I wish the love story would have had a bit more of a slow burn because it seemed like it happened very fast and pretty early in the book. I'm a little tired of fake dating stories, but this sticks out because of the way mental health impacts the characters. Highly recommended for public library collections.

This is one of the best takes on the brother’s best friend trope that I’ve read. Even though there’s some animosity between Indira and Jude at first and they delightfully bicker even after the romance gets going, it’s also clear there’s genuine concern and warmth between the characters, stemming from years of history. There’s so much feeling in Eddings’ writing, especially as she’s tackling mental health issues, and the romantic relationship will definitely make you swoon, laugh and possibly cry. I also enjoyed seeing the characters from the past books, and the new ones like Indira’s brother and his boyfriend were fun additions as well. But if this is indeed the end of this series, it’s kinda odd that Thu didn’t get her own book.

3.5 Stars
One thing Mazey Eddings does really well in her books is writing about mental health issues. With each of her books, I genuinely feel for the character that's going through it. Needless to say, this book did amazing in that aspect. And I loved seeing how Indira and Jude's relationship progressed despite going through their struggles. I really enjoyed their romance overall, and I think their relationship developed really naturally

This was such an adorable wholesome read. Both main characters were so likable and relatable & it made me fall in love with both of them instantly. The communication between the couple was A-MA-ZING. Definitely recommend this to all romance book lovers out there.

I absolutely loved this book. While I've enjoyed both of Mazey Edding's other books, this one was on another level. It was incredibly emotional, funny, and very, very real. The portrayal of the characters' mental health issues was very realistic, and it was great to see in a book. Mazey Eddings handles heavier topics very gracefully and honestly, and I enjoyed that.
Jude and Indira were really great main characters, and the chemistry between them was great! I enjoyed both of their characters, and the side characters were really well-written and distinct as well! I loved Colin and Jeremy.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! It was relatively fast-paced, and the writing is excellent; it's very easy to read. I would definitely recommend this book!

This is easily my favorite Mazey Eddings book to date and the series just keeps getting better and better! If there's one thing Mazey can do, it's write an entertaining book with compelling characters and a raw vulnerability that leaves you aching for the characters and their struggles.

I adored the characters in this book and I love that we are making our way through the friend circle as each character has such a different story to tell. I love when not only are the main characters captivating, but when the side characters are just as entertaining and developed. Indira was such a great character and I love how she's the perfect example of how even being self-aware does not stop us from being human. Jude was a fantastic character and his struggles with PTSD bring more conversation around the stigma that is mental health and being brave enough to reach out for help. I empathized with Jude so much and his experiences made my heart ache as I rooted for him throughout the book.

I loved that not only do we get an enemies-to-lovers dynamic, but also a fake dating trope (we all know that the lines blur there really fast and I'm such a sucker for the characters using real emotions to fuel their fake dating farce). There's entertaining dialogue, lots of playful banter, and some spice for contemporary romance lovers. You'll be left smiling like a fool at times and tearing up at others.

Overall, I can't sing enough praises for this book and I will certainly continue following Mazey's work as it combines lighthearted romance with banter and emotional vulnerability that leaves you with lessons to learn and more characters to swoon over!

Wow what a book, when it comes to romance books I tend to be picky but this book didn’t leave me disappointed in anyways. How they dealt with conflicts were perfect and well done

This is a completely acceptable read though I didn't LOVE it. The premise is fine, the characters are as you'd expect, and I found it to be a nice read.

This book treated the topics of mental illness and therapy SO well. It was so refreshing seeing a male character talk about his mental state, the benefits of therapy, and fully understanding he was not okay and needed help. I just wanted to give Jude a hug. And him and Indira were just so so cute. I really appreciated how they would talk out their feelings instead of having another book with the miscommunication trope. This was such a good read.

First off, thank you to Netgalley, SMG, and the author for the arc! I am leaving my review voluntarily.

WOW. THIS ONE IS MY FAVE OF THEM ALL.

