There is a lot to unpack with this book, and its happy go lucky cover does not express that. Thankfully the ARC gave trigger warnings (hopefully the release will too). I liked it a lot but also I felt like sometimes there were too many issues tackled? I did feel like some of the meat could have been better fleshed out of so many issues weren't tracked. But it was sweet and good.

This book was so much more than I thought it would be! The title and synopsis had me feeling like I was going into your average every day zany wedding oriented romcom but this one had so much more heart and depth than that. I really appreciated Mazey Eddings’ depiction of mental health struggles and what it means to create a healthy foundation in a relationship without sacrificing all of the sweet swoonworthy romantic moments that we all love to see in a romcom. Indira was a loveable protagonist and it wasn’t hard to root for her and her chemistry with Jude was full of banter and history and I loved seeing them reconnect and build a new relationship as adults. The story itself was fun- the wedding provided a great frame to keep the momentum and I loved where it all wrapped up and landed!

what a sweet book! a solid 4!

it was heavier in topic compared to the 2 in the series but filled with the same humor, kindness and spice as the other two. mazey eddings is consistent in writing these characters in this little universe.

although it is a romance novel, it balances equally between romance and flaws/issues to face and i found it heavy but with a happy ending that was realistic and inspiring. it wasn’t too “love solves everything” because as much i love love, everyone needs therapy. because of the heavier/more detailed discussion around the topics of ptsd and anxiety, it took me a little longer to read (i also had a busy month 😭). but regardless, it was so much fun.

indira and jude’s quick banter and newfound calm with each other was so sweet to read. i found indira so kind and i was so happy to get to know her character more from the two precious books. i was also so happy to be introduced to jude who was so scared but thoughtful and willing especially when it came to indira. it warmed my heart!

i’m so sad to close this chapter of the brush with love universe but i am already so incredibly excited to see what else mazey eddings writes. she’s truly becoming one of my fave authors!

thank you as always to the publisher and netgalley for the arc!

The Plus One has some of the most heart of any of Mazey Eddings books so far. It takes a lot for a book to make me cry and this one had me getting tearful on more than one occasion.

The chemistry between the characters was perfect, and you rooted for both of them throughout the story, even when faced with their flaws which I feel is unique to romance books because a lot of the time you get really frustrated with one side of the couple due to the conflicts presented in the story. But Mazey Eddings is very talented in making her characters and their flaws be relatable and genuine.

Another big plus for me with this story was the focus on the MMC struggling with PTSD and anxiety. I feel like this is often watered down or stigmatized in stories, especially with male, or more masculine characters so I really appreciated that element of the story and found that the author handled it very well.

I can't wait to read more from this author! :)

Another exceptionally moving and engrossing book by Mazey Eddings.

The Plus One tells the story of Indira, who we know from the first two books in this series, and Jude, her brothers best friend forever.

Jude is trying to manage his mental health while working for a humanitarian doctor's group in war torn parts of the world. Indira is still working through her feelings of not being worthy that stem from her father leaving their family at a young age.

These two have never gotten along, have been enemies since childhood. Or have they???

Definitely a must read, you will not regret it. I do regret reading it while hungry, I miss Philadelphia foods and this author weaves them in just perfectly.

I really tried to like this book but I just couldn’t get into it. The two main characters Indria and Jude were characters I wanted to like but they were just too immature. I had a hard time believing they were actually working professionals and it annoyed me through the book.

Where to start? I absolutely loved this book. I loved getting a better picture of who Indira is. I was laughing out loud multiple times because of her quick wit and one liners. I also loved how Mazey Eddings was able to portray serious topics and give readers some insight or understanding into PTSD and feelings of abandonment. I would definitely recommend this book.

I'm having a hard time putting into words how special this book is.

