Books about Women in Sports

It’s been amazing to see the boon of books featuring female athletes in recent years. But which ones should you read? I’ve compiled my favorite books about women in sports below to help you narrow down your choices.

Books about Women in Sports

On this list, you will find stories about surfers, ballerinas, golfers, gymnasts, softball players, and more! I’ve loved reading each of these stories — and that means something from a nonathlete like myself. If I enjoyed these books, I guarantee you will too!

The Best Books about Women in 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.

The Nonfiction Books about Women in 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

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

YA Books About Female Athletes

Break the Fall

Author: Jennifer Iacopelli

Year: 2020

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

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

Heroine

Author: Mindy McGinnis

Year: 2019

Genre: Young Adult Fiction

Age Range: 14 – 17

Mickey is a star softball player, ready to head to college for her sport…until a car accident changes her life. She’s severely injured and in a ton of pain and she feels like only her painkillers can get her back to the catcher’s plate.

Addiction

This book was a study on how a person could go from an elite athlete to a heroin addict. It was a heartbreaking but thought-provoking read. It also induced so much anxiety in me as a parent thinking about the signs I need to be on alert for in my own children in the future. I’m glad I read this even though it was difficult at times.

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

Romance

fangirl

Author: Tessa Bailey

Year: 2024

Genre: Romance

More info: Big Shots #1

Spice Rating: 💋💋💋💋

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

icebreaker

Author: Hannah Grace

Year: 2022

Genre: Romance

More info: Maple Hills #1

Spice Rating:💋💋💋💋💋

Age Range: 18+

This STEAMY romance is a friends-to-lovers story of figure skater, Anastasia and hockey player, Nate.

After Anastasia’s partner breaks his arm, she’s desperately in need of a doubles partner to qualify for the Olympics. Nate is head over heels for her, so he willingly gives up his time. Will she accept his advances and take him out of the friend zone? You’ll have to read it to see! 😜

Eating Disorder

This book is not for the faint of heart. It made me blush numerous times while reading. But I loved every minute of it! There is one scene in an Uber that had my jaw on the floor.

Find this book in: Books about Women in Sports / Romance Sports Books / College Romances

Thriller Books About Female Athletes

the ballerinas

Author: Rachel-Kapelke Dale

Year: 2021

Genre: Thriller

Spice Rating:💋

Age Range: 16+

This incredible story about a trio of ballerinas in Paris is a thriller and a feminist commentary all in one. I could not put it down!!!

It’s all about the tolls dancing takes on the physical and mental well-being of Paris’s premiere ballerinas. With some #metoo moments in here as well, this is a great book club book. There is so much to talk about. Delphine Leger was once a soloist at the Paris Opera Ballet until she left for St. Petersburg. Now it is thirteen years later and she has returned to Choreograph a ballet where her career began.

But with her return, long-buried secrets will come to the surface. Things do not stay the same

I loved it so much when I listened to it that I tried to steal Jackie’s copy in this funny Instagram reel. It was unlike any thriller that I had read before and love that it is slow burn with great characters and a great storyline.

I used to dance when I was much younger and had a Russian ballet teacher who taught some of the greatest dancers in the world (I am not included in that group). Even though I was never good, I saw first hand the lengths that some dancers would go to for success. This book touched on all of that and it is totally accurate (if not exaggerated).

Find this book in: Books for Book Clubs / Books Set in Paris / Books About Women in Sports / 2020 Audie Award Winners / Books About Ballet

Contemporary Fiction Books about Females in 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

City of night birds

Author: Juhea Kim

Genre: Fiction

Release Date: November 26, 2024

More info: December 2024 Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick

Natalia was one of the most celebrated dancers in the Russian ballet before an injury put her career on hold for two years. Now, she is returning to the ballet addicted to pills and alcohol to numb her pain. She’s been offered a roll she’s always coveted and she must decide whether she can rise to the challenge, and face her past and the people responsible for her highs and lows.

I found the story to be interesting but I didn’t love any of the characters. I respected Natalia’s drive and talent but found her to be cold and distant. Similarly, the two men she is interwoven between felt one-dimensional. That technical side and mental resilience it takes to be a ballerina were wonderful to read, however.

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

the favorites

Author: Layne Fargo

Year: 2025

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

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

Carrie Soto

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Year: 2022

Genre: Contemporary Fiction

More info: New York Times Bestseller

Spice Rating:💋💋

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

Historical Fiction Books About Female Athletes

Malibu Rising

Author: Taylor Jenkins Reid

Year: 2021

Genre: Historical Fiction

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

Spice Rating:💋

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

Ace Marvel Spy

Author: Jenni L. Walsh

Year: 2025

Genre: Historical Fiction

Age Range: 15+

A gripping novel about the life of tennis superstar, Alice Marble, that also includes a look at her little-known spy work during WWII. Alice started playing tennis and was an absolute powerhouse whose unbeatable strength and drive made her a trailblazer on and off the court. Her love life was as enthralling as her rise to tennis stardom, but her work in WWII really got this book over the net.

Miscarriage

I found Jenni’s telling of Alice’s life to be interesting and engaging. I learned a lot about the classism in tennis, what it took to be a spy, and Alice’s life. I found the struggle she had balancing life and love with tennis to be so compelling, There was maybe a touch too much tennis for me, but if you are a tennis fanatic I know it’s probably not enough and this would be a perfect selection for you!

Find this book in: Women in Sports Books / Female Spy Books

Winterland

Author: Rae Meados

Year: 2022

Genre: Historical Fiction

Spice Rating:💋

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

BTB Elements and icons 10
  • Look to read a story based on your favorite sport or a sport you want to learn about!
  • Try reading books about women in sports that are in season (e.g. -an ice-skating story in winter and a surfing novel in summer.)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best book about women in sports?

For nonfiction, check out What Made Maddy Run by Kate Fagan. For fiction, I love The Favorites by Layne Fargo.

Are there a lot of books about female athletes?

There aren’t as many books about female athletes as there are about male athletes, but there are more and more each year as women athletes finally get the recognition they deserve.

More Women in Sports Books

Epilogue

While I’m not an athlete myself, clearly I am inspired by any woman who is in the sports field. Which books about women in sports are making your to-read list?

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!

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