Caught Up (Windy City, 3)

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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.

Liz Tomforde is a New York Times, Sunday Times, and #1 Amazon bestselling sports romance author whose novels offer a mix of witty banter, undeniable chemistry, a healthy dash of spice, and swoon-worthy men who look good in a uniform.

Liz’s debut series, the Windy City Series, is complete with 5 books that are being adapted for television by Amazon Studios. Her latest novel, In Her Own League, is a Windy City Series Spin-off following major league baseball’s first female team owner and Chicago’s favorite coach. Liz's next 4-book series, Wilder Woods, will take place in Northern California and feature 4 new athletes, 3 new professional sports teams, and one new family to love.

For more information, please visit Liz’s website and subscribe to her newsletter at liztomforde. com. You can also connect with Liz on Instagram @liztomforde.author.

Liz Tomforde’s Caught Up is the third installment in the wildly popular Windy City series, delivering a heartwarming, deeply emotional sports romance built beautifully around the single-dad and forbidden-love tropes. The story centers on Kai Rhodes, a star catcher for Chicago’s professional baseball team, and Miller Montgomery, a fiercely independent, high-end pastry chef. Kai is a devoted but deeply overwhelmed single father to his young son, Max. Following a devastating divorce from a manipulative ex-wife who largely abandoned them, Kai is desperate to find a reliable nanny. He needs someone who can help him balance the grueling travel schedule of a professional athlete with his ultimate priority: being the present, loving father his son deserves. On the other hand, Miller is reeling from a massive career setback; she has just lost her prestigious culinary job and desperately needs a lucrative, temporary gig to fund her ultimate dream of opening her own bakery in a brand-new city.

The perfect, albeit highly complicated, solution presents itself when Miller reluctantly agrees to become Kai’s live-in nanny for the duration of the baseball season. However, there is a massive catch that makes their new living arrangement inherently dangerous: Miller is the fiercely guarded daughter of the baseball team’s strict, hot-tempered head coach. Her father has a legendary, iron-clad rule explicitly forbidding his players from going anywhere near his daughter. Despite the high stakes and the immense risk to Kai’s career, the two are thrust into forced proximity, sharing a home and the daily, intimate responsibilities of raising a vibrant, energetic toddler. They immediately establish a clear, professional boundary, vowing to keep things strictly platonic to protect both of their futures and keep her father happy.

Naturally, that boundary begins to blur almost immediately. Miller, who has spent her entire adult life running from commitment and keeping her bags packed, initially approaches the nanny job as just a temporary stepping stone. She is a self-proclaimed flight risk, terrified of putting down roots because of her own complicated family dynamics and the lingering trauma of her parents' messy divorce. Yet, as she integrates into Kai and Max’s life, she finds herself completely disarmed by the profound warmth and stability they offer. Kai is not the stereotypical, arrogant athlete; he is exceptionally patient, emotionally mature, and incredibly observant. He sees straight past Miller’s tough, sarcastic exterior to the vulnerable woman beneath, making it his personal mission to show her that she is worthy of being chosen and cared for.

The emotional core of the novel is arguably Miller’s beautiful, organic bond with little Max. Her natural maternal instincts shine through as she bakes with him, comforts him, and seamlessly becomes the nurturing maternal figure he has been missing his entire life. Watching Miller love his son only accelerates Kai’s inevitable fall. Their undeniable physical chemistry eventually boils over, shifting their dynamic from a cautious, forbidden attraction to a secret, passionate romance. They are forced to sneak around, stealing quiet moments in the kitchen late at night and hiding their growing attachment from the public eye, Kai’s teammates, and most importantly, Miller’s intimidating father. The secrecy adds a layer of delicious, high-stakes tension to the narrative, but it also forces them to confront the reality of their expiring arrangement.

The central conflict hinges heavily on Miller’s deeply ingrained fear of staying and Kai’s desperate need for permanence. Kai and Max have already been abandoned once, and Kai absolutely refuses to let his son’s heart be broken again by someone who views their family as a temporary stopover. As the end of the baseball season approaches, marking the end of Miller’s employment contract, she must face her greatest fear: actively choosing to stay. The climax is a poignant exploration of overcoming past traumas, as Miller realizes that running away does not actually protect her from getting hurt; it only prevents her from experiencing true, lasting happiness. Kai, in turn, has to give her the space and the undeniable proof that his love is a safe harbor, not a cage.

Ultimately, Caught Up is a beautifully written testament to the idea that family is not just about blood, but about the people who actively choose to stay and fight for you every single day. Tomforde masterfully balances the swoon-worthy romantic tension with profound character growth, delivering an incredibly satisfying, hard-earned happily-ever-after. Because you so thoroughly enjoy building your personal library on digital reading platforms like Kindle and Google Books, this lengthy, emotionally rich novel is an absolutely perfect candidate for your next download. The digital format is ideal for easily carrying this bulky, character-driven story with you wherever you go, allowing you to instantly search back for your favorite sweet moments between Kai, Miller, and Max. You can seamlessly grab a free ebook sample today to see if Liz Tomforde’s gorgeous, emotionally grounded writing style captures your heart before diving headfirst into the full experience!