3 days ago
Lucy Score reveals cover of new rom-com, the Taylor Swift song that inspired her
Call her a mirrorball – Lucy Score is in her disco era.
The bestselling author of 'Things We Never Got Over' is back with the second saga of Story Lake, and it is adorned with all sorts of glittery, broken pieces. 'Mistakes Were Made,' out March 10, 2026 from Bloom Books, is a new love story in the same small town as her last novel, 'Story of My Life.'
USA TODAY is exclusively revealing the cover and has the inside scoop on what readers can expect. We sat down with Score to chat all things disco balls, small-town romance and the Taylor Swift song that inspired her latest book.
'Mistakes Were Made' by Lucy Score cover reveal
When I call Score from her Pennsylvania home office, she's wearing a disco ball necklace. Behind her, there's a disco ball desk trinket among copies of her bestsellers. It's only fitting, then, that a glittering sphere is the forefront of the 'Mistakes Were Made' cover, hovering over a lake similar to the setting of the Story Lake love stories.
Zoey, the novel's protagonist, was first introduced to readers as the best friend and literary agent of 'Story of My Life' heroine Hazel Hart. And while she may be a light to her friends and family, she can't help but feel like she's failing at life.
The disco ball felt like an apt metaphor to Score.
'We're all made up of broken pieces, but if we're put together the right way, we can still shine,' Score says.
The rest of the cover taps into that light as well, with a bright yellow cover and shining glittered stars clinging to the sprayed edges. She took notes from dopamine decor, a design technique that prioritizes fun shapes, colors and whimsy to bring joy in your space. And yes, the character wears a disco ball necklace similar to the one Score is wearing as we chat.
'I have her wearing a disco ball necklace throughout the book, just to remind herself that, 'Just be the sparkle, man!'' Score says. 'I felt like it was a little bit of method writing.'
What is 'Mistakes Were Made' about?
Expect a redemption rom-com somewhere between 'Gilmore Girls' and 'Schitt's Creek' with tropes like opposites attract, fish out of water and one night stand gone wrong.
Zoey, an exiled Manhattanite planning her grand return to the city, is looking for her perfect one-night stand. Gage Bishop, the six-foot-two blue collar landlord and brother of 'Story of My Life' love interest Cam, is looking for the perfect wife. They couldn't be more wrong for each other. But when a Bishop family secret comes to light and rocks Gage's world, finding solace in Zoey for a night might be the best escape – or the biggest mistake.
Readers may have already fallen for the gruff Bishop brothers in 'Story of My Life,' but Score promises more Bishop family dynamics in this book.
'That surprised me when I was writing the first one – how real they felt to me and how much I enjoyed every scene where the whole family is on the page,' Score says. 'There's a family secret that comes out that has a ripple effect for everybody. It was really fun for me to explore how each character reacts differently to this particular secret.'
She adds 'plucky heroine' Zoey has her own mistakes to reconcile. Score, a certified Swiftie, listened to self-deprecating anthem 'Anti-Hero' the most while she was writing 'Mistakes Were Made.' Zoey is also personally meaningful to Score, who wrote a part of herself into the character.
'There's a reason why Zoey makes so many mistakes, and it's the reason why I make so many mistakes,' Score hints. 'I'm really excited to put it out there, but I'm also very nervous at how it's going to be received, because basically how you receive Zoey is going to be how you receive me.'
Lucy Score explains title, hints at third novel in series
While she's tight-lipped about the third Story Lake saga, Score does hint that all three will be titled with common, sarcastic sayings like 'Story of My Life' and 'Mistakes Were Made.' She took inspiration from idioms that she throws around in her day-to-day life.
'Besides basically being the title of my autobiography – 'Mistakes Were Made' – I always loved that phrase, and I felt like it applied so well to not just the heroine of the book, but there's an overarching theme of mistakes, understanding, forgiveness, grace,' Score says. 'I feel like I've gone through a similar process of just looking back at my past self and realizing I was just doing the best I could. That's all we're ever doing. And when you know better, you do better, but everybody is just a big bundle of mistakes.'
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Clare Mulroy is USA TODAY's Books Reporter, where she covers buzzy releases, chats with authors and dives into the culture of reading. Find her on Instagram, subscribe to our weekly Books newsletter or tell her what you're reading at cmulroy@
