Lucy Score - Things We Never Got Over

Bearded, bad-boy barber Knox prefers to live his life the way he takes his coffee: Alone. Unless you count his basset hound, Waylon. Knox doesn’t tolerate drama, even when it comes in the form of a stranded runaway bride.
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.

Comment: This is the first book in the Knockemouth trilogy by Lucy Score. Several of my friends have read and enjoyed these books and since I have liked two other titles by the author myself, I decided to give this a try as well.

Naomi has just arrived on Knockemouth, a small town on Virginia, when she realizes her meeting with twin sister Tina will not happen. Worse, everyone she talks with believes she is Tina and is rude to her. To make matters even worse, Tina steals her car and her money and leaves her with her 12 year old daughter, Waylay. Luckily, or not, Knox Morgan is there to give her a reluctant hand, for he too doesn't like Tina. However, Naomi certainly isn't Tina and as time goes by, the more she establishes herself, mostly to pay bills and to start giving her niece some stability, the more people warm up to her. Knox, as well, starts feeling something, but he is a happy bachelor, will he accept that Naomi means more to him than he wants to admit?

This being my third attempt at a story by this author, the formula and style are pretty much obvious and that means that while this is extremely enjoyable and easy to read, it also has one or two elements I wish the author could do different. I also think the book could have a few less pages.

Naomi has left her groom at the altar and helping Tina is a very good excuse to make that decision, something we understand better closer to the end of the novel. At first, Naomi seems to be a bit aloof, but as the story develops, we get to see she is shy and takes some time to feel comfortable with others. She is a genuinely nice person, somehow always trying to compensate for her twin sister's failings.I liked Naomi and her personality but I wish the negative feelings she had could have been explored differently.

Knox is one of those alpha type heroes, although we learn about his softer side here and there. I liked the fact he wanted to keep his privacy, considering what he has done for the town and how, but I also liked how in tune he feels with his place in the community. His feelings for Naomi were easy to read for the most part but, again, due to the writing style, his actions and behavior wasn't always easy to appreciate, even though he is, at heart, a good man.

The romance is very sweet, despite them claiming to not like one another for a while, and the antagonism in certain situations. I would not say this is exactly slow burn, but the way the plot moves along makes it seem so. Of course, they are way more compatible than thy wished, and their love story has all the usual ingredients, including a ridiculous conflict close to the end of the story, which I suppose the author did for drama and to highlight how committed they actually were, but which to me felt unnecessary.

I'd say my issues with this novel, now that I'm used to the writing, is how some cliches are used and the tone of the story. This is a romance, more on the lighter side, even if includes some serious issues and their discussion, and I did like it, but I confess it annoyed me a little how often the characters are sarcastic or meant to be funny or that they drink so much all the time, or that have so may conversations about their sex lives and many other pointless issues when there is a lot more to develop instead. I think this happens because the story is meant to be hilarious and light, but these characters didn't need this to happen so often.

In fact, this would distract me from the story sometimes, how comedy-like some scenes were when there was other serious issues to deal with, and then for that to happen, more pages are added. I get it, it's the author's style, but here, somehow, I could do without. It can also be said that all this combined with the fact the protagonist are 36 (Naomi) and 40-something (Knox) makes them look very immature sometimes.

Despite this, I still had a mostly good time reading and I liked the interactions with other characters enough to want to read the other books. I hope the same dynamics work better with them, of course!

Grade: 7/10

TBR Challenge: Lucy Score - Protecting What's Mine

Fire Chief Lincoln Reed is known for his heroics in the fire department and in the bedroom. Life is a never-ending good time. Until she lands in the middle of the accident scene he’s working…and then his backyard. Too bad she’s immune to flirty first responders.
Flight trauma surgeon Mackenzie O’Neil is on a crash course with burnout. She’s got a scar on her face and a shake in her hands. A temporary job as a small-town family physician is just the prescription. She’ll learn to meditate. Sleep more. Take up gardening.
She definitely won’t take her shirtless, firefighting neighbor’s hot body for a test drive.
But Linc and his tattoos are very persuasive. What’s a harmless little adrenaline-fueled fling between neighbors? It’s all naked fun and games until the shadows from Mack’s past find their way into her present. Can Linc be her hero when she needs him the most or will their scars ruin everything?
One thing is certain: Someone is going to get burned.

