Quick Summary: A real talk story of survival and healing

My Review: The Plus One by Mazey Eddings is promoted as a romance, however, it presents more like a women's fiction/general fiction read, in my opinion. It highlights PTSD, anxiety, infidelity, and dysfunctional relations. It also spotlights mental health intervention.

About the Book: Indira and Jude grew up around each other. They were like oil and water. They got along to get along. When the wedding of a very special person in both of their lives is about to take place, they reunite and resume where they left off in their interactions. The more time they gravitate around each other, the more they take notice of their connection.

My Final Say: Overall, this was a fair read. I thought it started a bit slow, but it maintained a steady course. Lots of serious issues were explored. Clear resolutions came in some regards, more so than others.

Rating: 3/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin), and to NetGalley. Thank you for the opportunity to review this work.

DNF 34%
I found this incredibly boring. She seemed so disinterested in him. She was more interested in his business than him. Why continue with the relationship??

Thank you NetGalley, Publishers, Mazey Eddings for gifting me a copy of The Plus One in return for my honest opinion.

3/5 stars

Some facts are indisputable. The sun rises in the east, sets in the west. Gravity exits. Indira doesn’t like Jude. Jude doesn’t like Indira. But what happens when these childhood enemies find the only thing they can rely on is each other?

On paper, Indira has everything together. An amazing job, a boyfriend, and a car. What more could a late twenty-something ask for? But when she walks in on her boyfriend in an amorous embrace with a stranger, that perfect on paper image goes up in flames.

Jude has nothing together. A doctor that’s spent the last three years traveling the world to treat emergencies and humanitarian crises, a quick trip home for his best friend’s wedding has him struggling to readjust.

Thrust into an elaborate (and ridiculously drawn out) wedding event that’s stressing Jude beyond belief and has Indira seeing her ex and his new girlfriend far more frequently than any human should endure, the duo strike a bargain to be each other’s fake dates to this wedding from hell. The only problem is, that their forced proximity and fake displays of affection are starting to feel a bit… real, and both are left grappling with the idea that a situation that couldn’t be worse, is made a little better with the other around.

What starts out as a fake wedding date turns into something these childhood enemies never expected in the next sparkling romantic comedy by Mazey Eddings.

I would like to add that this is a series and I did not read the first two in the series. It did cause confusion at times, but it wasn't awful.

This was a rom-com that was more com than rom. There really wasn't as much romance or connection between the characters. I would like to see some chemistry, even if there isn't any spice I want to believe that they would actually be a couple. In this one, I didn't believe it. Did I enjoy the humor of the book, yes, but I wish we could have believed in the characters a little bit more.

Indira, who seems lead a great life, finds her boyfriend in a very compromising position in their apartment, on the couch that she bought, covered in peanut butter. This leads her to seek shelter with her brother, weeks before his wedding. There she runs into Jude, her brother's friend and her childhood nemesis.

This had all the tropes:
-brother's best friend
-childhood enemy
-Fake dating
-Forced proximity

Yet, I could not get into this book. Everything just seemed so sappy and very instant-y. I belong to the "If they don't hate each other's guts then they aren't enemies" club. While there was a bit of light-hearted roasting and banter, this book did not capture my attention. I would totally recommend this to anyone that loves cheesy romances that are filled with all the right ropes. However, it was not my cup of tea.

Oh my goodness! I loved this book. It was my first book by Mazey and it did not disappoint. Indira was a character that I related to more than I thought I would. This story begins at a point in her life when things aren't going the greatest and things seem close to falling apart at the seams. We see her not only figure out how to move forward but also figure out how to embrace a returned childhood relationship. Starting out as childhood enemies or rivals and ending up as lovers, Indira and Jude had me rooting not only for their relationship but for their personal journeys.

Jude and Indira own my freaking heart goodbye

This was my first Mazey book, definitely won't be the last.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the E-ARC!!

Content warning: PTSD, cheating (side character), parental abandonment, explicit sex scenes

I love Mazey Eddings so much. I love the snark, the wit, the emotional maturity of her characters. The sort of "found family" element that permeates all of her books. And I've absolutely loved following this friend group throughout this three-book series. I can't wait to read whatever she puts out next!

Overall rating: 4.2 ⭐

This is the second book I’ve read by Mazey Eddings and I liked this a lot more than the other, her debut, A Brush with Love. This book has one of my favorite tropes, brother’s best friend, and many others I really enjoy. I really enjoyed reading this book, I couldn’t put it down!

