Chef vs Chef by M.J. O'Shea Blog Tour

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?

Book 2
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Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Ruthie – ☆☆☆
This is the second in the series, but the first that I have read - the leads in book one feature big here, so I think it would be a good idea to read them in order. That said, it was a good story in its own right.

I enjoy kitchen-based stories, and there were elements of this which were very enjoyable, but also some which I understood from a plot basis, but they felt slightly out of place in the restaurant context. I particularly disliked the Vegas solution as being too convenient.

The romance starts as a deep dislike, due in no small part to a miscommunication, but once Bobby decides that he doesn't like the person he is becoming, the situation improves. There is some chemistry, but these two are sizzling, not burning things up. It is very sweet and gentle, which belies at least Cal's seemingly strident and somewhat fiery nature.

Overall this was a sweet read, which had some interesting insights into the opportunities of a TV chef and as a second book in the series, it sets up future possibilities.

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.

Connect with MJ

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Chef vs Chef (Sizzling in the Kitchen #2) by M.J. O'Shea to read and review for this tour.

Game Point by M.J. O'Shea

Game, set… match made in heaven.

Spoiled socialite Quinn Valenzuela has no interest in sports or his family’s huge sporting goods empire, Sparta Athletics. So when Quinn learns his grandfather has died and he’s in control of the corporation, no one is more surprised than Quinn himself.

Dedicated COO Porter Davis has little time and less patience for brats like Quinn who have never done a day’s work, but circumstances leave him with little choice. Quinn claims he’s ready to leave partying behind and grow up, but it’ll take more than words to earn Porter’s respect. As it turns out, they can work—and play—together after all. A friends with benefits arrangement makes sense for the two busy men, but are they too different for it to ever develop into more? Not if Quinn can convince Porter he has his head in the game.

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
What happens to trust fund club kids when they finally grow up? When Quinn’s grandfather dies suddenly, he flies from Ibiza to Seattle to become the CEO of his family’s sportswear empire. Porter, the company’s hardworking COO, has little time for the spoiled rich kid playing businessman – but he does find the younger man irritatingly attractive.

The chemistry between Porter and Quinn is electric. I loved the initial animosity. I loved their hard won friendship and the bromance that becomes more than just a ‘friends with benefits’ arrangement without them noticing. Both of these men are wonderful. Quinn has more substance than we initially expect, and Porter isn’t as cold and uptight as he first appears. I really love the partnership that develops between these two.

This is a classic romance. The sex is skimmed over. They have close relationships with their families and lead a relatively traditional lifestyle. They are both affluent and Quinn’s family is extremely wealthy – but I liked the lack of conspicuous consumption. The Seattle setting is understated, and Quinn and Porter don’t really do bling.

Ultimately, this is a satisfying, feel-good read. The characters are easy to like and the story is free from unnecessary angst. It is a simple, fun, and entertaining read.

M.J. 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 lives there still and loves it, M.J. 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.

Connect with M.J.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Game Point by M.J. O'Shea to read and review.

The Worst Best Man by M.J. O'Shea

It was her special day... but his worst nightmare.

A rekindled romance wasn’t part of the plan.

Despite his American background, August O’Leary is the most sought-after wedding planner in London. Naturally, Libby and Edward come to him for a wedding the city will never forget. But Edward is an international businessman, so the details are left to Libby and her best friend—who happens to be the love of August’s life and the one who broke his heart eight years ago: Christopher Burke.

How’s August supposed to pull off the event of the year with Christopher distracting him and old feelings crashing the party uninvited?

Christopher has let money and status dictate his life, but no more. His failure to stand up to others’ expectations cost him his future with August—one he hoped would include marriage. Now he has to face August’s hurt and anger and prove he’s still the best man to make August happy.

Buy Links

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B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
The Dreamspun Desires books are such wonderful guilty pleasures! And they don’t get much better than this one. A successful event planner is thrown back together with the man he fell in love with at Oxford. And that man just happens to be a wealthy, slightly socially awkward aristocrat torn between his true love and parental expectations. Aww.

August is a brilliant leading man. Ten years after Christopher ditched him, he has become strong and confident. His friendship with his best friend and work partner, Will, is wonderful. I love their sibling-like connection and their devotion to each other.

Christopher takes longer to like, although his attachment to his best friend, Libby, allows readers to see his loyalty and kindness. Gorgeous, rich, nice guy aside, Christopher just keeps making relationship mistakes that only a saint could forgive. I liked Christopher, but I’m still not sure I’d date him.

