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

Thank you to Net Galley, St Martin's Press, and Mazey Eddings for the eARC of The Plus One.

Upon returning home one day, Indira catches her boyfriend (who she lives with) cheating on. She seeks refuge at her brother, Collin's, home, but comes to find her brother's best friend, Jude, is also staying with her brother aka her childhood nemesis prior to her brother's wedding. Indira continually runs into now ex-boyfriend frequently at pre-wedding events, as he is her future brother-in-law's cousin, and her and Jude hatch a plan to fake date to ease the tension at the wedding events.

I really liked this story. I love enemies to lovers and fake dating stories because the banter is always so entertaining and this one did not fail! These characters were so different from the usually stereotype because I actually found them very mature regarding their feelings toward each other once they caught on that there was a spark. Also, Indira had this amazing quality to be just the right support for Jude in his time of crisis, which was supportive but not forceful or overbearing.

I would definitely recommend!
- Enemies to loves
- Fake Dating
- Brother's Best Friend

Enemies to lovers??? Grumpy x sunshine??? They’ve known each other since childhood??? He’s her brothers best friend??? Fake dating??? This book had ALL of the best tropes and I adored it.

This book was sweet, emotional, steamy, and portrayed mental health and trauma in such a realistic way. Indira and Jude are childhood enemies who grew up alongside each other due to Jude’s friendship with Dira’s brother Collin. Fast forward to present day and Dira, now a therapist, and Jude, a surgeon, find themselves both living at Collin’s house leading up to his wedding.

Dira and Jude were everything and so much more. Seeing them go from bickering to opening up to one another about their struggles and trauma was beautiful. They re-found each other at the exact right time and fit like two pieces of a puzzle. I loved Dira’s determination to never give up on the ones she loved and how she helped Jude realize that his trauma doesn’t mean that he is unloveable. I really appreciated how the author didn’t make the characters go through a third act breakup and instead prioritized Dira supporting Jude through a low point. ALL of the stars for positive communication between these two.

This book was so inspirational and beautiful. I highly recommend it for anyone looking for an emotional read with SO much heart and healing.

4.5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a love letter to therapy, and those of us who have gone at the lowest point of our lives can know. I remember perfectly who much I fought with myself not to cry during therapy, but one day was so hard that I cried for the entire hour it lasted. This book felt like how I felt after that day. Purely cathartic.

Indira and Jude are childhood enemies to lovers, and I’ve discovered that I love the trope way more when it’s written like this in contemporary romance, because most of the enemies to lovers where they’re already adults aren’t truly enemies. Anyway, these two’s bickering was hilarious. I loved their animosity so much, but I loved their love more. Both of them recognizing each other’s damaged soul and being brave enough to open up even when it was very scary was a healing experience. You don’t need to not be broken to be loved. There’s a common line that angers me, the “no one will love you until you love yourself”. Nope. Big lie. Lots of people will love you when you can’t love yourself, and this book is the proof.

This trilogy is everything to me. It’s made me feel seen, loved and like I deserve things I never thought I’d get. Also, the power of therapy. Everyone needs to go to therapy. Period.

Thanks to Mazey for sharing her beautiful books with the world, and to St. Martin’s Press for sharing this one with me.

TW: PTSD, parental abandonment, cheating

Rating: 5/5
Steam level: Open door, 4-5 scenes, high level of detail.

So i want to start out by saying I have never read the other books in this series.

But that didn't keep me from enjoying this one!

This has to be one of my favorites I've read this year. Dr. Indira Papadakis agrees to fake date her brother’s best friend and her childhood nemesis, Dr. Jude Bailey, for her brother’s upcoming wedding festivities because she doesn't want to appear desperate and alone since her very recent ex is also attending.

Indira and Jude are one of the most loving couples I've ever read. I loved their tender moments, they way they each dealt with their own trauma and each others. I also really loved their spicy moments! Because remember, i really like my spice!

All in all this was the perfect blend of healing and a HEA. Loved every page.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Jude and Indira are both high achieving individuals with a deep disdain for each other since childhood. Jude is a doctor, returning home for his best friend's (who also happens to be Indira's brother) wedding while waiting for his next assignment with the organization he works for who help with humanitarian crises and emergencies. Indira is a psychiatrist who deeply cares for her pediatric patients and who's love life has had it's up and downs - the latest down being walking in on her boyfriend cheating on her. As they both prepare for the stress of her brother's wedding, Jude finds that being around Indira helps to calm him as he suffers from PTSD symptoms. When she asks to fake date him in order to take some pressure off of herself, he can't help but agree.

I was so nervous to read this book because I loved Lizzie Blake SO MUCH and I was really worried this wouldn't live up to the own hype I had created for myself. I should have known better, because Mazey Eddings is truly incredible and this book landed right up there with Lizzie Blake for me.

This is, I would say, heavier material than in Lizzie Blake. I SO appreciated the content warnings in the beginning of the book, and ultimately felt that the material was handled with such care and compassion. The way Mazey writes mental health representation is truly unparalleled and is worth the read, I promise. Humans are messy but all are deserving of love and happiness, and that is a theme you can see in every one of Mazey's books. I could go on and on about what this book made me feel (particularly as a healthcare worker) but suffice it to say, I wholeheartedly recommend this one and hope you pick it up when it publishes on April 4th!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an e-ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

this book was oh so tender! jude and indira's journey had me in my feels. i loved the communication in this book! also the eventual male vulnerability was so nice to see. in so many romance books, i feel like there is a lack of male vulnerability and mental health issues.

Thank you, St, Martin's Press. for allowing me to read The Plus One early.

Awww, how I loved this story. Enemies to lovers and fake dating are two of my favorite tropes and Mazey Eddings perfectly used those two tropes to write an emotional and dazzling romance. I didn't know Mazey Eddings before but I will definitely check out her future books!

I wanted to love this book and it definitely had its funny scenes and romantic scenes but it was a super slow burn. Also, I thought it was a stand alone book but I guess you had to read the other books to understand some things (like why did this Greek/Italian woman have an Indian name?) it was ok. Readable if you have time.

Thank you to St Martins and Netgalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

A very moving enemies-to-lovers as well as fake-to-real-dating story as two people who have known and hated each other since childhood re-evaluate their feelings when thrust into close proximity.

Indira walked in on her boyfriend cheating on her and, in a righteous fury, grabbed her things and moved out to temporarily live with her brother, telling him 'no, it'll be great, I'll be right here to help with your wedding!'. Meanwhile, her brother had already invited his old friend Jude to stay while he was there for the upcoming wedding, before heading back to a Doctors Without Borrs-esque job that lets him forgo student loans in exchange for getting a massive case of PTSD from being the modern equilibrant of a WWI doctor and seeing equivalent horrors.

As the wedding gets closer, so too do Jude and Indira, and it's incredibly sweet to see how head on and open the story is to addressing mental health and how incredibly f*cked up the world is when it comes to health and wealth, but love can still find a way. :-)

Thanks so much for the ARC - I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK IT WAS A WARM HUG BUT ALSO REAL YOU KNOW. i can't stop rereading this - i think its my new comfort book. love love love these characters!
BEST BOOK OF THE SERIES - pls never stop writing @dr eddings

“A Plus One” by Mazey Eddings is the third book in the “A Brush with Love” series. As with all of the books in this series, this one, too, can be read as a stand alone book. For a romance book, this book was not a stereotypical romance book. The author began with a list of trigger warnings, including PTSD. I have to say that how Ms. Eddings covered PTSD was not only very realistic, but also with care. This is not your typical romance book and I have to give kudos to Ms. Eddings for that because this was different enough that, for the most part, I grew to like both main characters.