The Quiet After The Fall

Free Fall Duet #2

by Lauren Greene

We survived the fall. Now comes the reckoning.

I had every reason to hate Knox Aldrich. He was cruel. Cold. Calculating. He looked at me like I was his entire world while he was building a life with someone else.

I took that pain and used it to start fresh. New school, new plans, a life without him.

It was working. Until it wasn’t.

Because Knox doesn’t let go of things he considers his. He hunted me down. Watched me. Followed me into the life I was trying to build like he had some claim on it — on me.

I don’t hate it as much as I should.

But Knox isn’t just dangerous for my heart. He’s carrying secrets that were never meant to surface. Dark ones. The kind that could rock the foundation of everything I’ve ever known.

We dug too deep, and what we found isn't half as explosive as our relationship.

My fresh start was never going to happen. It always ended here — with Knox, with the truth, with everything finally on fire.

A duet of forbidden love, shared trauma, and the thin line between healing and destruction. This is a dark romance featuring morally gray characters, toxic relationship dynamics, and mature themes. Not for readers seeking light or fluffy romance.

Genres: Dark Romance

325 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 17, 2026

Reviews

[Ashly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok. So remember when I said I was mad about that cliffhanger?
I’M STILL MAD
Except now I’m also mad at Knox, mad at Sawyer, mad at basically everyone involved, and somehow STILL completely invested in these two disasters. Because apparently Lauren said...Oh, you thought we were going to calm down and heal? That’s cute.
Absolutely fucking not
This book picks up with all the trauma, secrets, and unresolved feelings from the first book and basically throws gasoline on all of it. Sawyer is trying to move on... pretending Knox doesn't completely wreck her ability to make rational decisions. And then Knox shows up like You thought you could escape me?
Sir.
PLEASE
But also…
unfortunately…
keep going 😂 [Clearly im stable]
Because Knox is still Knox. STILL looking at her like she is the only person in the entire world who matters. Meanwhile, he's literally building a life with someone else [Dont get me started]
EXCUSE ME???
The relationship between these two is still the definition of toxic...Because just when you think the biggest problem is their relationship, we start peeling back all the other layers and realize there is SO MUCH MORE going on. ZERO healthy coping mechanisms between these people.
Sawyer is trying to build a future while Knox is basically standing there like That's nice. Anyway, you're mine.
And somehow the worst part is that she doesn't hate it nearly as much as she probably should. 😂
Like girl…But honestly, who am I to judge? I was sitting here eating this shit UP. This book definitely leans harder into the darker side of their relationship, but I actually liked that Knox doesn't suddenly turn into some perfect, healed cinnamon roll. Because let's be honest…I did not come here for that! I came for the morally gray, emotionally damaged, obsessive man who makes terrible decisions and somehow makes us question our own judgment right along with Sawyer.
And the ending??
Honestly, after Book 1, I should have known better than to trust Lauren Greene with my emotional stability. The first book left me screaming at that damn cliffhanger. This one left me sitting there like…well. FUCK.
Is Knox still a walking red flag?...Obviously.
Is this relationship healthy?...fuck no.
Did I continue reading like my life depended on finding out what happens?...What do you think 😂
I need Lauren Greene to personally apologize for the emotional damage. Because apparently I learned nothing from Book 1

[Nics_Reading · Rating 4 out of 5]

Advanced Reader Copy received from the Author

The Quiet After the Fall
Lauren Greene

Book 2 of the Free Fall Duet

We pick up right were we left off in part 1, and immediately you’re taken back to all the emotions of finishing up The Space Between Heartbeats. I had to wait months to carry on with Knox and Sawyers story but the time allowed the story build with a deeper comprehension on the themes presented. Love, loss, grief, desire, yearning and defying the odds of what you think you know about a person.

🩵Toxic Relationship
🩵Hurt/Comfort
🩵Stalkerish MMC
🩵Love/Hate Banter
🩵Forbidden Love
🩵Yearning
🩵Shared Trauma
🩵complicated Family Ties

Book 1 was hard, book 2 is too, but in a completely different way. The nuances of family dynamics, how far you’d go to keep the calm, how much of yourself you’d be willing to give when asked, what’s expected of you and the urge to break free from those expectations to allow yourself to choose the life you want. The fight for happiness after a catastrophic event, isn’t always the easiest to face, but when you follow your heart, joy follows.

