Play Along by Liz Tomforde: Live, Laugh Love The Rhodes
Play Along by Liz Tomforde is one of the most anticipated 2024 books. Although this is the fourth book in the Windy City series, you can read it as a stand-alone.
- Kennedy was in an arranged marriage for almost a decade. After the engagement ended, she thought she was one step closer to freedom. She plans to escape her sexist boss and finally start over in a new city. But, one drunken mistake jeopardizes everything.
- Isiah has been in love with Kennedy since he first saw her. The boy obsessed flirted for years with her, but now, when he knows she is not in a relationship, he will do everything to make her fall in love with him. It doesn’t bother him that his dream woman is the sister of his rival. He was never able to say no to her in the first place.
- That’s how they ended up getting drunk and married. For Kennedy to transition, they decided to stay married and fake it.
Play Along by Liz Tomforde
Category: Contemporary sports romance
Tags: Opposites attract, Black Cat x Golden Retriever, Drunk Vegas Marriage, A boy obsessed, Wealthy Prominent Family, Reformed Playboy, Stepbrother’s Rival
CONTENT WARNINGS: Abandonment, Death of parent, Car accident, Death, Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail, Sexual content, and Medical content, Classism
Rating: ★★★
Play Along by Liz Tomforde Publisher Description
Kennedy
I’m the only woman on staff for the Windy City Warriors, and after years of putting up with a sexist lead doctor, I’m desperate to land my dream job with a new team next year. All I have to do is maintain my professional reputation for my final season in Chicago.
But a Las Vegas run-in with the team’s shortstop threatens it all, leaving me with a fuzzy memory and a ring on my left hand.
Now, not only am I legally bound to the most persistent man I’ve ever met, but thanks to Isaiah’s scheme to save my job, I have to pretend the whole thing was a planned elopement and not a drunken mistake.
Isaiah Rhodes is reckless, impulsive, and frustratingly charming. He’s also my brand-new husband.
They got the saying wrong. What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas… sometimes it follows you right back home.
Isaiah
As the shortstop for Chicago’s professional baseball team, I’ve had my fair share of fun. But that all ended the day Kennedy Kay became a single woman.
I’ve crushed on the team’s athletic trainer for years. I’ve flirted to no avail, so imagine my surprise when I woke up in Sin City with a ring on my finger and my favorite redhead in my bed.
We agree to stay married for one baseball season, just long enough to keep her job safe, but in my mind, I’m using our time together to prove to her I’m husband material.
Kennedy might be reluctant to join in on our game, but it’s one I refuse to lose.
So come on, wife… play along.
Play Along by Liz Tomforde Review
Play Along by Liz Tomforde is romantic and cute. The story, in general, has a lot going on. Firstly, the main characters are layered. Secondly, the found family trope is incredible. And lastly, and most importantly, the side characters are immaculate.
Isaiah is the highlight of the book. He is my favorite Windy City man. Kennedy is an interesting character to read. Her character development is outstanding. However, I would appreciate it if she treated Isaiah better or showed more appreciation for him, especially at the beginning.
Misogynistic behavior and challenges faced by women in sports are well articulated.
Isaiah and Kennedy had chemistry, and they were perfect for each other. She is a perfectionist, while he is the life of the party. They influence and challenge each other. But, I was more interested in side characters than in them.
I would recommend this book. It is a fast read. The story is enjoyable and easy to follow. The characters are fun and gripping, with depth and complexity.
Read if you like:
- Simple writing and fast-paced books
- Persisted male hero with caretaking love language
- Mental health representation and dealing with trauma
- Found family trope
Books like Play Along
About Liz Tomforde
Liz writes Contemporary Romance and her books showcase healthy relationships with leading men you can’t but fall in love with. Expect to find a mix of witty banter, found family moments, and plenty of steam!
Outside of being an author, she is also a flight attendant for an NHL team, combining my passions for both travel and hockey. Back in 2020, when the hockey season was postponed due to the global pandemic, she took her new found free time and decided to write her first novel.
When she is not traveling or writing, she reads a good book or takes her Golden Retriever, Luke, on a hike in her hometown in Sonoma County, CA.
