Third in the series, though easily the one I enjoyed the most! A fun little romance with a huge emphasis on the importance of mental health. Though I usually don't like my romance to have a heavy bent, this novel approached the topic with a pretty steady hand and didn't turn the novel into a book with a touch of romance, as most tend to do. I'm not a fan of the 'knew one another as kids and now are adults with ~feelings~' trope, but The Plus One makes the reader love the characters despite the trope. There is trauma discussion in this book and, more specifically, how that trauma follows you through life, but the novel leans into how opening yourself up and allowing vulnerability can let others help carry your burdens with you and improve your life. I really enjoyed it.

This book was wonderful, and I was happy to see a book address recovering from a trauma so effortlessly! It was a sweet book that leaves you emotional!

This book was the perfect brother’s best friend and enemies to lovers read! It mostly covers the multiple weeks leading up to Indira’s brothers wedding. Jude’s character was so loveable, and I loved how vulnerable Indira was at times. There were a lot of important topics covered in the book like the impact of an absent parent and struggling with PTSD.

Thank you so much to Netgalley for approving my request for an arc of this. I appreciate it so much.

I liked Mazey’s first book but for me, this one really takes the cake. Not only do I enjoy Mazey’s writing but her storytelling is really good. The chemistry that she created between Jude and Indira was palpable. I found myself grinning. I felt sooooo much for these too. To bring my emotions to the forefront like this….this story had me feeling so many things, specifically raw and tender. This story felt like a hug. It felt warm. It was tense and it was beautiful.

One of the things I really look for when it comes to romance is whether or not the author will show us that the chemistry is there instead of just tell us and I believe Mazey was able to accomplish this. She made the characters extremely lovable and relatable.

I also think Mazey handles the topic of trauma so well. I feel really blessed to have been able to read this book. I don’t do this often but I will be revisiting this book. I am pretty sure I’m going to buy a physical copy for myself because I love it so much. I highly recommend this.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

I enjoyed this book so much that I finished it in one weekday.

At the beginning of the book, Indira finds her boyfriend cheating on her so she moves in with her brother, his fiance, and her brother's best friend, Jude, who was her childhood enemy.

I loved the glimpse we see into their childhood through her diaries and when Jude framed that piece of paper they bickered on, I swooned.

I enjoyed seeing how supportive Indira and Jude were to each other throughout the book and both main character's growth throughout the story.

Overall, I highly recommend this book.

Y’all this book was SO GOOD! Classic enemies to lovers/childhood crush. Jude and Indira together were just some straight up perfection.
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You want some funny, relatable characters? You want to laugh out loud at dialogue? You want people who actually talk 👏🏼 about 👏🏼 their 👏🏼 issues 👏🏼?? Look no further than The Plus One.
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4.5/5🌟

This was definitely a good book, and was much deeper than I expected it to be.

Indira and Jude were great main characters. They had a lot of depth and had a lot of individual character development that contributed to the development of their relationship - their individual struggles pushed them to work as a team and support each other, which made me root for them much more than if they had turned against each other in addition to their individual struggles.

PTSD plays a pretty significant role in this book. Jude's experience with trauma and struggles with mental health were more serious than I expected after just reading the summary for this book, so just know going in that it is very emotional and intense at times. The way that Dira supported him throughout his struggles and encouraged him to get help in whatever way was right for him was so sweet and respectful, and it definitely made their relationship stronger and differentiated it from your typical romance novel relationship.

Overall, I'm really glad that I read this book, and I think it is well written and is a great pick if you want a romance with a lot of depth! This was the first book I've read by Mazey Eddings, but I really enjoyed her writing style and am now very interested in reading more by her.

Huge thanks to St. Martin's and to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I absolutely love Mazey Eddings! Brush With Love is one of my favorite comfort books of the last two years and The Plus One lived up to my expectations. I love how mental health is approached and how Jude’s PTSD feels real. Indira has the best witty comebacks.

Absolutely perfect. Will be rereading at some point. You will feel seen reading this book whether from the pov of Indira and/or Jude. Just perfect

Summary
Indira's catches her boyfriend cheating her on her, moves out of their apartment and into her brother and his fiancé's house and finds her brother's lifelong best friend, and her sworn enemy, is in town and staying there too. Jude is different now, after working as a doctor a few years in Third World and war-torn countries. But add in some fake dating, forced proximity and a comfort level and trust make these childhood adversaries wonder if there isn't a little something more real underneath the acting.

