Liz Tomforde

RYAN

She’s a distraction, that’s what she is.

I’m the newest Captain of the Devils, Chicago’s NBA team, and the last thing I needed this year was for Indy Ivers, my sister’s best friend, to move into my apartment. She’s messy, emotional, and way too tempting.

But when the team’s General Manager vocalizes his blatant disapproval of my promotion to Captain, referring to me as an unapproachable lone wolf with no work-life balance, I can’t think of a better way to convince him otherwise than pretending to date my outgoing roommate.

The only problem? Faking it feels far too natural.

Having a fake girlfriend wasn’t supposed to be messy but having Indy under my roof and in my bed is complicated, especially when she wants all the romantic parts of life that I could never give her.


INDY

I never imagined I’d be living with my best friend’s brother, NBA superstar Ryan Shay. Even more unbelievable? He needs me to act as his loving girlfriend who’s suddenly changed him into a friendly and approachable guy.

Because, well…he’s not. He’s controlling of his space and untrusting of others.

Our arrangement isn’t one-sided, though. I’m in a wedding coming up, one where every one of my childhood friends, including my ex-boyfriend, will be in attendance, and there’s no better date than my ex’s celebrity hero.

Blurred lines make it almost impossible to separate real from fake. Falling for my roommate was never part of the deal, especially when Ryan is quick to remind me that he doesn’t believe in love.

I’m a romantic and can’t help fantasizing that he’ll change, but soon enough, I find myself questioning if sharing a roof with my best friend’s brother was the right move after all

Windy City #2

The Right Move

Hana 

While yes, the inside of the cabin is comfortable and warm, the coziness she's referring to is the single bed that takes up seventy percent of the room.

"You take the bed. I can sleep on the floor." I drop my bag on the three feet of floor space I'll be sleeping on tonight.

Grace Brown

“Im sorry someone let you beleve you were hard to love, because, Blue, it's the easiest thing I've ever done."

Sara Poole

"Like what we're going to do once you inevitably fall for me. Do llet you down easy or do I exploit all the newfound emotions you're going to feel once you realize you're in love with me?"

"You're pretty...bold for someone who just got here yesterday and still hasn't signed a lease. And you ask a lot of questions." 

raia – inactive

“Why do you like reading fiction so much?” he asks without a hint of judgment.

“How else would you get to live a thousand lives in the span of only one? The beauty of fiction is that it makes you feel things on a visceral level. You can cry with those characters, laugh with them. It teaches you to look at another’s perspective, to have empathy."

“Because they’re your family and you’re mine, and the fact you even have to ask is mind-blowing to me. Learning to communicate with your family is the bare minimum, Ind.”

“I’m sorry someone let you believe you were hard to love, because, Blue, it’s the easiest thing I’ve ever done.”

He points at himself again, followed by a motion that looks as if he were taking information from an open palm to his head, finished with the sign for “sign”—index fingers circling each other backward. 

Fresh flowers, though sometimes dead because he tried too hard to keep them alive, sitting on the kitchen island for me at home after every road trip.

Slipping my foot between hers, I nudge her feet apart to find a new addition to her shoes. Right there, inside of the left ankle is an embroidered basketball with my number and a heart stitched into the center of it.

“You look good wearing my last name, Blue.”

At some point, I should probably tell her that my love language is whichever one she wants it to be so she can stop guessing. I’ll make sure that girl feels loved however she needs.

He shakes his head. “Nah. I’d rather pin you down than pick you up.”

Indy reaches for the door handle, but I click the lock in place before she can get to it. Brown eyes roll with exaggeration when the door refuses to open for her.

Call me old-fashioned, I don’t care, but I have yet and will not let her open her own door. 

She takes her pink coffee cup out of the refrigerator and holds it up to me. “What is this?”

“I made you coffee before I left for practice and put it in the fridge to cool so it wouldn’t get watered down when you added ice.”

“Because I’ve learned over the years that sometimes people, especially men, are more intimidated than impressed by intelligence."

:I tried! I really tried to keep them alive, but I think I watered them too much and drowned them. Then when I went down to the flower stand today to buy the same ones in hopes you wouldn’t notice, they didn’t have them. So I bought you some called Black-eyed Susan? Which is the weirdest fucking thing to call a flower.

