Title: Things we Left behind
Author: Lucy Score
Publisher: Bloom Books
Genre: Romance
Pages: 698
My Rating:

Buy this book on Amazon

Things We Left Behind

Lucian and Sloane were neighbors and good friends when they were teenagers, but now they hate each other. Nobody in their friend group knows why, but everyone knows they can’t leave them alone in a room without them almost killing each other. Despite all the fighting, the chemistry is still there. But even if they weren’t constantly arguing, they would never work out. Sloane is getting older and is ready to start a family, while Lucian is the exact opposite and never wants one. When someone starts threatening Sloane, Lucian does everything he can to protect his friends, including Sloane.

Review

This was the last book in the Knockemout series, and what a great ending. Years ago, I started reading the first book and I was obsessed, I loved it so much. Last year, I read the second book and I liked it. It wasn’t my favorite, but it was still good. I already had a feeling I was going to love this third book, and it definitely delivered.

I loved the dynamic between Sloane and Lucian. They used to be friends, until Sloane did something that made Lucian angry, and that was the end of their friendship. They’re still part of the same friend group and see each other often, but they can’t stand each other. Their friends know to keep them separated, even though they have no idea why they’re fighting.

This book was another great mix of a steamy love story and crime, which is what I loved most about the Knockemout series. There are criminals threatening the women in these books, and of course, the men do everything they can to protect them. That was the case in this book as well. Even though Lucian hated Sloane for what she did when they were younger, he still cared about her and wanted to protect her.

Were the characters always likable? No, maybe not. Lucian can be very mean when things don’t go as planned. When Sloane ignored him, he was especially rude to his staff. That said, I forgive him, because by the end of the book he truly became a better person.

I also loved that this book included a bonus epilogue in addition to the regular one. In the bonus epilogue, we jump years into the future and see their children having children of their own. That was such a nice touch and a perfect way to end the series.

So far, I’ve been very positive about this book, but I still didn’t give it the highest rating. At times, it felt a bit slow in my opinion. That was the only reason I didn’t give it a 5/5, but it came very close. So far in 2026, I’ve already read some great books. I really think 2026 is going to be an amazing reading year for me.

Overall, I would highly recommend this entire book series. Obviously, you should read the books in the right order, because everything will make much more sense that way. This series has romance, lots of chemistry, and criminals trying to hurt people, a great mix of love and crime. If you enjoy both of those genres, definitely put this series on your list. And the good news is that all of the books are out now, so you don’t have to wait for the next one to be released.

The post Things We Left Behind – Lucy Score | Book Review first appeared on Bettie Toon.

<p>The post Things We Left Behind – Lucy Score | Book Review first appeared on Bettie Toon.</p>

Title: Things we Hide from the light
Author: Lucy Score
Publisher: Bloom Books
Genre: Drama, Romance
Pages: 594
My Rating:

Buy this book on Amazon

Things We Hide From The Light

Nash Morgan, the respected chief of police, has always been known as the good guy—especially compared to his brother, Knox. But after being shot, he’s struggling to recover both physically and mentally. He’s in a dark place, unsure of how to move forward.

That all shifts when Lina moves in next door. Seeing her again sparks something in him. Lina, however, isn’t one for physical contact—unless she’s the one initiating it. But with Nash, it feels different. He feels it too.

Despite the undeniable pull between them, a relationship might not be the best idea. For one, Nash is the commitment type, while Lina avoids relationships altogether. More importantly, she’s keeping secrets—hiding the real reason she’s back in Knockemout. Nash doesn’t know if he can trust her, and with the man who tried to kill him still on the loose, letting his guard down could be dangerous in more ways than one.

Review

This is the second book in Lucy Score’s Knockemout series. I read the first book back in June 2023—about a year and a half ago—and, to be honest, I didn’t remember much. I vaguely recalled the abduction, the shooting, and bits of Naomi and Knox’s love story, but it took me a moment to get back into this world. That’s one of the reasons I have a love/hate relationship with book series. When you love the first book, you want more immediately—but often, you’re left waiting at least a year for the next one. I’m currently facing the same dilemma with the Empyrean series. I read Fourth Wing but now feel like I need to reread it before diving into books two and three back-to-back.

