SPOILER ALERT! I'm not in the business of ruining books, so if you haven't read this book yet, turn back now before you read this review!
Author: Liz Tomforde
Series: Windy City Series book #3
Category: Sports Romance
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
"She will leave when the summer is over. I love my daughter to death, but she's a runner and the last thing she wants is to get caught." - Monty
I picked this book up immediately after finishing The Right Move, the second book in the Windy City series, and at the end of the day was disappointed it was my least favorite so far. My biggest issue was Miller, and when you don't like one of the main characters, even baseball, a cute kid, and cameos from previous couples can't make up the difference.
Miller isn’t one for settling down and she has childish excuses but isn't fooling anyone but herself. Confidently taking on the world to make her father proud, she is terrified of not being enough. Her outlook of never staying in one place for too long so she doesn't get attached makes no sense when she constantly pushes the people who care about her away. She is casually cruel at the best of times.
"'Miller Montgomery, you cold, unattached woman. Get over here and cuddle with me.'" - Kai
Kai is stuck in the parent-guilt dilemma that many face, striving to balance your needs as an individual while also trying to put your kid first. His life was fundamentally changed when he learned he was a dad but he took on the challenge and never looked back. Yes, he may have lost a bit of himself along the way, but I'm unsure if he really is missing out on meaningless hookups and late-night drinking that dominated his life before single fatherhood.
Miller is a hard character to like, she is selfish and immature. I hated how she constantly tempted Kai even when she knew his heart was in it and she still wasn't going to stay. While she isn't responsible for managing his feelings, Miller seems to like him as a person so it doesn't make sense that she'd intentionally cause him heartbreak.
"'Do you love her?' Monty asks.
'I do. Very much so.'
'She might break your heart.'
'I'll love her anyway.' - Kai
Their chemistry was a letdown compared to the previous couples in the series, I got friend vibes more than romantical ones. If spice is your thing, this book is pretty mild and uninspired compared to other Liz Tomforde books.
When Miller took off for California, I was surprised that Kai didn't offer to drop everything and pursue her dreams with her. He was nothing but supportive of her career and wasn't necessarily happy playing baseball anymore so it was certainly an option. Instead, we get an angst-filled week where both characters slide into depressive thoughts missing each other before Miller comes back. While I don't like her character, Miller throwing away her career seemingly on a whim for a man doesn't feel like a great conclusion.
Monty was the highlight of this story and I NEED for him to at least get a novella of his own. Compassionate and dedicated, Monty gave up his baseball career to adopt his deceased girlfriend's daughter and has never once regretted it. This man is everything that Kai is trying to live up to and he deserves a happy ending too!
So, overall, the third book in this series just didn't live up to the rest. I have high hopes for the next installment though (Isaiah and Kennedy!) so while I wouldn't recommend this book as a standalone, you'll probably want to read it anyway just to be ready for the next book coming out in 2024.
Side question: Did anyone realize how many times the word juxtaposition was used? When the third character's personality was described with the same noun, I was thoroughly confused at how such a unique word snuck past editing.
Tropes and Themes: Sports Romance, Single Dad, Baseball, Age Gap, Nanny, Enemies to Lovers.
Blurb
Kai
I’m a single dad and starting pitcher for Chicago’s MLB team.
I’m stretched too thin, but I don’t want help raising my son.
Each of his previous nannies only lasted a few weeks before I let them go.
Now, my coach is putting his foot down by hiring the one person I can’t fire—his daughter.
Miller Montgomery is the last woman I should fall for. Too wild, too young, and too unattached.
Chicago is just a quick stop for her. I thought I’d be counting down the days until she left, but summer feels too short when I start thinking about forever.
Miller
As a high-end pastry chef who recently won the most prestigious award in my industry, I’m desperate to prove I deserve it. But with a new title comes new pressure, and I can’t create a fresh and inspiring dessert to save my life.
With only two months to get back on track, I should be focusing in the kitchen, but instead, I let my dad talk me into using my time off to nanny for his star player’s kid.
Kai Rhodes forgot how to have fun, and I’m eager to jog his memory. But when he and his son start to feel like home, I have to remind us both that my time in Chicago ends with the summer.
Besides, I’ve always been a runner, and the last thing I want is to get caught.
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