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In Her Own League
As the first female team owner in Major League Baseball, Reese Remington has spent her entire life preparing for this role. With a sharp mind and years of experience working behind the scenes, she’s more than qualified. But the public only sees a woman in a man’s world—not the person who’s earned their place on the field. Under constant scrutiny and pressure to prove herself, Reese can’t afford distractions.
Especially one that comes in the form of the team’s tempting field manager who questions her every decision.
Emmett Montgomery is a former All-Star turned coach who treats his players like family and the field like home. After years of running the team his way, the last thing he wants is a new boss, let alone one who seems ice-cold and laser-focused on business. But forced to spend long hours—and too many away games—side by side, he begins to see the fire beneath Reese’s control, the heart behind her ambition, and the unwavering determination to prove herself.
When heated banter turns into sizzling chemistry, professional boundaries blur and the spark between them becomes impossible to resist. But Reese is constantly reminded of how many people are waiting for her to fail, and the safest move is to keep Emmett at arm’s length—for the sake of the team, the season, and her career.
But keeping their distance is one game neither of them can seem to win.
Especially one that comes in the form of the team’s tempting field manager who questions her every decision.
Emmett Montgomery is a former All-Star turned coach who treats his players like family and the field like home. After years of running the team his way, the last thing he wants is a new boss, let alone one who seems ice-cold and laser-focused on business. But forced to spend long hours—and too many away games—side by side, he begins to see the fire beneath Reese’s control, the heart behind her ambition, and the unwavering determination to prove herself.
When heated banter turns into sizzling chemistry, professional boundaries blur and the spark between them becomes impossible to resist. But Reese is constantly reminded of how many people are waiting for her to fail, and the safest move is to keep Emmett at arm’s length—for the sake of the team, the season, and her career.
But keeping their distance is one game neither of them can seem to win.
14 pages, Audible Audio
First published March 3, 2026
22789 people are currently reading
123144 people want to read
About the author
Liz Tomforde
12 books35.8k followersLiz 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 11,360 reviews
March 13, 2026
EMMET. MONTGOMERY. I have zero words. Everything about this book was an absolute and utter perfection, I would give it 6 stars if I could
March 4, 2026
Monty can disrespectfully run me over and I’d thank him. The daddiest daddy that ever daddied. I need say nothing more.
March 10, 2026
here i am yearning for someone’s grandpa
March 15, 2026
જ⁀➴ 2 ✰
I genuinely can’t get over how forced this book felt and the fact that both characters were giving teenagers😭 had to lower my rating lol
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 :(
I genuinely can’t get over how forced this book felt and the fact that both characters were giving teenagers😭 had to lower my rating lol
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 :(
March 9, 2026
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…
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…
March 19, 2026
Him: Four stars? Really? Even though it's just generic.
Me: The yearning was doing the heavy lifting.
Him: So we're just ignoring the prose now?
Me: Don't tell me what to do.
Him: I'm just saying... so u changed how u rate books?
Me: I changed my standards. The universe should take notes from Monty.
Him: ...Don't tell me what to do.
Me: The yearning was doing the heavy lifting.
Him: So we're just ignoring the prose now?
Me: Don't tell me what to do.
Him: I'm just saying... so u changed how u rate books?
Me: I changed my standards. The universe should take notes from Monty.
Him: ...Don't tell me what to do.
March 9, 2026
➳ 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
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
![Profile Image for Salma [HIATUS].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1762154839i%2F63142765._UX200_CR0%2C77%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
March 22, 2026
⤿ 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. Also, let's not forget that they're both adults and that they act like it—we love that.
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. He is for the eldest daughters—he's the cure to daddy issues. I love a man who is just the right amount of grumpiness and softness all at once—he's also very selfless, and caring. 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 admired how she was always ten steps ahead. 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. She's also realising that it's for Monty to help her, even though she's fully capable of doing that herself. Let's not forget her relationship with her grandfather. I loved seeing that, and I loved Arthur.
⋮ ⌗ ┆ 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. THEM NAMING THEIR BABY EMMY, THOUGH.
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
⤿ 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. Also, let's not forget that they're both adults and that they act like it—we love that.