Comment: And August is practically done! I sincerely can't wait for its end, not only because it will mean, statistically, less heat in my region, but also calmer times at work. August's theme for the TBR Challenge is "everyday heroes" and I've picked up this book because it would feature a fireman hero and a doctor heroine and in our contemporary reality, how heroic they often need to be?

In this story, we meet doctor Mackenzie O'Neil, just as she is about to start an experiment on family medicine, which she hopes will mean a quieter time in her life, after doing many years as a flight trauma surgeon. She still does this from time to time in emergency rotations and it's precisely while helping with a patient while on helicopter duty that she meets chief fireman Lincoln Reed. They seem to like what they see and soon realize Mack is the town's new doctor and they happen to be neighbors. As everything and everyone seems to try to make them see how perfect for each other they are, they both start seeing it too, but Mack is still wary, considering her childhood disappointments with the idea of family. However, good hearts and patience can do a lot, and they surely deserve their happiness...

It is true Lucy Score has been hyped recently, mostly due to tik tok or something, although I can't be certain, since I don't have an account there. Anyway, this is the second book I read by the author and I think I can see why she's now so popular... her style is mostly light, fun, sweet, with conflict and drama in very small doses in key moments, making her stories mostly romantic and cute.

This is actually the third story in a trilogy but I don't think it's necessary to have read the other installments to follow the plot. There were several references to the protagonists of those other stories (since they all live in the same small town) but nothing exaggerated. In fact, the whole sense of community, of family, of togetherness is one of the main reasons why this story is so fascinating. I also live in a place where everyone knows everyone and it's always so fun to read about places where people are this invested in one another, as friends and family when my experience isn't that pleasing in real life.

The plot is quite simple: Mackenzie and Lincoln keep meeting one another while becoming friends and, of course, lovers, until it's more than obvious they will be together. While they debate this, we sometimes have scenes of them in their work, and I was particularly interested in Mackenzie's attempt at family medicine, being her lesson to be learned the fact she needs to adapt to a slower pace and to get to know her patients closely, treating them as friends too and not only as patients to fit in a slot.

Lincoln is an interesting character because he is confident, self assured and once he thinks Mackenzie is the one for him, he decides to be the person for her as well. I had the same impression with the hero of the other book I had read by the author, making me believe she does have a certain way to write male heroes... the fact he is a fireman and helps others also is positive in seeing him through that POV of helping and taking care of others. Besides, it's wonderful to have heroes in contemporary romance who know they like (and might love) the heroine and aren't afraid of acting on it.. much better than those heroes who keep acting as if they aren't good enough or are not meant for romance.

There were some situations throughout the story which were a little lame, and one or two conflicts between them before the big finale felt a little ridiculous, but to be fair the vibe here isn't one of perfect decisions and perfect writing, so... that said, I think a few scenes were slightly forced, not very natural and used to create a shock or a need for a sudden change... I don't mind this tactic on itself but certainly makes a few switches or jump of scenes a bit awkward or weaker by comparison.

The biggest issue to develop here is related to Mackenzie's past and how her childhood was far from idyllic. Of course we know that at some point Mackenzie would need to confront what happened in the person of her mother, who was the most responsible person to make Mackenzie feel she could't deal with stability and companionship in a lengthy relationship. I mean, this is clear to the reader and while I think the goal of making her realize things was accomplished, some plot decisions until the end weren't always the best, in my opinion.

Nevertheless, this was a successful story for me, for the most part. I like the style, even with the flaws and as a whole, this story had enough elements and scenes to make me feel entertained as I was reading. I felt like turning the pages and seeing what would be next, and sometimes that is more than enough...

