Lizzie Blake is glitter personified and Rake is the glue ready to embrace it all. Lizzie Blake’s Best MIstake is the only instance where finding little specks of glitter throughout your life for all eternity is actually a pleasant experience.


With such a captivating debut as A Brush With Love, I didn’t know if Eddings could top it. But, like the true wizard she is, Lizzie Blake more than exceeds expectations. When a one night stand turns into two, Lizzie gets a bigger souvenir to commemorate the occasion than just the best orgasms of her life. She also gets two lines on a stick. Or in baker terms, a bun in the oven. This novel follows the journey of a messy ball of sunshine and the charming Australian Rake as they navigate this new life.

Like her previous novel, Eddings uses her voice to shed light on the importance of mental health. While I don’t have ADHD, I was able to get a better understanding of the struggles one goes through and am prepared to be more mindful in the real world. Eddings has her own distinct voice, but never lets it stifle the way her characters are depicted. While Harper was more reserved, Lizzie gives a full play-by -play of getting her “ salad tossed”. Eddings' voice is still clear in both of her novels, but it is clear she takes the time to allow her unique characters take center stage.

This is what I most appreciated about this novel, how it altered my perspective of Lizzie from the debut novel. She was bubbly, bright, and really outgoing. She seemed to be the most confident one out of the bunch. But as we get a peek inside her mind, we see how hard she must work against herself to project these feelings. Being more of a Harper, I thought there was no way I could relate to someone as seemingly carefree and extroverted as Lizzie, but I was so wrong. We see the fear, the trauma, the unsureness. We see how many times she gets frustrated with herself or second guesses herself. I gained a lot more love and appreciation for her and I adore the way her mind works just as Rake does.


*I received an ARC from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own and given freely. Quotes used subject to change with publication.

RATING: 5/5 STARS

LIZZIE BLAKE'S BEST MISTAKE is a new favorite on my rom-com shelf! I've read a ton of romance novels but not many with the surprise pregnancy trope - it was done so well here! I adored Lizzie's character. Mazey Eddings represented ADHD and the struggles of adulthood in such a relatable way. The romance was top notch. I loved both Lizzie and Rake's character development. They complemented each other so well. I will continue to watch out for Mazey Eddings' writing. And I need to read A BRUSH WITH LOVE now!

I am happy to say Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake is one of the best books I’ve read in 2022 so far. I loved the relationship between Lizzie & Rake, Lizzie following her dreams and passion for baking, and the adult ADHD representation featured in this novel. Lizzie was a wonderful character to follow and I adored reading about her story just as much as I loved reading Harper’s story. I can’t wait to read more of Mazey Eddings work. All in all I am happy to report that reading Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake was one of the best decisions I’ve made all year.
4 out of 5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Hot take: mental health representation, short chapters, Dual POV, spicy, unexpected pregnancy, forced proximity (in more way then one), baked goods

Deep Dive:

🧁meet Lizzie: a sex postive baker living with ADHD trying to find her way in the world when a two night stand with a sexy Australian leads to an unexpected pregnancy

🥐meet Rake: the sexy Australian mentioned above. This is a man who has shut off his emotion after a previous heartbrake - but after meeting Lizzie at a bar who not only challenges his supressed emotions his world is about to change.

🍰 the mental health representation in this book was ELITE! In this #ownvoices story Mazey Eddings has created a character who has ADHD and has dealt with her family not understanding AND not trying to understand her neurodiversity! I learned so much about adulthood ADHD in this read. I always love when a book has mental health representation and education

🍪 I have actually never read an unexpected pregnancy trope book before and was a little nervous I would not enjoy it but LOVED IT! I also loved Mazey’s style of writing and how she dove into the complicated storylines in this book including (but not limited to): feeling undeserving of love, finding your passion and feeling miss understood by your family.

🥨 also the spice in this book is élite and believe me you don’t have to wait long!

Rating:
Overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Romance ❤️❤️❤️❤️/4
Spice 🌶🌶🌶/4

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Mazey Eddings for an e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

AHHH I loved A Brush With Love and I soooo looked forward to Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake. This one was just as good as I thought it was going to be! Although I prefer slow-burn romances, I really enjoyed this one. The chemistry was very good between Rake and Lizzie. I love the fact Mazey has her characters deal with realistic struggles. In ABWL the main character struggles with anxiety and in LBBM Lizzie has ADHD.

