Alter Barbershop mit Lederstühlen als Symbol für Things We Never Got Over

Home · Editing Services · Blog · Free Quote · Deutsch

A runaway bride, a niece she never knew about and a grumpy barber: Things We Never Got Over by Lucy Score is the first Knockemout book and one of the best-known small town romances of recent years. A Prime Video series is currently filming. We analysed reader opinions in English and German and summarise what readers love and what they criticize.

Diese Rezension auf Deutsch lesen

At a glance

  • Author: Lucy Score
  • Published: January 2022, self-published; German edition 2023 by Forever (Ullstein) under the original title
  • Series: Knockemout, book 1 of 3
  • Genre: Contemporary romance with suspense elements
  • Tropes: Small town, grumpy/sunshine, found family, runaway bride
  • Adaptation: Prime Video series, filming since September 2026, no release date yet
  • Goodreads: 4.12 out of 5 from more than 1.1 million ratings
  • LovelyBooks (Germany): 4.1 out of 5 from more than 300 ratings

What is it about?

Naomi Witt runs out on her own wedding and drives to the small town of Knockemout to help her estranged twin sister. The sister steals her car and her money and leaves her with an eleven-year-old niece Naomi never knew existed. Stuck in town, Naomi keeps running into Knox Morgan, a gruff barber who wants nothing complicated.

What readers love about Things We Never Got Over

  • The town and its people: For many readers Knockemout feels like one big family. Side characters like Nash, Lucian and Liza J come up again and again.
  • Naomi and Waylay: The bond between Naomi and her niece, and Knox’s soft spot for the girl, are favourite moments for many.
  • Grown-up leads: Readers enjoy that the main characters are older than in many romances.
  • Laughing and crying: English and German reviews praise the mix of humour, emotion and spice.
  • The grumpy hero: Knox slowly softening is exactly what many fans love about grumpy/sunshine.

What readers criticize

  • Too long: Several reviews feel the story could have been much shorter and repeats itself in the middle.
  • Knox’s behaviour: Some readers find him controlling, dismissive and overly macho. A German reader complains that he solves too much with his fists.
  • The crime plot: In the last quarter the story turns into a thriller. Some find that forced, along with the third-act breakup.
  • Predictable: Some reviews mention clichés and adults who act younger than they are.
  • The German translation: On LovelyBooks some readers say the very figurative language interrupts the reading flow.

Content notes

The Trigger Warning Database lists child neglect and abuse, recounted domestic violence, a parent with addiction, gun violence and a kidnapping. There are also explicit scenes.

Success

According to its UK publisher Hachette, the novel spent 18 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. It was nominated for the 2022 Goodreads Choice Awards in Romance.

What writers can learn from it

  • A place can be the star. Readers come back for the town and its people.
  • Grumpy does not mean disrespectful. Where the hero crosses into controlling, sympathy tips.
  • Length has to be earned. Repeating scenes are something an editor spots quickly.

Conclusion

Things We Never Got Over is a warm, funny and spicy small town romance with a strong supporting cast. Fans of found family and grumpy heroes will be happy. Readers who prefer short books or dislike dominant heroes should keep the criticism in mind.

Sources

For this overview we analysed the following reviews and articles:

Ratings as of November 2026.

Writing small town romance yourself?

In an edit we check whether your town feels alive, whether your hero stays likeable and where your manuscript drags. Try our sample edit: 20 pages for €99.

Get a free quote

Legal notice and privacy policy are available in German: Impressum · Datenschutzerklärung