Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Mazey Eddings for the opportunity to read this ARC 💌

Well, Actually was such a fun and witty second chance romance! This story follows Eva Kitt and Rylie Cooper- Eva is the host of Sausage Talk and works to interview B-list celebrities over hot dogs instead of building her dream career as a journalist. Rylie is an influencer who who built his platform on deconstructing toxic masculinity and teaching men to be good partners. After Eva drunkenly calls out her ex, Rylie on social media for being a failure in the bedroom and ghosting her six years ago, she is obligated to confront her past and have him guest star on a live episode of Sausage Talk. What she didn’t expect was being talked into agreeing to going on dates with Rylie to make up for how he treated her back then. Can the one who broke your heart also be the one to put it back together?

The banter in this one was non-stop and I couldn’t get enough. Rylie and Eva were the perfect example of black cat x golden retriever energy!!! Eva’s sharp and sarcastic bites complements Rylie’s words of affirmation and people pleasing tendencies which made for the tension and build up to be palpable. As much as I enjoyed the playfulness, I really appreciated the tender, vulnerable moments as well. I loved that this story didn’t shy away from topics such as therapy, growth, sexuality, and grief. The conversations were intentional and I found to be quite informative and was the perfect balance that kept me engaged.

Overall, this was a great read and a swoonworthy second chance romance ♥️

I loved the banter between Rylie and Eva. Also love a man who falls first, and the PRAISE....whew (hot!!). A sharp -tongued ,witty woman and a guy who can take it and doesn't back down. Sexism on the internet and in the workplace and some awesome friends, too. Addressed therapy, mental health, and bi-phobia. Tie it al together with mentions of being the middle child and being from Philadelphia.. perfect! Thoroughly enjoyed it!

3.5/5 ⭐ 3/5 🌶️

What I Loved:
• The story truly hooked me after Chapter 4—intriguing and captivating!
• The FMC’s personality is fantastic—loved her confidence and charm.
• Adorable ending! The romance and relationships development were so satisfying.
• Absolutely hilarious! I literally laughed out loud at some moments.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
• The chapters felt too long for my personal preference.
• I really wanted the MMC’s POV—it would have added so much depth.
• The social media influencer vibes weren’t my thing.

Would I recommend it? Yes, if you love witty banter, a strong FMC, and a romance that keeps you smiling! Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Loved. Giving me a black cat and golden retriever relationship always. Also him being a words of affirmation guy 😩🥺🫶🏽

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings is an absolute delight! This witty and heartwarming romance took me on a journey filled with humor, charm, and unexpected depth. The book follows Elsie, a bookish and quirky woman who is navigating the complexities of life, love, and her own self-discovery. What sets this story apart is its refreshingly relatable characters, especially Elsie, who feels so real and authentic.

Eddings’ writing is sharp, clever, and full of heart. She balances the humor with more profound moments that reflect on relationships, self-worth, and personal growth. The dynamic between Elsie and the other characters, particularly the romance at the center of the plot, is both tender and hilarious, making for a page-turning experience. I found myself laughing out loud at their witty exchanges, but also deeply moved by their moments of vulnerability.

What I truly appreciated about Well, Actually was its exploration of imperfections and how we learn to navigate both our personal and romantic lives with those imperfections in mind. It’s a refreshing take on romance that doesn’t shy away from showing the messiness of relationships, but still leaves you with a sense of hope.

If you’re a fan of romantic comedies with a bit of depth, witty banter, and characters you can’t help but root for, Well, Actually is a must-read. Mazey Eddings has crafted a delightful and thoughtful story that stays with you long after you’ve turned the last page.

ʀᴀᴛɪɴɢ: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
ꜱᴘɪᴄᴇ:🌶️🌶️🌶️.5


🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆:

In college Eva and Riley casually dated but after a string of dates and random ghosting Riley decided to make his resounding choice to ghost forever. Now years later he has a successful podcast talking about feminism and being a stand up guy and Eva has just had enough. After drunken night she decides to stitch the video sharing all the reason he’s really a walking red flag.

Eva being a b/c list celebrity interviewer is pressured into an interview with Riley to discuss the now trending video and together (with some pressure from her job) they decide to go on dates and include details about them on social media, their podcasts and her show.

The wit, sarcasm and general badass remarks that Eva just quickly comes up with are really going to be what literary female characters in my dreams are made of. I love Riley’s how ARC. This book was hilarious, emotional and honestly eye opening to the ways of corporate America.

