I fell absolutely in love with the characters and I enjoyed following their love story. The writing was a bit rough at points but the characters pulled me through.

TITLE: Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake: A Novel
AUTHOR: Mazey Eddings
PUB DATE: 09.06.2022 Now Available

Mazes Eddings does messy and unconventional love well. I found that in reading about Lizzie and Rake’s relationship - with their super hot scenes, their two night stand, eventual oopsie, and much much more. I was really invested in the protagonists’ back stories and Lizzie’s ADHD struggles. It’s always pretty special to see how each of the characters develop into their relationship, which highlights the brilliance in Eddings’ writing. The characters and their struggles, allow her readers to immerse fully into normalizing neurodivergence in positive and affirming ways.

I had fun spending time with Lizzie and Rake!

Thanks so much to the author, St. Martin's Griffin, and Netgalley for the gifted advanced e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts. All opinions are entirely my own. { partner } All of my reviews can also be found on Instagram @Tackling_TBR and on my blog at tacklingtbr.home.blog

TW: Unplanned pregnancy, emotionally abusive/neglectful family

Truly the best word that I can think of to describe this read is fun! I had so much fun spending time with Lizzie and Rake. I had so much fun watching them figure out their relationship. I had so much fun watching the interactions between Lizzie and her friend group. Just overall a really fun and enjoyable read.

Now before I get too far into it, yes this is a sequel to A Brush with Love. And although I have that book on audio (thank you Libro.fm), yes I am once again reading them out of order. I know, I have a problem. But luckily for me, this book can easily stand on it's own! You do see Harper and Dan (our heroes from A Brush with Love) in this story, but only as supporting characters. And this book gives you any context and background information that you might need! Alright, now back to the review.

I have to just take a minute to say - as much as I always wanted to be Jo March or Elizabeth Bennet when I was younger, and as much as I find pieces of myself in just about every book I read as an adult, I have never related to a character as much and as easily as I did to Lizzie reading this book. The way she relates to people, the way her brain works, how she copes with past trauma, even down to someone describing her eyes as changing colors! So I really loved getting to see myself so much in a story, even though at times it was hard to see her faults because they're likely also my faults. But it got me invested in her story and her struggles from the word go.

Overall I really loved this book, and I definitely see myself coming back to revisit Lizzie and (the incredibly swoon-worthy) Rake (I mean come on, his name says it all) after I finally get around to A Brush with Love! I would definitely recommend this book to my friends and fellow readers - but be warned that there is a good amount of steam in this one! I think that the best way to read this book would be tucked under a blanket with some sort of delicious baked good. Or five. Or ten. Why limit yourself? Lizzie definitely wouldn't.

Earlier this year I listed to A Brush With Love, the first book in this series, and really enjoyed it. I'm happy to report that the sequel did not disappoint! Mazey Eddings packed just as much humor, relatability, and cute romance moments into this book as she did with her debut.

Lizzie was a really cool main character. I loved how tough and stubborn she was when she set her mind to something but also liked when she let the reader in on her more vulnerable thoughts. I loved how she represented ADHD through her story and couldn't help but smile when she got into some hilarious predicaments. Rake was a good complementing character; where Lizzie was all energy Rake was more reserved. The both brought out the best in each other and I loved how much they supported each other.

I honestly didn't really read the summary too closely for this book because the pregnancy took me by total surprise. I normally stay away from pregnancy tropes in books because I just find them too unrelatable and usually too dramatic, so I'm glad I didn't see that and let it stop me from reading this book. Although the pregnancy definitely plays a role in the story it doesn't feel like the central point. I liked that the plot still focused on their relationship, Lizzie's self-acceptance, and Rake's getting out of his comfort zone. I loved the focus on character development and how many times the characters faced their fears and roadblocks head on with the support of the other.

I also want to give a shout-out to the erotic baked goods because those were absolutely hilarious. Lizzie's boss was absolutely amazing and that aspect of the book made me think of the show Sex Education. It was just a funny thing to incorporate and I love how it played into Lizzie standing up for herself later in the book.

