3.8 stars.
When Prince Charming, from Shrek, says, <i>“not here, kitten whiskers”</i> 🥴🤢
When Rylie, our MMC, says, <i>“kitten, I’d rather spend every day getting in a pointless argument with you for sport than be bored and complacent with anyone else.”</i> 🥰😍

This was soooo fun. The banter was funny and entertaining while the tension was THICK. It was frustrating watching Eva Kitt, our FMC, have such low self esteem and struggle to stand up for herself at times, but this story and her overall growth was great to witness. I won’t lie, there reached a point where I was like, “okay do we really need another smut scene right now?” BUT… still enjoyed reading this quite a bit. In fact, I finished it in less than 24 hours.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

I am going to need a solid 5-8 business days to recover from this book. This was my first Mazey Eddings read (despite her being recommended to me on the regular) and I have to say... I am hooked and ready to purchase her entire backlog.
I was not prepared for the expert level of banter, self-reflection, romance, and overall HEART this story contained. Eva Kitt is a strong personality, but the way she was written had me cheering for her and feeling empathy and compassion for the deep wounds of her past. And the groveling Cooper took upon himself. Holy shitttttttt. So hot. SO SO SO hot. Listen, I was trying to be as professional as those two were doing their podcast, but all my flabbers were gasted in the best way. Thank you so much to whoever approved me for this ARC and why is August so far away?!?!? I need more people to read this so we can lament together!!!

If sarcasm is your love language - this one is for you. It was hilarious from the start to finish and I couldn’t put it down! Eva Kitt is the host of “sausage party” a web show where she interviews B-list celebrities and internet sensations while eating phallic shaped foods (usually hot dogs). One night she sees her ex (Riley Cooper) from college on social media. He’s a famous podcaster who’s gotten popular for giving dating advice to women online. She drunkenly replies to one of his videos - blasting him for breaking her heart all those years ago. He responds with a challenge - let him take her on a series of dates to show that he’s changed and they’ll post it to their platforms online, but what starts as a way to get more viewership quickly turns into something deeper. I love Eva Kitt. Yes, she is mean and no she doesn’t trust easily. But she GROWS throughout the novel and learns to be vulnerable with herself and Rylie. And I ADORED Rylie “slutty glasses” Cooper. I loved his character growth, his self awareness, and how comfortable he was with his sexuality. I loved that he never pushes Eva to soften herself for the world but just to let him in. He’s a hot nerd and he owns it and i was straight up FERAL for the “good girl” scenes. I haven’t enjoyed a romance novel like this in a while and plan on working my way through Mazey’s backlist now.

From the minute I read the bio of this book I was intrigued….I thought I was going to get the typical contemporary romance but it was so much more. The characteristics of the main character made it feel so real and raw. I felt connected to Eva with the defensive mechanisms throughout the book when it comes to love, relationships, and the value we put on ourselves with our jobs. I wish I had a Rylie in my life who is not afraid to step up and support Eva. Their relationship is now one of my favorites.….
The other thing that needs to be addressed is the next level banter of the two main characters. It is witty, funny, and loving. The sparring between the two main characters makes it oh so much fun to read and had me giggling and kicking my feet. “Well Actually” is a great read for any romance reader who likes a second chance trope, banter, spice, and someone who fights for you and with you!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press | St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for this advance readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

Well, Actually is a second chance romance between Eva and Rylie, six years after a disastrous few weeks of dating and a lackluster sexual encounter in college. After being reunited for a video segment then Eva is roped into dates and more social media videos with Rylie which he uses to right the wrongs of their youthful relationship. This all takes place within the confines of Eva’s toxic workplace and her career struggles. There are a number of serious topics addressed throughout including death, grief, misogyny, mental health, relationship baggage, self-worth, family issues, and coming out. Maybe too many serious issues that they all feel addressed but superficially.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley + SMP for the arc!

I didn’t get the chance to read Mazey’s “Late Bloomer” but I had heard amazing things, so I was very excited to receive an ARC for Well, Actually. Especially since I’m a big fan of Chicken Shop Date and Andrew Garfield (iykyk).

Overall, I really enjoyed it but I did have a hard time relating to/enjoying Eva. I did like her growth by the end but there were times where it was hard to get through. Especially when you think about the grudge she holds over a college fling. However, if it weren’t for Rylie, I’m not sure I would’ve liked this as much as I did. Mazey writes banter incredibly well and Rylie Cooper is something else. I loved every time he was on the page. Is it a cute read? Absolutely. Would I recommend it? Yeah! But it’s not my favorite I’ve ever read!

My favorite Mazey Eddings book to date! It is so deeply funny and fun, and I tore through this. The heavier topics are well balanced as always with her books, but the voices are just so unforgettable,I absolutely loved it.

I think the only thing I didn’t like about this book were Landry, William, and the farce of company that Eva worked at. A hot dog interviewing segment?? That should have been the first red flag for this entire company. 10/10 reflected the nasty ugly side Soundbites revealed at the end. While I am sad that Eva had that humiliating meeting, I love that she had support from Rylie AND Aida at what could have been blow to her career.

Eva doesn’t give black cat energy, SHE IS A BLACK CAT. and you know what pairs well with black cats? Golden retrievers. God, Rylie is such a cute match for my girl Eva and her biting comments. He is in love with her just as much as I am.

