Gather initial thoughts and broad opinions about the book.

1. What was your overall experience reading The Right Move? Did the story’s blend of sports-world pressure, forced proximity, and emotional healing resonate with you, and was there a particular moment from the book that has stayed with you?

2. This book is part of the interconnected Windy City series, and characters from the first book, Mile High, play a huge role here. How did knowing Stevie and Zanders’s story affect your experience reading about Ryan and Indy? Do you feel it added depth, or did it make you feel like you were missing context if you hadn’t read the first book?

3. The fake-dating trope is a romance classic, and it’s the engine for much of this story. What did you think of the way it was used to push Ryan and Indy out of their comfort zones? How did their arrangement feel unique compared to other stories you’ve read that use this trope?

Encourage readers to connect the book’s themes and characters with their personal experiences.

1. Indy’s “Indy-pendent Woman 101” list includes tasks like dining alone and grocery shopping for herself to rebuild her self-reliance. Have you ever had to push outside your comfort zone to build or rebuild independence? Was this process rewarding?

2. Indy’s childhood friends choose to prioritize group harmony over loyalty to her after her breakup with Alex. Has there ever been a time when you had to re-evaluate a long-standing friendship? What does this story suggest about the difference between friendships based on shared history and a true, chosen family?

3. Caroline observes that Ryan’s love is quiet but powerful, expressed through actions rather than words. Within your own relationships, how do you prefer to express love, and how do you prefer to receive it?

4. Ryan’s struggle with the pressures of his public persona is a central conflict. In our own lives, especially with social media, we often manage different versions of ourselves. How do you navigate the line between your public or professional self and your private, authentic self?

5. For much of the novel, Ryan’s entire identity is tied to his success in basketball. Have you ever felt your own identity was deeply connected to a specific job or role in your life?

Examine the book’s relevance to societal issues, historical events, or cultural themes.

1. Ryan’s intense paranoia and reclusive nature are presented as a direct result of the scrutiny faced by modern professional athletes. How does the novel comment on the media and fan culture that treats athletes as public property? Does it offer a realistic portrayal of the mental toll that fame can take?

2. The novel candidly addresses Ryan’s secret two-year battle with depression following a major betrayal. What does the book say about mental health, particularly for men in high-pressure, hyper-masculine fields like professional sports?

Dive into the book’s structure, characters, themes, and symbolism.

1. Ryan’s apartment begins as a sterile, black-and-white space he calls his “fortress.” How does its gradual transformation, filled with Indy’s colorful pillows, plants, and books, visually represent his emotional journey from isolation to connection?

2. What narrative function do the “Book Boyfriend How-To” and “Indy-pendent Woman 101” lists serve? Beyond advancing the plot, how do these lists act as a therapeutic framework for both characters to confront their past traumas?

3. The story alternates between Ryan’s and Indy’s perspectives. How did this dual point of view shape your understanding of their individual wounds and motivations? Did you find yourself sympathizing more with one character over the other at different points in the novel?

4. The sports romance genre has become incredibly popular. How does The Right Move fit within or challenge the conventions of this genre? If you’ve read other sports romances, like those by Elle Kennedy or Mariana Zapata, what does Liz Tomforde do differently?

5. A central theme is that vulnerability is necessary to heal from betrayal. Which scenes most powerfully illustrate this idea for you? How do both Ryan and Indy have to risk emotional exposure to finally move past their histories with Marissa and Alex?

6. How do Indy’s childhood friends, particularly Maggie, serve as a foil to Stevie and the concept of a found family? What does this contrast emphasize about the nature of loyalty and genuine support?

Encourage imaginative and creative connections to the book.

1. The story is told entirely from Ryan’s and Indy’s points of view. If you could add one chapter from another character’s perspective, who would you choose? What would a chapter from Stevie’s, Caroline’s, or even Alex’s viewpoint reveal about the main story?

2. The climax of the story is driven by Ryan’s panicked reaction to finding Stevie’s pregnancy test. Imagine an alternate scenario where Indy is the one who finds the test first. How might the conversation and the final conflict have unfolded differently?

3. Indy embroiders her shoes with symbols representing important people and moments in her life. If you were to design a pair of shoes for Ryan at the end of the novel, what three symbols would you include to tell the story of his transformation, and what would they represent?