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Rock Bay #2
Letting Go
Drew McAuliffe has lived in the small town of Rock Bay most of his adult life. He’d like to be happy, but not at the cost of having his private life under his nosy neighbors’ microscope, so he keeps his bisexuality under wraps.
After a messy breakup that caused him to pack up and move to Astoria, on the Oregon coast, Mason Anderson decides to avoid drama of the romantic kind. All he wants is to start over—alone.
But Drew and Mason were meant to meet. The long looks and awkward half hellos chance offered were never going to be enough. But when they do finally come together on the worst night possible, misconceptions and problems from their pasts get in the way. Until Mason learns to trust again—and until Drew learns to let go of who he thinks he is—a real connection is nothing but a pipe dream.
After a messy breakup that caused him to pack up and move to Astoria, on the Oregon coast, Mason Anderson decides to avoid drama of the romantic kind. All he wants is to start over—alone.
But Drew and Mason were meant to meet. The long looks and awkward half hellos chance offered were never going to be enough. But when they do finally come together on the worst night possible, misconceptions and problems from their pasts get in the way. Until Mason learns to trust again—and until Drew learns to let go of who he thinks he is—a real connection is nothing but a pipe dream.
206 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 16, 2012
35 people are currently reading
474 people want to read
About the author
M.J. O'Shea
84 books946 followersMJ 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.
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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 132 reviews
November 28, 2012
A Hearts On Fire review
If you're planning on reading "Letting Go" from M.J. O'Shea's Rock Bay Series first or as a standalone, don't! I am so happy I did read "Coming Home" first because you get to truly appreciate the secondary characters (Lex, Tally & Amy) so much more in this one.
Now having stated the awesomeness of "Coming Home", I'm left wondering if the same author wrote "Letting Go"...what happened?
Drew (who I loved in "Coming Home") trips his way out of the closet, sorta kinda. He's a 32 year old accountant who's bisexual and is afraid of being himself and pretty much everyone by admitting to others he likes men as well as women.
And Mason (whom we briefly met in "Coming Home") is an almost 21 year old student nurse who is out of the closet but recently got out of a bad relationship, is new to town, new to his job and trying not to date. This is who Drew is paired up with, a boy/man who is still growing up and did NOT come off as mature or worldly for me to even consider giving this kid a pass.
But Drew has a spine consistent of string cheese, soft string cheese and actually did not act like he had balls for a lot of the book. He's not who I'd pair up with Mason because they are at two different wavelengths.
But the author did and got through their baggage and awkwardly had fall in love. *sigh*
I love M.J. O'Shea. I don't know what happened. :(
This first third of "Letting Go" was great because it was a summary of "Coming Home" from different angles and point of view. After the retelling, this is when the book started sinking itself into sand pit. By 52% of the book...I screwed my face because I couldn't see how Drew or Mason's situations could possibly get better. There's the first date where Mason had a brief run-in with his controlling ex and he took out his frustrations out on Drew (who was so like sponge cake, it's not even funny). It's like seeing a car crash in slow motion and you can't do anything to stop it.
Granted, Mason is still young enough to get away with his tantrum-like antics because he's not an adult as of yet and still is figuring it out. But his silly reasons for giving Drew a hard time? It was not needed.
I thought I was getting the Mason & Drew from "Coming Home" They were endearing. These two in "Letting Go"? Drew's weak and insecure and Mason has unreasonable tantrums and hang-ups of being CONTROLLED (heavy sighs and eye rolls here). I wanted to grab them by the cuff of their necks and yell, 'Dudes, you love each other, just grow up already'
When Lex told Drew he basically needed to grow a pair, I had my 'ah-ha' moment. But these two stumbled their way into a HEA. Eh, I didn't truly care as much because I lost interest with these two. Now, Mason's best friend, Logan? Him I like, though the author mentioned(?) he was bi (it's unclear as Mason referred men & Logan...didn't really get it)
So would I recommend this book to readers? Eh...if you are a fan of M.J.'s work, it's not one of her best in my opinion but the story is readable. Your feelings of the main characters' might be the bigger question.
I didn't hate this book. Just disappointed. I will read the rest in the series however.--TWO & A HALF STARS
If you're planning on reading "Letting Go" from M.J. O'Shea's Rock Bay Series first or as a standalone, don't! I am so happy I did read "Coming Home" first because you get to truly appreciate the secondary characters (Lex, Tally & Amy) so much more in this one.
Now having stated the awesomeness of "Coming Home", I'm left wondering if the same author wrote "Letting Go"...what happened?
Drew (who I loved in "Coming Home") trips his way out of the closet, sorta kinda. He's a 32 year old accountant who's bisexual and is afraid of being himself and pretty much everyone by admitting to others he likes men as well as women.
And Mason (whom we briefly met in "Coming Home") is an almost 21 year old student nurse who is out of the closet but recently got out of a bad relationship, is new to town, new to his job and trying not to date. This is who Drew is paired up with, a boy/man who is still growing up and did NOT come off as mature or worldly for me to even consider giving this kid a pass.
But Drew has a spine consistent of string cheese, soft string cheese and actually did not act like he had balls for a lot of the book. He's not who I'd pair up with Mason because they are at two different wavelengths.
But the author did and got through their baggage and awkwardly had fall in love. *sigh*
I love M.J. O'Shea. I don't know what happened. :(
This first third of "Letting Go" was great because it was a summary of "Coming Home" from different angles and point of view. After the retelling, this is when the book started sinking itself into sand pit. By 52% of the book...I screwed my face because I couldn't see how Drew or Mason's situations could possibly get better. There's the first date where Mason had a brief run-in with his controlling ex and he took out his frustrations out on Drew (who was so like sponge cake, it's not even funny). It's like seeing a car crash in slow motion and you can't do anything to stop it.
Granted, Mason is still young enough to get away with his tantrum-like antics because he's not an adult as of yet and still is figuring it out. But his silly reasons for giving Drew a hard time? It was not needed.
I thought I was getting the Mason & Drew from "Coming Home" They were endearing. These two in "Letting Go"? Drew's weak and insecure and Mason has unreasonable tantrums and hang-ups of being CONTROLLED (heavy sighs and eye rolls here). I wanted to grab them by the cuff of their necks and yell, 'Dudes, you love each other, just grow up already'
When Lex told Drew he basically needed to grow a pair, I had my 'ah-ha' moment. But these two stumbled their way into a HEA. Eh, I didn't truly care as much because I lost interest with these two. Now, Mason's best friend, Logan? Him I like, though the author mentioned(?) he was bi (it's unclear as Mason referred men & Logan...didn't really get it)
So would I recommend this book to readers? Eh...if you are a fan of M.J.'s work, it's not one of her best in my opinion but the story is readable. Your feelings of the main characters' might be the bigger question.
I didn't hate this book. Just disappointed. I will read the rest in the series however.--TWO & A HALF STARS
January 24, 2022
Darum geht's:
Brock hat im kleinen Rock Bay das Sagen und deshalb schafft es Drew auch nicht, sich aus der Clique um ihn zu lösen. Drew verschweigt sogar, dass er bisexuell ist, um den homophoben Brock nicht gegen sich aufzubringen. Schließlich hat er Brock viele seiner Buchhaltungs-Kunden zu verdanken. Der Krankenpfleger Mason ist neu in die Gegend gezogen, weil er ein Jobangebot nutzte, um seinem kontrollsüchtigen Exfreund zu entkommen. Als sich Drew und Mason begegnen, hat keiner der beiden den Kopf frei, um sich zu verlieben. Doch ihren heftigen Gefühlen füreinander ist das egal.
Meine Meinung dazu gibt’s hier
Brock hat im kleinen Rock Bay das Sagen und deshalb schafft es Drew auch nicht, sich aus der Clique um ihn zu lösen. Drew verschweigt sogar, dass er bisexuell ist, um den homophoben Brock nicht gegen sich aufzubringen. Schließlich hat er Brock viele seiner Buchhaltungs-Kunden zu verdanken. Der Krankenpfleger Mason ist neu in die Gegend gezogen, weil er ein Jobangebot nutzte, um seinem kontrollsüchtigen Exfreund zu entkommen. Als sich Drew und Mason begegnen, hat keiner der beiden den Kopf frei, um sich zu verlieben. Doch ihren heftigen Gefühlen füreinander ist das egal.
Meine Meinung dazu gibt’s hier
May 18, 2015
Still enjoying this series. I liked Mason and Drew. They've both got some serious baggage (douchey ex-boyfriends, homophobic frenemies, and ultra conservative parents!). Hope to see more of them in Finding Shelter.
August 23, 2013
This is a nice book, but it has a boring beggining. I think that would be better if it set off from Tallis and Lex reconciliation, and then the story of Drew and Mason. What we read is Drew's life since Tallis's arrival, and that was very annoying, because most of it we read in Coming Home. When that part is over, the book gets better and it has actually some very hot scenes!
May 19, 2013
I enjoyed this story.
**This review may have slight spoilers for those who haven't read the first book in the series **
Drew has lived in Rock Bay most of his life, playing by the rules which were largely dictated by the 'in crowd' at school. He is still friends with Brock, the homophobic bully who hasn't changed his behaviour since high school, because Brock has contacts that could damage Drew's business. But Drew is now querying the path his life has taken. "He wondered if at nearly thirty-three, it was too late to escape."
In the first book of the series [book:Coming Home|13406459, Drew had come out to his good friend Tally, finally admitting he was bi. Tally's admission he was gay gave Drew the confidence to confide in his friend. Drew meets (or rather sees across the room) a gorgeous guy called Mason. The sparks fly for both men as they encounter each other a number of times without speaking beyond a 'hi'. However, the road to true love does not go smoothly.
In this book, the timeline crosses over that from Coming Home so we revisit the events from the first book with some slightly different point of view. I had mixed feelings about this approach. In terms of providing a better understanding of Tally's behaviour (why he kept seeing Brock instead of standing up for Lex), it was good. But I felt it didn't do much to shed more light on Drew's character and I just wanted the romance part to start!
The age gap was handled beautifully. Mason and Drew developed their relationship slowly and it was lovely to see the younger man excited to teach Drew about "passion and closeness". "Mason realised it had nothing to do with skill or experience because all Drew had to do was touch him, and he melted all over the place."
The men need to overcome a number of obstacles to find their HEA. Drew is worried that he is too old and Mason may tire of him or feel held back because his life is just starting. Mason has been hurt before by a controlling boyfriend and this leads him to interpret some of Drew's actions incorrectly. Luckily there are some great best friends to push them in the right direction.
"So Drew makes huge changes in his life to be with you, you love him, and he makes a couple dumb mistakes, one of which he didn't know was a mistake because you never really told him about Todd, and now you're going to end everything over it?"
When Logan put it that way, he did sound crazy.
Overall this was an enjoyable book and Drew and Mason got their happy ending. 3.5 stars.
**This review may have slight spoilers for those who haven't read the first book in the series **
Drew has lived in Rock Bay most of his life, playing by the rules which were largely dictated by the 'in crowd' at school. He is still friends with Brock, the homophobic bully who hasn't changed his behaviour since high school, because Brock has contacts that could damage Drew's business. But Drew is now querying the path his life has taken. "He wondered if at nearly thirty-three, it was too late to escape."
In the first book of the series [book:Coming Home|13406459, Drew had come out to his good friend Tally, finally admitting he was bi. Tally's admission he was gay gave Drew the confidence to confide in his friend. Drew meets (or rather sees across the room) a gorgeous guy called Mason. The sparks fly for both men as they encounter each other a number of times without speaking beyond a 'hi'. However, the road to true love does not go smoothly.
In this book, the timeline crosses over that from Coming Home so we revisit the events from the first book with some slightly different point of view. I had mixed feelings about this approach. In terms of providing a better understanding of Tally's behaviour (why he kept seeing Brock instead of standing up for Lex), it was good. But I felt it didn't do much to shed more light on Drew's character and I just wanted the romance part to start!
The age gap was handled beautifully. Mason and Drew developed their relationship slowly and it was lovely to see the younger man excited to teach Drew about "passion and closeness". "Mason realised it had nothing to do with skill or experience because all Drew had to do was touch him, and he melted all over the place."
The men need to overcome a number of obstacles to find their HEA. Drew is worried that he is too old and Mason may tire of him or feel held back because his life is just starting. Mason has been hurt before by a controlling boyfriend and this leads him to interpret some of Drew's actions incorrectly. Luckily there are some great best friends to push them in the right direction.
"So Drew makes huge changes in his life to be with you, you love him, and he makes a couple dumb mistakes, one of which he didn't know was a mistake because you never really told him about Todd, and now you're going to end everything over it?"
When Logan put it that way, he did sound crazy.
Overall this was an enjoyable book and Drew and Mason got their happy ending. 3.5 stars.
September 22, 2012
I enjoyed this much more than I did the first in the series. I'm glad I gave it a chance.
I think the fact that we didn't get a lot of Brock from the first book really upped my enjoyment factor. We do see him a bit in the beginning as we get a bit of fast forward through Coming Home in the first chapter or so and he makes a few cameos but nothing too indepth. I also ended up reconnecting with Tally in this one.
This one is light on the high drama but has a bit of angst. Mostly from Mason's previous relationship, which wasn't ideal and we meet his ex a few times.
Drew, who I thought was a bit of pushover from the first book, was very charming and shy here. I enjoyed the build up of the romance between the two men. It was a sweet story with some great secondary characters: Lex, Tally, Amy, Travis, and Logan. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
I think the fact that we didn't get a lot of Brock from the first book really upped my enjoyment factor. We do see him a bit in the beginning as we get a bit of fast forward through Coming Home in the first chapter or so and he makes a few cameos but nothing too indepth. I also ended up reconnecting with Tally in this one.
This one is light on the high drama but has a bit of angst. Mostly from Mason's previous relationship, which wasn't ideal and we meet his ex a few times.
Drew, who I thought was a bit of pushover from the first book, was very charming and shy here. I enjoyed the build up of the romance between the two men. It was a sweet story with some great secondary characters: Lex, Tally, Amy, Travis, and Logan. I'm looking forward to the next in the series.
May 28, 2013
3.5 stars
I loved Drew and Mason. They are an adorable couple. Did not like that the first 25% of the book was basically a rehash of the first book that did not do much to add any more insight to what we already knew about Drew. Also felt the ending was a bit rushed and contrived.
A good read, but lacked the emotional pull that I was expecting
I loved Drew and Mason. They are an adorable couple. Did not like that the first 25% of the book was basically a rehash of the first book that did not do much to add any more insight to what we already knew about Drew. Also felt the ending was a bit rushed and contrived.
A good read, but lacked the emotional pull that I was expecting
May 17, 2015
3.5 The 1st half kinda dragged and Drew was just a big ole pussy to me but it definitely got better, still think 1 was way better.
January 7, 2025
Edit: 7/1/25 Re-read on Audio. ⭐️3 stars⭐️
——————————————————————-
First review:
I like M J O'shea books and have read them all, most making their way into my keepers. The first in the Rock bay series Coming Home was highly enjoyable so I was really hoping this would meet my expectations and match up to book one. Unfortunately I found myself slightly disappointed - not so much in the story but in the way it is set up. By that I mean the first part of the books timeline runs alongside Coming Homes story, so in a sense we get a rehash of Tally and Lex's story at the same time as Drew and Masons, therefore it seems to take a long time before the two of them actually meet. I could see what she was trying to do, having read the first book but I'm not sure dragging it out so long did the pairing of these two MC's any favours - I missed the 'electricity' that you normally get that usually grabs you early on in most m/m romances. When they finally do get it together I found the romance both irritating and enjoyable at the same time! You can't help liking them both as they are endearing and once the romance gets going, the attraction and sexual tension really works between the two of them but Mason can be quite petty at times and sometimes Drew made me want to shake him and say ' for gods sake grow some and stand up for yourself!' as he lets some people walk all over him including Mason when he's got a strop on! If you liked the first book I'd say you'll want to read this and will still enjoy it but IMO it comes in under Coming Home. I really like this series and will look forward to more from it. Possibly Masons friend Logan, who was a character I really liked in the book, will be the next story in the series.
——————————————————————-
First review:
I like M J O'shea books and have read them all, most making their way into my keepers. The first in the Rock bay series Coming Home was highly enjoyable so I was really hoping this would meet my expectations and match up to book one. Unfortunately I found myself slightly disappointed - not so much in the story but in the way it is set up. By that I mean the first part of the books timeline runs alongside Coming Homes story, so in a sense we get a rehash of Tally and Lex's story at the same time as Drew and Masons, therefore it seems to take a long time before the two of them actually meet. I could see what she was trying to do, having read the first book but I'm not sure dragging it out so long did the pairing of these two MC's any favours - I missed the 'electricity' that you normally get that usually grabs you early on in most m/m romances. When they finally do get it together I found the romance both irritating and enjoyable at the same time! You can't help liking them both as they are endearing and once the romance gets going, the attraction and sexual tension really works between the two of them but Mason can be quite petty at times and sometimes Drew made me want to shake him and say ' for gods sake grow some and stand up for yourself!' as he lets some people walk all over him including Mason when he's got a strop on! If you liked the first book I'd say you'll want to read this and will still enjoy it but IMO it comes in under Coming Home. I really like this series and will look forward to more from it. Possibly Masons friend Logan, who was a character I really liked in the book, will be the next story in the series.
August 27, 2013
Ummm...I guess maybe a 2.5? I am not sure. I was kind of unhappy with this one.
First, the first 30% was basically a recap of Coming Home (Tally and Lex's story). I felt like I didn't need all of that.
Then, the rest of the reasons are here:
So, it was a good story, I really liked Mason and Drew together. I loved their game nights with friends. I loved their lazy nights just cooking and watching movies.
I want Amy to get her HEA :)
First, the first 30% was basically a recap of Coming Home (Tally and Lex's story). I felt like I didn't need all of that.
Then, the rest of the reasons are here:
So, it was a good story, I really liked Mason and Drew together. I loved their game nights with friends. I loved their lazy nights just cooking and watching movies.
I want Amy to get her HEA :)
August 18, 2012
I'll admit it took a little bit to get into this book. But that is completely my own fault. It's been nearly 18 months since I read #1 and these books are very closely interwoven. So close in fact that in reality these two guys didn't truly meet until about a third into the book. And I'll admit that threw me a bit as well.
But once I'd gotten back into the swing of it all, I really enjoyed the relationship these guys build. There was instant lust, but the love took builiding and it was done nice and slow. Their pasts reared their ugly heads and this had an impact on their relationship. Drew's "coming out" was not all sunshine and roses which was a refreshing change from so many books and consistent with the previous books handling of the same.
So, even with a less than perfect start (which, again, was my own fault lol) I'm very glad I finally got around to reading this installment. And yay! I have another to go. But this time if there's a bit of a gap between books, I'll make sure I reread #1 and this one first.
But once I'd gotten back into the swing of it all, I really enjoyed the relationship these guys build. There was instant lust, but the love took builiding and it was done nice and slow. Their pasts reared their ugly heads and this had an impact on their relationship. Drew's "coming out" was not all sunshine and roses which was a refreshing change from so many books and consistent with the previous books handling of the same.
So, even with a less than perfect start (which, again, was my own fault lol) I'm very glad I finally got around to reading this installment. And yay! I have another to go. But this time if there's a bit of a gap between books, I'll make sure I reread #1 and this one first.
May 25, 2017
Hovered between three and four stars on this. I love pretty much anything by M.J. or Piper and this was no exception, but there were times when I felt like this bordered on too cute, too sweet, too sugary. I don't like to get a toothache from my romance. Ultimately I liked this one a lot but it went over the line a few times.
The conflict in this book was frustrating, too, although I think it was pretty realistic. People get dumb ideas in their heads and they do dumb things, so I didn't think the conflict was contrived at all, just sometimes I was like "why are you such an idiot?!" But we're all idiots sometimes.
5/17 re-read: Still between 3-4 stars. Very cute but not a stand-out.
The conflict in this book was frustrating, too, although I think it was pretty realistic. People get dumb ideas in their heads and they do dumb things, so I didn't think the conflict was contrived at all, just sometimes I was like "why are you such an idiot?!" But we're all idiots sometimes.
5/17 re-read: Still between 3-4 stars. Very cute but not a stand-out.
September 19, 2012
This book surprised me, not in a bad way, but I thought Drew was going to be the one with the issues because he wouldn't want to come out of the closet, but I was wrong... it was Mason with the issues. Good book with some humor. I almost spit my coffee out my nose when Amy said to Mason, “We need to find you a man. You're conjuring Cinderfellas.”
I am wondering if Logan is going to get a story with Justin, Travis's cousin from out of town), and is Brock ever going to get a story? At some point it has to come out that he's gay right?!
I am wondering if Logan is going to get a story with Justin, Travis's cousin from out of town), and is Brock ever going to get a story? At some point it has to come out that he's gay right?!
November 4, 2012
I loved the first book in the series, this one, not so much. It was interesting to see how the story in book one played out from Drew's point of view. But then I just wanted the real story to start. I didn't like the huge age gap between Drew and Mason. I thought Mason was too young at 20 for Drew's 32.
Mason was very immature. If someone treated me on a first date like Mason treated Drew no way in fucking hell would I want a second date with that person. I also didn't understand why Logan had to move to Astoria. That part of the plot we could have done without. The ending was abrupt.
Mason was very immature. If someone treated me on a first date like Mason treated Drew no way in fucking hell would I want a second date with that person. I also didn't understand why Logan had to move to Astoria. That part of the plot we could have done without. The ending was abrupt.
September 27, 2012
The last couple of pages made me up a star. The twenty before them made me deduce two.
I liked it better than the first one Coming Home... mostly. But there were lots of eye-rolling moments and lots of me wanting to give up and just read something else.
Way too sugary and way too awkward.
Am I sorry that I've read it? No. Will I reread it? Probably not.
I liked it better than the first one Coming Home... mostly. But there were lots of eye-rolling moments and lots of me wanting to give up and just read something else.
Way too sugary and way too awkward.
Am I sorry that I've read it? No. Will I reread it? Probably not.
July 13, 2015
I liked Mason in the beginning but I don't like how he treated Drew. I think he was unfair to Drew quite a few times because of things he experienced with his ex, but since he never communicated with Drew about it, how was Drew supposed to know what Masons triggers were?!
February 9, 2022
Nicht so gut wie Band 1
Drew steckt tief im Schrank, um Konflikte bezüglich seiner Bisexualität zu vermeiden. Glücklich ist er damit nicht. Als er jedoch den erst kürzlich hinzugezogenen Mason kennenlernt, ist es für ihn an der Zeit zu seinen Gefühlen zu stehen.
Diesmal konnte ich mich weder für das Paar noch die Story begeistern. Eigentlich lese ich auch gerne, wenn Figuren aus dem vorherigen Band auftauchen, aber hier war es mir doch zu viel.
Drew steckt tief im Schrank, um Konflikte bezüglich seiner Bisexualität zu vermeiden. Glücklich ist er damit nicht. Als er jedoch den erst kürzlich hinzugezogenen Mason kennenlernt, ist es für ihn an der Zeit zu seinen Gefühlen zu stehen.
Diesmal konnte ich mich weder für das Paar noch die Story begeistern. Eigentlich lese ich auch gerne, wenn Figuren aus dem vorherigen Band auftauchen, aber hier war es mir doch zu viel.
June 13, 2014
Note: This audiobook was provided to me by the publisher through Hearts on Fire Reviews in exchange for an impartial review.
An engaging sequel to Coming Home, this story features Tally’s friend, Drew, and Lex’s friend, Mason, two men who had minor roles in the first book. The story opens in the past, giving us the background story on both Drew and Mason, with more than a brief glimpse into what makes them tick. Then we get a slower replay of some of the timeframes and scenes that passed by quickly in the first story, allowing these men to have their full story unfold slowly enough to enjoy it.
Mason moved to Astoria, near the town of Rock Bay where Drew lives, after breaking up with his boyfriend, Todd, a physician at the hospital in Seattle where Mason did his nursing internship. Todd was controlling and manipulative and tried to force Mason to be the man Todd wanted him to be, rather than the man Mason wanted to be. Those who read the first story will recall that Mason is the young nurse who works with Lex’s friend, Amy, at the hospital in Astoria. He also dated Lex briefly, before Lex and Tally became serious.
Drew is Tally’s old friend from high school, an accountant who hangs around with Rock Bay’s most prominent, and bigoted, citizen and chief bully, Brock. Drew finally comes out to Brock, mainly because he can’t stand the homophobia, but also because he wants to be free to date the cute guy he saw at the hospital in Astoria. In a series of coincidences, Mason is friends with Amy, Lex’s best friend; Lex dated Mason and lives with Tally, Drew’s close friend. Both Drew and Mason have talked to Amy, Lex, and Tally about the cute guy they keep seeing but haven’t had a chance to meet yet, and no one realizes that they are speaking about each other. When they do meet, Drew has to overcome Mason’s prejudice toward him, since the last glimpse he had of Drew was when Drew was with a drunken Brock who was insulting Lex at the time.
Eventually, their identities become known to each other, and the two arrange to have their first date. Unfortunately, Todd makes an appearance at Mason’s home that morning, and it leaves Mason feeling angry enough to take out his frustrations on Drew during their date. Upset and angry, Drew is ready to call it quits with dating men.
Good friends and good advice lead to Mason apologizing, and the two eventually become a couple. But Drew’s loss of clients when Brock turns his homophobic attitude loose in the community, leads to unmanageable tension for Drew. Add to that, his parents’ reaction when they find out the rumors about him are true, and Drew is feeling overwhelmed. Drew’s behavior during a confrontation involving his parents and Mason causes a rift between the couple that is difficult to heal. On top of that, Todd, in his need to control Mason, is causing trouble for Mason at his job. Their failure to communicate their issues may cause the relationship between Drew and Mason to break up just when it started to seem like they belonged together.
This review is of the 2014 audiobook version, and I enjoyed listening to it as much as, if not more than, the first one. This couple is so sweet together, but so messed up from failure to communicate. They are definitely sexually compatible, and Drew’s inexperience with men adds a touch of excitement and discovery to their romance. As a listener, I was cheering for them, though I sometimes wanted to smack one or the other. Thankfully, their friends were strong and gave good advice. Having the chance to visit with my favorite characters from book one was like having whipped cream and a cherry on top of my delicious bowl of ice cream.
The narration was great. The voice of Tom Vilot, with his varied intonations in the narrative, and multiple vocal ranges for characters, gave life to the story, making it a pleasure to listen and get caught up in the lives of the men of Rock Bay.
I recommend this one to all lovers of contemporary M/M romance who enjoy the following: two sweet MCs with a miscommunication problem, family drama, angst, great makeup sex, and a revisit to the characters we loved from the first book.
An engaging sequel to Coming Home, this story features Tally’s friend, Drew, and Lex’s friend, Mason, two men who had minor roles in the first book. The story opens in the past, giving us the background story on both Drew and Mason, with more than a brief glimpse into what makes them tick. Then we get a slower replay of some of the timeframes and scenes that passed by quickly in the first story, allowing these men to have their full story unfold slowly enough to enjoy it.
Mason moved to Astoria, near the town of Rock Bay where Drew lives, after breaking up with his boyfriend, Todd, a physician at the hospital in Seattle where Mason did his nursing internship. Todd was controlling and manipulative and tried to force Mason to be the man Todd wanted him to be, rather than the man Mason wanted to be. Those who read the first story will recall that Mason is the young nurse who works with Lex’s friend, Amy, at the hospital in Astoria. He also dated Lex briefly, before Lex and Tally became serious.
Drew is Tally’s old friend from high school, an accountant who hangs around with Rock Bay’s most prominent, and bigoted, citizen and chief bully, Brock. Drew finally comes out to Brock, mainly because he can’t stand the homophobia, but also because he wants to be free to date the cute guy he saw at the hospital in Astoria. In a series of coincidences, Mason is friends with Amy, Lex’s best friend; Lex dated Mason and lives with Tally, Drew’s close friend. Both Drew and Mason have talked to Amy, Lex, and Tally about the cute guy they keep seeing but haven’t had a chance to meet yet, and no one realizes that they are speaking about each other. When they do meet, Drew has to overcome Mason’s prejudice toward him, since the last glimpse he had of Drew was when Drew was with a drunken Brock who was insulting Lex at the time.
Eventually, their identities become known to each other, and the two arrange to have their first date. Unfortunately, Todd makes an appearance at Mason’s home that morning, and it leaves Mason feeling angry enough to take out his frustrations on Drew during their date. Upset and angry, Drew is ready to call it quits with dating men.
Good friends and good advice lead to Mason apologizing, and the two eventually become a couple. But Drew’s loss of clients when Brock turns his homophobic attitude loose in the community, leads to unmanageable tension for Drew. Add to that, his parents’ reaction when they find out the rumors about him are true, and Drew is feeling overwhelmed. Drew’s behavior during a confrontation involving his parents and Mason causes a rift between the couple that is difficult to heal. On top of that, Todd, in his need to control Mason, is causing trouble for Mason at his job. Their failure to communicate their issues may cause the relationship between Drew and Mason to break up just when it started to seem like they belonged together.
This review is of the 2014 audiobook version, and I enjoyed listening to it as much as, if not more than, the first one. This couple is so sweet together, but so messed up from failure to communicate. They are definitely sexually compatible, and Drew’s inexperience with men adds a touch of excitement and discovery to their romance. As a listener, I was cheering for them, though I sometimes wanted to smack one or the other. Thankfully, their friends were strong and gave good advice. Having the chance to visit with my favorite characters from book one was like having whipped cream and a cherry on top of my delicious bowl of ice cream.
The narration was great. The voice of Tom Vilot, with his varied intonations in the narrative, and multiple vocal ranges for characters, gave life to the story, making it a pleasure to listen and get caught up in the lives of the men of Rock Bay.
I recommend this one to all lovers of contemporary M/M romance who enjoy the following: two sweet MCs with a miscommunication problem, family drama, angst, great makeup sex, and a revisit to the characters we loved from the first book.
January 21, 2022
Mit 'Letting Go' haben wir den zweiten Band der Rock Bay Reihe, dieser ist in sich abgeschlossen und kann ohne Vorkenntnisse von Band 1 gelesen werden. Ich kannte Band 1 auch nicht vorher, werde das aber noch nachholen denn das Paar taucht natürlich in Band 2 auch auf und ich möchte ihre Geschichte definitiv auch noch lesen.
Aber jetzt erstmal zu der Geschichte von Drew und Mason.
Der Klappentext fasst sehr gut zusammen was einen als Leser in dem Buch erwartet, deshalb will ich gar nicht viel zum Inhalt sagen, sondern mich auf meine Leseeindrücke konzentrieren.
Ich muss sagen, dass ich mich im ersten Viertel des Buches ein bisschen schwer getan habe mit Drew. Seine Art mit seinen "Freunden" umzugehen und so viele Sachen einfach hinzunehmen statt für sich oder andere einzustehen, hat mir zunächst nicht gefallen. Aber nach und nach entwickelt man ein Gespür für ihn, für die Art wie er denkt und handelt und kann zumindest nachempfinden warum er reagiert, wie er reagiert.
Vor allem dann im Zusammenspiel mit Mason und auch mit seiner Entwicklung während der Geschichte mochte ich ihn dann aber richtig gern.
Als jemand, der selber auf dem Dorf aufgewachsen ist, konnte man viele der Kleinstadt Schrulligkeiten der Bewohner von Rock Bay wiedererkennen. Negativ aber auch positiv.
Interessant fand ich auch den Aufbau der Geschichte, denn fast über die Länge des ersten Drittels des Buches laufen die Geschichten von Drew und Mason parallel ab, ohne dass die beiden überhaupt Kontakt haben. Sehr ungewöhnlich aber total passend zur Story.
Die ersten Begegnungen bestehen immer nur aus einem "Hi" oder "Hallo"....das war köstlich, wie zwei gestandene Männer es nicht schaffen, eine richtige Unterhaltung in Gang zu kriegen 🤣
Drew und Mason haben keine leichte Geschichte. Es ist nicht alles sofort schön und rosarot und die Big Lovestory. Aber ich finde die Dynamik zwischen den beiden sehr besonders und ich mag auch die Geschichte an sich sehr gern. Es ist eine relativ unaufgeregte Geschichte ohne viel Drama-Drama aber mit ein bisschen Lebens-Drama. Never too much sondern genau richtig.
Wie gesagt ich möchte auf jeden Fall noch Band 1 lesen denn das Paar hat mir hier auch richtig gut gefallen.
'Letting Go' ist für mich nicht nur der perfekte Titel für das Buch, sondern auch eine schöne Metapher für die Geschichte an sich. Mason, der nach seiner unschönen letzten Beziehung wieder Vertrauen aufbauen muss zu anderen Menschen und Drew, der seine sichere Komfortzone verlassen muss um zu sich selbst zu finden, müssen beide auf eine Art loslassen lernen. Zulassen, dass sich Dinge entwickeln, mit denen man vielleicht nicht gerechnet hat. Loslassen und hoffen, dass da jemand ist, der einen auffängt. Das sind Drew und Mason für mich.
Das Cover finde ich ganz ok aber relativ nichtssagend. Ein hübscher Kerl im Flanellhemd vor ländlicher Landschaftskulisse. Passt zum Buch aber kein Cover, das mir in Erinnerung bleiben wird, weder positiv noch negativ.
Der Schreibstil von M.J. O'Shea bzw.die Übersetzung von Anne Sommerfeld empfand ich als angenehm lesbar. Locker und leicht, gute Dialoge und flüssig zu lesen.
Mir hat das Buch viel Spaß gemacht. Ein ungewöhnlicher Story Aufbau, eine gute Geschichte und zwei tollen Protagonisten...was will man mehr?
Ich empfehle es gerne weiter.
Aber jetzt erstmal zu der Geschichte von Drew und Mason.
Der Klappentext fasst sehr gut zusammen was einen als Leser in dem Buch erwartet, deshalb will ich gar nicht viel zum Inhalt sagen, sondern mich auf meine Leseeindrücke konzentrieren.
Ich muss sagen, dass ich mich im ersten Viertel des Buches ein bisschen schwer getan habe mit Drew. Seine Art mit seinen "Freunden" umzugehen und so viele Sachen einfach hinzunehmen statt für sich oder andere einzustehen, hat mir zunächst nicht gefallen. Aber nach und nach entwickelt man ein Gespür für ihn, für die Art wie er denkt und handelt und kann zumindest nachempfinden warum er reagiert, wie er reagiert.
Vor allem dann im Zusammenspiel mit Mason und auch mit seiner Entwicklung während der Geschichte mochte ich ihn dann aber richtig gern.
Als jemand, der selber auf dem Dorf aufgewachsen ist, konnte man viele der Kleinstadt Schrulligkeiten der Bewohner von Rock Bay wiedererkennen. Negativ aber auch positiv.
Interessant fand ich auch den Aufbau der Geschichte, denn fast über die Länge des ersten Drittels des Buches laufen die Geschichten von Drew und Mason parallel ab, ohne dass die beiden überhaupt Kontakt haben. Sehr ungewöhnlich aber total passend zur Story.
Die ersten Begegnungen bestehen immer nur aus einem "Hi" oder "Hallo"....das war köstlich, wie zwei gestandene Männer es nicht schaffen, eine richtige Unterhaltung in Gang zu kriegen 🤣
Drew und Mason haben keine leichte Geschichte. Es ist nicht alles sofort schön und rosarot und die Big Lovestory. Aber ich finde die Dynamik zwischen den beiden sehr besonders und ich mag auch die Geschichte an sich sehr gern. Es ist eine relativ unaufgeregte Geschichte ohne viel Drama-Drama aber mit ein bisschen Lebens-Drama. Never too much sondern genau richtig.
Wie gesagt ich möchte auf jeden Fall noch Band 1 lesen denn das Paar hat mir hier auch richtig gut gefallen.
'Letting Go' ist für mich nicht nur der perfekte Titel für das Buch, sondern auch eine schöne Metapher für die Geschichte an sich. Mason, der nach seiner unschönen letzten Beziehung wieder Vertrauen aufbauen muss zu anderen Menschen und Drew, der seine sichere Komfortzone verlassen muss um zu sich selbst zu finden, müssen beide auf eine Art loslassen lernen. Zulassen, dass sich Dinge entwickeln, mit denen man vielleicht nicht gerechnet hat. Loslassen und hoffen, dass da jemand ist, der einen auffängt. Das sind Drew und Mason für mich.
Das Cover finde ich ganz ok aber relativ nichtssagend. Ein hübscher Kerl im Flanellhemd vor ländlicher Landschaftskulisse. Passt zum Buch aber kein Cover, das mir in Erinnerung bleiben wird, weder positiv noch negativ.
Der Schreibstil von M.J. O'Shea bzw.die Übersetzung von Anne Sommerfeld empfand ich als angenehm lesbar. Locker und leicht, gute Dialoge und flüssig zu lesen.
Mir hat das Buch viel Spaß gemacht. Ein ungewöhnlicher Story Aufbau, eine gute Geschichte und zwei tollen Protagonisten...was will man mehr?
Ich empfehle es gerne weiter.
June 25, 2013
I really enjoyed Drew and Mason's story. I was hesitant to start with though, because I wasn't too keen with how the story overlapped quite a lot with the first book in the series. Although it was told from a different point of view and we got to learn a bit more about Mason and Drew, I still found myself speed-reading to try and get to the new stuff. I had to consciously slow myself down and actually read it properly. But honestly, it was only because I was so excited to get the new stuff and see Drew and Mason's relationship grow. And once I got to that part? I absolutely LOVED it ;) They were such a cute couple, and although there were a few hiccups along the way, there was never a moment where I doubted that they'd end up together. Or perhaps that's because I've read all of MJ's books and I just know that she always delivers a fabulous HEA. I felt that the conflict at the end was a little weak, but then that barely bothered me because I genuinely didn't want to see them fighting.
I'm quite interested in Travis's cousin, because he was eluded to but never actually introduced. Is that a hint to a future story, perhaps? And Logan is confusing me. At first I thought there had to be a story there. But now I'm not so sure. And Brock! Don't even get me started on him! Someone needs to slap some sense into that man.
Great addition to the series, and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who read and enjoyed the first book. It was great to see Lex and Tally again. I think I preferred the first book, but I still really liked this one.
I'm quite interested in Travis's cousin, because he was eluded to but never actually introduced. Is that a hint to a future story, perhaps? And Logan is confusing me. At first I thought there had to be a story there. But now I'm not so sure. And Brock! Don't even get me started on him! Someone needs to slap some sense into that man.
Great addition to the series, and I would definitely recommend this to anyone who read and enjoyed the first book. It was great to see Lex and Tally again. I think I preferred the first book, but I still really liked this one.
September 26, 2013
3.5 stars.
I'm having some mixed feelings. This beginning of this book ran concurrently with the first book. I felt like it didn't really add anything more except introducing Mason and showing a bit of insight into Drew's thoughts.
I wanted the romance to kick in earlier. When it finally did, it was enjoyable. I thought they were a cute couple who were learning each other, especially Drew who had never been intimate with a man before.
I did get a little irritated by Mason's overreaction to certain things. I mean, I know he had a past bad boyfriend who was possessive and tried to control him but I thought he would've know that Drew wasn't trying to do the same thing. Their little separation really could've been resolved if Mason just communicated with him instead of blown up and chucked a tanty.
I love their group together with Lex, Tally, Amy, Mason, Drew, Travis, Cheri and now Logan. I'm really excited about the next book because Justin seems like a really interesting character who hasn't had an easy life at all. But I am worried about Logan because there was never any mention in this that he liked guys or that he's even bi... I guess we shall see.
I'm having some mixed feelings. This beginning of this book ran concurrently with the first book. I felt like it didn't really add anything more except introducing Mason and showing a bit of insight into Drew's thoughts.
I wanted the romance to kick in earlier. When it finally did, it was enjoyable. I thought they were a cute couple who were learning each other, especially Drew who had never been intimate with a man before.
I did get a little irritated by Mason's overreaction to certain things. I mean, I know he had a past bad boyfriend who was possessive and tried to control him but I thought he would've know that Drew wasn't trying to do the same thing. Their little separation really could've been resolved if Mason just communicated with him instead of blown up and chucked a tanty.
I love their group together with Lex, Tally, Amy, Mason, Drew, Travis, Cheri and now Logan. I'm really excited about the next book because Justin seems like a really interesting character who hasn't had an easy life at all. But I am worried about Logan because there was never any mention in this that he liked guys or that he's even bi... I guess we shall see.
July 25, 2014
3.5 stars really....
I had a bit of a hard time with this one.... Drew drove me crazy. I get that Rock Bay is his home and wanted to stay there, but the first half of this book is all about how miserable he is, he can't come out to his friends and family, he'll lose his business, blah blah blah. It got really old. I wanted him to grow a pair, stand up for himself, or move to another town. I had a really hard time coming up with any sympathy for him. The second half he was much better, and I did get to a point where I liked him.
Mason was a sweetheart, I loved him immediately, but he needed to open his damn mouth and talk to Drew!
Overall I enjoyed it, the writing is good, the basic plot was good, and I liked everyone but Drew. I love Tally and Lexi and I was happy to see them so much in this story.
I listened to the audio version, I like that narrator quite a bit, but he mispronounded Enumclaw over and over! I'm from Washington, I know how it is pronounced, and that is NOT it! Otherwise I liked his voice. His reading of the sex scenes was quite nice...
I've got the next one downloaded on my phone to listen to!
I had a bit of a hard time with this one.... Drew drove me crazy. I get that Rock Bay is his home and wanted to stay there, but the first half of this book is all about how miserable he is, he can't come out to his friends and family, he'll lose his business, blah blah blah. It got really old. I wanted him to grow a pair, stand up for himself, or move to another town. I had a really hard time coming up with any sympathy for him. The second half he was much better, and I did get to a point where I liked him.
Mason was a sweetheart, I loved him immediately, but he needed to open his damn mouth and talk to Drew!
Overall I enjoyed it, the writing is good, the basic plot was good, and I liked everyone but Drew. I love Tally and Lexi and I was happy to see them so much in this story.
I listened to the audio version, I like that narrator quite a bit, but he mispronounded Enumclaw over and over! I'm from Washington, I know how it is pronounced, and that is NOT it! Otherwise I liked his voice. His reading of the sex scenes was quite nice...
I've got the next one downloaded on my phone to listen to!
October 6, 2012
The sequel to Coming Home, which I adored. This one was great as well. I confess I liked the first one better, probably because the character of Drew held very little interest to me. Nonetheless, I was more than curious to find out how he dug himself out of the friend-of-bullies hole, especially since Mason, his love interest, is the sweetest guy in the world.
Note: This story is slow to start, and there are frequent references to the first book, since they happen in the same timeline. Once you get past that--and those tentative, awkward moments between Drew and Mason--the story unfolds, opening up like a flower. Though it was nice to see characters from the previous story here, I was more interested in Drew and Mason as a couple.
And nothing is ever easy in Rock Bay. Bullies are just the tip of the iceberg, and horrid exes the seasoning. Solving everyday problems as well as misconceptions about one another are the source of constant conflicts, and yet the source for the sweetest make-up sex :) Like the previous book, well worth the read. I highly recommend this!
Note: This story is slow to start, and there are frequent references to the first book, since they happen in the same timeline. Once you get past that--and those tentative, awkward moments between Drew and Mason--the story unfolds, opening up like a flower. Though it was nice to see characters from the previous story here, I was more interested in Drew and Mason as a couple.
And nothing is ever easy in Rock Bay. Bullies are just the tip of the iceberg, and horrid exes the seasoning. Solving everyday problems as well as misconceptions about one another are the source of constant conflicts, and yet the source for the sweetest make-up sex :) Like the previous book, well worth the read. I highly recommend this!
September 18, 2012
I must confess I was disappointed that so much of this covered ground from 'Coming Home'. I understand some people may not have read that one first, but I think Drew and Mason's story could have stood alone just as well.
I loved the idea of an older inexperienced man being tutoured by a younger knowing guy who's dealing with his own demons.
I loved catching up with the rest of the gang: Tally & Lex, and Amy, and meeting Mason's best bud, Logan. Although they were very much sidelined to play second fiddle to the love struck duo trying to find each other through closets and controlling exs.
This moved fast, with no real danger of them not being together with some lovely romantic love-making.
I loved the idea of an older inexperienced man being tutoured by a younger knowing guy who's dealing with his own demons.
I loved catching up with the rest of the gang: Tally & Lex, and Amy, and meeting Mason's best bud, Logan. Although they were very much sidelined to play second fiddle to the love struck duo trying to find each other through closets and controlling exs.
This moved fast, with no real danger of them not being together with some lovely romantic love-making.
January 16, 2014
Drew liked Mason.
Mason liked Drew.
But Mason has a bad experience with his previous boyfriend which he tends to overlap with Drew a lot. I mean A LOT
one minute he is sweet and the next..
Drew's character was believable. He was a coward but he was growing up and learning to accept life and all the drama.
I did feel sorry for the things he had to put up with Mason like their first date,
Mason liked Drew.
But Mason has a bad experience with his previous boyfriend which he tends to overlap with Drew a lot. I mean A LOT
one minute he is sweet and the next..
Drew's character was believable. He was a coward but he was growing up and learning to accept life and all the drama.
I did feel sorry for the things he had to put up with Mason like their first date,
dnf
January 25, 2014Ok, I tried, I really did. I made it up to 30%, but to be honest? This is more or less the same than the final 25% of book #1! Well, with a little bit of Mason thrown it. And shown from Drew's perspective. Sadly not many new or different scenes than in book #1 as well. Yes, unless the Mason ones. But the whole Brock desaster was there again and why Drew needed the support from Tally, the whole harebrained storyline, here it was again. Not as drawn out as in the other book, but still ...
Enough to put it on my DNF pile.
Enough to put it on my DNF pile.
July 13, 2017
Really just under a four star but so close it doesn't matter. I really did enjoy these two but they didn't have the rocky past together that the first couple had. I like how the two overlapped so if you haven't read #1 yet then I would suggest reading that one first. Plus the overlap helped me remember the first couple better so I could move right into this story without trying to hurt my brain remembering #1. Thanks MJ!! I really, really think Drew let Mason off waaay to easily. A little more suffering and groveling were in order IMO. Still loved it!
December 18, 2021
I was really disappointed in this book. I had so enjoyed Coming Home and thought that Letting Go wouldbe just as appealing. Unfortunately for me, it wasn't even close. I had a difficult time with Drew and his procrastination over who he was and his inability to accept it. Mason seemed a weak character and I guess I just didn't click with them.
June 23, 2013
Another great addition to the Rock Bay series. I loved that we got to see more of Lex, Tally, and Amy. And was so glad that Drew pulled his head out of his ass and got to start living. Mason was a sweet guy and I'm glad that he and Drew found each other.
August 3, 2015
3.5 stars
Sweet and tender with a touch of drama. I liked it more than I expected, and I'd like it even more if the first part where we relive scenes from the first book, albeit from Drew's perspective, was shorter. I'm starting to believe that O'Shea can do no wrong for me.
Sweet and tender with a touch of drama. I liked it more than I expected, and I'd like it even more if the first part where we relive scenes from the first book, albeit from Drew's perspective, was shorter. I'm starting to believe that O'Shea can do no wrong for me.
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