Star rating: ★★★★☆
Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️

Knox & Daisy take the crown 👑 I could have sworn that Lucian and Sloane would have taken the top couple spot for this series… but unfortunately not. There were a lot of things I really liked about this book, but not many things I LOVED. And something that really took a hit to my like/love of this book was the first sex scene. I’m so sorry, but it was severely CRINGY😭 it definitely had a hit to my rating on this book…

Thank you to Lucy Score (my queen) for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review🫶🏼

This has been my FAVORITE TRILOGY! Ever since I was introduced to Lucian and Sloan in book one, I wanted more of them and their back story. The way this story was connected to the other two made me so happy. I’m so sad to see the Knockemout series come to an end, but this was the perfect way for Lucy Score to end it.

This copy was kindly given to me by the publisher and Netgalley for review. All opinions are my own.

This was the couple I was most excited for!! The friends to enemies to lovers... chef's kiss, one of my favorite tropes. Honestly though, my only complaint with Sloane and Lucian's story would be that I don't know if the reason for the 'hate' was enough of a reason for me to believe; like I saw both sides of why it caused issues for these two, but didn't think it was enough for the animosity/angst we've seen in the other books. Like, my biggest thing is just talk it out, and these two wouldn't.

We love a grumpy man who falls first tho. We get that with the dual POV and it was definitely fun to watch.

I was given an advanced reader’s copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Possible spoilers (but I tried not to!)

The only reason this took me 2 days to read (instead of 1) was because I didn’t want it to end! Lucy Freaking Score, has one again taken me through an emotional roller coaster. Sloane and Lucian were absolute perfection ?and not just because Sloane and I share a name and a profession). I love how this book gave us different feel (think billionaire, high powered DC guy) from the small-town yummy Morgan brothers yet all our favorites from Knockenmout were still there.

I love the found/expanded families that happen within these books. Reading the epilogues made me cry - big fat ugly happy tears. I will definitely be in Knockemout long after this book closed.

Favorite quote:

“I’m a librarian asshole,” she said. “Everything is my fucking business.”

Content Warning: child abuse, domestic abuse, parental death, parental incarceration

I will be the first to admit that Lucian was not my favorite character going into this book. The previous two books in the series didn't really endear me to him.... but TWLB completely changed my mind. I am now firmly Team Lucian. Things We Left Behind tells the story of Sloane and Lucian and their complicated relationship as friends... to enemies... to something undefined. It is a story of deep love and deep hurt. There is forgiveness and acceptance and the brutal cycle of grief. TWLB shows that the past may explain, but it doesn't excuse. Lucian has every right to feel all the feelings and carry all the hurt he has buried from his past, however, it is up to him to move forward and make a new path. He must decide if he wants to walk it alone... or if it's worth the risk to have a partner alongside him.
A great lesson in resilience and a beautiful story of redemption. Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books, Bloom Books for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Lucian & Sloane, enemies to lovers done right. I don’t really know what more I can say other than just read it. (And would highly recommend reading book 1 & 2 in the series to fully enjoy their story.)

It’s so hard to let go of this series! Knox, I was afraid Lucian was gonna knock you out of first place but idk… I may have to call this one a tie. Lucy Score, bring on your next series!

I received this book from the publisher & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I loved Lucian and Sloane’s story. Their attraction/history has been a theme through this series and it was great to finally see what happened and how they ended up estranged. Of course, Lucy Score did not leave us without a happy ending. I loved it.

Another delightful addition to Lucy Score's Knockemout series, and a fitting conclusion to tie all of the tales together. Spicy, heart-warming, and funny, this book ticks all the boxes for lovers of contemporary romance.

I know this series is quite popular, and while I found the first book to be wonderful, goofy, and fun, the last two have been disappointments. The intrigue is not where Score shines, and her dependence here on a mysterious backstory (that is kept too long from readers) makes the development drag.

The final book of the Knockemount series did not disappoint! Lucian and Sloane fill the pages with their sarcasm, banter, sexual tension, dark history, and so much more. You get that much needed look at their past to put the pieces together as to why they have all this animosity and heated tension between them. This read will take you on a rollercoaster of romance and the investigation of who ultimately put all our beloved characters in danger. If you’ve read the first two books, this one is a must!

Thank you NetGalley for the eARC.