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. He is for the eldest daughters—he's the cure to daddy issues. I love a man who is just the right amount of grumpiness and softness all at once—he's also very selfless, and caring. 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 admired how she was always ten steps ahead. 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. She's also realising that it's for Monty to help her, even though she's fully capable of doing that herself. Let's not forget her relationship with her grandfather. I loved seeing that, and I loved Arthur.
⋮ ⌗ ┆ 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. THEM NAMING THEIR BABY EMMY, THOUGH.
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.
March 19, 2026
I need to let this rating simmer cuz now 4 feels high 😭
___
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)
___
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)
March 5, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
I love Monty & I LOVE Reese.
I love Monty & I LOVE Reese.
March 10, 2026
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.
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.
Read
March 4, 2026pains 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.
March 23, 2026
5 Stars ★
“How lucky am I to have found the person I love most in the place I love most.”
One of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it ate! This was everything that I needed, wanted, and so much more.
In Her Own League is a spin-off novel set in the same universe as the Windy City series, and it surpassed all of my expectations. I fell in love with this age-gap, gap, boss x employee, forbidden love, sports romance from the very start with the tension, banter, their chemistry, the spice, and the emotions that I wasn't expecting to experience. I was having the best time even when the tears were flowing, but I found myself giggling, kicking my feet, and screaming throughout many parts of it.
Reese Remington is the first female team owner in Major League Baseball. She has spent her whole life training for this position, but there are many who see her as being a woman in a man's role and want her to fail. She can't afford any distractions, but there is one: Emmett Montgomery, the head coach, who questions her decisions. They go back and forth, disputing with one another until he realizes that she is exactly what the team needs.
Reese Remington where do I even begin? I just love her so much. She just slid into one of my favorite FMC of this series. She is truly and honestly a badass. I found myself loving her more and more. She is a strong, confident, independent woman that proves herself in that she can take care of herself. She holds herself up with confidence even when everything is working against her, especially in her career, being a woman in a male-dominated field, but she holds her own. She is smart, goes after what she wants, and is always one step ahead. She is such a girl boss, and I truly admire her 🥹 She is vulnerable in the realest of ways, and I loved that she didn't let most see her fall, remaining and showing her strengths. She did slowly let Monty in. He allowed her to hold her independence while also supporting her in every way and everything he could. I loved watching her growth and lowering those walls, showing her softer sides.
“I know, but I can do it.”
“Good for you. So can I.”
Emmett "Monty" Montgomery he deserves it all. Gahhh, this man. I have been waiting for more of him; it seems like forever. He did not disappoint! He is just so good all around, the greenest of flags. He is broody, tattooed, protective, but with a gentle side. His heart, though, that's where it's at. This man honestly has a heart of gold. The way that he cares for others and puts them before himself will have me going feral for him alone 🤭 He will always take care of someone before himself, and this right here made me fall even more in love with him, and hard. He just proves over and over again how selfless and good he is. I loved watching him let Reese in and let her show him what it's like to be taken care of because he deserves to be taken care of too. This man would have me on my knees, eating out of the palms of his hands with all of this alone, but then you throw in his dirty mouth and I'm so done for.
"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.”
Reese and Emmett both thought they were destined to be lonely but found their perfect match. They didn't start out knowing this, quite the literal opposite actually. Not liking each other much in the beginning, they agreed to form an alliance with one another for work purposes that slowly fell into a friendship and then slowly into love.Their relationship was secret and so good. They had to keep it this way given the stakes of what there was to lose, with Reese being the team owner in a male-dominated field and everyone out to get her. It was done so well. All of this, I feel, helped build their chemistry, making it so palpable it could be felt. Adding in the extras of tension, banter, light teasing, and bickering only added depth to their relationship and the chemistry they exuded. So many other things contribute to my love for them; the fact that they are older, mature, and communicate as such. Watching them grow together are some of my favorite moments. Reese slowly lets down her walls around Monty and shows her vulnerability. He, in turn, confides in her by telling and showing her things about himself that he hasn't shared with anyone, also putting himself in a vulnerable position. I love that they became so comfortable with one another to share the most private things and all their feelings. 😭 All in all, they are hot together. I mean, come on, you have the elevator and office scenes, my gosh, these had me kicking my feet and screaming for them, along with many more moments. I could go on and on about them because I love them so much, but I'll stop there. I'm just so happy that they both found their perfect person when they never thought they would.