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩:
🧡 Dual POV (3rd person)
✨️ Brother's best friend
🧡 Childhood nemesis (frenemies to lovers!)
✨️ Fake dating
🧡 Forced proximity
✨️ Only one tent

𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙:
🧡 A brave and nuanced depiction of mental health.
✨️ The Healing, forgiveness, kindness, acceptance, unconditional love, and trust. Seriously, this book is filled with SO much HEART. Tender. Raw. Sweet. Vulnerable.
🧡 And it's also hilarious, and smart, and witty. I loved Indira and Jude's banter, and just their overall dynamic. Roasting is their love language.
✨️ The sibling and friend group. I loved spending time with old friends again and getting to know new ones.

Such a beautiful beautiful story. Mazey's talents shine so brightly with this book. It really is contemporary romance at it's finest. My heart is full. I loved it. 🧡

CW: PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, parental abandonment, strained family dynamics, cheating

My absolute FAVORITE things about this book was the amazing mental health representation in it; YES I loved the enemies to lovers, the fake dating and the brothers best friends BUT the way Mazey focused so strongly on mental health issues and healing was so great! It added sooo much to my favorite tropes without me knowing I was missing it.

This was such a fun, quick and thought provoking read! The writing flowed so well and I found myself not wanting to put it down. This had me in my feels because the characters were written in a way that made them incredibly relatable and you felt what they felt. It really highlighted how ANYONE can struggle with crippling anxiety, hurt and even PTSD but there can't be healing without the work.

On top of that we get the preparations and events leading up to Indira's brothers wedding [who so happens to be Jude's best friend!] The friend circle and family dynamic was super fun to read as well. Even the sibling / friend banter was spot on. NOW...The spice was AMAZING and made this book that much more perfect because Jude and Indira were just PERFECT together. I swooned at how sweet Jude was without even realizing, the banter was fantastic and what made it even better was the flashbacks to them as kids - it made their relationship that much more adorable.

This was my first book by Mazey and it will not be my last! It had me hooked from the first page! Definitely recommend.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Enemies to lovers AND grumpy sunshine AND brother's best friend in one? At first I was worried this book was trying to be too many things, but was so pleasantly surprised to see that each trope was pulled off well!

This book was special in that it was a delightful and easy to read romance, but it also had significant depth. Mazey Eddings did not gloss over the difficulties of life here- but rather she leans in to them and explores them in a way that makes us love and root for Indira + Jude more than we would have already.

For the spicy scenes, there was a really lovely balance of physicality and emotionality.

All in all a really enjoyable easy to read and heartwarming story. Looking forward to reading more from this author!

Pre-Read: Indira's book???

Post Read: ARC provided by Netgalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own.

TW/CW: PTSD (medical trauma), panic attacks (on page), anxiety, cheating, parental abandonment

I don't even think I ever read the synopsis for this book, I just thought OMG it's a new Mazey Eddings book I have to have it. Now after reading it I never would've guessed that this book would be about what it's about (does that make sense???). It was an amazing rollercoaster.

And once again, another book to add to my hug-in-a-book category.

This book had a lot of emotions to unpack. Sweet Jude and his trauma gripped my emotions. Indira was perfect for him. I loved how they moved from verbal sparring to falling in love, but still keeping their spark. Their ability to be there for each other and understand what the traumas in both of their lives had done to change them. This book definitely has some triggers, but I felt like this story was beautifully written.

Give me ALL the cozy reads! Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Mazey Eddings for this ARC! What a book! It was so so sweet, dealt with some very hard topics but in the end had me rooting for everyone to find love and be happy. It was also a very funny laugh out loud book (peanut butter, iykyk) and overall left me feeling so warm and fuzzy, while also feeling seen and accepted with some of the issues Jude was working through. The dual POV was so sweet and I loved seeing both sides of the story. The Plus One is being released April 2023 and it will be one that a physical copy is added to my collection!

Thank you to the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely love this book. It has fake dating, brother's best friend, and there was only one tent. This book is the perfect blend of romance, spice, laughter, and therapy. I could not have asked for a better ending to this series.

