I adored this book! This story was so sweet but also filled with so much heart. I love the dual POV and the fact that our lead Harper was a woman in STEM. The way Dan knew how to take care of her when she was anxious was beyond swoon worthy and they had so many lovely moments. The romance was amazing and this book was so fun. Mazey Edding's writing is so charming and funny. Our leads had excellent tension and this is a must read for romance readers!

I loved this so much. Harper showed such a real view of anxiety. What goes on in your head and the outward reactions. I related to her so much. I also thought that her friend group handled it very well. While they were a bit confused and shocked they were on her side no matter what offering what ever she needed. Even if all she needed was to be alone. Dan was just the perfect cinnamon roll! I love him. The book had some very steamy parts and some very sweet one too. I highly recommend this one. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this arc with me in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a cute Rom Com! I loved Harper and Dan’s love story. I also loved the depth of the characters, they felt so real, and their struggles felt real as well. I think this is the first fiction that I’ve actually seen a character that had an anxiety disorder, and that was really refreshing to see. This rom com had everything, romance, emotion, and a maine coon cat.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

Harper and Dan are just the cutest and I loved reading their story. They were so easy to connect with and likable from the start.
💗🦷💙
•Unique
•Cute
•Vulnerable
•Sweet
•Laugh Out Loud
•Adorable
•Emotional

A Brush With Love AUDIO by Mazey Eddings was a cute, but unsophisticated love story between Harper and Dan. Harper is a fourth year dental student with a goal in mind. She has already applied for her residency placement and still spend every spare minute studying. Dan was a first year student, totally disengaged. He really didn't have the talent or the desire. They met when she fell down the stairs and right into him. He was carrying his plaster mold and it shattered. She had to offer to help hi m since it was her fault. She had never really had a boyfriend; she didn't have time for one. Well, that's what she told herself. He took it slow; she was surprised when she figured out how much she wanted him. Both of these people carried tremendous baggage and neither had the confidence to get help unpacking their emotions. That is, until they lost one another.

There were a lot of weighty topics in this romance. I am not sure what made it unsophisticated. May be it was voices of the narrators. They sounded very young. Both of the central characters were intelligent, hard-working, and ripe for love. The story had a good plot and it flowed well. The emotions were portrayed evenly and with feeling. It was a satisfying book to listen to. They just felt so young to me. I did enjoy it, though.

The readers were Emily Lawrence and Vikas Adam. Both were literate and well-rehearsed. Both did their jobs well and made it an easy book to listen to. The editing was good.

I was invited to listen to a free audio ARC by MacMillan Audio, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions were my own. #netgalley #macmillanaudio #mazeyeddings #abrushwithlove

I don’t really know why, but the idea of reading a romance book about two dentists was super exciting to me. I was super excited to read this book for whatever reason. I’m glad it was able to live up to what I thought in my head.

Harper has been working her ass off to get into the oral surgery residence program. But after falling down the stairs and damaging some teeth in the process, Harper is suddenly distracted because of everything to do with Dan. Now Dan is a first year student, and even though he is quickly falling for her, he knows from his own journey into dental school just how challenging this is, so he agrees to play by the rules Harper has made. But as they get closer to each other, they both begin to realize getting a root canal might be easier than falling in love.

I have really got to start reading synopsis…. I thought I was going to be reading a rom com where someone falls down the stairs, some teeth fall out, and that’s the meet cute and the rest is a rom com where I was laughing my butt off. This was no rom com. In fact, the addition of the GAD being present was even less silly for me. What I wanted was a book about about romance, filled with dental and toothpaste puns, but what I got was so much more. I’m so glad I had just low expectations, because it made me able to enjoy the fact that it was much more, even more. If that makes sense at all.