Favourite Quotes
It’s only ever been her.

“There she is.”

Her hand in mine means something I don't want to name yet.

"Every heartbeat since the accident has been borrowed time, and I've spent every single one of them thinking about you. I'm done waiting: I fell for you and I've been in freefall for years”

“I’ve got you.”

[Josie's kindle era · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC copy recieved from the author

4.5⭐️

I couldn't wait to read this second book after I devoured the first book and it ended on such a cliffhanger and I ate it up just as much! Once again Lauren's writing just pulls you in and you don't want to put the book down.

After the tragedy in the first book Sawyer is just trying to move on with her life after the loss of owen her boyfriend but knox ( his brother) has other ideas he is an obnoxious pain in the ass! I love how sawyer doesn't stand for it she is ace. However he does get his way and she does start to fall for him but not with out many twists and obstacles in the way from every angle. Do they get a happy ending? you'll just have to read it!

I knocked off half a star due to her lady bits constantly been referred to as a Cu*t that's just something that I get the ick about, I mention this in all my reviews where it's used.

[Grecia Pedraza · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually didn’t love Owen. “Taking care of his girls” stupid line.

[Marni Ortiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Quiet After The Fall ( Free Fall Duet Book 2 ) what to expect ⭐️Forbidden Romance ⭐️Toxic Love ⭐️Hurt Comfort ⭐️Shared Trauma ⭐️Stalker MMC and much much more . Well to say that I was just taken on the ride of my life and completely blown away would be such an understatement. I seriously did not think this duet could possibly get any better but omg was I so so wrong . We pick right back up after the huge cliffhanger at the end of book one . All our questions are finally answered, but don’t you worry because new ones are right around the corner . Expect the unexpected. And Knox and Sawyer are better then ever - the hate they have for one another and the pace at which it turned into more , genuinely chats kiss . All the different layers and complexities to their story just kept on the edge of my seat and reeling from so many unexpected emotions. Love , passion , tragedy , non stop action, secrets , betrayal, drama , challenges , family , friendships, the perfect amount of darkness . Perfection just absolute perfection.

[Brooke · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t like that Knox is fucking Ella still and pretty much Sawyer at the same time. I know he needs to keep up expectations but he can avoid having sex with her!

There also was a lot of repetition and useless inner dialogue I skimmed over.

Also, this isn’t a “dark” romance. There was nothing “dark” about it. It shouldn’t have been advertised as such. Just because they have sex in the woods doesn’t make it a “dark” romance!

The ending fell flat for me. And I would have loved to know more about Ella’s and Owen’s relationship.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, there is not a single decent person in this book. 😂 There is not a single faithful person in this book except Victoria and David. And that's just wild.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

I’m sorry, but this whole book was just… gross. I spent most of it thinking, What the actual hell is wrong with these people? And then that quote from Knox near the end:

“I swear I can feel Owen beside me, patting me on the back, watching me take care of both his girls, and I know he’d be proud of what we’ve done.”

SIR. 🤢

Let’s start with Sawyer because I genuinely could not understand her. She’s attracted to Knox before she even gets involved with Owen, and she initially dates Owen specifically to get back at Knox. But even while she’s with Owen, she still has feelings for Knox. So basically… why are we doing any of this?

Then there’s Knox, who is obsessed with Sawyer and clearly wants her, but spends most of the book pushing her away and acting like an ass. Except he still wants her. Oh, and he cheats on Ella with Sawyer. Because apparently everyone in this book has decided boundaries are optional.

Owen isn’t innocent either. This man is dating Sawyer, buys a ring to propose to her, is apparently planning to love her until the day he dies… WHILE CHEATING ON HER WITH ELLA. 🤦‍♀️ If he really wanted Ella, then why continue dating Sawyer and planning a whole future with her?! Just leave!

And Ella? Oh, Ella drove me absolutely INSANE. She knows Owen doesn’t really want her, yet she’s perfectly fine being the other woman while he’s with Sawyer. Then she’s in love with Owen but also gets involved with his brother. And after Owen dies, she acts like the grieving wife. Girl… WHAT ARE WE DOING?! 😂

I think she was actually the character who annoyed me the most. Every time she ran to Daddy with her relationship problems, I wanted to crawl out of my skin. 🤢🤮

And it doesn’t stop with the main characters. Look at the side characters and somehow they’re just as messed up. 😂 It genuinely felt like Gia was the ONLY person in this entire book with any sense.

