This is my first time reading a book by Mazey Eddings, so I was eager to get started. While the premise was intriguing and some topics/conversations had were deeply moving, there were several components that didn’t work for me.

I struggled the most with the FMC. I suspect her dialogue was intended to come off as quick-witted and humorous, but I found it occasionally cruel and juvenile, much like her actions of literally running away several times when a mature conversation needed to be had. We’re given backstory as to why she feels/behaves the way she does, but not enough depth to make me emotionally invested. Her character did improve in the last third for me, but I was tempted to DNF halfway through.

My affections towards the MMC grew as he began to open up about why he behaved the way he did and aimed to genuinely right his wrongs. I really appreciated his communication and support of the FMC. His vulnerability definitely struck a chord. I had a difficult time, however, understanding his character for the first half of the book. He alternated between intense moments of cautiousness and apprehension to being dominating and confident, which made the first intimacy scene a little jarring for me. Perhaps having his POV would’ve helped me to better grasp his character and better connect with him.

The friendships presented, while initially interesting, didn’t progress all that much and felt very surface level to me. I was hoping for more from them.

Also, the amount of attention given to detailing characters’ physical reactions to situations and the repetitive way in which they were described turned me off. There was a lot of winking, blushing, nostrils flaring, glasses askew, and staring, and I didn’t think it was all entirely necessary.

While the cover and synopsis drew me in and I found some parts to be strong and/or endearing, I’m not sure if I’ll seek out this author’s work again as I don’t seem to be particularly compatible with her writing style.

** Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. **

Mazey Eddings hits it out of the park every time! This book is so funny and sexy and fun while balancing heavier topics like mental health struggles, grief, and toxic work environments. Highly recommend for fans of Chicken Shop Date, men in slutty glasses, and black cat/golden retriever pairings.

From the moment I saw the cover I knew I had to read this!

Mazey really nailed the black cat/golden retriever vibe with our main characters Eva and Rylie. Eva Kitt, a mid-twenties media personality (think oAmelia from Chicken Shop date), calls out Rylie, a beloved podcast creator, for treating her poorly and ghosting her in the past. This quickly gains viral traction leading Eva to interview Rylie on her show… only for Rylie to ask for a chance to redeem himself and prove her assumptions about him wrong.

I loved the premise of going on their dates and then the post re-cap review on his podcast. The banter and quips between the two on and off camera was genuinely clever and so fun to see their give and take.

TY NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for this ARC - I had such a fun time reading this one!!

This book was hilarious! After a short relationship that culminated in one (awful) night, Eva has held on to her disdain for Rylie for six years. So when he’s an influencer famous for calling out toxic masculinity Eva speaks up about her experience with college Rylie.

But, oopsies, her video talking about his lackluster performance and subsequent ghosting goes viral. This story follows the couple as they “date” to help her acquire views and for him to prove that he isn’t the jerk he was back then.

The banter between these two is top tier as Rylie lives his best golden retriever life while Eva thrives in all of her black cat glory. Through a disastrous date, surprising vulnerability, and a comical cast of side characters, things become more real for these exes.

This book will have you laughing, feeling swoony, and at moments so frustrated you want to scream as you can’t help but cheer on these two and their love story.

I loved Late Bloomers by Maxey Eddings, and Well Actually was another slam dunk. This was a perfect rom com book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️🌶️

This book was so great and had such an incredible message at the end that I’ll be thinking about it for a long time.

I loved the whole take on going viral, rivals to lovers, second chance, and the nod to Amelia and the Chicken Shop Dates!!

Riley is my dream man and god, what I would do for a nerdy man in ironic crewnecks to call me pretty and say dirty things to me. I love him so much. Truly. His undying love and support of Eva and his friends made me so happy and my heart so full.

Speaking of Eva, I love a black cat woman and she was the epitome of it. Her sass, snark, and pessimism was so fucking funny at times I was literally laughing out loud. The little digs she made to Riley and her comebacks were hilarious and I’ll definitely be using some of them in the future.

My only qualm was that this book seemed to drag on at a few points. And the chapters were SO LONG. There’s only 25 of them in the entire book and I definitely felt like they could have been broken up to make more chapters and have it not feel so long.

But this book was great! The message at the end really made me take a look at the work force and question just how much time and effort I’ve put into jobs where I was replaceable.

Thank you so much to SMP for this ARC! 🫶🏻

Witty banter to balance serious topics in a romance is my literary love language. I throughly enjoyed my time with this book and could not get enough of the quick-witted comebacks. It made it a fun read without taking away from the story and character development as we got to know them and learned their stories.

This was my first Mazey Eddings book and now I’m off to read her entire backlist. Thank you Net Galley for the ARC!

let's be honest: any book that starts with a woman begrudgingly hosting a show called Sausage Talk is already a masterpiece in the making. add in a viral call-out, a reformed (or is he?) ex, and some forced proximity disguised as “educational dating,” and you’ve got a rom-com juicier than a ballpark frank.

