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Love at Knockdown #0.5
Knock Me Down
Can true love happen after thirty-five? Absolutely. But you might need to fall on your ass to find it.
When Will Strauss went out to hear a band, he didn’t expect to get knocked down during a political argument. He also couldn’t have known that the (possible) greatest love of his life would arrive on the scene in the form of a gorgeous, charmingly grumpy brunette almost a head taller than his 5’4”. If only he’d gotten her number...
A second chance meeting and one very good date, though, just might be the beginning of something beautiful.
KNOCK ME DOWN is a high-heat “how they met” romance short story featuring a pan guy falling head over heels, a straight gal who needs to choose a new career because she’s realized being an ethical cop is untenable, and more than one incident requiring first aid.
Content warnings are available in the story's front matter and on the author's website.
Previously available via the author's newsletter. No major edits.
When Will Strauss went out to hear a band, he didn’t expect to get knocked down during a political argument. He also couldn’t have known that the (possible) greatest love of his life would arrive on the scene in the form of a gorgeous, charmingly grumpy brunette almost a head taller than his 5’4”. If only he’d gotten her number...
A second chance meeting and one very good date, though, just might be the beginning of something beautiful.
KNOCK ME DOWN is a high-heat “how they met” romance short story featuring a pan guy falling head over heels, a straight gal who needs to choose a new career because she’s realized being an ethical cop is untenable, and more than one incident requiring first aid.
Content warnings are available in the story's front matter and on the author's website.
Previously available via the author's newsletter. No major edits.
ebook
First published November 1, 2020
2 people are currently reading
175 people want to read
About the author
Skye Kilaen
19 books380 followersSkye Kilaen is a bi author who writes contemporary & science fiction romance that is sometimes polyamorous, focusing on sapphic stories, queer M+F, and bi and pan main characters.
She also sends out a monthly newsletter highlighting new & recent self-published and small press queer romances that look particularly promising but might fly under the radar. Sign up on her website, your TBR will thank you!
Skye currently lives in Austin, Texas because it has so many libraries and breakfast tacos.
She also sends out a monthly newsletter highlighting new & recent self-published and small press queer romances that look particularly promising but might fly under the radar. Sign up on her website, your TBR will thank you!
Skye currently lives in Austin, Texas because it has so many libraries and breakfast tacos.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
June 19, 2021
3.5 Stars
Apparently F/M is a trope I didn’t know existed, and this was quirky cute as Will falls for Nora lightning quick. Though not a physical dynamic that calls to me, this short was fascinating to witness. Pretty much all the points go towards unabashed confident Will in the face of amazon goddess Nora. Enjoy!
Apparently F/M is a trope I didn’t know existed, and this was quirky cute as Will falls for Nora lightning quick. Though not a physical dynamic that calls to me, this short was fascinating to witness. Pretty much all the points go towards unabashed confident Will in the face of amazon goddess Nora. Enjoy!
December 16, 2020
Short and straightforward romance.
I received a copy of this book from the author and am leaving an honest review.
This book is the prequel short story to the Love at Knockdown Series, featuring the romance between the oldest of the three Curiel sisters, Nora and pansexual guy Will. Because Kilaen’s books are so diversified in terms of queer pairings, it may hard for one person to enjoy them all equally. And this is one of those books that I find it hard to get into but I still read it because it is part of a series that I adore. And I can rate this objectively.
This is a short and straightforward romance with no surprises, no angst, no twists and no turns. Will meets cop Nora after a bar brawl and falls in love with her at first sight. Nora is grumpy and macho and is a head taller than Will. She is also extremely hot, so Will tries to hit on her and they go on a date. In the entire duration of this book, Will and Nora meet only four times so it was too quick for me to fall in love with the characters or for the two of them to develop any real feelings for each other for that matter.
That being said, Will is absolutely adorable and I think of him as a cute, innocent, tiny puppy-like man. And the complete opposite of Nora's hot, grumpy, alpha woman in a uniform. And the "traditional gender role" reversal plays out very cleverly throughout the entire book and that was refreshing to read.