Then we get the big reveal that Daddy Dearest is behind basically everything. He’s the reason Owen died, Knox got screwed over, and Sawyer’s dad got completely screwed over too.

Like… OF COURSE HE IS. 😂

I really wanted to like this book, especially after the first one, but I just couldn’t. The characters’ choices, the cheating, the tangled relationships, and the complete lack of decent decision-making made it impossible for me to connect with any of them.

Book one had me invested. This one had me questioning every single life choice these people made.

Gia deserved better. Honestly, Gia deserved her own book.

[Shanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an interesting duet. It was advertised as a dark romance; I very much disagree with that statement. This was more of a romantic suspense…that’s the closest genre representation I can think of. All the characters are exceptionally messed up in one way or another and honestly just bad people; there is some exceptionally light stalking (known by both parties and joked about frequently) no dark romance components are involved here.
This was a tragic tale of grief and learning to move on…but also lying, scheming, affairs, manipulation, and again the characters are a**holes. The underlying story is the reason I ended up not DNF-ing this book and also why I rated it higher than I thought I would. I thoroughly enjoyed the parents sins coming to light and the traps that were set for them. The ending doesn’t really wrap everything up to be honest. With how much groundwork was laid (which a lot could have been skipped) I was hoping for an actual ending rather than the rush job “Two months later…” A lot was not wrapped up, so again I state so much could have been left out of both books if it was all going to be left unresolved.
So, would I recommend this duet? I really loved book 1; it gave me all the feels and was a great read. I liked book 2; it just didn’t give enough closure for the epic story that was started. The ending fell flat; and the characters became people I didn’t really want to root for. True to life, many times things can’t be tied up neatly with a bow and justice is rarely swift or fair. These books definitely have that feel to it. I would recommend with those cautious added. If you are someone looking for a good wrap up at the end then these are not for you. If you want to laugh, cry, get angry and frustrated as you navigate a story with little emotional closure at the end then these are for you.
Is there spice? There is a decent amount and it’s open door spice. I would say book 2 has more spice than book 1 did. I would give a 3.5-4 chili pepper rating for book 2, book 1 was a solid 3 chilies. A lot of the intimacy is only surrounding the spicy scenes for most of the story. Towards the end, you do see a smidge of growth with the main characters though.
Overall it was a good read, I was just wanting a bit more clean up.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the ARC

I was eager to get my hands on this one after loving The Space Between Heartbeats. That cliffhanger left me with approximately a million questions, so obviously I needed to know what happened next. And honestly, we are given quite the ride and a solid conclusion.

Picking up after the events of the first book, Sawyer is trying to move forward and build a new life, but Knox isn't exactly willing to let the past stay in the past. As old wounds, secrets, and buried truths begin coming to the surface, the two are forced to confront everything that has happened between them while figuring out what they actually want moving forward. There are plenty of complicated emotions, shifting loyalties, and moments where you may be unsure where the story was going to take them.

One of my favorite things was seeing Knox and Sawyer finally start communicating and actually working together. After everything they've been through, watching them put aside some of the walls between them and function as a team was nice to see. Their relationship is messy and complicated, but seeing that progression and how it changed the dynamic between them felt earned. I also loved seeing some unexpected people finally step up toward the end. There were definitely a few moments where I was sitting there thinking, "Oh, NOW you decide to help?"

☕ Final Verdict
A satisfying conclusion to the Free Fall Duet. I loved seeing how Knox and Sawyer's relationship evolved, especially once they started communicating instead of constantly fighting against each other. Add in some unexpected allies, plenty of twists, and an ending that brings everything together, and I was very happy with how this duet wrapped up. Overall, this was a wild ride from beginning to end, and I think it delivered the conclusion I was hoping for.

[Kayla Simonson · Rating 4 out of 5]

“‘Why the hell should I care if your choices were easy for you? It’s always been easy for you to use me as collateral, Knox. I’m the idiot who let it happen again.’”

