5 freaking stars and a standing ovation!!! Eddings might have just wrote the romcom book of the year for me!! The grumpy/sunshine energy was so good and I loved that Eva was that grumpy/black cat and Rylie was sunshine/golden retriever. I don’t typically read a lot of second chance tropes, but i think Eddings might have changed me. I need 500 more books by Mazey Eddings asap.

4/5! Well actually, I loved the premise of this book! Think hot ones or chicken shop date goes behind the scenes with lots of drama! The Banter between Eva and Rylie was hilarious. We get an amazing cameo from one erotic baker. Definitely recommend for a quick engaging romance with lots going on, which is on point for Mazey Eddings. I thought the representation of characters was well done. The only things that brought this book from a 5 star read to a 4 star read for me was the villains felt surface level and I wish it was longer to dig more into Rylie’s past traumas.

Thank you so much St. Martins Press and Net Galley for this ARC!!!

Mazey Eddings is always a hit, but I absolutely devoured this one! Eva Kitt and Rylie Cooper are the best duo. Rylie has found some fame with his podcast and social media presence, but all Eva recalls of him was his disappointing performance when they hooked up and the way he ghosted her in college. Cut to a night when Eva’s had too much to drink (after a frustrating work day where she hosts a hot dog eating interview show) and goes on a bit of an online rant about the beloved Rylie Cooper. It goes viral. Instead of getting fired, Eva’s forced to interview Rylie on her show where he makes a promise that he’ll make up for his college failings. This book is witty with brilliant characters. I cannot wait for Mazey Eddings’ next book.

I ADORED this book. What an incredible story with great representation and a story arc that felt real and genuine. This black cat/golden retriever romance was everything I thought it would be and more.

Things I loved:
- the banter! it was *chef's kiss*. I loved how Rylie could hold his own against Eva and not get offended.
- the queer rep - done so well
- the spicy scenes were perfect
- hilarity ensued almost the entire time. It isn't often that I laugh out loud with books but this one had me cackling a few times
- the plot was believable and something that I could see really happening

Things I didn't like:
- absolutely nothing. Honestly, this book was great.

Overall this book was fun, easy to read, and a great ending. Would 100% recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! It was exciting in the beginning when Eva and Rylie were enemies trying to overcome their past hurts and challenging each other to go on dates. But I felt like their physical relationship happened too soon, before they could even work out their misunderstandings, and I loved that after that point they were mostly happy and together, but it seemed to go from a steady 30 mph to 100 mph. There was so much emphasis on writing the spice but not as much the emotional component after they fell into each other's arms. I appreciated that there was no third-act breakup, but Eva was so stubborn and closed off that it was difficult to like her sometimes. Nonetheless, this was a good story and it's probably the best Mazey Eddings book so far!

The writing was good and I could see myself really getting into this author with a different plot! For this book though, I struggled with how many mean everyone was, especially the best friend. Also, the workplace toxicity put me in a bad headspace. I know to pay attention to that content warning next time it comes up 🫡

4.25 stars! This book was so fun. Readers will immediately pick up on some similarities to real creators, which is a great way to hook people in. We have second chance romance, one sided enemies to lovers, yearning, and spice in this one, and it does not disappoint.

The first 50% of the book was my favorite because I love the black cat, golden retriever dynamic between Eva and Rylie. It was rewarding to see their relationship unfold and the walls break down over the last half of the book.

When it comes to romance books, it seems like many authors make communication the main conflict between the couple. While this is definitely a real issue that partners do experience, it seems so trivial when reading in fiction. It was refreshing that communication was mot the main conflict between our main characters - thank you for this!

But for real, where can I find myself a Rylie Cooper? It was so enjoyable reading about a well-adjusted male protagonist who has done some honest to god work on himself to be better person for himself.

This was so entertaining and fun! I definitely recommend this book.

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

This was such a cute one! Eva’s struggles were very relatable and I loved her wit. The chemistry with Rylie was palpable from the start. “I’d gladly kiss the ground you walk on if it made you smile.” 🥹

Mazey Eddings captivated me from the start with Eva and Rylie. This second chance romance, with its Black Cat/Golden retriever characters hooked me and this book was unputdownable.

Things I LOVED: The banter was absolutely chef's kiss. She's downright mean, and he holds his own and throws it right back. Eva feels very Rory Gilmore if she was meaner/snarkier/sexier--and I couldn't help but love her. These two had me audibly laughing on several occasions, and I'd say I'm pretty stingy with actual laughter while reading. Beyond the giggles, they were emotionally vulnerable as well which made the spicier scenes more enjoyable and real.

My only complaint would be that golden retriever Rylie and his gray eyes (there may or may not be 10+ mentions to the color of his eyes), may be just a touch too good to be true. Let's face it, however, I'm not reading romance because I expect these men to be real. He may have ghosted her in the past, but there is not a character flaw of his that I could spot.

This will absolutely be a physical book I'll want to add to my shelf to read again!

A great big thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

THIS ONE WAS SO MUCH FUN. The cover pulled me in immediately, and it tells you everything you need to know about this book.