"We were two people who were lonelier than we realized and only found each other because we had the same hiding place."
Found family is one of my favorite tropes, and Liz writes some of the best! I loved seeing some of the characters from the other books. Kai, Miller, and Max, who is just the cutest kid; and Isaiah and Kenny, whom I honestly adore so much. They will always hold a special place in my heart. The bond that all of them have as a family is something special. One of the bonds that I love the most is the bond between father and daughter. Monty and Miller have the best bond and support for one another; it was a blessing seeing it up close. I did, however, miss seeing the other couples but understand they aren't part of this family.
This was perfect from beginning to end. I took my time with it because I didn't want it to end. What a perfect way to wrap up an era with this world. I will miss them dearly but am forever grateful for these characters and this world being a favorite of mine.
*** Spoilers may be mentioned ***
Favorite quotes and moments
“I would tell them that they’re right. I’m not the right man for the job. I’m the right woman. Next question.”
"I lift heavy for a reason."
"I’m on a date."
"Great. When is that over? I’ll be the one taking you home."
“You’re going to be good for me, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Just don’t fall in love with me after this.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
“Fitting for you to wear black tonight. My heart practically stopped when you walked in, and here you are, already dressed for my funeral.”
“I want you.”
“Say that again.”
“Which part?”
“The last part.”
“I want you.”
“That’s the one. That’s all that matters.”
“What if we risk everything and we don’t work out?”
“But what if we do?”
“In case there’s any miscommunication here, let me clear a few things up for you.” He dips his head, eyes piercing mine.You are mine. That night we finally got together, when you said you wanted to make me yours, that goes both ways. You are mine, Reese, and if I need to go make sure he fucking realizes that, I will. Or is it you who needs reminding?”
"You’ve taken care of a lot of people for a lot of years, Em. For once, I wanted to take care of you.”
------------☆☆☆------------
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 😩
“How lucky am I to have found the person I love most in the place I love most.”
One of my most anticipated reads of the year, and it ate! This was everything that I needed, wanted, and so much more.
In Her Own League is a spin-off novel set in the same universe as the Windy City series, and it surpassed all of my expectations. I fell in love with this age-gap, gap, boss x employee, forbidden love, sports romance from the very start with the tension, banter, their chemistry, the spice, and the emotions that I wasn't expecting to experience. I was having the best time even when the tears were flowing, but I found myself giggling, kicking my feet, and screaming throughout many parts of it.
Reese Remington is the first female team owner in Major League Baseball. She has spent her whole life training for this position, but there are many who see her as being a woman in a man's role and want her to fail. She can't afford any distractions, but there is one: Emmett Montgomery, the head coach, who questions her decisions. They go back and forth, disputing with one another until he realizes that she is exactly what the team needs.
Reese Remington where do I even begin? I just love her so much. She just slid into one of my favorite FMC of this series. She is truly and honestly a badass. I found myself loving her more and more. She is a strong, confident, independent woman that proves herself in that she can take care of herself. She holds herself up with confidence even when everything is working against her, especially in her career, being a woman in a male-dominated field, but she holds her own. She is smart, goes after what she wants, and is always one step ahead. She is such a girl boss, and I truly admire her 🥹 She is vulnerable in the realest of ways, and I loved that she didn't let most see her fall, remaining and showing her strengths. She did slowly let Monty in. He allowed her to hold her independence while also supporting her in every way and everything he could. I loved watching her growth and lowering those walls, showing her softer sides.
“I know, but I can do it.”
“Good for you. So can I.”
Emmett "Monty" Montgomery he deserves it all. Gahhh, this man. I have been waiting for more of him; it seems like forever. He did not disappoint! He is just so good all around, the greenest of flags. He is broody, tattooed, protective, but with a gentle side. His heart, though, that's where it's at. This man honestly has a heart of gold. The way that he cares for others and puts them before himself will have me going feral for him alone 🤭 He will always take care of someone before himself, and this right here made me fall even more in love with him, and hard. He just proves over and over again how selfless and good he is. I loved watching him let Reese in and let her show him what it's like to be taken care of because he deserves to be taken care of too. This man would have me on my knees, eating out of the palms of his hands with all of this alone, but then you throw in his dirty mouth and I'm so done for.
