Zanders initially appears as the classic playboy athlete, but Tomforde peels back his layers with care. Beneath the flashy cars and easy smiles is a man dealing with parental neglect and the pressure of living up to his family’s hockey legacy. His devotion to Stevie is fierce, but his vulnerability is what makes him unforgettable. He’s the rare hero who openly cries, apologizes, and prioritizes his partner’s emotional safety over his ego.
Mile High is a richly textured novel that uses the literal motif of altitude to probe deeper questions about ambition, identity, and the cost of urban development. Liz Tomforde’s masterful interplay of setting, character, and social critique invites readers to reconsider what “rising” truly means in a world where the sky is both a promise and a precipice. By foregrounding Maya Alvarez’s journey—a journey that is at once personal, cultural, and civic—Tomforde reminds us that the most sustainable heights are achieved when the ascent is inclusive, when the foundations are rooted in community, and when the view from above never forgets the ground from which we all emerged.
Beyond the sports and the steam, Mile High touches on significant themes like therapy, the pressure of professional sports, and family dynamics. Zanders’ journey toward emotional maturity involves more than just falling in love; it involves unlearning toxic behaviors and seeking help. The Windy City Series
Born and raised in Northern California, Tomforde is the youngest of five children. Prior to becoming a full-time author, she worked as a flight attendant for an NHL team, combining her passions for travel and hockey. This firsthand experience provides the authenticity that permeates Mile High —from the cabin crew dynamics and charter flight protocols to the rhythm of life on the road with a professional sports team. Mile High By Liz Tomforde Vk
The Chicago Raptors team provides a strong support system, giving the story a "found family" atmosphere often seen in hockey romances.
On the outside, Evan Zanders (or "Zee" or "EZ") is the arrogant playboy, but he's secretly a kind and vulnerable individual dealing with deep-seated abandonment issues from his childhood. His on-ice aggression is a performance, a shield to protect himself from not being loved for who he truly is. His journey of dropping his "mask" is central to the story's heart.
Liz Tomforde brings undeniable authenticity to her writing. Before becoming a full-time author, she was a flight attendant for an NHL team, a job that directly inspired Stevie's character. Her personal experience allows her to infuse the story with insider details that enrich the reading experience. Zanders initially appears as the classic playboy athlete,
The tension between these poles of experience reflects a classic existential dilemma: does one find authenticity by staying grounded, or by soaring above the constraints of origin? Tomforde never offers a definitive answer; instead, she allows Maya’s oscillation between the two poles to embody the novel’s central conflict.
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The story follows , a notorious NHL "bad boy" known for his cocky persona and frequent penalty box visits. His life changes when he meets Stevie Shay , a confident yet secretly insecure flight attendant working for the team's private plane. He’s the rare hero who openly cries, apologizes,
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Tomforde’s fictional metropolis, “Aerialis,” is a place where architecture defies gravity. The city’s skyline is a series of stacked megastructures, each new tier built atop the previous one, pushing the urban envelope beyond a literal mile in elevation. The city’s physical expansion mirrors a cultural narrative that equates altitude with progress. Yet, the novel continuously undercuts this equation.
Mile High is just the beginning. Liz Tomforde has built a connected universe that keeps fans coming back for more: Evan Zanders & Stevie Shay