**I received this copy as an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review**

Ooof! This book did not hold back on the tension, drama and trauma!!! Every time I thought things were going to start looking up, BAM incoming twist! I was getting worried there would be no HEA! Thankfully there was! However I wish we got to see more of them living in that HEA!

“‘Every heartbeat since the accident has been borrowed time, and I’ve spent every single one of them thinking about you. I’m done waiting. I fell for you and I’ve been in freefall for years, and I am so fucking tired of being quiet about it.’”

Knox definitely grew on me more during this book. But he still drove me insane with his stubbornness, going back and forth on going for what he truly wants.

“I lost her to my own stubbornness, then to Owen, and almost for good on Velocity. I’m not afraid of Moretti. I’m afraid of how far I’ll go to keep Sawyer, and of who I’ll be when I’m done.”

I feel like some of the original plot fell off a bit in this book though and we didn’t get as much of the trauma triggers and thinking about Owen as much. But the pieces we did get felt very powerful.

“The truth is far messier—grief and guilt and years of back and forth, four people who loved and betrayed each other in ways none of us saw coming, and one of them gone before he could ever choose his ending.”

Overall I enjoyed this series a lot and found it different than some other books I’ve read! I also just loved the banter between the two of them, even in the most challenging of times.

“‘Good boy,’ I tease. ‘Maybe you need to get your ass beat everyday… makes you a good listener.’ ‘Ha. Ha.’”

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

★★★★★

The Quiet After The Fall completely pulled me in. This was dark, emotional, messy, obsessive, and exactly the kind of romance I love.

Knox Aldrich is the definition of a man I probably should not love as much as I do, but here we are. He is possessive, morally gray, complicated, and completely consumed by Sawyer. The fact that she tried to start over and this man basically said absolutely not had me hooked. He watches her, follows her, refuses to let her go, and somehow I was sitting there rooting for him the entire time.

What really made this book hit for me though was that there was so much more underneath their relationship. The grief, shared trauma, family secrets, betrayal, and everything slowly coming to the surface gave the story so much depth. Knox and Sawyer are not an easy or healthy love story. They are complicated and toxic at times, but their connection feels raw and intense in a way that made it impossible for me to put the book down.

And the tension between these two was EVERYTHING. The slow burn, the obsession, the forbidden aspect of Knox being her dead boyfriend’s brother, and all those feelings they probably should not have made the payoff so worth it.

Lauren Greene gave me exactly what I want from a dark romance. A morally gray man I have no business defending, a relationship full of chaos, secrets that kept me guessing, plenty of spice, and characters who are beautifully imperfect.

Knox Aldrich, you are one giant walking red flag and apparently that is exactly my type.

Five very easy stars from me. I absolutely loved this one.

[Ali Bourikas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give the second book in this duet a solid 8/10. I love Lauren Green’s books. They are fun, dangerous, dark, and when need be sexy. Greene always seems to find a way to create characters that you can’t help but fall in love with, and want to see end up with their HEA. Knox is no different. Book one has you rooting for the character. He’s not perfect, and he’s certainly abrasive, and rough around the edges, but that’s half of his charm. While his brother, Owen, is made to appear like the perfect brother, we quickly realize in book two that was hardly the case.

Book 2 starts right where book 1 left off, in the middle of a serious betrayal. Unfortunately, the betrayal at the end of book 1 left an uphill battle for me to start liking Knox again. If it weren’t for the last page of book 1 I would have said that The Space Between was a near perfect book. But Knox’s actions in that last scene, literally made me not want him to get the girl. And he had to work extra hard for me to want them to end up together again. We did get there eventually, but it made the start of the book harder for me that I think it should have been.

The climax of the book is fast past, and gets the reader to that satisfying ending. Bad guys taken care of, and in jail. But it almost felt like we got there too quickly. I wanted to see more of the action, and danger. This happened in the climax of her Vengeful Hearts trilogy as well, wrapping up too quickly.

That being said, this duet is dark, dangerous, and a must read for anyone who loves dark romance, and morally grey characters. I know I’ll be reading whatever she puts out next.

[Lorena Garcia -- Brittany's Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

We start off where we left off from the first book and to be honest, I wasn't as thrilled as I was with the first book. I thought we would get more suspense, more romance in this book but I feel like it fell on those two departments. Don't get me wrong, I still thought it was good, it just didn't lead to where I wish it would.

