Play Along by Liz Tomforde Summary, Characters and Themes
Play Along by Liz Tomforde, the fourth installment in the Windy City series, is a steamy sports romance that revolves around Kennedy Kay, a determined athletic trainer who is battling sexism in her career to land her dream job.
When a drunken Las Vegas adventure results in an impromptu marriage to Isaiah Rhodes, a charming and impulsive baseball player, Kennedy finds herself stuck in a fake marriage to save her career. What begins as a convenient lie soon blossoms into a passionate romance as both Kennedy and Isaiah confront their pasts and navigate the complexities of love, career, and identity within the world of professional baseball.
Summary
Kennedy Kay is the only woman working for the Windy City Warriors, Chicago’s professional baseball team. After years of enduring the sexism of the team’s lead doctor, Dr. Frederick, Kennedy is determined to leave and find a new job with a different team in the coming year.
But when a chance encounter with Isaiah Rhodes, the shortstop for the Warriors, takes a turn during a Las Vegas trip, Kennedy’s carefully constructed career plans are thrown into turmoil.
Isaiah, who has admired Kennedy for years, has always been aware of the challenges she faces in a male-dominated environment.
He overhears Dr. Frederick demote Kennedy from her position as team doctor to athletic trainer, based on the assumption that “Kenny” was a man. He promises to help Kennedy, vowing to keep her secret and ensuring that the team treats her with respect.
This interaction sparks a connection between the two, though Kennedy remains engaged to her wealthy fiancé, Connor.
Two years later, Kennedy’s engagement is over, and her ex-fiancé is marrying her step-sister, Mallory. While in Las Vegas for Mallory’s bachelorette party, she crosses paths again with Isaiah, who is there for a pre-season team bonding trip.
Still harboring a crush on Kennedy, Isaiah persuades her to have a drink with him, and what begins as an innocent drink spirals into a night of partying that ends in a spontaneous wedding.
The morning after, both Isaiah and Kennedy agree that they’ll annul the marriage. However, when the media catches wind of their impromptu union, the team’s owner, Mr. Remington, threatens to fire Kennedy unless she and Isaiah pretend the marriage was planned.
In a desperate bid to save her job, Kennedy reluctantly agrees to go along with Isaiah’s plan. They promise to stay married for the duration of the baseball season to protect her professional reputation.
As the season progresses, they share a hotel room, maintaining the appearance of a happy couple while keeping things professional. Isaiah, ever the gentleman, respects Kennedy’s boundaries and sleeps on the floor.
The pair holds hands in public to convince management that their marriage is legitimate. Despite their best efforts to keep things platonic, the lines between their fake marriage and real feelings start to blur.
Kennedy, who was raised in a cold, emotionally distant family, struggles with physical affection, and asks Isaiah to help her work through her aversion to touch. Isaiah patiently helps her by giving her “lessons” in affection—starting with hugs, hand-holding, and massages. Slowly, they grow closer both physically and emotionally.
Kennedy starts to open up about her traumatic past, and Isaiah shares the story of his mother’s tragic death and the sacrifices his brother Kai made to raise him.
Their bond deepens, and Kennedy begins to feel a sense of belonging with Isaiah’s team and their close-knit circle.
Meanwhile, an unexpected job opportunity opens up in San Francisco for the position of head doctor, forcing Kennedy to choose between pursuing her career ambitions or staying with Isaiah. Torn by guilt, Isaiah gives Kennedy divorce papers, encouraging her to follow her dreams.
In the end, Kennedy turns down the job in San Francisco and quits her position with the Warriors. However, with Mr. Remington’s retirement and his granddaughter, Reese, taking over the team’s ownership, the sexist doctor is fired, and Kennedy is offered the head doctor position. She becomes the first female head doctor in Major League Baseball.
Two years later, Isaiah and Kennedy return to Las Vegas, where they renew their wedding vows in the same chapel where they married, symbolizing their journey of growth, love, and commitment.
Characters
Kennedy Kay (Protagonist)
Kennedy Kay is a highly driven and ambitious woman working as an athletic trainer for the Windy City Warriors baseball team. Despite being highly qualified as a doctor, Kennedy has had to endure the challenges of sexism in a male-dominated profession.
Her original position was demoted after her boss, Dr. Frederick, mistakenly assumed she was a man when she applied for the job. Her demotion to athletic trainer was a direct result of gender bias.
This demotion significantly shapes her character, making her determined to prove her worth in a field where women are often underestimated. Kennedy is cautious and reserved, especially in her interactions with Isaiah, as she harbors emotional scars from her family’s neglect.
