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Member Reviews

Another incredible Lucy Score book that does not disappoint! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this and we can't wait to add it to our collection.

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I love Lucy Score. This isn't a secret.. In "Not Part of the Plan" she delivers a deliciously delightful slow burn of a romance book, where the driven FMC and the protective MMC end up together in circumstances they had not planned on. As usual in Lucy's writing there is plenty of banter, humor and lots of small town loveliness. Feel good and steamy, it's a great escape for romance fans!

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The Knockemout series is the first book series I ever read of Lucy Score’s, and sometimes I really believe I shouldn’t have started with it because now her other books always pale in comparison and leave me feeling a little disappointed. (The only exception to that has been her newest release, Story of My Life). The Blue Moon series has been enjoyable but predictable. Not Part of the Plan is the fourth book in the installment, and although it can be read as a standalone, I would still recommend starting with book one. If you’re looking for a story with witty banter and hot and steamy chemistry between the hero and heroine, then I recommend it.

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Not Part of the Plan is exactly why I’m obsessed with the Blue Moon series—the one that pulled me out of a reading slump and never let go. It’s small-town romance with big feelings, steamy tension, and characters you can’t help but root for.

Niko and Emma? Total opposites with off-the-charts chemistry. He’s all “no strings,” she’s all “I’m not interested”… until suddenly, they’re both way too invested. The banter snaps, the steam builds, and the emotional moments sneak up on you in the best way.

If you haven’t started this series yet, you’re seriously missing out—No More Secrets is where it all begins, and trust me, you’ll want the whole set.

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As a longtime fan of Lucy Score, I was thrilled to dive into another one of her small-town romances, and Not Part of the Plan did not disappoint!

This fourth installment in the Blue Moon series introduces us to Emma Merrill, a grounded and determined brewery manager looking to build a stable life in the quirky town of Blue Moon. Enter Nikolai “Niko” Vulkov, a charismatic, motorcycle-riding fashion photographer with a reputation for avoiding commitment. Sparks fly when their paths cross, but both are convinced they’re completely wrong for each other.

What follows is a heartwarming, funny, and steamy journey filled with witty banter, emotional depth, and the kind of community charm Lucy Score fans have come to love. The chemistry between Emma and Niko is electric, and the supporting cast adds richness and humor to the story.

Lucy Score continues to impress with her ability to blend humor, heart, and heat in a way that feels both fresh and familiar. If you’ve enjoyed her other books, especially the Knockemout series, you’ll love this one too.

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Not Part of the Plan was a cute little small town romance. It follows Emma the small town brewery manager who has it all put together. She knows who and want she wants in life and Nikolai is not part of her plan. Nikolai is a flashy new york photographer and bad boy who rolls into town to stay with his friends family to snap him back into reality of not hating his current life trajectory, because nothing says your life sucks like babies. However, when he meets Emma he knows he has to have her.

I thought this book was cute. The romance was good, and the setting was stellar, but It just didn't hit hard for me. I think that the characters fell a little flat. There wasn't much development or deep meaningful moments between them, so them going from opposites to married with a house feels a little out of touch for myself. I think the archetype of bad boy - put together girl can be fantastic, but in this case I just simply wanted it to be a little deeper. If she had maybe a more open moment, or took longer to get past the third act breakup, maybe my opinions would change. As far as small town romances go, I really enjoyed this one. It was light, funny, and easy to digest; Exactly what I was looking for.

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4 ⭐ 2 🌶️ 4 🎧

I'm loving this series so much. When we first met Nico as Summer's bestie, I was really hoping we'd get his story. I loved his personality and charm, plus I just wanted him in Blue Moon with Summer. Enter Emma. She was absolutely perfect for him and the way the BC got these two to realize they were in love was their greatest plan yet. I laughed nonstop as we continued our journey with these amazing characters and couldn't get enough.

Poor Emma broke my heart with her past. She was the one who stepped in as Mom and as such didn't have anyone to lean on as her own substitute... Nico loved her so hard; the exhibit was absolutely incredible despite Emma's reaction. But thankfully he (the BC and her family) were able to make her see how perfect he was for her.

The audio was great. Lila Winters did a wonderful job with the narration and I loved this listen! Thank you Bloom Books for the advanced ebook and allowing this immersive read.

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You seriously can't go wrong with a Lucy Score book!!! I will say that I jumped right into the book without having read any of the other books in her Blue Moon series so I think I would of gotten more out of the book if I had read the books before this one. This can totally be read a standalone, but I felt that I was jumping into the middle of side stories, and there were a lot of them, that would of made more sense if I had the entire background of everyone.

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A great standalone from the Blue Moon series that can be read on its own. Great for a beach or vacation read. Bold characters and witty banter and some steamy romance thrown in. Of course a happy ever after and conflict resolved, even if the ending rushed it through. Not my favourite of the series but an excellent addition.

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All the fun and spice you expect from a small town Lucy Score romance. Although this book works as a stand-alone, I do think readers will get more out of it if you have read the other books in the series. There is a large cast of side characters who may be easier to keep track of if you have read the previous installments of Blue Moon

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thank you sourcebooks publishing for this arc!
my first ever lucy score story & i totally see why she is so loved! this story was so atmospheric for me! i was able to so clearly see the settings our mmm & fmc are falling in love through. it got to the point where i was picking up the book because i missed being there so bad lol. i love when a story feels like a good series you can’t stop bingeing & that was not part of the plan for me!
we’re following strong willed, driven, and kind emma through her own love story with not only Nico (our mmm) but the town blue moon. emma was totally giving me loreali gilmore vibes in the sense that she’s beloved by everyone in town & also the hardest working lady they know. she runs that brewery like the loreali tears up that hotel & i love it.
our mmc on the other hand needs help with his life.. he has no idea which way is up in his career & he comes to blue moon hoping it’ll fix him. y’all… the story of how he chose this career path… ughhhhh i love it i love it I LOVE HIM!
add on my favorite trope of found family & this is a win for me!! i’ll definitely be checking out summer & the rest of our family’s stories! 4!!!

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Somewhere between 2.5 and 3 🌟.

This is a cute, predictable and sometimes cheesy small town romance. I thought to first half of the book was solid but the second half lost steam and became a bit melodramatic for me. The expected third act break up was followed by a very rapid recovery and quickly executed HEA that were disappointingly predictable. I liked the FMC and MMC, their connection and the their story. The parallel storylines and the supporting cast were just too cutsie-cozy for me, though, and didn’t add to the story. I’m not a big Lucy Score fan but I did like this book more than the last book I read of hers.

This is a re-release of the fourth book in this series. It can be read as a standalone but there are a lot of characters from other books in the series with backstories I didn’t understand, having not read their books. Would definitely recommend reading the series from the start for the full experience.

Overall, this was a cute, simple small town romance with solid main characters that I enjoyed, however I’m not planning to read the rest in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the chance to read a copy!

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7661618990

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Not Part of the Plan is book four in the Blue Moon series by Lucy Score. While I hadn't read the previous books, I was able to follow along fairly well. I do think the reading experience would have felt more immersive if I'd had the context from the earlier books though.

This is a small-town romance with some spice, a good amount of humor, and a happily-ever-after. I found the town charming in that fictional, over-the-top way, which I suspect is the vibe that Score was going for.

The chemistry between the main characters was solid, and I enjoyed the banter. I did find Emma, the main female lead, a little frustrating at times, especially towards the end, but I can see how she came to make these decisions based on the history of character.

This was a fun weekend read that offered a nice escape. If you are a fan of the series, you'll definitely want to pick this one up. If you're new, you might want to start from the beginning to fully enjoy the charm of Blue Moon.

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I absolutely love anything by Lucy Score! Unfortunately, I can't review anything specifically about the book because I won't be able to finish it before the archive date in two days

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Not Part of the Plan by Lucy Score 💕
Blue Moon, Book 4
Interconnected Standalone

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adult • Romance
ARC Review
320 Pages
🗓️ July 8 (reprint)

💕small town romance
💕casual to more
💕opposites attract
💕friends to lovers

❣️ “Life gets its color from challenges and adversity. You can’t plan your way to happiness, you know.”

❣️ “I’m worried I won’t survive you,” he admitted.

Hi Summer 😜

And we’re back in Blue Moon, the little hipster town with the nosiest, most meddling residents ever.

{Please accept this as my application to the beautification committee. Thank you}

I started reading Blue Moon before it went trad. It’s been such a joy seeing them now in bookstores 😍 And let me also tell you, I’ve been craving Niko’s story since Summer’s.

But it was soooo worth the wait. Emma was incredible (Eva might become my favorite sister but Emma will always be extra special to me) and the perfect counterpart to our big bad wolf 😝 I loved how they met, how they became friends and how they became more. I loved the whole thing.

I also love the secondary stories around both families — Niko’s family, Reva and her brother. It just made the book that much richer.

I can’t even begin to explain how excited I am for Eva’s story. Whatever you think I am, I’m so much more than that 😌

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While I know you should be able to read this as a standalone book, I wish that Netgalley's side was clearer about it being part of a series — I just felt like I was a little out of the loop regarding the town and characters. Despite that, I did enjoy this a lot! I love a friends-to-lovers, small-town romance with lots of good banter and the perfect balance of spice. Will definitely go back and read the first three.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher!

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Lucy Score returns to Blue Moon, New York, for her third novel in the series, Not Part of the Plan. The fun and lighthearted romantic comedy tells the tale of Emma Merrill and Nikolai (“Niko”) Vulkov. Emma knows what type of man she wants – someone steady, stable, and willing to plan for retirement and discuss Roth IRAs. Niko is the opposite of that – a playboy fashion photographer who jet sets around the world dating models and partying at the new hot spots. When the two meet, sparks fly but Emma is determined to keep Niko at arm’s length to avoid a broken heart. Niko is equally determined to blow past Emma’s barriers and win her over with his charm and adventurous nature.

Lucy Score writes another engaging and enjoyable romantic comedy for readers to enjoy. Emma and Niko are strong, smart, and interesting characters. Their love story is organic and fun to read. It was also nice to revisit the characters from the first two books in the Blue Moon series. Overall, a nice addition to the series that is strong enough to stand on its own.

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for sharing this advanced review copy with me in exchange for my honest feedback!

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his was an enjoyable read, although a little long which found me losing interest and skipping towards the end. 😬 Overall very charming small town romance, close knit friends with great dynamics and banter.

As for our main characters, Emma and Nikolai, I loved Niko and tolerated Emma. She had a lot of trauma to eventually face but the continuous beating us over the head and her running from it got a little tiresome. I loved that she finally saw what everyone else was telling her and went for the risk at the end. Niko on the other hand I loved from the start. Bad boy with the heart of a cinnamon roll.

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This book was so delightful. This was my first visit to Blue Moon and certainly not my last. I loved the small town and familiarity of the book and can't wait to revisit all of the other characters' love stories. Niko and Emma were a great couple and had fantastic chemistry. Emma was such a headstrong protagonist and really grew throughout the book. Niko also really underwent a transformation from bad boy player and it was so fun to watch.

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"Look at us getting along.”
“Hands off, Big Bad Wolf. I am no one’s Red Riding Hood.”

"Don’t be afraid of pain or less than perfect, daughter of mine. That’s where the real joy comes from. Life gets its color from challenges and adversity. You can’t plan your way to happiness, you know.”

Ughhhhhhh!!! The books in the series just keep getting better and better! What kind of magic are you putting into these books, Lucy score???
Seriously, I absolutely loved Emma and Niko’s story! Niko right away wants Emma, but she won’t give him a chance so he proposed this to her that they should be become friends. Will they stay friends? Heck no, and for the first half of the book you have a blast reading how Niko slowly gets under Emma’s the skin. I really did like how they were friends at first because they become each other‘s cheerleaders and were there for each other when the other is struggling. I was especially swooning hard when Niko takes care of Emma when she was sick. That was the beginning of me becoming obsessed with him! I absolutely loved watching Mr. bad boy and never settling down, chasing after Emma and convincing her that he was the one. And of course, the ending was perfect and left me feeling super happy!
Last, but not least, I cannot forget to mention all the best characters and friends that we’ve been getting to know throughout the books showing up and being involved in this story. Seriously, those Pierce brothers are everything and must be protected at all costs!!!

Read if you like:
Dual POVs
Small town romance
Friends to lovers
Hero falls first
Bad boy hero
Open door romance
All the feels
Motorcycle hero
Hilarious side characters
Somewhat third act breakup

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