OK, I wasn’t the biggest fan of all the baggage that everyone had. I’m a firm believer that you have to work on you before you try being with anyone else, so this was a lot for me. So from the very beginning I wasn’t the biggest fan of them being together. But then when it came to them individually, I LOVED them. Harper was like a dental superhero lol She is uber smart and I didn’t understand any of the terms she was saying, but she sounded so cool saying them. And Dan…. He was my favorite. Such a sweet character! The way he waited until she was ready, was there through EVERYTHING. It was torture seeing him hurt because he wasn’t with her, but I did love seeing him pine for her. But the romance didn’t really seem real to me. I guess because her anxiety had such a hold on her. It didn’t seem like her feelings for him could break through what her anxiety was telling her brain. I don’t know how to explain it.

There were some things I had trouble with while reading this tho and I thought it needed it’s own section in my review. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Harper, but I think it was because I had seen so much of myself in her. I also have GAD and I found myself thinking, “do I do this? Do I react like this? Do people get this reaction from me too?” I know it does nothing to compare my illness to someone else’s but sometimes it slips in when you least expect it. That was the long winded way of saying that Harper’s GAD was a great representation of what living with GAD is like.

I also listened to the audio of this from Netgalley, so I’ll speak a little about the narration. I loved that there were two narrators because of the Dual POV. I love getting the experience of both voices. Idk it makes it more “real” to me? I think Lawrence did great, but it was Adam that stole the show. The smexy part that they read? Holy smokes. I was blushing and there wasn’t even that much described. He just had the right intonation and pitch. He’s been one of my favorites tho, so that was no surprise. I also have read and loved other books that Lawrence did as well, so it was great to see two of my faves get together. They were both great picks for this book.

Women in STEM is always a win for me. And I am so grateful we have one about an area like dentistry. It’s not something that’s always seen, so to have someone come in to represent and to “pull it out” like this? I loved it.

I absolutely adored this book such a great debut for this author. I can’t wait to read future books by this author.

A Brush With Love checks every single romance box that top my wants and needs as a reader. Harper is a top-of-the-class dental student waiting for placement in an oral surgery residency program. Dan is a reluctant first year dental student who’s there more out of sense of duty than fulfilling dental degree dreams. The two crash into each other harder than a DMB hit circa mid-1990s. Even though Dan made a lasting impression, Harper puts on the brakes before her career trajectory gets too far off the rails. The two agree to stay friends, but Dan is slowly trying to drill his way beneath Harper’s tough exterior. They're both grieving the loss of a parent, and seeing their relationship grow was truly heartwarming. I'm not a huge fan of insta-love, but I'll allow it in this case.

As someone who had their first panic attack in elementary school, Harper’s experiences with anxiety resonated so much with me. I too have gotten angry when I felt overwhelmed and out of control and lashed out at those who loved me most. I’ve felt alone, ashamed, helpless, and frustrated. I've stubbornly refused help over and over again. Harper is so real, raw, and vulnerable that you can’t help but root so hard for her. I feel like even books that tackle anxiety well sometimes only give us a glimpse just below the surface, but Mazey goes to the very root of the issues and I can’t thank her enough. We get a chance to really sit in our feelings (I resisted one more dental pun here--you're welcome...) and stay awhile.

Emily Lawrence did a lovely job portraying Harper in the audiobook. She really evoked a phenomenal array of emotions for the peaks and valleys of Harper’s arc. The visceral reaction I felt from my heart to my soul to my gut listening to some of the passages was so much more intense listening to Emily narrate.

Dental Dan came to life via Vikas Adam’s narration and his voice is so sexy it made my ears sweat. I didn’t love his female voices, but all the other parts more than made up for those.

Finally, as someone who CANNOT be in the same room as someone brushing their teeth, I’m happy to report that no graphic teeth brushing occurs during the course of this book. Thanks to Macmillan Audio for an ALC via NetGalley Shelf!

Going into this book I expected a very standard rom-com structure but was surprised to have it be so much more. The characters are unique and very relatable. Even though I don’t relate to the dentistry aspect of the book, I love the representation for those of us who deal with anxiety. It’s such a heavy topic and hard to represent properly, but Mazey did an amazing job in my opinion. She gives us realistic examples of how crippling anxiety can be, how it affects our relationships, work, school, and all the personal demons that come attached with it. While it is a heavy topic it is also something that a lot of people deal with daily and that should be talked about more openly. I truly appreciated that in this book.

