4.5 stars rounded up to 5 simply because I loved how this book handled so many tough topics!

I went into this hoping and expecting a sweet romantic comedy, and I got a book filled with that, AND some of the best, most wonderfully thought-out conversations/plotlines on mental health! I'm genuinely so happily surprised right now. This had so much good in it. I'm in awe of how Mazey Eddings handled such complex topics with honesty, tenderness, and intelligence. It felt authentic, never forced, and went along well with the plot. I love it when characters feel like real people, layered, multi-faceted, and like they're really working through their issues and growing. Jude and Indira didn't feel one-dimensional AT ALL. They were real people dealing with some very difficult things, and I really appreciate Mazey Edding's handling them with the care, justice, and attention they deserved.

I'm also thrilled that this story didn't feel like it was just using the fake dating or childhood enemies-to-lovers trope to be trendy or as an overused plot device like I've seen sooo many authors use it recently. It was so, so much more than that, and that's become incredibly rare. This was a fully formed book. Mazey Eddings took the time to create and write out characters that could be real, especially adult ones. I genuinely can't emphasize how relieved I am to see an author write characters, hardships, and mental illness so well!!

This was truly a great romance. I loved Jude and Indira's relationship. I loved their banter, chemistry, how they grew with one another, and how they supported each other. Ugh. I can’t even begin to say how much I loved how brilliantly they were written. And I loved how they were also individual people outside of each other. It was never about "fixing" the other, but just about helping the other person as best as they could. It was so healthy and wholesome. And, not to spoil anything, I absolutely LOVED how Jude's character was written. It's so rare to see a male character show his feelings and hurt in this way. It was so beautiful to see his character grow. My heart hurt so much for him, and I was rooting for him the whole time. I'm thrilled to see where Mazey Eddings took his character and that she was able to give him the character arc he deserved.

Safe to say, I loved this! Adored it! I loved how so many topics were handled. I loved Indira and Jude's relationship. I loved Mazey Eddings’s writing. Such a wonderful romance. This was brilliantly written, and I am now a devoted Mazey Eddings fan!!! I can’t wait for this to be out in the world and for people to see how you can write a romantic comedy while handling some tough topics properly.

Thank you so much to St. Martins Press/St. Martins Griffin and Netgalley, for the chance to read this in exchange for an honest review! I absolutely loved it!

I really, really liked this romance novel. It started out a little rocky for me, but boy did it stick the landing. Indira is a wonderful character. She is thoughtful, she is working on herself, but she still knows enough to understand when she is at her weakest and where she needs to establish boundaries. I hate when romance dives into a dangerous zone of one person "fixing" the other, and this book seemed to understand the issues with that kind of trope and make sure it established itself as a different kind of love story. I loved that and appreciated it so much.

I also liked that this book seemed to show how two people may fall in love quickly if they had a long history together with one another. It wasn't an "always" thing, but it was a nice for knowing a person and then seeing them differently. I did get a little annoyed that this was advertised as an enemies to lovers when that wasn't really the case. It felt like they made too much of that when it was brought up and it was more friend's annoying kid sister and you all grown up. But other than that, it was well worth it.

Then there was Jude. Poor, Jude. I loved his character. He had a lot to get through, and his PTSD felt very real and visceral. I understood why he decided to take certain paths, and I loved that this book showed that you may not always get the perfect ending that has all the ends tied up neatly. Sometimes a struggle leads to the next struggle, and that just means you are preparing yourself to handle the next struggle in a better way. I did wish we had a resolution with him and his parents over what happened, but I understood why that wasn't the main focus.

Any small nits have more to do with the annoyance Indira's brother wasn't more involved. The author gave good reasons, but often it sounded like he was really coming down on Indira really harshly when, in all honesty, communicating with him would have made the situation much more manageable.

“whatever this is between us is real and it hurts and it’s beautiful and it matters“ 
 
• 
 
where do I even begin?!? this is quite possibly my favorite of all time. it made me feel so  

d 
e 
e 
p 
l 
y 

Mazey really knows how to write a banger. speaking of writing…I’m writing this review immediately after finishing the book, so there’s a strong chance that it will be all over the place and potentially incoherent. but I am so excited and so in love with this book that I don’t want to take the time to ponder and reflect and string together better sentences. my glee for The Plus One needs to be put in the world N O W, and everyone needs to add it to their tbr immediately! 
 
I’ve never read about two people that are more lovable than Indira and Jude. they are two precious, hilarious, sarcastic, incredible humans that deserve all the goodness and love.  
 
this story is so raw. it will put you through everything: you’ll laugh, cry, blush, cheer, sweat, and feel alllllll the thiiiiings. the pages are filled with a beautiful and realistic insight to mental health and the importance of caring for your mind and seeking help when you need it. they challenge you to sit with your feelings even (and especially) when it makes you uncomfortable.  
 
I am constantly in awe of Mazey’s ability to take such sensitive subject matter and create magic with her beautiful words, characters, and ideas. she’s continued her brilliance here.  
 
while this novel is filled with Jude and Indira’s personal journeys (solo and together), you’ll be hard-pressed not to turn an introspective lens on yourself and check on you own self-love and mental care. but underneath it all, this is a pure story about a boy and a girl that build on a lifetime of familiarity (and sarcasm, and bickering, and consistency) to find home in one another.  
 
and oh my god, I forgot to mention how sexy this book is. I mean sexxxxxxxy! 🥵 Indira and Jude’s chemistry is palpable, and we get lots of on-the-page spice. I’m not going to mention the peanut butter. 😂 
 
it’s been an honor (truly!) to go on the adventure that is this series. it holds such a special place in my heart. I honestly thought I couldn’t love a book more than A Brush with Love, but I was wrong! The Plus One is the one for me. don’t mistake me though, ABWL is still top-notch! read them all! then prepare your heart for the final book. it’s magic on a page.  
 
read with an open mind. read with an open heart. and read with caution…as I said earlier, Mazey writes about sensitive subject matter, so be sure to familiarize yourself with the content warnings.  
 
• 
 
read if you like: 
♡ frienemies to lovers 
♡ dual pov (both of which are incredibly strong) 
♡ brother’s best friend / best friend’s little sister 
♡ fake dating  
♡ general roasting of loved ones 
♡ hilarious campsite sports commentary  
♡ one tent  
♡ slow burn 
♡ bandaging their wounds  
♡ on page spice 
♡ tight knit friend/family groups  
♡ mountain weddings  
♡ the cheesecake factory 
♡ unconditional love 
♡ bumble bee costumes  
♡ unabashed declarations of care and love  
♡ horrendous pet names 
♡ sexually charged scooby do marathons  
♡ dancing in the moonlight 
♡ mental health / healthcare  
♡ h e a l i n g  
 
trigger warnings: 
☞ cheating partner  
☞ parental divorce 
☞ abandonment / fear of abandonment  
☞ severe PTSD from serving in the medical field (specifically in war-torn and humanitarian crises environments) 
 
The Plus One publishes in April 2023! thank you to St. Martin’s Press and SMP Romance for sending me an early copy!

I loved this!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Griffin for my advanced copy of The Plus One!

This is probably my favorite book in the whole series.

What I Enjoyed-

✨ The Writing- I didn't read this book in one go. There was a lot of picking it up and putting it down. This book was very easy to fall back into when I had the time to read.

✨ The Deeper Issues- Indira and Jude are both dealing with trauma and I appreciated the representation. These topics include - PTSD, Abandonment and being cheated on by a Significant Other.

✨ The Romance- The Plus One is a fake dating, brothers best friend, enemies to lovers Romance. I enjoyed every second of the romance. I really wanted this couple to be together.

✨ The Conflict- The conflict towards the end of this book didn't feel forced and was was realistic.

✨ The Ending- ❤

I cannot wait to read more books by this author.

Indira and Jude are my favorite childhood enemies to fake dating to lovers. They are both struggling in their lives and when Indira needs to show face in front of her cheating ex-boyfriend, they agree to be each other's fake dates to the wedding.

As per usual, Mazey wrote the most beautifully layered characters. Both Indira and Jude are struggling in their lives. Jude with his career path and the mental toll it has taken on him. Indira is a perfectionist who questions her own self-worth.

I loved how they cared for one another in the way they desperately needed. The book perfectly balances the characters dealing with real challenging issues and being lighthearted with their banter and obvious tension.

Bold claim but the series started out perfect and continues to exceed increasingly high expectations every single time. Many many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/ St.
Martin's Griffin for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest opinions.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Release Date: April 4, 2023

Tropes:
- childhood enemies
- brother best friend
- fake dating
- forced proximity

This was a cute childhood friends turned enemies turned lovers storyline between Jude and Indira.

The entire background of their relationship spanning decades and showing how and why things fell apart and how they came back together was really amazing. The author deals with issues of anxiety and PTSD very well and I love how pro therapy, pro medication, pro mental health this author is.

Mazey Eddings is an auto read author for me now, because she has experienced all the things she's written about neurodivergent characters she writes and it's refreshing to read.

What I loved is Indira's tenacity to support Jude and help him once she had made up her mind. The conflict and ending was different than a typical romcom and it was refreshing.

I didn't even mind the infidelity storyline, because it is secondary to the story of Indira becoming strong and determined and finding her place.

The second throughline with her terrible father starting a do over family and blatantly ignoring his kids from his first marriage is heart breaking and it really shows the cracks in Indira and her brother's self esteem and self worth and I loved what Indira did at the end to take back her power and her confidence.

Overall, this was a fantastic book and Indira and Jude are probably my favorite couple of this series.

This is not a floofy, comedic read. While I did laugh out loud more than once, I also teared up more than once. This book deals with pain experienced by both characters. Jude has deep internal wounds from his PTSD and Indira has some sizable abandonment issues. Did the weighty aspects of this book diminish my enjoyment of it? Not one iota. In fact, it is my favorite book by the author to date by a landslide. I do think that people need to be aware before going in though, that this is not a bubblebath book.

It also really isn't a fake dating, enemies to lovers story either. Those elements are there certainly but considering how quickly both become irrelevant I wouldn't want anyone to expect the teasing, will they or won't they that come with those tropes. This more about two people finding the one who gets them and becomes ether calm in the storm. It is also about prioritizing mental health. It could also be a book about the need to lock the door when hooking up in someone else's home.

There is some great banter, the most cantankerous cat to ever grace the page, and I did snort laugh more than once. This was a read in one sitting book for me and one I whole heartedly recommend.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

;;; book review;;;

I want to thank @netgalley & @mazeyeddings for sending me this ARC

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

childhood enemies/ brothers bestfriend/ fake dating

my review:: Okay first off this book was truly special the amount of mental health awareness in this book is truly amazing, as someone who struggles I truly related to the male character Jude, thank you @mazeyeddings for the amazing awareness in the book
Indira & Jude are childhood rivals who both end up staying with her brother before his wedding Jude brings up being her fake date since they are both single and Indira getting out of bad relationship, Indira is getting out a relationship after being cheated on, she her self is going threw her own personal struggles with her therapist, Jude is having PTSD and Indira knows something is off the way there love truly transforms is beautiful how they are there for each and how Indira truly helps Jude with his inner demons that are haunting him.

this is a truly beautifully written book with accurate mental health descriptions!
THE PLUS ONE
AVAILABLE APRIL 4th 2023!

*2.75 stars*

I so badly wanted to like this more than I did. I wasn't a huge fan of A Brush with Love but I wanted to give Mazey's writing another chance, and I'm sad that I still ended up in the same predicament: disappointed. Something I like about Mazey's books is the mental health representation. She does a good job of authentically incorporating mental health and conversations around it into her books. I admire that! And I liked getting to see Indira's conversations with her therapist as she unpacked her trauma. In the same vein though, the PTSD and trauma here (while handled very well) made the whole romance, fake-dating scenario feel secondary to the plot, which made the book sort of drag on for me because I had a different set of expectations of what the main focus was going into this book.

Other small things to note: I didn't feel connected to the characters or feel any real spark between Jude and Indira, aside from a couple of short scenes of banter. It was cute when they would bicker back and forth the first few times, but then it got old. I live for dual POV books, but I don't think it works well for my own reading experiences when coupled with third-person POV writing.

Though this wasn't the book for me, I think it will work for readers who don't mind a very slow-burn romance, and who love the fake-dating + dating my brother's best friend tropes. I appreciate how accurately portrayed PTSD is here, so if you're looking for a book with authentic mental health rep, I recommend this book!!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this eARC and the opportunity to review it early!!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Mazey Eddings for this ARC

Although i have only read the first book in the series i was excited to read this one and I don't believe that missing the first one effected my reading of this one!

I belive this was a very different read than a brish with love. Indira and Jude both bring their past trauma and pain into a relationship that starts off with the fake dating trope and escalates from there. However, there is a huge focus on PTSD and how anxiety and depression and overall mental health is so important.

Indira and Jude forge a very healthy adult relationship and the reader gets to see and become invested in them through Eddings' profoundly affirming and real portrayal of adults learning to deal with their past trauma and fears and show vulnerability with another person.

Amazing read and highly recommended!! Pick it up on April 4, 2023!

I’m so sad to DNF *another* Mazey Eddings book after absolutely loving A BRUSH WITH LOVE but detesting the content of LIZZIE BLAKE. Apparently my experience with Lizzie was not a one-off as I’m really disappointed in the content of THE PLUS ONE - Jude’s trauma/PTSD is from watching Black people suffer in war-torn areas? Idk this just rubbed me the wrong way. And the book is absolutely draggingggg. Im DNFing at 40%. I love the dual POVs but it’s just not for me and I’m not enjoying it and the content feels icky.

I am DNFing this at 13%. I probably should have known better since I really did not enjoy A Brush With Love. But I love reading romances where one or more of the main characters are doctors, and I was willing to give Mazey Eddings another chance to improve her writing. I was also really encouraged by the pages and pages of positive reviews on Goodreads.

I am coming to realize that Eddings's writing is 50% novice 50% just not my tastes.

The dialogue is cringey and over-the-top to the point of coming across as disingenuous to the reader. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to empathize with the characters or take them seriously with these juvenile, silly writing techniques. This story might make for a cute and quirky rom com for some readers, but I could provide many romance recommendations that prove that funny, witty dialogue and sophisticated writing are not mutually exclusive.

The third in the series and another hit! I love Mazey's stories. I love that she dives deep into real issues that people face (note: read her blurb at the end of the book for a personal note <3) and I love the passion that she puts into these characters. Indira was no exception. She knew exactly what she wanted and exactly what she deserved and was willing to go the lengths to get there. I also love how this was a fake dating + enemies to lovers trope. Read the first two in this series before this comes out on April 4th!

4 ⭐️

#EnemiesToLovers
#ChildhoodFriends
#FakeDating

TW: PTSD, emotional abuse, mental illness

This is a heart hitting love story between two imperfect people that met again after traumatic events. They grew up together, but never got along. When they met, Indira was betrayed by someone she was considering marriage with and had a father that was never around; Jude spent a few years working as a doctor in areas of humanitarian crises that decimated his will to continue in a profession he loves.

When they have to be paired up for wedding festivities, they find light with each other amidst the current darkness in their lives. It’s raw and imperfect, but showcases how love can inspire change for the better.

I will say that the book does not shy away from spiraling thoughts, so consider trigger warnings. I think it’s a good book to have more empathy about humans going through situations that ends up being a love story.

Special thanks to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Mazey Eddings for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

The Plus One

3.75 ⭐️

This one was a lot heavier than I pictured based on the cover and descriptions. I went in expecting fake dating and brothers best friend trope. Those were there, as well as a very large spotlight on mental health.

Some books that incorporate a mental health theme seem a little inauthentic or the heal to rapid to be believable. I thought The Plus One did it pretty well.

