In Her Own League

by Liz Tomforde, Anna Gurgul (Translator)

Reese Remington przez lata przygotowywała się do roli właścicielki drużyny w MLB, i tak się składa, że będzie pierwszą kobietą na tym stanowisku. Opinia publiczna jednak widzi w niej jedynie damę w męskim świecie – nie osobę, która zapracowała sobie na tę pozycję. Z racji ogólnej presji Reese nie może pozwolić sobie na to, by cokolwiek ją rozpraszało.

W szczególności kiedy tym rozproszeniem uwagi okazuje się pociągający Emmett Montgomery, były najlepszy zawodnik MLB, a obecnie trener drużyny.

Emmett traktuje zawodników jak własną rodzinę, a boisko jak dom. Po latach zarządzania drużyną na własnych zasadach nie potrzebuje nowego przełożonego. Niestety jest zmuszony spędzać długie godziny w biurze i na meczach wyjazdowych przy boku szefowej, a to powoduje, że zaczyna zauważać, skąd bierze się pasja Reese do przewodzenia i niewzruszona determinacja, by udowodnić wszystkim swój profesjonalizm.

Gdy zapalczywe sprzeczki powodują wzajemne przyciąganie, zawodowe granice zaczynają się zacierać. Reese natomiast wie, że wiele osób tylko czeka, aż powinie się jej noga, dlatego najbezpieczniej jest utrzymać Emmetta z dala od siebie.

Wydaje się, że pośród tej dwójki nie ma wygranych w grze pozorów i trzymaniu się na dystans.

Książka zawiera treści nieodpowiednie dla osób poniżej osiemnastego roku życia.

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Sports, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Workplace Romance, Baseball

488 pages, Paperback

First published March 3, 2026

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

[Marianna Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Monty can disrespectfully run me over and I’d thank him. The daddiest daddy that ever daddied. I need say nothing more.

[sasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

here i am yearning for someone’s grandpa

[maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

જ⁀➴ 2.75 ✰

well, this was definitely something.

there’s 3 things I hate:
1. the story / writing being repetitive
2. when lust overshadow everything else in the book
3. miller

and there’s a lot of these 3 things in this book so yeah, I didn’t like this as much as I wanted to :(

[꧁ ༺Minne༻ ꧂ · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are drugs in this book. No one can convince me otherwise. There is literally no part of this story that I didn’t like. This is shocking to me because it contains something I usually hate in romance novels: secret relationships.
But goddamn. This was amazing.



Story: ★★★★★

Writing: ★★★★☆

Pacing and development: ★★★★★

Romance: ★★★★★

Level of steam: ★★★★☆

꧁ ༺ Minne’s reading report ༻ ꧂
⏰ Time of initial interest: chapter 1

🫀 Time of emotional attachment: chapter 1 (two words EM.METT)

⚠️ Time of full emotional surrender: chapter 3 (after Emmett tells Reese that he wants her to succeed)

💘 Time of complete loss of sanity: somewhere between the elevator scene and the watch scene
​🫠​​😮‍💨​
🚑 Current condition: hopelessly attached to a fictional baseball field manager

📉 Chance of recovery: 0% to unlikely

⚰️ RIP to my standards for fictional men


I’ll try to temper my excitement, please let me know by the end of this review if I succeed. In reality, almost half of it is basically just me thirsting over a fictional man because… oh Emmett. Oh brown eyes.



I LOVE this man. He is currently sitting comfortably at the very top of my list of beloved romance heroes. The last time I geeked out over a fictional man like this was Aaron Warner and I was 17. Before that, it was Mr. Rochester when I was 13, which should tell you how serious this is.



This man deserves every good thing in the world. He’s respectful, kind, considerate, and rough around the edges when he needs to be. He dedicates his youth to raising a child alone, and is content believing there’s no romance written in his story until Reese. Personally, I love MMCs who are good without being too much of a cinnamon roll, and Emmett strikes that balance perfectly. He is careful with Reese and tries to match her pace, but he is NOT passive.

I’m also really glad he was paired with someone like Reese. A woman who gives him just as much care and attention as he gives to everyone else. Reese is one of the best FMCs I’ve encountered in a while. It took me a little time to warm up to her, but once I did, I adored her. She’s confident, kind, tough when she needs to be, and extremely good at what she does. I can’t walk in heels to save my life, but the satisfaction I get from reading about the click clack of her heels as she makes her majestic entrance into a room is… unmatched.

I don’t know if this is weird, but I adore the small details in Tomforde’s writing. Silly little things like describing how Emmett takes off his watch before getting down to… uh business, or our MCs exchanging fevered glances across rooms. Those tiny details had me kicking my feet like an idiot.

Tomforde also takes her time developing the relationship before the romance really takes off. They go from dislike, to reluctant allies, to friends, and it all happens without the exhausting toxic hostility that usually makes these setups unbearable. It is Emmett who insists that just because they don’t like each other doesn’t mean they have to be petty or disrespectful. That they need to remain civil and sensible. I can't explain how incredibly attractive this is to me. After this, whatever the man said was music to my ears



I didn’t realise how starved I’ve been for this kind of romance until now. This was so beautiful that I’m honestly malfunctioning a little. I love mature romance so much. Emmett is 45, while Reese is 35.

I don't see this often in books, so I really appreciate that even before their misunderstandings are cleared up, they build a relationship based on mutual respect and cooperation. It’s not a perfect start, but they slowly learn to rely on each other and become friends while the attraction quietly simmers in the background.
Everyone who knows me knows I hate overly toxic banter with a passion. But here the push and pull felt just right. The yearning on both sides was absolutely delicious, and the pacing of the romance was impeccable.