Harper and Dan are relatable and lovable, I really love them as friends and a couple. Harper’s crippling anxiety is very important because it has affected her for the entirety of her life and has a huge impact on her life choices. Everything from becoming a dentist to how she interacts with her friends and her relationship with Dan. The way she explains her reasoning and thinking, is something I understood all to well. I loved that about her and how Dan was able to see that part of her, accept it, and love her not in spite of it but because of all of it. He sees her for her whole self and still picks her and loves her.

Then there are the friends, they are amazing! I loved their bonds and how they tease each other but in the end will drop anything to be there for each other. It’s the kind of friend group that would always keep things interesting.

I would definitely recommend this to anyone who loves rom-coms and anyone who may have anxiety and would like to see that represented in romance. I know I really appreciate that!

I personally really liked this book, and would recommend my friends and family read it because it was a great plot idea and the characters were endearing. I wouldn't actively recommend this book in my classroom as it does have 2 quite mature scenes. If a student however decided this would be appropriate for them I would have no problem with it. That being said, would I post it on social media with a content tag, then yes I would! The narrators were really well picked out and made the book come to life.

*That feeling when a debut novel hits all the right notes!*

A BRUSH WITH LOVE packs a punch and comes with a great combination of smiles, heavier moments, and steam. I love contemporary romance so much because the good ones hit you right in the feels -- this is definitely one of the good ones! Mazey's writing is effortless, the characters are flawed but likeable and relatable, the romance is swoon-worthy, and the story arc is really enjoyable and full of depth.

In this edition, Emily Lawrence and Vikas Adam bring Harper and Dan to life. The narration is engaging and complimentary of the characters they voice.

I think it's important for readers to heed the author's note! Despite an absolutely adorable illustrated cover and a light-hearted synopsis, this book contains sensitive topics and potentially triggering subject matters with mental health being a very prominent theme throughout. I found everything to be handled phenomenally and respectfully, but I know it can take readers by surprise when a book they presume to be "light" based on how cute the cover and/or synopsis is ends up being much more to process.

Overall, I really enjoyed A BRUSH WITH LOVE, and I am looking forward to reading more from Mazey Eddings in the future!

Fun, sailor mouth rom-com. I love how the author works in anxiety and how it is different for everyone and how talking it out is part of the process. Lovable characters that will make you laugh out loud with their banter and inner monologues.

Thanks to NetGalley and author Mazey Eddings for allowing me to access this Audiobook!

Full disclosure I listened to the audiobook, but will still read the novel when I receive it because IT WAS THAT GOOD!!!! Mazey knocked this out of the park for her DEBUT novel like HOWWWW!??!?!?! Perfection on all fronts. Harper is so very real and its easy to be frustrated with her because I think we see our own mistakes in her actions. And DENTEL DANNNNNN. I was swooning so hard over this patient, beautiful man. He is everything and his ability to be so positive yet holding onto so much pain is incredible. This is defiantly a slow burn and if you went further into academia then you will completely relate to the struggles of the characters. Falling in love, trying to be top of your medical class, struggling with anxiety.... it's a powerful novel that shows the raw (an albeit not so pretty) aspects of real life. As someone with anxiety my heart broke for Harper and felt her frustration whole heartedly. I would recommend this novel to everyone. Infinity out of 5 stars!!!!!!

This book was so good! I felt such a connection to Harper. It was such an emotional time watching her come out of her shell some and become more vulnerable and open. But it was also so difficult to see her anxiety trying to consume her life. Dan is such a sweetheart and I really felt for him and his problems as well. This book dealt with pressure and anxiety so well. However, it wasn’t all intense. There are quite a few genuinely funny moments where I laughed out loud. I also loved both Harper and Dan’s friends. I’m super interested in Lizzie’s story, which is slated to release next!

Also random aside, as far as I know Harper is not explicitly stated to be demisexual, but I’m getting the strong vibe from her that she might be?

