*slow clap for Mazey Eddings* How does she do it?! She consistently writes charming romances filled with creative use of tropes, incredible steam, endearing characters, top notch banter and sexual chemistry, and all the feels. I loved this book so much and thought was a perfect addition to her Brush with Love series. Her writing brings joy but also contemplation- which is such a powerful thing. I really enjoyed the sensitive and vulnerable way she handled the topics of divorce, childhood trauma, PTSD, career burnout and mental health in this book. While the subject matter was heavy, this book was a delight to read! It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me swoon and it made me feel. Can't wait to read every single thing she ever writes!

Thank you SMP Romance and Netgalley for my copy.

Collin is Jude’s best friend. They are now doctors and have been friends since elementary school. Indira is Collin’s little sister and was always wanting to do things with Collin and Jude. As they grew up, Jude and Indira became great enemies, constantly throwing barbs at each other. Collin is getting married, and Jude is home from his doctor responsibilities in war torn or disaster areas. He has lost more patients than he has saved and cannot imagine being happy himself. Indira’s ex-boyfriend will be at the wedding with the person he cheated with, so Indira is not anxious to be by herself. Jude offers to be her fake boyfriend. Jude has always had a love hate relationship with Indira, but he realizes there has been more love than hate. Indira is surprised to learn she is harboring feelings for Jude as well. With Indira, Jude feels secure. How does she help him endure the last year of his contract with PTSD invading his system?
I loved the characters in this book. Indira speaks her mind and even though she has abandonment issues she holds herself together. Jude suffers from PTSD and is not holding himself together unless he has Indira by his side. I loved all the festivities Jeremy and Collin have going working up to the wedding itself. They embody love for each other and for their friends. I like that this book shows that even doctors who are successful can suffer mental health issues. It takes a lot of bravery to overcome the fears and doubts. Working with supporting therapists and friends make all the difference in the world.

I was expecting a light hearted friends to enemies romance but this book is more than that. We have two people who grew us together. Jude was Indira’s brother’s best friend and Indira and Jude had what appeared to be a mutual dislike of each other. When they are thrown together for her brother’s wedding we find out there has always been more. Jude however is dealing with some serious PTSD from his 2 years as a doctor in war torn and impoverished countries around the world and this is where the lighthearted part ends. His PTSD is front and center and we have a front row seat to his pain and healing. There are some steamy scenes in the book which may not appeal to all readers. I appreciated two people who dealt with their misunderstandings by talking to each other.

I really enjoyed this book. Mazey Eddings does an amazing job of creating layered and interesting characters that are completely different across all of her books. Indira and Jude's snark is pretty funny and I loved the backdrop of her brother's wedding unfolding. I also love how therapy was a normal part of the event progression. I don't know much about living with PTSD, but the representation here seemed as intense as I would imagine it be. One of my very favorite parts of Mazey Eddings books is that the characters aren't magically fixed at the end. They still have to put in work to manage their respective issues. Love doesn't erase the challenging parts of life, but it does make navigating them much less lonely.

She has done it again. I would follow mazey eddings to the edge of the earth if she asked me too. Her books are incredible and this is just another example.

The Plus One by Mazey Eddings
A Brush With Love #3
Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: April 4, 2023

Today marks Thanksgiving, at least in Canada. I certainly know what I’m thankful for. It’s the opportunities a new story presents. Maybe it will be a form of escapism. Maybe you’ll read something and come out of it with a little more understanding and have grown. Maybe you’ll find a character who reflects part of your own journey and feel less alone. Maybe you’ll laugh. Maybe you’ll cry. Most of all, the story will stay with you long after you finish the last chapter. Sometimes you might just experience one of these things and it will be a great story, or maybe you’ll read a Mazey Eddings novel and experience it all.

Eddings is back with her latest novel in the Brush with Love series, this time we follow Indira in her journey of healing and love. You absolutely do not need to read the previous novels (although you should because they are fantastic!) to appreciate the story. As is common with a love of romance series the characters featured in each novel are a part of a friend group but I found that knowledge of them to this particular story wasn’t as integral to understanding the character’s background as it was in Lizzie’s story.

