Идеальный план

Windy City #2

by Liz Tomforde, Лиз Томфорд

Фирменный покет с клапанами, лаком на обложке, черными страничками и подарком в первом тираже!

Райан — суперзвезда НБА. Вокруг него толпы фанаток, но он не верит в любовь и сосредоточен только на баскетболе. Инди уверена, что переехать к брату своей лучшей подруги — отвратительная идея, ведь он терпеть ее не может.

Но обстоятельства вынуждают Райана попросить Инди сыграть роль его девушки. С каждым днем их фейковые отношения все больше похожи на настоящие. Сможет ли Инди растопить ледяное сердце баскетболиста?

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Sports, Fake Dating, Forced Proximity, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance

Paperback

First published February 7, 2023

About the author

Liz Tomforde is a New York Times bestselling author of sports romance novels that depict realistic and healthy relationships. Her books offer a mix of witty banter, undeniable chemistry, a healthy dash of spice, and swoon-worthy men who look good in a uniform.

Born and raised in Northern California, Liz is the youngest of five children. She loves all things romance, traveling, dogs, and hockey. When she's not traveling or writing, Liz can be found relaxing at home or listening to a good audiobook while on a walk with her Golden Retriever, Luke.

For more information, please visit Liz’s website and subscribe to her newsletter at liztomforde.com. You can connect also with Liz on Instagram @liztomforde.author.

Reviews

[brooke (hiatus) · Rating 5 out of 5]

➸ 4.75 stars

”sometimes the quietest love is the loudest.”

— i’m shocked that i actually LOVED this book!! mile high was pretty good, but this book?? THIS BOOK WAS ON ANOTHER LEVEL. flawed characters will forever have my heart and indy and ryan are two of the most flawed characters that actually have real personalities. the communication and lack of toxicity was so refreshing. indy and ryan’s story had so much depth and realism and i loved that this story had the perfect balance between heavy and light moments. this book would get way too cheesy at times, i felt the author was giving ryan way too many book boyfriend characteristics just to mend him into indy’s “ideal book bf” and a man like him simply doesn’t exist — he’s blatantly the epitome of man written by a woman. but look idc bc he was written for me and ryan shay is top tier book bf!! this man had me feeling so GIDDY, and the slow burn in this book was absolutely delicious too. this book could’ve been 100 pages less tho, the pacing was slightly off because the ending felt like it should’ve been around the 80% mark; the last 20% unnecessarily dragged on for WAY too long — the conflict was so pointless and could’ve been skipped bc the reader wouldn’t miss anything.

”you should never have to beg someone to be ready for a future.”

↳ indy my precious book girlie, you deserve the whole world and nothing less. i love that she is a fun loving girl full of life but also emotional and feels everything on a deep level, but she would cry way too much lmao. but my heart broke for her because of her shitty ex bf and her shitty “friends” but i just love how ryan, stevie, zanders and rio showed her the importance of true friendship. her love for romance books and escaping reality was so relatable lmao. indy had depth and she has the biggest heart and that was what truly made me love her character sm. i loved her acts of bringing ryan out of his shell and living life how he should since he was so sheltered was everything to me she made him trust and feel again!! she deserved to be loved and im so glad ryan was the one to show her how a relationship was supposed to be.
— i loved the daily updates she would send vee, they would make me laugh and they were just the best addition to this book.

↳ RYAN SHAY, THE MAN THAT YOU ARE!! he fr be setting expectations to the mf moon for all the book bfs out there. if i thought my standards were already HIGH well they are fucking astronomical now, he LOVED and CARED so hard. i loved that he was portrayed to be sensitive and emotional. the fact he does ALL the love languages in his own way was *chefs kiss*. actually let me just list out reasons why i love ryan mf shay!!

1: he lets indy move into his apartment even though he is reluctant, guarded and doesn’t like to have his space invaded, rent free just so she can save up money - and when she moves in he lets her brighten up his apartment with colour as he only likes things in black and white.

2: pays for her fertility treatments

3: QUIET LITERALLY LEARNS SIGN LANGUAGE THE MOMENT HE FOUND OUT HER DAD WAS DEAF!!!

4: she only likes to drink iced coffee so he puts coffee in the fridge every. single. morning. so when she gets up it’s already cold so she doesn’t have to water it down with ice.

5: loves her quietly yet so fiercely, worships her, pushes indy to do what she wants and allows her to be unapologetically herself, stands up for her, respects her and helps her move on from her shitty ex and shows her what’s it like to be loved and adored.
↳ “you know that jersey you’ve got with my last name on it? when you see it hanging there in your closet, let it serve as a reminder to you, that soon enough, it’ll be her last name too.” GOODFUCKINGBYE 🤭😩🫠😮‍💨

6: builds her a bookshelf next to his own shelf and reads her romance books 😩

7: takes care of her flowers whenever she’s away for work, and always buys her flowers just so he can see her face light up when she comes home!! man was fr overwatering and killing flowers that were in a vase bc that’s how dedicated he was.

8: made sure she always had food to eat wherever she was bc she’s a vegetarian and replaces all his food with vegetarian safe options just for her. 🫶🏼

9: bought her a family house before they were even officially together bc he knew he wanted to spend forever with her

— like omg?? i died at how he showed his love through actions. his development throughout the book was so refreshing to read - since he was a bit of an asshole to indy at the start but his back story ripped my heart out and his growth and love for indy put it back together. it’s the smallest things that count the most 🥹❤️‍🩹

"you're chaotic as fuck, blue, but you bring me more peace than anyone else"

this book is for all the hopeless romantic girlies out there. i will definitely be rereading this book in the near future, it gave me all the feels MZs book give me - it had the perfect amount of tension, angst, spice and slow burn. i hope rio and dom get their own book, i love them both sm and they both deserve their special someone too!!

[Marianna Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had to change this to the 5 stars it deserves. RYAN SHAY THE MAN THAT YOU ARE!!! GUYS I CANNNNNNOTTTT HANDLE HOW MUCH I LOVED THIS!!! I actually might die from giggling and kicking my feet so hard.

“I’m sorry someone let you believe you were hard to love, because, Blue, it’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”

I’m so happy I decided to give this book a chance seeing as I HATED mile high and gave it 1 star….. YOU GUYS WERE RIGHT everyone told me to continue the series and it was SO SO SO WORTH IT !! No like I’m actually obsessed with Blue and Shay they are so wholesome and pure and their love… THEIR LOVEEEEE??????? This was fake dating PERFECTION!!! The tension, the will the won’t they, the banter, the flirting gahhhhhh SEDATE ME!!!

Ryan Shay. Ryan SHAY????!!!!!!! My acts of service KING!!!! The way this man loves…. No stop I’m gonna throw up. I can’t. I tabbed literally this whole book because he had me about ready to combust every time he was on the page. His story also absolutely BROKE my heart. But my god his growth made me so happy. A MANNNNNNNNNNNN.

And then Indy!!!!! No stop I loved her so much too!!!! I relate all too much to dimming your light because of the fragile ego of a man that never deserved to see you shine. God I was rooting for her the whole time and her growth also cannot be understated I was so proud of her 😭😭😭! I also loved how once she realized her worth she never settled for less than what she deserves

Also the MUTH ON THIS MAN SEND HELP!!!!!!!!!

“Eyes on me, Indy.”
“Please,”
Are you begging, Shay?”
“Yes,” I laugh. “I’m fucking desperate for you, Blue.” 

