Lucy Score’s Things We Never Got Over is one of those books that feels just right in the middle but inadequate towards the end. However, it was amazing! The quieter moments in the second half really shine, despite the fact that the plot starts a little too slowly for my liking, placing a lot of attention on the small-town setting. Our “hero” holds the protagonist close in reality while pushing her away verbally, and their tense interactions eventually become more charming. I appreciate how the damaged hero and broken heroine change gradually throughout the story, and the growth in intimacy is incredibly satisfying and sweet.

The plot centers on 36-year-old Naomi, a fugitive bride whose life is slowly falling apart as she finds herself in an unfamiliar small community. Naomi is single, jobless, penniless, and homeless. Meanwhile, her 11-year-old niece, Wayla, unexpectedly comes into her care. Even for someone who has spent the majority of her life cleaning up other people’s messes, it’s a lot to handle all at once. When Naomi struggles to make ends meet, 43-year-old Knox, an unusual ally, steps forward. Despite his sour words and demeanor, the attractive jerk continues to step in to “save her,” and Knox can’t seem to resist himself. He wants nothing to do with the needy, high-maintenance hopeless romantic of a woman or her feisty niece, but it gets harder to avoid contact with each interaction.

To be honest, at times the length of this book really got to me. The laid-back, small-town vibe took me a while to get used to, and a lot of time is spent on characters besides Naomi and Knox, which isn’t usually what I look for in a romance novel. But after a while, it became clear that every one of those slower parts in the story was crucial, and those other characters will probably have their own stories in the future. Also, for Knox’s improvement to feel sincere, the timing must be right. He acts like a complete jerk at first but eventually becomes someone you like and trust. His appealing personality justifies the gradual development because I wanted to know more about him. Naomi’s persona intrigued me as well, and I enjoyed their different personalities. This romance novel definitely felt like a slower burn than others I’ve read, even as things got more interesting and started heating up. I can’t wait to read the two other love tales hinted at in this novel.