Knox and Sawyer have had a long love harbored for each other but never acted on it until after everything that went down with her current boyfriend Owen (who was Konx's brother). But we did learn secrets that Owen held with Knox's girlfriend that they tried to hide from everyone. But in the end, it all came to light.

Knox was being forced to do the last thing he wanted as that was to marry the Moretti daughter, although neither one loved to each other but had to move on with the wedding, per Mr. Moretti's instructions. Knox continued to see Sawyer behind everyone's back but they both knew that in order to continue this and openly then needed to get to the bottom of what the bad men that caused the roller coaster to break down and and kill people.

As Knox and Sawyer go through all their investigation, they find a way to get back to them ... and boy do they get back to them.

Once the dust has settled and they got what they want, now Sawyer and Knox can live happily in pure sight and not have to hide their feelings for anyone.

I thought it was a great book, even though it didn't give me exactly what I wanted and still leave me with some unanswered questions.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

After THAT cliffhanger in The Space Between Heartbeats, I needed this book immediately, and I loved the way Lauren Greene wrapped up Sawyer and Knox’s story.

This one definitely delivered differently than book one. The first book had me on the edge of my seat with everything happening, while this one gave me the answers I had been waiting for. We finally get more of the backstory, the family secrets start coming out, and so many things from the first book finally make sense.

But my favorite part was Sawyer and Knox. I loved seeing them actually work together and communicate instead of constantly fighting what they both already knew—they love each other and they want to be together. Their banter was still there, their chemistry was still there, but their relationship also had so much growth.

And SAWYER! I loved her growth in this book. By the end, she was finally standing up for herself and putting her foot down. She knew what she wanted, she knew what she deserved, and she wasn’t going to let everyone else make decisions about her life anymore. I loved seeing that side of her.

There were still secrets, twists, and plenty of messy family drama, but this really felt like the book where everything finally came together. After everything Sawyer and Knox went through in these two books, I was so satisfied with where Lauren Greene left them.

Such a great conclusion to the duet. She really did Sawyer and Knox justice.

[Susan (Purplegalaxyreads94) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Huge thank you to Lauren Greene for the gifted eARC of The Quiet After The Fall to read and provide my honest, spoiler free review.

My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

My Thoughts:
I was an arc reader for the first book in this free fall duet and I was left emotionally damaged….so of course I had to be a part of book two!

This entire duet is definitely going to be one of my all time favorite duets that I have ever read. The sheer amount of times I’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster with both of these books has been way more than I expected. I love that this second installment was just as dark and difficult to read as the first book.

You definitely need to read the first book to understand everything that’s going on but I loved that this started right where the first one ended. There is so much to unpack with the cliffhanger as well as how it plays out in this second part. Knox and Sawyer have been through so much from book one that definitely carries into this second book. There are so many forces against these two characters but seeing them fight for each other and fight for themselves has been so inspiring.

Yes there are times I was so mad at Knox, yes Knox and sawyer did some questionable things that may seem toxic but as a reader, you will understand why. Just seeing their overall character development meant the world to me and I’m so happy I got to experience this duet for myself.

[Nikki B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Quiet After the Fall was one of my most anticipated reads this year. After reading book 1, I was hooked. This is book 2 in the Free Fall Duet and you do need to read book 1 to understand what's happening here.
My heart was hurting so much for Sawyer after book 1. The regret and guilt she would have to live with after the accident that took Owen was devastating for her. But the things she learned about Owen and Ella here, the lies, the deceit, the thinking everything was perfect when it was just an act... it was a lot. And then there's Knox, always saying one thing, but doing another, always pushing her away with words but pulling her in with actions. I'd hate to be living Sawyers life. With all that being said, is Knox still not the best option for her? Probably not. But do they still undoubtedly want each other anyway, knowing all the things they both know now? Absolutely.
I guess the trauma did bring them closer together, but I don't think the trauma played that much into it. The incident did make it more convenient for Knox and Sawyer to be together, but if Owen was still around, life for Sawyer would have probably continued as normal with her believing things were perfect between her and Owen, and Knox continuing to be cruel and keep her at a distance. All this while knowing deep down they want each other and probable aways have wanted each other.
This story consumed me and I have to say this duet comes in at probably one of my top 3 best read this year. There was something so addicting about this story that it stayed with me and I am so sad that it's over. I can't wait to see what Lauren has for us next because I don't think anything could top this duet for me.

