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.

As hardcore Lucy Score fan, this book was different than others. Other than her usual long books, this took me long time to get through. It is grumpy/sunshine kind of romance but romance bit comes little later so it's not all about it, it's mostly about finding heroine's strength after sad show she landed herself in and I guess that's what it is - story of her life, at least part of it. I liked it although it kind of dragged along and I had to skip some sentences because they were just so repetitive. In the end I think this book is not Lucy's best work but I am willing to continue in this series because it could be one off as sometimes we can't have all the shiny stuff at all times.

Really a little too ridiculous and excessive for my taste. I'm probably not Lucy Score's target reader anymore.

Veramente un po' troppo ridicolo ed eccessivo per i miei gusti. Probabilmente non sono piú il target reader di Lucy Score.

I received from the Publisher a complimentary digital advanced review copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

Hazel is a bestselling author on the brink of disaster—her publisher is ready to drop her if she doesn’t deliver her next book ASAP. To make matters worse, she’s just been kicked out of her Upper East Side apartment.

In a moment of desperation (or brilliance?), she spontaneously buys a house in a quiet Pennsylvania town, convinced that a fresh start will spark her creativity. But when she arrives, she quickly realizes the place is a total wreck. The silver lining? Cam—the brooding, ridiculously attractive contractor—might just be all the inspiration she needs.

Tropes:

Grumpy x Sunshine
Small Town Romance
Plenty of Spice

From the very first page, I loved this book. And thank goodness—because as my most anticipated read of 2025, the pressure was real! The chemistry crackles, the banter is top-notch, and the swoon-worthy moments are everything I hoped for, all wrapped up in Lucy’s signature humor. I caught myself grinning at the pages more times than I can count, and I’m already desperate for book two!

(Also, a special shoutout to Bertha and Goose—you two stole the show!)

I have no doubt this one’s going to be a bestseller, and honestly? I think it’s one of her best books yet.

Huge thanks to the publisher for the ARC—my thoughts and opinions are entirely my own!

Hazel is in full on emotional breakdown after her divorce and her writing muse has abandoned her. In a fit of emotion she buys a house in a town she had read about in a happy news story. Then she meets Campbell who agreed to fake date her for inspiration for her new book! What could go wrong?
After Knockemout I did wonder if another of Lucy’s series would hold a torch to it and of course it does! I can’t wait for the next two books! As the characters are not young 20 somethings but more mature this resonates with me more as an older reader! Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.