Books Like The Play

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Ana Osorio and Teddy Hamilton trade off chapter by chapter, which turns the enemies-to-lovers tension into something almost theatrical — you get the full gap between what each character admits out loud and what they're obviously feeling, and the wit in Kennedy's writing lands harder when two distinct voices are committed to selling the denial. Twelve hours is the sweet spot for this kind of slow burn: long enough to earn the payoff, tight enough that the story never stalls out in its own feelings. That combination of voice chemistry, Kennedy's particular tone, and a runtime that doesn't overstay its welcome runs through most of these recommendations — Osorio narrates several of them, Kennedy wrote the majority, and nearly all clock in right around that same twelve-hour mark.

10 books for fans of The Play

  1. 1
    Us cover

    Us

    Him • Book 2

    by Sarina Bowen, Elle Kennedy

    ★ 4.23 Goodreads (57.6K ratings)
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  2. 2
    Him cover

    Him

    Him • Book 1

    by Sarina Bowen, Elle Kennedy

    ★ 4.18 Goodreads (106.0K ratings)
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  3. 3
    Top Secret cover

    Top Secret

    by Sarina Bowen, Elle Kennedy

    ★ 4.05 Goodreads (42.4K ratings)
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  4. 4
    Good Boy cover

    Good Boy

    WAGs • Book 1

    by Elle Kennedy, Sarina Bowen

    ★ 3.84 Goodreads (45.5K ratings)
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  5. 5
    The Deal cover

    The Deal

    Off-Campus • Book 1

    by Elle Kennedy

    More about this pick

    Confident student Hannah lacks sexual experience, while hockey star Garrett needs academic help—leading to a tutoring arrangement that becomes unexpectedly complicated.

    ★ 4.20 Goodreads (1.1M ratings)
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  6. 6
    The Score cover

    The Score

    Off-Campus • Book 3

    by Elle Kennedy

    ★ 4.14 Goodreads (521.4K ratings)
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  7. 7
    The Mistake cover

    The Mistake

    Off-Campus • Book 2

    by Elle Kennedy

    ★ 3.96 Goodreads (593.0K ratings)
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  8. 8
    The Goal cover

    The Goal

    Off-Campus • Book 4

    by Elle Kennedy

    ★ 3.86 Goodreads (370.1K ratings)
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  9. 9
    The Last Letter cover

    The Last Letter

    by Rebecca Yarros

    More about this pick

    A dying soldier's final request sends his best friend to care for orphaned twins and their stubborn guardian. Yarros balances military sacrifice with second-chance romance in small-town Colorado.

    ★ 4.49 Goodreads (538.1K ratings)
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  10. 10
    Love Song cover

    Love Song

    by Elle Kennedy

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    Blake's post-breakup escape to the family lake house comes with a strict no-men policy that summer has other plans for disrupting. This Briar universe standalone captures one transformative summer where the best-laid plans meet unexpected chemistry.

    ★ 4.08 Goodreads (8.1K ratings)
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