Thank you Mazey for not creating an epilogue for these characters where Eva and Rylie are married with four kids and her career no longer matters. Although those are admirable choices for anyone if that’s what they want I’m so in love with the ending that you created.
Also, please note this is not a spoiler but an example*

Well Actually was an absolute delight, way more gripping and hilarious than I expected! The story grabbed me from the start and kept me laughing the whole way through. Eva’s “black cat” energy, full of snark and quick wit, paired perfectly with Rylie’s golden retriever personality. This dynamic created great tension and loads of banter between them.

The book hits all the marks of a classic second-chance romance, with a healthy dose of miscommunication (or lack thereof) that led to years of regret on both sides. When Eva stumbles upon a viral video of her ex, Rylie, talking about red flags women should walk away from, she drunkenly posts a response calling him out for all the red flags he exhibited during their brief college romance. This leads to a hilarious but heartwarming series of dates, where Rylie seeks to make amends for the past while documenting their journey for their respective audiences. While Eva resents the whole social experiment, Rylie is genuinely excited to right his wrongs and prove how much he’s changed. What she doesn’t expect is that the more she pushes him away, the harder he chases her.

The character development was so well done. Eva is incredibly relatable, and Rylie is utterly charming—his growth over the course of the story was truly satisfying. The balance between romance and personal journeys kept the pacing even and smooth. With sharp, fluid prose, the story was easy to devour in one sitting. I found myself fully invested in both Rylie and Eva’s personal growth and their eventual happily ever after.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the e-Arc.

Eva Kitt has a journalism career. One night after too much wine she listens to a podcast from Rylie taking about men. Given that he was a terrible boyfriend 6 years ago, Eva offers a rebuttal indicating Rylie is not what he seems. Their banter back and forth leads to him asking her to go on 6 dates so she can see he has changed. He wants a do over to prove he is not a bad guy. This book is so much fun. Their barbs hit right on target and their dates have humorous consequences, good intentions but poor outcomes. Trust issues abound but I loved watching them work through them. This is a great romantic comedy with a lot of serious topics embraced.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mazey Eddings, and St. Martin's Press for allowing me access to the e-arc.

4.75 stars

It was so close to a five-star but something was missing. Regardless, I had so much fun reading this book. Eva is such a hilarious FMC. I loved her brand of jokes and comebacks. Eva and Rylie both felt like well-rounded characters. Eva dreams of being a journalist. Instead, she gets stuck in a sexist job that she gets no respect for. Rylie has something traumatic in his past that he has to learn over time to heal from. It makes the reader relate to Eva more if one has been treated horribly by someone they hoped would turn into a relationship. I’m glad this story had flashbacks it made me get to know the characters more especially Eva's frustration with Rylie.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

4.25

This book was a lot of fun to read. It's black cat/golden retriever in a situationship to enemies to lovers story. The MMC is goofy as shit, but it made the banter really entertaining. I really enjoyed the plot from the get go and their story was super fun to read. I laughed out loud several times.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book!

I really liked the male main character in this book I think it was very clear that he was trying his best the whole time. The female main character was insufferable at times but I think that was by design. Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend to a friend!

“I am tough. And I’m really 🦆-ing sick of having to be.”

This book follows Eva, a woman who studied journalism but got a job interviewing mid-tier celebrities on a show called Sausage Talk (which is setup like Chicken Shop Date just run by an evil media company) One night, Eva drunkenly posts a video calling out a popular podcast bro / “non-toxic male” influencer for being a bad lay. Hilarity ensues when he goes on her show and tries to make it up to her over the course of six dates.

Oh how I adore a prickly, black cat FMC and an absolutely smitten MC who worships the ground she walks on. I loved Eva’s tenacity, wit and ability to demand what she deserved. I also loved how tender and vulnerable she could be, over and over, because that’s where the real bravery lies.

And look, I’ve said it before and i’ll say it again (I think Eva even says it once) but the most non-toxic thing a man can do is shut up. That being said, Rylie Cooper was so adorable and charming that I couldn’t hold his chosen profession against him. Plus isn’t that the dream? That the horrible one night stand you had in college was just really going through a tough time and lives every day regretting how colossally he messed up?

I also loved the discussion of toxic workplace culture and how it can even pit friends friends against one another. Even family run business are simply looking out for their bottom line and it’s so important to remember that. Some of the worst female “mentors” I had in the finance industry were really just trying to put me down and take advantage of me so those scenes really hummed for me in this book.

