I enjoyed Mazey Eddings first book, A Brush With Love, but I enjoyed this one even more!

Lizzie Blake seems to always be making mistakes. She suffers from ADHD and many times she says and does things that she can't control. She isn't one to have connections, especially when it comes to romantic relationships, but when she meets Rake she ends up spending two nights with him. He's from Australia, so she figures that once his work trip is over he'll return home and that will be that.

Following Rake's departure, Lizzie realizes she's pregnant and does the responsible thing and calls him to let him know. He ends up uprooting his entire life to come and be supportive to Lizzie and their unborn child. Will the plan they have to be platonic roommates really work or will love end up blooming much to the chagrin of both of them?

Lizzie and Rake are total opposites, but I feel like that is what makes this relationship work. They bring out different sides of one another and they balance one another out. I love how supportive Rake is of Lizzie, something she's lacked in the past. I also like how she brings him out of his shell a bit. I really enjoyed this and would recommend it!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Oh goodness I couldn’t stop laughing when it comes to this book. Lizzie is a HOOT, I am not making this up this woman is hilarious. The way she met Rake, and how they spend their first night together was hella spicy, I couldn’t get enough of their connection and how chill and fun she was with him from the beginning. I love that Lizzie’s ADHD is highly addressed in this book, I loved how Rake was so accepting, how even with Lizzie’s insecurities she was still perfect for him. I didn’t know too much about the topic and the author explained it so well in the main character. Even though some of what she goes through can be heartbreaking I love how Lizzie was able to overcome and also have supporting friends, this book was too sweet.
Thanks Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I really enjoyed this book, especially how the dual-perspective was done and how the characters were developed. The way that Lizzie and Rake interacted with one another from the very start, especially when getting Rake's POV in their first meetings. The quirkiness of these characters really made this book, and I adored how it did the pregnancy trope without it feeling rushed or uncomfortable. The only thing I wanted more information about would be an explanation about why Rake had self-imposed celibacy to have some closure on this story thread, even if it was just tied into his explanation of his past relationship and everything that happened with her. Overall, I had a really fun time reading this book, and it definitely made me happy that there wasn't a major conflict to resolve near the end because these two had already been through enough! This is my first Mazey Eddings book, and I immediately put a hold on her first book after finishing this one -- I will be devouring it as well when it comes in!

Thank you so much to Mazey Eddings, St Martins & NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I'm just going to put it out there, this will likely be in my top 5 books of the year.

Quick recap before I go on about how much I adore this book:
Lizzie meets Rake.
A weekend hookup that wasn't supposed to go beyond that, ended in a surprise pregnancy.
Lizzie and Rake navigating what they are to each other and how they were going to raise the baby.

As prefaced above, I absolutely loved this book! I was a fan of Eddings debut release A Brush With Love so I knew I had to check out her next book.

This blew all my expectations. I will admit that I was nervous because I have not read any books with an unexpectedly pregnancy and wasn't sure how I would feel regarding the trope. I am not sure how other books handled it to compare it to but I thought it was handled very well. As someone who has struggled with fertility, I like that Eddings acknowledged that pregnancies don't always make it past the first trimester and the fear that comes with that.

"I'm scared," she said whispered at last. Although it seemed impossible, Rake hugged her even tighter. "Me too."

I stayed up way past anyones bedtime to finish this and so many times I wanted to scream at them both because they clearly loved each other but yet neither wanted to admit it (darn miscommunication trope). Lizzie and Rake's relationship on paper should not have worked but yet they worked perfectly together. But they were each other's ying and yang. Edding's dialogue between the characters were crafted so well. I was giggling to myself at the stuff Lizzie would say and then at Rake's response as he would play along with her.

In Edding's Acknowledgements she mentions her ADHD and knowing that made all the sense of how she was able to make Lizzie's ADHD so believable and real. I love seeing how Lizzie worked through and overcame so much throughout the course of the book. She knows where her struggles are and does her best to rectify them even if it doesn't always work or half works.

"I make a lot of mistakes. But I'm trying. Does that matter to you at all? The effort I make to be better?"

Her conversation in the last quarter of the book with her mother was raw and honest. And once again proving that setting boundaries and removing toxic people from your life (even if its family) is so important to do. I was so proud of Lizzie for standing up to her mother.

Rake has been added to my list of top tier book boyfriend of 2022. I had even tweeted the author to express my love of Rake and his Australian accent. This once again proves that I fall for men only written by women.