Lizzie's strained relationship with her family was frustrating to read- not because of the writing but because I wanted to reach through the book and smack her parents. There's almost a found family aspect to this book with how Lizzie gets support from her friend group and Rake. I loved the "unconventional" support network/family and enjoyed the pieces about her parents and brother.

Honestly, this book was great. There were a few times that I wished they would "get together already!!" (I might have said that aloud a few times), but I really liked how the plot and characters developed. I laughed out loud quite a few times and am excited to read the next installment in this series.

Mazey Eddings’s debut novel was so wonderful, so I was definitely looking forward to reading Lizzie's story... it did not let me down!

Lizzie is an all-too-relatable character whom I absolutely adored. Dealing with ADHD in the best way she knows how (running away from any possible attachments), she encounters a situation following a two-night stand that isn't so... escapable.

Rake is your typical swoony male lead; a charmer with an accent who is determined to avoid emotional connections due to past mishaps.

I usually am not a fan of the *spoiler!* unplanned pregnancy trope, but when it's done well, I can really get into the story. Lizzie and Rake's love story was messy and unconventional and emotional, but it was so worth the read. Lizzie is such a strong character and Rake is ridiculously charming, and you can't help but root for the two hot messes to get together.

The depiction of mental illness was handled superbly: enough humor to make it lighter but enough sensitivity to know that it's being taken seriously.

I absolutely recommend this book!

Special thanks to NetGalley for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book. All opinions are my own!

10/10 would read again, multiple times. Would continue to recommend. Won’t stop continuing to recommend. This was SO GOOD! Mazey does it again. She is surely becoming one of my favorite rom-com writers and I can not wait for her next book!

This was a cute, light, breezy read. Surprise pregnancy is not my trope so that's my fault, but Mazey's writing is good, and it was an adorable story. I appreciate the author's dedication to including mental health into their writing. She does a great job showing what living with ADHD is like, and it's really nice to see the representation.

Thank you SMP for the gifted copy.

I just adored Lizzie and related to some of her struggles with adult ADHD. The scene where she was supposed to be packing but procrastinated and then got so overwhelmed she decided to bake instead was me 100%. It’s like I’m aware of a big task, put it off because it’s so overwhelming, and then either get hyper focused or freak out completely. I don’t struggle nearly as much as Lizzie, but there were so many bits and pieces that had me nodding along thinking ‘YES!’

The 🔥🌶️ scenes were great, and I loved Rake (for the most part). Bernadette was fabulous and I’d totally visit her bakery in real life.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I’m personally not a fan of the pregnancy trope, and 100% requested this book before realizing that that’s what it is. Despite that, I read this book in two days and really enjoyed it!!

Eddings comes back for the second installment of this series ready to delve into Lizzie, the crass best friend who loves baking and helps Harper decide she’s ready to see a psychiatrist.

Lizzie comes across bubbly and outgoing, but inside she’s constantly juggling feelings of inadequacy and self-flagellation due to how ADHD and Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD) impact people’s perception of her.

A fan of no strings attached one night stands, Lizzie spends two nights with a random Australian man, Rake, which leads to an unexpected surprise. And so the story continues, the two of them tumbling into a coparenting plan with lots of forced proximity, tension, sweet moments, and grand emotional breakthroughs.

It’s a quick, easy read, with a lot of depth surrounding exploration of mental health and tough familial relationships, which I applaud Eddings for. The romance itself is nothing special, and while we know a lot about Lizzie, we barely learn anything about Rake. And also I hate the trope of why Rake is closed off the way he is, which I could’ve guessed at the very beginning, and while it’s reveal and explanation is fine, it still irked me.

Similar to A Brush With Love, I found some of the dialogue, especially at the beginning, to be just a touch too cringey and over the top. I guess it’s just a function of the romance genre, but still. Also, now having read two books about women in this friend group, I also wish Eddings spent a little more time showing them having positive and loving interactions together. For both Lizzie and Harper, interactions and situations their friends put them in seem to cause a lot of stress and trigger their mental health problems, to the point where I don’t think it’s made quite clear enough why we as readers should consider these healthy and encouraging relationships. Instead, the takeaway seems to be that while working on themselves, the only person who actually gets them and is willing to accommodate them is their love interest. So yeah.

