I loved Nina’s character and her ability to surf puts her on our list of books about women in sports!

The same team that adapted Little Fires Everywhere is set to adapt this book to TV for Hulu. Liz Tigelaar will produce it and Amy Talkington will be the writer.

Find this book in: Books Becoming Movies and TV Series / Taylor Jenkins Reid Books in Order / Books like Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo / Novels About Music / Family Sagas / Hollywood Novels / Books About Women in Sports / Books About Sports

Winterland

Author: Rae Meados

Year: 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

Spice Rating:đź’‹

Age Range: 18+

I’ve always been a firm lover of the Olympics, so I was eager to read this historical fiction book set in the 70s and 80s Soviet Union about an Olympic gymnast. In it, Anya has been selected at 8 years old to compete in the USSR gymnastics program. As she strives to become the best gymnast in the country, she realizes just how ruthless the sport is, while also striving to uncover what was behind her mother’s disappearance all those years ago.

Child abuse, Rape

Having read a few books about gymnasts in the past, I was prepared for Anya’s ill-treatment at the hands of her coaches and trainers. I found the added elements of Russian communist life to be fascinating and helpful in creating a reason for her drive to be a legend.

Find this book in: Books Set in Winter / Books About Women in Sports / Books About Sports

Horse

Author: Geraldine Brooks

Year: 2022

Genre: Literary Historical Fiction

More info: Pulitzer Prize Winner

Age Range: 16+

An enslaved groomsman in Kentucky in 1850 has a way with horses and a deep connection with one beautiful horse. A gallery owner in the 1950s has an obsession with a painting of a horse. In 2019 a scientist working for the Smithsonian and an art historian are seeking answers. All of these stories are connected with one amazing horse!

Racism, Slavery

This book for adults was recommended to me a dozen times over the last year and I am so glad that I finally read this amazing, sweeping story. I loved how this story came together and the fact that it was based on a real horse. But there is so much more to this story that examines race and slavery as well. The description does not do justice to this amazing book.

Find this book in: Animal Novels / Books About Sports

BTB Elements and icons 10
  • Pick your story based on your favorite sport or pick it based on a sport you want to learn more about.
  • Consider reading about a sport that is currently in season! It might inspire you to go to a game or try it out for yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is sports a book genre?

Sports in not considered a book genre, but rather a topic. As a topic, it can be across any genre from thriller to fiction to historical fiction to nonfiction.

Which are the best inspirational books based on sports?

I tend to find nonfiction books to be the most inspirational. Boys in the Boat looks at the US’s unlikely win at the Berlin Olympics while The Swans of Harlem looks at the first all-Black dance company in America.

Epilogue

Of all the sports books I’ve read, these are my favorite. Which books about sports do you love the most or most want to read?

Novel Ideas 55

Book Lists by Genre

Are you looking for more books in your favorite genre? This hub will let you choose which genre to dive into!