Love or hate her books, Mazey Eddings is really good at handling mental health in her romances. In this book the MMC is dealing with PTSD and doesn’t think he deserves love or can be in a relationship.

I liked that this was a low angst, cozy romance. The main focus was him learning to be emotionally available and vulnerable for a relationship. She was the rock he needed and I loved that! They both took such great care of one another. She was almost too amazing at times in her patience and understanding, but I appreciated that since it’s usually the men who are given that role in romance books.

Their chemistry was so good from the beginning, from their banter to the pet names. Their connection felt like it built up in a healthy and solid way. I absolutely loved their love.

At times it felt a bit like one big ad for therapy, but that’s not such a bad thing when you consider the stigma still against it.
I really and I mean REALLY didn’t like the MC’s brother. He was so selfish and annoying.

Thank you so much to St Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC!

If you love a good fake dating trope, the Plus One delivers in spades! Oodles of romantic tension and all the warm fuzzy feels you could ask for!

I absolutely loved The Plus One!! Mazey’s writing style is so much fun and I loved reading it. It’s such a good book.

The Plus One" by Mazy Eddings is a delightful enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy that will leave readers with a smile on their faces. The author skillfully weaves a story of two childhood enemies, Indira and Jude, who find themselves relying on each other in unexpected ways.

Eddings creates a relatable and engaging narrative, filled with witty banter and humorous situations. The chemistry between Indira and Jude is palpable, and their journey from animosity to a begrudging friendship is both entertaining and heartwarming. The fake dating trope adds an extra layer of tension and excitement to the story, as readers eagerly anticipate the moment when their fake displays of affection turn into something more genuine.

The characters in "The Plus One" are well-developed and endearing. Indira's vulnerability and resilience make her a relatable protagonist, while Jude's dedication to his humanitarian work adds depth to his character. The supporting cast also adds charm and humor to the story, enhancing the overall reading experience.

Eddings' writing style is engaging and flows smoothly, making it easy to get lost in the story. The pacing is well-balanced, with a mix of lighthearted moments and emotional depth. The author's ability to blend humor and romance creates a captivating narrative that keeps readers invested until the satisfying conclusion.

Overall, "The Plus One" is a charming enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy that will leave readers entertained and uplifted. With its engaging characters, witty dialogue, and heartfelt moments, this book is a delightful escape into a world of love and laughter.

I’ve enjoyed this group of friends from the beginning and this one did not disappoint. Mazy writes the most relatable characters and always shines a light on mental health. She’s an auto buy author for me.

The Plus One was the 3rd book in a series, so thankfully it was easily read as a standalone, but I will be going and reading the other books in the series. The book covers a range of topics with romance being the underlying plot/ Tackling mental issues and family disappointment the book crams a lot into the pages that will resonate with many readers. Real, smart, sexy, emotional and funny, starring characters whose journeys I became invested in and whose happiness I was rooting for. Each in their own ways, Jude and Indira carried pain with them from their pasts and fears that shaped how they perceived their future. Watching them learn to trust each other with their vulnerabilities and wounds, seeing how they gave each other kindness and tenderness when they needed it most, was a profoundly affirming portrayal of mental health struggles, trauma, PTSD, and the complex journey of navigating and healing. Indira and Jude are childhood enemies who grew up alongside each other due to Jude’s friendship with Dira’s brother Collin. Fast forward to present day and Dira, now a therapist, and Jude, a surgeon, find themselves both living at Collin’s house leading up to his wedding. This book was so inspirational and beautiful. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for an emotional read with SO much heart and healing.

Thank you to St. Martin's, NetGalley and most of all Mazey Eddings.

This is the third book in the A Brush With Love series and follows childhood enemies Indira and Jude. Weeks before her brother's wedding, Indira finds herself newly single and needs a place to stay - obviously her brother's house is her first choice. When she arrives and sees Jude is also staying there, the two pick up where they left off with the verbal sparring. However, it isn't exactly like when they were younger as their own internal and external struggles have left their marks on both of them. Their fake dating agreement quickly turns real as the two of them find comfort in their shared history. Both Indira and Jude have their own mental health struggles and these struggles were the forefront of the story. I loved how Eddings integrated the mental health aspects into every aspect of their lives and relationship. Indira and Jude were such complex characters on their own and I loved when they did finally get together how we could see their relationship morph. The banter between them is perfection and we get a good amount of interaction from the cast of side characters - including the previous couples. I did want a little more of Indira and Jude finding out more about each other. They were antagonistic toward each other for so long, I wanted to see more of them turning that around.