In the author’s bio she is on “on a mission to destigmatize mental health issues and write love stories for every brain.”. Well Eddings, I think you are most certainly on your way to doing so with this series. This book is still a romance but it is heavier in tone than the previous novels. Fret not, it’s still full of playful moments, spicy encounters, and silly banter. However, Eddings manages to create a story that teaches us that love isn’t about fixing a person, it’s about being their safe space for them to be themselves and to offer support.

It is a fantastically crafted story and I absolutely cannot wait to read whatever Eddings comes up with. Seriously, I’m talking novels, IG posts, grocery lists. I’ll take whatever I can get.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for an advanced reading copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I'm sad that the A Brush with Love series has come to an end! Unfortunately, this one is the weakest link for me. I started off loving it and was really pleased with the discussion of mental health. I flew through the first 3/4 of this novel and then it kind of fell off the rails for me. I feel like it wrapped up way too cleanly and easily for me. I usually hate a third-act breakup, but I felt like this story lost all tension and made it kind of boring for me. There wasn't much to dislike, but there was just something missing for me. I do love Mazey Eddings's characters though and loved the cameos of the previous couples. Definitely look up trigger warnings before reading this one.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Review posted to Goodreads 10/10/2022: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4999598820

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. At the start of the year, I read A Brush With Love and absolutely loved it. Little did I know there was about to be a whole series to follow. When I requested this book, I didn't realize it was part of the series, I just knew I loved Mazey Eddings' writing style and I was beyond excited to find out it was part of a series I loved. I absolutely loved Jude and Indira in this book. They were so drastically different but exactly what the other needed in their hardships. They were supportive and helped each other through a lot of hard situations. And the best part was the portrayal of mental health in this book. I'm glad I found out about this book and got the chance to read it and I'm excited to go back and read the second book in the series cause Rake and Lizzie were absolutely adorable side characters!

This was a really sweet story and has all of my favorite tropes: fake dating, brothers best friend, only one bed (tent). It has the perfect amount of tension and spice to make it impossible to put down, and the caring hearts of the characters make you want to spread kindness.

Indira finds herself at her brother’s home, seeking refuge from her cheating boyfriend. However, when she gets to his house, she realizes she’s not the only houseguest- Jude, her brother’s best friend, is there too. Indira and Jude are childhood rivals and don’t exactly get along. Jude is home from working overseas as a doctor in war zones and suffering from ptsd as a result. Indira finds herself empathizing with Jude, wanting to help, and forming a friendship. They agree to fake date one another- but are their feelings not so fake after all?

This book is the third in a loosely connected series, but I hadn’t read the other books and it definitely works as a stand-alone too. It’s my first book from this author and I really enjoyed it! The characters were realistic and I appreciated the mental health representation with Jude’s character. Indira was funny, likable, and easy to relate to. There was more spice in the book than I expected- but I was here for it! If you enjoy a spicy, fun, romantic comedy with mental health representation, this book would be the perfect choice.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Netgalley, and Mazey Eddings for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

First of all, let me say how grateful I am to be given another Mazey Eddings novel to review and let me also say that SHE DID IT AGAIN! I LOVED The Plus One, Mazey is definitely a new auto buy author for me.

Everything about this book was well executed. The romance, the characters and their growth throughout the story, and the mental health representation. This book made me laugh, it made me honestly sob, and it gave me all of the love tingles. I loved the enemies to lovers, forced proximity story. Indira and Jude were magnetic and the book was a page turner.

Indira and Jude were childhood enemies and after finding her ex cheating (in the wildest way possible might I add), Indira is forced to go live with her brother. Indira finds herself struggling with the situation and her overall mental health during her stay but she also finds that Jude may not be doing so well either.

