Thank you to Lucy Score, Bloom Books, Raincoast, and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of Things We Left Behind, the third book in the Knockemout series.
I am all about honesty so I will let you know I have liked, but not loved the previous installments. Then I read Things We Left Behind, and wow this one is amazing. Lucy Score sure left the best couple for last and this book is a triumph!
There was only one woman who could set me free. But I would rather set myself on fire than ask Sloane Walton for anything.
Lucian Rollins is a lean, mean vengeance-seeking mogul. On a quest to erase his father’s mark on the family name, he spends every waking minute pulling strings and building an indestructible empire. The more money and power he amasses, the safer he is from threats.
Except when it comes to the feisty small-town librarian that keeps him up at night…
Sloane Walton is a spitfire determined to carry on her father’s quest for justice. She’ll do that just as soon as she figures out exactly what the man she hates did to—or for—her family. Bonded by an old, dark secret from the past and the dislike they now share for each other, Sloane trusts Lucian about as far as she can throw his designer-suited body.
When bickering accidentally turns to foreplay, these two find themselves not quite regretting their steamy one-night stand. Once those flames are fanned, it seems impossible to put them out again. But with Sloane ready to start a family and Lucian refusing to even consider the idea of marriage and kids, these enemies-to-lovers are stuck at an impasse.
Broken men break women. It’s what Lucian believes, what he’s witnessed, and he’s not going to take that chance with Sloane. He’d rather live a life of solitude than put her in danger. But he learns the hard way that leaving her means leaving her unprotected from other threats.
It’s the second time he’s ruthlessly cut her out of his life. There’s no way she’s going to give him a third chance. He’s just going to have to make one for himself.
Check out my more detailed thoughts below…
- Characters: From the first few pages of Things We Never Got Over I wanted to be in Sloane’s and Lucian’s heads. Sloane, I just adored her and her sexually frustrated librarian vibes. Lucian is most definitely my favourite leading man that Lucy has written. He has a bit of the grumpiness of the Morgan men but mixed with a heart of gold especially when it comes to Sloane. I really enjoyed the chapters that looked back at their past as teenagers, I enjoyed them so much I would have loved even more.
- Setting: Knockemout, Virginia is a town that has been growing on me over the course of the three books. I was not as invested in previous instalments about the everyday people around town, or the wider mystery that was afoot. In this book though I was happy to read the conclusion of the mystery plot line, along with loving all the time we get with the previous couples as side characters.
- Pacing: I must admit that I do find Lucy Score’s stories to be a bit long. This time I enjoyed the ride as I was more invested in the characters and the relationship so that helped with the length, it did not feel as daunting. I recommend reading these stories as eBooks if you find looking at a block of pages quite daunting.
- Romance: Sloane and Lucian’s childhood friends to enemies to lovers story hit exactly right. Their chemistry was electrifying, I loved all their scenes together whether it was their bickering or their hot sex scenes. I was so attached to the idea of these two together before the story even started, which was definitely a strategy to get me to read through all three. I was even brought to tears a few times as I just wanted them to work out so much through every hardship thrown at them throughout the story.
Things We Left Behind receives five out of five stars.
You can pick up the story below…
Shop Local | Amazon | Indigo
Thank you again to everyone for the review opportunity. Thank you for reading and supporting my blog!
