This book was such a great read! The interactions between Jude and Indira jumped off the page and the chemistry that was built between them kept me reading!

Mazy does such a great job at character development, especially within neurodivergent characters and I wanted to reach in through this book and comfort them both.

Highly recommend this entire series.

4.5!

Beautiful, sweet, emotional, heartwarming!

Loved all of the mental health / therapy representation.

Really did not like this, I didn’t feel a big connection between the two protagonists. I think it was more serious of a book than I was expecting which is no fault of the author but just wasn’t what I was expecting

I loved the mental health rep/ the funny book and the enemies to lovers aspect of this book. I feel that it mixed together really well and the spicy scenes were well written.

I should have stopped myself from reading this book with all of the trigger warnings at the beginning. Personally I don't like trigger warnings. I find that they spoil the plot for me, however I understand that many people need them. I found this book to be more about PTSD then romance and I am just not into that in a book that is being sold as a rom com. I didn't like the characters. None of them felt real to me.

"The Plus One" by Mazey Eddings is a charming and heartwarming romantic novel that embraces the magic of unexpected connections. Eddings' storytelling prowess shines as she weaves a tale of love, friendship, and personal growth. The book's relatable characters and engaging plot create an immersive reading experience that resonates with readers. Eddings skillfully captures the essence of romantic tension and emotional vulnerability, adding depth to the narrative. "The Plus One" is a delightful reminder that sometimes, love can enter our lives when we least expect it, leaving readers with a warm and satisfied feeling that lingers long after the final page.

This book was entertaining and a delight from the first chapter. A joy to read! Great characters. Actually caught myself (or more accurately my husband caught me) guffawing out loud several times. So much fun!

This was a lot heavier than the previous books in the series. At times it felt like there was too much going on in regards to tropes. The author does a good representation of mental health.

The Plus One takes the reader though a roller-coaster ride of emotions. From comedic moments inducing hysterical laughter to heartfelt moments that could lead to you shedding a tear or two, this book has it all. On the surface, it may seem like your run-of-the-mill romcom, but it soon takes a deep dive into the world of mental health.

Mazey Eddings does a great job in weaving in romance with the real-world effects of mental illness. We get to follow the two main characters in their journey of not only finding each other, but also of self-healing.

As this is my first book by Mazey Eddings, and I found it quite enjoyable. I would definitely recommend it to readers who are looking for a more heavy-hearted romcom that is grounded on more serious topics.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The last few years have been a real whirlwind, am I right? While there have been a lot of not-so-great events one after another, there is one positive that stands out to me, shining through the darkness: mental health awareness and self-care are having their moment in the sun. During the pandemic, it was important for all of us to participate in self-care to keep our spirits up. It’s the little things, too, like putting on jeans so the extra banana bread pounds didn’t sneak up on you too quickly, or going for walks to soak up some Vitamin D.

Authors are just like us, and their characters, too. It was only a matter of time before these ideas and habits bled into the fictional worlds we would utilize for escape. Mazey Eddings, author of A Brush with Love and Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake, delivers her third published novel “The Plus One” that is half a delightful enemies-to-lovers romance combined with what feels like a love letter to therapy, mental health, and self-care.

Enemies-to-Lovers Romance
He is her brother’s best friend. She is the bratty little sister that the boys didn’t want around. Sounds like the makings of a perfect love story, wouldn’t you think?


Was being roasted her love language?

Jude and Indira don’t like each other. They haven’t for years, since they were kids. When pushed together for the sake of Indira’s brother’s wedding, these two make a deal to be each other’s fake wedding dates. Fake dating + forced proximity = delightful disaster of a fake relationship. (There is even an ‘only one bed’ scenario! Jackpot!)

Life wasn’t perfect for any of them, and it never would be. But this moment? Well, it felt pretty damn close.

Mental Health Awareness
Indira struggles with a form of imposture syndrome – she’s a therapist whose life is sort of falling apart. Jude is suffering from PTSD after working in war-zones and facing some of the worst conditions around the world. Both keep their mental health issues close to the chest, not wanting to lay a heavy burden on their loved ones. Through the story we learn more about their coping skills and witness the beauty of letting another person in to see our scars and scary parts.

“We place these expectations that being aware of our brain or emotions lying to us means that we should automatically be able to get over it,” Dr. Koh said, eyes locked on Indira. “That’s simply not how it works. We wouldn’t expect someone with asthma to recognize that they have asthma and then be able to go and spring a mile without needing an inhaler. Healing from those internal wounds takes time. Sometimes a lifetime. But it’s the willingness to work on it that matters.”