Jude is struggling with being a dr in a disaster zone on scholarship, he is trying his hardest to keep his cool but PTSD is ruling its ugly head. He finds the only time he feels any peace at all is with Indira which is baffling to him. He comes up with the idea to be pretend wedding dates and even though the fear sparks fly.

10 Out of 10, so so well done.

I love Mazey Eddings. Her mental health representation hits me right where it counts every single time. Jude's trauma was hard to stomach at times, but the relationship between him and Indira was so good and healing. These characters were great and I am excited what comes next for the author.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with this advanced readers copy. I had seen Ms Edding’s work on Instagram pop up a lot and was curious to read her work. The Plus One is an enemies to friends to lovers, best friend's little sister with a slight one bed or in this case, one tent trope.

Indira, one of our protagonists, needs a plus one for her brother Collin's upcoming wedding after her boyfriend who also happens to be in the wedding, is found in a rather sticky situation with someone else. Jude, who happens to be Collin's best friend and Indira’s longtime childhood rival, agrees to be indirás fake boyfriend/ date to the wedding. But both find that their enemy status is centrally hiding deep feelings of attraction.

Both Indira and Jude are dealing with deep emotional and traumatic issues that they both deal with when their fake dating turns a little more real. The story dealt with deep emotional issues and the support that is needed to help admit to those issues.

My only real issue with this book and why I rated it 4 stars was due to what I felt was an excessive amount of cursing. I know sometimes this stronger language is needed but it seemed like I had read 7 eff words in the first 3 chapters. I know that will not bother some people but it does distract from the enjoyment of reading for me when it feels like the placement of the worked was not necessary. But overall an enjoyable read with very enjoyable secondary characters as well.

The Plus One is hands down my favorite Mazey Edding’s book that I have read so far. Filled with heartwarming characters and swoony scenes, this book had me in all my feelings.

Indira and Jude: enemies since their young years. Indira seems to have her life together: fantastic boyfriend, amazing job as a therapist and fantastic friend group. Well, when she walks in on her boyfriend in a peanut filled situation, she quickly discovers not everything is what it seems. Now, she’s taken to living with her brother and his fiancée just months before their wedding, with roommate JUDE,

Jude is a beautiful spiral of help me I am drowning in my life character. Currently on leave from the NHS, Jude is praying his next assignment won’t be so bad. That he won’t ever have an emotional breakdown again. Then walks in Indira.

Both need to prove to oneself that they can overcome the upcoming wedding. Bring on the fake plus one.

Jude and Indira’s story had me smiling, laughing, crying and then showing the biggest smile again. Mazey Edding’s writes from her heart and soul and that shines in The Plus One. I immediately connected with Jude’s story and wanted to hug him and never let go. This book has the steam, has the fun cast of characters and has alll the vibes needed in a feel good romance.

Thank you St, Martin’s Press romance and Netgalley for my earc in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own,

The Plus One was such a satisfying ending to this delightful series from Mazey Eddings! It has so many great tropes. Brother's best friend, childhood nemesis, only one tent, fake dating for a wedding, broken hero--to name a few. There is great trauma and therapy representation that Eddings handled with the perfect care.

This book is Indira's story. The last of the friend set that included A Brush With Love (Harper's book) and Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake (Lizzie's book). Each one of these books focuses on some sort of mental health aspect. Indira begins the book with the shock of being cheated on by her long term boyfriend. Jude, her older brother's best friend, is a doctor who has been serving in war torn areas for the past three years. It has profoundly affected his mental health, and he is a very broken person. They reconnect with each other while staying with Collin, Indira's brother and Jude's best friend. Childhood animosity quickly turns to something more, but can they overcome all of the stress they are facing to be together?

I loved the dual perspective. Having Jude's point of view was key for this book to be a success. I also loved seeing Indira's thoughts as she healed herself and helped him. I think Mazey Eddings did a great job of balancing this book. Jude and Indira had great banter and chemistry that allowed the book to keep a lighthearted feel amidst all of the heavy topics discussed above. There were also lots of fun scenes based around Collin's wedding preparation and festivities. I'm glad the fake dating didn't drag on and they were upfront about it with their loved ones. The steam level was perfect, and I loved how comfortable they both were with expressing themselves when it came to their relationship.

