TheĀ third bookĀ in this series isĀ Caught Up, which follows Kai Rhodes and Miller Montgomery.
Kai: Looks like a cinnamon roll ā is a cinnamon roll.
Miller: Looks like she could kill you ā is a cinnamon roll.
Quick Overview/Ratings
My overall rating: āļøāļøāļøāļøāļø /5
Spice rating: š¶š¶š¶/5 ā a very plot-driven story, but has several well-crafted open-door sex scenes that are integral to the character development
On KU: Yes, this book is available onĀ Kindle UnlimitedĀ (as of publishing)
POV: Dual POV (and theĀ audiobookĀ has two narrators ā one for each character ā which I personally greatly prefer for dual-POV books)
The Plot of Caught Up by Liz Tomforde
Kai RhodesĀ is a starting pitcher for the Windy City Warriors, Chicagoās fictional MLB team.Ā Miller MontgomeryĀ is a world-renowned pastry chef who travels the U.S. to help Michelin-level kitchens earn a star.
Kai ā a child forced to grow up much too quickly ā found freedom for the first time once he hit the MLB, causing him to become a bit of a playboy.
You first meet Kai inĀ The Right Move, where heās introduced as a happy-go-lucky sunshiney personality. A disposition that makes him quite popular with the ladies.
They love him, and he loves them right back ā night after night. That is, until a prior fling surprised him with Max, his 6-month-old baby, and walked away.
Now, heās a single dad trying to juggle fatherhood and a career that keeps him constantly on the road.
He canāt do both (be a baseball player and baseball daddy) without assistance ā but he isnāt easy to work for because he doesnāt want help.
Thatās why his friends have a running bet for how long each nanny will last. No one has made it as Maxās nanny longer than a monthā¦
UntilĀ Miller.
Miller is a professional pastry chef experiencing burnout after receiving the James Beard award for her work. Highly sought after, sheās always on the road helping kitchens across the country set star-worthy dessert menus.
After she is sexually harassed and belittled by a cook in her latest kitchen, she has finally had it.
She quits and decides to celebrate an unexpected summer of funemployment with her dad, Monty ā head coach for the Windy City Warriors.
Just before she walks in, Monty learns that Kai has fired yet another nanny, and, as the person responsible for hiring said nannies, heās fed up.
Looking at his daughter whose summer unexpectedly freed up, he cooks upĀ (pun intended)Ā an idea.
Kai canāt fire his coachās daughter, can he?
At least sheās only here for the summerā¦
Some of the tropes (common plot points) you can expect include:
Check the tags at the top of the page for a full list of tropes, but here are some of the bigger ones:
- Forced proximity. The nanny is never far from Kai, because theyāre constantly on the road together with conjoined hotel rooms.
- Single dad/nanny. If you read the plot summary, you guessed this one. But Miller isnāt your typical nanny ā thereās no real power dynamic here. Sheās a badass chef moonlighting as a nanny to help her dad, not someone dependent on the single dad for employment.
- Forbidden romance. You canāt date your coachās daughter, can you?
My thoughts on Caught Up by Liz Tomforde
Another 5+ star read for me that I gobbled up in under 24 hours.
Why?
Because it answers the question, āIf your love has an expiration date, is it worth trying?ā
Just like every book in this series, these characters donāt feel like ink on paper. You fall in love with both of them individually as you learn about their histories, goals, and fears.
Then you fall in love with them together.
KaiĀ spent a lifetime putting himself last thanks to a tragic childhood that put him in charge of raising himself and his little brother, Isaiah.
AndĀ MillerĀ spent a lifetime trying to atone for a childhood full of love she didnāt believe she deserved.Ā (Thatās as much as I can say without spoiling anything).
Theyāre incredibly similar in that way ā putting their own happiness on the backburner in favor of everyone elseās. So as you watch them come together, you get to see them learn how to love and be loved in their own ways.
Just like Mile High and Right Move, the magic is in the practical expression of love. Kaiās love isnāt over-the-top romance-novelesque book boyfriend love. Itāsā¦
- Supporting Miller through her burnout by taking her to an Italian bakery to help her find her spark
- Making his friends sit and taste test any and everything Miller makes to boost her confidence
- Constantly encouraging her to chase happiness instead of accolades ā and supporting her in whatever that means to herĀ (even if it means pursuing the aforementioned accolades)
And Miller? Her love is loud and proud.
Itās pulling Kai out of his shell, refusing to let him sink into the background, and making him feel loved and wanted ā never letting him once doubt himself in her presence.
They work together to become better, and thatās what love really is.
My main point is thatĀ anyone can love and cherish like Kai Rhodes. Just like in the other books of this series, this love isnāt something money can buy. Itās offering unconditional support and encouragement to make the person you love better.
That means, you betcha āĀ he will also ruin unsupportive (mediocre) men for you.
So if your man belittles you or makes your dreams feel anything less than important, itās probably time to look for your Kai, babe.
āGirl bosses need forehead kisses too.ā ā Kai Rhodes
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