Like you’re telling me he:
- Bought her a bed with purple sheets because it’s her favorite color
- Let’s her take over the apartment with all her things even though he hates clutter
- Makes her coffee every morning and leaves it in the fridge for her
- Learns sign language so he can communicate with her dad
- Gives her his credit card to buy dresses
- Waters her flowers for her while she’s away
- Replaces his meat products with vegetarian ones because she’s a vegetarian
- Donates half of his income to charity
- Cooks and cleans
- Brushed and braided her hair while she was sick????!!
- Slept in his car in the driveway of her friends house she was sleeping at after a fight
- Paid for her fertility treatments before they were even together??????
- Bought and built her bookshelves and asked to read her spicy books???

I genuinely don’t have words for this man so here are some quotes that will live rent free in my head until the end of time:

“God, she’s fucking adorable and that pisses me off.”

“Indy would never question how magnetic, how distracting she is if she saw herself the way everyone in her orbit sees her. The way I see her.”

“You can’t stop being who you are because someone else thinks it’s too much, Ind. He can go find less.”

”Her intelligence, charisma, and sharp little attitude are the most frightening things about her, because I’ve never felt as weak as I do when I’m around her.”

“What you offer in a relationship, as a friend, a woman, a partner, by simply being who you are is more than enough. And if someone can’t see that you’re everything, then it’s them who's missing out.”

“She giggles and it’s my favorite sound.”

“But I spend a lot of your money.”
“Someone needs to.”
“And I’m messy. You don’t like messy.”
“I like your mess.”
“And I’m needy. I have no idea how to be alone.”
“Good. I don’t want you to be alone. I want you to be with me.”

“You have no idea, Indy. The power you have over me.”

“At some point, I should probably tell her that my love language is whichever one she wants it to be so she can stop guessing. I’ll make sure that girl feels loved however she needs.”

“I want you, Indy. I want us. I want our little life we’ve built even when we thought we were pretending. I want you in our house because you’ve made it a home. I want your mess and your chaos. I want your genuine smiles, the ones you wear when you’re around my sister, the hockey team, and me. I want you happy, and I want to be the reason you are.“

[Giorgia Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

I loved this book so much. Ryan Shay is the ultimate book boyfriend.

Overall, I’d say that this book was very much a lesson in what to expect from a man IRL or otherwise. Every single little action of his was so telling that he was a great person. Don’t get me wrong, Indy was equally amazing, but well, since I’m a woman living in a society in which men like this are practically non existent, I did focus my attention on how great the hero is.

The plot never got to be overly dramatic nor was it stupidly cheesy, I felt like I was reading about two very great people as individuals who together were absolute goals and total soulmates.

I related so much with Indy about her people pleasing habits and some other things (most things actually except her love for hosting and being such an extrovert), so maybe that made this book stand out even more to me.

I loved how Indy’s heartbreak was portrayed as well. Too often I see the scenario of the heroine being cheated on by a long term boyfriend and it’s always so cliched and glossed over. I understand the need to focus on the current romance but humans are not robots, there isn’t a reset button and we do carry our past with us even if we heal from it. I liked her progression of getting over the ex. I liked that she still suffered from the betrayal but day by day she blossomed more and more and eventually got to have so many realisations about herself, her friends, her ex relationship and she saw her heartbreak as blessing in disguise.

It was a long book (approx. 550 pages) but it never got tedious to read even though the plot itself wasn’t exactly new or all that complex. I just loved the mostly calm and cozy vibes I got from the couple.

And one thing I’ll mention, this is one of the few times when the hero’s reluctance and insecurities regarding relationships actually made sense. After reading his story and understanding what he went through only 4 years prior and how the aftermath of a specific event crushed him enough to damage his mental health, I felt so bad for him. And seeing him meet Indy and her absolutely lovable and caring self was such a great thing to read.

[Larissa Cambusano · Rating 5 out of 5]

OBSESSED IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT. this is my favorite book of all time. no words.

i thought mile high was unbeatable.. but wow. indy, my romantic, i loved her so much. she touched a part of my soul i didn’t know existed. and ryan, my secret softie, he understood her so well. the way this book showed that the loudest loves are the quiet ones.

seeing all the characters come together + seeing my babies zee & vee again!!!! also im gonna need a rio book.. immediately. i just know that’s gonna be hilarious.

“do you think i’m a trainwreck, ryan?”
“you’re more like a cute little fender bender.”

[chan ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

need a ryan shay ASAP

i’m a simple girl, buy me a fucking house and gimme babies

[babygyalreadit · Rating 5 out of 5]

The fact that this man is not real makes me want to jump head first off the highest bridge

[катя⁷ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Petition #4048 for Rio's book.

[Ri ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Sometimes the quietest love is the loudest.”

This book is the literal embodiment of ‘romantic masterpiece’. I have read many contemporary romances but none like this. One of the quietest and most beautiful romance story ever written. I literally went from “Why is this book 550 pages long” to “Why the hell it's only 550 pages” and if that's not enough to convince you how much I loved this book and Ryan Shay then I don't know what can. I think this book should be read by every man as a manual on how to treat your woman right because RYAN SHAY IS THE ULTIMATE BOOK HUSBAND!

This book is one of the best sports romance and fake-dating I've ever read and I'm a bit sceptical about sports romance, but this book did justice to this trope. The romance in this book was just chef's kiss and the banter was top-notch. To sum it up, it was delicious with the brimming sexual tension and the forced proximity situations only fueled the tension between Ryan and Indy and it was also comforting and contenting with how they loved each other so quietly, unconditionally, and thoroughly.

“Heads-up, Shay, I’m an expensive girlfriend. Fake or not. I can’t help it.”
“Then I guess it’s a good thing I’ve got money.”
She playfully smacks the counter. “That’s what I like to hear!”

➸ Indy Ivers

Indy is a girlies girl and a hopeless romantic at her core who just wanted to be loved for who she is. Her character was charming and I loved her from the get-go. She's intelligent, confident, fierce and loves and cares for the people she loves. She would do anything to keep them happy even if it meant ignoring her own happiness. She's a nurturer through and through. I love how joyful she is, always trying to be the social butterfly because she starved attention and loves interacting with people and I loved how unapologetic she was in that aspect. She was so ridiculously cute and adorable even when she cried almost every time and I can relate to her because girl same. Her dream for being a mother has played a huge role in her life and I liked how a sensitive topic like infertility was handled in this book. Her growth throughtout this book was amazing. She didn't hide her real personality and didn't settled for anything less because she knows her worth and I liked how she stopped belittling herself just to let others shine when she's the most stunning girl in every room.


“My heart has been his even when I thought I didn't have any left of it to give. He healed it when someone else broke it, and now it’s his forever.”


➸ Ryan Shay

He is the definition of perfection in human form. I never knew what bare minimum or standards meant until I met this man. He may not know how to express his emotions but this man loves hard. Ryan always came off as cold and collected who don't do social life because it's safe like that and he didn't had to deal with the repercussions of messing up. He'd been burdened with his past experience of how people only wanted him for his net worth and not for who he actually is as a human until Indy came in his life. He's hardworking, protective, down to earth, thoughtful, caring and attentive and all that made me yearn for him even though he's just a fictional man. His fears and trust issues were rational and his actions made absolutely sense. I love how emotional he is and how he let Indy see his vulnerable side, which wanted nothing more than to be loved and respected for he is. Words and reassurances only matter when they are backed by the actions and Ryan understood the assignment perfectly! He literally made me an emotional wreck in the best way possible and now my standards are even out of this galaxy. How can you expect me to accept anything that's not Ryan Shay who's a gentleman in the streets but a beast in the sheets. He's a NEED!