I think each of these books is better than the last. This one definitely packed the most emotional punch. It's sweet, sexy, funny, and heartfelt. Mazey Eddings is a must read for me at this point.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced e-book in exchange for my honest review.

This book is an automatic new favorite for me. Mazey did an incredible job writing therapy scenes and the journey of healing from trauma. I was in awe of the love between the characters and the reminders that you don’t need to be “healed” in order to be worthy of love.
Indira and Jude were the perfect pair, childhood enemies to lovers, only one TENT (loved), brother’s best friend, and so many other goodies.
You’ll get lots of glimpse into the rest of the friend group from this series, and we get to know Indira’s brother Collin and his fiancé, Jeremy, through lots of wedding prep throughout the story.
There were so many elements that highlighted the struggles of PTSD and familial trauma in ways I’ve never seen before and felt incredible impressed by.
Truly, this book was everything I could have hoped for and much more, and I’m excited for it to be out in the world.

A good premise written in good style! I enjoyed the characters and their story and how they came together. This is my first time with this author and I enjoyed the writing style. There are some triggers that accompany the story but I am triggered about them, but be warned. All in all, I enjoyed it! X

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for this ARC of Mazey Eddings's next release!! Mazey Eddings has quickly become an instant buy author for me just because her writing is quick, easy, and swoonworthy. Her characters are not my favorite but Eddings's writing is just natural and her execution of A Brush with Love and Lizzie Blake were easy reads I would recommend to my more casual reader friends, knowing they'd enjoy it. The Plus One is no different and frankly, it's my favorite of her works so far! It had all my favorite tropes but instead of the tropes drowning out her characters, her story is driven through a force of its own and was so enjoyable. I love having been able to witness Eddings's growth as a writer across three books and I am SO excited for more!

This is the 3rd book in the series by Mazey Eddings, but I didn't read the other two books in the series. I didn't feel like I was lost or confused because I jumped in at the 3rd book. I loved this story, and I finished it in one day!

This book wasn't like a typical romance story because it also handle heavier topics, such as PTSD, mental health, and trauma. The heavier topics felt very realistic, and I felt like I could really connect to what the characters were feeling, even though I hadn't experienced their pain. Even though the book had heavy topics in it, there was still enough romance and fun to balance it out.

'The Plus One' centers around Indira, who has to pick up the pieces after she finds her boyfriend cheating on her. She goes to live with her brother, Collin, and his fiance, Jeremy. Also living at their house is Jude, who is Collin's best friend since they were in kindergarten. Jude and Indira grew up together, but they never got along. As children and now as adults, they love to annoy each other and get under each other's skin.

Indira and Jude start to reconnect as they work on activities and plans for Collin and Jeremy's upcoming wedding. They come up with a plan to pretend to date each other, as a way to get revenge against Indira's ex, who is also in the wedding party. The more time they spend together, they start to wonder what is real and what is fake about their interactions with each other.

Indira and Jude's relationship is one that I really enjoyed reading about because it wasn't a cookie cutter relationship. They had a great backstory and they also had things that they needed to overcome separately and together. I loved their interactions and how they were around each other.

For fans of the first two books, the other characters are about of this story, and they get a nice wrap up in the epilogue section of this book. I will probably go back and read the other two books in the series.

I loved that the book took place in Philadelphia because I am from there, and it was a nice surprise for me to see the city mentioned as the setting of the book.

I would definitely recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book.

This book was so good!! I'm an absolute sucker for the brother's best friend trope, but the way that Jude and Indira were such a big part of each other's lives ever since they were younger felt bigger than Jude just being Collin's best friend and I loved that. And I also really liked how the book doesn't shy away from some of the serious topics that appear like PTSD and mental health, but instead shows how Jude and Indira continue to work on those things and love each other through it. Indira was honestly so so relatable at times, and I highly recommend this book to everyone!!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!