Not Part Of The Plan By: Lucy Score (Book Review)

 ***This review will contain spoilers***

Summary: 

A womanizing bad boy with a motorcycle and sexy-as-sin smile is not part of Emma’s life plan. She moved cross-country to be close to family and finally settle down in hippie, trippy, nosey Blue Moon Bend. But when famed fashion photographer Niko shows up with his leather jacket, underwear-melting voice, and a problem, she sees nothing but trouble. He’s all wrong for Emma, but that doesn’t stop the attraction from boiling over. Niko doesn’t let being friend zoned get in his way. Once he gets his hands—and his mouth—on her, will their friendship survive? Or will he lose everything he’s worked for back in New York to the redhead who dominates his every thought?

I swear God is giving me signs after signs because here is another book that called out to me while I was grocery shopping and ta-da! It's another romance novel but this one also hits home in a different manner. I used to never purchase any books while grocery shopping. I would definitely browse but none ever caught my eye till this past season of my life that I am in. 

Emma is independent, strong willed and has a fear of abandonment. Her mother left her family when she was young and ever since she had to step up as the mother figure to her two younger sisters. Growing up with a narcissistic mother and absentee father I can completely understand how her fear of abandonment can override her decision making. She felt a huge loss due to her mother and she never wants to love like that again to avoid ever being put in a position where she can feel that pain again. 

Niko is a jet-setting, photographer and playboy. He has a fear of commitment because he himself lost his own mother to illness and ever since she passed he hasn't had a good relationship with his own father. You can definitely draw parallels between Emma and Niko's 'issues'. Both regarding their mothers and fear of getting hurt again. 

This book teaches you that you need to acknowledge your baggage and face your issues head on or you can miss out on the love of your life. No matter how many times you've been hurt in love you should always thrive to love the best that you can and not close yourself off in fear of getting hurt. Loving someone will always give them the ability of hurting your heart but it's worth it nonetheless. 

When I purchased this book I didn't realize it was part of a series of books centered around Blue Moon. Funny side note but every since I picked up this book I keep getting beer adds for Blue Moon beer. While I did enjoy this story and was happy that we did get a lot of characters and their backstory. I did find it strange how much of the book was centered towards others and less on Emma and Niko. In all reality, if we were to remove all of the scenes centered towards the other couples a big chunk of this book would be missing. 

Rating:

4 stars on 5! I quite liked the story and of course find it so interesting that the books that keep jumping out of me to read are teaching me some valuable lessons. I love a happy ending, especially, when it comes to love. I liked the background of Blue Moon and the many different quirky characters but I won't be reading the rest of the books in the series.