I love Sports Romance. I just love a hero or heroine who is really really good at something. 

 

I love capable heroines who aren't afraid to punch someone in the face. 

 

I use to be a competive speed skater. 

 

Thus, I love Roller Derby and if I can get it in a Romance Novel--Joy is Mine!

 

Here are some Romances with Roller Derby! My lists are never in any particular order. 

 

1.  The Mane Squeeze by Shelly Laurenston

 

Growing up on the tough Philly streets, Gwen O'Neill knows how to fend for herself. But what is she supposed to do with a nice, suburban Jersey boy who has a tendency to turn into a massive Grizzly? Despite his menacing growl and four-inch claws, Gwen finds Lachlan "Lock" MacRyrie cute and really sweet. He actually watches out for her, and unlike the rest of her out-of-control family, manages not to morbidly embarrass her. Too bad cats don't believe in forever.

 

At nearly seven feet tall, Lock is used to people responding to him in two ways: screaming or running away. Gwen--half lioness, half tigress, all kick-ass--does neither. She's sexy beyond belief and smart as hell, but she's so busy protecting her family and friends that she's forgetting about her own safety. Lock probably shouldn't get involved, but he can't simply walk away. Not when Gwen means absolutely everything to him.

 

2. Falling Hard by Megan Sparks

 

When Annie moves from London to a small town in the midwest, she struggles to fit in. She gets off to a bad start when she makes an enemy of her school's queen bee, Kelsey. But she discovers a new passion, the exciting sport of roller derby, and makes friends with the cool and quirky girls on her team, the Liberty Belles. She also meets Jesse, the friendly boy who works at the roller rink, and Tyler, a cute, all-American sports star.

 

3. Found by You by Victoria H. Smith

 

He’s noticed by everyone… 

Griffin Chandler. 

He’s captain of our college’s basketball team. I swear to God I’ve already seen him in a Nike ad, and he’s one of the top picks when he goes pro following our spring graduation. 

His life is on display for the world. Both his accomplishments and demons there for judgment. 

I’m a girl who likes to play roller derby from, of all places, Wisconsin. My own demons better concealed. And one day… 

He notices me. 

Found by You is a new adult contemporary romance. 

 

4. Love and Skate: Books 1-5, The Complete Series by Lila Felix

 

On the rink she’s tough, she’s a leader, she’s fast and she’s the epitome of a rebellious girl. But Nellie’s been hurt, only once, but it was enough to make her look at life through different eyes and off the rink she’s a timid girl who loves with no pretenses. 
A long time ago Owen Black was betrayed by the girl he thought he loved and the guy he called his best friend. The anguish set off a domino effect of negativity in his life and he never has fully recovered. He meets Nellie Forrester and thinks he can let it go for her.  
But how can you love someone when the wounds from your past are still wide open?

 

5. The Derby Girl by Tamara Morgan

 

Roller derby girl Gretchen "Honey Badger" Badgerton lives in the moment, no apologies. Like every woman in Pleasant Park with a pulse, she finds Dr. Jared Fine irresistible, but she's taken by surprise when her unattainable new neighbor asks her out.

On paper, Jared is the perfect man: gorgeous, wealthy and charitable. But his golden image is just that, and opening an upstate practice is a welcome chance to start a new life. When Gretchen stops to help him with a flat tire, he's intrigued by her feisty attitude—and her sexy body art. There's something refreshing about being with a take-charge woman who doesn't expect him to be anything but himself.

 

Though Gretchen is hesitant to shatter Jared's "bad girl" illusion of her, she has to face facts: she's fallen for the good doctor. She's used to putting everyone else's needs before hers, but as their relationship heats up, can she handle having someone take care of her for a change?

 

6. Derby Girl by Shauna Cross

 

 

n this exciting collection of paranormal tales, best-selling authors Stephenie Meyer (Twilight), Kim Harrison (Once Dead, Twice Shy), Meg Cabot (How to Be Popular), Lauren Myracle (ttyl), and Michele Jaffe (Bad Kitty) take prom mishaps to a whole new level—a truly hellish level. Wardrobe malfunctions and two left feet don't hold a candle to discovering your date is the Grim Reaper—and he isn't here to tell you how hot you look.

From angels fighting demons to a twisted take on getting what you wish for, these five stories will entertain better than any DJ in a bad tux can. No corsage or limo rental necessary. Just good, creepy fun.

 

10. Demon Derby by Carrie Harris

 

Casey kicked cancer’s ass. Now a demon wants to kick hers. . . .

Casey hates being known as the girl who survived cancer. She wants people to treat her like her old self, fearless and strong. And after a creepy encounter with a crazy guy in an alley, Casey is all about reclaiming her power.

So when she has a chance to try out for the Apocalypsies roller derby team, she jumps on it. Being a derby girl would prove that she doesn’t need anybody’s pity. It doesn’t hurt that Michael, the team manager, is almost unnaturally hot. Which makes sense when Casey finds out that he’s not human.

Michael’s got a secret: he trains demon hunters. That crazy guy in the alley? Demon. And the fact that Casey went head to head with evil and lived makes her a threat to demonkind. Casey thought she’d already fought and won the battle of her lifetime. But it’s only beginning. . . .
 

 

Did I miss one? Let me know!

 

Vote on my Goodreads list: Jam: Roller Derby in Romance Novels 

This book was a very fast read, it took me less than 48 hours to finish. I liked it for the most part, but to me Bliss (the main character) was a very "stereotypical" girl with teenage angst, as if the character was trying very hard to be different than the rest of the pack.
One thing I loved was the Roller Derby parts of the novel, it inspired me in certain ways and I would love to see more of the women's roller derby lifestyle and world.
One thing I disliked about the novel was that we did not see much of the "end" of Bliss/Oliver. We did not see a reaction to what Bliss had found out, Bliss did not even mention what she found in the pictures. I wish there was more of a conversation there. Honestly, I wanted Oliver to beg for forgiveness and for Bliss to just look at him and say "Fuck You, I want my shirt back"

After picking up the ill fated Roll with It I felt the need for some more YA derby action. And of course, Derby Girl-Whip It was just sitting so precariously on the library shelf that I couldn't help myself. This book manages to be a combination of a lot of things that I love dearly:1. Roller Derby2. Austin, Texas3. Quippy Misfit Girls4. YA Shenanigans It also has however, a couple things I don't love so much:1. Bad YA Parenting2. Bitchy Popular Girl3. Music Hipsters (and I don't even like the word "hipster" but it totally applies here)4. The Boyfriend Bait and SwitchSo, maybe it's a little bit more of a surprise that I ended up enjoying this as much as I did. The good things about this book definitely won out over the what has annoyed me so much in the past. Following along with Bliss was really entertaining. Bliss is our main dame and she is fabulous. Her narration is just so honest and easy to get into that her story really had a way of coming to life. She was herself in every moment and had a great balance of wanting to just fuck it, going against the grain and yet still feeling like she doesn't want to let people down or lie to them. I could imagine a real teenager acting and thinking like she does and that was what really sold all the side characters also. Each of them was an exaggerated personality but I could still imagine them as being real. They were over-the-top, but never crossed the invisible line that would make them feel completely unbelievable. This feeling was probably also in part due to the setting of the story. Anything can happen in Texas! And Austin specifically is like my own little Wonderland. Anything that is unbelievable can be believed if only it's in the vicinity of Austin, Texas. ...Well, that may not necessarily be true, but I've got nothing to prove it otherwise! So there. Derby however, is not solely played in the Texas arena. Inspired by the book I did some googling about my local scene and Vancouver has a set up of its own. Although I would never dream of slapping on a pair of skates myself, (I have no sense of balance or coordination!) but I am really interested in going to a bout and seeing what the room is really like. Also, reading this has even motivated some interest to finally seek out the movie and see what that's all about as well.But getting back on track, I didn't step away from this totally glowing. The story had a bit of an issue with flow. There was a couple of short snippet chapters about a third of the through that felt more like a montage of events then part of the continuous story. It was in these spots of "Quick! Move this along!" writing where Bliss's narration and characterization suffered. My second problem was in the form of our boy meat, Oliver. I won't go into his plot line too heavily, (as to avoid spoilers) but what happens there was a pretty obvious bait and switch. If this was the route that the story needed to take, I only wish that it was done in a way that matched the clever tone of the book instead of making it so obvious.I should mention however that on my above list, I also mentioned a few other things. The bad YA parenting, the mean girl, and the music hipster-ness, but these things were actually handled quite well. They worked within the world that the book was presenting and actually made the plot better in some places. Although I still want to see these things stay out of my YA, if it works then it works.Overall, I really enjoyed this book for what it was. It was light and fun, with a side of sarcasm, and I liked almost every minuet of it. If only because I'm on some sort of Roller Girl kick right now.

fun, light read - This is the book the movie "Whip It" is based on.

The basis for the movie Whip It. Really liked the movie, liked the book even better.