“You’re chaotic as fuck, Blue, but you bring me more peace than anyone else.”


╰┈➤ Indy and Ryan 💙

Right person, Right time.

Ryan and Indy are so perfect for each other. I loved their dynamics and their friendship so much. Everything about their quiet love story is beautiful and realistic and the way these two healed each other just by loving each other for who they were was so precious 🥺❤️‍🩹 Ryan and Indy might have different personalities, but they had same issues. They were never appreciated, respected and loved for who they were. I loved how they brought nuances and subtle comfortablilty in each other's life and pushed each other to their limits. They brought changes in each other's lives by giving each other a list of all the little things they could do to step out of their comfort zone. They both played a major role in each other's character growth.

“Do you trust me?”
“Yes.”
Looking over at her, her expression is soft, hopeful.
“What?”
She shakes her head. “Nothing. I just know how big that is coming from you.”

Even though their living situation wasn't ideal, they made the best of it by changing little things so they could live in harmony together. Their communication skills? Amazing! It was always about talking about their feelings freely, but they both did it at their own pace and at the right time so the other won't feel insecured or left out. I loved how they made small and big compromises for each other and how they earned their trust, made the other feel loved and cherished and accentuated it all in their actions as well. I love how they understood each other's fears and treated them with patience. They loved each other for who they truly were but they also changed each other in the most integral way and that's the purest form of love in the world. Their love is quiet but it was also consuming, unapologetic and fierce. The scenes where they talked about their pasts broke me and healed me 🥺❤️‍🩹 I love them so freaking much.

“But I spend a lot of your money.”
“Someone needs to.”
“And I’m messy. You don’t like messy.”
“I like your mess.”
“And I’m needy. I have no idea how to be alone.”
“Good. I don’t want you to be alone. I want you to be with me.” His eyes fall to my throat, watching it work its way through a swallow. “Come home with me, Blue.”

The things he did for Indy? I'm never settling for anything less than the standard Ryan Shay is! He worshiped her with his body and his soul. He loved her quietly and fiercely and in every way she wanted and deserved to be loved.


“You don’t have to beg, Ind. I’ll give you everything you could want.”


He literally loved her in every freaking love language there is in dictionary 💘 He even threatened his friends and her ex because he's petty when it comes to jealousy 🤭😋 The jealousy scenes in this book were jealousy-ing.


“You know that jersey you’ve got with my last name on it? When you see it hanging there in your closet, let it serve as a reminder to you, that soon enough, it’ll be her last name too.”


The pacing is one of the many things I loved in this book. It was perfect for how the slow-burn and the progression from strangers to friends to lovers was written. Liz did an astounding job at writing the flawed and realistic characters like Indy and Ryan. I love her writing because she knows how to delve deeper into characters' past, traumas and the insecurities related to it. She effortlessly reflected them in their present versions to make them more real, beautiful and genuine and their character development was conspicuous throughout this story.

I loved the ending so much. It was so perfect and seeing Daddy Ryan and Daddy Zanders was just cherry on top. I loved all the Zee and Vee crumbs we got in this book and my heart is full with happiness right now because Liz did justice to every character in this book. Also, the epilogue? It was just so adorable and I was crying both happy and sad tears because the story ended but Ryan and Indy got the ending they always deserved.

I can't wait to read Kai's book! He's already made a very good impression with his Clark Kent and single dad personality and you all know I'm a whore for single dads! I also want Rio and Dom to have their books because I love me a good goffy and a reformed playboy arc!

This book made me giddy and swooning in all the best ways and reminded me why I love reading romance genre so much. I highly and wholeheartedly recommend this book to every hopeless romantic girl and to all the men in this world because it's an essential manual for you all to read.


—————

Pre-review: I m just a simple girl who wants ryan shay for a husband and his pretty little babies pls and thankuu. Rtc!!

—————

Pre-read review: So excited for ryan shay 🤭 i already loved him in book 1 so lets see whats the hype is about!

[bruna (coming back) · Rating 3 out of 5]

★ 3 stars

𝅄 𓂃 𖥻 “Sometimes the quietest love is the loudest.” 𑇛 ˚

this was nice, but definitely not as nice as people said it would be.

i read the first book in this series two years ago and it was so awfully bad that i didn’t even want to read the second one right away. well, actually, i didn’t want to read it. period.

but see... i’ve always seen an uncountable amount of people talking about how the second book was way better than the first and all that, so at some point i started having a little fomo and this year i thought “why not finally give it a try?” and that’s how, after two years, i changed my mind and dived in.

first, i will say that people were not wrong. this book is, without a doubt, better than the first one. it’s not like it’s hard anyway, i think anything could be better than... whatever that was. the protagonists here aren’t so unlikable, the romance isn’t terrible, and the overall story is somewhat entertaining and capable of keep you invested [not for long, though, but we’ll get there in a minute].

the first 40% or so were the highlight for me. although i will be honest beforehand: it had issues here and there because this book is far away from perfect. but those issues weren’t influencing my reading experience all that much and i was kind of having a fun time above everything. proof of that is that for a brief minute (emphasis on brief!) i actually considered giving this book a four star rating; i’m a strict rater and i rarely give those, so that says a lot.

but as you can notice, the rating is not four. the book, sadly, couldn’t keep up the momentum and my interest died a little after some time.

the main problem with The Right Move for me is its length. i’m a firm defender that contemporary romances book shouldn’t be almost (or over) 500 pages. well, if they have an engaging, complex plot that needs time to build, then yes, but quite frankly? most contemporary romances don’t have that, sorry. and this, right here, is one of them. i promise this is not me saying the plot wasn’t engaging — to an extent, and for awhile, it was. it just didn’t have a reason to be *that* long. i feel like if it was 100/150 pages shorter, the book would’ve been able to keep up the momentum until the end and my rating perhaps would’ve been higher.

another problem is that i personally didn’t feel any emotional connection with the protagonists. i couldn’t for the life of me love them as much as everyone did. initially i didn’t mind that a lot though because i believed that i still had enough time to fall in love with them later on (it’s a long ass book after all) but that just... didn’t happen. Ryan and Indy were both likeable, but that’s it i guess. there wasn’t anything really special about them, nothing that truly stood out and made me think “wow! i adore this character and i’m obsessed with them!” which sucks because i thought that i would feel different than that.

and same goes for their relationship — i didn’t quite feel emotionally connected to it. sure, i can say that it was cute, healthy, and occasionally fun to read about. but that’s about it. i knew i was supposed to be swooning and giggling and all that throughout the whole book, but to be honest i rarely did that. most of the time i felt either bored or normal reading their romantic scenes and never felt truly amazed. like i said: their romance was cute and healthy and sometimes fun, but it wasn’t exceptional. i personally didn’t get that fluttery feeling i crave from a romance book. i needed way more in order to enjoy myself further and find their love story unforgettable.

all that being said, i still understand why people love The Right Move. i really do. i even liked it to an extent — but in general, it sadly just didn’t quite hit the mark for me and i’m disappointed to say that my expectations weren’t met. above all, though, i still wholeheartedly think it was much, much better than Mile High and that’s something to cheer on.

