Gosh I loved how deep The Plus One went!

Jude and Indira have been enemies since, well since they’ve known each other. Jude is her brother’s best friend so you’d think it would be simple to avoid him but then they are tasked with walking down the aisle together in Collin’s wedding. Soon they’re thrown together for pre-wedding festivities and realize they might be more compatible than they thought.

The Plus One is a brother’s best friend, forced proximity that has so much depth and feeling in it. As Jude and Indira struggle with life issues they learn to lean on each other and don’t hate it. This book was so deep and full of feelings and emotion, I loved it so freaking much!

If there is something I have come to learn about Mazey Eddings, it’s that she can write the human experience so heartbreakingly truthfully beautiful. She really does take these damaged experienced and lays them out in these characters so seamlessly that you can’t help but be completely entranced by their internal struggles as the world continues moving around them without any clue.

I fell in love with that experience once again while reading this book. The look on PTSD from someone who you may not normally think may have it was written to perfection. I love the interwoven therapy sessions for a way to show character development and guiding the plot.

I loved loved loved the friendship and sibling dynamics. They were so genuine and truthful to real life. I felt at home reading this book.

The only thing for me is that the ending was too ideal. It tugged back and forth and dragged on and the the resolution was too pretty. I felt disappointed after all of that build up.

But honestly read this book. You’ll
Learn so much about the human experience . This broke my heart in so many ways , but I needed this

The banter between Jude and Indira was top-tier but I loved how below all that banter they had such a deep connection. The way Indira grounded Jude and made him feel safe whenever he felt overwhelmed warmed my heart. I loved how their connection continued to strengthen throughout the book and how they were constantly there for each other. Even when Jude struggled with communicating his feelings, Indira was patient with him. I loved how patient they both were with each other and how they never gave up on each other. This story was emotional and heartwarming. I thought it was a great representation of PTSD, and how mental health can impact relationships. I also loved that this book showed that love doesn't magically "cure" mental illness. Jude still struggled with PTSD even though him and Indira were happy. I hate when books make it seem like falling in love with the right person solves every problem in your life. Overall I enjoyed everything about this book. From the main characters, the side characters to the representation and communication, I thought it was all beautifully done. I can't see what comes next from Mazey Eddings!

I loved this one! Indira and Jude are perfect. I loved seeing so much of how they supported each other. I especially loved that the main conflict wasn't a break-up over bad communication and instead was something they supported each other through.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

It is not a surprise that I gave this book 5 stars. Mazey's writing is so addictive, and I swear she is the queen of ROM-COM. Mazey is an AUTOMATIC author buy for me, I will always read her books. This book holds a special place in my heart, and is one of my favorite books of all time (honestly, that's not a surprise).

Even though I flew through this book in 1 1/2 days, this book was a little hard to read, but I related so much to one of the main characters, Jude. This book made me laugh, smile, and sob uncontrollably. As a person who is diagnosed with PTSD, and struggles with it on a day to day basis, this book has made me feel like I am not alone. The feelings that Jude experienced during his day to day life is what it's like to experience in reality -- I would know. But then, the reassurance and persistence from Indira to Jude was such an eye-opener to Jude, but even to myself. The jokingly remarks throughout the whole book made this story even better, I can't even tell you how many times I laughed. Peanut butter (iykyk). Last but least, we CANNOT forget about the little dirty talk & sexy scenes that is mentioned!

This book is absolute perfection. Thank you, Mazey, for writing this book. I feel noticed and not alone. <3

Tropes:
- Fake Dating
- Childhood Enemies to Lovers
- Forced Proximity

Trigger Warnings:
PTSD, anxiety/panic attacks, cheating, parental abandonment

Oh man. This book.

First, I would like to thank @netgalley for letting me review this book.

Second, this was the first book by @mazeyeddings I’ve read and I will DEFINITELY be reading her other books.

The banter between the two main characters was everything. They were completely sarcastic to each other and I was living for it. Indira’s brother is getting ready to marry his boyfriend and Jude is her brothers best friend. They’ve been enemies and annoyed each other since they were little. After Indira becomes suddenly single before her brothers wedding, her and Jude decide to be in a fake relationship to get through the pre-wedding festivities. What ensues is one of the funniest and emotionally beautiful stories I have read. The care and love that is shown in bringing mental health stigmas to light was simply beautiful. There were a few times I was sitting there wondering if the author was in my head when she was having Indira discuss her thought process.

All in all, it was a simply poetic book and I would recommend this for everyone.

“And I . . . I don’t know. I guess I started seeking that approval wherever I could get it. However I could, because maybe then it would prove that I am enough and I’m worth sticking around for.”

This was such a beautiful and realistic story. Reading about Indira was so special because I shared part of her story. I was also abandoned by my biological father and disappointed multiple times. I know what it’s like to wonder if you’re enough and being scared of people leaving. Indira’s experiences highlighted exactly what some people go through and how abandonment issues present themselves in different ways, even as adults. Now switching to Jude’s story, I can’t say I’ve experienced much PTSD, but I understood and felt for his pain. The small things that could trigger him such as small sounds was a perfect example of the many impacts mental health issues can have on a person. There’s a fine line on relying on a person to be okay, kind of like a drug, to being supported by someone else. I was hesitant at first, sensing that Jude would need Indira to be okay, only to later find out that it was just Indira’s way of showing support to Jude while also allowing him to have a say in choosing what was best for his mental health. I appreciated the description of struggling to find acceptance in needing help. More specifically, I appreciated the depiction of mental health professionals also struggling with their own mental health. Most of us think that because of the fact we that they’re specializing in mental health, they must be perfect and not endure any mental health issues, but that’s simply not the truth. Myself, being a psychology major, have wondered how to best help those around me when sometime I’m not feeling my best. It was so comforting to read about Indira feeling similarly to what I’ve felt so many times, and reading that it’s also okay for mental health professionals to not be okay and to seek help when they need it, it doesn’t make them any less as mental health professionals. I enjoyed reading this book so much. No one can have a perfect ending, but Indira and Jude show that there is something very near to it. I can’t wait for everyone else to read this book and open their minds to the many mental health struggles many people live with.

First & foremost, thank you so much to Net Gallery, St. Martin’s Press, and Mazey Eddings for the amazing opportunity to read this advanced copy.

The Plus One by Mazey Eddings

Pub Date: April 4, 2023

Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Spicy: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

TW: PTSD, Mental Health Issues, Parental Issues

When I first started reading, I just assumed that it would be another enemy-to-lovers, fake dating trope (which is perfectly fine 😛) but I wasn’t expecting the storyline to touch on such important topics, such as mental health, abandonment issues, and therapy just to name a few.

I fell in love with Indira and Jude both individually and together. Their whole fake dating, older brother’s best friend storyline was great and their bickering back and forth with each other actually made me laugh out loud. The anticipation that the author built between the characters was great and just the right amount of denial of their feelings for each other lol. And once Indira and Jude let themselves feel, it was just, *chef’s kiss* amazing. The way that Indira and Jude just connect with each other is so irresistible & I loved that their communication with each other was wonderful.

This book touches on some serious topics, which I thought was great since & in my opinion, makes the storyline even better. It talked about past trauma and PTSD in a way that makes it easy for the reader to understand and even relate. I loved that the author shed a lot of positive light on how important it is to seek professional help such as therapy or even just communicating with the people you feel most safe with. I would highly recommend this book to anyone; not just for the fun and flirty parts but also because of the deeply personal and emotional topics that were touched on within the book.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC.

This book was fantastic. I was engrossed for the first page. The story of Indira and Jude was so honest and pure, I just loved it.

The author does a great job of offering initial trigger warnings at the start which was important and good to see. This book has a huge mental health focus and was so tastefully done.

5 stars, easy.

Thank you to NetGalley & St Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story follows two childhood enemies Jude and Indira who agree to fake date leading up to her brothers wedding, all while dealing with their own emotional trauma from the past.

Each of Mazey’s books has mental health representation and this book is heavily focused on Jude’s journey with PTSD which I thought was handled with a lot of care. I loved how supportive and vulnerable Jude and Indira were with each other. Although this book did have its dark moments it was perfectly balanced out with light ones as well!

Thank you to St. Martin's, NetGalley, and Mazey Eddings for my early review copy.

Content warnings: PTSD and panic attacks, parental abandonment, strained family dynamics, and medical care trauma (provider)

Looking for a contemporary romance with smart, sexy, emotional and funny, starring characters??? WELL PICK THIS UP!

Now lets talk about the tropes because I swear these are my favorites:
Enemies to lovers
Grumpy x sunshine
Brother Best friend (SINCE CHILDHOOD) (MY FAVORITE)
Fake dating

I was 100% invested in the journey of the characters, like these could be friends I have irl.
Jude and Indira both carried their past pain and fears with them. Of course this has shaped how they perceived how their futures would be.
Going on this journey of learning to trust and be vulnerable with each other was so beautiful.

As someone who has PTSD and Panic attacks I think these were both dealt with in a delicate but real way. It is so important to me when there is mental health rep, that it is GOOD. And this book does it right.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this #ARC.
This book is the epitome of contemporary romance. If the genre could be defined in one book, it would be this one. I loved Indira and Jude, they were so relatable. This book has all the tropes. Honestly, that’s all you want, that’s all you need.

I loved how Indira and Jude literally matured through the pages, learned to trust each other, and were so supportive towards each other. The way serious mental health issues were portrayed in this book were spot on.

Honestly, this was perfect. The entire thing was just spectacular. I loved the story, loved the characters, and it saddens me that it is over.

i loved this book with everything in me. If you enjoy amazing romance, childhood history, great side characters and deep emotional moments this is perfect for you. jude and indira are so beautiful together and individually. the mental health representation was phenomenal and I loved the PTSD representation too. the childhood enemies aspect was so much fun too, the history, the notes. jude’s birthday present to indira 🥺🥺 this is one of the best books I’ve read this year if not ever,
The Plus One is out on April 4, 2023, definitely check this one out. Thank you to St. Martin's, NetGalley, and the author for my early review copy.

I am a huge fan of Mazey Eddings ever since I read her debut novel. She is a great storyteller and this book is no exception. Mazey tells stories of people with disabilities so well, I really relate to most characters that she writes about. This story gave me all the feels, I will continue to read all of Mazey's books. I also like how accessible Mazey is on Instagram.

DNF at 25%. i wanted to get to 50%, but the characters were just so annoying with no sign of future development. i also hate third person in romance books. this book definitely should’ve been dual first person POV

For an enemies to lovers, the main characters didn't seem to hate each other to their core which I honestly ended up appreciating. Despite their annoyance with each other, you could tell there had always been a faint fondness. Dira and Jude never had a miscommunication issue or their past come back to bite them, which I enjoyed. I also thought it was nice seeing the male character be the one that is broken. So often, woman is broken and needs help being put back together. I enjoyed the relationship growth and that they never tried to hide their relationship after they decided it was real. They just knew and they went with it and let it happen.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Mazey Eddings for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a super cute and fun read! The friends to lovers trope was done really well and definitely was enjoyable. I did find myself getting bored at times, but overall enjoyed it enough to finish.

First, I want to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of The Plus One in exchange for my honest review!
Read if you like:
-Enemies to Lovers
-Overcoming serious life events
-Best Friend Relationships
-Close Sibling Relationships

It was truly a joy to read this book! The author is particularly interested in bringing issues of mental health to light and not making it a stigma if a person is dealing with something like this. I commend Eddings for making this a priority in her writing.
The story follows Indira and Jude who were childhood rivals connected by family. When they meet again for Indira's brother's wedding (AKA Jude's best friend), they begin to feel things for each other, and it is clear that something has happened to Jude during his doctoral work abroad.
I greatly appreciated the laugh-out-loud humor and the relationships that transformed particularly between Indira and Jude. Eddings description of her characters and the way she develops each one is truly amazing and was wonderful read. I would highly recommend this book!

Trigger Warnings: PTSD, Divorce

Mazey never ceases to make my cry and hug myself a bit.
Jude is suffering from PTSD, and Indira is a therapist. Seems like a perfect match except for the fact that she’s his best friend’s sister and they’ve hated each other since forever. A chance accidental shower mixup stirs up feelings and a plan…nothing can go wrong, right?

—————-
Huge thanks to SMP for the ARC & to my dear friend Mazey. I have no words.

Thank you St.Martins, Net Galley and Mazey Eddings for this ARC!

This book had me cackling right away. Indira’s quick wit and attitude drew me to her character. As someone who’s gone through the same childhood traumas as her, it felt like my own feelings that I could never put into words were laid out for me.

Her chemistry and banter with Jude gave me butterflies right away. I was worried there may have been a trauma bond that would get in their way, but I think Mazey did a great job of telling their story in a realistic way.

This one will definitely stick with me for awhile.