Raised in a cold and unloving environment, she struggles with intimacy and affection, which is something she must overcome throughout the story. As her professional and personal life intertwines with Isaiah, she grapples with the question of whether to pursue her dream job or stay with Isaiah, whom she grows emotionally and physically close to.
Isaiah Rhodes (Male Lead)
Isaiah Rhodes is a professional baseball player and shortstop for the Windy City Warriors. Charismatic and charming, Isaiah has had a longstanding crush on Kennedy, a feeling that intensifies after he overhears her conversation with Dr. Frederick, which reveals the unfair treatment she’s been subjected to due to her gender.
Despite being impulsive and sometimes reckless, Isaiah is deeply caring and protective of Kennedy, especially after their spontaneous marriage in Las Vegas. Isaiah’s motivation for marrying Kennedy is twofold: to protect her job and to prove that he is more than just a charming, carefree baseball player—he wants to show her that he is someone worthy of her trust and love.
Isaiah’s past, marked by the traumatic loss of his mother in a car accident, has led him to value family and closeness. Throughout the story, he becomes a source of emotional support for Kennedy, helping her overcome her aversion to physical intimacy and guiding her to trust and love again.
His relationship with Kennedy grows as he respects her boundaries, and he plays a crucial role in helping her heal from her past.
Dr. Frederick (Antagonist)
Dr. Frederick is a prominent but deeply flawed character who represents the sexist, patriarchal attitudes that pervade the world of professional sports. His role as the team doctor and his mistreatment of Kennedy reveal his lack of professionalism and his underlying gender bias.
He demotes Kennedy based on an assumption about her gender, undermining her skills and qualifications. He refuses to recognize her capabilities because of his own prejudices, making him a clear antagonist in Kennedy’s journey.
His actions force Kennedy into a difficult position where she must fight for her place on the team and her career. However, his ultimate downfall comes when Reese, the new owner of the team, recognizes his toxic behavior and fires him, which paves the way for Kennedy to achieve her dream job.
Kai Rhodes
Kai Rhodes is Isaiah’s older brother and the team’s pitcher. Kai plays a supporting role throughout the story, providing comic relief and emotional support for Isaiah.
He is the voice of reason in Isaiah’s life and is a stabilizing influence, particularly as Isaiah navigates his complex feelings for Kennedy. As the family caretaker after their mother’s death, Kai has a strong sense of responsibility and is protective of Isaiah.
While he understands his brother’s impulsive nature, he often offers guidance to help keep Isaiah grounded. Kai’s relationship with Isaiah is one of deep brotherly love and loyalty, with Kai encouraging Isaiah to pursue a deeper connection with Kennedy and to support her dreams.
Reese (Team Owner)
Reese is the new owner of the Windy City Warriors after Mr. Remington retires. She plays a crucial role in shifting the dynamic within the team, especially when it comes to recognizing and addressing Dr. Frederick’s sexism.
Her decision to fire him and hire Kennedy as the first female head doctor is a key turning point in the story. Reese represents the evolving, more inclusive attitude within the sports industry, recognizing Kennedy’s potential and offering her the opportunity to lead.
Reese’s character highlights the themes of empowerment, change, and progress, particularly for women in male-dominated fields.
Supporting Characters: Cody and Travis
Cody and Travis are two of Isaiah’s closest friends and teammates. They provide comic relief and also serve as sounding boards for Isaiah as he navigates his complicated relationship with Kennedy.
Both are supportive of Isaiah and offer advice and encouragement, though their roles are more peripheral compared to Isaiah and Kennedy. They serve as a solid support network for Isaiah and help maintain the camaraderie and sense of family within the team.
Mallory (Kennedy’s Step-Sister)
Mallory is Kennedy’s step-sister and is significant in the early part of the story because of her upcoming wedding, which serves as the backdrop for Kennedy’s reunion with Isaiah in Las Vegas.
Mallory’s relationship with Kennedy is strained, primarily due to Kennedy’s family dynamics and her own past with an arranged engagement. Mallory’s wedding and her relationship with Connor, Kennedy’s ex-fiancé, create an emotional contrast for Kennedy as she struggles with her feelings about her past and her future.
Themes
Gender Discrimination and the Struggle for Professional Recognition
A prominent theme in Play Along is the pervasive gender discrimination that Kennedy faces in her professional life. As the only woman on staff with the Windy City Warriors, Kennedy is forced to navigate a male-dominated environment, where her skills and qualifications are often overshadowed by her gender.
