Beyond the Blue by TJ O’Shea is an age-gap, slow burn romance that shows how each of the main characters copes with grief and loss. Despite its heavy topic, the story is filled with laughter and witty banter, and it is ultimately a beautifully written love story.
Dr. Mei Sharpe, a medical examiner, has been a widow for some time, yet still struggles with the pain of losing her husband of thirty years. The ones still in her life, her two daughters and a best friend, worry for Mei as she’s socializing less and less as more time passes by. Little does she know that a chance encounter with a stranger out on the wintery road and later on another two different random occasions would be the start of some changes.
The stranger turns out to be none other than Lieutenant Morgan Kelly, who has a charming personality and friendly nature. Underneath Kelly’s happy-go-lucky attitude, lies someone who has her own grief to deal with and wants to be loved.
Dr. Sharpe is well-known to have an icy personality around her workplace, but that does not deter Morgan from trying her best to pull Mei out of her mundane routine.
Mei and Morgan are opposites in almost every sense of the word, yet there is undeniable chemistry that draws them together. Will Morgan be able to chip away at Mei’s icy exterior and will belly swoops be enough?
Pros And My Favourite Parts
I loved this book from beginning to end. First off, O’Shea has a great sense of humour which I very much appreciated, and had me smiling or laughing out loud.
Morgan’s infectious personality and dorky nature were unexpected but refreshing and she had my heart. I enjoyed that Morgan was able to coax Mei out of her shell and Mei had funny responses to the detective’s rambunctious behavior. From their very first meeting, Mei and Morgan’s chemistry was there and proven undeniable further on in the story, they bring out the best in each other.
It might’ve been a bad idea on my part to have read the last portion of the book on public transportation as I struggled to keep myself from tearing up while reading a heart-wrenching scene. Don’t worry about there being too much angst as there was very little.
Yes, there is a break-up in the latter half of the book but I believe it was needed for their character growth and most importantly, the setup for the getting back together part.
I don’t tend to gravitate towards age-gap or ice-queen romances (please don’t hold it against me). However, I’m glad to say that this one worked for me in all the right ways.
Cons And Heads Up
My only warning is that there is a very brief reference to HP.
The Conclusion
It will be hard to put the book down once you start reading. Beyond the Blue gives you all the feels you would want in a romance.
Not only will you fall in love with these characters who are so different from each other, but they will also stay with you long after you’ve finished reading.
This is the author’s debut novel and I’m excited to see what she has in store for us in the future.
Excerpt from Beyond the Blue by TJ O’Shea
Shanvi’s eyes followed Morgan out, only to see her nearly bump into a woman walking her dog. Morgan knelt down, matching the dog’s excitement with effusive, two-handed petting. The dog licked her face and she laughed, chatting with the woman above her. Morgan took out her phone and snapped a picture of the dog, then shook the dog’s paw politely. They parted with short waves, and the woman turned around with a grin to check Morgan out as she walked away.
“Wow. How is anyone that pleasant? Especially a cop.” Shanvi sighed. “You were right, though. She is a lot.”
Mei grumbled into her tea. “I know. I appreciate you bringing her show to our table and inviting her back for an encore.”
“Please, you like her.”
Coughing in surprise, Mei dabbed her mouth with a napkin. “Excuse me?”
“You like her, I can tell.”
“A: I barely know her,” Mei countered. “B: She’s a cop. You’ve been around enough of them by now to know they’re all muscle, no meat.”
“She looked like plenty of meat to me,” Shanvi said with a waggle of her eyebrows. “And muscle.”
“Please do not objectify my colleagues.”
Shanvi grinned. “Oh, she’s a colleague.” Off Mei’s exasperated look, Shanvi raised her hands in surrender. “I’m just saying you were not your usual icy self. More of a gentle frost.”
“I sometimes genuinely wonder how we remain friends.”
“Because I am one of the few people in the world who knows you this well and still likes you.” Mei glared at her, but Shanvi did nothing but smile in return. “Besides, I think it would be good for you to make a friend. I will continue to be your best and closest friend, but still.”
Mei relaxed, releasing the breath she held in her chest. Pressing her finger against the window, she dragged it down the dewy condensation on the pane and scoffed. “Gentle frost.”
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Bits and Bobs
ISBN number: 9781642473438
Publisher: Bella Books
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