[Viv Potter · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m honestly so glad I got the chance to read The Quiet After the Fall because I have been obsessed with Knox and Sawyer ever since The Space Between Heartbeats. After that ending, I NEEDed to know what was going to happen next, and this book definitely gave me the emotional rollercoaster I was expecting. 😂

Knox and Sawyer’s relationship is messy, complicated, and full of so many emotions. There’s definitely hurt, tension, secrets, and plenty of moments where I wanted to yell at both of them, but I also loved watching them work through everything and slowly figure out what they actually wanted. Their connection is what kept me invested the entire time.

I also really loved how much this book focused on the complicated family dynamics and everything the characters were dealing with outside of their relationship. It made the story feel like more than just the romance, and I definitely felt ALL the emotions right along with them.

And yes… it’s spicy 🌶️🌶️ 👀

Overall, I really enjoyed getting to finish Knox and Sawyer’s story. This duet has definitely stuck with me, and I’m going to miss these characters now that their story is over. The Quiet After the Fall was an emotional, messy, angsty conclusion that gave me the closure I needed.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ARC/Beta read — thank you for letting me be part of this release!

[Kate Pazanin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Quiet After the Fall by Lauren Greene
Free Fall Duet #2
Book two of the Free Fall Duet takes us even deeper into Sawyer’s story, and this one is all about the aftermath.
Sawyer’s journey through trauma, grief, and betrayal was heartbreaking at times. She’s carrying so much, and watching her try to figure out how to move forward while still being weighed down by everything that happened made this book incredibly emotional.
What I loved most was that her healing wasn’t easy or instant. Sawyer has to face her grief, work through the betrayal, and slowly learn that accepting love doesn’t mean forgetting the hurt or pretending the past didn’t happen. It means allowing someone to be there for her even when her instinct is to shut everyone out.
There’s pain, anger, grief, forgiveness, and ultimately hope. This was a strong and emotional conclusion to the duet, and I really enjoyed watching Sawyer’s growth and seeing her begin to accept that she deserves love despite everything she’s been through.

[Marci Crawford · Rating 4 out of 5]

There was grief, pain, deception, lies, and heartbreak. Sawyer does not forgive Knox easily, and honestly, I loved that she made him work for it.
The whole boyfriend’s-brother situation + the arranged marriage scheme + all the family lies coming out made this such an intense read. Book one in the duet was an emotional ride, and book two is likely going to be a love-it-or-hate-it situation because these characters have zero morals. 😂

I didn’t have a problem with what was going on because books take us places we would never go, and I appreciate the entertainment factor. That said, I can understand that some readers may have triggers around some of these events, so this may not work for everyone.

I really enjoyed this duet. The story was messy, traumatic, and just the right amount of chaotic, and it kept me turning the pages to see how everything would turn out.

I did think the ending was a little quick, but I also didn’t really want to sit through a bunch of legal drama, so… 🤷‍♀️ It was fine!

Thank you to the author for the advanced copy!

[Tor Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the incredible opportunity to beta read this story and I just got done arc reading and I swear I could read this duet over and over again. I am so obsessed with this story.

5/5 ⭐️ 3/5 🌶️

Whew. Where do I even begin?! I love this duet SO much. Knox and Sawyer took my heart out and put it back together again. I LOVED the story between these two and how much it kept me on my toes. Yes it was so emotional but also had so many obstacles thrown their way that they had to overcome. And Knox would do ANYTHING for his girl. Not giving a fuck about the consequences. And I looooooved that about him. I’m sorry but he was always the better choice 😳🙌🏼

I love the way Lauren writes her spice and it’s always put at the perfect moments. Knox is a certified yearner but this man will talk you THROUUUUGH it. Your honor, I am so down bad. I love him.

I have to say this duet has easily become one of my favorites and I can’t recommend this enough.

[Cheyanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS ONE SINCE The Space Between Heartbeats, and it picks up right where we left off.
This duet brings ALL the heartache. The grief. The trauma. And that reminder that just because the immediate pain is over doesn't mean you stop carrying it. Grief lingers, trauma lingers, and sometimes it finds its way into our life in ways we least expect.