Grade: 8/10

Lucy Score - Rock Bottom Girl

Downsized, broke, and dumped, 38-year-old Marley sneaks home to her childhood bedroom in the town she couldn’t wait to escape twenty years ago. Not much has changed in Culpepper. The cool kids are still cool. Now they just own car dealerships and live in McMansions next door. Oh, and the whole town is still talking about that Homecoming she ruined her senior year.
Desperate for a new start, Marley accepts a temporary teaching position. Can the girl banned from all future Culpepper High Homecomings keep the losing-est girls soccer team in school history from killing each other and prevent carpal tunnel in a bunch of phone-clutching gym class students?
Maybe with the help of Jake Weston, high school bad boy turned sexy good guy. When the school rumor mill sends Marley to the principal’s office to sign an ethics contract, the tattooed track coach, dog dad, and teacher of the year becomes her new fake boyfriend and alibi—for a price. The Deal: He’ll teach her how to coach if she teaches him how to be in a relationship.
Who knew a fake boyfriend could deliver such real orgasms? But it’s all temporary. The guy. The job. The team. There’s too much history. Rock bottom can’t turn into a foundation for happily ever after. Can it?

Comment: I've decided to add this book to my TBR because it seemed as if the heroine would be facing some difficulties in her life and I'm always interested in reading about characters who start off as being in a bad spot but improve and, often, along the way find happiness and even better if love as well.

In this book we meet heroine Marley who, at 38, seems to have her life stagnated. She is out of money and out of a job and is only staying at her parents' house, in the small town she vowed to never return to permanently, because there isn't anywhere else for her. Somehow, her bubbly mother found her a temporary job, coaching the high school girl' team and teaching, until the school finds a permanent replacement. This is all Marley didn't want because of the bullying she remembers from those days, because of the big scene she caused during her last year and which everyone still remembers and because she learns Jake Weston her bad boy crush, is now a respected teacher as well and she will have to interact with him. Could it be there's no end to what others remember of her humiliation?

This was a surprisingly good story for me. I mean, I kind of hoped it would, but it was really a very enjoyable read, especially since it is the first book I try by the author. I like these kind of stories, where someone facing problems or at a lower moment in their lives can find something positive...more or less the dream everyone has for their own lives, even when it isn't possible or easy, and that is why this was such a good escapism novel to read...

Marley is a very likable character. I've read that other readers didn't find her to be that nice, but to me her personality and attitude made sense and I liked how she went from someone who felt she didn't do anything well to be so easily part of a community. Of course this is fiction, for even in small towns where one might have a support system (like family or friends), to rebuild connections and to believe others are trusting you again isn't certainly easy. However, Marley seemed to be someone one could trust and under those feelings of self reproach, she was actually a good person, someone who made mistakes and has grown up, even if it doesn't feel like it.

A big part of the plot is centered on Marley's coaching and teaching and how she goes from the basic stuff which doesn't have any impact on anyone to little things and her team liking and defending her and wanting to do well. I bet there is something quite fantasy-like in this, but I don't care, I liked the evolution of Marley's perception for and to the team, as well as to other secondary characters. I also liked how the author didn't make Marley's career a easy one, there are good and bad moments, which is more realistic.

There is also quite a few pages dedicated to Marley's high school days and her experiences and why she caused problems in her last year over a revenge gone too far, but to be honest, when we finally learn what she did, despite the less than stellar actions, I can't see why that is so bad, except for the very public form and how something so obvious would have been seen by so many different people. The main reason for what she did was the fact Marley was bullied and she planned a revenge on her archenemy Amie Jo, who so happens to also be a teacher at the school now...

Apart from the coincidences one might find too hard to accept, the story is cute to read and there is always this sort of fun/comedy tone which makes some subjects feel less acute. I suppose I wouldn't have minded if some things had been dealt with a bit more seriousness. I know the intention behind most scenes is one where there is a purpose and I can see how the characters evolve, but some things shouldn't have been done so freely, I do think a bit more intensity or seriousness in some things might have helped.

There is also a romance and I liked Jake too, especially how confident he was in himself and in his feelings.. he wasn't afraid, when he got his POV, to assume he was falling for Marley and that he saw her as someone special, for more than just the time her job would last in the school.. still, some things were a bit too easy but I would say the romance was definitely part of why this story worked so well. Pity that close to the end we have  a version of the classic "misunderstanding", otherwise the overall story would be even stronger, I think.

All in all, this was a good novel, entertaining, cute and I think I might try something else by the author...
Grade: 8/10