I’m impressed with the American author’s ability to capture the spirit of both August’s London office and Christopher’s stately home. Christopher feels slightly dated, but his Toff friends are all too familiar. An Oxbridge education would usually go some way toward smoothing over upper class reservations about an American son-in-law, so I wasn’t entirely convinced by the central conflict of the story – but this is a Dreamspun Desires story, and it makes no claims of realism.

The ending was a little bit disappointing for me. I still can’t believe that uber professional August would have initiated conflict at a wedding he’d organised. Christopher’s behaviour was more than a little wet for the last part of the book – and he really didn’t come across as the fairytale prince I needed him to be. Overall, I enjoyed this story but I needed a bit more of a fantasy ending.


Jacki – ☆☆☆
This is an interesting book to write a review for. I didn't struggle to read this and I thought it was written with skill. It didn't feel like it was a "dime-a-dozen" amateur written book. I enjoyed that the couple was from two different places as I and my husband are from England and the USA as well. The references weren't way off or dragging me from the story like so many others I have read have done. I definitely enjoyed the characters and romance. Overall, it was a nice read for me.

M.J. 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 lives there still and loves it, M.J. 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.

Connect with M.J.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Worst Best Man by M.J. O'Shea to read and review.

Marriage of Inconvenience by M.J. O'Shea Audiobook Review

Lights, Camera, Lies.

Kerry Pickering has a problem. As a publicist for Hollywood bad boy Jericho Knox, it’s Kerry’s job to keep Jericho in the news. So far, Jericho’s partying and public escapades have made it easy. But Jericho has a secret, and when that secret is revealed in the most spectacularly disastrous way, it’s up to Kerry to spin it.

The team decides the best course of action is to make the public fall in love—with Jericho’s secret committed relationship. The one that doesn’t exist. Yet.

The team wants someone they can trust. Someone in the inner circle. That someone is Kerry. But what will happen when Kerry realizes that for him, the romance is no longer pretend? Can Jericho love him back, or is he just playing a role?

Length: 5 hrs, 35 mins
Narrator: John Solo

Buy Links

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Amazon Audiobook  ~  Audible  ~  Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela – ☆☆☆☆
As an introvert, the idea of living my life in the public eye is terrifying. Having lived with an extrovert who was a local celeb of sorts, I have witnessed firsthand how draining it can be for a person whose life is subject to public consumption, even if it was something they wanted. Despite the understanding I brought with me when I began listening to Marriage of Inconvenience, I still found it hard at times to see Jericho in a sympathetic light. Granted, I easily related to Kerry’s introverted personality, his desire to work behind the scenes, and his abject terror when thrown in front of the camera, so each time that Jericho lashed out at Kerry, well, my thoughts toward Jericho were not all that nice.

With that said, my inability to find Jericho to be a sympathetic character much of the time did not keep me from enjoying the novel. Don’t get me wrong, because I did feel badly for the guy who was forced to live his life in the closet while he established his career, and I was angered on his behalf when the compromising photo was taken and tweeted – no one deserves to have that kind of private moment shared with the world without their consent. I was also sad for him because not knowing who he could trust made him assume everyone had an ulterior motive, and I was sad for the teen who was bullied in high school so badly that it made it nearly impossible for him to trust. But because Kerry was forced to bear the brunt of that baggage more than once, I found myself siding with Kerry, hoping that Jericho would live up to his promise, and, when he didn’t, praying he’d pull his head out of his arse and do right by Kerry.

Because Marriage of Inconvenience is a Dreamspun Desires novel, it wasn’t surprising that there were several very sweet moments mixed in with the angst and drama. The chemistry between Kerry and Jericho is obvious from the very beginning, but when they finally find their way past being roommates and pseudo-enemies and begin to embark upon a real relationship, they’re both rather cute about it, especially Jericho’s preference for cuddling. Solo did a very nice job with the narration, making it easy to discern the characters’ voices and conveying the myriad of emotions the men experience when they’re together. One of the reasons I only listen to M/M audiobooks is because the handful of M/F audiobooks I’ve attempted to listen to usually cause me to cringe when the narrator has to perform the voice for multiple characters of the opposite sex (especially during the sex scenes), and I’ve listened to both male and female narrators of M/F romances, so it’s not due to the sex of the narrator. The reason I share this is because I enjoyed Solo’s vocal performances of the handful of female characters, particularly Tara’s as she had a pretty good bit of voice time in the story. I found Marriage of Inconvenience to be a delightful romance and an entertaining way to spend a few hours.

