The agony. The ecstasy. The nonstop trash talking-texts to your family and friends who are in your fantasy league. This is all what we’ve come to expect when it's football season. Even if you aren’t a tortured fan like me, you can still find something to read and enjoy about America’s favorite sport.

Football is part of our culture, and every reader can find something for them in the Libby app, from romance to memoir, all about this game of inches.

If you’d rather be watching The Great British Bake-Off

Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley

As I’m sure many of you also are, I'm a person of wide and varied interests, so while I do want to spend my Saturdays and Sundays and Monday nights and Thursday nights watching the gridiron, I want to spend the rest of my time reading about people falling in love forever and ever. The icing on the cake for this book really has to be that it's a fake dating story (that also takes place in a bakery...)!

Jada has done the one thing that you never do on national TV: Turned down a proposal. After becoming one of the most reviled people in the country, she heads home to try to recover and revive her image, and ends up working at Sugar Blitz, the local bakery that also happens to be owned by grumpy pro football player, Donnovan Dell. When the media mistakes them for a couple, they both realize that a fake relationship might be what they both need. Can they take this all the way to the end zone? Read on to find out!

If you miss Coach Taylor

Friday Night Lights by H. G. Bissinger

Confession time: I've never seen an episode of Friday Night Lights. I understand that this television phenomenon is one that checks all of my boxes, but I’ve just never picked it up. Please, judge away, and also feel free to tell me why this should interrupt me re-watching Parks and Recreation again for the 40th time.

If you're not familiar with the culture surrounding high school football, or even to begin to understand the pull that football has over Americans in general, this book, often called the best football book of all time, is a must-read. Travel to Odessa, Texas, to a town divided by race and class, but united by football. There's a reason that this book is still as popular today as it was when it was first published. This isn’t just a football story, it’s the story of America.

If you want to find out what “Bo Knows”

The Last Folk Hero by Jeff Pearlman

As a 80s and 90s kid, Bo Jackson was an original G.O.A.T., playing both professional football and baseball. I can still remember his Nike ads and wondering how this man managed to do it all and knowing that there was really something special about him. His retirement was the end of an era. When I watched the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary about him a few years ago, I knew that there was even more to this story than what could be distilled into that short time.

Jeff Pearlman can write a darn good sports book. It really helps that he also has a near-mythical person to write about when he digs into Bo Jackson’s story, exploring what made him the athlete that he was and the oversized personality that had the world transfixed. Prior to reading this, did I know that he may or may not have prevented a plane crash that would have killed all of the 1991 Chicago White Sox? Nope. And that just scratches the surface. Give this a read so that you, like Bo, will know.

If you hate glass ceilings

Lady Ref by Shannon Eastin

While watching my beloved Cleveland Browns this past weekend, my 4-year-old daughter saw that a woman was on the field. She was a referee, and she was out there on the 50-yard line, commanding the field. My kiddo looked at her and said, “Mommy, I want to be a ref someday,” and my Grinch-heart grew 3 sizes. Representation matters, in case anyone was wondering.

Shannon Eastin is used to “first” being in front of her accolades. She broke all kinds of records and competed in all kinds of sports, all with one goal in mind: NFL referee. To get there, she had to be the first Division I NCAA football referee, and that was the easy part. She had to scrap to get to where she is today, dealing with misogyny and harassment that would have made others give up. Her story is one of determination and following your dreams, while also lifting others up along the way. I can’t wait to take my daughter to see her gear in the NFL Hall of Fame, and to share this book with her some day.

If you’re “shipping” Taylor and Travis

Blitzed by Alexa Martin

Yes, it’s another romance book. They’re kind of my thing. Also, fun fact: Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce is from my hometown of Cleveland. Less than fun fact: Taylor Swift has not brought her Eras Tour to Cleveland. I’m hoping that all of this will be rectified, and I can get to making friendship bracelets with all of the other millennial moms who are surely at these concerts...

It's really hard to pick a single book from the amazing Playbook series, but I’m going for the parity between our current celebrity obsession. She's a famous person who avoids the media at all costs. She doesn’t date athletes. He’s been quietly pining after her since she first came on his radar. Their love won’t be easy, but could it be worth it? YES. I do recommend starting at the beginning of this series, not because the book won’t stand on its own, but because they're all so good!

Any of these reads would be a touchdown! Find them on the Libby app.