Eva Kitt (fmc) is the kind of heroine we all root for—sharp, sarcastic, and just the right amount of petty. she's stuck grilling sad hot dogs instead of hard-hitting political figures, but when she publicly drags her ex, Rylie, and it accidentally explodes online, she finds herself face-to-face with the man who once shattered her heart. and, plot twist: he’s now a wholesome internet sensation teaching men how not to be the worst. GROSS. BARF.

Rylie, for his part, is the perfect mix of charming and infuriating. he offers Eva a deal—let him take her on a series of dates to prove he’s changed, then roast him for it on his channel. honestly, it’s a genius setup. a little revenge? a little career boost? a little emotional torment? we love to see it. but of course, what starts as a takedown tour quickly turns into something more complicated (aka, “uh-oh, he might actually be a good guy now”). he was such a green flag here tho.

their chemistry was off the charts. the banter? kiss kiss. the slow realization that Eva might still have feelings for the man she’s determined to destroy was so satisfying. and let’s not forget the true hero of this book: Sausage Talk itself, a show so tragically hilarious that you almost want it to be real.

hey YOU! YES YOU! if like your rom-coms with sharp wit, a touch of second-chance romance, and a side of existential dread over processed meats, this book delivers.

4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️, extra mustard. hold the cheese.

I cannot believe we are only a few days into February and I found my first 5 star read of the month. I’ll be honest I had no expectations going into this book. A friend of mine read it a week before and said great things. But I still didn’t think much of it. But hot dang Mrs. Mazey Endings!! Coming out of complete left field with this banger. I loved this book so much I immediately jumped onto B&N website and pre-ordered my trophy copy immediately. And I’m now contemplating dropping 300 dollars on a romance convention to meet Mazy in August when she comes to my hometown. Just what a wild turn of events this book has brought my way. And trust me I’m not mad about it in the slightest. Clearly I’m about rave out this book repeatedly so I hope y’all enjoy!

From the very first line I was hooked. “Well, Actually” seriously has one of the best opening lines in a book I’ve read in a long. I was immediately laughing and seriously couldn’t put the book down until I was done. Eva & Rylie had my blushing, giggling, screaming, crying..seriously the whole 9 yards. I cannot Gush enough good things about these two. I’ve read a lot of romance books in my life. But these two will go down as some of my favorites and as some of the healthiest fictional couples. When I say healthy I don’t mean fitness wise, no honey I mean mentally. It’s so refreshing to see two characters openly communicating, going to therapy and working together to continuously build each other up. I seriously wish all other romance books would take notes from Eva & Rylie because they are killing it. Also can’t forget to mention, the chemistry between the two of them is off the freaking charts. Their flirting and banter had me hook, line and sinker!!

Even as individuals they were fantastic. Eva is a ball buster. She’s brash, strong and honestly everything I want to strive to be. Rylie is our sunshine golden retriever MMC. That mean is loyal and will never hesitate to fight for what he believes. I seriously wish Rylie wasn’t fictional because I need a Rylie in my life stat!

Overall, if you cannot already tell I highly recommend this book. Please check this book out when it releases August 2025! Lastly big thank you to NetGalley & St. Martins Press for providing me an arc to read and review.

Mazey Eddings does no wrong. If she writes I will read it. Eva and Riley’s banter is unmatched. Riley is trying to gain Eva’s attention and Eva isn’t having it. It doesn’t matter how mean Eva is to Riley, he always comes back for more. I loved the journey they went through from exploring there past to get to now. As always Mazey brings out the emotion in the best way. The perfect book if you are looking for a romance full of banter, emotion and a splash of spice.

I LOVEDDDDD this book so much it's not even funny. I think it found me at the exact right time when I was going through many of the topics tackled by the main character, while also being healed enough to not bawl my eyes out every two lines. I resonated so much with Eva and I love the banter she and Rylie constantly have - the fact that it doesn't stop when they're dating actually makes it 100 times better and also more believable. I also want to add, it's so REFRESHING to finally read about a male main character that isn't extremely buffed and overmasculine and jealous and protective to a point where he's annoying. Rylie is amazing and such a green flag (I'm so happy I read this).

As a small thing to note I would say the story lacked a bit of conflict for me. There was little tension in that department; I was hoping for more issues with maybe Aida or something since I thought herbehaviour was very weird, but we kinda get a bit of action at the very end of the book. I could've knocked .25 down from the rating but since I loved the rest of it so much I can't be bothered honestly. I still wanted to mention it in case it's helpful for someone else.

Overall yes 10/10 and I will be reading more from Mazey Eddings.

