Every Liz Tomforde Book, Ranked—From 'Mile High' to 'In Her Own League'
Our take
The rise of Liz Tomforde and her ranking within the literary landscape, as detailed in “Every Liz Tomforde Book, Ranked—From 'Mile High' to 'In Her Own League,’” speaks volumes about the burgeoning power of #BookTok and its ability to cultivate literary stardom. It’s fascinating to observe how a former flight attendant’s experiences, transformed into the “Windy City” series, have captivated a generation of readers, demonstrating a clear appetite for accessible, emotionally driven narratives. This phenomenon isn't entirely new – the internet has always fostered niche communities around certain authors – but #BookTok's scale and influence are unprecedented. We’ve seen similar trends before, like the resurgence of Jenny Han’s *To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before* thanks to Netflix, but Tomforde's ascent feels particularly organic, fueled by genuine reader enthusiasm rather than a pre-existing Hollywood adaptation. The broader cultural conversation around accessible luxury also plays a role here; readers are drawn to stories that offer a glimpse into aspirational lifestyles without feeling unattainable, a sentiment echoed in our own content, like I'm Using Amazon Prime Day to Create the Rich-Looking Closet Of My Dreams, which resonates with the desire for elevated aesthetics within reach.
The ranking itself – dissecting each novel from ‘Mile High’ onwards – is a testament to the engaged and analytical nature of the #BookTok community. It’s more than just recommending a book; it’s a thoughtful evaluation, offering nuanced perspectives on plot, character development, and overall enjoyment. This level of critical engagement elevates the conversation around romance and contemporary fiction, moving beyond simple "love it or hate it" reactions. The fact that Tomforde's work is being analyzed and categorized with such detail suggests a level of investment that transcends casual reading. It’s also noteworthy that these rankings often consider elements beyond the purely literary – the emotional impact, the escapism offered, and the relatability of the characters. This aligns with a broader shift in how we consume media; we’re seeking experiences that resonate on a deeper, more personal level. The visual appeal of the books, and the aesthetic of the author herself, also contributes to the appeal, something we explore regularly in our coverage, like the recent Hailey Bieber campaign for SKIMS, Hailey Bieber Heats Up SKIMS Everyday Cotton, where a strong visual identity enhances the overall brand narrative.
What’s particularly compelling about Tomforde’s success is the way she’s tapped into a specific emotional current within her audience. Her stories, while rooted in contemporary settings and relatable scenarios, often offer a sense of freedom and possibility – a chance to escape into a world where romance and personal growth intertwine. This resonates deeply with readers seeking both entertainment and emotional validation. Furthermore, the relatively straightforward narratives and accessible writing style contribute to her wide appeal, making her work approachable for a broad range of readers. This contrasts with some literary trends that prioritize complexity and experimentalism, highlighting a clear demand for stories that are engaging, feel-good, and ultimately, comforting. The appeal of stories that provide a sense of calm and aspiration, even within a fictional context, is significant. It’s a reaction, perhaps, to the constant noise and anxiety of the modern world. Even something as simple as finding the perfect summer outfit, as we discussed in Another Heatwave Is Here! 5 Outfits With Shorts to Try If You Don't Know What to Wear, can offer a small moment of joy and control.
Ultimately, Liz Tomforde’s story and the enthusiastic response to her work underscore the immense power of online communities in shaping literary trends. #BookTok isn't just a platform for sharing recommendations; it's a vibrant ecosystem of readers who actively engage with and shape the narratives they consume. The question now is: will this trend continue? Will other authors, inspired by Tomforde’s success, seek to cultivate similar relationships with online communities? And perhaps more importantly, will the publishing industry adapt to better leverage the power of these digital platforms, recognizing that the future of literary discovery may lie not just in bookstores and reviews, but in the shared passions of online communities?
If ever you needed proof that you can pivot your career, you needn’t look any further than author Liz Tomforde. The former flight attendant used her job working in-air for an NHL team as the inspiration for Mile High, her hit 2022 novel—and one of the most popular sports romance series.