Saying I’m obsessed with this book is an understatement. Things We Left Behind might be the best book in the whole Knockemout Series! I couldn’t stop laughing while reading about all of the blind dates Sloane goes on. Those scenes were absolutely hilarious! The tension between Sloane and Lucian is unreal, and I’m pretty sure I’ve been waiting my entire life for chapter twenty one. Sloane and Lucian’s past is so heartbreaking, but I love their shared history, as well as their love for Shania Twain. Lucy Score, this is the best series I’ve ever read. Thank you for giving us Knockemout!

If I could give this book ten stars, I would. The third book was the perfect ending to the trilogy. I binge-read it like most people binge watch Netflix. I laughed out loud so many times I thought I was going to wake my five year old, and then I was reduced to tears a short time later. Mystery, romance, comedy, all wrapped into one book. Well done.
This advance copy was provided to me by the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review of the book.

I liked this book, but I did not love it. I thought the build up was just too slow. With this size of a book, I need the action to happen bofore I am halfway through.

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book! I loved it!

I enjoyed the first book in this series enough to pick up the second one last week...and that, my friends, is what led me to requesting the arc for this, the third book in the Knockemout series. These characters just get better and better with each book, and I am so sad the series is over with this book.

Lucien and Sloane's story was my most anticipated one out of the three couples, and it delivered. I am normally not huge on ETL in contemporary romance, but I loved how their ETL story was unveiled with both past and present viewpoints, and the alternating viewpoints between Lucien and Sloane were seamless. I loved seeing the story (and the other characters) through their eyes. This story brings the trilogy full circle, and it left no loose ends...which I love!

I love Lucien and Sloane. I did get irritated with how "enemies" their ETL slanted at times, but ultimately, the vibes of their love won me out in this one. I could not put it down, and I plowed through this story. The romance, the character development, the chemistry...it was all really well done overall. I cannot recommend this series enough!

I will warn, though...This is a spicy ETL story, and the chemistry is HOT. But, there is also a heavy weight to this story that centers around different types of abuse. Abuses of power, of love, of trust...and ultimately, depictions on the page of physical and emotional abuse. If that is triggering for you, you should go into this story with your eyes wide open. It does not sugarcoat the abuse itself, the after effects, or the repercussions. There is also parental death in this story, and that is a big part of the plot (at times). These two elements combined give the story a bit more weight than the previous two iterations of the series.

Rating: 5⭐️

This was a very satisfying wrap-up to the Knockemout series! At first, though I was extremely interested to read about Lucian and Sloane's story, I was a bit worried because Lucian seemed like the typical "tough and rich" male character in lots of romance books. However, I can definitely see the brotherhood that he has with Knox and Nash and the author did very well portraying how his history with Sloane still affected him in the present. One thing I love about this book is seeing how much everyone genuinely cares for each other. Lucy Score managed to make this story humorous, emotional, and extremely entertaining. Though I don't typically read slow burn books, it was definitely worth reading the development of Sloane and Lucian's relationship and the shift in their relationship felt very natural and refreshing because of all the history between them. Lucian did frustrate me a bit towards the later half of the book (for just a few chapters) but if there's one thing I love about small town romance, it's the meddling from the other characters and I was super happy with everyone's efforts (not to mention how much I love how hilariously ridiculous everyone is). I did think the end was a little rushed concerning Hugo and all, but I enjoyed all of Lucian's efforts to show how secure he was in his feelings so I'm not mad about this at all. Also, the epilogues made me so deliriously happy and I was SO satisfied seeing how far all the characters have come since book one. This was such a great ending!!

This was definitely the highlight of my reading. So happy that I was able to get an ARC from Netgalley!

So overall I loved this story. I love Sloane and Lucian. The banter, the angst, the emotions. Books 1 & 2 definitely lead up to this novel, it was like foreplay and a glimpse and definitely hooked you.

I am rating this a 3 star overall because it did get a bit repetitive and some scenes I felt like were just not particularly important to the story line.

I'm sad to see this town be done but it will definitely be time for a reread soon.