Review
Mazey Eddings is the queen of incorporating mental health into her contemporary romances and I am here for it. Each book's tone perfectly fit the main characters, while also addressing mental health stories in a respectful and authentic way. Combining Indira's psychiatry background, her self-awareness of her issues and Jude's PTSD were so well done. Indira was able to be used to give explanations to the readers to help them better understand Jude and even her own issues. While this one had a much more serious tone, it was appropriate for the topic of PTSD. Every one of Mazey's books have made me run the gamet of emotions because she does such a beautiful job of getting the reader to feel empathy and connection to them. Each book is better than the last. While I'm sad to see this series end, I can't wait to read what she writes next!

Eddings’ is an absolute master at accurate mental health representation and each of her books beautifully captures different battles. A Brush of Love was my favorite by far but there definitely was something to appreciate in each book. In terms of romance, however, this one was a let down for me. Brother’s best friend, childhood enemies to lovers, forced proximity, and fake dating are all top tier tropes for me so I know I went in with perhaps too high of an expectation. The cover had me most eager for a fun wedding scene but the actual wedding was only a few pages. The side characters annoyed me (I’m looking at you, Collin).. And I just couldn’t bring myself to really care about Indira and Jude, both as individuals and as a couple. I normally enjoy dual POV but I think this would’ve been more of a hit for me if it was just in Indira’s POV to add a hint of mystery from Jude’s perspective and to make the book lean more towards woman’s fiction, a genre where I can usually overlook any failings with the romance. I do think the book wrapped up sweetly and allowed a glance at the other couples in the series. The book also really did portray relationships in a very healthy way. Plus there was no annoying third act miscommunication break-up, always a win in my book. Overall, I think this is still worth checking out if you enjoyed Eddings’ other books.

Dating your brother's best friend has never been a very appealing book trope for me because usually the brother sucks and with that logic why would his best friend be any better??

Except Mazey Eddings said "only fathers are garbage" and "brothers and their best friends are actually the most wonderful, kindest people. court adjourned."

Shout-out to Jude's dad - you are exempt from this decree.

I am an absolute glutton for broken people falling in love and realizing thev're just a little less broken and a lot more hopeful. In this economy we get therapized with the characters in the book.

Indira is a psychiatrist and her older brother's best friend Jude is a trauma doctor treating emergencies and humanitarian crises across the world. I loved Indira and Jude so much.

The childhood-to-adulthood dislike-to-love pipeline was so believable because there was build-up, and tension. (in other words it was absolute perfection!)

They're forced to stay together during Indy's brother's wedding planning and let me tell you the amount of chemistry these two have is off the charts. No need for clinical resuscitation - Jude and Indy got your back (or your heart whatever - I lost the metaphor).

AND the banter? pure artistry. I'm doing a thousand chef's kiss motions as I write. They have so much physical and verbal chemistry that I would like to send a request for Mazey Eddings to lead a banter and dialogue-writing retreat for romcom authors.

There's a scene where indy straight up says "that was so ass" and I felt so seen. (I am who I am, OK?)

Also no book beloved to me comes without trauma and don't vou forget it. Jude is suffering from complex ptsd due to his time in such intense crisis situations and Indira hasn't healed from all the trauma in her life.

They don't initially want to be around each other and yet somehow they both needed each other the most out of everyone else.

This is a story about how they both learn to trust each other, find comfort in each other and realize that love doesn't solve everything BUT it does make our tiny world a better place for us.

The way Indy always had a sense for when Jude wasn't okay and knowing how to support him quietly. The way Jude sees Indy's fears and leads her away from the darkness and hopelessness in her mind.

Say it with me folks - THAT'S LOVE RIGHT THERE.

Mazey Eddings said falling in love doesn't mean their problems are magically solved. They still have to communicate and learn from one another.

AND THAT ladies and sesame street characters is what elevated the incredible, steamy (and I mean it when I say steamy - I was NOT expecting that woo) chemistry between the two characters.