There's one or two things that I would love to be slighted edited before the finalized copy. I struggled a little bit with really feeling these perfect expectations that Lizzie has to succumb to because of her family. I wish that part was just strengthened every so slightly. I also felt as though Rake's struggles with his previous relationship could have been a little bit more brought to life. And maybe their could've been more struggle with his citizenship to America? I felt as though that was a bit too unrealistic. Also I almost wish that they went to Australia together because that would've been such a cute scene! Maybe another epilogue?! I would've loved more baking elements too! I loved the concept of a NSFW bakery and wanted more!

I think from my own personal taste, I am not a big fan of insta-love or accidental pregnancies. However, this book is definitely an exception!

All-in-all, I still really enjoyed this book and I am looking forward to *hopefully* books about Indira and Thu! Mazey Eddings deserves so much hype and I hope that she becomes super successful because her writing is wonderful.

Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake employs a trope that I can't stand. Won't read. However, I didn't know that when I requested an ARC. Now, having finished this sweet book in a day and a half, I have to admit that the trope isn't all bad. I can't believe it. Mazey Eddings did it well. This is a very cute read with lots of self-acceptance, self-growth, and steam. By Chapter 3 I had decided to order Mazey's other work, which I haven't read yet. I would recommend this to my fellow rom-com lovers.

Omg I loved this book so much! I loved the chemistry between Lizzy and Rake and it had me laughing and smiling throughout the book. I also appreciated how the author talked about ADHD and captured how it felt for Lizzy and those who didn’t understand her. Five starts isn’t enough for this book. I was sad when it ended because I wanted to hear more and more of this love story!


Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this arc!

I loved this book! I loved the characters, I loved the spice. I loved everything! 5 stars for this fun read.

What a book! 🥰 Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake is something you should order ASAP! If you loved a Brush with Love, then you'll adore Eddings' sophomore novel. 🤍

📝 Lizzie is always trying her best, but her life is a hot mess! 🌪 She can't keep a job, her apartment is a disaster, and emotionally she's closed off to any romantic relationships. Then she meets Rake, an attractive Australian, and decides to break her one-night stay rule. Spending time with Rake may be more than she bargained for. Sometimes the biggest mistakes turn out the be the greatest things in life. 😊

What I 🤍:
🧠 Neurodiversity Representation
🍑 Sex & Body Positivity
😳 Awkward Moments
🥐 Creative Bakery Items
👟 Quick Pace

I ADORED 🥰 the characters in this book! Eddings writes in a way that makes you fall in love and root for her characters. 🙏 The perspective of a neurodiverse character living with ADHD was done phenomenally. When I was reading I kept thinking, "Man, Eddings did a lot of research on how to portray this." It wasn't until the author's note that you learn Eddings herself has ADHD. My eyes were opened to a whole new way of seeing the world. Blake was dreamy. I loved how he appreciated Lizzie's mind and how she saw the world. 🌍 We all need a boss like Bernadette, and a best friend like Indira who loves you unconditionally.

Prince's Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Steaminess: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

(I took off half a point because there was a lot of swearing in this book. Swearing doesn't bother me, but sometimes it felt unnecessary.)

Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake
by Mazey Eddings
Pub Date: 06 Sep 2022
3.5/5 Stars

At first glance I think we all wish we were a little like Lizzie, free spirited and unencumbered by societal inhibition. Lizzy struggles with ADHD and anxiety, though, and that’s something that affects all aspects of her crazy, messy life. Two things that bring her joy are baking and sex. The latter leads her to Rake, a hot Australian on a short trip to the U.S. Two days together leads to an unexpected pregnancy.

