What a fabulous debut from Mazey Eddings!

Harper is in her final year of dental school, with the goal of becoming an oral surgeon, but her crippling anxiety has become a constant companion. By putting her nose in the books, she has figured out a way to keep her grades high and her social life, well...nonexistent.

After she runs into Dan - literally - one day on campus, she soon realizes that his caring nature soothes her anxious mind. But she doesn't know if it's enough to let her long-standing walls down. With her getting a residency in the fall, how would they EVER have a relationship?

I loved watching these two first develop a warm friendship that bloomed into something more. Eddings didn't gloss over anything, writing about anxiety, toxic parental relationships and trauma with straight honesty. Her author's note at the beginning of the book was thoughtful and a good warning call, in case those topics might be triggering. I hope they keep it in the final copy of the book.

Thanks to the author, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an early copy to read and review.

I love it when authors put a new spin on romances which is why I had no idea I needed a romcom about two adorakable dental students until now. The banter. The chemistry. The oral puns. The meddling friends. Toddler sized cat named Judy. Anxiety rep. Therapy rep. This book had it all! I can't tell you how many times I weeped or that my heart wanted to burst for Harper and Dan. And, while I was always expecting the other shoe to drop, it still hit me like a stack of bricks! The mental health rep in this book definitely pulled at my heartstrings. It made me feel vulnerable, seen, and understood. Oof, let me pick myself up and dust off.

Nerdy, emotional, fun, sweet & sexy. My face may be numb for a while afterwards.

This was my last read of 2021 and I could not have picked a better book to wrap up the year! The characters sparkled, the writing was great, and I loved the romance and depiction of both a) dealing with your own mental health struggles/the stigma around this, and b) what it's like trying to date and love someone who isn't in a place to help themselves yet. I can't wait to encourage all my friends to read A BRUSH WITH LOVE.

This book is super fun and cute, while also packing several punches. This dives deep into a few heavy topics and I so appreciated that on top of a nice love story. Harper is super relatable and her friends were amazing. ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I loved the romance in this book. It gave me all of the right moments of giddy anxiousness and stumbling, rapid heartbeats. I thought that the discussion about grief was well-written, and the writing continued to be great and funny at times. It was like it could have been real, true life. I have always ate up the will they, won't they trope and this itched all of the right corners of my brain for that. The reason that this is four stars for me is because of the plot and pacing. It made this book a teensy bit difficult to get through for me. I felt like it was predictable at times, something that kills romance novels for me because I want to read something that isn't generic. Other than that, though, I did enjoy this read once I was done!

Umm can we have so much more of this? This debut author killed it in this amazing piece of art. Harper is a kick ass student with some anxiety issues. She definitely does not have time for foxy first year student Dan. She has mere months left at the school and would rather not start anything in the relationship department.

Dan is a dental legend who has familial obligations and is just generally on a struggle bus. Despite everything telling Harper to avoid Dan, she just cannot. She just wants to help him, and maybe blow off some steam.

One of the most redeeming aspects of this beauty is that mental illness is so described in such detail that even those who have zero idea of those struggles can understand the toll it takes on someone. Eddings did this beautifully. Also, the supporting characters are serious friend goals!

This was overall a masterpiece. I will read anything and everything that Eddings gives us in the future.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced readers copy of this novel. All thoughts are my own.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC

I feel like lately I am always reading a romance novel. Usually I read at least three books at a time, and one of them is romance. I need at least one book that I know will end happily, no matter what happens along the way. I read a few seriously heavy books right before this one, and didn't break them up with any romance, so I definitely picked this one up at the right time!

I loved Harper and Dan's chemistry instantly. Their meet-cute was hilarious, they are both super sweet, and I really liked (and related to) the anxiety rep in Harper. Fortunately, my anxiety isn't as bad as Harper's, but I've never seen anxiety portrayed quite like that in a book, and never in a romance novel. It was so well done that I had to put the book down a few times because I was getting too anxious myself!

I also liked that despite having zero interest in dentistry, I wasn't put off by the level of detail presented in the book about Harper's passion and chosen career path. There were definitely parts I didn't understand about the technical language, but it didn't take anything away from the story. I am very impressed that this was a debut, and for sure interested to see what the author writes next!

There was so much to love about this book – and I just have to start by saying thank you. Thank you to Mazey Eddings for writing this book with this romance with it’s messy, true, and painfully real representation of anxiety and thank you to SMP for publishing it. We need more books like this in the world – more representation of different experiences and I can’t put into words how heartwarming it is to see books like this out there.

