I LOVE THIS BOOK SM!
Tropes:
🤎 enemies to loversssss
🤎 fake dating
🤎 childhood friend but also brothers best friend

I LOVE ALL THESE TROPES AND it was very emotional and witty at the same time! Indira and Jude relationship is like top tier!!!

This is apparently part of a four part series about a group of friends who fall in love (Lizzie and Harper are the previous two). Indira Papadakis is a young psychologist who loves her job, and who loves her brother Collin and his intended, Jeremy. The person she doesn't love is Jude Bailey, Collin's best friend, who's been her "enemy" since childhood, in town for Collin and Jeremy's wedding. But Jude has a secret: in order to get through medical school without debt, he signed up to be a doctor in emergency zones, most of them in war-torn areas. He is suffering terribly from PTSD, and Collin and Jeremy's bonkers pre-wedding festivities are torture to him. Indira doesn't want to fix him, but she does want to help him, and so they pretend to be lovers (and you know how that turns out in romance books).

I really admire Eddings for tackling the problem of PTSD—Jude's frayed nerves notch up the plot on this one, and Indira's efforts to help, not fix—but Collin and Jeremy really wrecked the story for me. Their pre-wedding antics are so childish and stupid. As an introvert, I felt so sorry for Jude, continually dragged into "make the wedding favors" and other jerky activities. Apparently this was supposed to be funny, but I was just appalled instead. And this is Jude's best friend. Yeah, in the end he apologizes, but really.

The subplot about Indira and Collin's deadbeat dad was dead depressing. So tired of rom-com parent bashing.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I read through most of it in two days. I appreciated the way it touched upon serious themes and carefully worked through them. There were so many things I could relate to on Indira’s side (she also reminds me of a close friend of mine who works in a similar field).
Her moments with Jude were so genuine and progressed organically, I absolutely thought they made sense together and weren’t forcing anything. The pacing worked well. My favorite parts were any pages where I would find them bickering or when they were alone with one another. All their supportive friends and family were great characters as well, they each had their own vibrant personalities. Reading the conflict made sense and it wasn’t too angsty, I understood why the characters felt/reacted the way they did.
It was somewhere past the halfway point that I slowed down because I did think it was dragging on a bit. The characters had their main climatic point worked through by then so the plot just felt stagnant. That being said, I absolutely loved the ending. It was perfect for the two leads (and not what I expected in the best of ways). I was overall satisfied with the story, the middle was not enough to lower my rating.

I want to give a big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for giving me a chance to read this amazing book. I hope to read more from this author in the future. I will definitely look into the other books in this series.

Thank you Netgalley and Mazey Eddings for this ARC.

Here's a quick list of things to look forward to:
✨ Enemies to lovers
🫧 Brother's best friend
✨ Childhood friends
🫧 Fake dating

And so much more. This book is so special. It's tender, forgiving, witty, and emotional. Indira and Jude have the best banter and never stop roasting each other. I loved the focus on the importance of mental health and the depiction of therapy. All the stars

ARC review ✨ thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an arc in exchange for my honest review.

Another 5 stars for Mazey Edding! Indira and Jude are a complex and somewhat accidental coupling, combining a few of my favorite tropes in one book. If you’re a fan of A Brush with Love or Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake, you will not be disappointed when picking up The Plus One. In fact, you’ll love all the cameos!

Perfect for fans of:

🕶️ Fake dating
👨 Brother’s best friend
💥 Jokes & teasing
🏕️ One tent
😭 Emotional (in a good way)
🧠 Highly accurate depiction of mental health including PTSD
💕 Heartfelt moments
💍 Enemies to fake dating to lovers

After how much I liked Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake I was a little worried that The Plus One wouldn’t live up to my expectations, but I’m happy to say that it definitely did. I have enjoyed every story Mazey Eddings has written so far and this was no exception. I love the maturity of her characters and how willing they are to communicate with one another. Often times using so many different tropes in a single book can become a little bit overwhelming but it was so well done I barely even noticed. Indira and Jude were the epitome of childhood friends (enemies?) to lovers and seeing them realizes they were in love with one another was a lot of fun. Their jump from hating one another to being fully in love felt slightly rushed but I loved the book nonetheless!