Lizzie and Rake are both sweet characters and it was fun to root for them as they grew closer, all the while growing their baby. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into Lizzie’s life as she faced her struggles with Rake by her side, as well as her wonderful support system of friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

Kudos to Mazey Eddings for writing such an important story. I love the way she dove in and tackled a prevalent but misunderstood and under-discussed disorder that affects so many people in our society. Lizzie Blake’s mind does not work like most people's. She has always been a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. Lizzie is full of energy and life, but her adult ADHD has always made her feel out of place and out of control. Her life constantly keeps her moving. That is where she feels best. Craving human touch, but afraid to form attachments, Lizzie creates a world where one-night hook-ups are her normal. Until she meets the sexy Aussie Rake, who is visiting her hometown, Philadelphia, on business. Their attraction is intense and instant. Rake, suffering from his own issues, seeks and craves the energy Lizzie exudes. Their one night of pleasure leaves them in an unexpected situation. Rake longs to be there to support Lizzie, but both are afraid of their true feelings. Lizzie’s upbringing has left her self-confidence in shreds. She feels like she ruins everything good. Rake does not see Lizzie or her mind as a train wreck. He sees her as beautiful and intriguing. Will they be able to overcome their personal issues and find their happy ending?

Lizzie and Rake’s story is a raw and beautiful one. I loved the deep insight into Lizzie's character. The firsthand look into the intricacies of Lizzie’s mind was educational and caused me to look at life from a different perspective. It was refreshing to see an author normalize mental health issues and all the things that go hand in hand with them. I fell in love with Rake’s character. His devotion and longing to understand Lizzie melted my heart. Every woman deserves to have a champion like Rake in her corner. Their unexpected journey to find love was a delight to read. The whole plotline was realistic and engaging. It had me hooked from the very first page. I loved all the characters, even Lizzie’s horrible mother, as she added a harsh and realistic truth to the story. Lizzie’s story touched every single one of my emotions. Her propensity to blurt out everything that came to mind had me cracking up. Rake and Lizzie’s snarky banter kept making me smile. Lizzie’s feelings of being unlovable and inadequate made me cry. The steamy scenes were sizzling, hot, and plentiful! This story contained all the ingredients I love. It was a 5-star read for me.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake is SUCH a fun read! I could not put it down. The ADHD representation is spot on and the book made me laugh, cringe, it gave me all the feels. It's a must read for any rom com fan. Lizzie meets Rake in a chance encounter in a bar and things quickly heat from there but then there's some complications and you ride this wave of a story with them as they face challenges. II'll be reading this one again this summer, I thoroughly enjoyed it start to finish.

Thank you SO much NetGalley for this eARC.

Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake features a delightful protagonist with poorly managed ADHD. She grew up with parents who saw her being aneurotypical as a failure, leaving her feeling that she couldn’t truly be loved- so why even try? It’s best to just keep it to one night stands. However, one day she meets Rake. He’s attractive, good in bed, and going back to Australia - what a perfect combination! However, when Lizzie realizes she’s pregnant, Rake immediately jumps on coparenting- moving to Philadelphia ASAP. Both struggle with emotions and vulnerability, but can they still find a way to love each other?

I still have tears in my eyes after reading this. As someone who struggles with both ADHD and a mood disorder, I can’t adequately describe how meaningful this book was. At one point it is explicitly stated that just because Lizzie’s brain functions differently than a neurotypical doesn’t mean she deserves to be valued less.
I cried.

Yes, the romance was sweet and I loved the side characters (especially Bernadette) immensely… but the incredible love shown for the neurodivergent is what made this a five star read for me.

4.5 rounded up to a 5. From one Philadelphian, ADHD, Elizabeth Marie to another, I loved this book. Lizzie was my favorite character in Mazey Edding’s last book so I was so excited to get an ARC for her next part of the series. I found myself relating so much to Lizzie’s story (the challenges that come from neurodivesity, not the accidental pregnancy from a handsome Australian man). Some of the logistical pieces felt a little far fetched but I don’t really read rom coms for realism. Even if you’re not usually a big fan of the accidental pregnancy trope, I’d still recommend giving this one a chance.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you St. Martin Press and NetGalley for the eARC! All opinions expressed are my own. This review does NOT contain any spoilers. :)

☆☆☆☆☆ Overall
(Spice: ☆☆☆☆☆)

Trigger/Content Warnings: accidental pregnancy, super brief mentions of cheating and abortion, (If I’m missing anything here that you think should be added, please let me know and I will update accordingly! Thanks!)

