Every time I pick up one of this author's books I just know I'm in for a rollercoaster of emotions. The good & the bad. "Play Along" is the 4th book in the Windy City series. These books are all standalones, but they're interconnected (my favorite thing ever). I 100% recommend reading the first 3 before this one (as well as the very first book duet of hers if you can somehow find it đ).
The book follows Isaiah & Kennedy. He has been head over heels in love with her for years and after a drunken marriage, a bit of fake dating & time, Kennedy finally catches up to him. She is a sports medicine doctor, him - a professional baseball player (yes it's a sports romance đ).
My favorite thing about this book was that it didn't end where I really hoped it wouldn't đ I know that that sounds really weird but I really wanted Ken to stay true to herself and chose the option that was best for her, regardless of the romance. Normally Liz's books for me are 5 star reads but for a second there I was a little worried that for the first time ever it wouldn't be.
Liz is an author that not only writes romance but also writes about difficult topics in the most delicate way possible. She's written about things like infertility, career choice dilemmas, family abandonment, body image issues, anxiety & grief. In Play Along she touches specifically on family abandonment that turns to uncomfortability around physical touch, grief and anxiety. All of these are dealt with so beautifully, they're not at the forefront of the story but it also isn't brushed over, mentioned once and left behind.
I should also mention that as much as I loved Isaiah Rhodes, Ryan Shay (from book 2 - The Right Move) is still my number 1 book boyfriend đ they're very similar in a lot of ways but also very different and those are the things that make me love Ryan just a bit more đ
The tropes: accidental marriage/marriage of convenience, workplace romance, fake dating, stepbrother's rival.
Trigger warnings: family abandonment, parental death (mentioned), sexist boss, graphic intimate scenes.
Dedication rating: 5 starts. This is the most encouraging dedication I've ever come across.
Fav quotes: âHey, Isaiah?â âYeah?â âI live, laugh, love you tooâ (p.298), âYouâve never gotten a say in your own life, and the last thing Iâm going to do is take that away from you again. Every option is yours, Kenny. Whatever you want to do, I will be your biggest supporter. But I couldnât live with myself if I didnât allow you the space to fulfill your goals, to live up to everything youâve worked so hard forâ (p.330), âCâmon wife. Play along" (p.65), âEyes are up here, wifey.â "I'm a doctor, Rhodes. Aced anatomy, in fact. I know where your eyes are located. I just don't care right now" (p. 134)
Overall rating: 5 stars. It couldn't have been any other way. I don't think that any of Liz's books have ever been less than 5 and that should tell you all you need. The way Liz writes is unique, especially as I said previously, the way she handles difficult topics so delicately is just incredible and a pleasure to read.
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