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Rival Darling by Alexandra Moody

Rival Darling

Alexandra Moody

HarperCollins · Paperback · April 1, 2025

New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Moody's YA ice hockey rom-com—the first of the BookTok sensation Darling Devils series—will warm your heart!

Contemporary YA RomanceRomantic Comedy for TeensHockeysports
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romance
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Who it’s for
A breezy, sports-forward romance with just enough heat to keep the pages moving.
Themes
romance, sports, identity
Pacing
Fast

Nearest books

Matched by what the books are about, then ordered by what their readers also loved. Most of these share its genres: Romantic Comedy for Teens and Contemporary YA Romance.

  1. Grumpy DarlingAlexandra Moody79% matchAlso shares Hockey
  2. Heart CheckEmily Charlotte67% matchAlso shares Hockey
  3. Better Than RevengeKasie West59% match
  4. Stealing for KeepsRebecca Jenshak65% match
  5. Betting on YouLynn Painter55% match
  6. Fake SkatingLynn Painter68% matchAlso shares Hockey
  7. The Romance RivalrySusan Lee60% match
  8. Wild DarlingAlexandra Moody77% matchAlso shares Hockey

For older readers: Breakaway, The Shots You Take, Not in My Book

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About this book

New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Moody's YA ice hockey rom-com—the first of the BookTok sensation Darling Devils series—will warm your heart! She has a (fake) date with a Devil . . . When Violet is left heartbroken by the captain of her school’s ice hockey team, she vows never to date a jock again. But to prove she’s moved on, she turns to the most unlikely person: her ex’s biggest rival, the notorious captain of the Ransom Devils.

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Reed Darling is gorgeous, mysterious, and intimidating—the only thing people love to talk about more than his hockey skills are his exploits as a ruthless heartbreaker and bad boy. Who better to serve as Violet’s fake boyfriend until her ex gets the message, right? But Violet soon starts to wonder if there’s more to Reed than the gossip suggests. And Reed is determined to win her over and show her he’s not the guy everyone thinks he is. Is this jock about to break all her rules?

Puckish Chemistry

A breezy, sports-forward romance with just enough heat to keep the pages moving.

Come here for

  • hockey-dating friction
  • warm rom-com energy

Expect

  • rivalry sparks
  • teen-leaning rom-com tone

Where it sits

Hockey93%
Contemporary YA Romance54%
Romantic Comedy for Teens47%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • YA Stories About Boys & Men
  • YA Stories About Girls & Women
  • Clean & Wholesome YA Romance
  • Contemporary YA Romance
Show all 8 publisher categories
  • Romantic Comedy for Teens
  • School Stories for Teens
  • Dating & Sex for Teens
  • Friendship for Teens
Authors
Alexandra Moody
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published
April 1, 2025
Format
Paperback
Theme
romance · sports · identity
Reading lane
YA Stories About Boys & Men