"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.”
Reese and Emmett both thought they were destined to be lonely but found their perfect match. They didn't start out knowing this, quite the literal opposite actually. Not liking each other much in the beginning, they agreed to form an alliance with one another for work purposes that slowly fell into a friendship and then slowly into love.Their relationship was secret and so good. They had to keep it this way given the stakes of what there was to lose, with Reese being the team owner in a male-dominated field and everyone out to get her. It was done so well. All of this, I feel, helped build their chemistry, making it so palpable it could be felt. Adding in the extras of tension, banter, light teasing, and bickering only added depth to their relationship and the chemistry they exuded. So many other things contribute to my love for them; the fact that they are older, mature, and communicate as such. Watching them grow together are some of my favorite moments. Reese slowly lets down her walls around Monty and shows her vulnerability. He, in turn, confides in her by telling and showing her things about himself that he hasn't shared with anyone, also putting himself in a vulnerable position. I love that they became so comfortable with one another to share the most private things and all their feelings. 😭 All in all, they are hot together. I mean, come on, you have the elevator and office scenes, my gosh, these had me kicking my feet and screaming for them, along with many more moments. I could go on and on about them because I love them so much, but I'll stop there. I'm just so happy that they both found their perfect person when they never thought they would.
"We were two people who were lonelier than we realized and only found each other because we had the same hiding place."
Found family is one of my favorite tropes, and Liz writes some of the best! I loved seeing some of the characters from the other books. Kai, Miller, and Max, who is just the cutest kid; and Isaiah and Kenny, whom I honestly adore so much. They will always hold a special place in my heart. The bond that all of them have as a family is something special. One of the bonds that I love the most is the bond between father and daughter. Monty and Miller have the best bond and support for one another; it was a blessing seeing it up close. I did, however, miss seeing the other couples but understand they aren't part of this family.
This was perfect from beginning to end. I took my time with it because I didn't want it to end. What a perfect way to wrap up an era with this world. I will miss them dearly but am forever grateful for these characters and this world being a favorite of mine.
*** Spoilers may be mentioned ***
Favorite quotes and moments
“I would tell them that they’re right. I’m not the right man for the job. I’m the right woman. Next question.”
"I lift heavy for a reason."
"I’m on a date."
"Great. When is that over? I’ll be the one taking you home."
“You’re going to be good for me, aren’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Just don’t fall in love with me after this.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.”
“Fitting for you to wear black tonight. My heart practically stopped when you walked in, and here you are, already dressed for my funeral.”
“I want you.”
“Say that again.”
“Which part?”
“The last part.”
“I want you.”
“That’s the one. That’s all that matters.”
“What if we risk everything and we don’t work out?”
“But what if we do?”
“In case there’s any miscommunication here, let me clear a few things up for you.” He dips his head, eyes piercing mine.You are mine. That night we finally got together, when you said you wanted to make me yours, that goes both ways. You are mine, Reese, and if I need to go make sure he fucking realizes that, I will. Or is it you who needs reminding?”
"You’ve taken care of a lot of people for a lot of years, Em. For once, I wanted to take care of you.”
------------☆☆☆------------
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 😩
March 20, 2026
This review will be a love letter to Emmet and Reese:
Liz Tomforde is a witch. The way this man is so perfect that I was running around my house like a headless chicken????? The way he was so down bad for her? The way everything he did was in HER best interest? The way he basked in her lady bossness and encouraged her to be the badass she was???? THE MOUTH ON HIMMMMM???????😩
Reese is one of her best fmcs ever. I actually have never hated any of Liz's fmcs; she never writes unlikable fmcs imo but Reese was exceptionallllllllll!!!!! I want to be her 🤧 She was so confident and 10 steps ahead of everyone! She girlbossed SO HARD!
I loved how mature their relationship was; they talked and communicated, they didn't beat around the bush or dawdle. I understood why they couldn't outright be together from the beginning and loved that this wasn't the typical "woman giving up her dream job for love" thing.
