Open Road by M.J. O'Shea

 

Amazon Link   - Available in KU  

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Angus has been with the same guy for ten years. When his boyfriend breaks up with him the night of his thirtieth birthday party and announces his engagement to a twenty-two-year-old less than ten hours later, Angus is… a mess. To put it lightly. He spends days in bed, drinks himself into a stupor every night, and ends up losing his job and his apartment. His best and oldest friend, Reece, decides it’s time for an intervention. And a change of scenery.

Reece and Angus take off on a buddy trip across the US. They don’t have much of a plan; they just start driving. It takes Angus a couple of days to do much more than grunt when Reece talks to him, but slowly he opens up. They drive, talk, heal, shout, drink a bit too much sometimes, dance, meet new friends… and somewhere between Portland, Oregon, and Portland, Maine, they fall in love.

Which was the last thing in the world Angus expected.

My Rating - 3.5   Stars!

Open Road is a slow burn friends to lover romance by MJ O'Shea.

This is a story that starts with a bad breakup for Angus. With a road trip to help his friend heal, Reece sets them on a new course for life. 

The road trip changes both of them. They find healing, and they also find love with one another. 

There's a lot going on for these two. Angus's ex did his best to keep them apart. And damn it, that pisses me off. I know it happens, but I wanted to slap Angus for letting it happen. 

In the end Open Road is a sweet and tender romance. This MJ O'Shea is a feel good friends to lover, hurt/comfort tale. 

Newton's Laws of Attraction (The Science of Love # 1) by M.J. O'Shea

 

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He never forgot his first love… too bad his first love would do just about anything to forget him.

Rory was Ben’s oldest and best friend until senior year of high school, when lifelong friendship turned into something so much more. They had each other and what felt like forever until Ben chose closeted popularity over true love…

He’s regretted it ever since.

Ten years later, Ben is out and proud and teaching art at the same high school he graduated from. He’s excited to meet the new chemistry teacher next door until he finds out the brand new teacher is none other than Rory Newton—the first love he’s never come close to getting over.

Despite a painfully awkward start, it doesn’t take Ben long to realize he’ll do whatever it takes to win Rory back.

But it’s starting to look like even his best might not be enough.

** This is a second edition of a previously published book **

My Rating - 4 Stars!

Newton's Laws of Attraction is a wonderful, feel good read by MJ O'Shea. The first book in The Science of Love series, it's a short and sweet second chance romance. 

Rory and Ben get a second chance years after they broke up. They were best friends and high school boyfriends, but now they are teaching at the same school. 

Their reunion is initially full of unresolved anger, pain, hurt, and guilt. Adolescence is a horrible time for kids to be true to their feelings. The peer pressure aspect is completely understandable. It's not nice, and it makes Ben a total ass, but it's so damn understandable as well.

It's slow going for the two but there's no denying how they still feel for each other. 

And I love the mother!!! What a breath of fresh air she is!

Written in dual pov, we get to understand both men well. The reason for their breakup is realistic and completely painful. As well, getting back together is realistic as people change and grow up.  

Newton's Laws of Attraction is a great tale of forgiveness and love. This MJ O'Shea left me happy with this sweet in the end tale. 

Coming Home (Rock Bay #1) by M.J. O'Shea

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Dead broke and newly homeless, Tallis Carrington is on the walk of shame to end all walks of shame. Back to Rock Bay, where he’d once ruled as high school aristocracy with his band of jocks, and tormented a freshman named James Barry. Until a scandal reduced his family's name to little better than a curse word. He needs a job, and fast, so he can put the town in his rearview mirror once again. But the people of Rock Bay haven’t forgotten him, or the kid he used to be.

The only person in town willing to overlook his less than stellar reputation is Lex, the new coffee shop owner, who seems to despise Tally based on his reputation alone. Tally is desperate, so he takes the job, not understanding Lex’s hot and cold routine until he discovers that his gorgeous boss isn’t the newcomer he thought, but the very same kid he used to torture in school. Now he’ll pull out all the stops to prove he was never really the jerk everyone thought him to be. And if he can win Lex’s heart, the rest of the town should be a piece of coffee cake.

My Rating - 4 Stars!

MJ O'Shea's Coming Home is a second chance, enemies to lovers romance - sort of. The author explores that people can change, as well as the fact that people aren't always who they appear to be.

Tally was Lex's bully back in high school. With Tally back in town now, Lex lets down his defenses and hires Tally at his coffee shop. I like the aspect that Tally doesn't know who Lex is. He remembers the boy he bullied, but he doesn't know that boy is Lex. 

Tally's background is one of covering up his feelings, as well as a whole lot of family issues. He is a man who had to hide himself from everyone. 

The heat between the men is great, but then  add in the angst, as their road isn't easy. The past comes back to interfere. It's not easy to be open with one's sexuality in a small town, especially in a small town where you once acted homophobic. 

This is a story where the past comes back to haunt Tally, and remaining closeted is the easy choice. Omg, my heart hurt during the angsty moments. 

Written in first person pov, I love the writing style. The characters are great and the storyline is riveting. The author definitely forced some angst at the end, but I didn't mind much. Yes, I wanted to yell and scream, but it was still well done. 

I enjoyed MJ O'Shea's Coming Home. With this being the first book in the Rock Bay series, I look forward to seeing what happens next in this small town.

Moonlight Becomes You (Lucky Moon #1) by Piper Vaughn & M.J. O'Shea

Amazon Link - Available in KU
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Can't forget the boy he left behind. Can't seem to win the respect of the man he's crazy about. Shane Ventura might be rich and famous... but his love life is a disaster waiting to happen.

Eleven years ago, Shane Ventura made the biggest mistake of his life.