The demotion she faces from being a doctor to an athletic trainer after Dr. Frederick assumes she is a man illustrates the systemic sexism that prevents women from advancing in fields traditionally dominated by men. Despite being more than qualified, Kennedy’s gender forces her into a subordinate role, and her journey to gain respect is a constant struggle.
Her need to maintain a professional reputation while fighting against this institutional bias makes her potential career as a head doctor in the MLB a dream that seems difficult to achieve. This theme underscores the challenges many women face in their careers, as they constantly fight for recognition and equality in environments that are not always welcoming or fair.
Toxic Masculinity and the Repercussions of Gendered Expectations in the Sports World
Isaiah’s experiences within the Windy City Warriors’ locker room and the larger sports world highlight the toxic masculinity that pervades professional sports. The way Isaiah and his teammates initially view Kennedy’s presence and her skills reflects the typical masculine attitudes in these environments, where women are often relegated to auxiliary roles, even when they possess equal or superior qualifications.
Isaiah himself is caught between the expectations of his male peers and his respect for Kennedy’s abilities, and this tension reveals how rigid gender roles affect the relationships between men and women in professional settings. He is pressured to fit into a mold of what a professional baseball player should be—stoic, focused, and somewhat aloof from emotions.
However, as he develops a deeper connection with Kennedy, he begins to question these norms and explores his emotional side. Ultimately, he realizes that vulnerability, affection, and understanding are crucial components of his growth as both a husband and a teammate.
This shift in Isaiah’s character demonstrates how breaking free from the constraints of toxic masculinity can lead to healthier relationships and personal growth.
The Emotional Trauma of Familial Relationships and the Journey to Healing Through Love
Another complex and deeply woven theme in the story is the emotional trauma that both Kennedy and Isaiah carry from their familial relationships. For Kennedy, her relationship with her parents is distant and emotionally cold, leaving her feeling unworthy of love and affection.
This lack of familial support has created an aversion to physical touch, something she must work through with Isaiah’s patient guidance. Her emotional healing is a gradual process, starting with simple acts of touch—hugs, hand-holding, and massages—that allow her to reclaim her ability to trust and experience affection.
Isaiah, on the other hand, carries the trauma of his mother’s death and the responsibility thrust upon him at a young age to care for his family. His loss has shaped him into the man he is today, and it is through his relationship with Kennedy that he begins to process the grief that has long been suppressed.
Both characters must confront their pasts in order to move forward together, which makes their eventual emotional connection all the more significant. This theme highlights the power of healing within relationships, showing how love and trust can be transformative when individuals are willing to open up and support one another.
The Sacrifice Between Career Aspirations and Personal Desires: A Test of Love and Commitment
The central dilemma in Kennedy and Isaiah’s relationship revolves around the sacrifice of personal desires for career aspirations. For Kennedy, the decision to remain with Isaiah in Chicago or pursue her dream job in San Francisco reflects the tension between professional ambition and romantic fulfillment.
Her dream of becoming the first female head doctor in the MLB is a significant opportunity, one that could catapult her career but requires leaving behind everything she has built with Isaiah and the team. Isaiah, knowing how important Kennedy’s career is to her, selflessly offers her a way out of their marriage by providing divorce papers, despite his deep love for her.
This sacrifice demonstrates Isaiah’s willingness to put her career first, even if it means losing her. Kennedy’s choice to ultimately remain in Chicago highlights the theme of compromise in relationships, where both partners must decide what is worth sacrificing for the sake of their love and shared future.
The emotional weight of this decision underscores the complexity of balancing personal goals with a shared life, making the ultimate resolution both poignant and satisfying for the characters involved.
Building and Redefining Belonging and Support
The concept of “family” in Play Along evolves throughout the story as Kennedy moves from a distant relationship with her biological family to becoming a part of Isaiah’s extended family. Initially, Kennedy feels isolated and unsupported by her own family, who are more focused on status and expectations than on genuine emotional connection.
However, as she spends time with Isaiah and his teammates, she begins to experience a different type of family dynamic—one rooted in care, support, and unconditional love. Isaiah’s found family, which includes his teammates, their partners, and children, represents a safe and nurturing environment that contrasts sharply with the coldness of Kennedy’s biological family.
Through these relationships, Kennedy begins to understand what true family can be—a group of people who accept her for who she is and offer love without strings attached. This theme is not only about the transformation of family but also about the redefinition of what it means to belong.
Kennedy’s acceptance into Isaiah’s family shows that sometimes, the family we choose can offer more love and security than the one we are born into. The sense of belonging that Kennedy gains is integral to her growth as a person and a professional, helping her to heal from her past and embrace a future with Isaiah and his team.