ARC REVIEW- STORY OF MY LIFE
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes
☀️Grumpy/Sunshine
☀️Small Town
☀️Frenemies with Benefits
☀️Second Chance at Love
☀️Contractor MMC x Romance Author FMC
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Thanks to Lucy Score, Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the ARC! I received an advanced copy of the book and am leaving an honest review. All opinions are my own.
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After reading Lucy Score's Blue Moon and Knockemout series, I was so excited to see her back with a new small town series. Story of My Life is book one in the Story Lake series and follows romance author Hazel move to a small town in Pennsylvania in attempts to get inspiration for the book she simply cannot write. She was completely screwed over by her ex husband and hasn't been able to write since the divorce.

Campbell Bishop is the grumpy contractor tasked with renovating the house Hazel bought sight unseen. Their heads butt against every turn and there's banter for days. Add in a bald eagle with scarily accurate aim and a small town full of quirky characters and you've got a Lucy Score rom com.

I really really enjoyed this book. I was laughing at all the hijinks Hazel gets into and the whole hilarious town. A teenager mayor? A family full of insanely good looking men who are good with their hands? A feral raccoon who decides to move in to Hazel's house? I laughed so much and had a smile on my face the whole time. And then there were the sexy times.

Cam has got growly, grumpy blue collar man down to a tee. He's grumpy but he can't help but like Hazel. The nicknames everyone has for him are hilarious. I will say that he could have used a bit more fleshing out for his character, it seemed like his only personality trait at times was that he was grumpy. And there needed to be more groveling after the third act breakup- he had his work cut out for him!

I loved the entire plot with Hazel getting her mojo back and being inspired after moving to Story Lake. Moving on after divorce and being able to open your heart to the possibility of love made for a very rich character arc for Hazel. I also loved her friendship with Zoey and the tough love she had for her, being supportive but also trying to motivate her to get writing again.

I had such a fun time reading this book and can't wait for the next in the series! I hope we get more of Cam's brothers Gage and Levi. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun and spicy romantic comedy and lovers of Gilmore Girls and Schitt's Creek.

Lucy Score has become a firm favourote of mine since the Knockemout series.....and this one is shaping up to be the same. Absolutely devoured this, romance and friendship with the inevitable happy ever after 🩷

Thanks Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton.

I loved the Knockemout trilogie and was looking forward to this book. I did like it, but I don't love it. I didnt connect with Hazel the FMC and that is for me an important thing to love a book. And also the humor was for me over the top, and too much.

But if you love small town romance and a lot of humor, with a variation of characters, please pick up this book. You're gonna love it.

I adored this book! I have no idea what Lucy score does to her books but I’ve enjoyed everyone that I’ve read.

Small town romanices are one of my favourite tropes and this one gave me everything I wanted. Grumpy Cam needed to learn how to communicate but that was his only flaw. Whereas I really enjoyed how Hazel developed into an amazing self assured person at the end.

I would recommend this book to any romance lover! It has me giggling and kicking my feet!

Read if you like: small town, romcom, grumpy MMC, grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, miscommunication, third act breakup

Hazel is depressed, divorced, and experiencing the worst writer’s block. On a whim, she’s decides to move to a small town to get some inspiration for her romcom.

In comes Cam, a hot grumpy contractor who can’t help but help her. Laura (Cam’s sister) perfectly describes Cam as “prickly on the outside but a big ‘ol squishy teddy bear of family loyalty on the inside”.
Cam and Hazel’s dialogue was so good and their first “date” was so full of tension and chemistry I was dying!! The first kiss was so hot I had to take a break from reading to scream 🥵🥵

ALL of the side characters were INCREDIBLE!! I have a special place in my heart for Zoey, she had me constantly giggling.

What I didn’t like:
How Cam said that Hazel had bad communication like speak for yourself bro 🤨😤 she was the only mature one and he couldn’t even give a a proper apology?? Flowers are not good enough 😒 also his outing to the whole town?? NAH MAN you can’t fkg do that 😡 he TRAPPED her into a relationship

Overall I really enjoyed this book! It has the best small town feels, it was funny, and it still had depth to the story! The side characters + animals + meddling family and neighbours made the story so fun to read 🤩

I will be recommending this to absolutely everyone! Probably the best book Lucy Score has published! I am in love with all the characters and this town! I've been blushing and giggling on the buses on my way to work! It's just perfect! Will 100% be getting a physical copy!

A funny and wholesome read that you do not want tonput down. Lucy Score is a master of swoonworthy romance and small towns you want to be a part of.

I enjoyed this book soo much! It's a hefty one too, but I was not bored for even a moment! It's a ride, with a supremely grumpy man, and the woman who finds her muse in him. It was funny too, the way at the beginning she treated him borderline like a science experiment, if that makes sense? Like, her only interest in him was how he objectively he'd be helpful in her writing.
And then seeing them fall for each other? Beautiful.
This small town has its quirkiness too - and I enjoyed all of it. And the whole Bishop clan was a hoot! The nicknames for each other? Fun! I hope the brothers get their own stories, because I truly cannot wait to read more from this series!

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

‘Happily Ever After Starts Here.’

This book is a bundle of cute!! Lucy Score truly knows how to deliver a story that brings all the small town shenanigans, laugh out loud humour and cheeky spice with sweet emotion.

Hazel Hart is scrappy and sure at times unhinged but with the best kind of heart (you betcha pun intended 😉♥️) and I loved how utterly adorable she is. She is genuine and loyal and I loved seeing her become unapologetically herself in every way.

Cam is 💯 a ‘walking, talking grump who seemed hell- bent on doing the right thing.’ No matter how hard he tried he couldn’t hide his secret swoony side for Hazel and I loved it.

Best moments are:

🌷Sweet Hazel and Snarky Zoey are a vibe
🌷Bishop siblings found family is everything
🌷Text threads will forever remain Iconic
🌷Justice for Goose
🌷Pancake to the Face
🌷”Little stashes of happiness.”

Story of my Life brought all the vibes of Gilmore Girls meets Hart of Dixie with Schitts Creek smartass humour.

It’s a redemption comedy with a heart of gold and characters that made me cackle, want to hug them or fight them, which Score does so well.

I’m already so keen for Gage and Zoey’s story (with a ‘meet cute’ like theirs how could I not be)!

Favourite lines are:

“Sorry. I’m a writer. Not a professional murderer.”

“I’m not locking you up. I’m locking you down. For exclusive fucking.”

“You are a real-life heroine. My heroine.”

Thank you to the author, Hodder & Stroughton and NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest review 🩶

lucy score’s so back with a new book and series and what a hilarious and adorable start it was!!

i would like to advice to read this one in particular for the fans of gilmore girls because if u love the small town vibes given by stars hollow u will absolutely love the vibes of this very unique and lovely small town full of amusing and sweet characters so be ready for an amazing and unforgettable trip to story lake!!

hazel hart’s our city romance author needs a new start and i mean everyone at a certain point needs one and one night she makes a choice that takes her to story lake where she finds campbell bishop the grumpy contractor that will renew her house with his brothers because it’s truly needed to be fixed but is it the only thing that needs a fix? nope! the more u read about hazel’s story the more u’ll realize how this lighthearted reading can be also inspiring and relatable as well…

the grumpy sunshine banter was amazing and comical but i wasn’t really surprised by this tbh because lucy score’s known to deliver a good book that captures with these kinda of vibes and characters and she did it again 😁 plus i’m a fan of the found family trope and seeing how hazel and her best friend zoe settled in story lake with the bishop fam and the rest of the gang was so sweet and again hilarious!!

least but not last i need to mention the eagle because it was a must to mention thing because if u know u know and if u don’t well now u have another reason to add this book in your tbr and be ready to read about hazel hart’s story :)

i’m so curious to read about the next one and be back in story lake hopefully soon!!

i want to truly thanks a lot netgalley and hodder & stoughton for sending me the e-arc of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

Hazel used to write small town romcoms, but she's been struggling to bring pen to paper ever since her divorce. Maybe she needs to embrace the small town experience herself? On a whim she buys a house in a small town and once there asks one of her contractors to fake date her for research. What could possibly go wrong with a no-strings-attached-fake-dating-with-benefits agreement? And should I mention it's a small town that needs rescuing?

I came for the romance and the banter and I wasn't disappointed at all. Five stars and I am looking forward to more books in this new series.

R E V I E W

Story of My Life by Lucy Score

☆☆☆☆

Lucy Score makes writing immersive romance stories seem easy. Story of My Life follows her Knockemout series in both style and narrative success, combining swoon-worthy romance, a charming small-town setting, and an assortment of crazy but loveable side characters to create a heartwarming tale of second chances and new beginnings.

Much like Score's other romances, Story of My Life is a lengthy book for its genre. However, with main character Hazel Hart slowly beginning to heal her soul and reclaim her life after the dissolution of her destructive marriage, I felt the breadth justified by her journey. Love interest Campbell Bishop was very reminiscent of Knoxx Morgan from the Knockemout series; the gruff eldest brother with a penchant for growling, making violent threats and occasionally pummeling his siblings. Since this was a combination that worked for me in The Things We Never Got Over, I saw no reason for these similarities to bother me. If it works, why change it?

It took me a couple of chapters to really sink my teeth into this story, but that may have been a result of how effectively the author portrayed Hazel's mental well-being at the start. Once we find ourselves in Story Lake alongside Hazel and her loyal best friend Zoey, this is when the book truly begins, as we go from meet cute to meet cute and quickly become embroiled in the towns quirky antics.

As always, Score seamlessly blends humour with emotional weight, weaving bonds between characters and places until we feel as if we know them. I loved the steamy interactions between Cam and Hazel but ultimately wished for a few more in the latter part of the book. Whilst I anticipated the third-act break-up, I had been cautiously optimistic that we might avoid one after Hazel boldly calling Cam out on his shit pretty early on in their relationship with her author insight but sadly it was not to be. After this point, I did feel we went from zero to sixty, break-up to proposal too quickly, and whilst I am here for a grand gesture, even I felt what Cam did was a bit much. I think the books and confronting ber ex would have been sufficiently grandiose and I would have preferred that he simply move his stuff in without the nuptual fanfare, manoeuvring Hazel along in the relationship as he had throughout the rest of the story. Masterful in its subtlety. Confident in its unremarkableness. Instead, I felt the happy ending to be a bit forced and unrelatable, especially considering Hazel wasn't long out of her first misbegotten foray into matrimony.

I could also have done without the lame epilogue, where Hazel suddenly changes her narrative voice to randomly address the reader and unnecessarily explain who the next book would be about.

This was a lot of fun! Such a classic Lucy Score Rom com right from the start. The witty banter and escapades of these characters made me laugh out loud many times.

Hazel is such a strong FMC. Her life is not what she wanted - she’s divorced from husband, who is clearly not “the one”, she’s struggling to find her mojo and her career is suffering. Life is not what she wants it to be. So when she feels a spark of inspiration when reading an article about small-town Story Lake, she follows her gut and moves there. Hazel is brilliant - she’s relatable and likeable so I felt like I was continually rooting for her throughout.

Campbell is a simple guy - he doesn’t want a relationship, he’s doesn’t want more people in his life, and his ability to show emotions is… lacking. The tension and the chemistry between them both is great. Hazel has the grit and the confidence to stand up to him when she needed to (he has a tendency to overreact) and to fight back for what she wanted.

I’m very much looking forward to book 2!

Thank you very much for the opportunity to read and review this e-arc.

Lucy Score launching a new book series? Say less—I was beyond excited when I found out. Her Knockemout series is hands down one of my all-time favorites, and after devouring Story of My Life, I can already tell this series is going to be just as incredible.

Nobody writes banter quite like Lucy Score. Her signature snarky comebacks and laugh-out-loud dialogue had me grinning like an idiot and actually laughing out loud more times than I can count. I flew through this book in just two days because I was so completely hooked.

As a huge fan of small-town romance—and a small-town country girl myself—I felt right at home in Story Lake, Pennsylvania. The setting is charming and cozy, with that perfect mix of quirky townspeople, deep-rooted friendships, and the kind of community that makes you wish you lived there. If you love Gilmore Girls, you’ll adore the vibe of this book… though be warned, it’s definitely a lot raunchier.

And then there’s Campbell Bishop. True to Lucy Score’s signature style, he’s hot, broody, and the kind of bad boy who radiates “stay away” energy. But beneath all that tough-guy bravado? Yeah, he’s a total softie with a hidden romantic streak, and I loved every second of watching his layers peel back.

I cannot recommend this book—and honestly, all of Lucy Score’s books—enough. If you love small-town romance, witty banter, and heroes who make you swoon, Story of My Life is an absolute must-read. And now, I’ll just be over here, impatiently waiting for books two and three!

If you’re in the mood for a warm, feel good, laugh out loud romance set in a charmingly chaotic small town, this book is for you! Packed with quirky people, hilarious misadventures and a swoon worthy romance.

The story follows Hazel Hart, a romance novelist suffering from a major case of writer’s block. When her publisher gives her an ultimatum, she impulsively buys a house in Story Lake. Cue the chaos! Her dream home turns out to be a fixer-upper, her new town is struggling, and to top it all off, she finds herself entangled with a grumpy and ridiculously attractive contractor, Campbell Bishop. Sparks fly as Hazel and Cam navigate renovations, fake dating and undeniable chemistry.

Beyond the romance, the book shines with its lovable cast of side characters, especially Cam’s meddling family. Lucy Score delivers her signature humor, heart and just the right amount of steam. This is a must-read and I can’t wait to read the rest Story Lake series.

𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 :
• grumpy x sunshine
• small town
• forced proximity
• fake dating
• opposites attract
• found family
• slow burn

𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 : ★★★★.75

Thank you Lucy Score, Hodder & Stoughton & NetGalley for an e-ARC copy.

#StoryOfMyLife #NetGalley

Easy five stars! Story of My Life is everything I love in a small-town romance—heartfelt, funny, and filled with characters I never want to leave behind. Lucy Score has a way of crafting stories that feel like home, and this one was no exception.

Hazel and Cam’s chemistry was off the charts, with plenty of banter, tension, and swoon-worthy moments. I loved Hazel’s resilience and humor, and Cam’s grumpy, guarded nature made their dynamic even better. But beyond the romance, the Bishop family stole my heart. I need more of them—so much more! The brothers, the small-town charm, the family bonds—it all made for such a compelling read.

If you love Lucy Score’s signature mix of humor, spice, and heart, Story of My Life is a must-read. I’ll be counting down the days until we get more of the Bishop brothers!

I've probably read all of Lucy Score's back catalogue at this point, so: big fan! I particularly enjoy the Knockemout books and the Blue Moon series, but my top faves are probably some of her standalones like Rock Bottom Girl and The Worst Best Man. On the other end of the scale, I do enjoy the Riley Thorn books but have found my enjoyment has really waned as the series went on and the humour has become more broad and slapsticky. And I'll be honest: the first few chapters of this felt on a par in terms of the humour, so I had concerns, but once Hazel was settled in Story Lake and the wider cast of characters came into play, I really relaxed into it all and enjoyed the hell out of the story.

I've seen the setting and tone compared to Schitt's Creek x Gilmore Girls, and I think that's pretty much spot on. There's a great community cast of lovable eccentrics, a town eagle called Goose, a feral/domestic raccoon, plenty of shenanigans, and a great 'core' family in the Bishops. There's a little bit of 'fish out of water' (literally and figuratively), grumpy/sunshine, lots of banter and plenty of meta - this is a love letter to the romantic comedy genre, and to romance publishing and fandom at large. I really enjoyed Hazel and Cam's story - and Hazel being a writer and emotionally very literate meant that the conflict and communication issues landed differently, in a really interesting way that took advantage of the whole meta thing. While Hazel is still recovering from her past marriage and has plenty of issues she needs to work through, she's nothing if not self aware, and recognises Cam's attempts to conciously uncouple for what they are.

All in all, this was a big hit with me, and - perhaps most importantly - I'm all in on Story Lake as a series, and can't wait for what's been hinted at coming next!

Lucy Score again gives the small town charm. This had everything I want in a small town romance. It was lighthearted, easy to read and I’m a huge fan of the grumpy sunshine trope. Cam was incredibly cold and harsh when had his wobble, he went into it full throttle. He intended to cut his ties. He did grovel well but he was a little too mean for my liking.

Hazel + Cam

Hazel is a pretty famous rom-com author.
At least she used to be until two years ago. It all has to do with her idiot ex. And now she's not writing anything. She can't come up with anything people would want to read.
She's just hanging around her apartment in dirty pajamas, eating chinese take out and staring at her laptop. Her fans are giving up on her and if she can't deliver a new book asap, her publisher is going to give up on her too.
Things have to change.
Off we go from NYC to rural Pennsylvania.
Maybe a small town and a fixer upper house will spark some small-town-rom-com ideas.
And a bunch of super hot handymen won't hurt either...

LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN....

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Adorable and super fun!
I just loved reading this.
This was what every little small town rom com wants to be when it grows up!
Lucy knows exactly how to write those books. Small-town rom-com at its best.
I can't say much more. It was so funny and sweet and hilarious and ridiculous and sexy and a bit heartbreaking here and there. And we'll get two more stories because we have three Bishop brothers. It just doesn't get any better than that!

Also...this would make an amazing TV show!
And now please give me Gage!!

► THE STORY OF MY LIFE was such a beautiful rom-com. Full of all things sweet. Funny. Adorable. Ridiculous. Grumpy. Small-towny. Family. Friends.
I loved it.
Run to your nearest book dealer for your own Cam - he'll be sold out in no time!

Absolute heaven! I am a huge Lucy Score fan, and this felt like all of my favourite bits of her books rolled in to one. So funny and so swoony and bursting with loveable characters, I fell hard for this book. Loved the nods to Gilmore Girls and Parks and Rec, it was a joy to escape into this small town romance and I will happily read 5,000 more. I was gutted to turn the last page - I never wanted it to end.