[Kaila.Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ryan Shay the man that you are. I wept through the last 10% of this book. I love them so much… AND THE EPILOGUE 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[♥︎ Heather ⚔ (Semi-Hiatus-attempting return) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“Sometimes the quietest love is the loudest.”
(Although Liz Tomforde repeats that so often towards the end of the book I'm wondering if it's actually loud love lol)

Alright, jokes aside, I really enjoyed this so I'm giving ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ 3.25 Stars.

╰┈➤ I loved the setting, the fake dating, the banter was great. I loved the reference to reading romance novels with the FMC.

✨ I swear I laughed out loud so much at this : ↴✨

"Not so fast. If I'm going to even consider taking you to this wedding, I'm going to need to turn you into one of my book boyfriends first."
That earns a raised brow.
"Oh, come on. If we're going to be acting, we may as well go all in. Do you you know how to flare your nostrils in anger?"
My breakfast almost comes back up. "What?"
"If you see me across the room, talking to another man, I need you to stare intently then flare your nostrils. Or grind your molars together and tic your jaw."
"Blue-"
"Do you know how to growl?"
"What?"
"Yeah, I don't really know what that's supposed to sound like, but every one of my book boyfriends is big into growling. Oh! And can you darken your eyes?"
"Darken my eyes?"
"Yeah. When you pretend to get angry or act really turned on, can you darken your eyes?"
"No, I can't fucking darken my eyes. What the hell are you reading?"



╰┈➤ And don't even get me started on Ryan Shay - ya'll were not lying. I adore him! He was the sweetest and most patient and understanding man. Love him.

“Touch her and I’ll kill you. Say something that makes her upset and I’ll ruin your life. Look at her inappropriately and I will beat the living shit out of you.”



╰┈➤ I however did not love Indie, Indigo, Blue. In the beginning she was pretty cool and I was vibing with her but then... the desperation set in and she was basically panting and having a temper tantrum for the dick.



While overall I really enjoyed this story, I feel like there were a few different stopping points but Tomforde just kept going and gave some unnecessary third act events. So, a little long for a contemporary romance in my opinion but all in all a solid book.

‧˚₊•┈┈┈┈୨୧┈┈┈┈•‧₊˚⊹

🌷 Don't throw tomatoes at me bc it's not 5 stars lol Betty and Ayushi 🌷

[EmBibliophile · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read #2 (10/31/2024) 5 Stars.

Ryan Shay is my love language.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

5 stars

This is a book about “quiet love being the loudest” and god I loved that!!!!! I want Ryan Shay’s quiet love so bad!!

“You can’t stop being who you are because someone else thinks it’s too much, Ind. He can go find less.”

Ryan Shay set the bar for book boyfriends up so high!! He loves so quietly but so fiercely. He loves through his action not just with his words. He’s a robot who doesn’t trust easily, and that’s for a freakin valid reason. He’s a good freakin human being and needs to be protected! Who cares about grand gestures when you could have a man who loves like Ryan Shay loves Indy!

Ryan Shay’s guide on how to love quietly:

1- He learned ASL so he could talk to the her dad and tell him he loved his daughter without needing translation.
2- He brought her flowers and took care of them too much when she’s away that they died from being overwatered.
3- The way he made her coffee, put it in the fridge to cool so it wouldn’t get watered down when she added ice??
4- He built her a bookshelf.
5- He brushed her hair and braided it and that whole scene was just so wholesome.
6- The way he showed her over and over again with small subtle gestures how he cares and loves her without admitting it.

Indy on the other hand was so ✨charming✨ she was so charismatic, so emotional, so soft, so smart, so fierce, so romantic, so loyal, and so relatable. She reads romance to escape reality and romanticize everything. I love her so freakin much!!!

Those characters were a representation of what I want to have!! The quiet love between them through their actions. Their communication and how they talked about everything. The rules on the fridge. Their banter. The push and pull. The way they accepted each other different personality. Their deep conversations. The teasing slow burn I could barely handle. I loved all their domestic fluff so much. Also, the fact that this book is filled with hundreds highlights and beautiful quotes that I loved too much I couldn’t chose which to include in my review. Their romance and the way they loved each other was perfect to me.

#1 Mile high ~ 4 stars
#2 The right move ~ 5 stars

[SK · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars ✨

It's been a while since I wrote a rant review.
Welcome

Let me start with what worked and why it even managed to get a two star from me.

1. ✅Ryan Shay- I won't say he was a perfect book boyfriend but he was good enough to keep me interested. I loved how he took care of Indy, and noticed her little quirks. The fact he learned sign language cause of Indy and her parents was really sweet. Loved how he talked about her books obsession with her and always heard her out. I liked how open he was about vulnerabilities.

2. ✅The romance- It was okay. Didn't make me swoon. It was just sweet, the couple had their moments. Whenever the two were apart it made the book boring for me, which is not to say that that was a good thing. Am pretty sure I'll forget about them both soon.

3. ✅The epilogue- It was the sweetest thing. That's what touched my heart the most.

Coming to what didn't work for me. Brace yourself for the rant but I need to get this off my chest.

1. ❌INDY- I swear this woman oops girl, had just two numbheaded brain cells and both of those cells were working overtime. This girl is so damn pretentious and am sorry to say there's not one likable thing about her personality. She is highly immature. Highly annoying and has no boundaries whatsoever. She comes as a guest in someone's home and reorganizes everything on day 1 🚩 Then she cries about every little damn thing. Look, as an emotional person myself I know it's easy to cry at times but ffs spare me your crocodile tears every two pages. She also proceeds to move around wearing little to nothing and call Ryan's home as her own home when nothing significant has happened between the two. Am sorry if I sound petty but no, that's not on given that the two didn't even start as friends. Her lack of respect for others' boundaries baffles me. There was no character growth for her.

2. ❌Spice gone manipulative?- There's a moment in the book when the two are getting spicy and Ryan tells her to come only when she agrees not to move out. That's borderline manipulative as he is clearly taking advantage of her being on a high emotion. Let her be sober and think dude. And this is why Ryan won't make my list of book boyfriends.

3. ❌Stevie - got more annoying?? Someone tell Stevie to grow up and act like it instead of playing matchmaker...sorry 🤦‍♀️

Honestly, am just glad it's over now.

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ stars

“Sometimes the quietest love is the loudest,”

After reading the first book in this series, I knew I wanted Ryan Shay’s book asap. And when I saw it was with Indy… I was even more excited. This one was perfection. I'm 100% sure this is going to be a contender for my top read of 2023. Seriously, I was blown away.

Ryan is one of the biggest stars in the nba and has been made team captain of the Chicago Devils. He’s one of the best guys ever, but he doesn’t always come across warm or inviting. To his teammates, or just people in general. He’s close with his twin sister, Stevie, but aside from that has some major trust issues. Then enters Indy.

Indy is Stevie’s best friend and needs a temporary place to stay. Stevie sweet talks Ryan into this, even though it’s the last thing he wants. He’s one of those people that values his privacy and doesn’t like people in his space. But Indy, she invades his life in every way possible. And with time, he starts to like here there.

“And I’m messy. You don’t like messy.” 
“I like your mess.”  
“And I’m needy. I have no idea how to be alone.” 
“Good. I don’t want you to be alone. I want you to be with me.” 

Watching these two slowly fall for one another… it was beautiful. Ryan Shay is everything and Indy was incredibly relatable for me and I loved watching both of their growth in this story. Honestly, I feel like I could gush about this romance all day long. I want to reread it asap and can’t wait until it comes on audio so I can do just that.

