Things We Never Got Over (Knockemout)

Naomi has always attempted to make up for the disappointing choices her twin sister makes and now she finds herself in a new town trying to right wrongs once again when her sister disappears and leaves Naomi with a massive surprise. Running from her past and navigating her new responsibilities won’t be easy when everyone thinks she’s her destructive twin. Especially when her first encounter in town involves her being harassed by Knox, a handsome local, who wants her to leave as soon as possible., I’m used to dark romance and based on the cover I thought it was going to be a really frilly, soft, clean romance which isn’t usually high on my list when I’m choosing what to read next. I was pleasantly surprised to find out I was wrong. That being said it definitely wasn’t a dark romance but also wasn’t clean or give off too much hallmark movie vibes., The main love interest was so kind and loving and the main character was no push over. She held her own against the love interest, had an intriguing character profile and was someone who could have been independent but was strengthened by love rather than required it to be a significant narrator., Actual adult romance, as in the characters are both above the age of 35 and so the drama and plot are much more mature and age appropriate., Dual POV which was fabulous especially towards the end when the main conflict arises and we get to see both sides of the event and the fallout., I get frustrated when characters create their own problems by just not talking to each other about their issues which does occur in this book but I’d say it was developed really well and made sense within the context of the plot. It wasn’t the typical miscommunication trope where the characters are just lacking common sense. It was more that both characters knew there was a problem but the other needed to be able and willing to discuss it and move past it to make things work., I thought it was really well written and I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

The Characters & Their Trendy Northern Virginia Town Come To Life In Vivid Detail & Spectacular Dialogue. Fans Of Nicole Snow Will Love The Witty Humor & Writing Style Here. Coffee Lovers Will Delight & Dog Lovers Will Drool In This Darling Story. Don’t Forget To Download The Free Bonus Epilogue Via The Link At The Back Of The Book!, ABOUT THE KNOCKEMOUT SERIES:, This is book one of the Knockemout series. To date, the series includes:, 1. Things We Never Got Over (Knox Morgan & Naomi Witt’s story), 2. Things We Hide from the Light (Nash Morgan & Lina Solavita’s story), 3. Things We Left Behind (Lucian Rollins & Sloane Walton’s story), Named after a fictional small town in Northern Virginia, the series is full of lively characters, outrageous banter, and lots of steamy chemistry. There are adorable pets and kids that steal your heart. There is also a dose of danger brewing in the background. Geographically, it likely matches up with either real-life Western Loudoun or Clarke County, Virginia. Although the town is vibrant and attracts visitors from nearby Washington, D.C., Knockemout retains its sense of history and a strong feeling of community. It is rumored that the town was named to reflect the way its citizens have long worked out their problems – the good old-fashioned way. They fight it out and move on. The town is like a big extended family, with troublemakers, problem-solvers, and a charitable spirit., IN THIS BOOK:, The story opens in August., Naomi Witt, thirty-six, is the quintessential good girl. A natural caretaker, she never wants to be a burden to others and always puts herself last. She hadn’t anticipated the last-minute road trip to Virginia that brought her to Knockemout. She was supposed to be on her honeymoon with Warner. She is a planner, so the change in plans put her way out of her comfort zone. She has a five-year plan and relies upon a plethora of lists to keep her life on track. She bought a home on Long Island worthy of raising a family and had worked in HR for Warner’s family’s investment firm for five years. Their four years together as a couple and two years planning the perfect wedding had all been for nothing, though. She tried to be everything to Warner, but she lost herself in the process. She realized her mistake at the last minute, and an unexpected phone call gave her the motivation she needed., Faced with a crisis of her own, Naomi nevertheless dropped everything when she received her estranged twin sister’s call for help. The timing gave her a place to secretly run away to as well as a distraction. Always the people pleaser, Naomi likes to fix problems. Her sister Tina has always been trouble, but Naomi never anticipated what was waiting for her in Virginia. In the year Tina had lived in Knockemout, she had managed to build herself quite a reputation, and as an identical twin, Naomi soon finds herself reaping the results. She doesn’t find many friendly faces., Naomi doesn’t find her sister, but she does end up as Tina’s latest victim. After having lived through the worst day of her life, the next day isn’t looking much better. Stuck without a phone, car, or credit card, she is dependent upon the kindness of others. Yet nothing could have prepared her for the discovery that Tina had left behind an eleven-year-old daughter – a niece Naomi never knew existed. Doing right by her is never a question. Waylay is tough like her mother, but behind the hard exterior might just be a pre-teen desperate for some normalcy. She is whip-smart but guarded, and Naomi knows that earning Waylay’s trust will be a huge challenge., Naomi is stuck in Knockemout for at least six months while the custodial arrangement works its way through the legal system. Her entire world pivots as her sense of control is challenged. All of her plans for the future are in upheaval, leaving her adrift with uncertainty. As the locals begin to know Naomi as Not Tina, she begins to settle in. However, there is one particular grumpy Viking of a man that drives her crazy and sets her body on fire at the same time. He is rude and infuriating, and his bad-boy vibe is completely the opposite of Warner’s. Almost from the time she rode into town, this man has put himself in the middle of her business, but the last thing she needs with Waylay’s custody in limbo is trouble., Knox Morgan, forty-three, is his own man. His good looks, beard, and tattoos give him the quintessential bad-boy vibe, so women love him in spite of his prickly personality. He does what he wants, when he wants, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. Rules are for people like his brother Nash, Knockemout’s Chief of Police. They have a long history of fighting, but they always made up, too. That changed about three years ago, and things haven’t been the same between them since. It breaks their grandmother’s heart. She