Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Little Magic #2

A Little Taste of Magic

Rate this book
Arlo Vallerand is part witch, part fairy, and a whole lot of never been good at settling down. He blows from town to town, hangs out for a while, and then takes off when he gets tired of wherever he's been. It's how he is – well that and he's really good at unintentionally putting spells on things. It's a family curse. It can get a bit awkward from time to time.

Gray Baxter likes for the parts of his life to stay just how he arranged them – people, his town, his family. Change gives him hives. He wouldn't know what it was like to lose control completely since it's never quite happened. At least it hasn't until now.

When Arlo comes to town he does exactly what he does best – charm everyone and everything in his path. He’s never loved anywhere as much as he loves Baxter Hollow and the prickly son of the town’s wealthiest family. Gray can't keep his eyes off of the beautiful newcomer. . . and he can't decide if he wants to run him out of town or keep him forever.

178 pages, ebook

First published October 30, 2016

36 people are currently reading
136 people want to read

About the author

M.J. O'Shea

87 books948 followers
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.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
65 (33%)
4 stars
82 (42%)
3 stars
39 (20%)
2 stars
6 (3%)
1 star
1 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
Profile Image for Cadiva.
4,015 reviews446 followers
January 16, 2021
Second one was just as much fun

I liked this book just as much as book one, it followed a similar path as Arlo has similar powers to Frankie.

Gray took a bit more time to warm up but eventually he got with the program.

We also get a bigger bunch of secondary characters here and, interestingly, one of them is going to be the subject of book three.

I say interestingly, as up to press, he's shown no interest in men at all so I'm intrigued as to how that's going to be addressed.
Profile Image for Lisa KK.
200 reviews7 followers
dnf
July 5, 2023
Dnf at 10%. It’s my pet peeve to read about interactions the MCs have with their 465 closest relatives. I want to read about the MCs interacting. If one of the MCs is avoiding the other before even meeting them, sounds like I am not going to have a good time.
Profile Image for Ed Davis.
2,916 reviews101 followers
April 7, 2021
I liked the book, but I got tired of the way Grey kept avoiding Arlo. It just went on too long and got a little boring. It got better once they actually got together, but it still seemed that they went from avoidance to passionate lovers all at once.
Profile Image for Shelley Chastagner.
2,736 reviews38 followers
July 7, 2020
I loved this one! Arlo is sweet, caring, and just a plain wonderful guy. It took me a while to warm up to Gray. He's so fearful of veering outside of the path he made for himself that it controls him completely. Arlo is definitely outside his self imposed boundaries. It was frustrating to watch his struggle to let go of his vision or perfect and embrace the real thing with Arlo. The side characters are just as noteworthy. They add a nice dimension to the story without taking over.
Recommended series and author
Profile Image for DaisyGirl.
1,206 reviews68 followers
November 10, 2016
2.5 (2.0) Stars

First off, I'm an MJ O'Shea fan. Period. I enjoy her writing and the characters she creates. That said, this book just didn't do it for me. I loved Arlo and I liked Gray well enough but their story was super sappy with very little angst. Fankly (and sadly) I was mostly bored. The descriptions of the foods and the charm spells were interesting but not enough to blow my dress up, ya know?

Bottom line: Wish I liked it more.
Profile Image for Patricia Nelson.
1,739 reviews20 followers
September 30, 2020
What a sweet, fantastic, engaging, grab-you-by-the-feels, charming, adorable, smoking hot, delightful, endearing, and totally awesome addition to this marvelous series.
Profile Image for Pete W.
520 reviews33 followers
November 3, 2016
While this book was ok, it wasn't what I was hoping for (that it would be about Frankie's older brother and Laurent. I am not sure if there will ever be a book about them.) Not to mention that I didn't really like Gray.

If you think that Addison from the first book was not a decent guy? Wait until you read from Gray's POV. At first I wasn't sure I understand his motivation but as I continue to read I suspect that

Arlo himself, however,

The highlights of this book were the pastries and the baked goods concocted by Arlo. As well as the secondary characters, even if they felt a bit one dimension.

I suppose I wasn't felt connected to either Gray nor Arlo much... Especially Gray. While I could sympathized with how Gray's problems were I didn't quite buy them as couple other than

The conflict was kind of predictable, as in I was expecting one. It felt kind of by the number in terms of framework but the subject of it was also the criticism by some reviewers of the first book. The fact that both Frankie and Arlo sell their products with secret ingredient without informing the customers. Despite mishaps, especially when Arlo admit that he wasn't good at controlling it, it still didn't stop them from doing it. The moral ambiguity here isn't that whether what they did caused harms to people or not, They were minor harms and had no lasting effects but still.

All that aside... For me, reading Gray's POV just wasn't enjoyable. While reading from Arlo's POV felt... plain, despite him being a witch.

In the end, I think that I just wasn't compatible Ms. O'Shea's writing. So mileage may varied for whoever read my review. This is not a bad book, just that it wasn't as enjoyable as the first book for me.
937 reviews13 followers
March 31, 2021
Book 2 was so cute.

Gray was such a stick in the mud, and Arlo was so open and warm. It made for a great combo. I knew exactly where Gray was coming from ... but I couldn't help feeling for Arlo each time he was disappointed in Gray's outward appearance of disinterest. I loved how invested the townsfolk were in their relationship. They seemed to know, on some level, that they were all happier when Arlo and Gray were happy.

The magic is similar to the first book, but with it's own unique flavor. It's clear from the start that Arlo isn't drugging anyone, or overriding anyone's free will. Seems Arlo wasn't any better than Frankie when it came to paying attention to his witch lessons growing up. There were a few close calls, mainly leading to normal human misunderstandings, but there was a time or two that Arlo was more than a little concerned. Luckily those times never surpassed a few moments of embarrassment. I'd be interested to see what magic can be in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing.

The time and place was such a fun mix. The town sounded like it could be some 1 light town in the middle of nowhere or some country estate in the middle of England. Gray, for every page of this book, could have been at home in 1880s Scotland or 2021s Maine. The family estate and business holdings, his role in the family, the pressure of obligation and responsibility, the pub and other shops ... all timeless. Arlo had a more modern feel. But even that could mean any time within the last 50-60 years. If I had to put a finger on one of the things I liked most about this book ... I'd have to say that the timing of this book, in it's entirety, felt magical.

The main conflict was little more than a blip. And I think that's because of how much Gray resisted getting to know Arlo for a large part of the first half. It still stung when things went south, but we knew Gray wasn't going to make the same mistake twice, and Arlo was stronger than he ever thought he could be. Luckily they figured it all out pretty quickly.
Profile Image for Emily Hernandez.
1,412 reviews19 followers
September 25, 2020
Gray and Arlo's romance had all the sugary sweetness I could have hoped for, once Gray stopped being such a stick in the mud. I loved this story so much more than the first book in this series, and it's all because of Arlo. Arlo, that sweet-hearted baker, brought so much joy and life into Baxter Hollow, and his quirky personality never stopped making me smile. Even when Gray was being downright rude to him, Arlo was so optimistic, certain that he and Gray were meant for each other. I spent a good chunk of this book being mad at Gray, not because there was anything wrong with how cautious he was being, but because I so desperately wanted Arlo to be happy that I couldn't believe Gray dared to keep him waiting for so long. After Gray finally got over his reservations and let Arlo in, their chemistry was off-the-charts. The way these two responded to each other, so magnetic and passionate and wild, was stunning to read. It was easy to let myself sink into their bubble of happiness and bask in how warm and wonderful their budding relationship was. I ached right alongside Arlo when he and Gray were fighting and felt my heart knit itself back together when they reconciled. I'm blown away by how much this story made me feel, and I can't wait to see what's next in this series!

**I voluntarily read an ARC of this book. This review expresses my honest thoughts and opinions.
Profile Image for Siobhan Flynn.
568 reviews3 followers
September 28, 2020
Arlo follows his dreams and blows into town and sets up a magical bakery that charms all the townsfolk except Gray, who actively avoids Arlo and his magnificent treats. Gray likes to be in control and feels very out of sorts when Arlo makes his mark but also conflicted over his bizarre attraction to him and doesn't know how to deal with it. Gray really does his best to ignore Arlo but at about halfway through throws caution to the wind and follows his instincts to his hearts desire. Things are hot and heavy for a while but Arlo accidentally reveals his secret and Gray explodes in anger and fury, treating Arlo horribly causing him to flee back home for comfort. At this point I was raging at Gray and actively willed Arlo was mistaken dream wise but redemption is a hard path that Gray must take. A blast from the past shows up on Gray's front door looking to rekindle something that isn't there anymore but swiftly is told the truth. I was quite upset at Gray's mother and her indifference and coldness towards him and it certainly shaped him into what he was but love proved too big of a obstacle to overcome.
Profile Image for E.Muddle.
1,406 reviews22 followers
June 29, 2019
I loved A Little Taste of Magic even more than the first in the series. Arlo is a beautiful soul and everything about him projects sweetness, compassion and kindness. Like his cousin Frankie - who the first book, A Little Bite of Magic, is about - Arlo is an unorthodox witch and likes to combine his magic and love of baking to give those around him a taste of happiness and warmth. Since Arlo is the kind of character you can just fall in love with, it did make me find Gray's initial treatment of him to be rather caustic. As a newcomer to their small town, Gray finds Arlo to be unwelcome and either ignores him or pushes for him to leave, despite his own friends clearly liking the caring baker. As the story progresses and I understood Gray more, we come to see that he is really just scared of the intense connection he feels to Arlo and is struggling with his own insecurities. When Gray finally stops resisting his feelings, the love between the two is incredibly sweet and will leave you all warm and fuzzy inside.
Profile Image for Lisa.
526 reviews5 followers
May 8, 2021
A Little Taste of Magic takes place after Frankie and Addison got married and is Arlo's story. Arlo is Frankie's cousin who is half Fae and half witch. He is Sofia's younger brother and always drifts from place to place never settling down. One night, he has an interesting dream about a strange man and decides to leave Frankie's place to look for him. His journey takes him to a small town in Maine where he decides to open a bakery. Gray is a Baxter which apparently means something in this small New England town and wants Arlo to leave. This is the classic sunshine meet grumpy trope with Gray as the grumpy townizen who wants the weird, really good smelling stranger to leave his town. Gray spends most of his time denying his feelings for Arlo until a misunderstanding occurs and he hurts Arlo. Arlo leaves town and in his absence, Gray realizes how in love he already was and they reconcile. Nice, sweet, and low-angst which I really enjoyed :) I love the fact that there's kitchen magic involved and Arlo's tasty treats had me drooling :)
Profile Image for Jacqueleen the Reading Queen♡.
1,559 reviews103 followers
November 4, 2020
This book was a cute, quick read. There was nothing truly amazing about it, but it was a fun read. I think my major issue is that I wish there was a little more magic. I know I know the title said " just a little taste" but I guess I expected more. I loved Arlo. He was sweet and caring. The man has such an innocent vibe about him and I thought it was adorable how he smelled like everyone's favorite things. I really didn't care for Gray. He was kind of a stuffed shirt and I didn't think his total 180 was very believable.

Sawyer was my favorite and I am so happy the next book is about him. He was so bright and smiley. Even though he'd been friends with Gray for years, he didn't shy away from taking Arlo's side and letting Gray know what he thought of how he was treating him. That is a true genuine person in my opinion. I will be continuing on with this series because of hos much O'Shea made me love him in this book.
Profile Image for Sanna.
581 reviews21 followers
April 12, 2021
A sweet and cute story

MM/PNR readers, sweet and cute fans
4.5
This story is a series second in an MM/PNR series. HEA. Series needs to be read in order despite main characters being a different couple in each book.

I was utterly charmed by book 1, Frankie and Addie's story which I classify among feel-good comfort-read type of read. There was no angst there. This story is about Arlo and Gray. Much what I wrote in a review passes for this one too. The difference in these is that this one has some angst in the form of Gray's stubborn resistance to Arlo despite being immensely attracted. Gray piles in his head reasons why he couldn't live the life he wants making himself unhappy and running away from Arlo. Once he manages to overthrow his notions the rest is history.

This story was just as good, just a bit less easy for the couple. Just as well-written. Enjoyable. Simply not as feel good cozy and warm due to poor Gray being stubborn, but still lovely.
Profile Image for Anabela.M..
959 reviews15 followers
July 3, 2019
Who doesn't love a book about magic? I do,especially if it's written by M.J. O'shea.

Arlo and Gray have such a strong need for each other,although Gray,at the beginning, tries to fight the pull towards Arlo with all his might. Because he doesn't want his neat life to be turned upside down by an enchanting man,his resistance makes watching him fall all the more entertaining .

A Little Taste Of Magic is a charming soulmates romance. Between pastries magically infused with feelings, meddling family members and friends, Gray and Arlo slowly go from being only strongly drawn to each other to having a love filled, boiling hot relationship.

The book is sweet, delightful and I loved it!
1,600 reviews8 followers
September 26, 2020
I really enjoyed this story and the MCs Arlo and Gray. Gray Baxter is a scion of Baxter Hollow and spends his life trying to control things, resist change, and fulfill the preconceived notions he thinks the town has for him. Arlo, on the other hand, is a more relaxed part witch, part fae baker who unintentionally puts spells on things. Arlo knows he and Gray are meant to be together, but can he convince Gray to step outside his box? This is another sweet story in the Little Magic series. It has a little tension, a little angst, a little magic, a little heat, and a lot of love.

I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.
Profile Image for Katherine.
168 reviews3 followers
September 27, 2020
Number two in this contemporary paranormal series by MJ O'Shea, Featuring Arlo (Frankie's cousin) and his true love Gray, I found it a little slower and more predictable than the first book.

Gray is resistant to the attraction between them, but Arlo, who like his cousin combines his magic with food, is persistent while also building up a business.

The story is sweet, sweet, sweet - I would have preferred a little more angst, and unfortunately I didn't feel like the happy ending was "earned". I admit I actually skipped a few pages, slightly bored - I do like sweet and sugary, but I was craving a bit more conflict...

Mostly well written though, I am still hoping there's a number three.
Profile Image for Enirehtak  Melas.
746 reviews34 followers
September 28, 2020
Not going to lie, I was very very worried about loving this book like I did the first one, but the Grumpy/Sunshine trope and add a dash of magic and small town romance?! Please and thank you. Take my money and let's go.

This did not disappoint. There was a bit of lag for me in the beginning of the book because I didn't necessarily like Arlo's flighty nature but once he met Gray, and this Gray isn't so easily swept up by his charm? Oh, I knew I was in for a good time. This sequel had that magic that the first one had and it was actually bit sweeter for me, and it was just what I needed right now.

*Received an ARC and I have voluntarily left my honest review*
Profile Image for Ida Umphers.
5,565 reviews48 followers
September 28, 2020
This was an interesting take on the grumpy/sunshine trope. Here the sunshiny one is a member of the fae (who I often find quite irritating in stories for some reason) but I loved Arlo here. Gray is our grumpy character and he tries to resist Arlo, but that proves impossible. As is expected in an O'Shea story there is great food with its own bit of magic. Also appreciated is the fact that the magic which goes wrong here does not lead to dark, harrowing consequesnces. Everything stays light even as the emotions between our main characters is palpable. Another sweet, sexy read to enjoy some afternoon with snacks and coffee.
2,227 reviews5 followers
November 17, 2020
Cute magical story between Arlo and Gray. Two people who are as opposite as they come.

Arlo Vallerand is not one to let grass grow under his feet. Mix of witch, faerie and always on the go.

Gray Baxter prefers order and familiarity. He breaks out in hives when things aren't as they should be in his world.

Neither man saw the other making a change in one another's well carved out world. Arlo breezes into town and Gray can't stop ogling.

Definitely enjoyed better than the first in the series. Nice, short diversion from my normal reading.

**I received this ARC via Gay Romance Reviews for my honest feedback.**
379 reviews6 followers
September 29, 2020
Arlo and Gray make such a great couple. I really loved how sweet they were together. As with the previous book in the series the minor characters were amazing and I hope to see more. I really loved seeing Gray adapt to breaking out of his carefully constructed world and accept Arlo's love. I loved the food in this book too, always a favorite thing of mine to read. The scenes are steamy. I absolutely loved this as a continuation of the series and hope that there will be many more books that take place in this universe. I would recommend this book!
871 reviews2 followers
December 31, 2020
This is the second book in The Little Magic Book Series. While this book is longer than the first I again, as with the first book I really liked this story but, I needed more. The plot was entertaining and it was steady throughout the book. I found the story and characters interesting. The characters were developed and thought out. Arlo and Gray are the MC’s of this book. Although I am giving it 3 stars, I still recommend it as a good read. I voluntarily read an advance copy of this book for an honest review.


Profile Image for Teal Wolf.
3,414 reviews26 followers
September 14, 2020
A Little Taste of Magic by MJ O'Shea is the second book in tge Little Magic seris. Well written and interesting, the story had me hooked with humor, sweetness, angst and magic. The characters were entertaining and fun. I fell in love with the idea of this series and can not wait to read tge third book when it comes out.

I was able to read an advanced copy of this title and am reviewing voluntarily and honestly my own thoughts, opinion and reactions based on that copy.
1,925 reviews8 followers
September 15, 2020
Little magic and a lot of love

This was a fun sweet romance about a guy who puts spells on things by accident and it makes him feel awkward. Gray is a little tightly strung and needs to relax. They are perfect together but like all great love there are things in the way to there happiness. In the end they get there HEA but it takes a lot of love and a little magic. Great addition to the series.
Profile Image for Janet Hunt.
3,538 reviews46 followers
September 27, 2020
Gray was kind of stuffy. Arlo has come to Baker Hollow, he’s a baker with magic. I loved Arlo’s personality, he was upbeat and kid of quirky. Gray was overly cautious in the beginning, but thankfully he got over himself. I love the sweet romance it turned into. This was a sweet story with a lot of love! I am voluntarily leaving a review form an advanced copy that I received. My reviews are solely based on my thoughts and opinions.
118 reviews
November 4, 2020
When can I find some magic cupcakes?!

This story was sugar sweet! Arlo was so wonderful and I admit I kind of hated Gray at first, but he grew on me. I love when a book as a robust cast of supporting characters, because they add so much depth and so many layers. Sofia and Frankie along with Gray’s friends, especially Sawyer made this book so lovely. Not only did Arlo fall in love with Gray, but with the town and all the people to.
Profile Image for Rachwithheadinabook.
1,899 reviews
November 14, 2020
Enjoyable

I found this second book to be better than the first, not because the writing is better but I felt the realistic reaction of Gray was better. Arlo is a sweetie that I wanted to have him bake for me. Gray was a bit of a jerk at the beginning of the book but he has an overwhelming sense of responsibility and it's not until he lets go of that, he lets what he feels for Arlo in. Overall this is a sweet romance with lots of yummy goodness.
Profile Image for Lyndsay TC.
2,253 reviews5 followers
September 9, 2020
Arlo and Gray

The second book in this series was so charming. Arlo not only had to move across the country to find his literal dream man but also had to break down Gray's walls in order to find his happily ever after. The magic and pleasant setting of Baxter Hallow added to the charm of this book. I cannot wait for the final book in this series!
Profile Image for Lillian Francis.
Author 15 books102 followers
October 2, 2020
Another sweet story in the series. Although with Gray's stubbornness to get involved with Arlo in the first place I knew the big reveal wouldn't go as well as it had for Frankie and Addie in book 1. Damn Gray! Thank Heaven for his meddling sister.
This book had me craving eclairs and cake. This series is not one to read if you're trying to be good.
Profile Image for Sandi Devlin.
246 reviews3 followers
November 2, 2020
Great second book in series

This is the second book in the Little Magic series and I liked it just as much as the first.

I loved Arlo and Gray. They made a great couple. I enjoyed how their relationship grew and flourished.

I really like the world building and the influence of magic.

I am really looking forward to the next book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.