And for those who are into the spicy bits in books, this one delivers! I think it was a mix of Edding's writing and my feelings towards Rake that made it all so so enjoyable.

One of my favorites quotes comes from the author in her acknowledgements - "Every brain is beautiful, and they all deserve love exactly as they are." No truer words have been said. Thank you Mazey!

Lizzie and Rake are both two people that are not expecting or wanting a relationship, but after a weekend together thing change. After 2 weeks Lizzie calls Rake and tells him she's pregnant.
I see a lot of myself in Lizzie and that's one of many reasons I loved this book. I've never been diagnosed with ADHD but I have a lot of the same issues Lizzie faces day to day. And, like Lizzie I also love to bake!!
Rake is such a complement Lizzie, where she is a bit of a messy person he loves to clean and keep things organized. He doesn't talk down on her and make her feel stupid or not enough for being the way that she is. Both main characters were so easy to fall in love with and relate to.
One thing I will say is that this book is not for everyone. I know the unexpected pregnancy trope isnt always a fan favorite but I did enjoy it in this book.
Another great book Mazey!!

Oh my goodness, I’m so in love with Rake and Lizzie’s story! I absolutely loved Lizzie’s character and how chaotic she was. I can relate to her on so many levels and really felt for her! She was eccentric, imaginative, funny, and lived life to the best of her abilities. And Rake…that man is just swoon worthy all around! The literal definition of a perfect book boyfriend! He was a big marshmallow for Lizzie and exactly what she needed! This book made me cry, laugh out loud, feel frustrated at times and fall in love with these characters. I’m not usually one to care for the accidental pregnancy trope but it just worked in this story and was perfect. I can’t recommend this book enough and can’t wait to read more by this author!

after reading A BRUSH WITH LOVE, early this year, I was ecstatic to learn that mazey would be continuing this series!!

the characters were all so fun and quirky in their own way, and the author NAILED the mental health aspects of all of their characterization!! from ADHD to anxiety and panic attacks, it was all done so accurately 🥹🥹

the plot line of this one could definitely have been better, though … lizzie’s entire life revolves around sex, and who her next lay is going to be - until she meets rake, a hot australian guy with a moral compass.

their relationship as it bloomed throughout the story seemed super forced, and that was even before the accidental pregnancy.

as someone whose family constantly has problems getting pregnant and having no complications, the accidental pregnancy trope is not for me. the way that mazey wrote it is much better than most authors - but I still wish authors would take into consideration how not easy it is for a ton of readers to magically create a family.

I also am not really a fan of having a baby force a family together. while rake was really into lizzie, despite his swearing off women for a few years, I’m not sure they would have been endgame if it wasn’t for the pregnancy.

overall, I think the problems I had with the story outweighed mazey’s brilliant writing. I would definitely read another by her in a heartbeat though!

rating: 2.5 stars
wine pairing: california zinfandel

Lizzie Blake is all about the one night stand… until she meets Rake, who changes that all.

This book started off really great. I loved that Lizzie had ADHD and that her mind worked in a unique way. But I honestly found her character to be quite frustrating. She had a lot of baggage that closed her off from the amazingness that is Rake Thompson. Oh Rake… loved his character. I was so onboard for working through this bidding little romance.

Then enter my least favourite romance trope of all time (and I’m not ruining it… it is in the synopsis): the accidental pregnancy. I almost closed the book right there. There is nothing that kills the mood faster than an unplanned pregnancy. From this point on, I felt like the characters floundered. They made a lot of mistakes, some of which could have been avoided.

Giving this one 2.5 stars — rounded up to 3 for Goodreads. Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the chance to read this for an honest review.

This book had a lot to live up to after A Brush with Love… the author did such a wonderful job portraying living with anxiety. In this book she portrayed living with ADHD, and not only was it better than ABWL, I felt so seen and represented! Also, not too many books are set in my hometown of Philadelphia! It’s steamy from the very start (hello face sitting on page 25), and has all the tropes (grumpy-sunshine, forced proximity, mutual horny pining, just one bed) but also is so full of heart and can, at times, rip your heart out with all the naked emotions. I think that’s what makes this book so successful with its authenticity - the buzzing thoughts and mental jumble that can come from ADHD is so clearly conveyed onto the page so that a reader gets a true sense of what living with ADHD is like.