"Ryan, your house was like a prison cell. It needed some life.” 

“There’s a fucking tree in my living room!”

Morgan Denlinger

“You know that jersey you’ve got with my last name on it? When you see it hanging there in your closet, let out serve as a reminder to you, that soon enough, it’ll be her last name too.”

Amelia

"To be honest, Ind, I don't know who I'm more jealous of. If this were any other guy, I'd hate them, but this is Ryan Shay we're talking about. I wish I were you." I turn back to Zanders. "To answer your question, he made me cry." “I’ll kill him,” Rio declared.

Sophia

"You know that jersey you've got with my last name on it? When you see it hanging there in your closet, let it serve as a reminder to you, that soon enough, it'll be her last name too."

I click my glass with his because sometimes I'm an asshole, and then I go find my girl.

At some point, I should probably tell her that my love language is whichever one she wants it to be so she can stop guessing. I'll make sure that girl feels loved however she needs.

Omg new book boyfriend unlocked. And Indy ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Katie Roberts

I HAD to read this book since it’s set in Chiraq 😮‍💨 Bittersweet story & taught me you can definitely be vulnerable and allow someone to take care of you/love you for who you are. The only person stopping you from finding true happiness is yo own damn self

ezmeralda 

did this book suck? yes. but did they also name their baby iverson after AI? yes. so by default… automatic 3 stars. but this book is bad.

big ab

My god. I have never wanted a bb player like I want Ryan Shay 🫣🫣 okay maybe just once. 

But fuuuuuuuck me. Him and Indy?? I fucking love them 😽

But I’m kinda disappointed Madisson and Logan disappeared from this book 🥲 I thought Indy was right with them. Bummer really. 

Keira 💫

Ryan Shay, the man that you are 😭😭

My god. I have never wanted a bb player like I want Ryan Shay 🫣🫣 okay maybe just once. 

But fuuuuuuuck me. Him and Indy?? I fucking love them 😽

But I’m kinda disappointed Madisson and Logan disappeared from this book 🥲 I thought Indy was right with them. Bummer really. 



just overall very cute, i spent an all nighter reading this and i have to say it was so very much worth it 😭😭

we all need a Ryan Shay in our lives‼️‼️

Chace Page

July 2024: Everytime I come across something about this book it brings butterflies to my stomach like no joke I genuinely loved this book still do!

It was Lovely to see them trust someone else after everything they’ve been through

Julia pinheiro

I am in awe of them! They are too cute

It was Lovely to see them trust someone else after everything they’ve been through

I liked this book roommates and one bed trope they had a cute relationship. Also it sort of tells you what the next book will be about through the characters idk if that makes sense but yeah subtle but I like it . 

Hadley 

Minahil Fatima 

god, this was cheesy. but like cheesy in a way that was fun to read and didn't make me wanna throw up.

Greer Andersson

4.5 ⭐️
Liz Tomforde knows how to write a cracker of a romance book. Like does she put crack in these? It’s gotta be said, I’m a sucker for roommates to lovers and Ryan and Indy deliver the goodness. So many good things with this book, the characters - chefs kiss. The conflict is realistic and evolves in a natural way. 

The one reason that it isn’t a flat 5 stars is because I think it could’ve been a little bit shorter and not have to sacrifice important moments.

Other than that, absolute cracker of a read, definitely recommend.

abby

have you experienced chuckling or punching air with your fist because the scenes of the book you are reading? for a while, I thought I had lost it, but this book returned the energy, and it just made me fall in love, even more!

amazing is an understatement, spectacular? that can be the right to describe in one word. and I am totally consumed! the way that Ryan and Indy actually happened as a roommate, then developed to fake dating... well, we all know where it will lead, and yes, they grow feelings to each other. I can’t get over for what Ryan did for Indy even just for little things, and that were worth to swoon for! God, I love this man so freaking much. the truth is, he climbs rapidly to the ladder to become my top 3 book boyfriends.

