Synopsis:
There was only one woman who could set me free. But I would rather set myself on fire than ask Sloane Walton for anything.
Lucian Rollins is a lean, mean vengeance-seeking mogul. On a quest to erase his fatherโs mark on the family name, he spends every waking minute pulling strings and building an indestructible empire. The more money and power he amasses, the safer he is from threats.
Except when it comes to the feisty small-town librarian that keeps him up at nightโฆ
Sloane Walton is a spitfire determined to carry on her fatherโs quest for justice. Sheโll do that just as soon as she figures out exactly what the man she hates did toโor forโher family. Bonded by an old, dark secret from the past and the dislike they now share for each other, Sloane trusts Lucian about as far as she can throw his designer-suited body.
When bickering accidentally turns to foreplay, these two find themselves not quite regretting their steamy one-night stand. Once those flames are fanned, it seems impossible to put them out again. But with Sloane ready to start a family and Lucian refusing to even consider the idea of marriage and kids, these enemies-to-lovers are stuck at an impasse.
Broken men break women. Itโs what Lucian believes, what heโs witnessed, and heโs not going to take that chance with Sloane. Heโd rather live a life of solitude than put her in danger. But he learns the hard way that leaving her means leaving her unprotected from other threats.
Itโs the second time heโs ruthlessly cut her out of his life. Thereโs no way sheโs going to give him a third chance. Heโs just going to have to make one for himself.
My Review:
I absolutely LOVED this book! There were moments in this book where it seemed too convenient when Sloan and Lucian ran into each other to be realistic, but aside from that, this book was really well written. This was the first book in the Knockemout series I’ve read and now I’m itching to read the other two.
When you start reading this book, you are immediately drawn in by the question of “What on earth happened between Sloan and Lucian that they hate each other so much”? The book doesn’t really tell you their history until quite later on, but it sprinkles in clues of it throughout to keep the reader really engaged and wondering what happened, and I think this is such an effective way of writing and let me tell you, I could NOT put this book down.
Another thing I really loved about this book is that despite the hate, you could still sense the attraction between Sloan and Lucian. Despite what they went through together, they never truly stopped loving each other and it’s later revealed (small spoiler alert) that everything Lucian has done, he’s done for her.
Lucian grew up in a really broken, abusive household. If readers have difficulty with the topic of abuse, this is something to keep in mind that this book definitely covers this topic. But it also really gives the reader a soft spot for Lucian. Who doesn’t love a “villain” with a dark past, but even moreso, a villain that heals from his dark past. Healing is such an important thing when dealing with trauma, I think, no matter the severity because it’s something we carry with us and affects us throughout our lives. I also really like that this book shows Lucian actively making efforts towards his own healing, facing his past and having someone to talk and work through his issues with – in this case, his therapist. Mental health is something I think that’s still really stigmatized, a lot of people can be afraid to really talk about the darker aspects of mental health, people avoid their triggers and use their mental health as a crutch in order to avoid things that trigger them, and avoid healing. It’s not an easy thing to talk to someone about what you’ve gone through, or what you’re going through. And I think the fact that Lucian was actively doing this shows a lot of strength for his character. I appreciate the promotion of seeking help for mental health in this book.
And lastly, I loved the reconciliation between Sloan and Lucian in this book, but also seeing Lucian transform and heal parts of himself that made him feel unworthy due to his abusive upbringing. This book was a rare read that absolutely captivated me and had me reading for HOURS non-stop. Usually I don’t have trouble putting a book down but I really struggled to put this one down, and that’s what I look for in a book. It warms your heart, it keeps you at the edge of your seat, and it’s very spicy! Easy 5 stars from me!
The Cozy Cat Rating: โ โ โ โ โ
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