Lizzie Blake had ADHD, and has spent most of her life trying to fit into someone else’s idea what what and who she should be. She’s been told time and time again that she’s too much, too loud, too messy, too lazy, too careless. She’s developed her own coping mechanisms - chiefly sex. Not relationships, just sex, because feelings are too messy. And after being fired from yet another job due to her uncontrolled ADHD, she’s in need of blowing off some pent up emotions and feelings. So when she meets Rake Thompson, a very good looking emotionally unavailable guy with a very sexy Australian accent in town on business, at the bar when she’s just been stood up for a hookup, it fits right into her plans. But was meant to be just a one-time thing turns into a weekend of fun when they realize that not only was the sex spectacular, they also enjoy each other’s company. And it’s perfect that he’s about to head back home. But a few weeks later when she learns she’s got a bun in the oven, Rake moves heaven and hell to be a part of the baby’s life, and Lizzie’s as well. As they spend more and more time together getting to know each other, the more they realize that maybe it was meant to be, if only they can break down their own barriers.

This is a really sweet novel. Lizzie and Blake are such an adorable couple. Lizzie is such an admirable character who tries so hard although things don't always turn out well for her despite herself. It is just heartbreaking how cruelly her mother has treated her all her life, and the psychological damage it has done to her. Rake is an incredibly great caring almost perfect guy. It's hard to believe that anyone like him could actually exist, but it's fun to read about him anyway. He and Lizzie are both such lovely big-hearted characters that you can't help rooting for them to be together.

This book also provides great insight into what it is like for someone living with ADHD. Lizzie's coldhearted mother is the perfect example of how not to treat children or anyone with ADHD. However, on the contrary, using the coping strategies Lizzie learns may actually help a person with ADHD learn how to cope themselves. Therefore, not only is this a great story with extremely likable main characters, it is a book that can actually teach the reader about ADHD and/or ways to help manage it.

I really enjoyed this! I rarely read books about pregnancy and it was actually kinda refreshing.
I think the ADHD rep was good. Lizzie is such a refreshing character, who knows what she wants. She's fun, interesting, cute, and loveable.

I thought so much about this review in the wee hours of the morning when my brain wouldn’t power down, and I’m still not entirely sure how to go about it. Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake is a fun, easy romance. I think, as a whole, I enjoyed the book. Mazey Eddings is a talented writer who brought a lot of heart into a story about an unplanned pregnancy. And hoo boy the steam! But a few things stick out as not quite right.

For one, Lizzie’s seemed completely defined by an ADHD diagnosis that she and other characters kept insisting DIDN’T define her. Lizzie is definitely at the “extreme” end of the ADHD spectrum, so her actions and thought process are greatly influenced by her neurodivergent brain. But how much of Lizzie’s character is ADHD and how much is just her personality? Or are they so intertwined that they’re basically one and the same? Even her job as a baker started as a suggestion from a therapist on how to “deal” with her diagnosis. It sort of felt like a bunch of boxes were checked from an ADHD symptom list— impulsive, forgetful, hyperactive— and then molded into a person’s ENTIRE being. Representation is incredibly important and I’ve seen a lot of reviewers saying they could see themselves in Lizzie, but she truly felt like a caricature of a person with ADHD to me.

I also took issue with Rake’s backstory, which vilified his ex. Her decision to have an abortion was presented as the driving force for him wanting to be involved with Lizzie’s pregnancy in the first place. Rake presents himself as pro-choice but the damage has already been done by casting a cheating, abortion-having ex as a major factor in his origin story.

So I don’t know entirely how I feel about this one. I certainly enjoyed the book while I was reading and breezed through it quickly. Again, I liked the author’s writing style and the dynamic between Lizzie and Rake. There were just some issues I’m finding harder to ignore the longer I ponder them.

This is, easily, a Top 5 of 2022 book for me. I loved every chapter, every page, every word. Rake is a Top 10 of all time male MC and Lizzie was delightful. It was so interesting to read her perspective and go inside her ADHD brain, it was a voice I don't think I've read before. The storytelling, structure, and pacing of this book was great and the romance was one of the best I've ever read. I just read A Brush with Love earlier this week and dove right in to this, cementing Mazey Eddings as one of my favorite authors. I'll read anything and everything she writes!

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I loved this book, the characters, the setting, and everything about it.