If you’re looking for a best friends brother/sports romance with fake dating, and a grumpy/sunshine dynamic look no further. This one was truly perfect for me and there wasn’t a thing I didn’t love about it! Liz Tomforde is definitely an author to look out for, I have a feeling she's going to be a must read for me!

[Clace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still love, love, love Ryan but I don't hate, hate, hate Indy that much. rtc.
_
I love, love, love Ryan but I hate, hate, hate Indy 😭 so I have no idea how this will go for me 🤸

[ˋ✧*⁀➷ ʙᴇᴛᴛʏ (med school got me good) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ˋ✧*⁀➷ second read: this book should be renamed to Ryan Shay's Ultimate Guide To A Woman's Heart. nah cuz if a man asks for a memo, i'm giving him this. infact the government should gift free copies of this book to every man for the better progress of this society.

ˋ✧*⁀➷ first read:

"Sometimes history really means nothing when the right people walk into your life."

the perfect romance book doesn't exist- now it does.

this book is closest to perfection i can ever find in a romance book. i don't think i can point out a single flaw in this book even if i look for it with a magnifying glass.

lives were changed. souls were healed. tears were shed.

The Right Move is an epitome example of how a love story doesn't need to end in tragedies or have dramas to be epic and beautiful. it can be as simple as someone making a coffee for you. it can be as quiet as someone watering the plants for you. it can be as subtle as the person accepting the way you are, without trying to mould you to fit in societies expectations. "Sometimes, the quietest love is the loudest."

ryan shay... i'll never get tired gushing about this man😮‍💨 it's unfair how irl people can never be like ryan and indy. i'm talking about both men and women, they can never be as genuine as ryan and indy. these two are so... real, authentic, beautiful both inside and out. they make me so happy, they fill me with the contentment i haven't experienced in a romance book before. i wanna be friends with someone like them, and ofc i wanna marry someone like ryan🤭

the thing is ryan and indy aren't even someone out of the bound exceptional. they are simply humanity at it's raw form. this is how human beings are supposed to love; gradually, naturally, wholeheartedly. whether it's love towards your parents, friends or partner, this is how it is done. not some stupid ass bullying and degrading or mind games to lure someone in.

and this natural quite love is something that the romance authors fail to capture. they wanna make their characters perfect, flawless, swoony. they'll throw out swoony panty dropping statements at every other page to make us feel good BUT NO ONE TALKS LIKE THAT IRL!! they are so showy, so mindlessly extravagant, they wanna fill their romance with tropes rather than character depth. they tell us things rather than make us feel. quite love will always be superior whether it is fiction or reality and ryan shay is the epitome of this love🩷

i think a part of this book will forever stay with me. indy and ryan have so deeply engraved themselves in my soul, i would never be able to get rid of them even if i tried. i'm so so so in love with them.

this is the most beautiful, the most well crafted romance of all time. the best written slow burn out there. a literal masterpiece ✨

🏅 best book girlfriend: indy ivers.
🏅 best book boyfriend: ryan shay
🏅 best book couple: indy-ryan
🏅 best slow burn: the right move
🏅 best written romance: the right move

(even the smut was 🥵🥵)

thankyou liz tomforde for this perfection.

{P.S. how is Rio DeLuca single is beyond my understanding}

{P.S.2 i need Dom's book right this instant}

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2 ⭐️

[Phuong ✯ · Rating 4 out of 5]

protect my short 6'3 basketball championship king Ryan Shay at all costs. his only flaw is that he is not allowed to use BLUE™ as a term of endearment/nickname. Lance Orion has trademarked that word. 🤺

[farwa✩ (hiatus; exams) · Rating 4 out of 5]

the way this book took me by surprise should be an understatement because whatthefuck. liz tomforde in you i trust from now on🧎🏼NEVER STOP WRITING LIKE THIS PLEASE😭🙏🏼🫶🏼 . sometimes the angst whore in me screams for a breather, so here we are. this book was exactly what i needed at the moment. AND LET ME TELL Y’ALL THAT IT FUCKING DELIVERED. need something calm and fun and down to earth? look no further😌

so, basically this follows indy(h), she gets cheated on by her longtime boyfriend. devastated and heartbroken, she has nowhere to go so her bestie stevie, who is the twin sister of ryan(H), begs him to let him house her in his apartment for a while. at first he’s like pfft no bitch because a) she had a very bad impression on him the last time they crossed paths and b) he loves being alone and the last thing he’d want is to have a roommate. however, since he also loves his sister to death, he eventually agrees. little did they know, though, how everything would change from there on🤭

the tropes
➳sports romance
➳best friend’s brother
➳fake dating
➳forced proximity
➳slow burn(?)

even with a simple setup and premise, i felt so much while reading this. the bar is literally on the floor these days with every other contemporary romance feeling like nothing more than a set of tropes ffs but not once did i feel like that while reading this book. the story flowed naturally and smoothly: from their first interaction to the solid reason behind the fake dating aspect to their relationship developing into something they both did not see coming. i was right off the bat hooked. it was laid back and chill and not overly dramatic at all. also everything was handled and tackled in the most realistic way ever. the vibes, to me, were immaculate✨

THE CHARACTERS ˎˊ˗

⤷indy, gosh I LOVED HER😭😭 she’s confident, funny, smart, outgoing, she’s so caring and genuine. but at the same time, chaotic and VERY emotional too and she OWNS up to it!!! she has her moments of being flawed as well and that’s what made me love her more. and the amount of times i related to her jjadskjs😭. my favorite mirrorball girlie🥹💗

⤷ryan, y’all ryan shay. ryan motherfucking shay.



what an amazing man. what a delightful man. RAIL ME DADDY.
yes he was reserved, introverted, stoic but secretly?? he was a fucking sweetie. his vulnerable side was a sight to see truly. he had layers that i loved seeing getting peeled back slowly throughout the book. he’s the kind of guy who’d pay attention to every little detail in a room. i loved how he was both as an individual and how was with indy URGHAGSK PLEASE🧎🏼

THE ROMANCE ˎˊ˗
despite them being total opposites, their personalities were in sync with each other in the best way possible. her chaotic and colorful personality meshing well with his reserved and quiet one that wanted everything organized at all costs. it felt like a natural fit too, with their romantic relationship developing effortlessly🤌🏼. AND PLEASE THEIR BANTER/INTERACTIONS WITH EACH OTHER???

“I am emotional. But at least I’m not a fucking robot!” She motions towards me.
“At least I feel things. When’s the last time you felt something?”
“Well, currently I’m feeling amused”

“You’re what, Ryan?”
“I’m…worried about you, Ind. I was worrying about you the whole game.”
Her lips lift mischievously, her tone teasing. “Ryan Shay, do you care about me?”
“No.”
“You care about me.”
“No, I don’t, but I’d rather you not get kidnapped while I’m playing a fucking basketball game.” She moves her shoulders, dancing around the island.
“Ryan Shay cares about me!”
“You’re annoying.”

“Indy yawns, repositioning herself as I lay back on the bed. She rests her cheek on my bare chest and slings an arm over my waist.
“To be honest, my stack of pillows is much more comfortable than your chest, but I guess you’ll do.” She readjusts. “Seriously, Ryan, it’s like sleeping on a goddamn boulder.”
“You’re awfully whiney for a girl who’s practically burrowing her way into my skin right now.”
“Shut up.”

what stood out to me the most in this book was the emphasis on quiet attentive love being the loudest. the intimacy that came from how it was portrayed gradually?? LIZ I WANNA GIVE YOU A LIL KISSY ON THE LIPS. also ryan my man literally set the bar up so high istg💀 because of all the things he did for her(she deserved to be treated like that all the way though😤): anticipating her needs, being attentive and patient and understanding.