First up, let's talk romance. I feel head over heels for their relationship. They each had their own struggles and they helped each other through them. There were a bunch of beautiful lines that made me want to cry because they are soulmates. The spice was very well-written and didn't take away from the overarching plot. More people need to talk about Mazey Eddings's male main characters.

All three books in this series have touched on very important mental health issues. Eddings writes them so well. I never feel like the issues are ignored until its convenient for the plot. I also love how the love interests help one another through their issues. Therapy is not a taboo subject and I am so appreciative of it. The characters learn and grow throughout the books without it feeling forced. It is easily the best mental health representation I have read.

In terms of reading, I have binged all three books in only one or two sittings. Eddings's writing draws you in and doesn't let go. Her books are funny and romantic and healing. I may or may not have definitely teared up while reading. Some lines will make you laugh, and others make you swoon. The therapy scenes and the conversations about mental health are all written in a natural way; it never feels cliche or silly. Those scenes also make me miss my therapist.

To sum up this book, I would have to say it is a perfect rom-com (and I really do mean that last part because I was cackling at multiple points throughout my binge read) that dives deeper into personal struggles. Please please please pick up this series. You won't be disappointed.

Really enjoyed this book! This was the first one I’ve read by this author and it won’t be the last! I found myself at times crying while reading this and laughing aloud at other parts. This book was emotional and raw and I loved every moment of it!

Brothers best friend, fake dating and there’s only one bed(tent).. let’s talk about trifecta of tropes…

In all honesty Mazey Eddings has the audacity to write three books that hit so equally hard that I’m left ruined and shattered everytime. (Honestly I’m not sure what it says about my mental health that I can relate so incredibly painfully well with three different main characters, but I’m not ready to dig that deep yet. )

Trying to pick myself up to coherently write a review is more difficult then I was expecting. This book was raw and emotional and painful to read at times but also so incredible beautiful. The perfect contrast between those raw moments and the fun and witty banter between both Indira and Jude is completely unparalleled. When you mix in the Taylor swift reference, and all the little Lizzie and Harper moments. This book is pure perfection.

I can’t take the moment to recognize the emotional distress the epilogue caused. I’ve come to love and adore all of Edding’s characters and I’m devastated to close the door on their stories.. I spent the whole epilogue ugly crying because I’m so happy they’re happy.

2 Stars!! Just not my cup of tea. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and this book is the 3rd in the series ‘A Brush with Love’. I felt the book dragged on and on. I started to just skim through most of the book, it got boring after awhile. The main characters, Indira & Jude, annoyed me so, so much. I rolled my eyes so hard, I pulled a muscle. I get that PTSD is rough but with no explaining why Jude was suffering so much, I just didn’t have the patience for him and all the crying. I felt for him but also felt he was making a mountain out of a mole hill. My empathy only goes so far until I just can’t anymore.
*I received this at no charge & I voluntarily left this review.*

So cute! I really enjoyed this one! I think the author really knew how to make the characters feel like they had heart and were real people.

Perfection!

Sometimes stories in the contemporary romance genre run together in my mind. Sure, there are different tropes and arcs, but they all tend to have one thing in common… Predictable 4th quarter drama that ends in a fight or breakup, only to be overcome by a grandiose gesture or proclamation of love, followed by a HEA and cheesy epilogue (I sound cynical… I’m really not!). I was pleasantly surprised when this did NOT happen with The Plus One. The only things even remotely cheesy were Indira’s pet names for Jude, which she served up on a silver platter of sass!

This story is raw and honest, emotional, and at times laugh-out-loud funny. Mental health is a difficult topic, but Mazey Eddings takes great care to write about it with compassion.

This book deals with mental health, loss and parent abandonment. Overall a good strong read. She's a psychiatrist who's working on processing her relationships and abandonment. He's dealing with processing all the patients he's lost in doing humanitarian work. They grew up together and are back together for her brothers wedding each dealing with their issues. This book will make you laugh while discussing heavy loss.


***********************I received an ARC for my honest opinion from NetGalley.************************