CW: Sexism; classism; fire/explosions
After being a bit let down by
Heartbreaker, I was worried that
Knockout wouldn’t live up to the hype. But, oh my god, was this such a fun, exhilarating ride with an explosively sexy romance! I loved the vibes of Tommy and Imogen’s relationship – it feels like
Sarah MacLean watched
Miss Scarlet and the Duke and thought, “But what if they HAVE SEX?” and I was HERE FOR IT.
Believe the hype – the romance in this is 🔥🔥🔥. I absolutely could not get enough of Tommy and Imogen. They’re both so far gone for each other, and I LOVED how she could perfectly get under his skin and push his buttons. The chemistry and banter between them was electric, and I was living for the scenes with the two of them. Tommy has no idea what he’s in for with Imogen, as she’s constantly trying his patience, but we all know he secretly loves her. But once they kiss, there is no denying the explosion between them. This book is incredibly sexy, as Imogen and Tommy want each other so badly, but it’s also incredibly romantic. The emotions between them were so genuine, lush, and raw. The relationship developed perfectly, and seeing these two fall in love and find their perfect match felt exhilarating.
Tommy really does go BOOM 💥 in this book. Tommy has this perfectly ordered life and thrives on routine, yet Imogen tends to bring chaos, disorder, and the unexpected with her. He’s thoroughly exasperated by Imogen but in the best possible way. And Tommy cannot help but be intrigued by her as he knows she is brilliant and she’s helped him with a case more than once. He’s got a very strong moral compass and believes in justice, and wants to help those who need it. Growing up in the East End of London, he’s worked hard to get to where he is as one of the best Detective Inspectors in Scotland Yard. He’s got this hard and rigid exterior, but he so easily comes undone by Imogen. I also loved how protective and loyal he is to those he cares about, even if that does get tested. However, I also wanted to shake him at times as he gets it into his head that he is so inferior to Lady Imogen and she would never want a man like him. He’s so stubborn on this point, and I was just like, BOY, GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR BUTT because Imogen is the last person in the world who cares about class.
I was so excited to learn more about Imogen, as she always was a bit on the periphery in the other books in the series. We knew she had a knack for explosives and tended to show up in the most unlikely situations, but I couldn’t wait to dive into her backstory. I absolutely loved her once I got to know her. Imogen’s always been told she’s “too much” and odd. My heart ached for a bit as she was on her own after her father died, as her brother is 100% the opposite of her and seems to take no interest in her. It wasn’t until she found the Belles that she found her place. There is no denying that Imogen is brilliant, and if she was a man, she would have been celebrated instead of looked down upon for her scientific interests. I love how hard she is willing to fight for those who cannot fight for themselves and how strongly she believes in the work she is doing with the Belles. And I am so glad she found Tommy, as he’s never seen her as “too much” and loves her for exactly who she is.
Outside our main couple, I loved all the scenes we got with the rest of the Belles. I felt Heartbreaker was missing some of that, and it was so good to see the friendship and camaraderie between these women. That friendship is really at the heart of the series, as all four of our gals are outsiders in their own way, but they’ve found their family together. I also adored seeing Caleb and Clayborn again and how seamlessly they fit into the group. Tommy’s about to be the perfect addition to the group.
Now outside the romance, I loved the plot of this! We get a bit of mystery as Tommy and the Belles are trying to figure out who is behind three explosions of businesses that were secretly helping women and others in need. I loved how seamlessly the mystery and romance were intertwined in this – neither seemed to overpower the other. The plot also helped reinforce the Miss Scarlet and the Duke vibes for me (if you’ve seen season 1, the mystery will feel a bit familiar in the end). I also thought the story’s pacing was spot on in this book – the action heightened the tension at times, but the story also knew when to slow down and take a beat to let the emotional moments shine. And oh my gosh, that ending makes me so excited for the final book in the series, as I cannot wait to learn more about the Duchess.
Like most of MacLean’s recent books, this is a thoroughly feminist and empowering story. Her work definitely feels more modern than some other authors, but I don’t mind that. I love how she draws inspiration from real women in history who were fighting for equal rights and protections of marginalized communities – things we are, unfortunately, still fighting for today – as it helps to show that these are not modern ideals plopped in a historical setting.
Knockout was hot, it was emotional, it was action-packed, and it was everything I wanted from a
Sarah MacLean novel. I was blown away by how much I enjoyed this, and I could not wait to sit down and read each night. I had a massive grin on my face the whole time while reading it. Sarah MacLean delivered a worthy story for Tommy and Imogen – fans of the series who have been waiting for their book will NOT be disappointed.
Thank you to Avon/Netgalley for the ARC. All thoughts, ideas, and opinions expressed in this review are my own.