Maybe it’s acts of service. That could be your love language. Every morning you make sure my coffee is cold, so it doesn’t get watered down when I add ice. I’ve always noticed that.

IT’S ALWAYS THESE LITTLE THINGS THAT GET ME😭

⤷get you a man who learns ASL like ryan just so he can talk to her dad because according to him her family=his family🥺
⤷get you a man like ryan who builds a bookshelf like he did for her right beside his own because it looks more organized and cute in that way🥺
⤷get you a man who takes care of your flowers for you when you go to work when before she stepped into his apartment he never even bothered to look at flowers🥺


and the way indy cared for him was so heartfelt KSHEDJSNDK KILL ME. both of them encouraged themselves to come out of their shells and be better. their entire dynamic had me on my knees. i liked how indy’s heartbreak from her ex wasn’t just skimmed over. the progression from her getting over him and trusting her heart to fall for a better man was well done. i also appreciated how ryan’s hesitation and insecurities towards relationships in general was portrayed.

My heart has been his even when I thought I didn’t have any left of it to give.
He healed it when someone else broke it, and now it’s his forever. "

✎the sexual tension and chemistry between them??

“Stepping towards him, still blocking the drawer he needs to get into, my breasts press against his stomach, taking away any space between us. He can’t answer a question with that much sincerity after claiming he faked a kiss with me the other night.
I watch his throat bob in a swallow. “What are you doing?”
“Pretending.” I inch into his personal space, snaking my arms over his shoulders, my nails scratching the tight fade around his hairline. “Acting. Just how you pretended the other night when you kissed me.”
“Oh, yeah?” His neck bends, his lips ghosting over my jaw until his forehead falls onto my shoulder. “Mmm, that feels good,” he murmurs into me as I pull him closer.”

HELP.

“I was wondering—” He leans in closer across the island as he keeps his eyes locked on mine.
“Are you asking where I fuck, Blue?”

“Indigo Ivers, are you doing…dishes?”
I roll my eyes. “Is this what your wet dreams look like, Shay?”
“Essentially.”

YESSIR SPEAK YOUR TRUTH

“And I’m messy. You don’t like messy.”
“I like your mess.”
“And I’m needy. I have no idea how to be alone.”
“Good. I don’t want you to be alone. I want you to be with me.”

absolute husband material.

✎okay so why not 5 stars?
even though i loved the inclusion of indy’s fertility issues, i do wish it was a bit more explored. another thing i wanna talk about is that since it’s a long book and doesn’t have a LOT going on to make up for it, i gotta admit i got bored a few times, so i feel it could've been cut down a bit, at least personally speaking, because recently i’ve been hating the trend going around certain contemporary romance novels being so. fucking. long. unnecessarily.

✨all in all though, i had a really good time reading it. i loved this book and indyryan and it doesn’t deserve to be slept on at all✨

“You’re chaotic as fuck, Blue, but you bring me more peace than anyone else.”

🥹🔫

also, i can’t wait for kai and rio to have their own books in the series and fuck me up🫦

┌── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──┐
song recs:
malibu nights by lany
fallin’ all in you by shawn mendes
forever&more by role model

[Iqra · Rating 5 out of 5]

RyanIndy = love. As far as I’m concerned they invented the word.

"But I spend a lot of your money."
"Someone needs to."
"And I'm messy. You don't like messy."
"I like your mess."
"'And I'm needy. I have no idea how to be alone."
"Good. I don't want you to be alone. I want you to be with me."




─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──

Whose jealous I’m reading this for the first time 🤭

[annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

It's a me problem, for sure, but whenever a book starts getting honey-dripping sweet I start losing interest. I'm a sucker for angsty romance, so I quickly get bored from sweet romance. THIS BOOK? It's great. THEIR RELATIONSHIP? More than amazing. MY PROBLEM? It could have easily been trimmed down to 300 pages! It started off great and fast-paced, and the middle was awesome, but after hitting the 250-page mark, it just dragged on and got a bit repetitive (fluff in diff fonts and mindless banter).

I can't stress this enough, but contemporary romance should stay between 250-300 pages, or max 350, because that's more than enough. If there's no real plot or substance, there's no need to stretch it out. The writing was good and easy, but I found myself skimming through a lot at the end. 😭

• Ryan Shay & Indigo Ivers:

Ryan's back must've hurt because of carrying this whole book 😭. He's just so damn perfect ughhh, and everything he did for Indy? more than bare minimum hsksjs 🥰 He's incredibly thoughtful, genuine, and kind, and his flaws and insecurities were portrayed perfectly. and he's SUPER POSESSIVE!

His whole personality and the way he keeps things to himself? It all just clicks with his backstory, and it all makes sense. Just like Indy, he's been through a bad breakup and it's no wonder he was a hopeless romantic too.

Indigo is pretty good. She didn't come across as a pick me type at all, but in the first 10%, she got a little annoying when she was being all whiny and calling Ryan sick and a monster just because of his robotic personality. well it was nothing new, it's like a canon event for every sunshine FMC. Other than that, she's nice, fun, and an amazing person to be with.

One thing that really stands out is that both their flaws are portrayed well, and nothing is left out. Their whole relationship gradually builds up, from being strangers with a bad impression of each other to becoming friends and then lovers.

The COMMUNICATION in this book is just spot on. They're not afraid to share their feelings and thoughts with each other. Imagine just freely saying embarrassing stuff to each other without holding back – yeah, that's what they did. It was seriously refreshing. 💕

» I'm gonna list the nice things Ryan did because this book had no plot and just kept going…

1. He learned ASL because her father is deaf, and he wanted to communicate with him.
2. He made her coffee before going to practice and put it in the fridge because she likes cold coffee (OK, I WANT THIS SO BADLY BECAUSE I FREAKING LOVE COLD COFFEE).
3. He bought her a bed, bookshelf, and let her decorate his entire apartment.
4. He comforted and took care of her when she was sick.
5. He paid for her treatment, let her live in his apartment for free.
6. Full princess treatment: carrying her to the car, opening car doors, brushing and braiding hair, making breakfast for her.

There's more because he's an amazing BOYFRIEND 🧎‍♀️ Soooo other than this all this book is kinda nice but forgettable. but definitely a super healthy relationship book lolol 🤝🏻

[Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is everything 😭🩷

Reread: 5 ⭐️ forever 😭 the definition of if he wanted to, he would

[luna_inthesouth · Rating 4 out of 5]

He did live up to the hype!!🤭🤭

I'm in a review slump so that's all I have to say sorry!

4 stars!🌟

---------------------------------------
Ryan Shay's reputation is something to talk aboutttt please be good!!🤞

[Gry ☾ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.25 ★'s
This is not a rant review, because I am simply too indifferent to this book.
I just finished it and I feel like it's already forgotten.

This book has lots of tropes going for it, but actually reading it, it feels like they were mostly just there for marketing purposes? Because none of them were actually played out right, and it made for an incredibly meh 500 page romance. I'm not sure if it actually can be classified as fake dating when they went to one event at the start of the book as a fake couple, but then instantly starting to have feelings for one another.

Looking back, I cannot pinpoint when, how or where they fell in love. They just suddenly were.
It felt very insta-attraction-lust-lovey and I couldn't care less about them. I can definitely see what Indy sees in Ryan, but what Ryan sees in her(outside good looks) I have no clue.
The third act conflict was another headache, where they both are just overthinking and undercommunicating. All it succeeded with was making me frustrated.