And yes, they do enter a secret relationship. As I said before, I usually hate that trope because it rarely feels justified. But here it actually makes sense because of the boss/employee dynamic. When you also consider that Reese works in a male-dominated field, is the first woman to hold her position, and has worked incredibly hard to get where she is, their relationship could easily become more of a professional liability than a strength. Unfortunately, as a woman, I empathise with the crippling fear of messing up a professional opportunity that you worked so hard to earn. It’s the principle of the thing. Because of that, her hesitation to go public felt completely understandable.

I also love how these two people found each other while both quietly believing they were destined for lonely lives. It almost feels like they were each other’s reward for everything they had gone through. I enjoyed watching their attraction to each other turn them into teenagers again, without the awkwardness that usually comes with that age. The way they protect and care for each other is so pleasing. I could really feel the intensity of their love.

Objectively speaking, the book probably could have been a little shorter. But honestly? I didn’t want the story to end, so I didn’t care. There’s nothing like a romance that just makes you feel good. This book honestly has me reconsidering some of my recent romance ratings.

I was so stoked that this story revolves around baseball, and that it's the first sports romance I’ve truly fallen in love with. One thing I’m not fond of in sports romance is the excessive swearing but here it’s minimal.

As for the villain of the hour, Scott… I have nothing to say except: 👀



And it’d be even better if someone set the man straight…or crooked


JK guys. JK.

I’m always curious about what authors think of their own work, so I sometimes read the acknowledgements. This is how Tomforde begins hers:

“This book was such a joy to write! It reminded me of why I love writing and creating so much.”

And honestly, the only thing I can say in response is:
Ma’am, this book was such a joy and an honor to read. I come to swear fealty to you and this romance



Tropes & Things We Love
⚾ Baseball romance
💼 Boss/employee
💘 Forbidden romance
🤫 Secret relationship
👩‍💼 Workplace / office romance
🧑‍🍼 Single dad hero/ Grandpa
👩 Divorcée
💗​ Plus size representation
🔥 Mature romance (45 / 35)
👩‍🔧 Woman thriving in a male dominated field
🤌🏼 Slow burn with unbearable yearning
🫶 Acts of service (Emmett supremacy)
💬 Words of affirmation
🛡️ Protective energy on both sides
🤝 From reluctant coworkers to friends to lovers
💞 Lonely souls finding each other
📖 Dual POV
🌿 Low stakes but high feelings
✨ Soft domestic moments that will make you melt

I’ll be adding some of my favorite quotes later because I need to go and try lucid dreaming Emmett into my dreams tonight. BYEE.





Updates while reading ༄˖°.☕️.ೃ࿔📚*:･

“He’s got brown eyes. They’re shaded by his baseball hat, but they’re warm and concerned and that soft expression he’s got right now is probably how he always gets exactly what he wants.
Not today, Satan.”

Yes, today. Yes NOW. Like RIGHT NOW



-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･

He’s got tattoos, respects women and is wonderful with kids? OMG I want to crawl into this man’s lap like a kitten…GIMMEEE




-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･༄˖°.🍂.ೃ࿔*:･

Even in my teens, I never gave into peer pressure. This is bad…

[manas · Rating 3 out of 5]

➳ bee keeping age ☆

first and foremost, thank you to my favorites, vee & gary for buddy reading our most anticipated release! i love you both—so much! x

for starters, i love this book. please don't see the 3.5 and get deferred. this was a fantastic read and i am so glad we are getting more liz tomforde books this year. in order to understand my rating, i do have to go on a little rant, with some spoilers. remember, *READ WHAT YOU WANNA READ AND DON'T LET ANYONE TELL YOU OTHERWISE*!

one of the main issues i had with this book, was the progression of the romance. it’s pretty much impossible to escape lust and obsession, and every book that is traditionally published pretty much follows this exact narrative structure. this didn’t bother me because i genuinely love both monty and reese—however, that doesn’t negate the underlying issue with their relationship. it is fairly obvious that both of these characters liked each other from the very beginning. while you could classify this story as a slow burn, i would actually argue the opposite. they kissed around the 30% mark and then continued this almost childish banter for the remainder of the story. i like banter and i like tension, but there was almost no need for that in this story because there was nothing actually keeping our main characters apart.

once that clicked into place for me, the entire story crumbled, which is why i had to dock off two stars from this book. it does hurt me a lot to rate their story so low, especially because i absolutely was obsessed with monty when i read caught up. unlike caught up for me, this story doesn’t have a foundation that is strong enough to hold together. a lot of the rather puerile behavior from both of our main characters just added this weird looming tension that never went away. for a good majority of the story, reese kept telling herself, monty, and the readers, that them getting together would jeopardize her entire career if anybody found out. i do understand that being a woman in such a male dominated field is probably difficult and trying to bone your most beloved employee is not the best look for you. trust, i understand. this was a passing conversation here and there, but there were not enough salient moments that emphasized this fact. we, as readers, didn’t really dive deep enough into those insecurities for me to care this much.

a lot of the narrative structure lies within the readers and the audience to fill in certain blanks. these characters are on the older side, late 30s to mid 40s. but unfortunately, at no point in this book do those ages match their actions and reactions to CERTAIN situations. i really liked the setting of the story and i genuinely believe that both monty and reese have amazing chemistry. it was also amazing to be able to be back with our found family in chicago, but sadly for me, a lot of the negatives outweigh the positives. by no means is this a bad book or is this a bad take on romance. i absolutely love the plus size representation and i love a good girlboss who is very confident in herself. but i do think that in order to sell as a good romance, both main characters should be equally desirable, but in this case, i felt like monty completely outshined reese, and in a way made her seem rather jejune and whinny at times. lastly, as soon as they got together around the 70% mark, i assumed that we were going to wrap up quickly— but there was still another 150 pages left. i just felt like there was a lot of unnecessary filler towards the end that highlighted a lot of the other issues that i mentioned above.

please don’t come for me. i’m very sensitive. <3

[Delaney · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

I love Monty & I LOVE Reese.