raised the boys after their mother died, and now what’s left of their family is in shambles., Knox knows good things never last, so anything more than a casual relationship has never been on the table for him. He doesn’t like strings, and he moves on at the first sign of an attachment. He hasn’t been with a local girl since high school, to the disappointment of many. When he is in the mood for a good chase, he heads out of town for a night or two of fun and pleasure. The routine has grown tiresome, though, which might explain his irresistible attraction to a certain newcomer. Little Miss Daisies in Her Hair is not his type at all. She is uppity and needy, and her vocabulary is too big. He hates that he wants her so badly, but if he cannot have her, nobody can – his brother Nash in particular., Knox came into money a few years back, but he didn’t take it for granted. He has carefully managed his growing portfolio of local businesses, increasing his net worth. He co-owns Whiskey Clipper with his long-time good friend Jeremiah, whose vision has paid off big time. The old barber shop was transformed into a salon that now draws clientele from D.C. A proud barber, people go out of their way to sit in Knox’s chair. He spends most of his time doing managerial work for his various businesses, though. When his business manager, Sherry Fiasco, hires Naomi behind his back, he realizes that he is in deep trouble. The last thing he needs every day is to see Naomi waitressing at Honky Tonk, his bar., Knox and Naomi have instant chemistry, but things get off to bad start when he confuses her with her delinquent sister. Naomi doesn’t appreciate being yelled at, and she is tired of always playing nice. Despite his intimidating presence, she pushes back, catching Knox and everyone around him off guard. Their crazy banter soon becomes entertainment for the locals. Denying their attraction to one another eventually proves to be harder than giving in to temptation. Knox is stubbornly stuck in his ways, and Naomi is just trying to get by. They agree that whatever they have is a temporary tryst, but then things get complicated. Neither is ready for a relationship. Things move quickly in their rocky ride, but they eventually earn their happy ending., Don’t forget to download the free bonus epilogue via the link at the back of the book!, Book two, Things We Hide from the Light, follows, in which Knox’s brother Nash gets his happy ending with Lina. They meet here, in book one., Book three, Things We Left Behind, also gets a brief preview here as Lucian and Sloane’s backstory is hinted at., Wow! Knox and Naomi’s story is a fabulous read. The characters and their trendy Northern Virginia town come to life in vivid detail and spectacular dialogue. Their story really sticks with you, and you’ll quickly be reaching for book two so that you can continue to immerse yourself in the Knockemout world. There were eleven laugh-out-loud moments by my count as well as countless witty excerpts scattered throughout. I also came across eight teary scenes. The couple’s chemistry drips off the page, too., Knox and Naomi are opposites in so many ways. Knox is gruff and intimidating, while Naomi is kind and well-mannered. Knox wears tattoos and doesn’t always stay within the law, while Naomi wears sundresses and always follows the rules. Knox pushes people away, whereas people are naturally drawn to Naomi. Despite first appearances, however, they actually do have a lot in common. Knox may keep people at a distance, but he is all about giving back. He loves his town, his employees, his friends, and his family, even if he doesn’t know how to express it. His intentions are easily misconstrued since he is generally so unpleasant. Naomi’s selfless personality is more obvious, which makes her a prime target for manipulation. Their shared concern for Waylay’s welfare gives them a distraction from their incessant arguing. It gives them an opening that might not have occurred otherwise because Knox’s general grouchiness sets the otherwise pleasant Daisy off. He triggers something wild and untamed in her – an attribute she abhors., There are a few issues that merit mention. First, there are some timeline issues. There is some inconsistency and vagueness that occasionally causes confusion. I looked back several times to verify but had to make assumptions of my own. My takeaway is that the story opened about 2.5 weeks prior to the first day of school, which would be early August, and the story runs its course by October. The bonus epilogue gives a quick peek at the couple with their family and friends five years down the road. Second, Knox’s relationships are supposedly short-lived and casual, but later there are a few statements that make it sound as if he has had a history of actual relationships – implying something more than casual hookups when in fact he always walks away before it gets that far. Third, there is a point at which I couldn’t understand why Naomi hadn’t moved. She had the funds and it would have been appropriate given developments. Fourth, Lina’s nearly two-decade friendship with Knox post-breakup didn’t feel credible to me. I would have expected her to lose interest at some point and stop making the effort. Further, the fact that she never met Nash in almost twenty years of friendship is not at all credible. Nash and Knox have a history of fighting, but it is only the last three years that they’ve not been able to make up. That Lina walks into Knox’s establishment like it is nothing shows Knox has actually brought his out-of-town girlfriends home, or at the very least, he has hung out with Lina in his hometown. In a town that thrives on gossip, that friendship would have been rumored to be more and it would have gotten back to Nash, without a doubt. He would have made it his business to meet her. Finally, I was surprised at Naomi’s outreach to Tina after so much concern about safety had been voiced. It was used to further the plot, but it made Naomi look thoughtless., Knox and Naomi’s riotous romance will have you in stitches, but don’t forget the tissues. Fans of Nicole Snow will love the witty humor and writing style here. Coffee lovers will delight and dog lovers will drool in this darling story. Naomi is a runaway bride who finds herself heated once tattooed Viking Knox starts yelling and telling her what to do. Their enemies-to-lovers one-night-stand transforms into a fake relationship once things get complicated. The story is smartly written. It is a page-turner from the start, although it does slow down a bit in the second half. The plot is fairly simple. Knockemout comes to life in this story. The characters are wonderfully defined, and the couple’s romantic tension is palpable. There is a large cast of colorful and unique characters. The story is told in first person. The POV alternates between Knox and Naomi. I rate this book 4.5 stars.