Some quick highlights, that I adored about this story:

• An adorable and memorable meet cute.
• A unique setting – I have never read a romance / romcom set in dental school, and it was well written, I felt like I learned a lot.
• Neurodiverse Representation in the form of Generalized Anxiety and Panic Disorder – described and felt in this book in a very real and messy and meaningful way. The good, the bad and the ugly.
• Witty, fun dialogue and banter – especially between Dan and Harper
• A strong, female in the STEM / medical field, at the top of her game and not afraid to ‘fight’ her own battles. Using logic, intellect, and calm even in the face of blatant sexism. Knowing how to ‘save’ herself and not needing or wanting someone else to step in.
• Strong, female friendships – with full characters and flaws
• Harper and Dan – I adored them both. I loved their story and struggles and hopes/dreams. I loved that they were both figuring it out and trying to figure out how to have their dreams and each other. I loved their messiness, and the pace of their story.

To sum up, I loved this book. I was maybe 30% in and was already pretty sure it was going to be at least a four star – it’s getting five from me, it deserves that extra star for such a brutally realistic portrayal of anxiety and panic disorder. It’s often not pretty or fun, it hurts and its frustrating to live with and to encounter in others too. It has it’s positives – anxiety can be performance enhancing, it can help you to stay on a path, it can give you energy and perseverance. Like all things, there are positives and negatives and it was nice to see some of each represented.

All thoughts and opinions expressed on this book are my own, and freely offered. Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the opportunity to read an early copy of this book.

Oh my goodness, I adored this book so much! I loved the writing and the anxiety representation - this was so wonderfully done. The banter between Dan and Harper was also unmatched - I love a book with witty banter.

Let's talk about these adorable nerds we watched fall in love. Dan and Harper's meet cute was so endearing, I think I blushed reading it. When they were in the lab and Dan was getting so flustered I could not help but laugh at the entire scene.

I gravitate towards slow burns as I think they are more realistic than Insta-love. Dan and Harper's friendship to love felt so authentic, and the tension just built and built until we were ready to burst.

All in all this book is fantastic and I will be recommending to anyone and everyone I know.

The perfect romcom— I loved this book! Dan and Harper can only be friends. Harper will not let anything distract her from finishing dentistry school, even though she really wants to let Dan. As he agrees to her “friendship only” rule, he can feel himself falling for her. Hard. As Harper’s feelings and anxiety take control, she worries that maybe her and Dan may be getting too close and she’ll lose control of her life.

The characters AND side characters were all so well rounded and written. I felt like I knew them all personally. I was rooting for the main characters to get together, and I was so happy with how the author handled all the complex mental health issues. Nothing was glossed over or ignored. Also, I liked that Harper had a Maine Coon because I do too :) I also really love reading a book written by someone who really knows what they’re talking about. While I don’t know a single thing about dentistry, it was super clear that Mazey Eddings does.

Book-a-like: The Love Hypothesis
POV: split (Harper & Dan)

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I fell so hard for Harper and Dan in this absolutely delightful rom com about two students attending dental school. I’ve never read a book in this setting and I loved knowing that the author wrote this while she was pursuing her own dental education. It gave all the details in the book an extra layer of authenticity and had me so curious to know how much of it was based on actual experiences she had. I especially loved how Eddings wrote about the many ways Harper had to deal with misogyny with fellow students and patients. In each of those scenes I was absolutely Dan. I wanted to rage at them, deny them service, and give them a swift punch in the dick. But each and every time Harper used her intellect (a completely ingenious strategy that I have never managed to effectively deploy in emotional situations) to shut it down. It was a beautiful thing to read.

Harper was so intensely relatable and this was without a doubt the most authentic portrayal of anxiety I’ve ever read. It was hard to read at times because I felt like I was reading about my own life. I loved how Harper’s friends and professors looked out for her and took care of her both before and after she was able to open up to them about it.

This was a sort of insta love that Harper immediately put the breaks on because she did not want anything to distract her from school and accomplishing her goals. Not to be deterred, Dan does anything he can to just be part of her life. He tells her he’s going to be the best friend she’s ever had, and then he is. Friends to lovers is a trope I don’t read enough of and I should. This one had me grinning like an idiot anytime they were on the page together.

A Brush With Love is a fabulous debut with so much vulnerability and emotional depth. Mazey Eddings has a fan in me for life and I will be gobbling up everything else she writes. This one comes out in March and you should 100% pre order it!

I liked how the main character of this was dealing with anxiety but the story didn’t grab me. It was ok but I wasn’t engaged the entire time. I didn’t feel like I was rooting for the main characters, I was more interested in Thu.

