BOOK REVIEW: Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score

Star Rating:

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5 / 5

The Books Blurb:

Naomi wasn’t just running away from her wedding. She was riding to the rescue of her estranged twin to Knockemout, Virginia, a rough-around-the-edges town where disputes are settled the old-fashioned way…with fists and beer. Usually in that order.

Too bad for Naomi her evil twin hasn’t changed at all. After helping herself to Naomi’s car and cash, Tina leaves her with something unexpected. The niece Naomi didn’t know she had. Now she’s stuck in town with no car, no job, no plan, and no home with an 11-year-old going on thirty to take care of.

There’s a reason Knox doesn’t do complications or high-maintenance women, especially not the romantic ones. But since Naomi’s life imploded right in front of him, the least he can do is help her out of her jam. And just as soon as she stops getting into new trouble he can leave her alone and get back to his peaceful, solitary life.

At least, that’s the plan until the trouble turns to real danger.

The Characters:

I’ve had the experience of reading books where characters fell flat, which we all know is disappointing. The thing that drives me to keep reading is not only just how much I am able to relate to the characters, but how likable they are. Lucy Score, Author of Things We Never Got Over, did just that for me in this read. I found myself relating to the main character, Naomi Witt, and where the story was taking her. Naomi felt that she was “fully developed” and like a lot of thought was put into both her back story, her goals, and the obstacles she needed to overcome to achieve these goals.

Because I was able to really feel what Naomi was feeling, I was able to naturally and seamlessly connect and fall deeper into the book when Knox Morgan became a bigger and more important aspect of her life, even despite their ups and downs. It was these exact tensions and unexpected turns that made me want to keep going, though. I found myself often blushing, squealing and unable to put the book down because I was so invested in where they were going, and not only how the story would end. All those who read this book might have also had the experience of mixed feelings when it came to Knox. I am a sucker for a bad guy that turns good for a woman or main character. But I was concerned about the role he would play as the story went on. But, his behviors and personality is also what drove me to keep reading because it was uncertain to me whether or not he would change his ways and grow. I always wanted to know what he was going to do, and this feels like what good writing is all about.

I gave this book 4 ½ stars only because I felt at some points, too many characters had been introduced, and I was losing track of who was who, and what stories they had of their own. In one scene, which I will refer to as “the gambling scene”, we’re introduced to around 3–4 characters at once, all similar to each other, as if they weren’t necessarily too important, but this is expected for characters that don’t play a significant role in keeping the story moving, so i’m not mad at it. It just felt a little overwhelming for me at times, and I had to take some time when they were brought back up later in the plot, to remember exactly who was being referred to and what their story was. I will say one of these characters, Lucian Rollins, is receiving his own book, which will be the third in the series, so I do not want to critique his specific part in this introduction scene, as I don’t know what exactly is to come. I will say he is the character I found myself really starting to care about as well. Enough tension and information was shown to readers about him that made me curious and wish there was more, so I am glad that he is getting his own book in the series.

The Plot:

Much like the characters, I felt the plot of this book was thoroughly thought out, as if a lot of planning and outlining went on before and during the writing. This is important for avoiding plot holes and messy writing. The plot was engaging, as well as convincing. We were shown things, rather than bluntly being told, and this allowed the space for me as a reader, to keep wondering where I was being taken. There was enough information to allow me the ability to visualize scenes and the overall plot, but I also felt guided in the best way. Sub-plots in this read also held up well for me. We ended up learning a lot about a majority of the characters, and even caring for minor ones. The sub plots held their weight, and were never distracting from the overall plot. The plot twists and the tensions within the main plot always kept me guessing and wanting more. I am so thankful this is a series that I can continue following and enjoying. We got such a deep look into each scene, and every part of the story felt important and properly planned.

In Conclusion:

I loved this book, and it got me out of my reading slump. I have fallen back into my world of wanting to read all of the time because it was just so good. I would extremely recommend this book to anyone looking for a rough start, followed by a happy ending, with a lot of ups and downs in between. The characters were loveable, the plot and structure never let me down and I have already started Things We Left Behind, a day after finishing this book. Score has set high expectations for this series with the first book, and the way she writes has made her become probably my favorite Author (I have already started planning out which books of hers I will be reading next outside of this series). A captivating and emotional read.