Of the three main Knockemout heroes, Lucian Rollins has been my favorite from day one, and Sloane Walton has been my favorite heroine. So, needless to say, when this book became available on NetGalley, I immediately jumped on it, and I read it within just a couple of days. I love Lucian because he came from a horrible childhood filled with abuse, and he let that fuel him into becoming a very influential and powerful self-made man. I love Sloane because she’s a librarian, like myself, and she’s a strong woman with a hint of vulnerability. The two of them together are simply amazing. I absolutely LOVED the snarky insults and bickering between them, and I lost count of the many times I literally laughed out loud while reading this book. Lucy Score is a genius with dialogue, and she’s also a pro at stirring emotions too. I laughed. I cried. I gasped. I was truly sad about finishing this series. I will point out that if you’re looking for a tender romance then this book - the whole series, actually - isn’t for you. If I had to name one gripe about the series it would be the lack of tenderness and romance. Now, let me clarify that I have nothing whatsoever against rough sex, but when ALL the lovemaking scenes seem more vengeful than loving, it kind of gets on my nerves after awhile. Other than that, this book and the whole series is top-notch and will always be one of my favorites. I’m honestly going to miss Knockemout, Virginia, and all the characters who live there. It’s been one heck of a ride! Thank you, Lucy!

I've been waiting for Lucian and Sloan's story. Suffered through Things We Hide From the Light just for snippets of Suit Daddy and Sexy Librarian. Then I find out that Sloane must have had a brain transplant between the second and third installments? This is not the same character. I understand the grief of losing her father but Sloane becomes single-mindedly obsessed with finding a husband and starting a family RIGHT NOW and you don't go an entire page without reading about it. We got one (arguably 2) moment(s) of Sloane being a badass (and I loved her for it) but she was far more compelling as a side character. There's a moment when Knox and Lucian talk about how they're more scared of Sloane than the man that is actively having people murdered and I laughed. I also laughed when Lucian decided to do a 180 in that he and Sloane were getting married without having asked, because it's fiction. If I heard that story from a coworker I would assume that person was actually crazy and would encourage them to seek treatment. With all the therapy he's paid for, he should understand how messed up that is.

The relationships (romantic and platonic) are the only parts of the book I enjoyed. Lucian's friendships with the Knox brothers and his therapist are really lovely examples of strong male friendships in which these men actually discuss their feelings (and also punch each other every once in a while, there is space for both). Lucian's relationship with Sloane's parents is so beautiful. Sloane's friendship with Lina, Naomi, and Stef is fun and supportive and I appreciate both of these main characters having fulfilling relationships outside of each other. Unfortunately, I do not care about Lucian's job or the 1,000 people working for him, and I kind of wish he would've just given all the money for Sloane's community aid/foundation into a grassroots organization with people who actually know what they're doing.

Overall, I thought this book was 100 pages too long but also the best book in the series. LOVED the bonus epilogue.

Lucy Score has done it again! I have been waiting (very impatiently at times) for Lucian & Sloane's story since their characters were introduced in book one of the Knockemout series! And it did not disappoint!
Sloane Walton is a feisty small-town librarian. Lucian Rollins is a revenge seeking businessman.
We finally find out the dark secret of their shared past that causes them to loathe each other so much. But that loathing causes sparks to fly after a one-night stand that was supposed to help get one another out of their systems.
Sloane is ready to settle down, marry & start a family, Lucian, or as Sloane refers to him, Lucifer, is adamant that he will never want those things. Can these enemies to lovers get past everything, including opposite imaginings of a future?
Danger comes knocking & after cutting Sloane out of his life for the second time, Lucian realizes that Sloane is safer with him than without him. And he's going to make sure he lets her back in for a third time.

This book is one of Score's best books yet. The slow burn from the previous two books in the Knockemout series (Things We Never Got Over and Things We Hide From the Light) pays off with the conclusion of this series. The sassy Librarian is represented as a true modern Librarian rather than the stereotypical quiet, mousey characters often seen. And Lucian's mysterious grumpy self can't help but make fans love him even more as his past is explained. The verbal sparing between the two is everywhere from comedic to romantic tension building. The inclusion of an ongoing town mystery from previous books, also keeps readers attention. And fans will be thrilled to see the reoccurrence of past characters from the series.
Score is known to her readers for writing long books, and this one tracks the same, but Knockemout is such a great town that readers will be in no rush to leave. Fans of Score will LOVE this book. And highly recommend for fans of Tessa Bailey and Claire Kingsley books as well.