Sawyer is done making herself small to fit into the version of her everyone else expects. And Knox is finally ready to close something for himself instead of constantly giving away pieces of himself trying to fix everyone else.

And Knox? After years of keeping pieces of himself locked away trying to fix everyone else's mkstakes watching him finally stop being quiet about what he wants and take it.
The hurt, the comfort, the tension, the forbiddenness… with it you also get sweet moments, banter and spice. I loved this duet 🖤

[Tiarra · Rating 5 out of 5]

After a tragedy struck and they try to kindle a relationship after grief, Sawyer finds herself grieving after Knox once again without fully having him, when she runs from a scene she didnt want to watch go down. Knox finds everyway back to her even telling her down to the bone truth. With them together and alive, they hope to find the truth about their families and what really happend that day to Sawyers love and Knox's brother.
You couldnt get a love thats deeper than theirs and the author made sure you felt it between them. They needed this ending because they sure didnt get a good beginning of one at all.
"Every heartbeat since the accident has been borrowed time, and Ive spent every single one of them thinking about you. I'm done waiting. I fell for you and I've been in freefall for years, and I'm so fucking tired of being quiet about it."
"The two survivors with their shared trauma who fell in love "

[Hamail Haider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did I find the fact that almost everyone in this book is a cheater disturbing? Yes, yes I did.
Did I love the book? Also very much yes.
Knox and Sawyer are both messed up and complicated people, dealing with the sudden loss of Owen and all the trauma that came from the accident. So yes, they do some questionable stuff and make some fucked up decisions. That's kind of the whole point of the book. Ella annoyed me to no end with the martyr act; she and Owen were also fucked up for cheating, yet she has the audacity to get mad at Knox for a wedding he never wanted in the first place.
I loved Knox and Sawyer's relationship in this book. They've gone through so much, and the ending was well-deserved. Was the twist at the end surprising? No. Did it feel good to read? Absolutely.
So yeah, loved the book. It was an amazing conclusion to the trauma filled journey and I loved each and every minute of it. Can't wait for more from the author!!

[Lesa Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review

Knox and Sawyer get their HEA after a bumpy ride. The twist and turns that come are ones you really don’t see coming. The spicy moments are so spicy and top tier. Knox in all stalkerish moments and grovelling in his knees for Sawyer where he belongs. Those slutty glasses he has. Drool worthy. Sawyer standing her ground as long as she can with him let’s face it when you got a hot MMC stalking you that you’ve been spicy with in the past there is only so long you can hold off before you say “Fuck it” and give back in.

Gia being the side character we never knew we needed in this duet. Her humor and antics were so amazing. Poor Ella but at the same time it’s almost as if Ella knew more than she let on. I loved how Knox’s mom was essentially on Sawyers side towards the end.


Perfect conclusion to the duet.

[Jilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

After that cliffhanger in The Space Between Heartbeats...I needed to finish this. I needed it like I needed air to breathe and oh boy did this deliver.

The first book was hard, this one definitely was too but in a different way.

It was painful in many ways but the way they shifted from fighting against each other to actually communicating, throw in some unsuspecting allies, twists and a conclusion that tied everything together.

Favorite quote:

"Every heartbeat since the accident has been borrowed time, and I've spent every single one of them thinking about you. I'm done waiting: I fell for you and I've been in freefall for years”

Tropes:
✨Toxic Relationship
✨Hurt/Comfort
✨Stalker-ish MMC
✨Banter
✨Forbidden Love
✨Yearning
✨Shared Trauma
✨Complex family dynamics

Definitely need to read book one to understand the dynamics and everything that has happened.

[Tori Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎢𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℚ𝕦𝕚𝕖𝕥 𝔸𝕗𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔽𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕪 𝕃𝕒𝕦𝕣𝕖𝕟 𝔾𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕟𝕖🎢

✨ℕ𝕠𝕨 𝕃𝕚𝕧𝕖✨

𝔸ℝℂ ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️ 1/2

I’d been waiting impatiently for this book after that cliffhanger ending of book one! I left book one being pissed off at Knox and feeling so bad for Sawyer. This book picks up immediately where book one ended and it was a toxic roller coaster of emotions until the last page!

