Take a photo of a barcode or cover
koistyfishy 's review for:
Story Of My Life
by Lucy Score
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
5 Shit Waffle Stars⭐️
Spicy Level: 🌶️/5
OK A MORE COHESIVE REVIEW!!!!
This book was not perfect... but it was perfect for me. I have so many thoughts, so many feelings, and honestly I’m still wrapping my head around everything this story gave me.
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Hazel Hart is in a massive slump in life and in her writing. Following a messy divorce, she’s stuck in a spiral of writer’s block and depression. Her publisher is breathing down her neck for a new book, which she has absolutely no inspiration to write. Enter Zoey, her agent and best friend, who decides Hazel needs a serious wake-up call and forces her to pull up her big girl panties. Following this Hazel stumbles upon an old “inspiration folder” and finds a spark of inspiration in the form of a man named Campbell Bishop, a construction worker from a little town called Story Lake...So, in a spontaneous 2 a.m. decision, Hazel buys a house in Story Lake (mostly because her awful ex-husband is kicking her out of her apartment and she desperately needs a new place to live.) Naturally, Zoey gets dragged along for the ride to rural Pennsylvania, where everything that can go wrong, does. Now Hazel has to juggle rebuilding her life, navigating small-town drama, fixing up a “new” house that’s one step away from being condemned and comes with a free pet (also known as Bertha the Raccoon), and convincing the grumpiest man alive, Cam, to be her writing inspiration while also helping renovate her home.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
JUST WOW! I freaking LOVED THIS, I LOVE STORY LAKE, I LOVE THE CHARACTERS and I LOVED HOW I FELT READING THIS! I loved the chaos, the warmth, the quirky community vibes, and the big personalities of everyone in this town. The banter, the romance, the friendships... I just adored EVERYTHING in the ridiculousness and all the shenanigans that unfolded (even if some were hilariously unrealistic). This was the kind of story that made me giggle and swoon.
There’s this chaotic "I hate you but I love you" energy between Hazel and Cam that was chef’s kiss. I saw so much of my own relationship in them. I’m the sunshine to my grumpy (I even call my husband “Grumpy”) and the constant bickering, the playful ways they try to get a rise out of each other, but still have this sweetness underneath the sarcasm... it just felt so real and familiar. Plus, seeing a FMC who is almost my age (and not 24) felt incredibly refreshing.
The BANTER IS also on fire! I am not just talking about the constant banter between Hazel and Cam, but between Hazel and Zoey and Cam and his brothers! Then there is the found family elements that just exist in the small town... it was hilarious and heartfelt! I also adore Zoey as the best friend, she is very much the type of person who you won't be calling to bail you out when you bury a body...BECAUSE SHE WILL BE ARRESTED WITH YOU! I really hope we get her story soon, because I’m not done with this town and its people.
From a deeper perspective, I think Lucy Score poured a lot of her opinions and commentary around what its like being a Romance Author today. Hazel navigates imposter syndrome while dealing with competition with other up-and-coming romance authors. She has to navigate the "opinion" of how writing romance is often dismissed as fluff or not “real writing” because it's not hard-hitting enough or serious enough. It was interesting take put this into a fictional character when I am sure Lucy Score deals with these aspects daily!
Now... I’m being critical, but there was something that felt a little off. Especially when you think about it from a gender-swapped perspective. If Hazel had been a man who moved to a small town, essentially stalking a woman he’d seen in an article, then manipulated the situation so she would work for him while he used her as sexual inspiration to write a book... yeah, that would feel incredibly creepy. BUT in this it's endearing! AND if you accept it's not problematic and just go along for the vibes... You will probably have a good time!
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Small Town Romance
▶ Strangers to Lovers
▶ Fake Dating
▶ Forbidden Romance
▶ Found Family
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ GrumpyXSunshine
▶ Older Couple (in their Late 30's)
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Disability Rep
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "Look at Me"
▷ "Fuck It"
▷ Takes Care of Her/Tending to Injuries
▷ Potato Sack Over His Shoulder
▷ Nicknames
▷ "It Wont Fit"
▷ Under Table Touching
Basically, if you love Hallmark movies, small towns, hilarious banter, found family and stories that leave you grinning like an idiot...READ THIS. It’s a Hallmark movie in book form... and I loved every page of it.
Thank you to Hambright PR for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own
Spicy Level: 🌶️/5
OK A MORE COHESIVE REVIEW!!!!
This book was not perfect... but it was perfect for me. I have so many thoughts, so many feelings, and honestly I’m still wrapping my head around everything this story gave me.
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Hazel Hart is in a massive slump in life and in her writing. Following a messy divorce, she’s stuck in a spiral of writer’s block and depression. Her publisher is breathing down her neck for a new book, which she has absolutely no inspiration to write. Enter Zoey, her agent and best friend, who decides Hazel needs a serious wake-up call and forces her to pull up her big girl panties. Following this Hazel stumbles upon an old “inspiration folder” and finds a spark of inspiration in the form of a man named Campbell Bishop, a construction worker from a little town called Story Lake...So, in a spontaneous 2 a.m. decision, Hazel buys a house in Story Lake (mostly because her awful ex-husband is kicking her out of her apartment and she desperately needs a new place to live.) Naturally, Zoey gets dragged along for the ride to rural Pennsylvania, where everything that can go wrong, does. Now Hazel has to juggle rebuilding her life, navigating small-town drama, fixing up a “new” house that’s one step away from being condemned and comes with a free pet (also known as Bertha the Raccoon), and convincing the grumpiest man alive, Cam, to be her writing inspiration while also helping renovate her home.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
JUST WOW! I freaking LOVED THIS, I LOVE STORY LAKE, I LOVE THE CHARACTERS and I LOVED HOW I FELT READING THIS! I loved the chaos, the warmth, the quirky community vibes, and the big personalities of everyone in this town. The banter, the romance, the friendships... I just adored EVERYTHING in the ridiculousness and all the shenanigans that unfolded (even if some were hilariously unrealistic). This was the kind of story that made me giggle and swoon.
There’s this chaotic "I hate you but I love you" energy between Hazel and Cam that was chef’s kiss. I saw so much of my own relationship in them. I’m the sunshine to my grumpy (I even call my husband “Grumpy”) and the constant bickering, the playful ways they try to get a rise out of each other, but still have this sweetness underneath the sarcasm... it just felt so real and familiar. Plus, seeing a FMC who is almost my age (and not 24) felt incredibly refreshing.
The BANTER IS also on fire! I am not just talking about the constant banter between Hazel and Cam, but between Hazel and Zoey and Cam and his brothers! Then there is the found family elements that just exist in the small town... it was hilarious and heartfelt! I also adore Zoey as the best friend, she is very much the type of person who you won't be calling to bail you out when you bury a body...BECAUSE SHE WILL BE ARRESTED WITH YOU! I really hope we get her story soon, because I’m not done with this town and its people.
From a deeper perspective, I think Lucy Score poured a lot of her opinions and commentary around what its like being a Romance Author today. Hazel navigates imposter syndrome while dealing with competition with other up-and-coming romance authors. She has to navigate the "opinion" of how writing romance is often dismissed as fluff or not “real writing” because it's not hard-hitting enough or serious enough. It was interesting take put this into a fictional character when I am sure Lucy Score deals with these aspects daily!
Now... I’m being critical, but there was something that felt a little off. Especially when you think about it from a gender-swapped perspective. If Hazel had been a man who moved to a small town, essentially stalking a woman he’d seen in an article, then manipulated the situation so she would work for him while he used her as sexual inspiration to write a book... yeah, that would feel incredibly creepy. BUT in this it's endearing! AND if you accept it's not problematic and just go along for the vibes... You will probably have a good time!
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Small Town Romance
▶ Strangers to Lovers
▶ Fake Dating
▶ Forbidden Romance
▶ Found Family
▶ Forced Proximity
▶ GrumpyXSunshine
▶ Older Couple (in their Late 30's)
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Disability Rep
and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ "Look at Me"
▷ "Fuck It"
▷ Takes Care of Her/Tending to Injuries
▷ Potato Sack Over His Shoulder
▷ Nicknames
▷ "It Wont Fit"
▷ Under Table Touching
Basically, if you love Hallmark movies, small towns, hilarious banter, found family and stories that leave you grinning like an idiot...READ THIS. It’s a Hallmark movie in book form... and I loved every page of it.
Thank you to Hambright PR for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Medical content, Grief, Car accident, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Violence, Gaslighting, Alcohol
Minor: Ableism, Mental illness, Death of parent