Not gonna lie, I was a little worried about this one - but I should’ve known that Tomforde could take tropes I hate and still deliver a story I love. There’s a reason why all three of the other books in this series have made my Best of the Year list in the past, and that’s because she is an incredibly talented writer. The found family aspect in this series is so, so good, and I ADORED the steadfast, smitten hero. This is definitely a case of “he falls first,” since our hero knew from the moment that he met his girl. She takes a (much) longer time to come around, but the story shines once she lets love into her life. It’s sexy, swoony, and so sweet that my heart was full to bursting. The hero steals the show, but this was another complex, completely engaging read from the author. I never get tired of spending time with these characters, and Tomforde has created something truly special with this series. I loved it!

The story follows Kennedy, a woman who works in the male-dominated profession of sports medicine. While overqualified for her current position, she has to be careful to be seen as professional at all times… which means drunkenly marrying one of the players she works with is the worst thing she could’ve done. Especially when her new husband is Isaiah, the wild, ever-smiling flirt who has been professing his love for years. Kennedy has never taken Isaiah’s flirting seriously. First, because she was engaged to another man until recently. And second, because Isaiah is playful with everyone. But when Kennedy and Isaiah are forced to pretend that they intended to get married for real, Kennedy starts to see a different side of her new husband. He’s been a constant in her life for years, but Kennedy quickly realizes that she never knew Isaiah at all.

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room - Isaiah has been a manhoe, even while flirting nonstop with Kennedy for years. It’s one of my least favorite tropes, and the reason I was so nervous to go into this. It's handled really well here though; Isaiah knew Kennedy was engaged and that he didn't stand a chance with her, so he never expected it to go beyond some one-sided flirting, even though he hammed it up. Once Kennedy became single? Completely different story. He hasn't even looked at another girl since then, and he was nothing but loving, loyal, and patient throughout. Probably more patient than me, actually, since Kennedy's refusal to see what was right in front of her was frustrating at times. She's got her own issues to work through, and I loved watching Isaiah uplift and support her in every way. There are some seriously great moments when he spins things in totally unexpected directions, and I loved that he took every opportunity to be SUCH a great man. Isaiah ended up being my favorite part of the book - his devotion to his wife was obvious, and I adored that from him. It's the kind of nuanced storyline that not every author can pull off, but Tomforde navigated the complexities with ease. Even with my initial hesitations, this was an EASY 5-star rating for me.

Audio note: The audio is awesome! Samantha Brentmoor is one of my favorites, and she showcased her skills here. Jacob Morgan's voice is never a hardship to listen to, and he also gives a stellar performance. The combination made for a fantastic experience. The runtime (12 hours) meant it was a full day binge, but I was completely hooked on the story - and binge it I did. It's a slowish burn that begins to sizzle along the way, so not recommended for the office. But it's so good in the format, and I'm happy that I got to experience it that way. Highly recommended.

Brand	N/A
Rating	4.6 (42146 ratings)
Price	$0.99
Category	Sports

Play Along: Windy City Series, Book 4