Things We Never Got Over By Lucy Score

Description

As kids, Milo Jackson and Sadie Miller were best friends. They went on secret clubhouse adventures and got hurt together. But in their final year, one betrayal broke their friendship. Sadie ran away from Jackson Falls because of guilt and gossip, but Milo stuck behind, his heart devastated and his trust permanently broken. Ten years later, tragedy brings Sadie back. Her estranged father’s health concern makes her go back, and with her homecoming comes the ghosts of the life and love she left behind.

Sadie wants to make up for her mistakes, so she volunteers at Milo’s nonprofit community center, where he spent his time helping others to deal with his own pain. Milo, now a well-known restaurant owner and pillar of the community, greets her with short, courteous words. He hides the pain that drove his charity bakery’s pay-it-forward breakfasts and after-school activities. Every time they spend time together in the rec hall, which used to be their secret hideout, old sparks fly again, but the unspoken tension is still there: can two people who used to break each other ever fix things?

Lucy Score takes readers to the winter streets of Jackson Falls, where Mrs. Carver, the insistent librarian; Dev, Milo’s sarcastic best friend; and Jenny, Sadie’s surprising ally, all lend humor and heart to the reunion. As they plan the event, which includes everything from making ice sculptures to setting up a hot cocoa charity stand, Milo and Sadie find their connection again. Late-night planning sessions turn into confessions over spilled cocoa, and shared successes in unexpected volunteer victories remind them of why they used to be inseparable.

Score looks at how community and forgiving oneself can change a person’s life, in addition to their love story. Sadie faces her anxiety of being turned down in group therapy at the center, while Milo learns how to ask for help during the busiest brunch rush at his cafe. Scenes of writing in a journal and writing letters to their old selves that make them feel sad show the concepts of self-worth and atonement. An op-ed by the editor of the town’s newspaper takes the community’s healing full circle. It celebrates the couple’s strength and encourages readers to believe in second chances.

Their emotional peak happens under the old oak tree where they etched their initials years ago. Sadie exposes all she’s done in a visceral, tear-stained fight. Milo has to decide whether to protect his heart or accept the vulnerability he was afraid of. Their reunion, which was full of shaking hands and whispered “I forgive yous,” breaks the stillness that almost killed both of them. It shows that some scars, when acknowledged, can become the basis for deeper love.

Jackson Falls is full of hope again by the end of the winter festival. Milo and Sadie have dealt with loss, remorse, and the unknown territory of forgiveness. Now they promise to rebuild together, both the town’s cherished traditions and their own broken hearts. Things We Never Got Over is a moving tribute to the bravery it takes to face the past, the healing that comes from being vulnerable with others, and the lasting strength of love to overcome even the worst betrayals.

About the Author

Lucy Score is a USA Today bestselling author celebrated for her heartfelt contemporary romances set in small‑town America. Her stories capture the humor, heartache, and hope of second‑chance love, earning her millions of devoted fans worldwide. She resides in Ohio with her family and rescue dogs.

Product Details

• Title: Things We Never Got Over
• Author: Lucy Score
• ISBN‑13: 9781945631832
• Publisher: Montlake
• Published: January 11, 2022
• Pages: 352
• Binding: Paperpack