Things We Left Behind

Things We Left Behind (2023) is a New York Times bestseller and the third installment in the Knockemout series—an adult contemporary romance series by Lucy Score. Although each installment can be read as a stand-alone romance, an overarching plot spans all three books. This installment alternates between the first-person narration of protagonists Lucian Rollins and Sloane Walton as they overcome their pasts and pursue a romantic relationship. Meanwhile they must also navigate the machinations of Anthony Hugo, the crime boss who previously threatened the lives of their friends.

This guide refers to the Kindle edition published by That’s What She Said Publishing in 2023.

Content Warning: The source material features depictions of domestic abuse and contains explicit sexual content.

Plot Summary

Sloane attends the funeral of her father, Simon Walton, along with her mother and sister, and her friends, Knox and Nash Morgan alongside their respective partners, Naomi and Lina. Sloane’s ex-childhood friend, Lucian Rollins, also makes an unwanted appearance.

Twenty-two years ago, Sloane broke her promise to Lucian and called the police on his abusive father, Ansel, when the man attacked his wife, Kayla, and Lucian himself with a knife. Wylie Ogden—the corrupt local police chief who was also a friend of Ansel—wrongfully imprisoned Lucian for a week after claiming that he attacked his parents unprovoked.