Some notable tropes:
Brothers bff/bffs younger sister
Forced proximity
Childhood enemies to lovers
Fake dating
(highly recommend looking up TW before reading - anxiety, ptsd)

Literally all the best tropes you could think of smooshed into a book. I’m in LOVE. Y’all we must protect these two at all costs!!! This book was so beautiful and an honest look through what couples deal with in their day to day lives. Indira and Jude not only had to figure out how to make their relationship work, they also had to look inside at themselves and heal. I just love this book, the relationships between the friends, lovers, everyone! I’m so sad this world is done 🥲

This was an enjoyable book that I was able to read in 2 nights! It was full of fun, it has a creative and interesting premise, and an ending that left me satisfied. I would definitely recommend this book to other readers.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

First of all, thanks to netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review.

what an amazing experience! I have a lot of problems with romance novels because I hate the miscommunication trope that is almost always present in the genre. but not only did this book not have that kind of plot, but it also knew how to deal very well with the conflicts that could be caused.

but what I liked the most was how the psychological issues of both were seen so much. how important it is to heal and how difficult this process is. I, as someone who has been through therapy, was often put off by my pain as it was "invisible". often the understanding I needed from those who accompanied me daily seemed false to me. I myself, for a long time, stopped believing that what I felt was also valid. so this book resonated so much with me, especially Jude's pain.

this is a book about broken people finding a way together to heal themselves and the arduous process of accepting that loving yourself is the heart of healing. we are not perfect and we never will be. I loved how both characters made this journey with so many loving and understanding moments.

This was a really well written book in this series I think I love this one the most it is fun, honest and has alot of real emotions in it. I really love how the ptsd is written I don't have it, but I've Sen people with it and it wad well written Jude and indira are so fun together and I loved this book so much

A long review for my favorite book 🥹🥹

I knew I was going to love this book, and it was even better than I could have imagined. All three of these books have such a special place in my heart. I cannot believe I’ve already read them all? I can’t believe people aren’t going to read this one for MONTHS.

This could have been just a silly fake dating, brothers best friend romance story. And it WAS. But it was also so much more. This was one heavy, but also SO soft. Two sad, broken people find love, support, and comfort in each other. Indira and Jude were both so perfectly imperfect. They were exactly what the other needed, and they have been there the whole time.

Both Indira and Jude have really big struggles, and are on different parts of the healing process. Indira has a real fear of abandonment, her father left when she was a kid, then started a new family, then made absolutely no time for her and her brother again. Being a psychiatrist herself she’s in therapy, it’s not easy but it’s working even if the work is far from done. Jude has severe PTSD from traveling to countries in humanitarian crisis treating and helping people, but he’s seen horrific things, he’s lost more people than he’s saved. He doesn’t feel like he deserves any kind of positive feelings because of the things he’s caused. And he’s no where near ready to accept help, especially since he’s got to finish his commitment.

Then they come together for Indira’s brother’s wedding and realize they could be of use to each other. And not just as a fake date to prove to her ex that she’s better off without him. Indira realizes that Jude is someone that has been a constant in her life, and even when he was just her brothers best friend and he left to travel for work him was harder than she thought. And Jude doesn’t think he deserves any happiness, he doesn’t think he could give Indira anything. But she SEES him. And gives him real comfort he’s been without for so long. He’s finally able to open up because he trusts Indira so much, because she knows him.

I love them so much. I love how much Jude opens up with Indira. He’s quiet for most of the book, he’s very much in his head and dealing and struggling with his trauma and just trying to survive. But with Indira he eventually knows he can be himself, he can feel something good again, and he does. Them together is so wonderful. Indira is also very vulnerable with Jude. While she’s helping him, him being with her is just as helpful to her. Shes realizing that not everyone leaves, and sometimes they come back. And she realizes how important he is and always has been to her.

All of her nicknames for him; darling, sugar plum, my sweet blossom, booger - just to name a few. The way they described each other eyes was perfect for each them; coffee black eyes for Jude and whiskey colored eyes for Dira. The way Jude was able to laugh with Dira. The way she was a human shield for his sensory overload, her being the loveliest weighted blanket for him. They were so soft. I loved them so so much.

I loved seeing Dan, Harper, Lizzie, Rake, EVIE, Alex and Thu. So. Much. And Collin and Jeremy were an amazing addition! This friend group makes my heart so happy. They weren’t around quite as much, this story was VERY focused on Jude and Indira. But the snippets of Lizzie and Rake living their best life with Evie in tow, and Dan and Harper being cute as hell, Dan still rooting for Lizzie! Even when if it’s just baking related, it was so sweet. And Thu being a little rough around the edges as always but also so sweet especially where Alex is concerned. And not to mention Indira and Thu fighting over Evie! I love them all so much.