Love at Knockdown is an interesting series to look out for. This prequel is a short, cute and funny story that some people will like. But this was much too short and superficial for me. I absolutely loved Get It Right, her other book featuring the pan youngest sister Vivi and butch Finn. And I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series Shake Things Up about a polyamorous relationship involving the other sister Allie, her boyfriend Matt and another woman.
I received a copy of this book from the author and am leaving an honest review.
This book is the prequel short story to the Love at Knockdown Series, featuring the romance between the oldest of the three Curiel sisters, Nora and pansexual guy Will. Because Kilaen’s books are so diversified in terms of queer pairings, it may hard for one person to enjoy them all equally. And this is one of those books that I find it hard to get into but I still read it because it is part of a series that I adore. And I can rate this objectively.
This is a short and straightforward romance with no surprises, no angst, no twists and no turns. Will meets cop Nora after a bar brawl and falls in love with her at first sight. Nora is grumpy and macho and is a head taller than Will. She is also extremely hot, so Will tries to hit on her and they go on a date. In the entire duration of this book, Will and Nora meet only four times so it was too quick for me to fall in love with the characters or for the two of them to develop any real feelings for each other for that matter.
That being said, Will is absolutely adorable and I think of him as a cute, innocent, tiny puppy-like man. And the complete opposite of Nora's hot, grumpy, alpha woman in a uniform. And the "traditional gender role" reversal plays out very cleverly throughout the entire book and that was refreshing to read.
Love at Knockdown is an interesting series to look out for. This prequel is a short, cute and funny story that some people will like. But this was much too short and superficial for me. I absolutely loved Get It Right, her other book featuring the pan youngest sister Vivi and butch Finn. And I am eagerly awaiting the next book in the series Shake Things Up about a polyamorous relationship involving the other sister Allie, her boyfriend Matt and another woman.
January 19, 2021
I liked reading about Nora and Will's beginning and how the cafe started. I'm interested in reading about the other characters. This is an easy read and very straightforward.
December 21, 2020
I read an early copy I received from the author. This in no way influences my review; all words, thoughts, and opinions are my own.
Holy smokes, this is adorable and precious and hilarious and SO GOOD! I laughed throughout reading this short story and it brought so much joy to my day!
Reread, Dec 21, 2020: I really adore this book. Will is such a disaster, but how smitten he is over Nora from the first moment can’t help but bring a giant smile to my face. This is such a fun, sweet little story and it’s definitely one of my happy-place reads~
Holy smokes, this is adorable and precious and hilarious and SO GOOD! I laughed throughout reading this short story and it brought so much joy to my day!
Reread, Dec 21, 2020: I really adore this book. Will is such a disaster, but how smitten he is over Nora from the first moment can’t help but bring a giant smile to my face. This is such a fun, sweet little story and it’s definitely one of my happy-place reads~
January 2, 2021
3.5/5
A fun, cute, adorable, and hilarious story about Will and Nora! A great opening for the next book and a "to be continued" for Nora and Will.
A fun, cute, adorable, and hilarious story about Will and Nora! A great opening for the next book and a "to be continued" for Nora and Will.
June 6, 2021
Loved this short story! It's available for free in ebook form on Kilaen's website if you subscribe to her newsletter, and I had to seek it out immediately after finishing Get It Right. Will is such a delightful pansexual, accident-prone disaster, and watching Nora warm up to him is lovely. Kilaen says at the end of the book that "their love story is too straightforward to make a full-length book," but I would read the heck out of a novel or series of short stories about them. I'll try not to be greedy, though, because they also show up in Get It Right and are precious there too.
September 28, 2020
Okay...yes this is an m/f novella, yes I loved it! This has the cutest tiny cinnamon roll pan guy who loves wearing cowboy hats/tall, hot, muscly ice queen dynamic and I'm in love with them!! Also this has one of the most realistic sex scenes I've ever read - the character's are clumsy, funny, nervous and I just really appreciated all of it! I wish this was a full length novel because I need more of them (especially when you end it on something about pegging lmao!!!). I really hope they make significant appearances in Get It Right because I miss them already! Skye Kilaen's writing just keeps getting better and better and I can't wait to read book 1 in this new series (also the cover is gorgeous! I can't wait for it to be released tomorrow)!
Thanks to the author for a free ARC copy of this!
