Book Review: Play Along by Liz Tomforde

Play Along by Liz Tomforde is the fourth book in The Windy City series and once I started reading it, I was obsessed.

Last year, I read the first three books in The Windy City series by Liz Tomforde. They were Mile High, The Right Move and Caught Up, and I wrote a blog review for each of them.

Since then, the fourth book has been released. I read Play Along in January and so far, it is my favourite book of the year.

And I'm going to tell you why.

Review of Play Along - Windy City #4

Genre: Sports Romance

Tropes:

• Fake dating

• Forced proximity

• Workplace romance

• He falls first / boy-obsessed

• Accidental marriage

Overall Rating: 5 stars

Play Along follows on from book three in the series, and it tells the story of Isaiah Rhodes and Kennedy Kay, who you meet in the previous books. Much like Caught Up, it's a sports romance focusing on baseball (MLB).

Synopsis:

"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 favourite 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."

Edit Credit: WriteWatchWork

I absolutely love it when characters in a book have to fake date, and in Play Along, it was even better than I could have hoped. Isaiah and Kennedy are forced to pretend to be married, which differs from Ryan and Indy's fake dating in The Right Move. There's something about a fake marriage that soon turns real that just scratches my brain.

But the reason why I loved this book so much was because of the protagonists. Isaiah Rhodes and Kennedy Kay.

We meet both these characters in the previous book, and it's clear even then, that Isaiah has a crush on Kennedy. But she thinks that his crush is just that, a silly little crush that came about because she kept telling him no and he wants what he can't have.

Add to the fact, that she was previously engaged, and Kennedy's point becomes more valid. However, in Play Along we soon learn more about both characters and their origin story.

Edit Credit: WriteWatchWork

Isaiah Rhodes is the shortstop for Chicago's MLB team. He's cheeky, he's charming and he is always up for a good time.

Having suffered loss as a child, Isaiah has always tried to make others laugh because that's how he and his brother, Kai, survived difficult times.

As an adult, he's no different. Positivity and humour are what he's known for, but outside of the public eye, Isaiah is sensitive, emotional, and quite possibly the most caring and kind-hearted man in a book — he bought Kennedy Vans and picked her Louboutin's out of the trash whilst drunk on their 'so-called' wedding night.

He tries to hide this part of himself from his teammates and those around him, but drunkenly marrying Kennedy turns out to be the best decision he ever makes because she sees him. Kennedy sees past the facade he puts on and is there for him when he needs her.

This brings me nicely to Kennedy's character.

Edit Credit: WriteWatchWork

Kennedy Kay comes from a rich family, all about appearances and power. After her arranged engagement ends, she's finally ready to start finding out who she really is and what she really wants. But Kennedy didn't expect to end up married to Isaiah.

They've always flirted with each other and Isaiah has always tried to shoot his shot, but Kennedy turns him down.

Except, as his wife, she finds it harder to do so, because he gets her to open up and try new things. Isaiah helps Kennedy explore her desires and supports her in whatever decisions she makes.

I loved Isaiah and Kennedy together. Their dynamic was so good! The banter was bantering, the chemistry was off the charts, and the wholesomeness was so sweet.

There's more to each of them than initially meets the eye and I really enjoyed the character development of them both throughout the novel. Seeing Kennedy learn to stand up for herself and be open to leaning on Isaiah was just so good, and likewise, watching Isaiah overcome his anxiety and his fears and make himself vulnerable.

I actually read this book on the Kindle (I don't have any of the Windy City series in paperback, but I desperately need them, lol) while reading a paperback of a completely different genre. And since finishing it, I haven't been able to start a new book on the Kindle.

I just needed to take a few days after reading it to gather my thoughts because it is an all-consuming, emotional read that won't take you very long at all.

Intrigued?

If my review of Play Along by Liz Tomforde has persuaded you to either read book four of The Windy City series or simply, give the series a go, then let me know in the comments.

You can get Play Along on Amazon and Kindle Unlimited by clicking here.

Until next time...