Liza J: The Matriarch Who Helps Naomi Find Her Way in Knockemout

Overview

Liza J—full name Elizabeth Jane Persimmon—is Knox and Nash Morgan’s grandmother and the former owner of a small inn. In Lucy Score’s Things We Never Got Over, she acts as the unofficial matriarch of Knockemout. From her rundown but beloved house, she quietly steers the lives of those around her, offering practical help and blunt wisdom. Her most significant action is providing Naomi and Waylay with a rent-free cottage in exchange for help with housework, a decision that sets the story’s found‑family arc in motion.

Plot Role

Liza J enters the narrative in chapter 7 when Naomi, Waylay, Knox, and Nash arrive for dinner. Initially described as small and soft‑looking, she quickly reveals a no‑nonsense temperament: she welcomes her grandsons with chores, not hugs, and sizes up Naomi in moments. In chapter 8 she offers the cottage without asking for rent—only utilities and help tidying her own home. She later agrees to watch Waylay while Naomi works at Honky Tonk, effectively acting as a child‑care provider and stabilizing force. Through the rest of the novel, Liza J remains a constant presence: she hosts family meals, warns Naomi about Knox’s potential disapproval of her job, and shares memories of her daughter that hint at her own grief.

Motivations

Liza J’s choices appear driven by several clear motivations:

• Need for practical help: Her house is cluttered and she admits she is “not the neatest housewife.” The cottage arrangement lets her regain order without financial pressure.
• Loneliness and a desire for connection: She stopped running the inn and now lives largely alone. Having Naomi and Waylay nearby fills an emotional gap.
• Respect for resilience: She declares she “has a hatred for cowards.” Naomi’s willingness to stand up for herself and take on guardianship earns Liza J’s immediate respect.
• A way to atone for the past: The loss of her daughter—who loved country music—weighs on her. Supporting a young mother‑figure and her niece may be a quiet form of healing.

Traits Shown Through Actions

Liza J’s personality emerges through what she does, not what she says:

Chronological Arc

1. First appearance (chapter 7): Naomi meets Liza J at her home for dinner. Liza J immediately recognizes Waylay as the girl who fixed her iPad and sees Tina’s resemblance in Naomi.
2. Making a deal (chapter 8): The two women negotiate alone. Liza J offers the cottage, childcare, and a no‑rent arrangement in return for housework. She learns about Naomi’s past as a runaway bride and her new job at Honky Tonk.
3. Supporting the guardianship: In later chapters (e.g., chapter 14, chapter 29), Liza J’s cottage becomes a safe haven. She hosts family barbecues and provides a stable environment while Naomi navigates temporary custody and the mystery of Tina’s theft.
4. Endgame and epilogue: By the five‑year jump (chapter 51), Liza J is still present in the family circle—though not as a focal point, she is part of the gatherings that show Knox and Naomi’s adopted daughters welcomed.

Relationships

• Knox and Nash: Liza J treats them with gruff affection. She calls them “fighting bullies” and admits she should have drowned them in the creek. Yet she trusts them enough to let Waylay stay at her house. She seems proud of their grown‑up lives, even if she scolds them.
• Naomi: Their bond is built on mutual respect. Liza J sees past Naomi’s lost, overwhelmed façade and recognises her quiet strength. She never judges Naomi for fleeing her wedding; instead she toasts “never let a man you don’t like make decisions for you.”
• Waylay: Liza J instantly values Waylay’s technical skills (fixing the iPad) and treats her as an equal rather than a child. She gives her money for the jukebox and lets her choose the music, bridging the gap left by Waylay’s absent mother.
• The town: Liza J is woven into Knockemout’s social fabric. She knows the gossip, has friends like the pizza‑shop server Neecey, and is not afraid to correct strangers who mistake Naomi for Tina.

Key Decisions and Consequences

Theme and Symbol Connections

Liza J embodies several themes that run through the novel:

• Found family: She takes in two strangers without hesitation. Her home becomes the emotional center where Knox, Nash, Naomi, and Waylay gather.
• Self-worth: Her advice to Naomi—“never let a man you don’t like make decisions for you”—directly challenges Naomi’s history of people‑pleasing.
• Trust and vulnerability: Liza J trusts Naomi with her cottage and her private space. In turn, Naomi learns to trust that someone—a relative stranger—can be reliable.
• Healing from trauma: Liza J’s own unresolved sorrow (stopped listening to country music after her daughter died/lost) shows that healing is not linear. Her willingness to open her home again signals a quiet step forward.
• Guardianship and responsibility: By providing childcare and a safe environment, Liza J becomes a co‑guardian in all but legal name. She models the kind of responsible care Naomi aspires to.

Her cottage is symbolic: it was once an inn serving others, now it is cluttered and still. Naomi’s cleaning and Liza J’s gradual re‑engagement mirror the renewal that happens throughout the story.

5 Book‑Specific Questions with Answers

1. Why does Liza J offer the cottage to Naomi for free instead of charging rent?

Liza J explains that the cottage “was just sitting there unused.” She has no need for the income; instead she asks for help with housework because her own home has become cluttered. This arrangement benefits both women—Naomi gets shelter, and Liza J gets practical assistance—and allows Liza J to quietly contribute to the community without condescension.

2. How does Liza J react when she first learns that Naomi is Tina’s twin?

She studies Naomi through her bifocals and says, “You look like that troublemaking mother of hers.” She does not judge Naomi for her sister’s reputation; instead she immediately moves to the practical matter of whether Naomi will stay. Her focus is on character, not family history.

3. What inner conflict does Liza J reveal when Waylay asks about her daughter?

When Waylay asks about the photo of her daughter, Liza J’s expression turns “wistful and sad.” She later tells Naomi that she stopped listening to country music because her daughter used to play it every day. This reveals that Liza J carries grief over the loss of her daughter and has been avoiding certain memories—a parallel to Naomi’s own need to confront the past.

4. In what way does Liza J serve as a foil to Knox?

Liza J is blunt but open to new people; Knox is guarded and reluctant. Where Knox resists emotional connection, Liza J actively creates it—by inviting Naomi to dinner, offering the cottage, and even setting up her grandsons with tasks. She models the vulnerability that Knox eventually learns to embrace.

5. How does Liza J’s housework deal foreshadow the larger found‑family theme?

The trade of labour for lodging is not merely transactional. By having Naomi clean and organize her home, Liza J invites her into her private space. The cluttered dining room and overstuffed cabinets symbolise Liza J’s own stagnation. Naomi’s cleaning becomes a metaphor for clearing emotional debris, and the shared meals that follow cement the bond. The deal is the first step toward building the family that both women need.

For a deeper look at the novel’s ending and remaining questions, see the ending explained and questions and answers pages.