My expectations for this book were like “hm romance set in dental school seems odd, let’s see what’s up,” but I really ended up loving it. The setting ended up being way more fun than I anticipated, and I thought the characters and the pacing were stellar. We’re introduced slowly to Harper and Dan in a way that makes you care about them and feel like you’re becoming friends. You learn their fun sides first, and then their flaws, as it often is in real life. And I personally liked that their relationship was like, fall into bed together and then hit some bumps — it felt truthful. And the anxiety rep was just so, so well done and respectful and emotional. I alternated between audio and ebook, and really enjoyed the narrators.

I don’t believe I’ve ever read a book about characters in dental school. Harper and Dan meet and there is an instant attraction. However, Harper sidelines any possible romance because she is intensely focused on graduating with top honors and pacing in a coveted residency. Dan has no business being in dental school because it’s not where his passion is.
It’s a decent read. Some of the prose is a bit stilted and awkward. Both characters have things to work out.
So rinse and open wide.

A Brush With Love follows Harper and Dan as they navigate the ins and outs of dental school-- and grief. Harper, a fourth-year dental student, is the top of her class. When he--literally--bumps into Dan, a first-year student, and breaks his project, she offers to help him make a new one. What follows is a close friendship as Harper denies feelings, while Dan makes it clear he's willing to wait for her. But her anxiety, which has plagued her her entire life, but worsened when she lost her mother at 12, makes it hard for her to open up or to give up any amount of control. And his complicated feelings surrounding his dead father, and the dentistry practice left to his mother, mean that his heart isn't in school. Harper and Dan are two people who are grieving two very different things-- her, a parent, and him, the life he had to leave behind-- in very different ways.
A brush with love is sweet in its explorations of love and friendship, and it doesn't hold back on dealing with the harder stuff.

4.5 ⭐️

Anxiety-ridden though full of so much more vibrance and life, Harper meets a new-to-dental school, former financier Dan. Their spark is impossible to ignore, certainly big enough to put it to the test, and runs deeper than what either expected, uncovering these complex feelings and love along the way.

A scintillating, well-thought, and well-executed debut, A BRUSH WITH LOVE starred two flawed characters that were just perfect for each other. Anxiety, perfection, guilt, and holding onto something for the sake of holding onto something were major players in this romance, and Eddings did a fantastic job with the writing, the dialogue, the character growth, and chemistry. The added dental details only made it that much more unique!

I can honestly say this is the first romance I've ever read that's set in dental school. First-year student Dan and soon-to-graduate Harper have a meet-cute when she literally crashes into him, destroying his class project. She offers to help him fix it, they start spending time together, and it seems like they're headed for a quick HEA. But Harper is reluctant to get into a relationship for a number of reasons, so they agree to be just friends. Which is okay, except that they're clearly very mutually attracted.

The mental health representation in this book feels very authentic, as Harper deals with crippling anxiety. It rounds out her character, and as frustrating as her actions can be at times for her friends and the reader, she feels real. Dan, on the other hand, has less to do. He has some family drama and he feels conflicted about his new career choice, but most of his role in the book seems to be supporting Harper. I wonder how that imbalance will work out for them long-term.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

I really thought this was cute, though I definitely found myself much more drawn to Dan than to Harper. There were times when I was frustrated by the choices that she made and I wanted to jump into the pages and yell at her, but that didn’t in any way hamper my enjoyment of the story. I always enjoy reading a story that includes a realistic look at anxiety, and how its handled by the characters surrounding them. Dan’s patience gives me hope. Additionally, I learned more about dentistry than I ever expected to. This will absolutely be a recommended book!

Thank you to SMP romance for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Are we sure this is a debut novel? Because I need more from Mazey Eddings! This book was perfection. The banter was top notch and the emotions had me grabbing tissues. I was seriously crying at the end.

What I enjoyed:
- Strong female friendship - I'm hoping they get their own books
- Very witty and hilarious dialogue - kept the pages turning for me
- Harper - her handle on feminism in the workplace was *chef's kiss*
- Dan - serious book boyfriend material
- Neurodiversity representation - once again, I got educated on what life is like for those who live with general anxiety.

I liked everything about this book and I can't wait to add a copy to my shelf!

Heart-meltingly sweet, but also extremely realistic in its portrayal of anxiety. I stanned this couple hard from the beginning, and loved watching them figure out how to be in a relationship, while also becoming the best version of themselves. For a romance novel that meshes very big cats, mental health, grocery store antics, and family expectations, you can't beat this one. No sense of instalove, just the real and steady progression from friends to lovers. I cheered for this couple and I bet you will, too.