This was a liiiiiiitle bit insta-lust adjacent but TO BE FAIR, they are ADULTS, they just know what they want😌 Also, how can you see Monty and NOT have insta-lusty thoughts??? I'm just a girl guys, so is Reese and so are all of us!!!!!
Do I hand out 5 stars like candy or do I just read great books? (it's both actually) This book made me so happy, so 5 stars is the least it deserves ok😌
_______________________________________________________
Pre-Read:
I already know this will be a five star book and get ready to be sick of my constant and possibly UNHINGED updates because I have no self control thank youuuuuu
Liz Tomforde is a witch. The way this man is so perfect that I was running around my house like a headless chicken????? The way he was so down bad for her? The way everything he did was in HER best interest? The way he basked in her lady bossness and encouraged her to be the badass she was???? THE MOUTH ON HIMMMMM???????😩
Reese is one of her best fmcs ever. I actually have never hated any of Liz's fmcs; she never writes unlikable fmcs imo but Reese was exceptionallllllllll!!!!! I want to be her 🤧 She was so confident and 10 steps ahead of everyone! She girlbossed SO HARD!
I loved how mature their relationship was; they talked and communicated, they didn't beat around the bush or dawdle. I understood why they couldn't outright be together from the beginning and loved that this wasn't the typical "woman giving up her dream job for love" thing.
This was a liiiiiiitle bit insta-lust adjacent but TO BE FAIR, they are ADULTS, they just know what they want😌 Also, how can you see Monty and NOT have insta-lusty thoughts??? I'm just a girl guys, so is Reese and so are all of us!!!!!
Do I hand out 5 stars like candy or do I just read great books? (it's both actually) This book made me so happy, so 5 stars is the least it deserves ok😌
_______________________________________________________
Pre-Read:
I already know this will be a five star book and get ready to be sick of my constant and possibly UNHINGED updates because I have no self control thank youuuuuu
March 7, 2026
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.
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.
March 13, 2026
what am i supposed to do with my life now??
March 14, 2026
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.
--------
2.25 (for now)!! It pains me to give this book such a low rating after being so excited for it, but rtcccccc
--------
pre-read: hyperventilating because what do you mean it's here?!?! like omggggg ✋😩
--------
back to the Windy City, you say?!!?!? yeah, duh I'm there. 🤫 (it's so worth waiting until march 2026)
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.
--------
2.25 (for now)!! It pains me to give this book such a low rating after being so excited for it, but rtcccccc
--------
pre-read: hyperventilating because what do you mean it's here?!?! like omggggg ✋😩
--------
back to the Windy City, you say?!!?!? yeah, duh I'm there. 🤫 (it's so worth waiting until march 2026)
March 8, 2026
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!!
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!!
Currently reading
March 7, 2026pre-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!!! 😤
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!!! 😤
Currently reading
March 22, 2026maybe grandadddy monty will fix me & my daddy issues too 😛
(p.s im scared for imbi, lola & youssra to see this update)
(p.s im scared for imbi, lola & youssra to see this update)
March 5, 2026
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!
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
March 22, 2026
HOLY HELL—WHAT WAS THIS???
MASTERPIECE. I inhaled this. Literally. I didn’t even get the chance to post my pre-read update and I was already DONE.
This was everything. EVERYTHING.
After Rewind It Back, this was just… oh my god, I’m actually lost for words.
From start to finish, there wasn’t a single dull moment. The chemistry? INSANE. The plot? Addictive. The spice?? OH. MY. GOD. I don’t even know how I’m supposed to keep this review calm because I am anything but calm. How am I ever supposed to move on from this book???
EMMETT MONTGOMERY.
DADDY EMMETT MONTGOMERY.
I have a new book boyfriend. Husband. Everything. That man could walk all over me and I’d say thank you. The mouth on him??? The way he’s so naturally flirty with Reese—I almost lost my Kindle multiple times. Let’s just take a moment to appreciate that my Kindle survived being aggressively waved around and hit during this reading experience 😭
Every single thing that man did was—OUTSTANDING. OVULATION. I don’t even know how Liz Tomforde does it… but OMG.
Reese Remington. I have a crush on her. Actually, I want her to step on me in heels, thanks. I felt so seen reading about her.
