In the world of romance novels, few stories capture the slow-burning, heart-fluttering dance of love quite like “The Wall of Winnipeg and Me.” Its unique blend of sports, personal growth, and an unlikely romance sets the stage for an unforgettable emotional journey. If you’ve turned the last page of this captivating book and yearned for more stories with a similar depth of character development and emotional engagement, you’re in luck.
We’ve curated a list of books that will resonate with your newfound love for stories that mix the thrill of sports with the complexity of relationships and the sweet agony of a slow-burn romance. Each of these novels promises to take you on a journey filled with determination, passion, and love that defies the odds. So, grab your favorite cozy blanket and a cup of tea; it’s time to discover your next reading obsession that echoes the spirit of “The Wall of Winnipeg and Me.”
7 Books Like The Wall Of Winnipeg And Me
“The Wall of Winnipeg and Me” falls under the romance genre, offering a captivating love story filled with tension, chemistry, and emotional depth. Mariana Zapata is the queen of the slow-burn, and her stories are more realistic than those of other books.
If you enjoy heartwarming tales of love and relationships, here are seven books that provide a compelling narrative that will keep you invested from start to finish. These books explore self-discovery, independence, and pursuing one’s passions. Through the characters’ experiences, you’ll find inspiration to pursue your dreams and overcome life obstacles. Let’s play!
| Name | Key Focus | Ratings (Goodreads) | Votes (Goodreads) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not My Match | Football player hero with the genius-virgin heroine. | 4.2 (1.7k+) | 11.1k+ |
| King of the Court | A professional football player with a struggling heroine in a small town. | 4.1 (520+) | 4.4k+ |
| Floored (Ward Sisters) | One night-stand with a soccer player and the heroine is struggling with a baby. | 4.0 (800+) | 7.4k+ |
| The Hook Up (Game On) | A protective football player and a shy girl. | 3.9 (5k+) | 51k+ |
| Fresh Meet (Kings of the Water) | Single-father Olympic swimmer with nanny romance. | 4.0 (300+) | 1.7k+ |
| Kiss and Don’t Tell (The Vancouver Agitators) | An alpha male hockey player and help-seeking cute girl. | 4.2 (900+) | 8.6k+ |
| The Fine Print (Dreamland Billionaires) | A billionaire hero and hard-working girl with a workplace relationship. | 4.0 (7.4k+) | 60k+ |
1. Not My Match (The Game Changers)
This book follows Giselle, who is trying to return to the dating scene after a failed engagement. Our hero, Devon, is a football player and best friends with Giselle’s brother-in-law. So, he has made it clear to Devon that she is off-limits. But when Giselle’s apartment building catches on fire, and she needs a place to stay, Devon can’t help but offer to take her in, so she stays with him. It is forced proximity and roommates to lovers story.
They had so much chemistry, and you could tell they liked each other. You can not wait for them to get together. Also, the book was as fun as The Wall Of Winnipeg And Me. There is a bit of drama here, but it wasn’t too over the top. You can pick paperback/hardcover because both are very comfortable to read.
Author: Ilsa Madden-Mills
Publisher: Montlake
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Tropes: Football, Humor, Small-town, Banter, Forbidden, Friends-to-lovers
Number Of Pages: 301
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
2. King of the Court
Our main character is Raelynn Bird, who thought she had escaped her small town of Pine Hill, Texas. She was in California, going to Caltech, pursuing her dream career, and getting her dream education because she had a full-ride scholarship. But when she gets a phone call that her grandmother’s Alzheimer’s has worsened, she has to go back to her small town and be there for her grandmother.
In this small town, Ben Castillo is a professional basketball player and the captain of the Olympic basketball team. The Olympic basketball team happens to be in Pine Hill for training. Raelynn works at a diner on the basketball team and comes in frequently, where she meets Ben. They are immediately attracted to each other.
So they start spending some time together. Raelynn has a hard life, and Ben wants to make it easier. But they both know that this isn’t going to last. Raelynn never sees herself leaving Pine Hill again, and Ben knows he must return to LA. So they’re dealing with all these emotions with each other and knowing that this will be temporary. I loved this book because it has small-town romance, comedy scenes, and emotions similar to The Wall Of Winnipeg And Me.
Author: R.S. Grey
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Tropes: Romcom, Basketball, College, Slow-paced, Cinderella-vibe, Second-chance, Age-gap, Insta-lust
Number Of Pages: 325
Available: Paperback | Kindle
3. Floored (Ward Sisters)
Some may not like this one because it is an accidental pregnancy trope! The story follows Lia and Jude. Lia is studying somewhere in England. On the other hand, Jude is a very famous British football player. His career has seen better days. One night, they meet at a pub, feeling very down. But they hit instant chemistry and connection. Then, one thing leads to another, and a baby is made!
They both have personal issues to work through and come together. Also, they try to have a relationship with their baby that they’ll have together. I loved watching that sudden change in their lifestyle and the healing process. Like The Wall Of Winnipeg And Me, this book will give you mixed emotions. The book cover is outstanding, and the paperback quality is rich.