Thanks to the author for a free ARC copy of this!
June 19, 2021
Muito fofinho esse conto AAA. O protagonista pan todo bobão por um mulherão aff amei o trope
March 16, 2022
Knock Me Down (Love at Knockdown #0.5) by Skye Kilaen My only problem is this was so short. I guess I need to read the next one. This was cute, humorous, and straight to the point. A no angst simple romance between Nora and Will, one straight and the other Pansexual. A fun read when you only have a limited amount of time.
December 15, 2023
3.5 stars. Cute, very low-conflict romance between a pan guy opening a coffee shop and straight cop questioning her career.
#SnowInLoveBingo - hot beverage
#SnowInLoveBingo - hot beverage
August 19, 2025
This was such a wonderful novella! There was just the right amount of plot for this shorter format, but the characters still felt vividly fully-formed. The chemistry between Will and Nora was tangible from the get-go, and it was so much fun watching them barrel towards each other.
I also appreciated that even though it’s a short story, we still got to explore the characters’ morals and ethics, and watch them start to make life-changing decisions based on those positions. It made the whole story feel much more fleshed-out and gave it an extra dimension.
This is a really lovely addition to the ‘Love at Knockdown’ series, perfect for either getting into the series for the first time, or as an additional prequel once you’ve enjoyed the novels!
I received a free copy via the author’s ARC programme.
I also appreciated that even though it’s a short story, we still got to explore the characters’ morals and ethics, and watch them start to make life-changing decisions based on those positions. It made the whole story feel much more fleshed-out and gave it an extra dimension.
This is a really lovely addition to the ‘Love at Knockdown’ series, perfect for either getting into the series for the first time, or as an additional prequel once you’ve enjoyed the novels!
I received a free copy via the author’s ARC programme.
January 18, 2022
Ahhh, this was really nice short story!!! I like seeing four different meets between them, and how they grow together, and how their relationship is developing over those four meets - they're cute and sweet!!! It also deals really well with their insecurities and preconceived ideas from previous partners, and then I really like that the author had the space to talk about the systemic problems with the police (also always appreciate that the author includes content warnings in the beginning)
(I received this book from the author in exchange of an honest review :) )
(I received this book from the author in exchange of an honest review :) )
September 3, 2022
Nice and quick read about Will and Nora, but would suggest reading about it after reading at least "Get it Right" ! It's better as a cute addition than starting with this short story.
It's nice to know more about the start of the KnockDown coffee, and the start of Will and Nora's story. It was a good way to write down their story as the times they met, and while it's still a very fast "I've falling for you" kind of romance, it's still cute. I liked getting more about Nora and more of her personality than what we got from both Vivi and Allie's stories.
It's nice to know more about the start of the KnockDown coffee, and the start of Will and Nora's story. It was a good way to write down their story as the times they met, and while it's still a very fast "I've falling for you" kind of romance, it's still cute. I liked getting more about Nora and more of her personality than what we got from both Vivi and Allie's stories.
October 4, 2020
From my mom point of view, Will is adorable! This quick, light, fun read was the perfect addition to a relaxing sit in the sun. While the author claims there was not enough for a whole book the characters do briefly appear in the next novella (Get It Right - still just as adorable!). I had quite a few smiles while I was reading!
April 7, 2022
This felt like more than just a short story. I like the structure and a lot gets packed in. These are fully realised characters. I really appreciate the generosity of the author in making this a freebie reward for signing up to her newsletter.
October 28, 2023
Read for the height difference, love a short guy. The style and pacing wasn't quite my cup of tea tho. I enjoy short stories of all lengths but this just felt like an outline of story.
2.5/5 rounding up to 3
2.5/5 rounding up to 3
December 11, 2020
Cute meet-cute/meet-disaster short story. I liked Nora and Will a lot, and I liked how the big police issue was addressed.
CW discussion of police brutality and pan/biphobia
CW discussion of police brutality and pan/biphobia
Read
June 20, 2021
Trigger & Content Warnings
Homomisia mentioned
Mild physical injury
Police violence discussed
Death of a mother
Bullying recounted
Homomisia mentioned
Mild physical injury
Police violence discussed
Death of a mother
Bullying recounted
August 17, 2021
An adorable romance. Will is incredibly charming.