MAZEY EDDINGS DOES IT ONCE AGAIN FOLKS!! SHE WROTE A HIT, AGAIN!! I fucking love Mazy Eddings so much, her books are so underhyped can people start talking about them more often (but not actually I enjoy her being my little secret and I don't want people to ruin her for me). Now that that is done, I loved this book. I literally finished it in a day, her book are so addicting. I loved the openness about therapy and healing and all that jazz. Ugh, it was just so amazing, go read her books.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.
To start, I have to admit this is the first Mazey Eddings book I have ever read. If her other books are anything like this one, well let’s just say I’ll be adding yet another new author to my favourites list!
Mazey has a way of drawing you into the book, making you feel like you are a part of the story. I felt that I connected with the characters so easily and quickly. Just like when building a friendship, you learn little by little who the person is – it was the same with our main characters in this book for me. The author’s writing is also very real. I like that the swearing doesn’t feel out of place or forced or just thrown in – it’s put in places exactly where you would expect a person to swear. I find that any time a book completely omits swearing, it just feels fake to me. We all swear. It’s a natural part of our language. Let’s accept it as a norm and move on.
Our main characters have VERY rich backgrounds. Indira’s issues stem all the way back to her childhood, while Jude’s are more recent. But these issues are a part of them and make them (in my opinion) lovable in their own ways. I appreciated that even though Indira is a psychiatrist herself, she still goes to see her own psychiatrist. She doesn’t pretend to be put together or have it all figured out. She knows she needs help, and she seeks it out. Smart girl. Jude on the other hand… Well, he’s got a huge problem and he doesn’t see it as a problem that can be fixed. More as something he did to himself and now, he has to live with it forever. Basically, the two polar opposites of mental health. So, what happens when you bring those two together and smash them against each other in the middle? Well… A LOT of witty banter, A LOT of hate and animosity and whole lot of figuring out… Oh shit, I don’t actually hate this person… I am so deeply and truly in love with them that my whole world actually centers on them.
Indira and Jude are each others anchors. They are each others’ cores. This is why I absolutely loved this story. While each other got along just fine without the other… Life makes more sense when the other person is there. I was worried that with all the trauma and PTSD there might be too much, or it might feel too forced, but never once did that feeling come. Everything was woven into the story with detail and care. Every interaction had a reason.
I did feel that there was too much “I love you” towards the end. I don’t think I know a single couple who actually says that so often, so it just felt a little forced by the end. But that was just one small detail in an otherwise awesome book.
This book was real, it was raw, it cut me open and made me cry. But it had a lot of bright moments too. I laughed out loud a few times, and my heart did that wild “swoop-swoop-swoop” a few times!

thank you to Netgalley and SMP for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Wow. Where to even begin? Reading the last book in this series is such a bittersweet feeling. I’ve become so attached to this gang of nerds, but I have to say that Jude’s story truly has my heart. This man has gone through so much, and seeing his healing journey felt like a privilege. I loved the integration of medicine and psychiatry in this book, and I also loved how this book showed real defense mechanisms but also taught true great healing processes and methods. Indira was the perfect support for him and I appreciated seeing those therapeutic exchanges. Finally, the spice was AMAZING! I’m convinced Mazey Eddings can do no wrong!!

I couldn't love Mazey Eddings more. Each time I read one of her books, I am more and more invested in her characters. I love Indira, and how open she is with her insecurities. She's got a psychiatric background, and she is still constantly working on herself. I love the way Eddings writes neuro-divergent characters. They face real issues, and are also lovely and loving. Jude is a surgeon who has been to some high stress areas, and is dealing with major PTSD. The way that Indira and Jude are there for each other through their emotional struggles is beautiful.

Although she grew up thinking she hated her brother's best friend Jude, Indira comes to realize that she cares deeply about him. I wish I could properly convey just how much I love this book and these characters. I also love their best friends. One of the surprising highlights of this book is seeing Jude and Collin's loving best friendship--males aren't often portrayed as being this effusive with how much they mean to each other,

This book has so much heart. Yes, it's a sexy romance, but it's so much more. Savor it. I'm always so eager for a new Eddings book, and this one doesn't disappoint for one second.

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book.

My first instinct is to say that this is, first and foremost, an ADORABLE read, but I feel like that does injustice to the fact that it deals with some heavy topics with a lot of grace. Indira and Jude are both incredibly likeable characters, and I thought it was an absolute joy to read their story. Childhood frenemies, Jude and Indira are both facing difficulties with a loved one's wedding on the horizon. I almost feel like the advertised description of the book doesn't quite do justice to this story: there IS a wedding, and there IS a bargain struck, but what made this story resonate with me are the internal development Jude and Indira both face, rather than fake-dating shenanigans.
That being said, this is a very character driven book. If you're hoping to read something plot heavy, I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to you. But Jude and Indira are both complex, appealing characters, and reading their journey, respective and combined, was an absolute delight.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the privilege to read this book.