Try if you like…
🎭 10 things I Hate About You (greatest romcom heroine of our time)
⭐️Funny You Should Ask (for the interview of it all)
🐈‍⬛ Paige Desorbo from Summer House (just in general, cause we love a woman who knows her worth and puts a man in his place)
🎤Good Material (again with women knowing their worth)
🎙️ Nobody Wants This (for the hot, messy podcasters)
🗽 You, Again (for the NYC setting, bi rep, when harry met sally of it all)

no bc i am eva, eva is me. like, that's literally it.

okay, not actually, but seriously i really loved this one!! i love a good black cat x golden retriever dynamic and this gave what needed to be given. like, rent must be due bc mazey eddings delivered so hard here. the whole concept is actually really entertaining, if a bit cringey at time. i imagined the sausage talk show to be like an overly sexualized version of the chicken shop dates on youtube and like ... that's literally what it was. why has no author ever used that concept before?

lovedddd the characters. like i said, i saw so much of myself in eva and just related to some of her opinions and experiences sm. except i don't have a hot golden retriever man making me slowly fall in love with him. where is my rylie cooper fr!!!

absolutely recommend. no notes. i enjoyed the writing and the plot and adored the characters and this COVER!!! i'm buying the paperback the second it comes out simply to have this cover on my shelf (also i liked the book but yk, priorities).

This one was a doozy for me, in an good emotional rollercoaster and big feelings way. I finished it almost in one sitting, staying up too late to see how it would end. Eva Kitt was almost a too tough trope but her softness peaking through evened out me wanting to strangle her for putting up a front. Rylie Cooper was an incredible character, and his trauma was handled really well. LOVED THIS ONE.

I enjoy books by Mazey Eddings, she brings a new perspective that I appreciate. This one was a fun little story. With lots of current / pop culture references, I do wonder how well this book will age though.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher for an eArc in exchange for a honest review!!!

This book was CUUUUUTE. It is laugh out loud funny and the flirting makes you blush and kick your feet. Think Chicken shop date vibes. Good character development + chemistry was there!!

This was super cute and so funny. I was cackling out loud sooo many times. Rylie was so so sweet and funny and he was down so bad for Eva, i was swooning for him!

I loved their banter so much, but i do think there were times when Eva was unnecessarily mean when she shouldn’t have been. Sometimes she took it a little bit too far. I wish she would’ve continued with therapy sessions after her and Rylie went, because she is holding in to so much stuff, especially concerning her family that was kind of brushed over. And im sad we didn’t learn what she is going to start doing for work at the end.

But overall, i would recommend this!

4.5⭐️

This book seemed like a cute concept, but I was unprepared for the way this book grabbed me and wouldn’t let go while making me laugh the whole time. Eva’s black cat energy full of quick wit and snark, coupled with Rylie’s golden retriever personally made for great tension and plenty of banter.

Like many second chance romances, there was a bit of miscommunication, or lack there of in their initial relationship, which lead to years of wishing things had turned out differently for each of them. When Eva stumbles upon a video of her ex on social media discussing red flags women should walk away from, Eva tipsily makes a response video calling Rylie out on all the red flags he exhibited during their brief college romance. When the video goes viral, the two are pushed together on a series of dates for Rylie to atone for how he treated Eva and to explore how Rylie has changed, documenting it all for their respective audiences. However, while Eva is vehemently opposed to the whole social experiment, Rylie is excited by the prospect of righting a wrong he has thought about for years. What Eva doesn’t anticipate, is the meaner she is and the more she pushes Rylie away, the harder he chases her.

The characters are dynamic and each undergo significant character development, on and off the page. Eva is incredibly relatable and Rylie is utterly charming. The story is well balanced and evenly paced with sharp and fluid prose that makes it easy to read in one sitting. I was invested in Rylie and Eva’s personal journeys as well as their happily ever after.
—
🎙️ Second chance romance
❤️ Black cat x golden retriever
🎙️ Lovers to enemies to lovers
❤️ Stop being so mean or I’ll fall in love with you
🎙️ Talk show/podcast
❤️ Banter & wit
🎙️ Positive therapy representation
❤️ Depression & mental health
🎙️ Death of a loved one (off page)
❤️ Bisexual FMC and MMC
🎙️ Open door
❤️ Single POV
📍NYC
—
“To fuck around is human, to find out is divine.”
—
“Sometimes you have to shove yourself out of the way and take a risk… Happiness might not be the outcome but it’s worth a chance.”
—
“Kitten, I’d rather spend every day getting in a pointless argument with you for sport than be bored and complacent with anyone else.”
—
Thank you St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin & NetGalley for this complimentary ARC - all thoughts are my own! 📚
Publishers release date 8/5/2025

I always love Mazey’s writing and this book was the perfect way to get me back into reading her stuff. I loved the concept of this story and loved both of the characters.

This was a fun romp and I enjoyed!! At times the internet culture speak was distracting and I often find myself wondering how references like this will age. It’s a hard line to walk! Despite this complaint, I did find myself rooting for the characters and engrossed in the story.