This is an incredible third installment to the already hilariously-fun 'A Brush With Love series.

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this the opportunity to read this arc and review it.

I only discovered Mazey Eddings from getting the ARC for "Lizzie Blake's Best Mistakes" and I absolutely loved her writing. When I saw this next installment of hers I was super excited to get back into it and let me tell you this book was SPICY. While the book deals with some pretty heavy stuff, Mazey approaches them in a very well thought out and respectful manner. PTSD is a very dark topic, but the way that Indrina and Jude go about the healing process was incredible.

I also really appreciated that the "fake relationship to a wedding" thing was not the whole book, but merely the foundation for their relationship. The fact that they became boyfriend/girlfriend but at least halfway was so nice. I didn't have to read the whole thing just WAITING for it to happen at the last chapter like most other books.

A really sweet and spicy book, looking forward to the next one!!

Thank you ever so much for this ARC!

Book 3 of the series has brought us into bolder and sexier territory. Mazey has become more comfortable with her storytelling and craft over the course of this series. In this instalment she tackles trauma and PTSD realistically and with poise.
If you liked Indira in the other two books, you will love her even more. She is smart and sexy, but is insecure with respect to her self-worth. Indira notices Jude struggling to adjust to normal every day life as he returns from service abroad. These childhood nemeses begin to form a friendship over their ability to confort one another as they learn to navigate their individual trauma. Despite the heavy themes, then story has several light hearted moments where the genuine connection between the characters has a chance to shine. The evolution of the story flows very naturally with the experiences of both characters given through their own points of view.
The neurodiverse representation in Mazey’s novels is very well done.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-arc of this novel. The opinions expressed are given voluntarily and are my own honest opinions.

Indira a psychiatrist decides to go home early and surprise her boyfriend with dinner. But when she opens the door to the apartment. She finds her boyfriend making out with someone else. She is super upset and packs all er belongings she can fit in her arms including her cat Grammy. She decides to crash at the brother's place when her nemesis opens the door, Jude.

Jude has been working with a doctor's organization that helps in war torn countries. He's back for seven weeks for Collins wedding and staying at his house. He's struggling with loud noises and lots of people. Indira can see he is struggling. Jude can see Indira is struggling with seeing her cheating ex at the wedding parties. So they decide to help each other out by fake dating. What can go wrong?

This book is SO good. I couldn't put it down, I read it during the super bowl it pulled me in. I loved the communication between Indira and Jude. I laughed out loud numerous times and cried so many tears. This is a must read.

I loved this book! Mazey Eddings is now an auto-buy author for me. She is so great at writing books that make you feel. Such great mental health representation that spurs so many meaningful conversations. There's such a good balance of substance with light heartedness. I also loved that there wasn't really a third act breakup here. Some great tropes - older brother's best friend, one tent, enemies to lovers, great banter, fake dating, etc. I'm going to miss this friend group so much and hate that this series is over! Can't wait to see what Eddings does next!

This book was not something I was expected from the description to the cover. It was surprisingly.

Themes: LBGTQ rep, PTSD and Mental health awareness, cheating, abandonment issues, and potential war(talk of war) triggers.

Tropes: found family, brother’s best friend, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, slow burn, fake dating and childhood enemies.

Description: Indira has had a rough childhood with her dad leaving her when she was young, leaving her with feelings of abandonment. When her boyfriend cheats on her, it leaves a hole she cannot fill. She runs out of that train wreck to stay at her brother’s place to live there with them. Only to find her childhood enemy Jude, who happens to be the best man at the wedding. Cursed to be stuck there the two must play nice until the wedding. Little does everyone know Jude has his own battles after being overseas and is suffering with adapting back to his old life.
With both of them being a mess, they come together for the wedding and plan to make Indira’s ex jealous.


There is a lot to unpack, and firstly the PTSD caught me off guard with how hard both the main characters were struggling with their mental health. This was something that made this book different and I appreciated how well it was captured with the talks of anxiety being described and the talks surrounding trauma.
Glad to see the encouragement of therapy as a way to cope, and talked about so positively in a book with Indira being a psychologist herself.
Indira shows the person where on the outside they are all put together and perfect. Meanwhile, at therapy she lets go and let’s everything out that’s bothering her and expressing what is wrong. This shows that everyone struggles.