[ଘRory]

_The YEARN is YEARNING .

[bookluvr · Rating 5 out of 5]

what is it about this sorceress’s books that feels like coming home to me? like a warm hug? like a safe place? and i mean safe in the very best of ways because yeah…i loved it 🥹. adored it. devoured it. held my kindle to my chest when i was done, wishing i could go back and start it all over again because this had me so locked in! i was so excited for this release but wary that it would disappoint me just because my demands going into it were uncontrollably high stemming from this nail-biting, long-ongoing anticipation - but it turned out to be everything that i wanted it to be. it delivered. period.

i think that liz tomforde has this very specific ability to write adult contemporary romance that just feels so right to me. it’s not to say these plots are completely unchartered or unpredictable, or that her books have intense, angsty or deeply traumatic arcs that play on my emotions for those reasons alone - but they do end up hitting me in the solar plexus in a quiet, don’t see it coming until it does, kind of way. her characters are down to earth and there’s this particular brand of sincerity in the way she writes them falling in love that i get swept up in every single time. she did the damn thing with reese and monty…prepare for a gush review because that’s all i got in me, i fear 😭.

let me start the yaps with babbling on about the main characters:

—— reese remington 💗
i absolutely loved her characterization. in a lot of ways, i found her to be incredibly relatable (minus the being wealthy part - i can only dream lol 🥲). she just felt so human to me. there’s always a risk with these “ball buster” type fmcs (more so because of how they are often written rather than the personality type itself) in that they can come off really obstinate and/or harsh for no logical reason, but she was so incredibly likable and an utter force. i loved how unapologetic she was about who she was, what she liked and what she came here to do. she cared about doing right by her family’s legacy and i could feel her love for this team. a boss barbie™ (complimentary) who i had nothing but admiration for in how she took charge in her work, despite all the sexism and harassment working against her. she stood her ground and was fiercely independent, but was not above seeking others’s opinions when she needed them. her displays of vulnerability felt organic, genuine and well-placed. it was even more so satisfying watching her open up to monty over the course of the book and gaining an ally that sought to never undermine her agency but be there to hold her up because the crown is heavy and she deserved support - even if she could go it alone. i can’t say how happy i was to see her find the right man to fit into her already fulfilling life.

and, let’s talk about it - we got a thicc queen for this book! an absolute gorgeous baddie - we love to see it! something that i found refreshing about this aspect to her character was that it didn’t become a plot point that needed to be worked through. that’s not to say i don’t enjoy body image struggles in a character arc - because i have (and the core series had such a case) + i, too, am plus-sized - but i really liked how she was who she was and there was nothing that she needed to change or overcome in this regard as part of her journey depicted in the book. confident, capable, beautiful, full-bodied and that was that! had her man feening…and rightfully so! him holding her up with one arm at one point…i was done for.

which brings me to the grandpappy of all grandpappies, the best to ever do it!!!

—— emmett hnnnnnnngngggffgf “i lift heavy for a reason” montgomery!!! 🫦
y’all gonna have to put a muzzle on me, because if i open my mouth to speak on this man, the drivel that threatens to pour out would be concerning and cause for a case to have me committed. this mannnnnn. oef. until the paint peels off the walls. anyways 🙃. as scrumpdillyumptious as he was in all the aesthetic ways (and i won’t be forgetting the mouth on him anytime soon), his heart and the way he cared about his people was the most attractive thing about him. he was so protective of his family, his players and of reese. a sacrificial and selfless man, through and through. again, i loved how he became a rock for her whilst never wanting to undermine her ability to handle her own. the book put it best. ”…i don’t do things for you because i don’t think you can do them for yourself. i do them because i want to. and because you should know what it feels like to be taken care of.” 😩 we already knew this side of him from miller’s storyline in caught up, but getting his perspective and more of the ways he holds others down just made me love him even more. he deserves the whole world istg! i’ll nobly concede to you reese, queen - you better give it to him!!! (i trust that she will 🙂‍↕️). getting to see him find a partner later in life - a person he could be a little selfish with after giving his all to others, a person to care for HIM and a person to share in all the big and mundane life moments…just watching him find his person…my heart threatens to bubble over for him.

—— god, their romance was everything to me ❤️
their chemistry? electric. the banter? on point. the tension??? so damn palpable, i could barely breathe in parts! had my knees buckling (mind you, i was almost always reading laying on my side, but you get me). i also REALLY liked how the forbidden romance and dislike-to-love angles were handled. on the former, the stakes weren’t flimsy and the case as to why they needed to resist one another felt situationally relevant and understandable (and warranted). this upped the deliciously suffocating tension between them even more. on the latter - now, i’ve been known to like things being intensely biting, maybe even a little too far so 🤭, but there was a maturity to these two and to the way their initial conflict played out and resolved. their mutual antagonism was more gentle and realistic, and they felt like the ages the book was reporting them to be in how it was set up. it also didn’t drag on and i felt like that gave way to a well-paced falling-for-one-another arc. they were just so grown and sexxxxxxy, what more can i say? i felt every emotion. their romantic connection was so earnest. i loved the displays of compatibility and reciprocity in this love story. they were perfect for each other.

”we were two people who were lonelier than we realized and only found each other because we had the same hiding place.”

”how lucky am i to have found the person i love the most in the place i love most.”

staaaaaaaaph 🥹.

i adored the cameos from the caught up and play along couples, but in particular, every moment with little max had me melting! the found family was found family-ing so bad, i ate every crumb up! i also especially loved the father-daughter thread for miller and monty throughout the narrative.

alright alright, i’ll stop for real now. no, because i’ve been waiting for this book for ELEVEN (11!!!) MONTHS, probably longer if i think about when i read play along and the idea of a reesemonty story was relegated to playing out in my maladaptive daydreams because miss ma’am was playing it coy about ever releasing anything for these two and that the series was, unequivocally, ending with rio and rewind it back. so, understand me when i say the excitement for this one was brewing for an eon, but the book came through for me. i’m so pleased by what was on the plate here and i 100% see myself re-reading this one day.

time to make some fictional calls to my fictional therapist to schedule a few extra sessions so i can lament about saying goodbye to the windy city for real, because wdym??? there’s really no more after this?! 😭✋🏾

also, i’d be remiss not to observe a moment of silence for that gym scene. it’s already causing the most severe case of brainrot. i’m doomed.

