I received this one as an influencer thank you. I was thinking this was an interconnected standalone where I could just start it without having read the previous books. Just from the first few chapters, I could tell that wasn't completely the case. The reader gets "introduced" to 6 characters in the first chapter alone without any true introduction or explanation. I'll will return to this book after I have read the first three books so that I can give it the review and rating it deserves.

Thank you to Bloom for this ARC copy. Also please ignore the star rating as I do not like to rate books I haven't completed.

📖 Book Review 📖 Lucy Score is the Queen of Small Town reads and if you aren’t already living the quaint life, she just might have you putting up the “For Sale” sign and packing your bags for somewhere like Blue Moon. While this is the fourth edition in this standalone series, you will have no problem jumping right in. As Emma settles into her new life closer to her roots, her whole existence is rocked with the arrival of a handsome bad boy named Niko. Even if this one is not part of your summer plans, it’s not too late to add it to your TBR!

I picked up this book not realizing it was the fourth installment in a series—and that quickly became apparent! While the writing was engaging and the characters intriguing, I found myself missing key context and backstory that would’ve helped me better understand the plot and relationships.

This definitely isn’t a standalone read, but it did its job in piquing my interest—I’ll be going back to start from book one so I can fully enjoy the world and story the author has built. Looking forward to seeing how everything fits together!

I love a bad boy and I especially love when Lucy Score writes a bad boy. Nikolai Vulkov is perfection. I’m so excited for Lucy Score that these are getting a resurgence and hopefully new readers that have not tried her books before.

This is a re-release of the 4th book in the Blue Moon series. I hadnt realized; I thought it was a follow up to Story of My Life. So I went and read the first 3, which I am glad I did because I don’t believe it is a standalone.

Like most Lucy Score books, this is a fun, spicy small-town romance. In Score's small towns all the men have model good looks, this time it's Nico, photographer of models and best friend to Summer from book one. Emma, the eldest sister of Gia from book 2, and daughter of Franklin, who recently married the matriach of the Pierce family.

You get what you expect from this book. The trope I guess is he falls first. Also maybe cinnamon role/black cat. I liked the character of Nico and his hidden depth. Both main characters have baggage due to unresolved grief. The pacing is uneven, there are plot conveniences, and the goat is back (really don't care about that goat.) But if you need a distraction, a spicy easy read, and love quaint Stars Hollow like towns, this book will do. 3 stars

I love a good “he falls first” romance! Lucy Score knows how to immerse a reader into a world, especially when that world is the free spirited town of Blue Moon. I have only read one other book in this series of eight but each one works as a standalone with maybe a hint of spoilers about side characters as you know everyone in Blue Moon eventually gets their Happy Ever After. Emma is a transplant to Blue Moon from LA and the manager of the Pierce brother’s brewery. Nico is a hot shot New York photographer who seems to have the perfect big city life but feels like something is missing-so he retreats to his friend Summer’s home in Blue Moon to seek perspective. I loved Nico, unapologetic and honest. Emma was a little harder to like but it doesn’t hurt that I already like her dad and her sister who were introduced in other books. The climax and grand gestures were a bit over the top but I would absolutely continue the series. There were some very sweet moments like a wish on a shooting star. Some hilarious moments like the dubious “bitchen” when real estate hunting. One of my favorite aspects of this book was the subplot with Jax, Joey, and the kids! It was absolutely heartwarming!

I love Lucy Score, and was very excited to have the opportunity to read Not Part of the Plan early before its re-release this summer. Generally, her books are great for small-town quirkiness, strong heroines, and high heat. This iteration of Blue Moon left me wanting as both of the main characters felt a bit one-dimensional, and their motivations and challenges are opaque and seem to come out of nowhere.
I will always read a Lucy Score if it's available to me, but this one was not my favorite.

I adore this series so much. Lucy Score writes quirky small town so well and her characters are unforgettable. I'm so glad to see her getting the recognition she deserves.

A spirited rom-com about expectations gone sideways when practical planner Noelle clashes with impulsive Finn. Lucy Score delivers laugh-out-loud banter, sizzling chemistry, and real emotional depth in a compact, heart-warming tale.

This book was adorable and I loved the vibes of the town. The writing made me want to pick up and move to this town immediately!

Emma comes to Blue Moon leaving her life in LA behind to be close to family. Niko, a famous photographer, goes to Blue Moon to visit his best friend and try to get some inspiration back. Little does he know that he will find his inspiration in an unexpected place.

Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher, and the author for this ARC.

Unfortunately this one was not holding my attention. I was not connecting with either character and the friend zone aspect of it bothered me. No worries there will be others. I ended up DNF’ing at 25%

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read & review a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Not Part of the Plan is a dual POV opposites attract, small town romance. Niko is a fashion photographer from NYC who has lost his drive and comes to the small town of Blue Moon to visit his best friend and gain some perspective. He runs into Emma, a bar/restaurant manager who wants a neat, orderly life. Emma declares them incompatible, but Nico convinces her to give friendship a try, and eventually finds his way into her heart!

This was a lovely small-town romance! It is fourth in a series, and while it can be read as a stand-alone, I found myself wishing I had read the first three before starting to get the full experience! I loved Niko and Emm, though, their friendship and banter was a lot of fun!


Read dates: 06/20/2025- 06/22/2025
Goodreads review: 06/22/2025
Instagram review: 06/23/2025
Blog review: 07/08/2025

The Beautification Committee of Blue Moon is again hard at work, and Scoring big! Snark, banter, emotions, quirky and eclectic residents, and one crazy goat - with a sizzling romance of opposites that really attract. Great plot and dialogue, just a delight to read. You will want to live in Blue Moon, guaranteed.

I’m so excited I got to be part of the re-release campaign for the next book in the Blue Moon series. The first book in this series, No More Secrets, is one of my top 3 favorite Lucy Score books. And when I found Summers best friend, Nikolai, was our leading man for this book I couldn’t freaking wait.

Like I mentioned I fell in love with Nikolai in No More Secrets. He was such a great side character in that book. His loyalty and love for Summer was so genuine and realistic. From that point on I have been waiting for our man to get his own book because he freaking deserved it. And let me tell you his story was everything I could’ve wanted for him. I did have some minor hiccups with our leading lady, Emma. However, even with that said these two are perfect for each other.

Now you may be wondering if it was so perfect, why 3 ⭐️s Lexie?!?!! Well like I mentioned I did have some struggles with Emma. At times I found her to be frustrating and selfish. But that’s because I couldn’t relate to her situation. I’ve never experienced a parent walking out of my life. And that kind of trauma can haunt a person. So even though I’ve never experienced that I had to wait for Emma to conquer her inners demons. Thankfully she eventually got there and redeemed herself. Even though it took her longer than I would’ve liked.

Overall, this book was a lot of fun. I had a great time reading it and I love checking in on our other fellow Blue Moon residents. I highly recommend you check this book out when it re-releases later this July. Lastly big thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Score and Sourcebooks for allowing me to read and review this book.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley. I really have enjoyed the Blue Moon series by Lucy Score, and this was another excellent addition to the series. Nikko, the photographer, is in town to visit his best friend, and he runs into Emma, the restaurant manager, who gets under his skin. I like their story and how it intertwines with all the other characters in Blue Moon.

—ARC Review from NetGalley—

I’ve been loving the entire Blue Moon series, but Niko and Emma fall towards the top of the list.

I loved both main characters. Niko is this supposed ladies man, but he’s the tenderest heart. Emma is rigid in her ways but her past explains her personality and she does work to overcome some of those issues. I find that they’re a perfect balance where Niko is able to bring her out of her shell and she brings him down to earth.

My big complaint (and this goes for every book in this series so far) is that the couples all get married EXTREMELY FAST after meeting. Like weeks or a couple months. Slow your horses, buddy.

Rating: 5/5
Spice: 2.5/5

Lucy Score is a must-read author in my book. I'll give all of her stories a try. Not Part of the Plan was worth the read. It's signature Lucy - fun, flirty, entertaining, and well executed. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Lucy Score brings the goosebumps, the honesty, and the most adorable love stories. I’m always just taken by each chapter, but the ending of this book was marvelous!!

This is the first book I've read by Lucy Score, and although it was a good story, it was clear that I had dropped in the middle of a long series, and I definitely felt a little lost without having read the previous books. The previous characters don't just make cameos but are integral parts of this small-town romance. That leads into my other criticism of the book, which is that it was very long, largely because the focus wasn't entirely on the main couple, Emma and Niko, but split between them and all the updates and events happening to characters from previous books. I would have liked this a lot more if I had started the series from the beginning, I think.

Lucy Score is the queen at delivering small-town romances with loveable characters and humor galore. I fell in love with the town and its people after reading the first book and it has continued to hold a special place in my heart ever since. I loved the sense of togetherness and how everyone looked out for one another like one big happy family. I was extremely happy that the Pierce's were still a huge part of this book. I don't think that I would have enjoyed this one as much if they were absent. Although book four focuses on Niko and Emma, the Pierce family story is still very much alive and continues to grow. We are introduced to even more adorable characters and laughs that will make you cry. The Beautification Committee and Clementine are still up to their usual antics. I could go on and on with all the things I love about this book and series. I laughed. I cried. My heart swelled to enormous proportions. Total feel-good vibes! I cannot wait to get my hands on the next Blue Moon adventure. I highly recommend!

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for granting me a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!