Anyway, back to this book. I have mixed feelings about it, and I’m honestly not sure if that’s because of me or the book itself. Let’s start with what I liked.

There were definitely parts that had me hooked, especially toward the end when things got more intense. The fact that Nash’s attempted killer is still out there added a strong suspense element. A lot happens in this book, so it never feels boring. One thing I really appreciate about this series is that it’s not just about romance—there’s a solid crime plot running through it, which keeps things interesting.

The side characters were likable, and I found myself especially curious about Lucian. I don’t really remember him from the first book, but he seems to play a bigger role now. His tension with Sloane was so obvious, and since the third book will focus on their love story, I’m definitely excited about that.

Lucy Score’s writing is easy to read, and despite this book being nearly 600 pages long, I flew through it. She does a great job balancing romance with engaging side plots.

Now, onto what I didn’t love. First, I find it kind of unbelievable that Nash is the chief of police—he acts way too emotionally. Maybe he was different before he got shot (at least, I hope he was), but I feel like someone in his position should be more level-headed instead of jumping into reckless decisions. Also, the men in this series seem to fight a lot—often over nothing. I don’t love it when male characters resort to unnecessary fights just for the sake of drama.

I also wasn’t invested in Nash and Lina’s romance. I just didn’t care. Lina isn’t a relationship person because of her past trauma (she technically died as a teenager), but suddenly, one phone call with her mom changes everything? That felt too rushed. Plus, I didn’t really feel the chemistry between Nash and Lina—I was far more interested in the action and drama than their relationship.

Without giving away too much, I’m curious about where the overarching story will go in book three. The first two books had the abduction and shooting as central plot points, and I wonder if that will continue in the next one. I hope so.

Ultimately, I gave this book three stars. My rating comes down to the things I mentioned above—especially the fact that I just didn’t connect with the romance. I remember enjoying Naomi and Knox’s love story a lot more in book one (I gave that one four stars). This time, I wasn’t as invested.

The post Things We Hide From The Light – Lucy Score | Book Review first appeared on Bettie Toon.

<p>The post Things We Hide From The Light – Lucy Score | Book Review first appeared on Bettie Toon.</p>

Title: Mr. Fixer Upper
Author: Lucy Score
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
Pages: 424
Genre: Romance, Drama
My Rating:

Buy this book on Amazon

Mr. Fixer Upper

Paige and Gannon are both working on the same reality show about home improvements. Gannon is the star of the show, together with his sister. Paige is the field director. Gannon has had a crush on Paige from the day they met. Paige doesn’t want to be in a relationship that can kill her career. But after an accident happens on set, they get closer and closer. Can Paige still resist her feelings for him?

Review

This is the second book I’ve ever read by Lucy Score, the other one was ‘Things We Never Got Over’ and I liked that one, so I decided to pick another book by Lucy and I went for this one. But unfortunately, it was a disappointment.

Let’s begin with the things I liked about this book. I liked the beginning, the tension between them was growing and great. The ending was also great. The grand gesture was cute. There was nothing I did not like about those parts. I liked it.

However, everything in between was just too boring for me. I mostly skimmed the middle part of this book. I started to dislike Gannon more and more, because he was kind of pushy and annoying, constantly saying that Paige would love him eventually. No, he was sort of demanding that Paige was going to love him. I also did not care about Paige, the part where she gets into an accident on set is sad. But other than that, I just didn’t care for the main characters.

So I was obviously disappointed that I didn’t like this book as much as ‘Things We Never Got Over’. Although I also remember from that book, it wasn’t a five-start read either. But I think the problem I had with that book, was that there was too much Spice in it. However, the story in that book was more interesting to me. I couldn’t stop reading that book, and I just skimmed the spicy parts. With this book (Mr. Fixer Upper), I just didn’t think the story was interesting enough.

Maybe my expectations were too high. But I really liked the idea of reading a book that takes place on the set of a home renovation reality show. I used to grow up watching shows like that. I will still read the other book (Things We Hide From The Light) in the Knockemout book series, especially because I liked the first book in the series.

The post Mr. Fixer Upper – Lucy Score | Book Review first appeared on Bettie Toon.

<p>The post Mr. Fixer Upper – Lucy Score | Book Review first appeared on Bettie Toon.</p>