—————————————————————————————————

yes, i did in fact read this again a few days after finishing it the first time. yes, that marks two reads of the same book in the span of seven days. no, i have absolutely no regrets 🙂‍↔️.

reesemonty is my ILLNESS, my DISEASE, my AILMENT. i savored every word!!! somehow, this second read had me even more emotional, especially in the last third of the book? 😭❤️ i simply won’t be getting over them anytime soon, i fear. they have my whole heart, my whole soul, every corner of my brain.

[Salma [Ramadan HIATUS] · Rating 5 out of 5]

⤿ rating: ♾️ stars (I don’t trust anyone who rates it any less oops)
⤿ age: 18+
⤿ spice: 3/5
₊· ͟͟͞͞➳ Review will contain minor spoilers and quotes (will be added later)

➜ Thank you so much to my love Laura for listening to me swoon over Monty. I’ll also be thirsting over him in this review. If you’re a minor, proceed with caution 😂

𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔:
🧢⚾️ Baseball Romance
⚾️🧢 Boss x Employee
🧢⚾️ Age Gap
⚾️🧢 Plus-Size FMC
🧢⚾️ Dislike to Lovers
⚾️🧢 He’s the only one allowed to dislike her

══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══╡ Overview: ╞══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══

MY FIRST SIX STARS OF THE YEAR!!

The urge to read the Windy City series and this book all over again.

When I first read Caught Up and met Monty in that book, I already knew I was going to fall in love with him. I was begging for him to have his own book, and HE FINALLY DOES. I wanted to scream when Liz posted the announcement, and then she posted the cover and title, and I wanted to scream some more. I was dying for the book to be out already, and now I've finished it. This book absolutely delivered and exceeded my expectations.

I giggled. I laughed. I cried. I felt all sorts of emotions reading this book. I think Liz ruined all other romance books for me. It’s hard to create a series or a bunch of characters and make your readers get attached to them so easily—Liz nails that aspect.

The Windy City Series and this book are two of the reasons I love reading so much. I’ve grown to love these characters with my entire heart, and like they’re my own. I’m so sad to leave Chicago, because I’m not ready to let go or move on just yet—I don’t know if I ever will be.

⁀જ➣꒰ ⋮ ρℓσт.꒱

Did I have issues with this book? Kind of, but not enough to deter me from giving this book any less than it deserves. Sure, the slight OW/OM drama was a bit bothersome, but not over the top. It was also repetitive at times; the back-and-forth between Monty and Reese went on for a long while, but I didn’t mind it because I’m biased when it comes to these characters.

I was also on the edge of my seat for the entirety of the book, worrying about a third-act breakup that never came, thankfully.

It was weird reading this book, in a way, though. I’m not used to NOT seeing their Sunday gatherings alongside Zanders, Stevie, Ryan, Indy, Rio, and Hallie. I missed them in the book. 😂

Scenes I would have loved to see:
𐙚 Monty walking Miller down the Isle, and Isaiah’s speech at the wedding
𐙚 Monty and Isaiah’s reactions to Miller and Kai’s newborn baby
𐙚 A cameo between the rest of the characters from the Windy City series.
𐙚 Max's reaction to Miller's pregnancy and baby

⁀જ➣꒰⋮ 𝕽𝖔𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖊.꒱

The banter was bantering like no other. The tension between them. The flirtatious moments. Everything they both had had me smiling from ear to ear nonstop. Every single moment that they did for each other showcased their growth, trust, and love that they have.

The way they cared for each other and trusted each other enough to be vulnerable was very wholesome. I loved how they came to acknowledge and trust themselves that they're worthy of each other's love, and don't have to be alone forever anymore.

⁀જ➣꒰⋮ ᭙𝕣ⅈ𝕥ⅈꪀᧁ.꒱

I adore Liz Tomforde’s writing; it’s one of the best I’ve ever seen, and this was no exception. Her writing is so perfect in a way that it'll never make you cringe, and will make you feel the emotions the characters are going through.

══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══╡ Characters: ╞══⋆⋅☆⋅⋆══

જ⁀➴ Emmett: Where to begin? He is the daddiest daddy to ever exist. I love a man who is just the right amount of grumpiness and softness all at once. The words that came out of this man’s mouth had me melting for him. A baby comes out of me whenever he speaks. I’ve read a lot of books with the ex-boyfriend’s dad trope, and it’s safe to say—Monty puts them to shame. Nothing can compare to him. The way he is with Miller, the Rhodes brothers, and Reese, and even his team, is enough to make a woman melt into a puddle at his feet. Seeing everything from his POV is enough to make anyone fall in love with him easily, even more than they did in the Windy City series. The way he cares for each of all of them was easy to make a woman ovulate 24/7. Not only did he STEP UP to be Miller's dad, but he also stepped up to be the father figure the Rhodes brothers lacked in their lives. It was definitely a nice change to see him be selfish for once and put himself first, after putting everyone else first. After all, he sacrificed so much. I fear Monty took Kai’s place, but don’t worry, Kai, I still love you! Monty can run me over with his car, and I'd thank him for it.

