REVIEW: Mile High by Liz Tomforde

OUR REVIEW:

I've been seeing Mile High float around the book universe for a little while and decided this week was the week to give it a shot. I was intrigued by this one because I saw many reviews love it and yet the first few reviews of Goodreads seemed to not. I didn't let either of those sway me and jumped in. 

There were many things I enjoyed--hockey + romance + main characters of color were all wins for me. I honestly don't think I've read a hockey romance where mmc (Zanders) and fmc (Stevie) were both Black. That, of course, is probably my fault, but it was nice to have that diversity. I also enjoyed that the main male characters were self-aware and wholeheartedly advocated for therapy--what a nice surprise. And, I appreciated that the focus on family wasn't just about the biological ones, but also the ones we make. 

So Zanders and Stevie. Where to start? He's a man who loves casual hook ups, clothes, hockey, and his best friend. He comes off, initially, as arrogant and a smidge insufferable. Stevie? Stevie is his flight attendant on the private plane his team has chartered. She's a girl who loves her volunteer work, thrifting, and her brother. Immediately these two rub each other the wrong way and yet can't seem to keep their eyes off each other. As we spend more time with them, we get to see what they're really about--their insecurities, their hopes and dreams, and their fears and hurts. 

The more they see each other, the more intrigued they become, and eventually, they find that their accidental run ins whet their appetite for each other and they finally give in. The rest of the novel is reading about how they navigate this secret relationship, the obstacles they have to overcome, and the learning and healing they gain from being with each other. 

While this was a little on the long-ish side, it wasn't enough of a reason for me to not like it or not want to read more of the series; I'm curious about the other novels in this series and how she develops the themes she introduced in Mile High

BUY IT: https://amzn.to/4fNlMBO

SYNOPSIS:

ZANDERS

Chicago hockey isn't complete without me - everyone's favourite player to hate. I know my role, and I play it well. In fact, I thoroughly enjoy spending the majority of my game time in the penalty box before leaving the arena with a new girl on my arm each night.

What I don't like is the new flight attendant on our team's private plane. She works for me, not the other way around. But I'll be sure to remind her of that, and I can guarantee, by the end of the season, she'll be begging to quit her job.

But every road trip blurs the lines, and I can't quite figure out if I keep pushing that flight attendant call button in order to push her buttons, or if it's more than that.

STEVIE

I've been a flight attendant for years. I thought I'd seen it all, but when my new job lands me onboard working for the most egotistical and self-righteous diva in the NHL, I start to second guess everything. Including the promise I made to myself of never hooking up with an athlete again . . . no matter how annoyingly tempting he may be.

Evan Zanders is unfiltered, unapologetic, and too attractive for his own good. He loves his image, but I hate everything about it.

Everything but him.