Rylie is the kind of MMC who falls into the category of men who are down so bad it’s borderline pathetic, and I mean that as the highest compliment. He looks at Eva with literal hearts in his eyes. He has golden retriever energy but with so much more depth—grappling with past grief, dedicating himself to activism, and genuinely trying to make men better partners via his podcast platform (the bar is in hell, but he’s actually doing the work). Eva is a classic New York ice queen in her 20s, and we absolutely love her for it. She’s sharp, funny, and carries herself with an untouchable confidence, but beneath the sarcasm and walls, she has an ooey-gooey center waiting for the right person to see it.

The banter between them is some of the best I’ve read in a while. This book begs to be read with your best friends so you can text back and forth about the funniest one-liners. But beyond the humor, there’s so much heart, and their second-chance romance is electric.

Both main characters are bisexual, and the book explores how that has shaped their lives in meaningful ways. The struggles of dealing with a toxic job also felt incredibly relatable. Not the part about interviewing B-list celebrities while eating hot dogs, lol, but the experience of working under an awful boss and learning when to walk away.

I loved every second of this.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

Thank you St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange from my honest thoughts.

From one glance at the cover, I immediately thought this book would be inspired by Amelia Dimoldenberg and her show Chicken Shop Date. And while the main character is the host of show where she interviews celebrities while eating hot dogs, Eva could not be more different than Amelia.

I fell in love with this story because Eva is inherently flawed, but she's also very aware of it. She was a strong lead that showcased a tougher exterior I'm not used to seeing in romance novels. I'm typically not the biggest fan of second chance romance, but this book sold me. The chemistry between the two main characters was palpable and made the book fly by.

As this is my first time reading one of Mazey Eddings' books, I'm excited to read some of her others!

4.5/5 ⭐️

This was… okay, I guess. I really didn’t like the female main character and thought she was pretty unrealistic. The male main character was fine, but somewhat forgettable. The conflicts in the book made me roll my eyes, and the spice was over the top and cringey.

The second half of the book was far better than the first, but overall, this was not for me. I much prefer stories with depth instead of excessive spice that covers the lack of plot.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an advance copy of Well, Actually.

This book was hilarious. The banter between the two leads was 10/10 and I was smiling/laughing throughout the whole book.
It's got all of my favourite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, he falls first, black cat/cinnamon roll. And no third act breakup, which I really appreciate.

Well, Actually features social media fame, forced proximity, and second-chance romance. The FMC is emotionally distant, often immature, and deflects with snarky humor, making meaningful conversations difficult. She resents the forced proximity despite causing it and struggles with accountability. Her repeated insistence that their past relationship was a mistake feels overdone, and while she acknowledges her immaturity, she doesn’t work to change it. Mental health is only discussed during sex, and it takes 70% of the book for her to admit her feelings.

Meanwhile, the MMC shows more self-awareness and growth, navigating grief and sexual identity while making genuine efforts to connect—even attending therapy, only for the FMC to dismiss it as “fake.”

Despite solid writing and engagement, the characters and humor didn’t resonate with me. Fans of black cat/golden retriever dynamics and second-chance romance might enjoy it, as well as those interested in discussions of queer identities, grief, mental health, and toxic workplaces.

Also, there are similarities to Chicken Shop Date with Amelia and Andrew Garfield.

I have mixed feelings on this title; it was very middle of the road. There really wasn't anything bad about the book, but it also wasn't revelatory either. I do really love Mazey Eddings' writing style, I find that she is super endearing to her readers. I absolutely loved her "A Brush With Love" series so I'm not sure if I'm underwhelmed where this was a stand-alone? Also, cute tie-in having Lizzie join the hot dog show!!

I'll always read the next book by Eddings, but this one was a very firm "meh". Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!

Okay, it’s cute. I liked it. Eva is bitchy. She’s not nice. She’s not easy. She hates what she does because she wants to be a journalist, not interviewing people just as desperate as she is. Rylie is sweet. So sickly sweet

Well, Actually was a cute Rom-Com. It took me a little while to get into it, but once I did it was a fast read. The characters were likable. It was a good, modern twist on the enemies to lovers trope.

I know a 3 star rating is a good, solid rating, however, I’ve given the previous 5 books by this author 5 stars. So this is my first book by my favorite author that I haven’t given 5 stars. Absolutely devastating to me.

But this books was good, it just didn’t have the emotional punch or same humor imo that the authors previous books had.

This was an enjoyable read with a lot of heart. I would say it was mid-to-high tier for me. There was a lot of yearning and a sweetie-pie of a male love interest. A little too much spice for me, but it was at least built up in a way that made sense as opposed to just throwing it in to check a box.

Overall, well done!

3.5/5.00, rounded up.

✨thank you netgalley for this arc✨

3.5 ⭐️

this is basically chicken shop date x call her daddy x amelia dimz x andrew garfield

and i was sooooo here for it. i also love female rage and a plain ol’ mean FMC so this was so much fun for me