જ⁀➴ Reese: I loved her so much; such a badass character. She did bother me at first, because she was upsetting my man—and we can’t have that. But once you find out her reasoning, you fall in love with her even more. The way she cared for Monty in a way that no one cared for him before was very heartwarming and adoringly sweet to witness. Her character growth from being the first woman team owner and worrying that she might fail to someone so confident with her head held high was BADASS to read. The way she stood up for herself and even Monty showed her resilience like no other. I loved seeing her allow herself to be vulnerable with Monty without having to overthink or worry about how he'd think of her. She knew he'd never judge her for it, and that he'll always be there to listen. Not only that, but after her failed past relationship, she is not afraid to go after what she wants, no matter the consequences. It's also a lovely change to see her comfortable in her own skin, and not have a problem with being single.

⋮ ⌗ ┆ 𝐒𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:

જ⁀➴ Kai, Miller and Max: Excuse me, Liz, what do you mean Max is three in this book? No, no, I refuse to believe that. He’ll always be eight months to me. However, I still love Kai and Miller. The love between Miller and Monty is very emotional.

જ⁀➴ Isaiah and Kennedy: Isaiah, he’s so hilarious, I love him—Kennedy, too. It’s so sweet seeing their relationship together, and seeing Kennedy finally in a good work position. I'll never understand the hate Kennedy gets to be honest.

જ⁀➴ Travis and Cody and Milo: And for the lady, perhaps a book for each, Liz? 👀 Travis, Cody, and Isaiah are definitely the perfect trio that adds comedy anywhere they go.

જ⁀➴ Harrison, Scott, and the advisory board members: I hate them all—except Ed. Their ending was so satisfying to read.

── .✦ 𝓕𝓲𝓷𝓪𝓵 𝓣𝓱𝓸𝓾𝓰𝓱𝓽𝓼: This book was the definition of perfection. I’m so sad to leave Chicago, and these characters… 😭

«────── « ⋅ʚ♡ɞ⋅ » ──────»

˖ ֹ੭୧ pre-read:⊹ ࣪ ⑅

THIS BOOK WAS MY HIGHEST ANTICIPATED RELEASE, AND IT IS FINALLY HERE!! 🤭 Expectations are through the roof right now, so I really hope it doesn't disappoint! I will not accept anything less than five stars, or I'll throw a tantrum.

Time to read about Daddy Monty, Kai, and Isaiah

[chan ☆]

pains me to say this but this was... deeply boring. like. characters were fine, sex was fine. but the stakes felt sooooo low. and i just did not care.

[Andy ₊✩ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gosh this was beautiful 😍. I don’t want this to end 🙏.
I knew I will love this book even before it came out. First, because the whole series has been absolutely amazing, and second because Reese is 35 and Emmett is 45 — and I love that mature vibe. It honestly feels like a breath of fresh air.

They both have a dirty mouth and I ate that up. 🔥and Reese ? My favorite FMC of the series! My queen!
Since this is the final book in the series, let me rank them. The ones I wasn’t that crazy about were Zanders and Isaiah. Yeah, don’t come for me — I know Isaiah is a fan favorite. 😂 They were good, just a bit average for me.

I loved the rest of the series though. The biggest surprise was Rio. I wasn’t that excited for his book at first, but it ended up being my second favorite. 🫶
And when it comes to the men? Ryan Shay all the way. ❤️‍🔥

Also… do you see the potential for books about Cody, Travis, and Milo (you know… once he’s all grown up)? 👀

Because I would definitely read those. No hesitation.

The only thing I’ll say: if you don’t love the first book, keep going. The ride is absolutely worth.

[Clace]

I miss her writing so muchhh! I need this to be as good as books 3 and 4 of the windy city series, if not better 🤞 (I've been waiting for this one since I read book 3 )

[Lilyya ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

what am i supposed to do with my life now?

[April]

ᯓ★Pre-read

I have fallen into a slump and am hoping that Liz can work her magic and help me out of it 🤞This is one of my most anticipated reads of the year and I'm sooo excited to jump in. Please deliver 💖💖


AHHHH!! We have a title!! 🤭❤️ I need this book like air but have to wait until March 😩

[cherie ^_-★ (busy)]

pre-read ⚾️
HAPPY RELEASE DAY 🤸🏻‍♀️💃🏻🕺🏻 i can’t believe it’s already the 3rd of march?! it honestly doesn’t feel like i waited that long for this book… but it’s one of my most anticipated releases of the year so it better not disappoint!!! 😤

[aira · Rating 2 out of 5]

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 2.5/5

Ok, I know it took me a while, but it's finally review time...I did up the rating a little bit because the more I thought about it, the less it felt like a 2.25 and more like a 2.5. It's not a big difference, but I wanted to make sure the rating accurately described my thoughts.

‼️ Don't read my review if you cannot take an opinion lightly because I swear the people that misunderstand my opinion are getting on my last damn nerve.

Let me start by saying that I feel like I'm slumping, so maybe this rating would have been different otherwise. Therefore, take it with a grain of salt. I feel like I say this so often, but please don't be discouraged from reading a book based on my ratings/reviews. I would never want to negatively influence someone from reading a book.

It physically pains me to give this book such a low rating after being so excited for it, but I picked this book up like 10 times and I got distracted every single time. Normally that would be my sign to go read something else and come back to this book, but I somehow powered through because I kept thinking it would get better and I would end up loving it.

The Windy City Series is probably one of my top 5 favorite series...I gave 3 books in that series 5 stars and if you know me, you know how rare 5 star books in general for me, and like 3 books in the same series getting 5 stars is unheard of around here.

Anyways, this book. If you remember, I absolutely loved Rewind it Back last year and I gave it 5 stars because it was the perfect ending to the Windy City Series and I was so excited that we were getting to go back to the Windy City with Reese and Monty in this book. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would give this book anything under 3 stars.

I couldn't find much to like aside from the cover because it's truly beautiful and then Isaiah & Kennedy because those two are some of my favorite characters.

I'll start with the characters, then the plot, and then anything else I need to say.

Reese Remington.

Her whole personality was just her trying to be girl boss.

Listen, I appreciate and very much respect the hustle, but her character was very childish in the sense that aside from her stating that she's in her late 30's, it's not very evident what would separate her from a teenager in terms of her behavior.

She's so whiny about being a woman in a man-dominated field and yes, I get it because I totally understand people undermining you because you're a woman, but you gotta do something about it. You can't just expect respect from your position because let's face it, it's already harder for people to respect a woman in power and if you aren't going to do anything about it and continuously whine that nobody's taking you seriously, like no shit they won't give you the time of day. I hate saying stuff like this because I believe in the idea of empowering other women, but why whine about something that's literally in your hands to fix?

Emmett "Monty" Montgomery.

His whole personality was him giving up his baseball career to raise a child that wasn't even his and then "bantering" with Reese.

I think it takes a true man with character to raise a child that wasn't even biologically his and he's super admirable for that part of him. What didn't work was the fact that his personality was reduced to that alone. I think he should be so much more than that, but we didn't get too much about him aside from that and even then, it was super minimal.

As for the banter, I wouldn't even really call it that because it was kind of childish given their ages, especially his, but it would probably be enjoyable to most people. The amount of times he talked back to her or said “Don’t tell me what to do” was crazy given his age and his supposed maturity level with the other half of his personality.

I low-key thought he was annoying. I feel so bad saying that about him, but it was truly the emotion that I was left with when I thought back to him.

Now, the plot, the romance and everything else.

This should have been a novella or at least cut in half because this was so long when nothing was really happening.

The back and forth was childish. It didn't fit into either one of their character arcs and it was just so out of character for them. I could see it as they feel comfortable bantering with each other, but nothing else really supported that.

“Don’t tell me what to do” was going to be my last straw. It was giving high school romance where I bully you because I like you, but I can't tell you that.

Then, the romance was all lust. It's so different, because in the other books, I always thought that the connection and the chemistry was so overpowering that the lust was secondary. However, in this one, I felt like the lust overpowered the rest of the romance and that made their romance so forced.

Overall, I think the characters were really off for me to enjoy this because they felt one-dimensional and childish. Other than that, you might enjoy it more than I did.

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2.25 (for now)!! It pains me to give this book such a low rating after being so excited for it, but rtcccccc

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pre-read: hyperventilating because what do you mean it's here?!?! like omggggg ✋😩

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back to the Windy City, you say?!!?!? yeah, duh I'm there. 🤫 (it's so worth waiting until march 2026)

[Ana · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emmett "𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘵 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘷𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘰𝘯" Montgomery, need I say more!!!
It was everything I wanted, everything I needed, I need this book injected into my veins.

Monty, the man that you are. I fell in love with him the moment he was introduced and I'm so happy we got his story. That man has the biggest heart and seeing him be loved right after he spent his life putting others before himself was everything. He supported Reese, was her safe place, let her be herself and always protected her knowing she's quite capable of doing it herself. He was a true partner and as someone who loves this world more than anything else, it made me so emotional reading this incredible story. And the mouth on that man, yes sir!!!
Reese was such a boss, she was confident and brilliant, I admire her so much. She stood her ground and even when she was beaten down, she never stayed down for long. She didn't let anyone tell her she can't do something and seeing her be vulnerable with Emmett was so special. She let him in, found her safe place and the love she always deserved!! She didn't have it easy, being a woman in a man's world, but she never let that stop her and she made her place there, at the top and I never loved anyone more.

Their love story was truly wonderful. The banter, the yearning, the tension, it was so good. The forbidden aspect of their relationship and how hard they tried to fight their feelings made this so much better, but they were always each others missing piece. The cold room and the sleepover, the jealousy and the elevator, the gym, the secret hiding place, the dancing and her home, the cabin and the way they supported each other, were there for each other, every little moment, every conversation, it all made for such a beautiful and impactful story and it did make me cry a little bit. I truly was expecting a lot from this story and the fact it overdelivered, says a lot.

I say this a lot, but this found family is one of my favourites. I loved seeing Miller, Kai and Max again, their little family is my favourite and of course Isaiah and Kenny, those two hold such a special place in my heart. Emmett and Miller have such an amazing bond and I adored seeing them again and how supportive she and everyone else was. I'm so sad we are saying goodbye to this world, but I'm so grateful we got to meet all of them.

I'll be counting down the days until the next series is out. I'm so excited for it!!

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Liz Tomforde’s ‘Windy City’ series will forever be one of my top favorite sports romance series ever. I was thrilled to find out we were getting a Monty and Reese spin-off book! And I absolutely loved it!

Reese Remington is the new owner of Chicago’s MLB team, and Emmett Montgomery- aka Monty is the coach. As we saw in some of the later Windy City books, these two butted heads. A lot of that was due to each of their misconceptions of the other. But once they really got to the heart of each other, everything changed.

Monty is a character I’ve loved since ‘Caught Up’. He is the best dad and coach, and he has such a big heart. He really met his match with Reese. She was such a boss, and I loved them together.

I hope Liz never stops writing sports romance. She does such an incredible job. This book kept the biggest smile on my face. Not only did I love both characters, but getting to see some of my favorites from the previous books was icing on the cake!

Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 5 stars
Narrators: Samantha Brentmoor & Jason Clarke
Narration Rating: 5 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 13h 28m

[sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ Rating: ♾️⭐️
🫧 Vibes: confident, sexy, and empowering
🎶 Song: woman like me - little mix
📖 Favourite Quote: "How lucky am I to have found the person I love most in the place I love most."
📚 Would I recommend? I mean DUH
💬 tldr thoughts: A MILLION STARS. NO NOTES.

In the package:
📦 boss x employee
📦 forbidden relationship
📦 mutual pining
📦 found family

Thoughts: I AM NOT OKAY!!! This is probably my favourite romance series ever and nothing will top it. I can't believe it's over 😭 I tried to savour it, I really did but I could. not. put. this. book. down. Banter? IMMACULATE. Monty? 🫦 Reese? A certified girl boss 💅🏻 The cameos? had me crying in the club. Miller had me laughing out loud with her unfiltered thoughts, oh my gosh. She was a total menace and I loved every second of it.

Everything about this book was perfection from start to finish. I literally have zero complaints. Every single time one of them said "Don't tell me what to do.", I died a little inside (in the best way). The banter was sharp, quick and hilarious. I was giggling and kicking my feet the whole time. Their vulnerable moments were so raw and real, it broke my heart to see how Reese was treated in a male dominated field but unfortunately this is the reality and I think Liz did a fantastic job portraying how difficult it is. Reese is a such strong, confident and resilient FMC and the ending had me slow clapping.

Thank you Raincoast Books and Entangled Publishing for this gifted finished copy!

✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok and instagram⋆☾✩⁺₊✩

[Grace Quan · Rating 5 out of 5]

꒰⚾️꒱ 𝟓 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒔

𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒎𝒂𝒕: audio 🎧
𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅 : 3/7/26-3/8/26
𝒇𝒂𝒗 𝒒𝒖𝒐𝒕𝒆: ❝And just so we're clear here, there's no part of me that wants to be friends with you, Reese.❞

ᯓ★ 𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑼𝑮𝑯𝑻𝑺:

Quick disclaimer, if you're looking for a low-stakes cozy romance, this book is not for you. This book works so well for me because of the high-stakes environment. It succeeded in keeping me invested not only in their relationship, but in the overall plot. Since I'm assuming the audience for this book is women, the central plot was definitely geared towards women. .Reese, the main character is navigating being the first female MLB team owner. She desperately wants to pave the way for young women in sports to feel like they have a place. So when she falls in love with the Field Manager Emmett Montgomery, she fears how the baseball world will tear her apart when they find out. Being under constant scrutiny, Reese must find a way to prove herself, live her life and love whoever she wants.
The romance itself was really well done too. Of course this book piggybacked off of the Windy City series so the author didn't have to work to hard to world build or establish found family characters. But since we all have that context, I was able to enjoy the book so throughly because I already adored all these characters. On top of all that, Reese and Emmett's chemistry and tension was a homerun. (very much bad pun intended)

ᯓ★𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑹𝑨𝑪𝑻𝑬𝑹𝑺:

Reese: Before I start getting all thirsty over Emmett, I'd like to talk about Reese. If she was a real person, I just know she would be the biggest inspiration for young girls and heck, all women. How she handles herself in a male dominated field impressed me throughout the entire book. I'd also like to talk about how confident she is in her curves. I mean, is there anything more attractive than a woman knowing her worth and knowing how drop dead gorgeous she is? I like reading about someone who knows what she wants and knows her worth. Reese was content with her single life. I think it's a beautiful thing when you don't have a "missing piece" because you're already whole, the man that you fall in love with is just the cherry on top.

Emmett (Monty): If you're a fan of the Windy City series you already know this man is good to his very bone. Alright, that's all I'm talking about his character, I need to talk about how hot this man is. Now, mind you this man is so hot that I don't even care that he is technically someone's grandpa. I know that's kinda a crazy statement but it' so true. 😮‍💨 I mean, nothing says mature older man like grandpa, if you know what I mean. Ok so he's not THAT old but still (45 yo). But anyway, this man lifts heavy so he can throw around Reese, who's very generous in the curve department. Emmett "I lift heavy for a reason" Montgomery can ruin me any day of the week and I'd thank him on the way out.

ᯓ★𝑽𝑬𝑹𝑫𝑰𝑪𝑻:

Yes, I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a high-stakes sports romance with TONS of tension and angst.

[angelinabvby ۶۟ৎ]

buddy reading this GRUMP X SUNSHINE GRANDPEOPLE SPORTS ROMANCE with MY LOVELIES Rachel Louise ☆ & Pao!!! 💗 ⚾️ 💗

𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕪
goddamn y'all are obsessed w this book

[Youssra (semi ia)]

I can't wait to get to this book sooonnn😭😭

[EMthebooktrovert · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Her Own League was one of my most anticipated reads of 2026. Monty has been such a beloved character throughout the series, and I’ve been waiting for his story for so long. That said, the downside of loving a character this much is that the expectations get really high—and sometimes it’s hard for a book to live up to everything you imagined.

But honestly, it still felt really special finally getting Monty’s story. Everything unfolded pretty much the way I had pictured it in my head, and Liz Tomforde’s writing style remains as addictive and comforting as ever. There’s just something about the way she writes romance that makes it so easy to fall into the story and care about the characters.

There was a bit of a lull for me in the second part of the book where the pacing slowed down slightly, but it didn’t take away from the overall experience too much. At its heart, this was exactly what it promised to be—a warm, feel-good romance that left me smiling by the end. And as someone who has been rooting for Monty for so long, I’m just really happy he finally got his moment. And Reese was exactly what I had envisioned, so no surprises there.

Now if anything, finishing this book has only made me even more excited for what’s coming next. I already cannot wait to meet the Wilder brothers in November, and I know I’ll be counting down the days until then.

[Ri ♡]

“And lastly, her biggest fault of all...she looks like that. My new boss is not only a pain in my ass, but she's also fucking stunning and the first woman my body has decided to pay attention to in God knows how long.”

i just know daddy monty is gonna be my next obsession 🤭

daddy monty is coming to us in 2026 🫶🏼

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely devoured this one and wow yet again Liz Tomforde served me up another comfort read I’m never letting go of 😍😍

I completely fell for Reese and Monty. Honestly, from the moment their chemistry started quietly building in Play Along, I knew I was going to be absolutely done for when their story finally arrived.
And I was right, I folded immediately.