I hope Liz will not stop! writing! like! this! as in my honest thought, that is the fun part. you enjoy the whole read without realizing you are evenly turned to be obsessed—like me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

madreadz⟢

The best book boyfriend, Ryan. How is he not real??!!?!!! 🥹🫶🏻

I like it, happy to read n3 in the series

Ester Waclavova

Isabella 

havent read a romance in so long that got me smiling squealing kicking my legs like this did

Honestly, this book made me cry with the amount of realizations that came unto both of their sides. I just love how Ren slowly took his time on accepting Indy and with the way that she is without hurting either one of them. Indy is just the galest gal that I have ever read. I love how enthusiastic and lovable she is. She really made me fall in love with this book. If the review can be out of 10, I would immediately put 10 without any hesitations. I would read this again.

Ana Luiza

Livro chato, arrastado, horrível. Eu AMO slow burn, serio. Minha autora preferida de romance é a Mariana Zapata, e nos livros delas os personagens ficam de mãos dadas pela primeira vez quase em 90%. Mas slow burn é completamente diferente de um livro arrastado, que não anda pra frente. Ficou claro o sentimento que um tinha pelo outro la por volta de 40%, o resto foi TUDO enrolação. 
O Ryan é um fofo mas eu nao tinha paciencia nenhumaaaaa para a personagem principal, que mulher chata!!!
Enfim, não sei como terminei essa leitura. Quase abandonei varias vezes.
Decidi dar um tempo até voltar pro romance de novo kkk

of you only read the dialogue it’s great 

Ralie Sutton

rhegan🧋

i’m a fake dating hater but this changed something in me

Really enjoyed this one. Sequel to Mile High. Best friends brother romance. Steamy AF. Slow burn though! Spice 4.5/5

Nicole O'Connor 

“Loving someone doesn't ensure that sentiment is reciprocated, but even though I've tried and failed, I hope one day I find it again.”

After the most traumatic break-up possible with her (cheating) ex-boyfriend, who took the house they bought together with their savings and all her childhood friendships, Indy needs a new place to stay. Indy relies on her best friend's brother (who's got a basketball star with a huge flat in Chigado where she can spend a few months until she's able to move out) to let her stay a while, but she wasn't expecting him to be totally the opposite of his sister—all brooding, serious, full of rules, grumpy, maniac for organization, and not much of a fan of coloured and decorated spaces. But that's not a problem for Indy, of course, since she's going to stay a while, and he barely stays in the flat, after all, so she ends up adapting to his lifestyle and, as way of saying thanks, he includes her and her interests in his own routine as well—to the point that the house seems to be more of them both them his own. That would be just it, if it weren't for the fact that Ryan is about to lose his position as the leader of the basketball team for not being too approachable for his team mates and, not being comfortable with anyone else to take the role, he asks Indy to pretend to be his fake date to convince his team that he's actually accessible when he wants to (accessible to the point that he has a girlfriend, in fact). But the position of boyfriend and girlfriend, of course, might not be too difficult to pretend as they think it is—if there's something to pretend. That was a heart-warming book and one of the best romances of the year, in my humble opinion. There were barely any miscommunication tropes (which I particularly adore because I'm done with that trope being used already), the male protagonist is full boyfriend material (so that he doesn't exist), the female protagonist is the avatar of the reader (so that she's a bookstan too !), and the book is full of fluff, romantic moments, lovely scenes, cute quotes, idk. I just needed that. 

I just wouldn't recommend for reading slumps because it's very big, or else it would be perfect, but

 if you're looking for a lighthearted reading with a lot of romantic moments, fake dating, a soft boy, grumpy x sunshine dynamic, and (maybe a little) disability representation (there are deaf/mute characters, so there is constant use of sign languages), this book is a good one.

addie

“Loving someone doesn't ensure that sentiment is reciprocated, but even though I've tried and failed, I hope one day I find it again.”      