She’s gone from “scribbling notes mid-flight and typing chapters in hotel rooms" to becoming a New York Times bestselling author with more than 25.4 million readers, a TV series in development, and a second series, the Wilder Woods books, set to debut in March 2027.
“I didn’t think any of this was possible,” Tomforde gushed to fans in a May 2026 Instagram post.
While the romances featured in her sports-centric books are fictional, Tomforde has continued to infuse her characters with her own experiences. She shared in an interview with Little Stack, “The female main character in…Mile High shared my same profession and her feelings about her body image were pulled from my own life experiences. In Caught Up, Miller’s burnout and work pressures were influenced by how I was feeling in my own career at the time. And Hallie, the main female character in Rewind It Back, was the caretaker for a sick parent, which is influenced by my own life as well.” That realism—and the spice levels of her books—have won over readers on #BookTok and beyond.
In preparation for the release of both the Prime Video adaptation that's in the works and the novelist's brand new book series, we’re looking at her literary journey thus far. Read on for a ranking of every Liz Tomforde book, from her first self-published release to her newest hit.
Every Liz Tomforde Book, Ranked
Despite being Tomforde’s most well-known book, Mile High is also the one that gets the most criticism. The chief complaint? The length. According to even some of her most loyal readers, the pacing can drag, especially because it can hover between over 400 and nearly 600 pages, depending on the edition. If you’re up for the challenge, however, this tension-fueled novel about bad boy hockey player Evan Zanders and Stevie Shay, the flight attendant who simultaneously despises his diva behavior yet finds herself incredibly turned on by him, is a sweet love story with authentic characters that will make you fall for them as they fall for each other.
Tomforde cut her teeth on hockey romance with her first novel, Becoming Selfish. Its central couple, Eli and Logan, are a seemingly mismatched pair: One is a laser-focused college hockey player with uncompromisable goals for his life, while the other is a caretaker learning to live for herself for the first time. Naturally, their worlds collide, and while their love affair is endearing. You can consider it merely a preview of the more mature loves Tomforde would later write.
Tomforde continues Eli and Logan’s story with her 2022 sequel, Staying Selfless. Published just one year apart, Tomforde’s second book showed an obvious growth in her writing that readers applauded. Hailed as “better than the first one,” this extended love story also marks the first appearance of Mile High’s Evan Zanders.
Tomforde cites In Her Own League’s Reese Remington as the character most like herself. “[She’s] just a boss, very independent, and I’m a very independent person,” she said of the heroine, who’s out to prove her sports prowess to the world as the MLB’s first female team owner. While the standalone book’s feminist angle was a home run for some, others have criticized the “girl boss” narrative as being just lukewarm.
As the third book in the Windy City series, Caught Up falls right in the middle of the pack, which is also incidentally where it ranks. As its name indicates, protagonist Miller Montgomery is “caught up” in a summer romance with Kai Rhodes when she agrees to nanny his son for the summer. But Miller has post-summer plans that don’t involve love—or a child. The chemistry is undeniable, but this one’s conflict requires some patience from those used to instant gratification.
Tomforde closed out her Chicago-based series with the story of Rio, a hopeless romantic who desperately wants to find love—only to realize he still has a shot to reclaim it with the girl he first fell for at 12. Hallie’s return to Rio’s life occurs in the most kismet way, but was completely unexpected for readers—which is exactly what Tomforde was going for. "I think readers were expecting a 'teach me' trope, but…I felt like a second chance made the most sense for Rio,” she explained of her series finale. Rio’s ending was plenty satisfying, even earning Tomforde her first book to debut on The New York Times Best Sellers list, but it wasn't enough to dethrone the epic romances she dreamed up for Books 2 and 4.