The audiobook arc was super echoey on the NetGalley app and gave me a headache so I finished off with the audiobook from audible using a credit I had. I loved the audiobook! It has a narrator for both Harper and Dan’s POVs and they both did an AMAZING job!

*4.5 Stars On My Instagram Account*

"How is it possible to feel so much?"

I had to pause listening to A Brush With Love by Mazey Eddings when I heard our protagonist Harper desperately utter the above words. I couldn't believe that feelings I have experienced and seen others struggled with were being said out loud in a sweet romance story.

Harper is waiting to hear about where she will attend her oral surgery residency. Being an oral surgeon is all she has ever wanted and all she has worked toward every day. When she crashes into first year student Dan, who rather be anywhere but in dental school, both their worlds go haywire.

I absolutely loved that there were two narrators for this love story. Harper was so authentically portrayed by Emily Lawrence that when Harper has her extremely scary intense panic attack I just let the tears flow. I had a bit of trauma remembering my Mom going through this anxiety and the anxiousness in the actress's voice was on point. When Vikas Adam
as Dan tries to comfort and understand Harper's feelings and is rebuked the hurt in his voice broke me. I have been him.

This writer got it right. The sensitivity in which she guides us to understand how debilitating mental illness is to not only those who suffer from it but those who love the ones going through it was brilliant. The frustration, fear, and hopelessness that we feel as the sufferer, for the sufferer and as the loved ones is written as realistically as I have experienced it.

This is still a romance. There are joyous moments, sexy moments, loving moments but what made this stand out for me were the very real moments.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the publisher via #netgalley for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

I really wanted to like this book, but I just felt they didn’t have any chemistry and I was a little bore and underwhelmed. Disappointing

I love the cover of this book it's so cute and really ties in with theme of the book. Also the title is so perfect for the book as well.

First of all I loved their meet cute and I love the way that Harper dealt with the annoying man patient who didn't want a female to work on him. I think that the conflict was blown out of proportion but that is pretty normal for a romance novel.

There were parts of the narration where I felt the narrator sounded like she was spitting which annoyed me but overall I thought the audiobook was good.

Overall, I had lukewarm feelings towards this audiobook. While it was enjoyable and the storyline was pretty unique, I probably will not reread this book in the future. I might recommend this book to friends who work in healthcare though.

This story follows dental school students Harper and Dan. Harper is finishing up dental school and is hoping for a good residency placement in oral surgery. Oral surgery is her passion and doing well in school is her highest priority, sometimes to the detriment of her health. Dan, on the other hand, is a first year dental school student who left a job in finance to fulfill a family obligation for dentistry. He struggles with school and his general lack of enthusiasm for the material. When an accidental collision crushes Dan’s mold for an assignment, Harper immediately offers to help. The two spark a connection that eventually grows. However, both Dan and Harper are grappling with their own responsibilities. In order to fully commit to each other, the pair must first be honest with themselves and support each other to shoulder their burdens.

I will say that the narrators for both Harper and Dan were very enjoyable. The tone and pace was well done. This book features a character who struggles with mental illness. I commend the author for highlighting the pressures, struggles and stigmas that can be associated with mental illness. This book also discusses abuse in relationships and sexism in the workplace/school.

This was a cute romance that I enjoyed listening to, but I did hope to feel a bit more connected to it. I think this could be a home run for a lot of people though!

A Brush with Love
by Mazey Eddings
4 stars
Harper is an anxious dental student that waiting for a residency program when she meets Dan. Dan is a first-year dental student going to take over his belated father's practice one day.
Dan isn't as invested in dentistry as Harper is. they start as just friends but how long can they ignore the lust and pull they have towards each other and want to help each other.
This book just shows a little how tough school and relationships can be especially when you can't concentrate cause your head over heels for a boy.
I love how it shows both their POVs and how it shows harper trying to handle her mental illness and learning to accept it. It's hard to go to school and have a social life this book shows it perfectly.
Thank you, Net Galley, and Macmillan Audio for the Arc for an honest review.