Sawyer is trying to leave the past behind and build a life for herself by going back to school to become a paralegal, making some friends and attempting to ignore Knox and pretend he’s not the most important person in her life. Knox is in the middle of so much toxic family drama that was forced on him by his father. He keeps withholding the truth from Sawyer in an attempt to keep her safe but it’s not working because he refuses to give her up! They have to try and overcome all these lies and toxic arrangements made by their families so they can finally have their happy ending!

I absolutely loved the angst between Knox and Sawyer even though it was frustrating at times. Knox just couldn’t stay away from her even though the stakes were high. OMG & that spicy scene on the roller coaster was so freaking good!!! I also really loved Sawyer’s new friend Gia, she was the highlight of this book! Pretty much all of the parents in this book were awful!

There were some things that were frustrating in this book. I wish there was more information about Ella and Owen’s relationship plus the ending didn’t wrap up the whole situation very well & was rushed. I definitely think this book is more of a romantic suspense rather than a true dark romance.

Overall, I really enjoyed this duet as a whole and I only wish that book two was wrapped up better and had a little bit more darkness to it. I definitely think this duet is perfect for someone who enjoys romantic suspense!

[Neia Quaintance · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 2 of the duet. U have to read book 1 before u read this book it starts off where book 1 ends

This book picks up with all the secrets, trauma, and unresolved feelings along with heartbreak. So when Sawyer ran, she thought she could move on with her life and go to college and make something of herself to become a paralegal but Knox doesn't give up so fast, especially when it comes to Sawyer. Everyone is grieving the loss of Owen, and Knox's dad Richard is makin him have an arranged marriage to Ella even thou he is clearly in love with Sawyer, but this is so they can have their families for a business arrangement but Ella doesn't know that is an arranged marriage. This was a good read, but if u don't like cheating, a triangle full of secrets, this one isn't for u, but if it doesn't bother u ur gonna wanna read this deut.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sawyer is trying to move on after the aftermath of the first book, but Knox has other plans. He can't let her move on as he needs her in his life. Now Knox will have to prove himself to her to win her back and get out of the mess he put himself in. 💔

The first book in the series was an absolute favorite, filled with incredible emotions and a cliffhanger that left me desperate for more! However, this sequel, for me, didn't quite hit the mark. The back-and-forth between characters felt a bit much, and I found myself losing the plot and, consequently, my interest. That said, the ending was beautifully written, and while it wasn't my cup of tea, you might just love it! Thanks for the ARC opportunity! 📚📖

[Dani · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝐼’𝓋𝑒 𝓈𝓅𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓎𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓈 𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓇𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓈𝒸𝓇𝒶𝓅𝓈 𝑜𝒻 𝓎𝑜𝓊. 𝐼’𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝒶𝓀𝑒 𝓌𝒽𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝑔𝒾𝓋𝑒 𝓂𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒷𝑒𝑔 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝓂𝑜𝓇𝑒. 𝐼 𝒹𝑜𝓃’𝓉 𝒽𝒶𝓋𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝓎 𝓅𝓇𝒾𝒹𝑒 𝓁𝑒𝒻𝓉 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊’𝓇𝑒 𝒸𝑜𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓇𝓃𝑒𝒹.”

I am completely silent after this one…the only thing you can hear is my jaw hitting the floor.

Lauren really said let me make book two INSANE! I fell in love with Sawyer and Knox in book 1 but book 2 they stole my heart. Their grief and survivors guilt was so real and raw in this one. Their inner monologues were spot on for how I imagine I would feel after their traumas.

But Knox really stole my heart when he had to make that phone call to protect Sawyer. 😭😭😭
Right in the feels!

Either way read book 1 if you haven’t and if you have add this one and snag it on release day 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰


♾️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Jamie McKell Mattson · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars for me for this whole series!

The second book was just as good with even more yearning that I wasn’t prepared for. It was hard to wait for this book after the cliff hanger from the last book but it was worth the wait. The way Knox did everything he could to fix things and make it so him and Sawyer could be together was everything I needed from this MMC. The story had a good flow and was unpredictable at points. I only wish we got to see more of their happily ever after.

If you love books with guys who yearn. Who would tear the world apart for the one they love and even stalk them when they are blocked this book is for you. Knox is such a good book boyfriend and has his redemption in this book.