M.J. 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 lives there still and loves it, M.J. 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.

Connect with M.J.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Marriage of Inconvenience by M.J. O'Shea, Narrated by John Solo to read and review.

Marriage of Inconvenience by M.J. O'Shea

Lights, Camera, Lies.

Kerry Pickering has a problem. As a publicist for Hollywood bad boy Jericho Knox, it’s Kerry’s job to keep Jericho in the news. So far, Jericho’s partying and public escapades have made it easy. But Jericho has a secret, and when that secret is revealed in the most spectacularly disastrous way, it’s up to Kerry to spin it.

The team decides the best course of action is to make the public fall in love—with Jericho’s secret committed relationship. The one that doesn’t exist. Yet.

The team wants someone they can trust. Someone in the inner circle. That someone is Kerry. But what will happen when Kerry realizes that for him, the romance is no longer pretend? Can Jericho love him back, or is he just playing a role?

Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Dreamspinner Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆
This Dreamspun Desires story contains a whole lot more glamour, angst, and fluff than M.J. O’Shea’s usual stories, but I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoyed this Harlequin style romance.

As one of Dreamspinner’s best writers, M.J. O’Shea is able to take very familiar elements of the traditional Harlequin Romance (wealthy celebrity meets distinctly average suitor in contrived circumstances and a forced partnership becomes true love…) and create an engaging and nearly believable story. This might lack the depth and magic of a book like Devil’s Food at Dusk or Open Road, but this is a fun take on a traditional romance plot.

The leading man in this story is Jericho, a handsome, wealthy actor in need of a partner to protect his image. Our distinctly average suitor is Kerry, a shy assistant to Jericho’s PR manager. The relationship progression is predictable (but I think that’s the point of the Dreamspun Desires book), but has been given a few 21st century updates. Like the old school Harlequins, this story focuses on the romance between Kerry and Jericho and nearly fades to grey when they reach the bedroom.

This is a guilty pleasure, a quick easy read that should be enjoyed and not scrutinised too closely. I love the way some of my favourite authors are playing with the components of the traditional Harlequin in the Dreamspun Desires books, and this has to be one of my favourite stories so far.

M.J. 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 lives there still and loves it, M.J. 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.

Connect with M.J.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Marriage of Inconvenience by M.J. O'Shea to read and review.

Open Road by M.J. O'Shea

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.

Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Dreamspinner  Press

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Sarah – ☆☆☆☆☆
This friends to lovers story made me feel happy. And hopeful. And all gooey inside. This book captures true friendship beautifully in a gay for you, friends to lovers story that feels honest and believable.

This is the story of Angus, dumped by his partner of ten years at his thirtieth birthday party. And it is the story of Reece, the lifelong best friend who picks up the pieces when Angus hits rock bottom. Together, the men take off from their lives on a spontaneous road trip across America.

Versions of this story have been told before, but the power of this book lies in the exquisite characterisation and the sweetness of the friendship between Reece and Angus. While this story starts in a very dark place, much of this story is fun, almost playful as Angus rediscovers himself and the friendship starts to evolve.

Like all very good romance, this story explores themes beyond attraction and love. Thirty is a frightening milestone, especially for Angus, and his reflections on life both before and beyond thirty are thought provoking.

The connection between Angus and Reece is very slow to build. The chemistry between the two men is wonderful, but there is more tease than steam in this story. This is a very special book and I absolutely loved it.


Angie – ☆☆☆☆
I just loved this book. When Angus and his boyfriend of 10 years break up, the aftermath is exactly how I pictured it would be in real life. The devastation, the days in bed, the drinking, etc. When Angus and Reece go on a trip across country and do so many things together you can’t help but want them to be together and for Angus to open his eyes and see what has always been right there in front of him. My only wish was the book was a little longer so we saw more of them after they came back and to see the relationship grow even more. Great feel good book.

Characters: Well written
Sex: Yes
Religious: No
Would I recommend to others: Yes
More than one book in the series: No
Genre: M/M Romance
Would I read more by this author: Yes

M.J. 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 lives there still and loves it, M.J. 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.

Connect with M.J.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Open Road by M.J. O'Shea to read and review.