3.5/5

“If yellow was a sound, he thought, it would be her laugh”

What a delightful surprise Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake was!!

After losing another job due to her ADHD struggles, Lizzie goes looking for a one night stand with an app date, only to end up crossing paths with Australian hottie, Rake. Two nights stands later and Lizzie learns that condoms do indeed expire and now there’s a baby on the way! Rake moves from Sydney to Philadelphia to co-parent with Lizzie in a totally platonic way and the rest is history😉

Lizzie and Rake were just fantastic together! Their chemistry was amazing and even though they have very different personalities, I loved how they seemed to understand each other. I also really enjoyed reading Lizzie's experience with ADHD. I think that added an extra layer to this book that really intrigued me and there were times I just wanted to reach through the book and hug her!!🥺

I usually don’t read and enjoy many books with the pregnancy trope but the way that this book focused so much more on the relationship between Lizzie and Rake rather than just on le bebe, made this story much more enjoyable👏🏼
I also didn’t realize this was the second book of a series so I can safely say it can be read as a stand-alone for sure😅 but I’m definitely adding the first book in the series, A Brush With Love, to my TBR!!📚😜

Sweet, charming, steamy, fun, filled with witty banter and a double POV, Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake was a great easy read that I very much recommend!!🥰

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC💛

The book was full of laughter and steamy scenes. I loved how Lizzie was VERY outgoing and just cause of that I LOVED it. And also Rake HOLY SMOKES…Loved him. MOVE OVER HEMSWORTH, RAKE IS THE NEW AUSTRALIAN BAE. Haha just kidding they are tied.

(Spoiler Warning)
I love how many of the characters from A Brush with Love were in it. And how they reacted to the whole pregnancy. Even if the reaction wasn’t the best at the start they still cared and loved her no matter what and gave her space. Okay now I will stop with the spoilers and will resume my review.

I love the way Mazey Eddings writes after I have read A Brush with Love, I’ve been wanting to read another book of hers so I’m super happy to have been able to read this before it’s officially put out in the world. Will be buying it in paperback when it comes out.

This was just okay. It took awhile for me to like Lizzie, and it wasn’t very believable to me how convenient it was for things to work out between Lizzie and Rake.

Also not a huge fan of a surprise pregnancy trope, so maybe I’m just not the target audience for this book!

By the time I finished this, I liked it a lot. I will say I had a hard time at the beginning as Lizzie was constantly frustrating me. As someone neurodivergent, it PAINED me to see Lizzie flop repeatedly. Ultimately, though, I found her charming and honest. I liked Rake too; he was pretty fleshed out as far as love interests go. I haven't read the first book in this series, but I might now. Romance fans will absolutely find something to love here.

I LOVED the ADHD representation. It was well done. Several parts made me laugh out loud. Even though the romance was very instant—the writing kept me reading. I will be reading others in this series!

I’ve been looking forward to reading Lizzie since my virtual book club read and loved ABWL and chatted with Mazey, and it was such a delightful read!

Lizzie (like all of us!) has a lot of baggage… and omg the cover is clicking for me so much more now… She’s been fired from her job, she’s struggling to manage parts of her ADHD, and just looking to find someone to help unleash some… energy with.

Rake steps in when Lizzie gets stood up, and they hit it off… v quickly… Fast forward a few more hookups, a missed period, and a 36-hour panic flight from Australia—>Philly, and Lizzie and Rake decide to figure out how to move forward together. Well not together, together (yet!)...

Despite the heavier content, this is just a fun story. Lizzie keeps us laughing out loud and just cheering so hard for her throughout her journey to motherhood. She and Rake learn how to set boundaries not only with each other, but with everyone in their lives. I enjoy Mazey’s writing so much. It feels like she pours her heart and soul into her stories.

All the stars for Mazey for writing inclusive, neurodivergent characters, and sharing their messy, beautiful brains with us! Thanks to SMP Romance and NetGalley for an earc!

