These are the ‘Book Boyfriends’ roaming our romance book TBR’s for March

Pic: taken by author

*Hint, hint, the sporty book boyfriends are some of our faves in the romance genre!

So you’re a bit of a romance book junkie?

Let’s be real, who isn’t.

We all need that little bit of an escape from life and what’s better than a 6'5 heart throb to leave you giggling under your covers.

2025 has seen a whole host of brand new romance releases hitting the bookshelves, so we did a round up of our favourites, just for you.

1. The Favourites by Layne Fargo, €24.65

Pic: The Favourites by Layne Fargo

It seems like everyone has been talking about this book, and there’s a very good reason for that. It is phenomenal! It takes all the things we love about a sports romance and upped the intensity x100!

Following the lives of ice skating champions and childhood sweethearts, Heath Rocha and Katarina Shaw. Katarina has known since a very young age that she was destined for the Olympics, following a chance meeting with Heath, their instant connection forms an unbreakable bond and a captivating duo on the ice. But, one moment at the Olympics is all it takes for everything to come crashing down

Ten years later, a tell all documentary sparks the publics interest in the dynamic duo all over again. With rumours flying, there’s only one thing for Katarina to do and that’s tell the truth!

The Favourites is a*vailable at Dubray Books now*

2. Spiral by Bal Khabra, €10.99

Pic: Spiral by Bal Khabra

If you’ve not read a Bal Khabra book before, you need to. For fans of Icebreaker by Emily Grace, this is the series for you!

A steamy and fun filled fake dating sports romance, Spiral. It follows Toronto Thunder NHL rookie, Elias Westbrook as he struggles with the fame and media scrutiny he gets as the hottest new player on the pro hockey scene. All he wants is to escape the probing spotlight.

For Sage, an aspiring ballerina, good press is exactly what she needs to secure the role of her dreams, after a dive in popularity online leads to a lacklustre response from her future employers. After a chance meeting with the Thunders newest recruit suddenly an offer of a fake relationship doesn’t seem so bad. Good press means she’s one step closer to her dream job afterall!

The flimsy ‘fake relationship’ rules get broken and before things spiral out of control they must decide if they’re in this for real or if pretend must come to an end.

*Spiral is available at Easons now*

3. Wild Side by Elsie Silver, €14

Pic: Wild Side by Elsie Silver

There’s a reason Elsie Silver is so popular on #booktok and #bookstagram. Everyone loves a small town romance, particularly when there are cowboys involved. The third instalment in the Rose Hill series sees enemies to lovers come to life, throw in a marriage of convenience and you’ve got the workings of the perfect romance.

Wild Side delves into the life of Tabitha Garrison as she navigates life after the loss of a family member, to make matters worse, Tabitha’s worst nightmare is given guardianship of her nephew, Milo. Rhys Dupris is a secret pro wrestler, fighting under the name ‘Wild Side’. What’s he to do when deportation is a big possibility, all he wants to do is keep is promise to Milo’s mother.

One proposed marriage of convenience and a myriad of distrust leads to layers of misunderstanding unfolding, leaving a simmering attraction and a need for each other that outweighs their preconceived notions.

*Wild Side is available at Hodges Figgis now*

4. Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros, €17.99

Pic: Onyx Storm by Rebecca Yarros

If you’ve not read the first two books, well you need to. Even if you’re not a fantasy fan, these books just hit different — take that from a non-fantasy fan. Onyx Storm is the third book in Rebecca Yarros’ best selling Empyrean trilogy. A book series that is rivalling others like Harry Potter, The Hunger Games and Twilight in popularity, it’s truly an unmissable read.

This new addition to the beloved romantasy series follows Violet Sorrengail as she pushes herself beyond the limits set for students of Baswiath War College. As enemies from outside threaten to break through and insiders turn to the other side, all out war is getting closer each day.

Off on a journey to secure allies from distant lands Violet will do anything to keep the things she loves safe. But a storm so a big heading straight for them…. nobody knows who will survive.

*Onyx Storm is available at Dubray books now*

5. Deep End by Ali Hazelwood, €9.49

Pic: Deep End by Ali Hazelwood

Best selling author Ali Hazelwood is back with another intense dreamboat of a book boyfriend. A story that starts off as nothing more than a fling of satisfaction turns into a boiling pit of longing and steam filled repercussions.

Scarlett Vandermeer is a powerhouse student athlete, academically gifted and on the road to medical school. Lukas Blomqvist is swim captain, world champion and all around golden boy. Both athletes are disciplined, focused and serious, they have to be if they want to dominate in their chosen sports.

But, when a secret slips, suddenly everything changes and as the race to the Olympics heats up so does their relationship. What happens when you fall in love with the golden boy swim captain, after you swore you wouldn’t? Chaos.

*Deep End is available at Easons now*