After the death of her father, smalltown librarian Sloane Walton decides it’s time to find her own happily ever after. Her neighbour, Lucian Rollins, is a hotshot mogul hell-bent on seeking vengeance and building an indestructible empire. Sloane and Lucian are enemies and yet, they share a secret history with each other. After Sloane’s attempts at online dating go awry, Sloane and Lucian develop a temporary truce and “enemies with benefits” arrangement. But, when old threats reappear, Lucian learns that it’s harder to protect Sloane from a distance. Can Lucian shed his hard exterior and convince Sloane to give him a real shot?
Things We Left Behind is the third and final installment in the Knockemout series, and whilst each book focuses on a different couple, the books should be read in order as the main action continues throughout the trilogy. Things We Left Behind is a spicy contemporary romance with dark and suspenseful elements featuring the grumpy and sunshine, enemies with benefits, enemies to lovers, and forced proximity tropes. This would be perfect for fans of books like Dark Succession by Katee Robert or Twisted Love by Ana Huang and themes include secrets and lies, self worth, love and sacrifice, life and death, good versus evil or light versus dark, family, justice and injustice, and crime. Potential trigger warnings include wrongful incarceration, physical abuse, violence, cancer, death of a parent, and arson.
Firstly, the plot reminded me of one of my current favourite songs, “Electric Touch (Taylor’s Version)”. It was great to jump right into the story without a lot of preamble because Lucian and Sloane were already introduced in Things We Never Got Over and Things We Hide from the Light, plus all my favourite main characters from the Knockemout universe still played key roles! Lucian’s morally grey personality was enjoyable, whilst Sloane has some serious book loving energy, which I think a lot of readers will connect with. Lucian and Sloane’s soulmate-like connection was stunning and reminiscent of the popular paranormal romance novels like A Court of Thorns and Roses and From Blood and Ash. There are also some totally swoonworthy moments involving a cherry blossom tree!
Things We Left Behind had a fair number of flashbacks sprinkled throughout the novel outlining teenage Lucian and Sloane’s history. Even though they were needed, I’m personally not a big fan of flashbacks and felt like they were a little drawn out, but I do think that readers will enjoy finally figuring out Sloane and Lucian’s secret, yet alluded to history. Lastly, some of the smaller plot twists were a little obvious, which was disappointing, but there was also a big twist that I didn’t see coming!
Even though it wasn’t my favourite in the series, Sloane and Lucian’s enemies to lovers romance definitely did not disappoint. Things We Left Behind is perfect for fans of morally grey love interests, suspense, and spicy “enemies to lovers” romances.
Things We Left Behind is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of September 5th.
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Synopsis | Goodreads
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.