First of all, I love the cover artwork. It's right on schedule with current trends within this genre - it's bright, colorful and illustrative. The characters are well throughout, the comedy elements are fun as well and there was some fun quick comments. I felt really connected to the characters actually throughout the end and I hope there will be another or a spin off.

I’ll be honest, I didn’t think I’d love a romance with a pregnancy plot, but I loved being proved wrong, so I decided to read it!

And I’m happy to report- I was, in fact, wrong! This was so cute!

I loved Rake and Lizzie and their openness with one another and their ability to listen. This was just wonderful!

“If yellow was a sound, he thought, it would be her laugh. Bright and booming, warming and joyful.”

4.5/5 stars

TW: Unexpected pregnancy, discussions of abortion and ADHD, and cheating

Lizzie Blake is no stranger to making mistakes. But after losing her job due to an incident caused by her ADHD, she feels like she has hit rock bottom. Then one night at the bar and meets Rake, the painfully handsome Australian in town on business. Lizzie is one to not get too close to anyone and assumes she will never see Rake again, that is until her pregnancy test comes back positive. Rake determined to be the best father he can, is determined to do everything he can to be supportive, including moving to Philadelphia. As the two agree on a non-romantic partnership to raise their child, challenges arise as the sexual tension between them is non avoidable especially in the room less apartment they now share together. As the two navigate this big change in their lives, they discover strength in themselves and one another that they never knew they had.

•

I absolutely adored this one! I loved the author’s writing style and there were some sentences in here that had me laughing out loud. I was in love with our female MC Lizzie, her humor and kindness warmed my heart as she navigates life with her ADHD and forces that work against her like her unsupportive parents. Lizzie and Rake together was simply magic, they both brought out the best in each other and complimented each other so well despite their differences. It was heartwarming to watch these two navigate their lives together, I also loved how Rake supported Lizzie and the tension in this one was HAWWT! I loved how the author incorporated ADHD representation in her story, it highlighted so many struggles and challenges that those who have ADHD face every single day. Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review. This title is available to purchase now!

Read if you like:
✔️ Neurodiverse characters
✔️ Surprise pregnancy trope
✔️ Forced proximity
✔️ A Brush With Love
✔️ Spice
✔️ Messy family dynamics & found/chosen families

In Mazey Eddings' second book, we follow Lizzie Blake, one of Harper's friends from A Brush With Love. Lizzie was Harper's fun, kooky friend, but in this book, we get a deep dive into her personality and, in particular, her ADHD. Based on the experiences of friends and things I've read about ADHD, Eddings' portrayal was pretty spot-on and I think she did a great job of diving into Lizzie's neurodiverse brain. She painted the picture of how Lizzie thinks and why she acts the way she does. Lizzie often voices frustration for being called lazy or thoughtless, and I really felt for her because it was easy to see and empathize with why she behaved the way she did.

This is a romance so of course, I must discuss that aspect! I really liked Rake and thought he and Lizzie had great chemistry. Their relationship begins with a two-night stand, so we get a couple of steamy scenes right away, which I enjoyed. After Lizzie discovers she is pregnant, their story is more of a slow burn. Without giving too much away, I enjoyed the way their romance unfolded. It felt realistic and not forced. Their love was unconditional, which Eddings did a great job writing. Rake loved Lizzie because of her ADHD and quirky personality, not in spite of it. He showed her that she could still be herself and inspired her to be the best version of herself. I also liked her career storyline and how all that wrapped up.

If you enjoyed A Brush With Love, this is definitely worth picking up. Even if you didn't or haven't read it, I would recommend this! I liked it better than Eddings' debut and it isn't necessary to have read the first before reading this one. I hope you try it and like it as much as I did!

This book follows Lizzie who has never let anyone get close to her, but after one too many mistakes and one too many lost jobs she starts to second think her life and decides to give someone a second chance. That someone is Rake, and he has been burned by so many other girls that he is also so closed off. However, neither of them get a chance to back out, when Lizzie finds out she's pregnant. These two start to figure each other out and bring down walls that they put up! This romance is cute, realistic, sexy, and so fun! Pregnancy trope is not usually my favorite, but I think this one is done so well!