This was a well-written sweet read but didn’t give me the feels I expect in my romance novels.
I liked Indira and Jude, there’s a bickering childhood enemies dynamic with forced proximity what I liked especially. I felt the story dragged just a bit in the middle and could have been shortened a little. In spite of that, I enjoyed The Plus One and I recommend it to fans of romance and if you love steamy book.

The Plus One by Mazey Eddings was phenomenal. I can’t think of a better book to follow Lizzie Blakes Best Mistake. If you’ve ready my reviews before, you know that I am a huge FAN of that book. I thought it was an accurate example of someone with ADHD and that’s what I love about Mazey’s books. I still need to read the first one. I know. I am slacking slightly but, it’s on my list. But, this last one deals with depression, PTSD, mental health, and just overall taking care of your brain before you get pushed over the edge.

This is one of the best Brothers Best Friend romance books I’ve read yet. I will continue to recommend this book and Mazey for her fantastic writing abilities when it comes to mental health.

Would I recommend this book? Yes. Would I buy this? Already preordered. Fantastic job, Mazey. I can’t wait until you release another book.

This is my first book by Mazey Eddings. Her novels are stand-alones, so by coming into the series on the third book- I feel like I haven’t missed anything. (Though I will go back through and read the others- so I am up to speed).

I loved the The Plus One. I really enjoy books that go deeper and are more true to real life romances. I loved the aspect of therapy throughout the book. Both Indira and Jude working on themselves and their relationship.

Jude was so brave being about to stand up and listen to his needs. Not always an easy task but when you have support around you, it makes you want to be a better version of yourself. I’m glad that Indira could be that for Jude.

Indira has to move in with her brother after breaking up with her boyfriend. Little does she know that her childhood nemesis (and her brothers best friend) is staying there for the weeks leading up to her brothers big wedding. She unexpectedly finds something comforting in tormenting him, but maybe he’s not quite the same?

Jude is struggling after some traumatic work assignments as an emergency doctor. The last thing he needs is to spend time with the one person who has always irritated him, Indira. But somehow she feels like the home he hasn’t had in a while.

This story was very cute. Both Indira and Jude are struggling to find stability in their life and somehow find it in each other. It was a nice addition to this group of friends, but I did find some of the return character situations a little forced.

Overall, I liked the story and their connection. Would definitely recommend this author.

The Plus One was the first book I've read by this author and it was really sweet. Overall, I really loved the protagonist, Indira. I think she was smart and witty and really interesting. I believe that both Indira and Jude paired nicely together, I am always a sucker for childhood friends/enemies to lovers and this book was a good example of that. However, it's a much heavier read than I expected it to be. It wasn't exactly what I was in the mood for when I picked it up but nevertheless I still enjoyed it. The characters were lovely and I think it was a humorous lovely read. Excited to see what else this author has written.

Absolutely fabulous book.
Characters are richly drawn and believable.
The author’s treatment of how to cope with PTSD is incredibly useful.
Brava, Ms Eddings!

Seriously good! This book was a fantastic romantic comedy. The characters were lovable, and I was so sad when it ended. I loved it!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press Group for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars

Never before have I become so protective of two characters after reading one chapter. Mazey Eddings has given us two of the most soft, lovable characters in Indira and Jude. My heart just hurt for them and I was so invested in them getting their HEA.

Indira and Jude are childhood enemies forced to spend time together during the wedding celebration for Indira’s brother (and Jude’s best friend). Indira is trying to work through a difficult breakup and Jude is struggling with PTSD after working as a doctor traveling the world to treat humanitarian crises. The two find that, in adulthood, they have much more in common and decide to help each other out by being each other’s fake date to all of the wedding activities. THEN SPARKS FLY.

I read this while listening to Taylor Swift’s Midnights and this book is basically the lyric "To you I can admit that I'm just too soft for all of it” in book form. I just wanted to hug every person in this book. All of the issues the characters have are handled with care and I couldn’t have loved it more. So sweet. So steamy. So hilarious. So emotional. All the stars.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book in a series but can be read as a stand alone novel (I know this because I read this first in spite of having the first two in my TBR pile). It is told in third person, alternating between the main characters – Indira and Jude. The story hits three major tropes – fake dating, enemies to lovers, grumpy + sunshine – without being over the top, because there is some serious depth to it. Without giving anything away that isn’t covered early in the book, it addresses PTSD, infidelity, and abandonment in a way that was far more substantial than is usual in a contemporary romance.

I loved the way they circled each other, discovered each other, and then supported each other. They accepted each other as they were and helped each other approach their emotional/mental health challenges. I also really appreciated that there was a very difficult choice made at the end of the book that had long-term consequences – no quick fix to wrap things up neatly! I can’t wait to read the first two in the series!

I received an ARC from Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.