I don’t even know where to start with this book. Eddings is one of the few authors I have ever encountered that writes honest, lovely depictions of neurodivergence, love, mistakes, and happy endings (literally, and well… y’know. ;) )

Lizzie Blake is a character that I fell in love with in her brief appearance in Eddings’ debut novel, A BRUSH WITH LOVE. (Also can we talk about Harper and Dan’s appearances here?? I missed them so much.) When we meet Lizzie in LBBM, it sort of feels like her life is scattered and out of whack, and she’s trying to get her bearings on everything. Things perk up when she meets our lovely Tough Boy, Rake, but then he’s gone, and she loses her job - she’s fumbling, and things keep going in ways she doesn’t expect. Navigating these situations with her ADHD is tough and challenging and she’s fighting tooth and nail to make things good for herself. Adding an unexpected pregnancy to the mix is bound to shake everything up again.. right?

How can a “fritzy,” crass, sunshine-incarnate woman navigate coparenting with a pragmatic, stone hearted, Aussie grumpy boots of a man? And how can they take on this massive life changing circumstance without losing themselves (and each other) in the process?

Our beloved ragtag family of side characters, individuals that love with their whole hearts, family members that are trying their hardest to understand and break the cycles of how things used to be - LIZZIE BLAKE’S BEST MISTAKE is overflowing with whit, personality, and tangible feeling. Eddings’ writing style, her ability to build worlds so immersive that I never want to leave, is truly remarkable. This is a novel that will have you laughing and crying from the same sentence, with romance that is swoon worthy and impossible not to root for.

This book is absolutely wonderful, and it is the honor of a lifetime to be able to read it. I fell in love with this series immediately with ABWL, and this second novel just further solidified the grip that Mazey Eddings has on my heart. I am so proud and overjoyed to see a fellow neurodivergent woman creating amazing things, and I will forever be your cheerleader, Mazey. Thank you for this.

This book left me swooning and hungry. My favorite kind of romance.
•
Mazey writes characters that are easy to love and relate to.
•
Instant romance isn’t always my favorite trope to read but I would probably have instantly fallen for Rafe too!
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The female friendships you loved from Book 1 (A Brush With Love) are prevalent and just as wonderful in Book 2. That being said; you don’t necessarily need to read the first book to enjoy the second.

Lizzie Blake is a well-drawn character with ADHD. Her struggles are real, and it is a joy to see her when she hits her stride. Tropes in the story, such as the surprise pregnancy, feel fresh with Mazey Eddings approach.

As soon as I saw that Mazey Eddings came out with a 2nd book to follow-up A Brush with Love, I knew that I needed to get my hands on it ASAP. The fact that it follow’s Lizzie Blake made it everything for me.

A two-night stand turns in to a LOT more than Lizzie bargained for that first night at the bar, and the story unravels in a way that will give you ALL of the feels - I promise. I laughed, I shed a tear, I felt myself getting steamy, and damn I want more of what Mazey Eddings has to offer. She's an absolute auto-buy author for me now. Her representation of ADHD provides not only awareness but a much deeper understanding than I’ve ever seen in a rom-com novel like this one.

The pacing of this book is fantastic, and the character development is even better. This book will absolutely be one of my favorites of the year, and being only April I am that confident in this statement! Chef’s kiss to Mazey Eddings on a beautiful story about self-love and finding the perfect person to help you unpack your own unique baggage. Don't hesitate - Just pre-order this one NOW!

Holy Rake!!! This book was so good not even kidding. Thanks to Netgallery and Mazey for the ARC!!

I loved A Brush With Love and now getting a book focused on Lizzie?! It was so well written and cute and funny and all the feels!! Rake being australian was *chef’s kiss* and he was so supportive and caring of Lizzie. I loved how we got to see glimpses of Dan and Harper as well as the others and how we got to go on a deeper dive into Lizzie and her story!!

5/5 for me!!

An excellent book that I could not put down. I would actually sneak-read it on my preps at work. I loved the main characters and I was rooting for them on every page!