Lizzie Blake was a chaotic yet absolutely loveable human being, she was full of good intentions but prone to make mistakes due to her ADHD. It caused people to think poorly of her, be dismissive of her, or even cruel to her, but then along came Rake, with whom she made her best "mistake" yet.

I adored everything about Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake, even though it featured one of my least favorite tropes in romance, accidental pregnancy. It simply worked perfectly in Lizzie and Rake's story. Rake has sworn off feelings after ending a bad relationship, but he cannot help being charmed by Lizzie.

Lizzie's character did an excellent job of explaining the toll her ADHD took on her day-to-day life. Rake was an absolute sweetheart and the first person who saw Lizzie as person worthy of love and felt no need to try and change her. Watching Lizzie and Rake go from a casual hookup to strangers living together, to friends, to more was so fun to read. Their story managed to be both instalove-ish and slow burn in the best way.

I cried and I laughed endlessly while reading Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake, and I know it's a story that I will revisit again and again. It was also nice to see Harper and Dan from A Brush with Love. I cannot wait to read more of this series and hopefully see more of Lizzie and Rake and their "best mistake."

Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for this advanced copy.

What a lovely lovely story! I adored Mazey Edding's first book (A Brush With Love, who knew I needed a romance about dental students?) and it was great to revisit the friend group from that novel with Lizzie's story.

I adore Lizzie. She is kinda a mess and a bit chaotic but she has so much heart and cares so much about her friends and I love that she saves herself at the beginning of the book. And Rake is just fantastic. You totally get the vibe that he knows that when he moves half way around the world for Lizzie it isn't because she physically needs him around but because they need each other to start the process of healing and moving on with their lives. I found their relationship and its growth so touching (and hot, its also hot) and wonderful and it was really nice to see a man stand up without forcing the female lead to step back.

The plot was pretty moot, this book was so much about emotional growth and I really appreciated the author not trying to shove a ton of drama into this great story just for the sake of drama. There is enough natural drama around these two that you didn't need to do much and I'm here for it.

Overall, I'm reading all of Mazey Edding's books from now on and can't wait for the next one, this was just such a delight from beginning to end. Also how do I get some of these cakes she is baking, Bernadette's better be based on a real place.

4.5🌟 - I really liked it!

Thank you @smpromance for the #gifted ARC and for the EARC/ALC through @netgalley!

Lizzie is chaotic, full of love, and will warm your heart! I absolutely adored this book 🥹!

This book has neurodiversity rep (she has ADHD), a hot Australian man, baking that brings the 🌶, and chef’s kiss 👩🏻‍🍳💋 forced proximity!

Lizzie and Rake were just perfect, perfect, perfect! This had the best balance of charm, humor, swoon, spice, and lovable characters you wanted to root for!

This book has an accidental pregnancy trope, but it really worked for me! I had never read a book like it, and just here to sing praises about @mazeyeddings’s books forever!

actual rating: 3/5

This was a light, fun read for the end of summer. Lizzie was a very chaotic main character which made for an interesting story, but it also stressed me out quite a bit. I really like Rake and think he was a good love interest for Lizzie. I feel like they balanced each other out well. However, by the end, I felt like i didn't know anything about him. We really only get surface level with him, in my opinion. We get to know Lizzie a bit more than him, but I wasn't too attached to Lizzie or Rake. I still think this is worth the read if you're wanting something fun.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Hmm …. Interesting. I couldn’t get into this book, and then about 10% I was like yeah this is the best book I’ve ever read and then at 80% I was skimming bc it was getting wordy. Kinda adored it, kinda was bored w it.
I recently read about making people who get abortions villains and how it is against what we are fighting for, andI can't say I disagree. While I more felt that Rake broke up with his ex over the fact that she cheated, the more I think about it, the more angry is makes me that Eddings did not change this (small and could be different) part of the book, Overall, I still really enjoy Eddings work, but this fact soured my opinion of this book.

Lizzie and Rake are amazing and adorable, I’m pretty sure I love them. Lizzie is so bold and vibrant, she embraces her chaos and life with boldness. Watching her grow into her own and find her own power and strength in her life was so fun. Rake is awesome, even if he didn’t fully understand all of Lizzie he made it his mission to learn what she needed and how her brain worked which made him amazing! I wanted to fight Lizzie’s parents in how they treated her. But I just loved this story and how the chapters were titles with the size of the baby and other cute little things.