Our Take

Tomforde's breakout appeal is easy to understand once you're a few chapters into Mile High. Zanders is the kind of romance hero who works because his antagonism never tips into cruelty—his needling of Stevie is competitive rather than cutting, and the banter between them has genuine wit. Stevie, meanwhile, is a heroine with actual backbone, and watching her hold her ground against someone as relentless as Zanders is half the pleasure of the book.

The sports romance setting gives the enemies-to-lovers dynamic a useful pressure cooker: they can't avoid each other, every road trip is another round, and the confined space of a private plane makes the tension feel physical. Tomforde uses that geography well. The slow burn earns its payoff, and when the softer layers of both characters start to emerge, the shift feels natural rather than abrupt.

Readers who loved The Icing on the Date by Eden Finley or In a Holidaze by Christina Lauren will find Tomforde in confident, entertaining company. Also a strong pairing with Yours Truly by Abby Jimenez for readers who want their spice served with genuine emotional stakes. A Spicy Saturday pick that delivers exactly what it promises.