In Liz Tomforde’s ” Windy City” series we follow a number of professional athletes looking for love. The best thing about these books however, is that characters and romance get prioritized over the sport, which is secondary. This character driven narrative makes those books really interesting. Now it’s already time for Rewind It Back, the fifth book in this series in which we follow Rio and Hallie. Are they able to find true love as well?
About the book
Published by Hodder & Stoughton on May 20, 2025
Pages: 404
ISBN: 9781399746427
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4/5
Hallie
When I was eleven, my family moved next door to his.
When I was thirteen, he was my first crush.
When I was sixteen, we fell for each other.
And when I was nineteen, we broke each other’s hearts.
Six years later, I’ve landed an internship with a big-name interior designer in a new city.
Unfortunately, that city just so happens to be the one he plays hockey for.
I thought Chicago was big enough to avoid him, until I get the surprise of a lifetime and unknowingly move in right next door.
Even worse? The renovation project I’m assigned to in hopes of turning that internship into my full-time dream job…
It’s his house.
But how am I supposed to update his bachelor pad into a family home when we can’t even stand to be in the same room?
I may have loved Rio DeLuca once, but I’m not that same girl anymore.Rio
I never thought I’d be the only single one left in my friend group.
But after years of trying to find love, I’ve concluded it may not exist for me anymore.
That is until I accidentally hire Hallie Hart to renovate my house and our jaded history has me rewinding memories I’ve kept secret for years.
You see, there’s something that my friends don’t know.
That connection I’ve been looking for since I moved to Chicago, that one person some search their entire lives to find… I had already found her when I was twelve years old.
And now the only girl I’ve ever loved is moving into the house next door.
Again.
My review
Before reading
Although I really liked the earlier books in this series regarding the characters and their development, it is becoming noticeable that each book follows the same structure. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as you know exactly what to expect, but it is getting a bit tiring. It is no longer truly innovative, surprising, or stimulating. The characters all have their own problems, and spending time with someone else is supposed to solve them. This is no different in this romance, although it involves a second chance. Not my favorite trope, but because I enjoyed reading the earlier books, I was curious.
Characters
We already met Rio as he appeared as a supporting character in the earlier installments of this series, but now he has been promoted to one of the main characters. Hallie is entirely new, and because Tomforde switches points of view frequently, you get to know them both well. Both Rio and Hallie have a deeper layer beneath that rather hard and nonchalant exterior, which makes them much more likeable than they appear at first glance. Rio seems nonchalant and full of fun, whereas Hallie is actually very closed off and finds it difficult to open up to someone else. Gradually, it becomes clear why this is the case and that it is merely a facade. Both characters have endured a lot in their lives, and this has shaped them and their relationship. As Rio and Hallie spend more and more time together, they dare to open up more to each other and reflect on their time together. Or rather, on the reasons why they got separated. Because they continue to communicate about this in a healthy way, they both undergo a growth that ensures you won’t recognize either character from the first chapters when you close the book.
Writing
The writing itself is not refreshing either. It’s fine, similar to the earlier books in the series. There are frequent POV switches, but also frequent usage of flashbacks. Where these elements could both end up ruining a book, this combination works surprisingly well here. This was again another smooth read.
Plot
Because the books in this series follow a similar structure, you already know that the plot will not focus on the sport itself, but that this serves solely to support the characters and their development. Reading the blurb immediately sparks your curiosity and even though you know how this story ends, you are still intrigued to find out about how things could have gone so wrong between Hallie and Rio. Tomforde frequently uses flashbacks for this purpose, providing a complete picture of how this relationship has developed. As a result, the puzzle pieces from the present slowly but surely fall into place. Nevertheless, it takes a while for the resolution to present itself, but this is precisely what keeps you captivated.
Final thoughts
Rewind It Back by Liz Tomforde isn’t groundbreaking, but it is a nice addition to the “Windy City” series. We previously knew Rio only as a supporting character as his story was the only one in this friend group that hadn’t been told yet. That has now changed, and he, too, turns out to be more layered than it initially seems. His co-star Hallie is new, and we get to know her well as well. Once again, the book revolves around the characters and their development, the sport and the rest of the plot are secondary. Because these stories all follow the same structure, you know exactly how everything will unfold beforehand. It is the mystery surrounding the failed relationship in the past that manages to captivate, because why do Rio and Hallie deserve a second chance? Or do they actually not? Through the frequent use of flashbacks, all the puzzle pieces fall into place, and this is what keeps you, as a reader, glued to the story. This book is proof that a second-chance romance can be captivating.
