Book Review: Rewind it Back

  

After waiting for what felt like forever after reading book #4 in the Windy City series, I finally got my hands on #5! And of course, as is fitting for the end of this series, we get Rio's story (a character who appears in all of the previous books as the goofy, hapless and looking for love comedy relief). After rooting for him for soooo long, we finally get to see him fall in love with his childhood sweetheart, Hallie. For Rio, I felt like we saw some surprising depth and growth, fleshing him out beyond the comedy relief sidekick to a person with deep thoughts and feelings.  

     Now, Hallie is an interesting character - to be honest, I was somewhat unsure when I first found out that Rio's love interest wouldn't be a character we already know. However, Hallie was a refreshing and surprisingly likeable character, whom I felt it was easy to fall in love with as she navigated meeting Rio again after 6 years. I personally enjoy a trope where the two love interests dislike one another and find themselves pushed together as a result of miscommunication, and their quasi-enemies-to-lovers arc was delightful to read. And of course, as a fan of the series, it was so heartwarming to read how she meets the rest of the couples and becomes a part of the Windy City family. 

    As for the plot, while at times a tad predictable (I definitely called the big twist about the parents before the end), the path that Hallie and Rio take to find their way back to one another was, simply put, sweet. And not to mention, Tomforde definitely delivered on the spice, as I knew she would!

Recommended for who enjoy: romance, sports romance, and second-chance childhood sweethearts.

Book Information:

Title: Rewind it Back (Windy City #5)

Author: Liz Tomforde

Published: May 20, 2025

Publisher: Kindle Edition (read via Kindle Unlimited)

Pages: 491

Summary:

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.

Let us know if you've read this and how you liked it!

Happy reading, 

Mari