Tomforde explores the tried-and-true roommates-to-lovers storyline with a delightful twist in Windy City Book 2, The Right Move. It sees NBA captain Ryan Shea opening up his apartment to his sister’s BFF, Indy Ivers. Rather than fighting the growing attraction between them, they’re forced to lean into it when Ryan needs Indy to pose as his girlfriend to convince his GM he’s not the unapproachable “lone wolf” the team has him pegged for. As it turns out, Ryan's actually a pretty good boyfriend—so good he had Tomforde’s readers collectively swooning over his quietly thoughtful acts of faux love.
The second-to-last book in the Windy City series is widely cited as Tomforde’s pièce de résistance, with readers falling hopelessly, undeniably, head over heels in love with its leading man, shortstop Isaiah Rhodes. Between his longtime adoration for his team’s athletic trainer, Kennedy Kay, his impulsive nature (whirlwind Vegas wedding, anyone?), and his swoon-worthy one-liners, Tomforde’s most beloved character yet has readers convinced that he’s the perfect man—maybe even more perfect than The Right Move’s Ryan Shea. And luckily, Kennedy’s just the woman to set him up for the perfect HEA. It also hasn’t escaped our attention that Play Along is one of the spiciest books in the series. Coincidence? Not likely.
When will Liz Tomforde's next book be released?
Tomforde signed a four-book deal in February 2026 for a brand-new series called Wilder Woods. According to the author, these romance novels will reintroduce readers to the Wilder siblings from 2025’s Rewind It Back and be set in Northern California. “It’s a family of…siblings, three brothers, one sister,” she shared in a March 2026 interview. “Mostly different sports.”
Though the first novel in the series, Cardinal Rule, was originally slated for November 2026, its release date has since been pushed back to March 2, 2027, per Tomforde’s Instagram.
What is Liz Tomforde's most popular book?
Mile High is far and away the novel that put Tomforde on the #BookTok map. As the first book in the Windy City series, it not only expanded Tomforde’s previously Wattpad-dominant audience, but it also introduced readers to many of the characters they would grow to love in her subsequent books, from Stevie’s twin brother, The Right Move’s Ryan Shay, to Zander’s teammate and BFF, Rewind It Back lead, Rio DeLuca.
What order should I read Liz Tomforde's books?
The order in which you read Tomforde's books will depend on your personal preference, though if you're looking to see what all the hype is about, we recommend diving into the Windy City books. Whether you start with the Windy City books—which start with Mile High and culminate with Rewind It Back—or crack open her debut novel and its sequel, Becoming Selfish and Staying Selfless, we suggest you read the series chronologically, given their recurring characters and Easter eggs. 2026's In Her Own League can be read at any time, considering it's a standalone novel.
If you want to read the books in the order they were published, you can pick them up in the following order:
- Becoming Selfish (2021)
- Staying Selfless (2022)
- Mile High (2022)
- The Right Move (2023)
- Caught Up (2023)
- Play Along (2024)
- Rewind It Back (2025)
- In Her Own League (2026)
- Her next book, Cardinal Rule (2027), is also available for pre-order
Are any of Liz Tomforde's books being adapted into movies or TV shows?
Tomforde’s Windy City series will soon be coming to the small screen, thanks to Prime Video. Deadline reported in May 2026 that the streaming giant would be tackling the project with Alison McDonald (a writer and producer on shows like #BlackAF, Your Honor, and Russian Doll) at the show’s helm.
"Soon readers who fell in love with my characters will get to watch their stories step off the page and unfold on screen," Tomforde said in a statement. "What started as a personal passion project has turned into a career that I truly never thought was possible. And now, thanks to Premeditated Productions and Amazon Studios, it’s becoming something bigger than I ever dreamed."
The author has also expressed just how much she trusts McDonald. In an Instagram post, she told fans how "excited" she was to have a showrunner on board and called her "wildly talented."
With the show still in early development, an official release date for the series has not yet been announced. Prime Video has become the home for romance book-to-series adaptations (Off Campus! Every Year After! Fourth Wing!), so it seems likely we should be in for another hit and learn more details soon enough.
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