Everything about them just works.
The tension, the banter, the chemistry…it’s executed perfectly. The jealousy? Absolutely delicious 🤌🏻
Watching two headstrong people slowly let their walls down and fall for each other was everything I wanted and more.
I honestly can’t even put into words how much these two mean to me.
They are the literal definition of a power couple and soulmates. Two people standing side by side as equals, constantly pushing and supporting each other.
Everything between them unfolds naturally, effortlessly and it’s so refreshing and mature.
They know who they are, they know what they want and when they finally let themselves fall for each other, it’s utterly beautiful.

Monty has always carried the weight of everyone around him, putting others before himself and that’s exactly why he became one of my favorite characters in this series long before this book. Seeing Reese recognize that part of him, care for him and love him the way he’s always loved everyone else…my heart literally ached in the best possible way.
And the way Monty supports Reese? Never dimming her light, standing beside her and lifting her higher it honestly meant everything to me.
Then there’s the way he notices the smallest details. It’s breathtaking. Just when I think it’s impossible to love him more, he proves me wrong.
His love is full of genuine care, deep respect, soft affection and a constant attention to the little things everyone else overlooks.
It makes me completely swoon every single time.
And Reese…oh she stole my heart too.
I didn’t think I would fall for her this hard at first, but she gave me no choice.
Intelligent, determined, gorgeous, confident, unapologetically strong, she is a total baddie.
The pressure she carries is immense, yet she owns her space and her power, no matter what.
She stands tall, fights for everything she’s built and holds her ground in a world that constantly tries to challenge her.
Loved seeing her having moments of self doubt as well, but the way she keeps rising again and again left me in awe.

At the very heart of it, Reese and Monty became each other’s sanctuary, two souls carrying heavy burdens finally able to be seen.

“How lucky am I to have found the person I love the most in the place I love the most.”

Also, the gym scene and office scene??? Yeah…they’re taking up permanent residence in my brain 😮‍💨

And absolutely loved the glimpses we got from Kai, Miller, Max, Isaiah and Kennedy. My heart literally lit up every time they appeared.
Every time Miller asked “Should I call her Mommy?” it brought a smile to my face from ear to ear.
I missed them all so badly and getting even the tiniest crumb of them was absolute heaven.

I’m sitting here smiling like an absolute fool through happy tears because my heart can barely hold how happy and emotional this one made me.
Nothing will ever quite compare to this series 🥹

[Mysha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Power couple fr. I loved them together. Emmett is so hot and Reese is a queen. That's all I have to say.

Emmett "Fire me" Montgomery.
Emmett "And like a dog, I followed" Montgomery.
Emmett "Don't tell me what to do" Montgomery.

YEAAAUUUUUAAAAAUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

[veerali · Rating 4 out of 5]

i'm crying happy tears. RTC!!

[purlpur · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️
and when i'm back in chicago, i feel it 🙂‍↔️🙂‍↔️
ооу єєєєс! ліз знову вдалося нагадати, за що мені полюбилися її книги, і реанімувати мою віру в неї після фіаско з ріо 😅

хімія, неприязнь, перепалки монті і різ з перших сторінок просто максимально наелектризовані 😈
не могла не посміхатися з усіх їхніх діалогів, які закінчувалися фразою «don't tell me what to do» 🤭
просто міс і містер фемінізм зустрілися 😎
і ще приємніше було спостерігати, як ця іскра переростає у щось глибше - в справжнє пізнання одне одного, довіру і ті самі затишні стосунки ☺️

різ - енергія the boss в чистому вигляді 💅 впевнена в собі, розумна, власниця бейсбольної команди. імпонує, як вона може за себе постояти і гостро, влучно відповісти репортерам, які намагаються її принизити і загнати в кут. подобається, як вона тримає маску впевненості серед акул консультативної ради, знаючи, з якими насправді важкими проблемами їй прийдеться впоратися. вона не прогинається перед ними і правильно робить.
різ по-справжньому розбирається в грі, скілах гравців та має власне бачення й стратегію управління клубом. і як же недолуго читалось, коли медіа не могли зрозуміти її дії і не вірили, що дівчина тямить в своїй сфері. такий шаблонний сексистський крінжик 🤦‍♀️ бо дійсно, звідки вона може усе це знати. вона ж не проводила купу свого часу з батьком на полі, не переймала його досвід, вона не отримувала освіти у сфері менеджменту та управління бізнесом, вона не цікавилася іграми і не аналізувала їх, не спостерігала за молодими талантами і не вишукувала потенційних новачків. ноу, не було такого. такі наівіті 🤡
тому після фіналу хотілося сказати тільки «схавали?» 🌚

монті, ака еммет, ака ем - тут без питань daddy's home, home for me 🫠🫠🫠 ладно, повертається він звичайно до різ, але це не заважає пускати на нього слину 🤤
як перед цим чуйним, добрим, підтримуючим, гарячим татком можна встояти. немає жодного шансу 😤
хехе різ на побаченні з іншим чоловіком? не проблема - монті відвезе її додому після 😝💃

щодо сюжету і основних конфліктів, то вони вийшли занадто передбачуваними, а самі події - помірними і затягнутими. думала, можливо, хоч вирішення фінальної драми чимось здивує, але і тут дива не сталося, гг робили і говорили буквально те, про що я на початку книги подумала. тому тут мій запал трішки просідав під час читання.

зате я дуже рада була бачити братів роудсів з їх дівчатами і маленьким максом 🥰
ну така тут комфортна їх велика родина, і так приємно, що до неї доєдналися монті з різ. вони ідеально вписалися 🥹
але зізнаюся, я таки залишилася в таборі пиріжечка татка кая 🙂‍↕️

[nikki]

MONTY AND REESE NATION RISEEEEEEEEEE🗣👏🏽