October 29, 2021
A really lovely m/f love story - featuring two queer characters, who fit really well together. I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed this story, and what a breath of fresh air it was.
Kindle.
Kindle.
February 6, 2022
I would have LOVED to have their whole story, but I know how it ends and accordingly to Skye herself it went too smoothly to need it's own book so Hurrah for that!
February 22, 2022
Honestly this was just very cute and enjoyable and short! And weirdly enough the sex scene worked for me, as they usually don't in novellas. ❤️
August 15, 2022
The only cop romance I love unreservedly
March 18, 2023
This was so cute, i'm in love with these two.
April 28, 2023
What an adorable short story!
December 16, 2020
This was very cute but almost a bit... not rushed exactly but I can't think of a better word for it right now. Every now and then I would have liked a bit... more. Pretty much everything went by pretty smoothly - which is fine in a way, but I would have liked to get more context for things. Like more about Nora's wrestling with her chosen career. Or about the fight. I don't necessarily mean I would have liked more conflict in the story as it was happening, but at least a little bit more of a peek into how there had been conflict that was now being resolved.
However, all I'm missing from this is something I can easily fill in on my own, and it's not really a major problem or anything. It just would have been more satisfying to read certain developments if there was more context.
Not sure why I started with the negatives, but apparently that's how I do this now. Anyway, since I read this after reading Get It Right I was already on board with this relationship, especially Will as a person. He's basically the personification of a pure cinnamon roll queer and he needs to be protected at all costs. (I mean, he literally does, he's constantly injured.) I liked the sex. I liked that I got a sense that these characters are actually fully fleshed characters that I haven't gotten to see much of yet. I liked the chapter opening sentences - for some reason those really worked for this story. I don't know. I mostly liked it, but I don't really have that much to say about what I liked, you know? It's basically what you would want from a good, cute prequel short story.
However, all I'm missing from this is something I can easily fill in on my own, and it's not really a major problem or anything. It just would have been more satisfying to read certain developments if there was more context.
Not sure why I started with the negatives, but apparently that's how I do this now. Anyway, since I read this after reading Get It Right I was already on board with this relationship, especially Will as a person. He's basically the personification of a pure cinnamon roll queer and he needs to be protected at all costs. (I mean, he literally does, he's constantly injured.) I liked the sex. I liked that I got a sense that these characters are actually fully fleshed characters that I haven't gotten to see much of yet. I liked the chapter opening sentences - for some reason those really worked for this story. I don't know. I mostly liked it, but I don't really have that much to say about what I liked, you know? It's basically what you would want from a good, cute prequel short story.
July 12, 2023
#0.5 knock me down ★★★☆☆
#1 get it right ★★☆☆☆
i kinda wish this was a longer, more fleshed out story
content/trigger warnings; discussion of police violence, explicit sexual content, injury, mentions of past bullying, mentions of past homophobia, mentions of past death of loved one, mentions of past parentification of child,
rep; will (mc) is pansexual.
this is so short (about 20 pages) that i honestly don't have much to say, other than i like the characters (hello disaster pansexual will) and their dynamic, and wish there was more to really connect with them and their romance.
#1 get it right ★★☆☆☆
i kinda wish this was a longer, more fleshed out story
content/trigger warnings; discussion of police violence, explicit sexual content, injury, mentions of past bullying, mentions of past homophobia, mentions of past death of loved one, mentions of past parentification of child,
rep; will (mc) is pansexual.
this is so short (about 20 pages) that i honestly don't have much to say, other than i like the characters (hello disaster pansexual will) and their dynamic, and wish there was more to really connect with them and their romance.
September 6, 2023
This was a little to cut up for me to get into the flow. Will's "voice" also did not totally work for me.
Still, there is something endearing about Will's fumbling pursuit and their interactions. I really enjoyed the non-traditional partner roles.
Still, there is something endearing about Will's fumbling pursuit and their interactions. I really enjoyed the non-traditional partner roles.
February 9, 2022
This is the short guy tall gal romance of my dreams. So stinkin' CUTE. And thoughtful, and considerate, and funny, and lighthearted, but mostly, CUTE.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews