The banter & chemistry is top tier!

Thank you soooooo much netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advanced review copy if this book💗
"I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.”

After reading Unlikely Match, I was excited to read more by Laura Bradbury. I did not read the first book in this series. This story was an enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, second chance, with a plus sized heroine and anxiety rep. I really enjoyed all of these elements together. It was a fun contemporary read with some deeper elements as well.

Thanks NetGalley and Grape Books for this eARC.

I absolutely loved this book! The characters were a delight to spend time with, and their romance was adorable. I can’t wait to reread soon!

Oxford star by Laura Bradbury.
This was a sweet romance novel that had everything I wanted in a romance novel and more. The story was great and the great mix of characters were brilliant. I highly recommend this book and look forward to reading more by the author.
❤️ Thank you to netgalley and the author/publisher for my ebook copy of the book in exchange for a honest review.

I was keen to read this novel as it has my favourite tropes- who doesn't love a good enemies to lovers, fake dating romance?? I liked the idea of the story and the way it has a plus-sized FMC and touches on anxiety. Jack is a mega famous singer who struggles with anxiety, so has taken a step back from the limelight to study at a University overseas. HOWEVER, it just so happens that the girl he used to be close with but betrayed, sabotaging her chance at her dream of becoming a singer is ALSO starting study at that same university. They have plenty of ups and downs and, honestly, I found her frustration and hurt at what he did justified, but it comes together in a sweet romance. I did find the pacing a little all over the place and often too drawn out for my liking, but other than that it was an enjoyable read.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Laura Bradbury for providing me with an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Oxford star follows the story of Lucy and Jack over an 8 week period. Both come from very different areas of life, Jack being a rockstar and Lucy being a normal girl from Canada.

I love this story! There were so many things I really enjoyed such as the real and raw representation of someone with anxiety and panic disorder and having a FMC who is plus-sized. I really enjoyed the author’s writing style and felt the set up/character building was written well.
This was a really easy read, there was no questions that needed to be answered at the end and the characters were really likeable.
I look forward to reading more from this Author

This was such a sweet and delightful contemporary romance. The book was funny, a bit ridiculous sometimes and sweet. It really surprised me. The chemistry between the characters felt real to me. It’s definitely one I will be recommending to anyone who is willing to listen, because I had such a good time reading it.


Thank you NetGalley and Grape Books for allowing me to read this ARC for my honest opinion.

This was such a lighthearted contemporary romance with a little enemies to romance (who doesn't love that?!) This was a great book to put me in a great mood. Would absolutely recommend!

Thank you Netgalley and publisher for an opportunity to read and review!

So here’s a secret, despite being squarely in the target demographic, I - for whatever reason- never jumped onto the boyband bandwagon in high school. A decade later, this fact may have shaped how I feel about this book. Oxford Star is about Lucy, a hard-working woman going to study law at Oxford, unexpectedly reuniting with Jack, a rockstar who has catapulted to fame since having betrayed her years ago. I’ve read a couple of other books in the “celebrity romance” genre recently. This one had some elements that set it apart from the others- depictions of anxiety and panic attacks, a plus size heroine, the Oxford setting.

That being said, it was ultimately not for me. I found the progression of Lucy and Jack’s relationship to be very halting with pacing that didn’t allow the tension to build or interpersonal conflict to really be addressed. I never quite bought into the characters or their relationship. Lucy seemed to be utterly defined by the codependent relationships with her mother without a lot of introspection along the course of her character’s development. There’s a lot of long descriptions of how the two main characters are very into each other…without any explanation of why. At the end of the day, that was a barrier to becoming invested in and compelled by their relationship and some of the conflicts and barriers to it. The twist that happens in the final act threw me off. While there was some foreshadowing, it felt like a “Well…that escalated quickly” moment with little build up. That being said, this book tries to do a lot with a lot of tropes going at once. In my opinion, it has just one too many thrown into the mix— with the end product ultimately detracting from my overall experience of the book. The elements just stretched too far past believability for me personally to be really invested. If all these tropes are your absolute bread and butter, this book may be more your speed.

This is the second in a series, and while I haven’t read the first, I’m curious about it as those characters in the background of this installment felt more grounded.

Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC of this installment of Laura Bradbury’s Oxford series!

Trigger warning: panic and anxiety disorder, PTSD, loss of a parent

So, this a book about second chances and our ability to follow our dreams. It delves into mental health and body acceptance (the FMC is plus size - yey !) which are such important themes nowadays!

It's sweet, has good banter, a cool set of side characters and some good sexy scenes.

I enjoyed it, the character development and the progression of their relationship; and the story line had it's differences from other similar books, with no 3rd act breakup, which was refreshing!

There were some typos, which annoyed me a little, but didn't affect my reading experience tremendously.

I willingly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved every second of Laura Bradbury's newest contemporary romance, Oxford Star. It's a wonderful second chance romance featuring Jack (a Harry-Styles level famous boy band member) and Lucy (the girl who got away). There's also a dash of fake-dating, and of course there's the dating a celebrity trope.

Much to Lucy's dismay, they reunite at Oxford University, where she is beginning her law degree and Jack has found temporary refuge away from the public eye. His panic attacks are incapacitating, and this term at Oxford should be the perfect solution--he gets to focus on astronomy (his real passion) and hopefully the time out of the spotlight will help his ever-present anxiety. Lucy has a lot riding on her time at Oxford--she needs this degree in order to provide for her family. (Since her father's death, she's been the one holding everything together.) She does NOT have time for Jack or all the feelings seeing him again has dredged up. She had counted on him to play guitar at her audition for a televised talent show, and he bailed at the last minute because he'd signed on with the band that would make him famous. She didn't have the confidence necessary to audition alone, and she's blamed him for years for the loss of her dream.

I loved watching Jack woo her and win her back during their time at Oxford. And the plus-size rep is incredible. Lucy's relationship with her body is not toxic--instead it read as very realistic. Even the most body-positive people have moments where they struggle, and I thought Bradbury captured this perfectly while also showing that Lucy is mostly perfectly happy in her body. And Jack certainly worshipped her curves, so there's that.

Overall, it was a flirty, sexy, rompy romance, and it had a few weightier moments to balance it out. It was pure fun from start to finish.

CW: death of a parent (in the past, off page), anxiety/panic attacks, fatphobia

We love a good second chance romance where the MMC never stopped pining for the FMC and this one does not disappoint!

Four years ago, Jack destroyed Lucy’s heart and took her one shot at a singing career with him. Now she’s trying to do an accelerated jurisprudence program at Oxford — not because she has any interest in being a lawyer but because it’s a stable career for her to provide for her mom and her younger sister. And he’s an international rock star — but he realized pretty quickly the fame and the career is not what he wanted at all.

Jack showing up at Oxford at the same time throws a slight wrench in her plans — and the grudge (and feelings) are still very much there.

Watching their trust in one another be rebuilt was such a fun journey. From sassy retorts to wary understanding to genuine care & support for one another — it’s everything you could want from this genre.

I really enjoyed Oxford Star. The author did a great job setting the scene and making me feel like I was in Oxford with Jack and Lucy. This was definitely not a lighthearted read, with both characters dealing with issues of grief, anxiety, and the weight of family expectations. However, there were still some great moments of fun and a wonderfully written love story. The development of the characters was also well balanced between Jack and Lucy and the secondary characters, especially their skulk" of Oxford classmates, with whom I'd love to be friends. Overall, I would recommend this to friends.

Absolutely adorable! I am ready to set out on a plane and get my masters at Oxford. I read Oxford Star first (whoops) and then immediately went back and read Oxford Wild. I think I loved Star more, I will admit. The anxiety that Jack deals with was well done and felt real. I really empathized with him.
I loved Lucy so much! She had a great personality, and her fear of pursuing her dreams is something that I think many people struggle with.. She also was a curvy size 16 girl and that was not her only defining feature!!! How absolutely refreshing! And Jack was so encouraging and in love with her that he appreciated everything about her, there was no "in spite of".
The Canadian cliches felt a bit odd being Canadian myself, but I think thats likely a small population of readers that would have that problem.

Please go read if you love a rockstar romance, a bit of spice, and a second-chance romance

First, I’d like to thank Laura Bradbury for the curvy girl representation in the book! I appreciated it as a curvy girl myself. Other than that, it was a sweet romance. The main characters, Lucy and Jack had such a strong connection. Jack felt so much love for Lucy and I loved how he expressed it. They both had their own issues, but being a team and supporting each other made them stronger and the coping easier. I loved their friend group and the Oxford setting, too. I also like the book’s message that you should never give up on your dreams.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of the book.

3/5

Oxford Star follows a rockstar who is struggling with fame and a girl who is working with the family burden she is carrying after her father's sudden death. Lucy and Jack initially planned to audition for the talent show together but Jack left her with all the hopes and Lucy couldn’t help but feel betrayed. Now that they see each other again many years later, they are forced to be friends again.

It was a fun read. Nothing too exciting and mind-blowing. It felt long in some parts and repetitive. Lucy’s character was hard to connect with. She will not give Jack a chance to speak at some parts and the sudden get-together felt out of place. The ending, the moment that pushed her to chase her dream was the most out-of-character thing in this book. But if you like second chances and friend-to-lovers romance, do give this a try. It didn’t do well for me but it might be your next favorite book. Thank you Netgalley for giving me a chance to read and review this book.

A great read that grabs attention from takeoff. Newfoundlanders, Lucy and Jack, are surprised to find themselves flying together on their way to Oxford University where they quickly become part of a supportive College set. But they have history. Both are seeking their own space at Oxford - Lucy, the substitue parent for her pampered and financially dependent mother and younger sister, and Jack, the charismatic rock star with his ambitious parents, manager’s greed, and intrusive paparazzi. Both can see nothing but a treadmill of commitments ahead. Can Lucy and Jack find peace with their pasts and courage to make their dreams a reality? Great characters and beautifully written.

As a lover of settings that transport me, and as a lover of academia (especially Oxford, as I studied there for one semester), I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was a fun/cute rom-com but also a novel that delicately touched on some difficult subjects: family trauma/relationships and mental health. I also love the enemies-to-lovers trope, so this was everything!!!

I highly recommend!

I loved this read; a lighthearted romantic comedy and I enjoyed the musical elements. A good read to take on holiday with you this summer!

"Oxford Star" tells the story of Jack, an anxiety-ridden rock star, and Lucy, who was once betrayed by him. Despite their rocky past, they reunite unexpectedly at Oxford University, where sparks fly between them. While Lucy is determined to avoid Jack, he sees her as someone he can trust and truly love. Both characters have made questionable choices to support their families, but now they have the opportunity to make positive changes.

I enjoyed the slow burn romance between Jack and Lucy, as well as the vividly described Oxford setting, where Lucy studies law and Jack studies astrophysics. The book's portrayal of mental health issues, handled authentically by the author resonated with me.

I loved the portrayal of body positivity, without making the protagonist's weight a central focus. The mention of Lucy's size 16 is brought up initially on the plane, but it doesn't dominate the narrative.

Fans of slow burn and friends to lovers will love this book!

A digital ARC was provided by the author and publisher via the NetGalley program in exchange for an honest review. The thoughts and opinions expressed here are my own.