✧ “Do you think I’m a trainwreck, Ryan?”
“You’re more like a cute little fender bender.” ✧

Trainwreck, fender bender, natural disaster?
Idk, all I know is that Indy was annoying as fuck. Even though she says that she is "just like every other chick", she was incredibly hard to relate or connect to. There's zero growth or emotional maturity to her character. Do I understand that she was sad about her past? Yes(it was mentioned every few pages, hard to ignore), but there was nothing in this for us to actually feel with her.
Even though her persona is supposed to be a people pleaser and a nurturer, she comes across as very inconsiderate and egoistic. Like when did she ever please the people??
Also, it's so ridiculous how she states that she's "not some blonde Barbie without a brain" because she knew the name of a plant, and could tell east from west? I'm sorry, but it's giving pick me.✋
She was fine as a side character and friend to Stevie, but she should've stayed that way.

Ryan was the main highlight to this book, and I would've eaten all of his actions up so much more if it was for a more interesting fmc. I honestly cared more about his team, leadership skills and bromance with Zander than the actual romance. He is a cutie though, and he deserves the world.
However, I did find the same issue here that there was a disconnect to his past and trauma, which I do simply believe comes down to the writing.

The two stars are for Ryan, Zander & Stevie snippets and Rio.🫡

Windy City #1 - Mile High Review
Windy City #2 - The Right Move Review
Windy City #3 - Caught Up Review
Windy City #4 - Play Along Review
_____________
⌞Pre-read:⌝

I already love Ryan, so I feel like this will be an easy sell. It's mostly Indy I'm uncertain about, but eager to read this nonetheless🤭

[Bailee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Ryan MF’N Shay!!!!!!! This was so bingeable, and also made for my acts of service girlies (like myself). I honestly didn’t know if I was going to like this after trying to read Mile High in the past and DNFing it, but this was GREAT.

[Lilyya ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars.

“ Sometimes the quietest love is the loudest,”

Well I enjoyed the previous book in the series and was quite excited for this one ! I swear, Best friend’s brother romances are so underrated ! Was I excepting it to turn out as one of my favorite romances ever? Nope, absolutely not !

Where do I even begin with ?

Indigo needed somewhere to live so she could set some money aside to deal with her health issues ( I’ll phrase it this way. Please, check the trigger warnings it might be a sensitive subject for some.) Being a flight attendant didn’t pay much plus her health assurance didn’t cover the cost, she was in a delicate situation after leaving unexpectedly her ex-apartment. Rayan was a lone wolf, and it lasted five years, since his one and final relationship ended badly. They became roommates because Rayan couldn't deny his twin sister a thing. She was the only thing he ever cared about at the exception of his sport. Rayan was a little mean with Indigo at the beginning ‘cause he valued his quiet and peaceful condo and she was a messy nuisance. With all the frenzy that came with his title as the best NBA player even internationally; the intimacy of his appartement was his only escape, Up until her. Indigo was an emotional mess at that time because she had ended a six years relationship with her childhood best friend whom cheated on her without any remorse.

The romance was so well done, literally a masterpiece. The transitions from strangers to friends to lovers are globally the sum’ of me being here, reading endless and endless contemporary romances.

“I want you, Indy. I want us. I want our little life we’ve built even when we thought we were pretending. I want you in our house because you’ve made it a home. I want your mess and your chaos. I want your genuine smiles, ”

The little attentions, the awareness of every single shifts in the mood, learning about each other and building a tight friendship based on trust and a mutual respect and being reconnaissent and grateful for earning it just put the growing romance to an other level.😭

“ Do you trust me?” 
“Yes.” 
Looking over at her, her expression is soft, hopeful. 
“What?” 
She shakes her head. “Nothing. I just know how big that is coming from you.”

The two of them worked together on changing little by little their habits to accommodates so they could live in harmony under the same roof —when they didn’t have to, just because they wanted to— All that without being in the shadow of the success of one or the other, or overwhelmed by the ambitions or needs that accompany their works. My point is, love is a lot about compromises but also accepting the others for what they truly are and never trying on changing them to accommodate some society models and those two understood the assignment perfectly.

“And I’m messy. You don’t like messy.”
“I like your mess.” 
“And I’m needy. I have no idea how to be alone.”
“Good. I don’t want you to be alone. I want you to be with me.”  

Rayan accepted Indigo with all the nuances of her personality, the heartbreaking yet hopeless romantic. The hot blond with a cheerful personality and a high IQ. With all the scars that came with her traumatic, last relationship.

“My heart has been his even when I thought I didn't have any left of it to give. 
He healed it when someone else broke it, and now it’s his forever. " 💙

They fully listened and talked honestly about their feelings, never afraid to speak their minds in and out their relationship! No immature displays. Maybe near the end we came across a tiny misunderstanding situation but it was promptly resolved ‘cause they actually ✨communicated ✨.

Communication is the key, kids!

Absolutely loved the dynamics and friendships in the book! And witnessing how Rayan tried to be a better captain; working on his trust issues and the recluse persona he painted himself with years ago. It was tightly related to the sequelae that came with his previous dating life. Funny ‘cause at the begging Indigo was as convinced as him that she would never fall in love again. That was so ironic because the two of them thought they were so different as one a ray of sunshine with a tendency to be messy and the other a permanent grumpy maniac. Yet, they were dealing with the same issues and it was one of the major parts that made them a perfect match, meant to be. Both understood the traumas and bagages that came with their pasts, and never judged them for it.

“But you’re not confused anymore?”
“No. Because it’s become clear as day that you’re meant for me.”

The book has the perfect amount of fake dating! And I was here to devour every scene.😋

[ess ✶ · Rating 1 out of 5]

more like the wrong move. DNF at 55%.

[Lau ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book you were supposed to love yet end up having to force yourself to finish?


Indy is a girl with simple dreams: create a family to love and live happily ever after. His boyfriend had other plans-plans that involved another girl and a bed. Heartbroken and without a place to stay, Indy finds herself sharing a flat with her best friend’s brother, Ryan Shay, who seems to be counting down the days to be alone again. Why is it so difficult to find people to share her love with?


Ryan Shay has learned the hard way that being a basketball superstar comes with a lot of sacrifices. Everyone wants something from him, so every new person he meets is a potential farce. No one-night stands, no friends, no partying and definitely not flatmates. But his twin sister is his achilles heel, so he ends up being set with the messiest, kindest girl. He only needs a glance to understand Indy is about to put his well-thought plans outside down.


Before I get in deep about why I think this didn’t work for me, I have something to say: I love heroes like Ryan. He’s the reason why it pains me that I couldn’t get into the book, no matter how hard I tried. He’s the reason why I kept reading even if I was feeling nothing. We need more heroes like him in romance. i can’t believe i’m saying this but heroes are not everything.


First, let me introduce you to the characters. Indy is the kind of person full of love, she loves taking care of people even when they don’t deserve it. Her whole life broke when she discovered that her childhood best friend and sweetheart, the person she always thought was going to give her a ring and fill their house with kids, was nothing but a cheater. Here we have the first problem. I didn’t have a single bad thought about Indy, but I also couldn’t relate with her at all. It’s not that I don’t want a soulmate and a family, but that’s not all I want in life. Indy was extremely passive, letting people who didn’t care about her taking advantage of her and unable to say ‘no’ and move on. Again, I respect her but I wasn’t exactly interested in reading about her.