Thank you so much to St Martins Press and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review! I also got it before everyone since I got an ARC for Lizzie Blake and I am so grateful.

Mazey Eddings writes masterpieces and I will cherish them forever.

I am extremely grateful to have read an advanced copy of this beautiful book. Mazey Eddings is one of the authors whose books make me feel like I'm seen and heard and loved. Indira and Jude's story is painful, lovely, steamy and a powerful message about taking care of your mental and physical health. I think it truly shows the author's growth as a writer and is a perfect wrap up fo4 the stories of Harper, Lizzie, Thu, Indira and everyone they love that readers have come to know over the course of these three books. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves romances with deep emotional substance, but please review the content and trigger warnings provided by the author at the beginning of the book.

tbf i didn’t have high expectations after the last one but this was a cute read ! definetly not my fav but i liked it.
the tropes were rlly well chosen like forced proximity, fake dating, takes place at a wedding..
it just felt kinda flat to me tho

An enemies to lovers romance--check. Breezy, often hilarious dialogue--check. A setting surrounding a wedding--check. But there's much, much more. The author's third novel is a romance with Depth (with a capital D), and with unforgettable characters.

Indira and Jude have known each other from childhood, since Jude was (and still is) Indira's brother Collin's best friend. But they have always had an antagonistic relationship. Now, Collin, Indira, and Jude are all doctors, but their career paths have been very different. Collin and his fiancé both work at the same local hospital, and Indira is a psychiatrist, specializing in treating children. Jude has been an emergency surgeon traveling the world to treat patients in humanitarian crises, currently on leave for seven weeks to attend Collin's wedding and surrounding events. Indira and Jude are both suffering--Indira because she has just found her boyfriend in a compromising position with a younger woman, and Jude because what he has experienced in the field has made him a broken man. Indira and Jude unexpectedly decide to fake-date for the occasion, and the rest . . . would be spoilers. Suffice it to say that there are serious mental challenges that need to be dealt with, and that's when the dialogue becomes anything but breezy.

I enjoyed everything about this story, especially Indira's and Jude's emotionally draining but ultimately life-affirming relationship. But the supporting characters were memorable as well. This is the third in Mazey Eddings' loose trilogy, so it was fun to discover characters from my previous read, Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake, in the story. And I learned that there is another book to look for, the first in the series, A Brush With Love. Fear not, each can be read as a standalone.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and provide an honest review of this book.

I love this author! Another great book from this author....and a sort or sequel....
It made me laugh..... sigh....and grab at my chest. Highly recommend!

The romance part is definitely “open door”. The second part of the book definitely sizzling.

But the real message is the ptsd that the doctor returns home (after more than two years with GHCO team of traveling doctors in exchange for reducing their college debt) and how much his life is distrusted due to the trauma he has experienced.

About a year ago I read War Doctor (non-fiction) by David Nott and I thought i would be prepared for how emotional Plus One might be. But Plus One was so well written and powerful; kudos to the author for doing such a great job. (PS … I also thought War Doctor was 5* worthy.)

Also, I had not noticed that this was #3 in a series. I had not read the prior two books and didn’t feel lost in starting with Plus One.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author (Mazey Eddings) and publisher St. Martins Griffin for the opportunity to review the advance read copy in exchange for an honest review. Publication date is April 4, 2023.

Thank you NetGalley, Mazey Eddings and St Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC copy of The Plus One!

This book had me from the moment I started it. I loved the characters, I loved the writing, I loved the dual POVs. It was just perfection for me. As someone who has dealt with PTSD and has worked as a nurse in humanitarian emergencies, I fell in love with Jude and saw many things I have experienced myself or seen in friends with him. It was a really emotional ride for me because of it. Coupled with knowing about the authors own experiences with PTSD made the whole thing even more powerful for me. I think it is so important to show seeking help for mental health in a positive light. This was even more prominent in the way that Jude and Indira’s relationship progressed and how they learned to lean on each. I could not put this book down and finished it in a day. I already miss the characters and have an unreal book hangover from it.

It is so amazing when a book and character makes you feel seen. It is something I always hope for and I am so happy that this book managed that for me.

Tropes
-forced proximity
-enemies to lovers
-fake dating

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ / 5
🌶 🌶️ 🌶️ /5