As someone in engineering, I felt such a strong connection to her drive and determination, even though we’re not in the same field, it’s still such a male-dominated field, and reading about her strength, her sharp wit, and the way she stands her ground??? I AM IN LOVE WITH HER.
I think you all saw my state through my updates and GIFs… I was unwell. I still am. And I genuinely don’t know when I’ll recover. How is anything supposed to compare to this???
ALSO—Emmett and Miller??? My heart could not handle it. Their relationship was so soft, so full of love and understanding—I teared up multiple times. That bond, that partnership… I ADORE the found family in this book.
And the Rhodes brothers?? Everything. Malakai Rhodes used to be my favorite Windy City man… used to be. Because now??? EMMETT MF MONTGOMERY.
GIRL, BYE—I’m about to cry because I finished this and I genuinely don’t know what to do with my life anymore 😭
___________
Pre-read:
I am so freaking excited to finally meet Emmett “I lift heavy for a reason” Montgomery 😩🔥
MASTERPIECE. I inhaled this. Literally. I didn’t even get the chance to post my pre-read update and I was already DONE.
This was everything. EVERYTHING.
After Rewind It Back, this was just… oh my god, I’m actually lost for words.
From start to finish, there wasn’t a single dull moment. The chemistry? INSANE. The plot? Addictive. The spice?? OH. MY. GOD. I don’t even know how I’m supposed to keep this review calm because I am anything but calm. How am I ever supposed to move on from this book???
EMMETT MONTGOMERY.
DADDY EMMETT MONTGOMERY.
I have a new book boyfriend. Husband. Everything. That man could walk all over me and I’d say thank you. The mouth on him??? The way he’s so naturally flirty with Reese—I almost lost my Kindle multiple times. Let’s just take a moment to appreciate that my Kindle survived being aggressively waved around and hit during this reading experience 😭
Every single thing that man did was—OUTSTANDING. OVULATION. I don’t even know how Liz Tomforde does it… but OMG.
Reese Remington. I have a crush on her. Actually, I want her to step on me in heels, thanks. I felt so seen reading about her.
As someone in engineering, I felt such a strong connection to her drive and determination, even though we’re not in the same field, it’s still such a male-dominated field, and reading about her strength, her sharp wit, and the way she stands her ground??? I AM IN LOVE WITH HER.
I think you all saw my state through my updates and GIFs… I was unwell. I still am. And I genuinely don’t know when I’ll recover. How is anything supposed to compare to this???
ALSO—Emmett and Miller??? My heart could not handle it. Their relationship was so soft, so full of love and understanding—I teared up multiple times. That bond, that partnership… I ADORE the found family in this book.
And the Rhodes brothers?? Everything. Malakai Rhodes used to be my favorite Windy City man… used to be. Because now??? EMMETT MF MONTGOMERY.
GIRL, BYE—I’m about to cry because I finished this and I genuinely don’t know what to do with my life anymore 😭
___________
Pre-read:
I am so freaking excited to finally meet Emmett “I lift heavy for a reason” Montgomery 😩🔥
March 19, 2026
5 STARS!!! not ready to say goodbye to these characters 😭
March 4, 2026
✨ 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⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 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⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
March 19, 2026
GUUUUUURL Yes. Yes. Yes.
I get the critics of how it was "too fast" but I also don't get it because the build up didn't start in this book it started since Play Along. Period.
Full review later
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅ happy weekend to me 😩 i’m so ready i love me some coach romance
I get the critics of how it was "too fast" but I also don't get it because the build up didn't start in this book it started since Play Along. Period.
Full review later
⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅ happy weekend to me 😩 i’m so ready i love me some coach romance
March 10, 2026
꒰⚾️꒱ 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.
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.
March 23, 2026
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 can’t wait to meet the Wilder brothers in November 🏀
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 can’t wait to meet the Wilder brothers in November 🏀
Currently reading
March 5, 2026buddy reading this GRUMP X SUNSHINE GRANDPEOPLE SPORTS ROMANCE with MY LOVELIES Rachel Louise ☆ & Pao!!! 💗 ⚾️ 💗
𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕪
goddamn y'all are obsessed w this book
𝕣𝕖𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕪
goddamn y'all are obsessed w this book
Currently reading
March 14, 2026i’ve never been so ready to read this
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