Basketball aside, Ryan Shay’s wildest dreams align with Indy’s, but he is determined to leave the dating for when he retires, when meeting a girl who loves him for who he is will be safer. Everything in his life is well-planed, controlled and very lonely. I understood Ryan. Trusting people is difficult enough for average people like me, I would also disappear from the face of the earth if I were him.


I also understand why his twin thought having Indy in his life will be good for him, but Ryan has trust-issues and almost forcing him to share the only place he felt safe in with a complete stranger rubbed me the wrong way. But I understand forced proximity, so I went along with it-until the second trope came in.


Fake dating is a hard trope to execute realistically, so it was no surprise when I reached page 50 and realized it was not going to work for me this time. Let me narrate the scene for you. We have Ryan’s boss telling him that a partner will be good for his image, while Indy is in the room. Without missing a beat, Ryan tells him he’s actually dating her. Problem solved, right? Only that I could never see someone like Ryan, who cherishes his privacy, who loves to control every single moment of his life, making a decision like that without asking Indy first. Just go home and ask her, that was all I needed. I know this is a romance and that they will end up being happily ever after and that Indy doesn’t care because she’s into Ryan. But I wanted to feel like I was reading a real love story, and I couldn’t. I feel like a broken record, but a lot of MF romances that are getting popular now are too full of tropes to feel real. And I get some people don’t care, but it gets me out of the story every time I find a character I thought I knew doing something that feels out of place only to fit yet another trope. I should have dnfed the book right there, but I was loving it until that part so I decided to keep going.


It didn’t get better. I felt so detached from the story that I found myself skipping even the smut. I could rant about everything that got on my nerves but I think the main problem was that I wasn’t vibing with the writing, so the moment it stopped being fun, I wasn’t able to care again.


Before I finish, I want to say I appreciated the author adding the infertility rep. That’s a problem a lot of couples have and is barely addressed in romance.


Overall, you’ll probably enjoy The Right Move a lot more than me if you don’t care about some unrealistic adjustments made to the plot/characters in order to fit the tropes.


↬ Windy City:
1. Mile High: not read
2. The Right Move: 2 stars
3. Caught Up: 3 stars
4. Play Along: 2.75 stars
5. Rewind it Back: 4 stars✨

[cherie ^_-★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.75 stars ⭐️
⤷ minor spoilers ahead!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

”Sometimes the quietest love is the loudest.”

period!!! actions speak louder than words everyone ~

ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ryan 🏀
ladies and gentlemen, ryan shay is officially at the top of my book bf list.

he acts all cold on the outside but he’s actually a softie on the inside AND I ABSOLUTELY LOVE MEN WHO ARE LIKE THAT 🤭 he’s not just loyal, attentive, loving, understanding, and patient. he can also cook, drive, is financially well-off, and a NBA PLAYER??!! HE’S THE WHOLE FREAKING PACKAGE!!! 😭

i enjoyed seeing him all jealous, protective, and possessive over indy 🤭🤭🤭 i was also trying to guess what his love language(s) was/were, but it became clear his love languages were everything over time (with acts of service being his number 1 love language of course).

”At some point, I should probably tell her that my love language is whichever one she wants it to be so she can stop guessing. I’ll make sure that girl feels loved however she needs.”

the part where ryan used sign language actually made me tear up 🥹 he video-called indy’s mom regularly to learn sign language and even attended classes so he could communicate with her family 😭😭😭 never settle for less ladies 🥲

”Why are you learning sign?”
“Because they’re your family and you’re mine, and the fact you even have to ask is mind-blowing to me. Learning to communicate with your family is the bare minimum, Ind. And because I love you and when I tell your dad that, I’ll be the one to say it.”

ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ indigo 💙
i’ve always thought indigo was more purple than blue, but ryan’s nickname for her was blue soooo!!

i adore indy so much. she’s cheerful, witty, attractive AND adorable?! gosh… 😫

one problem i had with her was that although she clearly cared for ryan, her lust seemed to overshadow her feelings for him in the first half of the book 😖✋🏻

i also found it pretty infuriating how she was unable to empathize with ryan in certain situations initially. for example, when ryan was injured, she told him she DIDN’T WANT TO LISTEN TO WHATEVER HE WAS SAYING AND WANTED TO SPEND THE REST OF HER NIGHT ALONE IN HER ROOM instead of trying to understand his stress and panic. like what??! i understand she thought he was fortunate that his injury wasn’t worse, but bbg, getting injured is like, A REALLY BIG DEAL for sports athletes!!! however, she was able to empathize more with him eventually, and i appreciated her character development.

i also appreciated how she made him realize that it was okay to be human and she loves him for who he is.

”Maybe words of affirmation is his love language. Maybe it’s quality time. I’m not sure, but I’m going to become fluent in them all until Ryan understands just how much I love him. How much I want him for his heart and not for his name. Though, one day, I wouldn’t mind taking that too.”

ᡣ𐭩.ᐟ ryan and indy
the tension between them was intenseee. their situations were similar yet a little different too, and i’m glad they overcame their traumas in the end.

also, the playlist was freaking perfect. listening to it while reading really helped set the mood 💯🤌🏻

overall, i ate this book up and i’m so excited to read the rest of the windy city series 🩷

[moniqueॱ◌̥*⃝̣ ⋆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

too many/5⭐️

This was so good… SO FUCKING GOOD!!! I thought Mile High was amazing but this one?!?! Oh my lord… I’m not exaggerating when I say that this is one of the best sport romances I’ve ever read!! And I’m definitely not kidding when I say that Ryan Shay is one of the best book bfs ever!!!!!

Like the things he did for her????? Learning sign language because her dad is deaf? Open up to her about his past traumas?? Reading her romance books??? ADAPTING HIS LOVE LANGUAGE TO WHICHEVER SHE PREFERS AND WANTS?!?!?!
How can someone be this perfect?! I’m not even kidding when I say that he also made me fall in love with him.

Indy is also an absolute angel. I adore her so much!! She’s such a strong character and she’s literally the definition of sunshine!! And the amazing thing is that being a sunshine character is not her only personality trait!!! Grumpy x sunshine can be ruined so easily but Liz Tomforde just knew how to write it and did definitely not disappoint!!
There’s so much depth to Indy’s characters and it made me love her even more and she deserves the absolute world!!!

Also the tropes that were included in this book??? I’m obsessed. Fake-dating, roommates, best friend’s brother, grumpy x sunshine, opposites attract, SO MUCH FORCED PROXIMITY?!?!?! This book was absolutely made for me!!

And even though there were many tropes, you can see that the plot wasn’t only purely based around them! There was so much more to it than you might expect from a sports romance book. Dealing with past traumas, infidelity, anxiety and so much more!
I just love how Liz Tomforde writes and creates her characters, story and plot!! She just knows how to create the perfect love story while also including different important topics which need to represented and talked about!!

I’m also in love how she’s building up this world of different characters and introducing them without it being too much or too confusing!!
And the appearance of characters from her former novels and seeing how their relationships and lives are going made me so happy and love this book even more!!

Liz Tomforde is slowly turning into a favourite author of mine!! I’m already so excited for the next book in the series!! It was already hinted at in this book, what book 3 is going to be about and I’m already so stoked to see it come to life because I know I will absolutely devour it!!!

Overall, this is my new all-time favourite sports romance and romance book!! I highly recommend this to anyone who hasn’t read this book yet, because if you haven’t then wth are you doing???? Get to reading this masterpiece right now!!!