Author: Karla Sorensen
Publisher: Dutch Girl Publishing, LLC
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Tropes: Soccer, Age-gap, Instant-attraction, Angsty, Surprise-pregnancy
Number Of Pages: 300
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
4. The Hook Up (Game On)
Our main protagonists, Drew and Anna, could not be more opposite. Drew is a very outgoing, famous football player. But Anna is very introverted. She does not like attention and popularity. So they clash in every way possible, except for their attraction. Anna tries hard to stay away from Drew, but Drew is very persistent, and they spend one nightstand. Neither one of them can let the other one go.
This book took me a long time to read. It’s so heartwarming, and what Anna goes through is so real. Drew is my new book boyfriend. He’s loyal, charismatic, funny, and all-around a good guy. This is New Adult, and you must read this book after The Wall Of Winnipeg And Me. Don’t miss the audiobook because the narrator’s lovely voice and background music are delightful.
Author: Kristen Callihan
Publisher: Plain Jane Books
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Tropes: Coming of Age Fiction, Alpha-football-player, Steamy, Emotional
Number Of Pages: 354
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle | Audio CD
5. Fresh Meet (Kings of the Water)
Jace Atwood is an Olympic swimmer, and he’s pretty much lived a bachelor’s life. One day, he gets the surprise of a lifetime and finds out he has a son, Tanner. Tanner is coming to live with him for reasons. But Jace has no idea what to do with Tanner. So he starts trying to look for a nanny.
Emilia (Millie) has worked on this TV show for kids. She’s very good with kids. So, she interviews for the position, and Jace gives her a chance. Their relationship is a slow burn in the best way, like The Wall Of Winnipeg And Me. It’s also a little forbidden love trope because of the nanny and employer situation. I loved their relationship with Tanner, and I love single-parent romances in any form. Try Nanny’s Relationship with Swimmer romances if you want to read it.
Author: Jasmin Miller
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Tropes: Comedy, Single-dad, Taboo
Number Of Pages: 340
Available: Paperback | Kindle
6. Kiss and Don’t Tell (The Vancouver Agitators)
This is the first book in Meghan Quinn’s new hockey romance series. In this book, we are following Winnie. She’s traveling for a reason, and it’s during a rainstorm. So her car gets stuck in a ditch. To find someone to help her get out of this ditch, she finds the only house with its lights on and knocks on the door to ask them for help. But when she gets to this house, five hockey players stay there. It is their off-season, and they’re trying to chill, lay low, and hang out.
One of these hockey players is Pacey, who immediately after they invite Winnie in to stay and try to figure out a way to help her. So, Pacey eventually discovers why he knows her, which later becomes the story’s conflict. But Winnie has to stay at this cabin with these five hockey players for a couple of days because no one will come out to help her get her car. So you get to see forced proximity here, and I love the relationship that she and Pacey built. It was strictly friendship at first, slowly building them to more.
Pacey was so sweet, and this book was hilarious. I adore this book, and it’s not too angsty. It was very light-hearted, and I am super excited to read about the rest of these hockey guys. I have a little objection to this hardcover quality, but the paperback is perfect. So, pick this one up if you’re looking for a new hockey romance and vibe similar to The Wall Of Winnipeg And Me.
Author: Meghan Quinn
Publisher: Hot-Lanta Publishing, LLC
Average Rating: 4.5/5
Tropes: Hockey, Humor, Heart-touching-emotional, Enemies-friends-lovers, Protective-hero
Number Of Pages: 412
Available: Audiobook | Paperback | Kindle
7. The Fine Print (Dreamland Billionaires)
This book follows Rowan, who is a frustrated man. His mother passed away when he was very young, and his father was verbally abusive. But he and his grandpa had a close connection. His grandpa was the inventor and founder of Dreamland. Dreamland has a streaming platform where you can stream Dreamland productions, and it has a theme park in Florida where you can go on Dreamland Rides. A very famous park inspires it.
Rowan had a good relationship with someone who passed away, and he leaves behind this. Zahra works at Dreamland in Florida as a salon worker. But her big dream has always been to be a creator to create the next big attraction. Also, she had a relationship where she designed this whole ride, and she knew Rowan’s grandpa, who helped her. There are many surprises, plot twists, and romance that I should not spoil. So take this book to get many humor and romantic stories.
Author: Lauren Asher
Publisher: Lauren Asher
Average Rating: 4.4/5
Tropes: Multicultural, Grumpy-sunshine, Insta-love, Hates-to-lovers, Workplace-romance
Number Of Pages: 448
Item Weight: 15.5 ounces
Dimensions: 5 x 1.01 x 8 inches
Available: Paperback | Kindle
Last Words
The stories we’ve ventured through offer more than just entertainment; they provide windows into the complexities of love, ambition, and the transformative power of relationships. Like the unforgettable journey of Vanessa and Aiden, each book we’ve recommended promises a blend of emotional depth, slow-burn romance, and characters that stay with you long after the story ends.
May these recommendations fill the void left by “The Wall of Winnipeg and Me,” and may each page turn be a step into a world where love, in all its forms, triumphs. Happy reading, and here’s to finding your next favorite book that captures what it means to love and be loved in return.
Read more sports romance:
5 Sports Romance Books Like The Deal
15 Hockey Romance Books You Must Read
20 Playful Sports Romance Books
Table of Contents