Synopsis: Eva Kitt is disillusioned with the trajectory of her career. She had aspired to be a journalist but is instead interviewing minor celebrities on Sausage Talk while eating hot dogs. One night after a few too many drinks, she posts a video calling out her ex from college, Rylie Cooper, for his toxic behaviour. The video goes viral and she wakes up to a demand from her employer to come in for a meeting. Expecting to be fired, instead she is ordered to do a series of episodes with Rylie Cooper! Eva fully expects it to be a terrible experience, but is willing to do anything to have the chance at a real career.

Commentary: I have very mixed feelings on this novel. As a reader relatively new to the romance genre, I went with an open mind. I had quite a good time with the first half of the book - the banter between Rylie and Eva was sharp and humorous, and there was a fun, sparky sexual tension. The scene involving their first date is simply hilarious. However, once they did the deed, things were somewhat disappointing from my perspective. The storyline involving Eva's career struggles delivers an underwhelming conclusion, while the relationship between Eva and Rylie, previously so sassy and fun, alternates between maudlin displays of emotion and bouts of panting and prodding. I had to push myself through the last 50 pages.

Romance devotees might love this one, but it wasn't for me. Also of note is that I am not really a fan of explicit sex scenes and some of this was too much for me.

My friend convinced me to give romantic comedy books a try and I am so glad they did - this book was so cute. I am a huge fan of the grumpy / sunshine but this is my first black cat / golden retriever and I am obsessed! I wasn’t sure if I would enjoy this based on the synopsis, but I giggled and enjoyed this novel. I love a fierce independent FMC, and Eva is particularly brash, bold, deadpan and blunt. Eva intimidates me in the best of ways with her “hot girl” attitude.I’ve always been a bit soft for the golden retriever energy and found myself cheering for Riley despite his over-earnestness. While a predictable love story it is comforting in the familiarity. This book did have a few quieter, reflective moments and I am all for the idea of letting some walls down to let people in. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book! I received a copy of this book in exchange for my review of this book. This review is my own thoughts and feelings, no one else’s though I hope you enjoy the book and learn about the hot girl attitude like I did!

i read a couple chapters of this one and unfortunately don't think this is a book for me so i am going to dnf for now. thank you so much for the arc, it's truly appreciated!

Just a fun story! I love the cover, love the writing, the banter, and the characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I haven’t been this hooked on a contemporary
romance in a long, long time.
‘Well, Actually’ was inclusive, liberating, and so
thoughtful. I hadn’t realized how desperate I
was for a self-aware MMC. Enter Riley Cooper!
Eva Kitt is strong-willed, feisty, and unwilling to
be hurt again. The combination of these two
personalities made for some of the wittiest banter
I’ve read. But what was found in between those
annihilating one-liners was something special - two
people who have experienced their own losses and
hurts truly working to create a bond of trust and
safe communication.
I was especially surprised to find, alongside all
the swooning, an important dialogue about what
it is often like to be a woman in corporate
America. The experience found in these pages is all
too common, and Mazey Eddings didn’t shy
away from it one bit.

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings is a sharp, witty, and emotionally charged second-chance romance that blends internet culture, personal growth, and sizzling chemistry.

Eva Kitt, a journalist with unfulfilled ambitions, finds herself stuck hosting Sausage Talk, a show as ridiculous as its name. But when she unexpectedly calls out her ex, Rylie Cooper—a now-famous influencer dismantling toxic masculinity—on air, the internet erupts. To save face, Rylie proposes a deal: a series of public “redemption” dates, filmed for his channel, to prove he's changed.

Eva is determined to use this opportunity to boost her career (and drag Rylie’s reputation through the mud), but as sparks fly and old wounds resurface, she has to confront a shocking truth—maybe Rylie has changed, and maybe, just maybe, their love story isn’t over yet.

With Mazey Eddings’ signature humor and heart, Well, Actually is a must-read for fans of enemies-to-lovers, internet drama, and love stories with real emotional depth.

This is my dream romantic pairing. Sarcastic "hard to love" FMC meets golden retriever MMC.

Loved this delightful romcom. It had endless sarcastic wit and banter and a sweet romance at the heart of it. At times Eva walked the line of almost too mean, but i love a difficult FMC.

okay i really enjoyed this one!! coming off from late bloomer, i felt the pacing of 'well, actually' was great, the banter between both characters was effortless, and the romance was so sweet and fun. i definitely recommend this and am so thankful for the arc!!

This book got me through many dental appts this week lol. Super funny rom com ~loosely based on the viral video series Chicken Shop Date. but it’s hotdogs so it’s camp✨ This book was seriously funny but also had a lot of great discussions around therapy and working on yourself which is a dichotomy I love!! If you enjoyed Nora in Book Lovers I think you’ll love this main character🫶 and there are so many great side characters to root for so fingers crossed for some spinoff books🤞