I rated this book a strong 4/5.
I enjoyed the writing, story, and the smut was good. One thing that concerned me was how much there was to unpack and conquer in less than 400 pages. The ending felt a bit rushed and a bit unrealistic.

This is a book I do recommend, it was a quick read and was enjoyable with the jokes and quirkiness, and does make up for the ending with all the loveable characters.

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Plus One
By Mazey Eddings
Release Date: April 4th, 2023
Pages: 320
3rd in the series

I found Masey in September when I preordered her Book “Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake.” When I preordered it I didn’t know it was the second book so I ordered the first book in the series “A Brush of Love.” I loved both books so I was over the moon when I got the third one as an ARC.

I really like this book. I think it is a great way to end the series and I think it is well done. This has a lot of the tropes I like so of course this was a good one. And as a psychology major, I love it when mental health is properly represented in books!

Tropes:
Wedding
Childhood enemies
Fake Dating
Brothers Best Friend
One bed
Mental Health
Rom Com
Fast-paced
Spicy!

Thank you @netgalley and @mazeyeddings for giving me this ARC of this amazing book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

“Therapy is scary because it requires you to be brave. It’s one of the most radical forms of self-love.”

Wow was this one different than the other two in this series! The last two were fun and light-hearted. This one was fun, at times, but definitely not light-hearted and fluffy, but I liked it. It gave more depth to the story and the characters.

Indira and Jude have known each other for years, growing up together and hating one another for some reason they are never able to identify. They decided to be each other’s fake dates to Indira’s brother, who is also Jude’s best friend Collin’s wedding. The more time they spend together the more they realize that maybe the other one isn’t as bad as they thought.

Jude essentially works for what I would consider the Peace Corps as a surgeon, and he is struggling. It is very clear from the start that he suffers from PTSD and the descriptions of his episodes and thoughts are so detailed and raw, and quite accurate. It really makes you feel for him and also worry about him. Indira is a psychiatrist and tries her best to help Jude navigate his PTSD while also dealing with her own trust issues. At points it felt like she was talking to me directly! It’s a dynamite mix. They truly play well off one another and it’s clear from the start that they have a chemistry like no other.

The mental health rep in this was absolutely fantastic! Not only was it accurate, but it was also relatable, and that makes such a difference in a story like this.

Though this book is heavier, it’s still really good and definitely worth the read. I did struggle at the beginning, but I think that’s because I wasn’t in the right mood for this book, but I’m glad I pushed myself and finished it because I grew to like it by the end!

“What we have is the here and now. We have our feelings and emotions and the best thing we can do is honor those pieces of ourselves. We can’t change our participation in the past, but we can pave the way for a healthier, mindful future.”

The Plus One by Mazey Eddings is a delightful, contemporary romance that keeps you laughing. The perfect read for those who adore tropes like enemies-to-lovers, the grumpy-sunshine gig, childhood friends, fake dating, and brother’s best friend. This book has it all. It is a poem to mental health, and I’m here for it. I highly recommend this if you're searching for an inspirational read with heart and healing.

A boy and a girl meet in childhood and become enemies. These enemies are forced to grow up alongside each other, as the boy is best friends with the girl’s brother. Meet Jude. He is a surgeon and his childhood best friend, Collin, is getting married. Cue Jude living at his best friend's house leading up to the big day. Meet Indira. She’s a therapist and her brother, Collin, is getting married. Did I mention she’s also staying at his house leading up to the big day? Will Jude and Indira overcome their differences, learn to trust, and be there for each other? Or will the journey of healing and self-discovery prove to be too complex to overcome?

Readers are immediately drawn in and become invested in the lives and happiness of the characters. The book contains heavier themes yet Eddings tackles them with nuance, respect, and compassion. I appreciate this in an author. She illustrates carrying pain and fears from your past, and how to shape your future. Again, this book does deal with more sensitive topics such as PTSD from losing patients as a medical provider in emergencies, the emotional repercussions of growing up with divorced parents, and moving on after a past partner cheats. Take care of yourself as you read, and if you need someone to talk to, I’m here.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!