One of These Books Is the Next HEATED RIVALRY

Readers are eager to see one queer sports romance adaptation that’s already in the works: Meryl Wilsner’s Cleat Cute. This rivals-to-lovers rom-com set around the captain of the U.S. women’s national soccer team and a brazen rookie has already been optioned by A Touch More, a production company created by former pro soccer player Megan Rapinoe and her wife, former pro basketball player Sue Bird. Mix Wilsner’s sparkling source material with a promising young cast, insights from real former players, and a great soundtrack, and it’s bound to become Heated Rivalry fans’ next favorite show.

If you want more nuanced explorations of masculinity and bisexuality in your sports romances, Jonny Garza Villa’s Futbolista is a must-read. Gabriel Piña is a collegiate soccer goalkeeper with dreams of going pro after graduation. But when he finds himself crushing on his philosophy tutor Vale, Gabriel fears what coming out could mean for his future as a pro athlete. An adaptation of this endearing coming-of-age story and swoon-worthy romance could be a real banger.

Looking for more fierce sports rivalries and spicy queer romance? You’ll get all that and a dash of magic in the Grand Slam Romance graphic novel series, created by Ollie Hicks and Emma Oosterhous (who are married to each other! cute!). Mickey Monsoon is a star softball pitcher, but their chance at coming out on top this season is foiled when Astra, Mickey’s ex… friend? girlfriend? something else? …returns from Switzerland having transformed into a huge threat to Mickey’s game. The only path Mickey sees to winning now requires switching teams and seducing Astra’s ex-girlfriend to throw her off her game. Like Heated Rivalry, it’s got a league full of endearing characters and plenty of high-stakes drama.

This home run of a romance novel has a cult following. (Hi, I’m the leader of the cult.) Gene Ionescu is the first openly trans professional baseball player. When a former-friend-turned-rival who plays Gene’s same position gets traded to his team, Gene is thrown for a loop. If they’re going to play nice, they’ll have to develop some chemistry on and off the field. K.T. Hoffman writes with a perfect blend of humor and heart, and a good production team could easily knock a The Prospects adaptation out of the park.

Meka James’s Atlanta Cannons series could bring the heat to the women’s basketball court if adapted into a series. The first book, Love and Sportsball, follows athletic trainer Khadijah as she starts her new job with the Atlanta Cannons and is forced to confront star player Shae Harris after a steamy one-night stand. Will the lingering heat between them get in the way of the game or make Shae play even harder? Khadijah and Shae’s electric chemistry could absolutely light up the screen in a TV series.