Thank you Netgalley and St Martin’s Press for this arc..

The Plus One by Mazey Eddings and third book in her A Brush with Love series takes you on dazzling journey. This book is my favorite of the series. The mental health/ptsd stories in the book where so well written and emotional. The book couple Indira and Jude are doctors in this and showing even people that we are thought to have all don’t really and need their help with mental health as well. While I related to Indira’s problems so much, Jude dealing with PTSD was the storyline in the book that pulled at the heart. I loved the authors way with words on the emotions someone has when there mind deceives them.

As far as the romance, I’m not the biggest fan of the brother’s best friend trope but Indira and Jude won me over. Lots of chemistry, great banter, and they sizzled together. But the best scenes for the couple was when they would communicate their feelings. The hard convos they had just for me beautifully written..

Want to add that while ithere are serious subject matters in this, The Plus One was hysterical in parts. I laugh so hard in some parts but a chapter later I’d ball my eyes out. Enjoyed the side characters (with a few exceptions).. Loved the epilogue with the main friendship in the series. This book was just a home run for me.

Content warning: : cheating (side character), parental abandonment (past)/child affected by parental divorce, and ptsd for losing patients in the medical field as an emergency situations.

Tropes: brother’s best friend, fake dating, enemies to lovers, and forced proximity

I loved everything about this book down to the super specific references that made me want to go to the Cheesecake Factory and watch Grey's Anatomy (for the 100th time). This book really starts with a bang and will have you laughing the whole time. The way Jude & Indira talked about their childhood memories gave me so much joy because it was just so precious. All of the wedding events were fantastic and I loved seeing a lot of Indira's brother.

While laughing is a big plus, this one also gets serious covering topics like therapy and PTSD. Mazey does an excellent job covering these topics in the perfect way, you might just need to grab some tissues.

This one also has plenty of the crew from the first two books and I just love all of them!! The epilogue is everything!!

Childhood foes band together to survive a loved one's wedding. Hell yes!

Anything fake dating and wedding vibes is an automatic read for me. That being said, I had no idea this was the third book in the series when I requested it. After the first chapter of THE PLUS ONE, I immediately went and bought the other two so I could read them as well.

This book was a sweet, and healing experience of two people finally opening up and honestly seeing the trauma of their lives...and working to let it go. PLUS, Jude and Indria's witty banter was hilarious. Especially when they were heckling each other during the pre-wedding parties.

THE PLUS ONE is out April 4, 2023! Pre-Order!

My thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Indira seems to have everything together-the job, a car, and a boyfriend. Until she walks in on him cheating on her. Jude has nothing together. After serving three years in humanitarian work, he’s struggling to adjust back to society. In their childhood and through their college years, Indira and Jude had not always gotten along. If anything, they sorta hate each other. However, with a wedding event on the way, Indira and Jude strike a bargain to be each other’s fake dates. With forced proximity and fake displays of affection, it’s starting to feel a bit more real.

I thought this was going to be another light and fun romcom with a fake dating troupe. Boy, was I wrong! Indira and Jude are both struggling with something-childhood trauma and ptsd. That said, this read tackles mental health issues and how individuals cope with them. There were many quotable quotes and moments in which I think that a reader might find relatable.

For anyone who plan on reading this, please be aware that they are trigger warnings.

Having read the other two books in this series, I can say this one is my favorite of the three. Though I didn’t feel as deep a connection with Indira as I felt with Harper and Lizzie in the first two books, I felt that with Jude this time around. I’m not sure if it’s a reflection of the author’s own experiences with PTSD but I felt there was such care in delivering Jude’s side of the story. The romance was a little toned down compared to the other books but I enjoyed it all the same. I appreciated the ease with which Jude and Indira came together. Their story was sweet. Mazey Eddings has presented us with such great character with all the books in this series, I really loved living in this world. She has a lovely way of writing romcoms and weaving in serious topics like mental health. I hope to visit more characters from this world. And can’t wait to read Mazey’s future works.