After the most traumatic break-up possible with her (cheating) ex-boyfriend, who took the house they bought together with their savings and all her childhood friendships, Indy needs a new place to stay. Indy relies on her best friend's brother (who's got a basketball star with a huge flat in Chigado where she can spend a few months until she's able to move out) to let her stay a while, but she wasn't expecting him to be totally the opposite of his sister—all brooding, serious, full of rules, grumpy, maniac for organization, and not much of a fan of coloured and decorated spaces. But that's not a problem for Indy, of course, since she's going to stay a while, and he barely stays in the flat, after all, so she ends up adapting to his lifestyle and, as way of saying thanks, he includes her and her interests in his own routine as well—to the point that the house seems to be more of them both them his own. That would be just it, if it weren't for the fact that Ryan is about to lose his position as the leader of the basketball team for not being too approachable for his team mates and, not being comfortable with anyone else to take the role, he asks Indy to pretend to be his fake date to convince his team that he's actually accessible when he wants to (accessible to the point that he has a girlfriend, in fact). But the position of boyfriend and girlfriend, of course, might not be too difficult to pretend as they think it is—if there's something to pretend. That was a heart-warming book and one of the best romances of the year, in my humble opinion. There were barely any miscommunication tropes (which I particularly adore because I'm done with that trope being used already), the male protagonist is full boyfriend material (so that he doesn't exist), the female protagonist is the avatar of the reader (so that she's a bookstan too !), and the book is full of fluff, romantic moments, lovely scenes, cute quotes, idk. I just needed that. 

I just wouldn't recommend for reading slumps because it's very big, or else it would be perfect, but if you're looking for a lighthearted reading with a lot of romantic moments, fake dating, a soft boy, grumpy x sunshine dynamic, and (maybe a little) disability representation (there are deaf/mute characters, so there is constant use of sign languages), this book is a good one.

Anastasia Jack

ryan mf shay! that’s all I have to say bc he is truly the best book bf ive read so far in 2023. I mean whew… the man that he is 🥹 I just loved him and indy together and this book was just too good.

Rics

** spoiler alert **
           My rating: 
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️ 


MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE MAIN CHARACTERS: 

First things first, Ryan freaking Shay is THE man! (Zanders, kindly look away for a sec). Idk what Liz put in his character, but I know you'll agree with me when I say he's the quintessential book boyfriend every romance reader yearns for! He might be initially closed off & mysterious — he has his reasons, but he makes up for it in his actions! Similar to his twin sis, Stevie, Ryan takes good care of the people close to his heart. His true self is only known to his circle of friends. 

Indigo Ivers, aka Indy / Stevie's bff, is rainbow personified! She has this electric person where she lights up every room she's at! A complete extrovert compared to Ryan's personality! She can practically charm anyone she meets! A natural nurturer! She loves to take good care of the people around her — sometimes at the expense of her own happiness and well-being! 

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THE BOOK BASED ON ITS TROPES: 

1. Sports Romance — Ryan Shay is a professional basketball player for the Chicago Devils. He plays as point guard and captain of the team! I think the author is a fan of basketball, because the sport wasn't just a background or plot device to the story! There were a couple of in depth scenes where Ryan can be read as playing in court! I loooove that part where Indy was at the courtside (iykyk!) 

2. Fake Dating — I can count in my hands the number of times where the main couple divulges their fake dating status haha! It's actually refreshing and more realistic that they were upfront with their setup! 

3. Forced Proximity (Roomies) — If you've read Mile High, you would know Indy was cheated on by her long time bf! Since she was evicted from her house, Stevie convinced Ryan to let Indy stay with him at his huge, luxury condo! This whole set up made it easier for the readers to see their differences and how those factored in developing their relationship! Ryan is as cold as the interior of the house, while Indy is as bright as her yellow curtain & rainbow colored books haha 

4. Best friend's brother — Since mile high, the author has established the dynamic of the core four! It's not much of an issue in this book coz everyone was just supportive! They each had their own demons to conquer, but indy being stevie's bff or ryan being stevie's twin was just a way to solidify their friend group! I love all the appearances of Stevie and Zander!!!! They all have their moments in terms of helping the main characters come to terms with their emotions! 

OVERALL: 

If you enjoyed Mile High, then you're going to love this book even better! The banter between the main characters is hilarious and addicting! The characters are given an ample amount of time to develop! Nothing feels rushed as the author is able to tackle each of their respective issues accordingly! The spicy scenes are just the right amount I wanted in a book! The mutual pining really took the cake for this one! 

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVEEEE RYAN AND INDY!!!!

debre

IM FREEEEEE!!!!!!!! WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY FUCKING LIFE

The Right Move Windy City #2

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