TW/CW: PTSD from medical procedures, parental abandonment

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for the ARC. Publication date was April 4, 2023

What is your favorite trope? The third book in this series is a women's fiction, modern romance, enemy to lovers, brother's best friend, pretend boyfriend, RomCom.

The book starts with a cliche. Psychiatrist Indira walks into her apartment to find her boyfriend, Craig, having sex on their couch with another woman- both smeared with peanut butter. Ick. She moves in with her brother, Collin, and his fiancee, Jeremy, who are counting down weeks to their wedding. Also staying at their home is Collin's best child hood friend and Indira's nemesis, Jude. They are all doctors, but only Collin and Jeremy are in a lucrative field, anesthesiology. Indira works for a clinic and Jude is an emergency room surgeon, but had signed 4 years of his life to the Global Health Care Organization in exchange for all the tuition and living expenses. He was able to get a leave to come to the wedding, but he is also suffering from PTSD. The only one to recognize that something is wrong with Jude is Indira. Craig is Jeremy's cousin and is invited to all the festivities with his plus one, new girlfriend. Awkward. So Jude steps up to be Indira's plus one. Indira has her own issues of abandonment and not been good enough to be loved, because of her father. As they spend more time together they recognize they they had always been attracted to each other and when they take the leap to trust they find what they were both looking for.

A wonderfully written, emotional story, with interesting characters. I read an ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.

I do remember reading Mazey Edding's, A Brush With Love, but did not know it became a series and this was book 3. I definitely felt this book had more depth and complexity because the two main characters had real issues, struggles and acceptance. I like when frienimies find commonground because of a tragedy and they learn from each other.

This book was so emotional and easy to read because of the connection betwen Jude and Indira. I look forward to reading more this author in the future if the next book is as good as this one. Recommended read.

Thanks to NetGalley, Mazey Eddings and St Martin's Press Griffin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Already available.

Woooooooooow wowowowowow this was something I am so so glad I got to read. It shines a light on mental health struggles that many of us face every day and nobody would ever know. It was childhood frenemies to lovers, but it was also so much more than that. It is in no way a light read, so don’t let the fluffy cute cover fool you (even though it is ADORABLE)… it dealt with PTSD, childhood trauma, abandonment issues, coping strategies, etc. My heart absolutely ached for Jude struggling to put his feelings into words and ask for help, but not wanting to burden those around him. And Indira, sweet Indira… she grounded Jude and made him feel seen and made his struggles a priority when others brushed him off. Isn’t that all we want in life? For someone to see us? For someone to reallllly see us and recognize our cues of when we’re happy or when we need a shoulder to cry on? To me, love is being seen for exactly who we are and not being judged for it. Not being judged for having bad days and not knowing what to do when life gets really heavy and really loud. Now I’m rambling, but you get the gist. This was 100% a hard read, but it was so loving and tender and HOT? God the 🌶️ scenes were H O T. Jude sure does like to give…. Praise. And Indira suuuure does like to receive…. Praise 😏🥵 yeah just read this. It was super romantic and also so so realistic. 5 stars ⭐️ thank you to Netgalley for the arc!

I love this author!!! Book 2 for me blew book 1 out of the water but this is my favorite yet. I have loved this trio of friends and their love stories. Highly recommend

Unfortunately, this one was a disappointment. I really like A Brush with Love #1, but it's gone downhill. Indira wasn't my favorite female lead. She was a weird mixture of mature and immature. Perhaps this was meant to make her more relatable but it left me confused. Jude had a little too much baggage and not enough specific backstory or examples were given so it was hard to relate and be empathetic. I totally think mental health should be a huge part of our lives (work and personal), but it felt a little forced and unbelievable that he would question and potentially give up all his years of service with a federal/humanitarian program right at the very end, with no real solution in place.
Add the haphazard fake dating trope, and it just didn't all come together for me.

Thank you to @netgalley @smpromance and @Stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I am just in love with Mazey Eddings books and this book focusing on Indira. Indira and her mutual hate for Jude since childhood. They couldn’t be more opposite, but at the same time, couldn’t need each other more. I enjoyed this love story of enemies.

The tender moments of this book moved right in to the spicy ones. It was a perfect balance!

5 stars

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