There are so many great passages in this book about taking care of ourselves, and I don’t have enough room in this post to share them all. If I need a pick-me-up or a reminder that my mental health is just as important as my physical health, I’m going to turn to “The Plus One”.

Please do your brains and hearts a favor and choose this book, too.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advance copy!

The fake dating trope will always be one of my favorites, so I was sold on this book from just the synopsis, yet what sets it apart is Mazey Edding's ability to write a story filled with tropes (enemies to lovers, brother's best friend, forced proximity, on bed/tend ) that all make sense and feel good. I was also sold on how well mental health and therapy for women AND men is portrayed in this story. While this very much is a romance, I found myself rooting for both Indira and Jude to just be okay more than anything and cheering as they both eventually learn who they are, and that what they perceive to be a failure isn't actually one.

It was such a sweet book that I couldn't put down, and definitely one I'll revisit in the future.

This book blew me away. The characters are so real and earnest and the storyline was touching and so sincere with true life issues. I fell in love with the characters and want them as my friends.

Mazey Eddings did it again.

She won me with Harper and Dan, delighted me with Lizzie and Rake, and now Indira and Jude have sealed the deal!

It's a heavier book than the other two, showcasing Edding's range. The mental health rep was on point, but also there was a lot of light moments that made the book not TOO heavy for those looking for an escape.

Two words: Peanut Butter

I love how relatable this whole series was. This one covered PTSD, Anxiety, therapy, and overcoming life long thoughts. This one was beautiful. The two characters were able to lean on each other after years of not getting along. Both were suffering in different ways and both were able to help each other get the help they needed to move forward in life in a more positive way. I wasn’t clicking with this at first because of the romance I think, but reflecting on it now, I really do think it was a solid 4 star read. Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for a review.

Short synopsis: After walking in on my boyfriend sleeping with someone else (peanut butter involved) Indira restarts her life, and runs into her brothers best friend/childhood nemesis Jude.

My thoughts: I’ve decided that Mazey can write such amazing, thoughtful, tender characters and I just love them! Indira and Jude is no different, they are just so caring and tender with and really strive to understand each other.

There were some laugh out loud moments, but some really thought provoking moments too about really digging down deep and finding yourself through honesty. Also, this definitely heats up the spice factor!

Mazey has such a great way of discussing very important topics in such a healthy and honest way. Mental health in any capacity is so important!

Read if you love:
- Mental health positive books
- Brothers best friend
- Childhood nemesis
- Fake dating
- Interconnected stand alone

“When did this compassion happen? Talking to you used to feel like the equivalent of a boiling enema.”

Thank you, Netgalley, for the ARC!

Funny enough, I recently finished a book with the close proximity trope being the FMC’s life taking a 180 and needing to move in with her brother and her future love interest … if you’re curious, it’s "Mr. Wrong Number" by Lynn Painter.

I was about a third or so in, eating this book up, and then I realized this is the third book in the series with book one still on my TBR … so I will be checking that one out.

I don’t know where to start when talking about what I liked. The pacing was great. I loved Indira and Jude, and their budding romance throughout the book. They had an outstanding balance of tension, friendship, helping each other with trauma, opening up to each other, and perfect spice. It was chapters 22-23 that really got me loving them.

And while dealing with more serious subjects, it had many moments of fun and chaos. There is a lot of therapy talk in here.

I was begging for no third-act drama to come out of left field (because it sometimes makes sense if it was woven in well). It felt like it was going there but Indira and Jude talked it out, which is something I’m noticing more in books. We love getting rid of the stupid third-act drama.

Really really enjoyed this book, it's more than just an enemies-to-lovers romance: great story and character development. Gret example of healthy masculinity through facing emotions and working through trauma.
A great example of how PTSD can affect someone, especially men—and this topic was handled with care.

My first Mazey Eddings Book & I’m sure it won’t be my last. I didn’t realize this was part of a series, but was great as a stand-alone also. I went in not knowing what to expect, but the premise was very cute. I loved the way the author addressed mental health while also writing a fun story.

Some spicy scenes. Fans of Abby Jiminez will love this one.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

What a fun read! Indira and Jude are just so likeable!

I love how they took care of each other and worked on themselves all at the same time. This book felt very real and relatable for myself, a millennial.

If you love a childhood friends to lovers or enemies to lovers trope, you'll love this one!

childhood enemies to lovers… sign me up!! this was a fun story with great characters and a great message. i loved how much it focused on mental health. i do wish i had known it was a part of a series before going in but what can ya do