He caved in to pressure from his record label to kick his best friend, Jesse Seider, out of their band, Luck. To this day, Shane has never wanted anyone more. All the sex, drugs, and rock n' roll can't fill the void Jesse left behind. Not even the prospect of teaming up with Britain's hottest band, Moonlight, for a massive world tour can get him out of his funk.

Then he meets singer Kayden Berlin and falls into Instant lust.

Kayden may act like he's not interested but Shane knows he feels the spark between them. Yet the harder Shane pushes, the more Kayden pulls away, until on explosive night leaves Shane with a broken heart. 

That seems to be his lot in -- lucky at everything but love.

Shane still has one lesson left to learn: when it comes to love, you can't always leave things to chance.

My Rating - 5 Stars!

Moonlight Becomes You, the first book in the Lucky Moon series, is a great rocker romance. I loved this Piper Vaughn and MJ O'Shea book the first time I read it and am thrilled it is now re-released and back on the market.

In this story of Shane and Kayden, we get a before and after, as past meets present. 

Shane and Jesse are amazing and mesmerizing together, as student and tutor. Unfortunately, things don't last. What follows is a tale of pain and anguish, loss and regret, and memories and second chances. It's a story of revenge, apologies, and surprises. And shock. And I love it all. 

This is a story that revolves around the music industry and the cruelty and arrogance of the industry. 

And the feelings! Omg, the feelings! The emotions jump off the pages, leaving me feeling like my heart stopped beating at some points. 

This writing duo is fabulous, with fantastic characters and an entertaining storyline. They pulled me in and kept me mesmerized throughout. They took a classic trope of the bad boy falling for the nerd, and changed things up, keeping it unique. You might not like the men when you first meet them, but their past explains their motivations and actions, leaving you loving them in the end. I wasn't surprised by the shock moment, but it doesn't matter, as the emotions of the characters leave you shocked for them.

Moonlight Becomes You had me riveted throughout. I could not put this Piper Vaughn and MJ O'Shea book down. Is it realistic? Not so much. Is it all consuming? Absolutely. This story of bad choices and long lost love is a read in one sitting kind of book. 

REVIEW TOUR - Chef vs Chef by MJ O'Shea

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Cover Design: L.C. Chase

Goodreads Link

Sizzling In The Kitchen Series

Book #1 - Chef In The Wild - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Blurb

Bobby Diaz has worked his whole life to get where he is – running a restaurant with his two closest friends, no boss, and generally content. When his best friend Baldwin gets the gig of a lifetime, he asks Bobby to take over the restaurant while he’s gone. He’ll miss his friend, but he’s excited to put himself to the test. He can’t believe he’s getting the chance to finally run his own kitchen.

Cal Mayer is thirty and starting over. His last relationship was a failure. His job went down the drain. So when his cousin Pete, a.k.a Baldwin Powell celebrity chef, offers him a gig in his restaurant, he can’t help but to jump at the offer to reinvent himself.

Bobby and Cal don’t exactly hit it off—to put it lightly. Bobby resents getting Cal dumped in his lap. Cal doesn’t appreciate Bobby’s frosty attitude. They’re stuck together day and night, and their chemistry is undeniable… but will it be sweet summer love or a case of too many chefs in the kitchen?

Review 

My Rating - 3 Stars!

I have mixed feelings about Chef vs Chef by MJ O'Shea.

I enjoy the atmospheric description of Vermont and it's small town life. This part was well written and enjoyable.

As for the story itself, I like the idea, but I was bored by the slow pace. I think I might have enjoyed it more if I had read the first book in the series, but I'm not sure. 

Overall, I had high hopes for this one, but it feel short for me. 

MJ O’Shea has never met a music festival, paintbrush, or flower crown she can stay away from. She loves rainstorms and a perfect cup of tea, beach days, music, bright colors, and more than anything a cozy evening with a really great book.


She is from the Pacific Northwest. While she still lives there and loves it, MJ has the heart of a wanderer. So she puts all her dreams of far off places and extraordinary people in her books.


Except for every once in a while when she does what all travelers have to do on occasion… come home.

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COVER REVEAL - Chef vs Chef by MJ O'Shea

ADD TO GOODREADS

Release Date: June 5 2019

Cover Design: L.C. Chase

Sizzling In The Kitchen Series

Book #1 - Chef In The Wild - Amazon US | Amazon UK | Universal Link

Blurb

Bobby Diaz has worked his whole life to get where he is – running a restaurant with his two closest friends, no boss, and generally content. When his best friend Baldwin gets the gig of a lifetime, he asks Bobby to take over the restaurant while he’s gone. He’ll miss his friend, but he’s excited to put himself to the test. He can’t believe he’s getting the chance to finally run his own kitchen.

Cal Mayer is thirty and starting over. His last relationship was a failure. His job went down the drain. So when his cousin Pete, a.k.a Baldwin Powell celebrity chef, offers him a gig in his restaurant, he can’t help but to jump at the offer to reinvent himself.

Bobby and Cal don’t exactly hit it off—to put it lightly. Bobby resents getting Cal dumped in his lap. Cal doesn’t appreciate Bobby’s frosty attitude. They’re stuck together day and night, and their chemistry is undeniable… but will it be sweet summer love or a case of too many chefs in the kitchen?

MJ O’Shea has never met a music festival, paintbrush, or flower crown she can stay away from. She loves rainstorms and a perfect cup of tea, beach days, music, bright colors, and more than anything a cozy evening with a really great book.


She is from the Pacific Northwest. While she still lives there and loves it, MJ has the heart of a wanderer. So she puts all her dreams of far off places and extraordinary people in her books.


Except for every once in a while when she does what all travelers have to do on occasion… come home.

Facebook | Website | Twitter | Goodreads | BookBub

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Hosted By Signal Boost Promotions