Would you rather see a girl spin out of control in love or see her spin beautifully on ice?
One is a gracious activity and the other is just playing dumb. Not that hard of a choice, now is it?
Women in sports fiction aren’t there to swoon over the boy in tight shorts. However, a shorty might fall in love with them while they break records, win championships, and end years of misogyny.
Reading about an athletic female character can do wonders to your psyche as well as inspire you to reach out and go for your dreams.
So buckle up if you want to find a story where the girl doesn’t flirt persistently and chooses to be the hustler.
Following are 10 books about women in sports:
1. ‘Face Off’ by Chelsea Curto
Face Off by Chelsea Curto is about an overconfident captain who realises that victory might require him to give his heart to the one person he can’t outscore, and a dramatic debut as the NHL’s first girl. Obviously, the fragile male ego is threatened by seeing a woman excel at their sport. On the ice, it’s a friends-with-benefits-gone-right rom-com: edgy banter, team spirit, family found, and no needless heartache. Together, Emmy’s stick-handling prowess and Maverick’s charisma make them irresistible both on and off the rink.
Face Off celebrates women who know their worth, embrace their desires, and still keep their independence front and center. It’s empowering and addictive.
2. ‘First Flight Final Fall’ by C.W. Farnsworth
Saylor scott, a renowned soccer player confronts the famous Adler Beck in Germany, and challenges him to a shootout. She meets the “Sexiest Athlete Alive” and isn’t even impressed, until chemistry shows up like a rogue corner kick at the training camp. Its a well known fact that a woman in sport isn’t there to be “man-handled”. Yet, sometimes as selena gomez once said, “the heart wants what it wants”.
She tries her best to fight off the attraction she has towards him but he,ike a worm, crawls his way into her heart. Ultimately, Saylor realizes that Beck might actually be essential to her in multiple ways. This story is an incredible romantic comedy that subverts the classic trope: “pretty girl falls in love with the tough brooding guy who realises he can be loved”. Women can and will brood.
3. ‘The Graham Effect’ by Elle Kennedy
The Graham Effect by Elle Kennedy is a well-known “falling for your best friend’s younger sister” love story, but with an enticingly contemporary hockey theme. The plot centers on Gigi Graham—a first-year college student, aspiring hockey athlete, and daughter of an iconic NHL player who is willing to fight the nepotism comments and make her own place in the sport. She’s spirited, ambitious, and a touch unpredictable; yet she has good manner cause unlike male athletes, she is sensible.
This novel is sufficiently entertaining and swoon worthy but it also forces you to understand the deeper themes of societal expectations and finding someone who loves you for you only. This book potrays the struggle a woman faces in a male- ventric environment and how she is strong enough to overcome it.
4. ‘Breathe Like Water’ by Anna Jarzab
Breathe Like Water by Anna Jarzab is a poignant and emotionally layered narrative focusing on swimming, trauma, and healing but above all, it’s about rediscovering who you are when everything you believed isnt what you thought it to be. The main character, Susannah, struggles with her sense of self after an injury stops her from achieving her life long dream of winning in the olympics.
The relationship she forms with Harry in her recovery is gentle and constant, not a remedy that fixes her but a source that allows her to fix herself. She didnt need rescuing, but needed to be told that she can rescue herself. It’s a refreshing narrative, with intense themes of identity that a woman can resonate with.
5. ‘In the Same Boat’ by Holly Green
In the Same Boat by Holly Green is a gripping and emotional journey that highlights both personal resilience and the adventure of racing across the nation in a canoe. It’s refreshing to see a character like Sadie; a strong, determined girl who’s not shy about getting dirty, pun intended. However, the core of the tale extends beyond the race; it encompasses all the emotional struggles Sadie faces; grief, guilt, and a fractured relationship with her former best friend and crush, Cully. Second chances are worthwhile after all.
Being mentally vulnerable and fighting to win simultaneously is like every girls story. This book shows that, sister, it is possible. Go for it!
6. ‘Catching Jordan’ by Miranda Kenneally
Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally is a touching and inspiring story seen through the eyes of a teenage girl who is anything but typical. Jordan Woods is the leading quarterback for her high school football team. However, complications arise when Ty, a skilled new quarterback, enters the scene, and Jordan finds herself experiencing emotions she’s never before allowed.
Jordan’s voice is authentic and genuine, she doesn’t aim to fit in with the boys; she simply wants to be herself in a world that perpetually questions her value due to her gender. For any girl who has ever felt the need to validate her presence, Catching Jordan feels like a quiet triumph. It serves as a reminder that one can be powerful while still possessing a tender heart.
7. ‘Coming Up for Air’ by Miranda Kenneally
Coming Up for Air by Miranda Kenneally is an emotionally resonant and quick-paced story about ambition, friendship, and identity. Maggie is a senior swimmer aiming for the Olympics. She is focused, and not overly infatuated with boys, which is a refreshing change, but she begins to question whether she has missed out on the typical teenage experiences while pursuing medals.
When she seeks assistance from her best friend Levi to navigate her “lack of romantic experience”, complications arise. The book delves into love, but it also examines the silent pressures young women encounter, whether it’s about excelling, conforming to appearance standards, or adhering to someone else’s timeline.
Maggie’s path is not solely about winning; it’s about discovering what she desires beyond expectations.
8. ‘Throw Like A Girl’ by Sarah Henning
Throw Like a Girl by Sarah Henning is a daring and empowering story that confronts stereotypes and honors female strength in every aspect. Liv is a talented softball player who is fierce, competitive, and unwilling to back down. .
What makes this narrative so engaging is that it doesn’t simply depict Liv as “one of the boys”, it illustrates her refusal to diminish herself to fit in. Her developing bond with Grey, a teammate and the coach’s son, is sweet but never overshadows her personal growth. She treats him like the side character that he is and doesn’t let him distract her from her goals.
Henning portrays Liv with remarkable authenticity. She is vulnerable, angry, hopeful, and funny. Throw Like a Girl goes beyond just showing that girls can play football it asserts that they can lead, fight, and rise after setbacks.
9. ‘Lessons in Falling’ by Diana Gallagher
Lessons in Falling by Diana Gallagher presents a deeply emotional narrative centered around friendship, societal pressure, identity, and the struggle to find one’s voice amid overwhelming silence. Savannah, a gymnast who is healing from a significant injury, finds herself in a state of uncertainty on multiple levels; physically, emotionally, and socially. Her life takes an unexpected turn when she begins to bond with Marcos, prompting her to reevaluate everything, including her loyalty to her long-time friend.
The book bravely addresses difficult issues such as mental health, racism, and unhealthy friendships, treating them with sincerity and compassion.
This story is not merely about falling; it’s about the bravery required to rise again, to speak out, and to pursue a future defined by one’s own choices. Its about being in your fearless era.
10. ‘The Knockout’ by Sajni Patel
The Knockout by Sajni Patel is a powerful and emotionally resonant story that fuses sports, culture, and identity in a deeply personal manner, particularly from a female viewpoint. Kareena Thakkar stands out from the typical high school student; she’s a Muay Thai champion capable of breaking bones and barriers, but underlying her toughness is a teenager grappling with expectations, isolation, and vulnerability.
The mutual understanding and love she finds with amit is tender and respectful, which is special, as mutual respect is a rare gene in men nowadays.
Its interesting to see such a story in an indian setting where stereotypes are taken as seriously as democracy.
This book shows that breaking gender stereotypes in an indian society is difficult as hell, but not impossible.
check out this article to find more hidden gems:
