Volviendo a empezar

Windy City #5

by Liz Tomforde, Yolanda Casamayor Corderi (Translator), Amaya Zorriqueta Ruiz (Translator)

HALLIE

A los once años, mi familia se mudó al lado de la suya.

A los trece, fue mi primer amor.

A los dieciséis, nos enamoramos el uno del otro.

Y a los diecinueve, nos rompimos mutuamente el corazón.

Seis años después, he conseguido unas prácticas con un famoso diseñador de interiores en otra ciudad. Por desgracia, la misma en la que él juega al hockey.

Pensaba que Chicago era lo suficientemente grande como para evitarlo, hasta que me llevo la sorpresa de mi vida y, sin saberlo, me mudo justo a la puerta de al lado. ¿Lo peor? El proyecto de reforma que me han asignado, con el que espero convertir esas prácticas en el trabajo a tiempo completo de mis sueños…

… es su casa.

Pero ¿cómo se supone que voy a transformar su nidito de soltero en un hogar familiar cuando ni siquiera soportamos estar en la misma habitación?

Puede que una vez amara a Rio DeLuca, pero ya no soy esa chica.

RIO

Nunca pensé que sería el último soltero de mi grupo de amigos. Pero tras años intentando encontrar el amor, he llegado a la conclusión de que quizá ya no exista para mí.

Eso hasta que, sin querer, contrato a Hallie Hart para que reforme mi casa y nuestra vieja historia me hace evocar recuerdos que he mantenido en secreto durante años.

A ver, hay algo que mis amigos no saben.

Esa conexión que perseguía desde que me mudé a Chicago, esa persona a la que algunos buscan durante toda la vida... Yo ya la había encontrado a los doce años.

Y, ahora, la única chica a la que he amado se muda a la casa de al lado.

Otra vez.

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Second Chance, Sports, Friends To Lovers, Hockey, Contemporary Romance

448 pages, Paperback

First published May 20, 2025

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

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Then it's the ten of us. How it was always supposed to be … I look around at the entire group. Friends are the family you choose, and I've got to say, I've got the best family a guy could ask for.”

Since mile high, I felt a profound sense of adoration for Rio, just wishing he’d get his book and as the series continued on that adoration grew more. I was a sucker for this lovable clingy man who was so unapologetically himself in caring and showing how much he loves on the people around him. I can’t believe we’ve reached the end to this series. I’m gonna miss the found family here; the group chats, Sunday dinners, the bromance, and the overbearing sisterly girls nights that I valued seeing rio happily indulge in.

”Meeting on that roof, listening to music. Getting the opportunity to fall in love with you is my best memory, and all I can do is hope that one day you'll let me do it again."

I’m happy rio and Hallie got their second chance. It was 6 years of wanting, waiting, regret, and memories wrapped up—that the pull and the reminder of seeing/thinking of each other in everything was palpable. I do wish so much time didn’t pass given the reason but I loved seeing how the nostalgia of it all consumed them both in a myriad of ways. Especially Rio whenever he slipped up in the beginning and was endearingly needy 😂

"Are you sure that's not just a first-love thing?" “No, baby. It's a last-love thing."

While this wasn’t as angsty and emotionally driven in the way I expected—I still loved it. Loved that Hallie was protective of Rio. Him too. And I mean the unexpected possessiveness and yearning we get from him?? love. their story was mostly heartwarming and romantic and I wish we got more of it.

The way Rio went from watching everyone he loved around him fall in love, and the ways in which he paid attention to how that love looked like in transforming all of their lives—just waiting for his turn all this time made my heart feel so full for him knowing he got it 🥹 all I have left to say is; I was indeed left wanting more (bonus scene of what happened next after the epilogue), I’m gonna miss everyone , and I can’t wait for Monty and Reese’s book for some crumbs and Liz’s next series!! I had no idea how to rate this as I was in between 4 or 5 stars but 5 felt right.

Some other quotes

“You were everywhere. In the music I listened to. In the house I live in. I tried to compare every single person I met to you, but there was no comparison.”

I've known almost every iteration of this woman and have loved each version. She has been my favorite person since I was twelve, and fifteen years later, that hasn't changed.

Any memories I wish I could rewind and relive are all the ones he and I have had over the years, growing up together. Learning each other. Falling for each other.

“I want to rewind all of it, Hallie. I want to remember everything. You made sure we could remember our first years together, so I made sure we would remember this one.” 

"You held your parents' relationship on a pedestal as this ideal picture of what love should look like, but I didn't view my parents' relationship that way." I take his face in my hands, making sure his attention is on me. “That's how I viewed ours."

“You're my home. Being loved by you for the rest of my life is the only dream of mine that's never wavered. There's no doubt in my mind that I'm already exactly where I want to be."

“The house has always been yours, Hallie. Ours. It was just waiting for you to come make it a home."
-
the wait is finally over 😭 theres always that one side character that deserves a book out of everyone and thats rio

[Marianna Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

NO STOP IT CANNOT BE OVER I ACTUALLY REFUSE TO SAY GOODBYE!!!! No like why can’t I stop crying im so emotional I love this world and these characters so much they feel like my family!!! That being said it was such a bittersweet ending to the series and I couldn’t be happier with how this book went!

Rio and Hallie my babiesssssss I love them so much your honor! God the perfect example how why I love second chance romance so damn much! And add on friends to lovers. No I can’t they were so wholesome and also pulled at my heart so deeply! The longing and yearning and yearsssss of love!!! Them not seeing each other for 6 years and her showing up as his next door neighbor and interior designer no.. no I can’t. The way this man did every single thing with her in mind and never once stopped loving her!!!!

Rio. I have no words for you sir. I knew you’d have me on my knees and you did not disappoint I’m actually SWEATING I need a million cold showers. Our silly goofy golden retriever is possessive and jealous and has THE FILTHIEST MOUTH ON HIM but is also a gentlemen?!!! No I need him. Kai is still my favorite don’t get it twisted but I’m absolutely feral. This man is so pathetically down bad and in love with her I want to actually pass away. He literally never went a day without thinking about her and my poor heart can’t take it.

Hallie was also PERFECT!!!!! Talk about an independent and confident QUEEEEENNNNN I loved her so much just like every other FMC in this series! And the girl friendships no I can’t, I feel like I’m a part of their group!

Speaking of friendships, getting all the characters back together had me in tears because I love them so much, their little found family makes me so happy. Seeing all the couples so in love and thriving like YES I NEEDED THAY!!! How obsessed all these guys are with their wives!!! Ugh the Kai and miller crumbs. No I can’t I can’t take it. Just all of them. No no it’s not over nope.

There are so many little things that had me screaming that I won’t say because spoilers but like this was everything and Rio and Hallie now hold a special place in my heart like the rest of the characters!!

“She has been my favorite person since I was twelve, and fifteen years later, that hasn’t changed.”

“Getting the opportunity to fall in love with you is my best memory, and all I can do is hope that one day you’ll let me do it again.”

“You sure look good in my shirt for not being mine.”
“Get fucked, DeLuca.” I smile as I open the door.
“Would love to. You just let me know when and where, Hart.”

“Besides Indy, we’re all a bunch of transplants from other places who found a home in the windy city…and with each other. I’ll speak for all ten of us when I say, there’s nowhere else we’d rather be. “

[Sara Carrolli · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a bittersweet ending 😭😭😭😭😭

Anticipating rio’s story from the beginning & it did NOT disappoint!!!!! I loved getting his POV and finally understanding why he hasn’t found love yet - BC HES STILL IN LOVE WITH HIS FIRST LOVE!!!! It’s impacted him that hard!!!!!

Rio was so soft but also so SURE of what he wanted the entire book and watching him finally get the love of his life back (& also seeing the past chapters of how they first fell in love) was wonderful!!!!! “Rewind it back” was tied in to so many specific scenes and I loved it every time. There’s a mini trope in here towards the end that you knowwww I ate up

The pacing personally was a bit slower, but nonetheless I loved Hallie and her journey, I loved seeing her become the final piece to the friend group, I loved the scenes with everyone together, and I love this found family!

(Now give me Monty’s book thank you sm 🥰)

[Lilyya ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

i’m honestly so sad the series came to an end. i’ve been here from the very beginning, when Mile High first came out, and followed every single release like it was tradition. but this one… something was missing. i can’t quite put my finger on it, but i just wasn’t as invested in the characters or their relationship as i thought i’d be.

it felt kinda flat. from start to finish. the reason behind their breakup was predictable from the early chapters, and yet the story dragged for over 400 pages just to “reveal” something i saw coming.
.
.
.

/!\
mini spoiler: i probably gave it a more generous rating than it deserved just because both mcs stayed celibate for six years (since they broke up), which i actually appreciated.

[Yana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I refuse to believe that this series is over. Bc if I think a little too hard about it I will literally SOB myself into a mental breakdown. Like what do you mean it’s over?! Like what do you mean RIO was THAT fucking good, like I knew he was gonna deliver, but wow, this man….. I AM OBSESSED W EVERYTHING about this book 10/10, no notes. The ending was the most full circle moment ever and made me sob uncontrollably, and honestly I’m still not ready to revisit that.

[Ri ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Then it’s the ten of us. How it was always supposed to be.

you can take the girl out of the windy city series, but not the windy city series out the girl ❤️‍🩹

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
if i disappear for a couple hours from this world then it's all because my favourite boy is finally home 🤭❤️

RIO'S BOOK IS A NEED. but wdym it's coming 2025 🤨

[maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 2.75 ✰

╰┈➤ minor spoilers mentioned

This could have been an email fr (I’m being serious)

What a disappointment. After months of waiting for Rio’s book, I can’t believe it turned out to be so painfully mid.

Honestly, no one is more upset about not loving this book than I am. From the moment Rio’s book was announced, I was ecstatic. And when it was revealed to be a second chance romance? My favorite trope of all time? I told myself, “This is it. Rio and second chance? The perfect combination.” I had such high hopes. I was ready to fall in love. But instead, I ended up with the biggest letdown of the year so far. 😪

If I’m being brutally honest, if this book had been part of a different series—if it were any other standalone or unrelated story—I probably would’ve given it 1 star. That’s how underwhelmed I was. But I have so much love for this series overall that I couldn’t bring myself to rate it lower than 2.5 stars. That emotional attachment definitely influenced my rating. Because as a finale, this just didn’t deliver.

Before diving into the negatives, I want to acknowledge something important: this series truly is one of my all-time favorites. I have a terrible habit of not finishing series—I always seem to leave the last book hanging for some reason—but I stuck with this one all the way through. And now that it’s over, I feel incredibly bittersweet. Saying goodbye to these characters, to this found family I grew to love so much, feels like closing a chapter in my own life. (Except for Miller—she could disappear off the face of the earth and I wouldn’t care. Sorry, not sorry.) The found family aspect in this series was done so well. It made me feel like I was part of something special. Every installment gave me moments that made me laugh, cry, and fall in love right alongside the characters. For that, I’m genuinely grateful. This series will always hold a special place in my heart. Which is why it’s so frustrating that the final book, Rio’s book, had all the potential to be a 5-star read—and yet, I ended up hating so much of it.

I’m also excited for the Wilder family to have their own series, its obvious Wren is going to be the mc of the first book because the initials of her first and last name is the same lol.


・❥・My biggest problem with this book?

I didn’t feel a damn thing.

While I was reading, I kept seeing review after review of people saying they were sobbing, absolutely wrecked. So naturally, I got excited. I grabbed my tissues, bracing myself for an emotional rollercoaster—only to sit there dry-eyed and confused as dust literally gathered on my tissue box. Not a single tear. Not even a lump in my throat.

The emotions I usually feel when reading a second chance romance? Completely nonexistent here. And I love second chance romances, I live for them. Like, there’s a high probability that if a book features that trope, I’ll cry at least once. But this one? It left me completely numb. It wasn’t just underwhelming—it was a full-on snoozefest. What made it worse was how lazy the flashbacks felt. Normally, I need flashback chapters in a second chance romance. They help me understand how the relationship started, where it went wrong, and why I should root for them to find their way back. But in this case? The flashbacks were painfully repetitive. Sure, they were cute the first time, but it was the exact same scene every year: go to the roof, play a song, explain the meaning, think about how in love they are, rinse and repeat. It didn’t give any real insight into the past. It just felt like filler. Cute filler, but filler nonetheless. And maybe it’s because I’ve read some amazing second chances lately, but this one was honestly one of the most emotionless, surface-level attempts at the trope I’ve come across.

・❥・The angst?? Where was it??
Does this book even know what angst is?? This is a second chance romance—angst is supposed to be a core ingredient. But this had zero. Nothing. Flatline. I’m genuinely mad that a book in my favorite trope didn’t deliver on any of the emotional beats that make second chance romances so good. Second chance romance without angst is like pasta with no sauce. It’s just… dry and sad.

・❥・the epilogue
Don’t even get me started. That epilogue was one of the most underwhelming things I’ve ever read. Two months later? That’s how we’re ending a whole series? Seriously? For a story that’s supposed to wrap everything up, give us closure, and leave us feeling full of warmth and nostalgia, it felt like a throwaway scene. I'm not saying I needed a five-year time jump, but at least a year would have added more weight, more emotion. Instead, it just felt like the series fizzled out.
And where were the group scenes? I get it—this is Rio’s book, not everyone else’s—but this is the finale of a beloved series. It’s normal to expect a little more from the supporting cast we’ve grown to love. And when they did finally show up? It felt vague and hollow.

・❥・Repetition absolutely killed this book.
The same thoughts, the same dialogue, the same situations—on loop. I got so tired of hearing how Rio would "cover the tails of Hallie’s heart." Like girl, we get it. Move on. If I had to read one more time about Rio “covering the tails of Hallie’s heart” I was going to cover the book with a blanket and pretend it never existed. And the “you broke my heart, but I still love you” followed by “I can’t tell you what happened six years ago because I don’t trust you”? They just kept circling the same emotional cul-de-sac. Around the 60% mark, nothing new was happening, just recycled drama with zero progression.

・❥・And I did like the idea of music being their love language—it was a cute concept—but how am I supposed to connect if you don’t even name the songs? Half the time they were just “listening to music,” like okay… what music? Lyrics matter! Vibes matter! Don’t tease me with a whole musical connection and then give me nothing.
To be fair, the book started strong. I was into it, ready to root for them. But then it slowed down to a crawl. People complain about the length of Mile High—and yet they devoured this book as if it wasn’t nearly the same length. And at least Mile High had characters who felt realistic and had actual problems. Here, everything dragged. The plot “mystery” could have been revealed way earlier, and honestly, it was so obvious that by the time it finally came out, it barely registered as a twist.
Of the 450-ish pages, maybe 100 of them were meaningful. The rest? Pure filler.

And don’t even get me started on the miscommunication. the #1 enemy of romance books. I hate miscommunication as a plot device, and this entire story hinged on it. All their problems—past and present—could have been avoided if they just opened their mouths and talked. I can maybe excuse the lack of communication six years ago (maybe), but to still avoid the conversation in the present? Come on. Grow up.

One of the biggest issues I had with this book was how superficial both main characters felt. It’s as if the author tried to give them depth by throwing in bits of background information, but forgot to fully develop or explore those elements. There was far too much telling and not enough showing, which made it difficult to connect with them on an emotional level. As a result, both characters lacked genuine development and complexity.

Hallie is a character I feel completely indifferent toward. I don’t hate her—but I definitely don’t like her either. That said, I reserve my actual hate for Miller😁 (even though Hallie has a similarly forced wittiness, which might be why I struggled with her too). Her personality seemed to revolve around two things: being an interior designer and making mixtapes. That’s all we really get. Her identity felt so one-dimensional. It’s like the entirety of her character could be summed up with “she likes to rearrange furniture and curate playlists.” Her inner monologue was repetitive and lacked nuance. It was a constant cycle of grief and betrayal—how heartbroken she was, how Rio left her when she needed him most. While those are valid emotions, the lack of complexity or growth in her thoughts made it difficult to empathize with her. And PLEASE—how did she not figure out Rio’s jersey number was her birthday??? It was literally giving “I couldn’t solve Dora the Explorer’s clues.” How dumb can she be to not notice that???

To be fair, I do think Hallie’s decision to sacrifice her happiness for her family was brave. It showed a moment of depth and selflessness. But beyond that, I didn’t feel much for her. Her character just didn’t resonate with me.

Now… Rio.
My sweet, charming, golden retriever Rio. I love you, but your book? Your book was bland, beige, boiled chicken breast.
He is someone I’ve always liked—especially in the earlier books where he added so much charm and energy to the group dynamic. So it's genuinely disappointing that his book, the one I waited so long for, ended up feeling so bland. I went into this knowing that we’d be seeing a different, more vulnerable side of him, and I was okay with that. That’s the whole point of character-focused installments: to get to know the real person behind the persona. But even with that expectation, something felt missing.

Rio spent the majority of the book completely consumed by his feelings for Hallie. His love for her was constant, yes—but it overshadowed everything else. There was very little space left to explore who Rio is outside of his romantic obsession. His relationships with his friends, his internal growth, his passions or struggles—none of that was really fleshed out. He became one-dimensional, defined almost entirely by his longing for Hallie. And that’s what hurt the most. Rio had so much potential. He was one of the most interesting characters in the earlier books, and I was excited to see that charm and charisma turn into something deeper. But what we got instead was a shallow version of him, one that didn’t reflect the depth he deserved.

・❥・Their relationship?
Unfortunately, it was flat and unconvincing.

We’re talking bottom of the barrel, sitting right there next to Kai and Miller—and if you know me, you know that’s a statement that physically hurts me to make. I despise Kai and Miller’s relationship with a passion, so to even compare them to Rio and Hallie? That should tell you everything. The fact that I’m even comparing them is disappointing, especially because I expected so much more from Rio and Hallie. These two had zero chemistry. None. Zilch. Their connection felt so forced it was like the book was trying to convince me they were soulmates rather than actually showing it. Every time I read a scene between them, it felt like dragging my nails down a chalkboard—grating, awkward, and kind of painful to endure. Because of that disconnect, even the intimate scenes felt empty. There was no build-up, no tension—just scenes that didn’t land emotionally or physically.

The reason for their breakup was another major letdown. It felt so unnecessarily dramatic and weak. I couldn’t believe that six years of silence and unresolved feelings were based on something that could’ve been cleared up in a single, honest conversation. It’s frustrating, especially in a second chance romance, where the emotional weight of lost time should feel devastating—but here, it just didn’t.

・❥・Also, the emotional shift in the present timeline was just... bizarre. This book was promoted under the trope “he loves everyone except her”—but honestly, that tagline was misleading. Rio forgot all about the supposed resentment by chapter five. And from that point on, his inner monologue became a repetitive loop of “Hallie is so beautiful,” “Hallie is the only girl I’ve ever loved,” “Hallie, Hallie, Hallie.” While I usually enjoy an obsessive, lovesick hero, there needs to be more than just constant admiration for the story to feel earned. There needs to be emotional development, tension, vulnerability—and that was missing.

Normally, I’d be in emotional ruins over a second chance romance. The idea of lost years, missed opportunities, unresolved heartbreak? That should’ve hit me right in the chest. But here? I felt nothing. I didn’t care that they lost six years. Honestly, I’m convinced they shouldn’t have reconnected at all.
Their conversations as teens and adults were painfully boring. No wit, no banter, no fire. Their dynamic was so awkward and lifeless, I kept waiting for something—anything—to shift. But the tension? Nonexistent. The yearning? MIA. The passion? Left the chat.
In short, their relationship lacked everything that makes second chance romances unforgettable. No magic.


・❥・final thoughts im actually really sad for giving this rating to this book, I genuinely wanted to love it but it was impossible. I might reread the books in a few months and see if I change my opinion but for now it was a dissapointment.

This was supposed to be the grand finale. The mic drop. The emotional gut punch that makes you hug the book after closing it. Instead, I closed the book and just… blinked. In silence. So yeah. I’m in mourning. Not for the characters—no, for the version of this book I imagined in my head when it got announced.
Rest in peace to my expectations.

My Windy City ranking

1. Play along💜 {6🌟}
2. The right move🩷 {4.25🌟}
3. Mile high💙 {4🌟}
4. Rewind it back 💔
5. Caught up {1.75🌟}



____________________________

ᝰ🏒pre-read: ᯓᡣ𐭩୭˚.

I’m not ready to say goodbye to this series😭😭
do I have to study for a final exam? Yes. Am I going to read this instead of studying? Also yes😌 I’m actually getting emotional with the fact that this series is coming to an end. If this is not 5 stars I’ll die😔💔
___________________
here I leave how excited I was for the book

”You see, there's something that my friends don't know.
That connection l've been looking for since I moved to Chicago, that one person some search their entire lives to find... I had already found her when I was twelve years old.”
SECOND CHANCE SUPREMACY✊🏻✊🏻✊🏻
🫷🏻🙂‍↕️🫸🏻 this is my time to shine as the lover #1 of that trope.
IM ACTUALLY DYING WHILE WRITING THIS😭 I don’t know who I need to talk to, who I need to pray to and what I have to do but I need to get my hands on an arc of this I NEED THIS BOOK RN

(sorry to update this every time there’s something new about the book😔🤚🏻 I’m just too excited)
———
AAAAAA LIZ JUST POSTED THE TROPES🤸🏻‍♂️🤸🏻‍♂️🤸🏻‍♂️

⟢ girl next door
⟢ childhood friends🤭 to enemies.. to it’s complicated
⟢ it’s always been you
⟢ he loves everyone but her
⟢ FIRST LOVEEE
⟢ sport romance {nhl}

I NEED THIS BOOK LIKE THE AIR I BREATH😭
——
GORGEOUS COVER!!!!!❤️❤️ I knew it was going to be red😋🙂‍↔️🙂‍↔️ I can’t wait to read this, I NEED IT RIGHT NOW💳💳💳

Liz needs to write this with the same passion she wrote play along😩
__
I feel like a broken record but I’m DESPERATE FOR RIO’S BOOK!!!😭
also I’m 99.9% sure that this is going to be a second chance romance🤭 and I have a suspicion that the cover is going to be redddd.

Liz better get to work after releasing this one and give Monty a book, preferably with Reese🤞🏻

[Emmy Rosam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such an unexpected storyline and I loved it! Rio surprised me because it was not what I expected at all from seeing him in the other books. The past vs present chapters were interesting and I love this series. A fun way to end it, I just wish we got more cameos of the crew all together (I miss them already!!!!!)

[Krystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

*chef's kiss*

[Maddy ✨ ~The Verse Vixen {AFK brb} · Rating 4 out of 5]

♪ "From rooftop whispers to years apart,
always been the echo in each other’s heart" ♪

🗣️ Alexa, play “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran...

"Between the shadows of the past and the light of what could be, this story breathes" A story that builds you up, breaks you down, then tucks you back into a home made of healing. This book made me feel things. From chaotic teenage mistakes to tender forehead kisses. From late-night rooftop confessions to the kind of heartbreak that feels like rain inside your chest.
Rewind It Back is a heartfelt, character-driven romance that delves into the lasting impact of first love, the weight of secrets, and the healing power of forgiveness. Liz Tomforde weaves music, memory, and home renovation as metaphors for growth and renewal. The story explores how our past shapes us, the strength of chosen family, and the bravery needed to let go and embrace new happiness. At its core, it reminds us that love means choosing each other repeatedly, despite imperfection...Tender, nostalgic, and full of heart, Rewind It Back is a story of growing up, letting go, and finding your way home.

➤The Leading Loves:
👩🏻‍🎨Hallie:Design diva. Heart of gold. Will protect her peace and her Pinterest boards at all cost. She’s the kind of girl who carries the weight of the past like a bruise under her skin—tender, unspoken, always there. Her narration feels like an open wound covered in glitter—raw but beautiful. She doesn’t want to fall again, but she never really stood up from the last time. But don’t mistake her kindness for weakness—this girl can rebuild a room and her sense of self-worth with one hand tied. Romantic at heart, but allergic to asking for help. A cinnamon roll with trauma.Still I couldn't fully connect with her..

🏒 Rio DeLuca: Now Rio... oh, he’s trouble in the best way. Ladies’ favorite-The ultimate gentleman with a charming smile and a heart full of history. Hockey god with the emotional depth of a tragic poem and the loyalty of a golden retriever. Grew up believing Hallie was his whole world—and then life said, “plot twist.” The boy who loved her too much and left anyway. now a professional hockey player, He’s quiet, unreadable, yet every move he makes feels deliberate. He’s the kind of person who says everything without speaking, and somehow, that says even more. His love is patient. His loyalty, unmatched. His silence? Devastating. Got charm, got baggage, got the kind of loyalty that makes your chest ache “Standards, spine, and self-control? A man who knows the assignment. 👏💯”He GOT ON A PLANE. Skipped. HIS. GAME. 🛫And not for some petty fight reconciliation. Not to prove a point. But to HOLD HER like she’s the most important thing in his world.He said:“I’ve got you.”AND I SAID: TAKE ME TOO.He’s growing, owning up, and going all in—for her, for love, for keeps.
And when life throws them back together? Oh baby, it’s messy, healing, and a little bit hot. 👀💔Hallie and Rio’s story is the kind you don’t just read, you relive. Page by page. Song by song. Whisper by whisper. It’s about the one who slipped away... and the version of you that went with them.There’s this one scene—I won’t spoil it—but let’s just say if you’ve ever had a love you lost because the timing was wrong... you’re going to feel everything.

"You’re not just a part of my life. You’re the center of it. So, if something isn’t fitting around us, that piece needs to change, not you.”
“Everyone,” he said, loud and proud. “This is my girlfriend. Be nice to her or I’m cutting you off forever.” "Getting the opportunity to fall in love with you is my best memory" He said: “I didn’t want it to be over,It's always been you!!”

I said: Excuse me while I sob into a shoebox full of my own emotional baggage.
Hallie got to sit in his lap while he held a cassette tape like it was their child.
💬Relationship Evolution
From innocent childhood sweethearts to estranged adults, their reunion is tense but hopeful.
Their forced professional interaction slowly softens into friendship, and eventually a deeply committed romantic partnership.
Their love story highlights forgiveness, growth, and reclaiming trust. They Grew Up, Then Grew Apart ,But Never Fell Out of Each Other’s Heart>>>

“You sure look good in my shirt for not being mine.” “Get fucked, DeLuca.” I smile as I open the door. “Would love to. You just let me know when and where, Hart.”

✦The Supporting Chicago Crew (Zanders, Stevie, Miller, Kai, Kennedy, Isaiah, Ryan)
-Chosen family, comic relief, and support system
This group of friends—athletes and their partners—forms the backbone of Hallie and Rio's new life in Chicago. Each brings their own quirks, wisdom, and history, offering both levity and perspective. Their acceptance of Hallie and Rio is crucial to the couple's healing...
➤The Vibe
Think Polaroids. Think summer air thick with secrets. Think “I miss you” disguised as “I’m fine.”
This book is soft and sharp all at once. The prose? Lyrical. Cinematic. Like a Lana Del Rey bridge or a Taylor Swift hidden track.
-Warm, emotional, layered.
-Cinematic with alternating past/present timelines.
-Full of longing, heartache, and hard-won joy.
-A love story that feels lived-in, earned, and deeply human.


➤Themes
♥︎First love and longing: The innocence and intensity of young love are painted vividly, capturing that bittersweet feeling of wanting someone so deeply while wrestling with your own fears.

♥︎Healing and growth: Both characters face emotional scars and past pain, and their relationship becomes a catalyst for healing and rediscovery.

♥︎Nostalgia and memory: The story beautifully evokes the bittersweetness of memories—how the past can haunt and shape the present.

“You’re my childhood dream! The house has always been yours, Hallie. Ours. It was just waiting for you to come make it a home.”

➤Literary Style & Techniques
➜Dual POV & Timelines:The story shifts between Rio and Hallie’s perspectives, with flashbacks that deepen emotional resonance.
➜Emotional Vulnerability: Tomforde’s writing style is candid and heartfelt, allowing characters to voice their fears and hopes honestly.
➜Also, the symbolism? Top-tier:
-The rooftop: sanctuary, shared secrets, full-circle proposal spot.
-The renovation: a metaphor for their relationship—messy, imperfect, but built to last.
-The playlist: their unspoken love letter, written in chords and lyrics instead of ink.
➤Plot Devices in a Nutshell
𖹭Dual Timelines & Flashbacks show how love bloomed, broke, and rebuilt.
𖹭Music = Memory: Mixtapes = emotions they couldn’t say out loud.
𖹭Fixing the House, Fixing the Heart: Renovation mirrors healing.
𖹭Found Family Vibes: The squad shows up, always.

✦What I Loved:
— The found family chaos 🫶
— Sharp, witty dialogue
— Old memorabilia, full of dust and sentimentality,Tattoo that told stories without saying a word.
— Rio’s boombox carrying Hallie’s mixtapes serves as a metaphor for their past.
— Childhood Flashbacks! Every callback to their past that made the present tremble.
✦ What I Wished For:
— A few arcs felt too rushed
— Some side characters deserved more spotlight
— Plot got crowded in places—needed more room to breathe
— I craved more slow-burn tension, more build-up
— Emotional payoff didn’t hit as deep as I hoped I wanted to feel the ache of lost time… but it all came back too quickly. Still, the heart was there—and that counts for something.
Writing Style
The prose is lyrical yet accessible, with poignant metaphors and imagery. It flows like a soft song, weaving emotion and atmosphere seamlessly.

➤A Closing Promise & Circle Complete:
Choosing Chicago over old dreams, Rio steps into a new life — one crafted with Hallie’s love as the true goal.A rooftop, once a sanctuary for whispered confessions, becomes the stage for a promise renewed — love’s full circle, where past and future meet in a radiant embrace.
Found family gathers close, hearts intertwined, as two souls begin a journey stitched with hope, healing, and home. By the final proposal—on the very roof where it all began—I was in shambles. Ugly crying, hugging my Kindle, begging for a Spotify link to Rio’s birthday playlist.

🎶Curated Playlist for Rewind It Back ▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။|၊|• 3:50
These are the songs I hear when I think of Rio and Hallie—from nostalgic longing to healing and hope:

▶"Perfect "– Pure, imperfect love between Hallie & Rio
▶"End of the Beginning" – Painful past, hopeful future
▶"When We Were Young "– Nostalgia for innocence & childhood
▶"Slow Dancing" – Intimate, vulnerable moments
▶"So High School" – Teenage drama, youthful chaos
▶“Young and Beautiful” – That unspoken fear: Will you still love me when I’m no longer the version you remember? ▶"All I Want" – Heartache & longing
▶"Cars Outside" – Quiet reflection & struggles
▶"Cardigan" – Warmth & bittersweet memories
▶"Still Into You" – Enduring love
▶"Dandelions" – Fragile hope
▶"The Night We Met" – Regret & lost moments
▶"Sway" – Soft surrender, hearts moving in quiet rhythm
▶"Sweater Weather" – Longing wrapped in autumn air, comfort in shared silences
▶"Apocalypse"– Emotional climax & upheaval
▶"Yellow" – Light in the darkness
▶"Begin Again" – Second chances
▶"Him and I"– Fierce loyalty & bond



🧣Final Thoughts:
If you’re in your “I miss something I can’t name” era — this book will wreck you.

This book is for anyone who’s ever loved someone across time and distance. For the ones who lost touch but never lost feeling. For those who believe home is not a place, but a person. For the ones who want to believe in second chances—even when they’re scared to. It’s not perfect, but it’s honest. And sometimes, that’s all we need. A story that doesn’t pretend healing is easy. A romance that doesn’t rush past the pain. A reminder that sometimes love needs a second draft.

Is it like the other books in the series- Well, no—not exactly. Will I reread?
Yes. On a rainy day. With a mug of coffee and a broken heart I don’t know what to do with.

~Read if you liked :
– Before We Were Strangers by Renée Carlino
– The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros
– Every Summer After by Carley Fortune If I could give it a soundtrack, it’d start with Perfect and end with Begin Again. Because this isn’t just a love story. It’s about what it means to come back—to yourself, to the past, to the person who always waited.

And when I think about Hallie and Rio, I don’t think about what they lost. I think about what they found in each other:
a place to land.
a reason to stay.
a love worth rewinding for.

~To Windy City family -don't wanna say goodbye!Coz this one's means forever...—

You were chaos and comfort,sunsets and skylines,arguments and armistice—a universe built on banter,love, loss, and loyalty.
You weren’t just characters.You were home.
I don’t know how to say goodbye to a place that never truly existed… and yet feels more like home than most real ones ever have.
To the ten characters who laughed, cried, fought, and fiercely loved—thank you.
To the five couples who reminded me that love is messy, healing, and worth it—thank you.
To the siblings who broke and rebuilt each other.
To the three chaotic teams who showed up, over and over.
And to that one unforgettable, ride-or-die friend group…
made me believe in found families again. Chicago feel like a love letter.
made me ache, swoon, scream, and sob at 2 a.m.
This story wasn’t just pages—it was a whole era of my heart.
I’ll miss your laughter in the silence, your warmth in the winter, your heartbreak in the stillness.
And somehow, even knowing the ending, I’d choose to meet you all over again.

-Forever yours,
A reader who will always be rewinding it back.💌 📼 Hit rewind. Again. And again. And again.

🌟 Rating: 3.5/5
For the memories. For the music. For the magic of almost. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go cry into a hoodie that doesn’t belong to anyone but me sigh!
Ciao...
---------------- ─•──── 𖦤 ၊၊||၊-------->>> ೃ ⁀➷pre-view:🎯
🏒✨Rewind It Back – A Windy City Finale✨🏒

~WHAT TO EXPECT:
📌 Second-Chance Long Game:
📌 Forced Proximity-Girl Next Door Vibes:
📌 Banter Level: Scorched:
📌 Sports Romance:
📌 First Love, Only Love:
📌 “I hate how much I remember” vibes:
That tattoo? Her favorite color.
That coffee order? Still memorized.
That old playlist? Still on repeat.
📌 Slow Burn:
📌He Hates loves everyone but her:
📌One Renovation, One Rekindled Romance: 📌 “It’s Always Been You”:
He tried to move on. She tried to forget.
But in the end? It was always her. And it always will be.
PS: Meanwhile Publishing gods: here’s your most anticipated ARC with second-chance pining and a man who still remembers your birthday.
Me: crying over my inbox at 2 am with a physics textbook on my lap This isn't fair!!😭

[April (s.i. work is busy) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Stars ★

“I’ll happily rewind it back and replay that night over and over again.”

I've been waiting for Rio's book since the very beginning with Mile High! Well, let me just tell you that Liz did NOT disappoint. This was absolute perfection in my eyes!

Rewind it Back is the final installment in the Windy City series. I fell for this second chance, sports romance because ladies and gentlemen this is how it's done. It's so much more than that though. There are tense and emotional moments in this journey of healing to rekindle a love that once was lost and oh boy at times it's a painful journey. One that I loved every moment of nonetheless.

When Hallie Hart was eleven her family moved next door to Rio DeLucas. They became friends, developed crushes, fell in love, and when she was nineteen broke one another's heart. Now, six years later thrown back together by fate she is unknowingly his new neighbor and has been hired to renovate his home. They are forced to work together and with that, all the pain, regrets, and sacrifices are resurfaced.


Hallie Hart is a mix of many things that make her perfect. She is a stubborn designer hard-headed but at the same time, she is a soft soul. On top of that she is a giver. She's the girl who would rather give him a gift than receive a gift on her birthday. Making him a mixtape of her favorite moments that they could listen to together. I just love her so much! What I love about her is her strength. She was put in a tough position as a teenager and handled it the best she knew how at the time even though it cost her one of the most important people to her. The fact that she does it quietly and doesn't ask for help or let it show how much she has on her plate is admirable. Her ability to navigate the guilt and burdens on her own as though she had to do it all herself was inspiring, but what I loved, even more, was her realization that it's okay to accept help in difficult times and lean on others for the support she deserves.

"Even at my lowest points, I was grateful that I got to be loved like that at least once in my life. I never forgot him. I never forgot us. And apparently neither did he."


Rio DeLuca my baby, I loved you before and love you even more now! When I tell you that this man is the greenest flag. He is more than the goofy professional hockey player that we have all grown to love. Gahh he loves his mama and is a mama's boy in the best of ways. He is caring, patient, kind, and funny. The things that he held onto for six years and did during that time speak volumes about him and the man he is. Holding onto what he knows to be true love, hell the only love for him the way he did is admirable. He is just the perfect, sweetest golden retriever that wears his heart on his sleeve but my god he has a dirty mouth. Oh, and when he called her love and baby I was swooning. He is the whole damn package!

“The other night when I said I hoped that one day you’d let me fall in love with you again, what I meant to say was that I hope to earn the chance to fall in love with you again."


Hallie and Rio both hurt one another in the past. They both have scars on their hearts, hold grudges, and have secrets but even after six years they never stopped loving one another. They took their time repairing the broken pieces by starting a friendship allowing the time to heal while reforming that bond and its messy and tense but that love they had all those years ago never truly left. I loved every minute of it! They were patient and understanding while also giving that little push to they both needed to forgive one another and more importantly themselves to fuse those pieces back together. Their love is real, raw, true, and hot at times and could be felt on the pages. They have this undeniable chemistry that they've had since they first met. Their moments had me giggling, screaming kicking my feet, and crying in the rough moments. But gosh they are so good together!

“Hallie, you’re in here.” I tap my chest. “Regardless of the years we spent apart, you’re still in here.”
“Are you sure that’s not just a first-love thing?” 
“No, baby. It’s a last-love thing.”


Found family will always have a hold on my heart and this series holds one of my favorites of all time. The way that they were so accepting of Hallie and made room for her to be the final piece that was missing from the friend group made my heart so full and happy. I love the way this group is supportive of one another, shows up when they are needed no matter the circumstance, has fun, jokes with one another, and most importantly loves one another. They truly are the best-chosen family they could ever hope for in each other. I just want to be adopted into this group but at this point, they feel like my family as well. Gosh, I loved the scenes with all of them together and will miss them immensely!

"Then it’s the ten of us. How it was always supposed to be."


I loved this book so much but I'm not going to lie and say that I'm not sad that it's over because I'm beyond sad. Seeing Rio get his happy ending though was long awaited and a need! Now that epilogue ahh it had me in tears during many moments of happiness and sadness. The ending, though, was bittersweet and wrapped up most perfectly, bringing its closure to the best full circle I could have asked for. I will be crying for the next foreseeable future that it's over. I will never get over this series as it holds a special place in my heart and is one of my favorites


** Spoilers may be mentioned **


Favorote quotes and moments

“The guy you were with tonight. Who was he?”
“Not your job to worry about.”
“Lose him.”

“You sure look good in my shirt for not being mine.” “Get fucked, DeLuca.” I smile as I open the door. “Would love to. You just let me know when and where, Hart.”

“Meet you on the roof tonight?” I smile softly at her. “See you there.”

“You single, Hal?” I finally give him the long- awaited answer, nodding to tell him yes. “Good. “Because we aren’t fucking friends.”

“You don’t think you’ll forget about me?” He bursts a laugh. “You truly have no idea how ingrained you are in here, huh?” He taps his chest. “You’re basically living rent free, Hallie Hart.”

“Well, I know that technically, these are your best memories, but they’re mine too. Meeting on that roof, listening to music. Getting the opportunity to fall in love with you is my best memory, and all I can do is hope that one day you’ll let me do it again.”

“Because it’s always been us. Even when I thought I didn’t want it to be, I knew it was us. I sat there getting this permanently inked onto my skin, trying to convince myself I was only getting it as a reminder that love existed when the whole fucking time, I knew it only existed with you.”


“But you’re not just a part of my life. You’re the center of it. So, if something isn’t fitting around us, that piece needs to change, not you.”

"We are rare. What we have is rare and I’m going to spend the rest of my life protecting it. “I love you, Hallie Hart. Spoken or unspoken, I’ve always loved you.”

“Exactly. I want to rewind all of it, Hallie. I want to remember everything. You made sure we could remember our first years together, so I made sure we would remember this one.”

You’re my home. Being loved by you for the rest of my life is the only dream of mine that’s never wavered. There’s no doubt in my mind that I’m already exactly where I want to be.”

“How lucky am I to have been loved by you for fifteen years now?”

"I spent years complaining about being the single one of the group, the odd man out. But even though I was the last one, how lucky am I that I got a front- row seat to watch each of my best friends fall in love?"


---------------

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Pre-read

I'm sooo excited to FINALLY be getting Rios's book!! 🤭 I'm also sad that this is the last book and to be saying goodbye to these characters and this series 😭😭 It's time Rio please don't disappoint me 🤞❤️❤️

‐-------‐-------

We have the blurb! Screaming, crying, throwing up! 🥹😫😫 It has me even more excited!!!! Take my money and give this NOW 💳🤭

---------------

We have a cover! It's so STUNNING in red!!!! 😍😍 May can't get here fast enough because I need this like RN!!

--------------

Ahhh Rio! I need his book like yesterday. I don't want to wait until 2025 😭

[ellen · Rating 5 out of 5]

liz tomforde does it again🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️

[bruna · Rating 2 out of 5]

★ 2.5 stars

𝅄 𓂃 𖥻 “Not one day went by that I didn’t think of you. You were everywhere. In the music I listened to. In the house I live in. I tried to compare every single person I met to you, but there was no comparison.” 𑇛 ˚

if you know me personally, you know that i live for second chance romances. it’s my favorite romance trope ever. i always enjoy reading love stories about two people who are able to find their way back to each other after fate brings them apart. the angst, the unresolved feelings, the slow reconciliation and everything else that comes with it... is everything to me. i eat it up every. single. time. in addition, another romance trope that i also eat up every time is childhood friends to lovers. i absolutely adore it as well.

Rewind It Back has both of these tropes, and when i found out about that, i got excited and literally couldn’t wait to get to this book. and that’s not even the only thing that made me get excited to read it; Rio — the MMC — also played a big part. he appeared here and there in the previous books of this series and i always enjoyed seeing his cameos, so because of that, i also couldn’t wait to know more about him and actually get to know him and his story more closely.

i’ll leave my ratings (and reviews, if anyone is interested to see my thoughts) for all of the other books in this series at the end of the review, but i will be upfront now and tell you that my experience with it has been kind of a disaster overall. the only books that i can say that i liked are The Right Move and Play Along, but even to these books i didn’t give a rating higher than three stars from me so... yeah. a bit of a disaster like i said. so while i was excited to some degree for this one right here, i was also hesitant/scared as there was a high possibility that this book, like the others, wouldn’t be anything impressive. that’s why i went into it with very mixed expectations.

things here started off... kind of okay? i guess? i mean, the first few chapters weren’t the most awesome thing in the entire world, but initially i wasn’t hating it or anything like that and i was actually interested to see things developing. but then at some point... i just lost my interest. i don’t know, i got sick of it and only wanted to be done with it as soon as i possible could.

there wasn’t much to keep me going sadly. some sweet and sort of touching moments here and there, but not much more than that. all the rest was boooooring.

the protagonists weren’t exactly remarkable. Rio, the one i was looking forward to know more about as you know, was kind of a... hum. letdown? i didn’t want to say this but, at least in my perspective, he felt way more interesting as a side character. it didn’t quite hit the same. it’s actually crazy that i had more fun reading about him on the other books than his own. don’t get me wrong, i’m not saying i hated him and that he turned terrible. nuh uh. that’s not what i’m saying! at all! i still liked him because Rio is a sweetheart and the greenest flag, but i just... expected a lot more from his character here. the author could’ve done a better job, but she failed miserably methinks. at the end, Rio’s character didn’t live up to all of the expectations that i have had since the first book.

Hallie on the other hand... well, i didn’t have any expectations for her character to be brutally honest. well, we didn’t even know about her before this book i think as Rio never really talked about her (my memory can be terrible when it comes to remembering some books so feel free to correct me if i’m wrong), so there wasn’t anything that could make me excited anyway. when i was first introduced to her, i thought that she wasn’t a bad person and that she was nice-ish, but that was all. i waited to get further into the book to know her more and consequently have more strong feelings about her (either good or bad), but that never happened. she never stood out to me, she was just... there. she was not a bad protagonist or protagonist that i loathed, but a protagonist that i simply didn’t have any strong feelings about. i didn’t click with Hallie nor did i find her relevant.

their love story... oh gosh, that’s what disappointed me the most. how can you write a story with the tropes second chance *and* childhood friends to lovers and make it so bland? so uninteresting?! this actually revolts me. it had so much, so much potential man... my goodness. i expected to get my heart destroyed, i expected to go on a rollercoaster of emotions, i expected to feel so deeply. but i barely felt anything at all. little to nothing. as i stated earlier, some moments between them i found sweet, but there weren’t many and that wasn’t enough. not at all. in general, Rio and Hallie’s love story didn’t hit the way it should have. the whole thing was super disappointing.

i feel like i was fool to get somewhat excited for this. i should’ve guessed beforehand that, just like the previous books, this would not leave me very impressed. that it would be either mid or bad, no in between. deep sigh.

Rewind It Back left me feeling incredibly underwhelmed (which goes without saying). i mean, it’s not the most terrible book out there; like i already said, there are a few things i found myself liking. but generally speaking... it missed the mark almost completely.

the Windy City as a whole is a series that, sadly, i did not enjoy. i might have found some enjoyment in it here sporadically, but overall, i didn’t come close to becoming a fan and it’s for sure not a series that will stay with me i tried to like it as much as other people did and unfortunately it didn’t work out for me personally. i’m genuinely happy it worked out for tons of other readers though; i’m sure real fans will be able to enjoy this way more than i did.

on the bright side, the best part of reading this series is that i got to read it with one of my favorite people, aka charlotte! i would’ve probably given up early on if i didn’t have her by my side if i’m being honest, so i’m more than grateful for this shared experience. 💌

𓂃 ⟡ 𓂃 . ݁ ˖ 𓂃 ⟡ 𓂃 . ݁ ˖ 𓂃 ⟡ 𓂃 . ݁ ˖ 𓂃 ⟡ 𓂃

ˏˋ‎ ‎ ⋆ ‎ ‎꒰ 𖥻 WINDY CITY SERIES. ꒱‎ ‎‎⋆‎ ‎ ˎˊ
── ✦ 1. Mile High ➵ 1.75 stars ☆
── ✦ 2. The Right Move ➵ 3 stars ☆
── ✦ 3. Caught Up ➵ 2.85 stars ☆
── ✦ 4. Play Along ➵ 3.35 stars ☆
── ✦ 5. Rewind It Back ➵ 2.5 stars ☆

[Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it too soon for a Windy City reread? I miss them already.

[Bailee Latham · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m so sad this series is over but it was the PERFECT ending - second chance romance done so so right

[cherie ^_-★ (semi-ia + comment restriction) · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars ⭐
⤷ spoiler-free review!! ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ my thoughts
i’ve been eagerly waiting for rio’s book ever since i started my Windy City journey last year and i can’t believe it’s already over 😭 i’d rewind it back and read it all over again for the first time if i could 🥹

Rewind It Back was easily my favorite book in the series. i had a few minor issues with the previous books which is why none of them were full five stars for me, but this one? no notes. i loved everything about it.

childhood friends to lovers never fails to tug at my heartstrings and this one was no exception. there’s just something about this trope that makes me long to know what it’s really like 😭

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ characters
♡.ᐟ rio
i think ryan shay might finally have some competition 👀 (i’m still torn to be honest 😫 i really adored rio but the more i think about it, i just wasn’t as obsessed with him as i was with ryan yk?)

anyhoo, we’ve always seen rio as the flirty, playful guy in the background—the one cracking jokes and keeping things light—but this book showed us a more serious and vulnerable side of him. the way he constantly joked about being the last one in the group to find his person, acting like he was desperate to meet someone—only for us to find out he had found his person long before everyone else? i’m unwell 😭 it was never about him not being good enough for anyone else… he just never got over hallie 😭

rio is the definition of a cinnamon roll who could absolutely kill you. sweet, thoughtful, and fiercely loyal—you can tell how deeply he cares about the people he loves. he doesn’t even drink coffee but still owns a coffee machine just so he can make it for his friends when they visit 😭 that alone says so much about him 🥹 and don’t even get me started on the way he gets all jealous when it comes to hallie 😮‍💨🪭

also, his relationship with the girls? brb crying! 😭 i loved how he was always included in girls’ night and how the girls were always there for him. it was so wholesome and heartwarming 🥹

♡.ᐟ hallie
hallie is without a doubt my favorite FMC in the series. she felt the most grounded and least problematic to me.

she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders—financial burdens, family responsibilities, and emotional guilt from a decision she had no choice but to make when she was younger—but handled it all with strength and quiet resilience. i love an independent girlie, and hallie was just that.

♡.ᐟ rio + hallie
⤿ “It’s always been you, Hallie, and I think we both know it.”
“Rio. You should know. It’s always been you too.”

rio and hallie together was absolute perfection 😚🤌🏻

"It wouldn't be our story if we ignored all the bad parts, so I'm not going to. I'm not going to run away because where could I go? Hallie, you're in here." I tap my chest. “Regardless of the years we spent apart, you're still in here."

their story was so angsty, emotional, and beautiful��i soaked up every second of it. this book definitely solidified my love for both the childhood friends to lovers and second chance romance tropes.

“Before, when we were kids, I felt lucky. Love fell into our hands. We were neighbors turned friends who eventually fell in love. But this time, it feels like we earned it. We get to be in love because we worked for it. We decided to forgive and understand one another.”

“I love you, Hal.”
“I love you, Rio. Always have. Always will.”

♡.ᐟ zanders, stevie, ryan, indy, kai, miller, isaiah, kennedy, rio, and hallie
⤿ “Besides Indy, we're all a bunch of transplants from other places who found a home in the windy city . . . and with each other. I'll speak for all ten of us when I say, there's nowhere else we'd rather be."

🎶 now playing: BIRDS OF A FEATHER by Billie Eilish 🎶

and of course, this wouldn’t be a complete review if i didn’t mention the found family aspect of the series. found family is one of my all-time favorite tropes, and this series just did it so well. these ten characters feel so real—it truly felt like i was part of their group. watching them grow, fall in love, and show up for each other throughout the series has been such a joy. i literally got teary-eyed every time they showed up in this book 🥹 i’m going to miss them so much 😭

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ overall
Rewind It Back was the perfect conclusion to the Windy City series. this series is so much more than just a sports romance series, and i can’t recommend it enough. even if the first book didn’t work for you (i personally loved it), i really encourage you to keep going because it’s so worth it.

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ windy city series
♡.ᐟ mile high ✈️ (4.75 ⭐)
♡.ᐟ the right move 🏀 (4.75 ⭐)
♡.ᐟ caught up 🌆 (4.25 ⭐)
♡.ᐟ play along 💜 (3 ⭐)
♡.ᐟ rewind it back 💋 (5 ⭐)

────────── ⋆⋅end⋅⋆ ──────────

pre-read 💋
HAPPY RELEASE DAY!!!!! IT FEELS LIKE I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR RIO’S BOOK FOR AGES 😫 as excited as i am, i’m not ready to say goodbye to my favourite sports romance series 😭

[Clace · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rioo 😔 I expected a lot. rtc.

Buddy read with Hoda
___
I've been procrastinating reading this because every book in this series has been banging and I love this world so much!! However, the book is staring at me and I wanna read Rio's story so baddd

[buket · Rating 5 out of 5]

STANDING OVULATION FOR RIO DELUCA

a man faithful to his first love 🙏🏻

[౨ৎ˖ ࣪⊹ hanah ౨ৎ˖ ࣪⊹ · Rating 5 out of 5]

₊⊹⁀➴ 5 stars
for some odd reason, i actually was not super intrigued with rio’s lovestory when i first read the plot, even though i adored his character. but omg liz tomforde proved me sooo wrong. i genuinely think this book made me feel the most angst, but it also was the most heartwarming. i love both hallie and rio, and how even though they both developed as people, their love has always maintained the same tenets from their childhood love to the love they now have as adults. also the i feel that the way this book was written was the perfect to close out an already wholesome series.
lemme rank
1. mile high (they have a special place in my heart)
2. rewind it back (oh this surprised me!)
3. caught up (i love the clark kent rep!)
4. the right move (this is sweet, but it doesnt rank above the first 3)
5. play along (i still love it but it just doesnt compare)

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

There aren't enough words in the English language to describe just how much I love this series. These five couples have my heart, now and forever. That epilogue had me sobbing for like five minutes. I'm gonna miss them so much. I know we are getting Monty's book, for which I'm very excited, but it won't be the same. I'm so not ready to say goodbye..

I just knew I was gonna love Rio's book the best, I adore him. His and Hallie's story was everything I wanted from a second chance romance. They fell in love when they were twelve and eleven, been each others everything, lost then found each other again. I was laughing, kicking my feet, falling in love and crying. Went through all the emotions. If someone deserved a beautiful love story, it was Rio, and I'm so happy he got it. I love that we got chapters from the past, where we watched them fall in love, all those roof moments. Not to mention the tapes, the lattes, the house, the heart. God, they were perfect.

My love for this book, as well as the star rating, is infinite.

[manas (NEW YEAR) · Rating 5 out of 5]

➳ 5 ☆

i'll speak for all ten of us when i say, there's nowhere else we'd rather be.

oh my god. i knew i would love this, but i did not expect to love it this much. i am so sad that this series is over, but so grateful that i got to experience this in real time. one thing i have always appreciated about this series is how real and authentic the characters feel. liz has a great talent in writing tension, romance, and drama without making the characters corny and childish. all the stars for my babies.

➺ hallie—she is by far liz's most realistic FMC. i love how much we got of her past and backstory from when she first met rio. one of the main aspects of this book i appreciate is how much of a plot she has outside of the romance. oftentimes, we don't get much of the FMC or the MMC aside from their mutual interactions which further their relationship. in this series, i love how we see them grow from individual people to then being part of this found family friendship. her journey from being the new girl across the street then to being abandoned by everyone she loves and navigating her debts, the guilt of her family burdens, and the shame of not being good enough really shined for me.

➺ rio—LOVE LOVE LOVE. we stan rio in this house. everything about his character spoke to me. i love when the playful side best-friend gets their book and we see all the layers getting peeled back. this is how you write men. take notes now. i am always scared going into a second chance romance, especially when they are childhood friends to lovers. after the shitshow that was magnolia parks, this is a trope i am wary of since authors use this excuse to write misogynistic and bigoted men. NOT MY MANS RIO, THOUGH. he was patient, kind, caring, so funny, and i love how we would embarrass himself to make others feel safe. i am his number one protector.

➺ the romance—this was perfect. the only real complaint is that it got a little repetitive with no real development at the 60% mark. other than that, i loved that we got a dual timeline for the present and multiple flashbacks. i personally think this added depth to their story and made me beleive in their relationship a lot more. both of them were so cute with each other, i can't. i also love that we got so many moments with our other main characters. all in all, i loved this so much.


i am so sad that the series is over, but i can't wait to get the spin offs of the other characters. monty is finally coming home.

my final ranking of the characters ↴

kai ≥ rio > ryan >> isaiah >>> zanders!
hallie = miller > indy ≥ stevie >>> kenny!

couples ↴

kai/miller > rio/halle > indy/ryan >> isaiah/ken = stevie/zanders!

books ↴

caught up — 6 stars
the right movie — 5 stars
rewind it back — 5 stars
play along — 3 stars
mile high — 1 star

i do love them all, though!

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈

finally, i gotta hand it to my best-friend. thank you for all your messages, vee! i love that we got to go on this journey together. i love you, always.

[zoë ˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ · Rating 3 out of 5]

ੈ♡˳ rating: three of five stars (2.5 rounded up)

ੈ♡˳ summary: rewind it back by liz tomforde is the final installment in the windy city series and follows rio deluca, the beloved soft-spoken athlete, and hallie hart, the girl who broke his heart years ago. when hallie unknowingly moves in next door to rio and is hired to renovate his home, they’re forced back into each other’s orbit. what follows is a second chance romance that tries to untangle past regrets, unresolved heartbreak, and the question of whether the love they had still stands a chance.

ੈ♡˳ thoughts: this is not how i wanted this series to end. liz, i was rooting for you. i really was.
i’ve been a die-hard windy city series fan since book one, but this felt like such a letdown for a finale. rio, who has been one of the most lovable side characters for four books, felt like a completely different person here. he folded on page seventy-seven. like??? the man who spent years avoiding his ex because of heartbreak just gave in without a single ounce of groveling from hallie?? no.

and hallie… she was so hard to root for. she didn’t feel layered or emotionally ready for a second chance romance. it honestly felt like she needed therapy before anything else. she kept making selfish choices and expecting rio to roll with it—and sadly, he did. this didn’t feel like the slow, well-earned rebuild that second chance romances need. it felt like convenience.

by halfway through the book, i genuinely didn’t know who i was rooting for. if anyone. their chemistry felt forced, and their reconciliation lacked any emotional tension. this didn’t feel like the couple to end a series with. and while i appreciated the cameos from previous couples (love the windy city gang always), even that wasn’t enough to distract me from how mismatched rio and hallie felt.

i’m giving it 2.5 stars rounded up because i adore liz tomforde and the rest of this series, but this book didn’t feel like it was written with the same heart or fire as the others.

ੈ♡˳ tropes:
ꕥ second chance romance
ꕥ childhood friends to lovers
ꕥ forced proximity
ꕥ sports romance
ꕥ home renovation

ੈ♡˳ fave quotes:
➼ “i never thought i’d be the only single one left in my friend group.”
➼ “that connection i’ve been looking for… i had already found her when i was twelve years old.”
➼ “i may have loved rio deluca once, but i’m not that same girl anymore.”
➼ “and now the only girl i’ve ever loved is moving into the house next door. again.”
➼ “how am i supposed to update his bachelor pad into a family home when we can’t even stand to be in the same room?”

———
pre-read: i can't believe this is the last book of the series i'm so sad. but i'm so excited to read it. i love rio so much.
------
pre-release
okay with the blood red cover. i'm so excited.
OKAY RIO I'M SO EXCITED FOR SECOND CHANCE LOVERS.

wait did this get pushed back to may? :(

[cora · Rating 4 out of 5]

rewind it back is the end of an era for me. the windy city series has been such a comfort, and saying goodbye to this group felt like my best friend being ripped from my arms.

second chance, childhood friends to lovers romance between rio and hallie. she moves in next door at 11 and they instantly become friends. they were adorable, dated, then broke up over something truly awful. now, as adults, she moves next door (again) and is hired to renovate his house.

i loved rio before this book, but i didn't realize how obsessed i was until now. he’s funny, sweet, shy sometimes, allows himself to be emotional, and truly just the kind of guy who’d be “one of the girls.” i always loved how he hangs out at girl's night, he's an icon. he's the type of person to make people feel safe. he's respectful and considerate and just how many compliments can i fit into one review about him?

“You’re not just a part of my life. You’re the center of it.”

hallie was great. funny, kind, and very into music (relatable). she was also great representation for all the broke bitches around the world. her design skills were cool to read about, and her relationship with music gave the book this emotional thread that really worked. also 11-year-old hallie had more personality than most adult book heroines. i saw the “breakup reason” coming, but with the full context being revealed, you couldn't pay me to not understand her.

“I pick a song when something cool or important happens so I can remember it. Then when I want to relive a moment, i rewind it back and start the song from the beginning.”

now. the romance. i loved the flashbacks. usually i don’t care for them, but here they were the heart of the story. seeing hallie and rio grow up together and fall in love was adorable. adult rio and hallie were still soft and sweet, but i did want a bit more tension. for a second chance, he-hates-everyone-but-her setup, things smoothed over a little too fast. barely any angst in my opinion. he was nice, she was nice, and then they were horny. (not that i’m complaining about the shower scene. that scene deserves its own goddamn review.)

“Spoken or unspoken, I’ve always loved you.”

alright.

the friend group.

zanders & stevie: didn’t love their book, but loved them in every other book. zanders turned into a sweetheart and was very present here (thank you for that). stevie had limited screen time but her vibe was still vibing.

ryan & indy: MY WHOLE HEART. indy crying at everything makes me feel seen. her friendship with rio was top-tier, like platonically soulmates. and rio fanboying over ryan will never stop being funny. i would be the same way.

kai & miller: not enough of them. especially miller, but when she did show up, she delivered. kai should've had more screen time (or a second book!!!!!!!!!!!!)

isaiah & kennedy: the least present, but i adore isaiah. fellow goofy, emotional guy? maybe that’s my type. his scenes always made me smile.

and just… the whole gang. i wanted more time with all of them, but the scenes we did get felt like little gifts. this book closed the door on this group in the most bittersweet way.

“Friends are the family you choose, and I’ve got to say, I’ve got the best family a guy could ask for.”

final book ranking:

1. caught up

2. the right move

3. rewind it back

4. play along

5. mile high

i loved this book. i didn’t adore it the way i did others in the series, but it still left its mark. rio and hallie’s story was soft, sad, sweet, and honest. it gave me the closure i needed.
i’ll be rewinding these books back because i refuse to fully part from them.

[Alyssa Nieves · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!!! Going to go cry about this series being over now 🤧

[veerali · Rating 5 out of 5]

⁀ ⊹ ₊ “It all started when I was twelve. I was outside playing hockey when our new neighbors pulled into their driveway for the first time.”

my soul straight-up ascended. i’m talking i died, saw the light, came back, and then promptly died again every single time rio de luca opened his mouth. seriously, this book is that good. i'm talking olympic-level swooning y'all.

before i even cracked the cover, manas and i were stressing. we were all like, "okay, liz, don't fail us now!" because let's be real, sometimes sequels just don't hit the same. but liz tomforde? she understood the assignment. she KILLED it. my edges are gone, y'all. this book is an absolute masterpiece.

i'm not even exaggerating when i say i've never read a romance like this before. it was so freaking beautiful, so tender, so real. i was sobbing. like, ugly crying. the kind where your nose is running and you're making weird noises. it was worth it. every. single. tear.

let's get into the nitty-gritty, shall we? y'all know i gotta break down these characters.

𖣠 rio de luca

where do i even start with rio? this man is a whole damn vibe. he's not just boyfriend material, he's husband material, father material, the whole damn enchilada. rio de luca is the standard, and all other mmcs can just go home. smash. end of discussion. i've NEVER read a male main character like him. he's the guy who will offer you his seat on a crowded train, no questions asked. he's the guy who'd literally give you the last bite of his burrito if you were hungry, even if he was starving. he's just good. like, genuinely, inherently good. all the mmcs in this series are green flags, let's be real. they're all decent humans. but rio? he’s leveled up. he's transcended green and entered some new, unheard-of color in the flag spectrum. he's RESPECTFUL. he's SHY. he's a GIVER. and when he loves, he loves hard. and let's not even get started on the dirty talk. i’m gone. reduced to atoms. i need a cold shower. his vulnerability mixed with that possessive streak? chef's kiss. it's the perfect blend of sweet and spicy, and it had me kicking my feet and giggling like an idiot. rio is the blueprint.

⁀ ⊹ ₊ “I love you, Hallie Hart. I am in love with you, though I hope that doesn’t come as a surprise. Because if so, I’ve been doing something wrong all these years.”

𖣠 hallie hart

hallie baby, you are that girl. i can honestly say she's become my new favorite female main character. because let's be real, a lot of female characters these days are lacking. they're either cardboard cutouts or just plain annoying. but hallie? she's got a solid personality. she's complex, she's flawed, and she's freaking amazing. i loved her so much. she had her own struggles, her own demons she was battling, and it made me feel so bad for her. she's genuinely strong in a way that feels real and relatable. and the fact that she was a giver too? ugh, my heart. the whole tradition of making a playlist for him every birthday? i’m unwell. the rooftop scenes are permanently etched into my brain, and i know they're going to be my kryptonite for, like, ever. honestly, hallie is someone you want in your corner, someone who will fight for you, and someone who will love you fiercely.

⁀ ⊹ ₊ “Are you sure that’s not just a first-love thing?” “No, baby. It’s a last-love thing.”

let's talk about the chemistry, because it was OFF. THE. CHARTS. i've read very few books where the connection between the main characters has literally transformed me into a whole new being. like, i felt like i was living in their world, experiencing their emotions, and breathing their air. and these two? swoon times a million. the fact that they were childhood sweethearts adds so much depth to their relationship. you can feel the history, the shared memories, the unspoken understanding. yeah, their breakup was messy. it was downright heartbreaking. but hear me out, these two never stopped loving each other. even when they were apart, even when they were hurting, that spark was still there. and they actually communicated their feelings like actual adults. transparent, honest, vulnerable communication. we're talking therapy-levels of self-awareness. i get that hallie had to do what she had to do because the situation she was in was messed up, but when they finally got back together? i couldn't stop giggling and sobbing because they're so freaking cute. the angst? immaculate. the payoff? worth every single agonizing second. this book delivered on all fronts with the chemistry.

⁀ ⊹ ₊ “The other night when I said I hoped that one day you’d let me fall in love with you again, what I meant to say was that I hope to earn the chance to fall in love with you again."

𖣠 the found family: my bread and butter

y'all know i live for the found family trope. give me a group of dysfunctional, loving weirdos who would do anything for each other, and i'm a happy camper. and the whole crew? they delivered. i really, really loved how all the couples stood up for Rio and took care of him. they were his ride-or-dies, his chosen family, and it made my heart swell. i know mile high is technically part of this series, but i hated it. like, passionately. zanders and stevie just made me cringe. but here, they're actually good. i think they're way better as side characters than as main characters. now onto my favorite book in the series, the right move, i absolutely loved ryan and indy. indy babying rio will never not be funny. as for kai and isaiah, i love them both. well miller and kennedy are my least favorite, but i'm glad for the role they played here.

⁀ ⊹ ₊ I spent years complaining about being the single one of the group, the odd man out. But even though I was the last one, how lucky am I that I got a front-row seat to watch each of my best friends fall in love?

okay, lemme wrap this up before i start rambling again. i'm so glad manas and i read this together because we just couldn't stop giggling, sobbing, and screaming into the void. it's always better to experience these moments with your besties, you know?

and the fact that i feel wren and cruz are getting their own series? 👀 i'm already salivating. i need it in my life asap. plus, i can't wait for dilf monty to make an appearance with his spin-off. i'm so ready for that.

[Kristan · Rating 4 out of 5]

👏🏼FINALLY. 👏🏼
I’ve been waiting for Rio’s book since Mile High. We all know he’s gonna be a golden retriever boyfriend. 🐕

[Youssra (semi ia) · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Here’s to the 10 characters, 5 couples, 3 teams, 2 sets of siblings, and 1 amazing friend group that changed my life. This one is dedicated to you, the readers. Thank you for hanging out in Chicago with me.” STOPPPP THIS MADE ME BAWWWLLLLLLLL 😭😭😭😭

Infinite stars guys this book was perfection 😭😭😭

This series has the most special place in my heart. It is probably my favorite contemporary romance. I peaked guys.. how will any other romance series compare after this ??🤧

This was second chance romance x childhood friends to lovers DONE SO SO RIGHT!! The tension, the pining, the depth of their relationship?? It was perfect.

Rio was the epitome of a golden retriever wrapped in a cinnamon roll waving the biggest green flag ever. The mouth on him though????🥵🥵🥵🥵

“Rio: Needy is literally my number one personality trait.” And we love him for that tbh.

“Everyone,” Rio announces, “this is my girlfriend, Hallie. Be nice to her or I’ll literally never talk to you again.” I NEED HIM.

Hallie was also one of the best fmcs in the series. She was so real and down to earth. Struggling with debts and bills?? Yeah that speaks to MY SOULLLL🤣🤣🤣

Their devotion to each other (iykyk) was just so adorable and cute I felt like my heart was going to explode out of sheer happiness for these fictional characters. On that note, the fact that they are all fictional isn't sitting right with me.. my brain refuses to comprehend the fact that I can't just stalk these characters on social media or something.. they feel way too real for me😩😩😩

Needless to say, I will most definitely be relistening to this book in the future. Isaiah is still my favorite mc in the series, but this book is tied with Play Along as my favorite book overall. To be honest I really do love all the books almost equally because THE SERIES IS JUST THAT GOOD!

Liz Tomforde, thank you for this series and I, as well as all your faithful readers, can't wait for what you write next💝

Favorite quotes:
“Yeah, well you’re not his, so tell him to keep his hands to himself too.” Her eyes drop to my mouth. “I’m not yours either.” We’ll see.”

“You sure look good in my shirt for not being mine.” “Get fucked, DeLuca.” I smile as I open the door. “Would love to. You just let me know when and where, Hart.”

“My perfect fucking girl. She’s always been my perfect girl. ”

“Love fell into our hands. We were neighbors turned friends who eventually fell in love. But this time, it feels like we earned it. We get to be in love because we worked for it. We decided to forgive and understand one another.”

“I don’t want to want you.” “Yeah, baby.” He nudges his nose against mine. “That makes two of us.”

"You single, Hal?” I finally give him the long-awaited answer, nodding to tell him yes. “Good.” He takes a slow predatorial step towards me, tone sharp and leaving no room for question. “Because we aren’t fucking friends.” With that declaration, he grips the side of my neck and slams his mouth onto mine. ” BARK BARK BARK

[mackenzie (hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“because i’m going to kiss you and when we listen to next year’s playlist, i want this song to be on there so we can rewind it back however many times we want to and remember this.”

oh this one hurts. it hurts so bad to be giving this 3.5 stars instead of a billion, because wdym rio and hallie didn’t become part of my roman empire?

rio is still my MAN but why did i like him more in the other books than in his own? hallie was a little dry for me too honestly give rio a better fmc i’m sorry 🫣 also friends to lovers and second chance (ish) are two of my less-liked tropes unfortunately sigh

and it draggeddddd. i mean, like, liz tomforde reverted back to mile high and had next to nothing happening for nearly 500 pages. there was some sweet moments and a few quotes i ate right up but so much was just... unnecessary.

pre-read:
me when my man’s book is finally in my hands 🤭🤭🤭🤭🤭 if this isn’t six stars then i riot!!

[Fairuz ᥫ᭡. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rewind It Back by Liz Tomforde
Windy City #5 | Narrated by Megan Wicks & Connor Crais
4.5 STARS | Final book in the series | Second Chance | Childhood best friends to lovers

I’ll speak for all ten of us when I say, there’s nowhere else we’d rather be.

I genuinely don’t know how to exist now that this series is over.
Like... this is it?? It’s done?? I’m staring into the void rn thinking about Rio and Hallie and that stupid heart tattoo and all the damn CDs he kept since they were THIRTEEN. I’m unwell. Completely and irrevocably unwell. This book felt like home and goodbye all at once.

From the very first chapter, I knew Liz was about to mess with my emotions — and wow, did she. Rio DeLuca has always been that guy, but in this book? He became him. The man is just a walking, talking green flag with emotional damage and a hockey stick. And Hallie?? That girl is the blueprint. Strong, driven, full of heart... and somehow still sane after Rio’s caveman nonsense.

This book gave me everything.
✧ Childhood besties to lovers
✧ Second chance after 6 YEARS
✧ Dual POV so we get all the inner turmoil
✧ Next door neighbors AGAIN
✧ Forced proximity (aka the ✨tension✨)
✧ It's always been you energy — the OG version

I laughed. I cried. I kicked my feet. I rolled my eyes when Rio tried (and failed) to act like he didn’t still love her. I melted every time he said “baby.” I literally screamed at my phone when he told her to take her dress off. Rio in love is too powerful and I think he should be illegal.

Yes, it dragged a bit at times. Yes, they spent too long ignoring the obvious and dancing around their feelings. But honestly? That’s real. Sometimes love needs time, and these two had years of pain to unpack. Their reunion wasn’t just romantic — it was earned.

There were flaws, but the FEELS?? Immaculate.
Like when Hallie realized she never stopped loving him. Or when Rio revealed he changed his jersey number to her birthday. Or that he literally tattooed her heart symbol over his own. I wish I was making this up, but no, he's actually that in love.

Also: seeing the rest of the Windy City gang again?? Pure serotonin. I’m so glad we got a proper goodbye to the whole crew. Kai & Miller still own my heart, but Rio & Hallie... they carved their names in it too.

I am genuinely so sad to let this series go. It was more than just romance — it was friendship, healing, growth. It was home. And now it’s over and I feel like I lost something real.

PS. If anyone has the sneak peek of Monty & Reese PLEASE DM ME I AM DESPERATE
PPS. Liz Tomforde, you menace. I love you. I hate you. Thank you.

Final Thoughts:
✧ This was the perfect goodbye.
✧ This series was lightning in a bottle.
✧ I’ll be rereading until further notice.