Usually second chance romances fall a little flat, because if I’m being honest, getting with an ex sounds like a horrible idea. But I LOVED how well Eddings wrote out this trope. You can be young and fuck up, but you can also learn and grown and become a better version of yourself.

10000/10 spice - I feel a little dizzy from those chapters if I’m being honest. Their chemistry was HOT even when Eva was in denial about this whole ordeal.

Very much loved, can’t wait to get a paperback copy for my collection!!!

I was asked to read and review “Well, Actually” by Mazey Eddings. This novel poses an interesting premise about reconnecting with an ex in the most innovative way.

I am new to Mazey Eddings but I found her writing straightforward and honest. I felt this novel was geared more toward the millennial, so as a 50 year old, perhaps a few references went over my head. I also wanted the main female character, Eva, to be less snarky. I felt she was too young to already be so cynical. Though this is categorized as a romance novel, it wasn’t super sweet, though it had its cute moments. The dialogue between Eva and Riley brought their dynamic to life. I also felt the novel portrayed the spectrum of sexuality in a way I have not seen in other novels.

Three and a half out of five stars.

Thanks to Net Galley, the author and publisher for a chance to read this novel.

Thank you to St. Martins Press for the ARC! I read Lizzie's Blake's Best Mistake last year and I really loved Mazey Eddings writing style. She writes with a lot of heart and I felt like the characters in this book really go on a journey of self discovery and self acceptance, while they navigate their relationship. Eva and Rylie met in college and had a lackluster couple of dates, despite the fact that they really liked each other. Six years later. Eva is in journalism and interviews B-List Celebrities and Rylie hosts a popular podcast. Eva decides to call out Rylie on his bad behavior in college online and it goes unexpectedly viral. She then is forced to work with him on a collaboration, because the viral video brings a lot of attention to her employer. When they meet up, he convinces her to let him take her on 6 dates. Their connection is fun and flirty and Eva's personality is sassy and
blunt, which I loved about her. This one is definitely 5 stars for me!

Eva Kitt is an incredibly entertaining main character who has had her fair share of misery. Even though she could be miserable, she was also hilarious. I’m not much of an annotator, but I couldn’t stop myself from highlighting her witty lines. I know people are going to say she’s too mean, but I’ve always loved a “mean girl” main character.

As for sweet angel Rylie Cooper, I find it kind of poetic that this man shares a first name with my golden retriever. He is adorable, loving, and is the type of person who always shows up. I am a sucker for a lover boy, and he is the definition of one.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was funny, sarcastic, compassionate, and a lot of fun!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC! This was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and I feel so lucky that I got to read it early.

The tension, banter, and slow-burning chemistry make for a captivating read, keeping you engaged from start to finish. It's the perfect blend of conflict and connection that makes the payoff all the more satisfying when they finally come together.

If you love a well-crafted Rivals-to-Lovers romance, this book is a must-read!

This was Mazey Eddings at her best! Well, Actually is such a delightful romp. I fell in love with Eva and Rylie immediately, they had perfect chemistry from the first encounter on page. Their banter was pitch-perfect, and this story fully explained how and why their initial romance fizzled. It felt real, not contrived. This is the kind of Rivals-to-Lovers romance that I adore, where you are smitten with both characters and really hope and pray they figure things out!

The spiciness is lovely and I think every guy should be more like Rylie. He's pretty wonderful and his growth and development is really seen through their dialogue. I loved how realistic Eva's job was, with the pseudojournalism-for-clicks aspect of her show and how frustrating that was for her. Eva had some work to do as well, to fully believe in herself and deal with a manipulative workplace/supervisors and a misogynistic media space. Eddings is always whipsmart with her social commentary, and that is fully displayed in this book. I'll be recommending it to everyone, there are butterflies galore when Eva and Rylie are together in a scene.

Special thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC.

Wanted to love this one because I’m a big Mazey Eddings fan, but the FMC was just too mean for me, and the storyline too unrealistic. Appreciated the Lizzie cameo. Thanks NetGalley for the ARC 😊

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for providing an eARC of Well, Actually. If you perhaps got really excited by the Andrew Garfield Chicken Shop Date, then this may in fact be for you specifically.

Release Date: August 5, 2025
Rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️
Vibes:
• Podcast nice guy x burnt-out journalist
• the entertainment industry does not care about you as a person
• being a b!tch in the name of protecting yourself
• "give me six dates to prove I am a better man than I was 6 years ago"

With all I am about to go off about, this was still fun and I did absolutely devour it. The true biggest crime of this book was the jomforter (jean comforter.... comforter made of denim).

I really just need to say that you will not like this book if unnecessarily snappy main characters, because boy oh boy does Eva really need help with that. For someone that wants to talk trash about others being bad, she could very much use therapy for her behavior (and she really should have been called out on this).

After a drunken video calling out her college ex (aforementioned podcast nice guy) for ghosting her and treating her poorly goes viral overnight, Eva must now interview him on her sarcastic hot dog interview show called Sausage Talk. Rylie insists on having changed since then and asks Eva to give him six dates to prove it, all while airing it out on both of their shows. Eva is pretty much forced into doing so with the promise of a promotion, and ability to work on something she cares about, being held over her head.

As expected, there was more to why Rylie was so distant in college. He has gone to therapy, worked on himself, and is actually a good person. My issue? Why the HECK are we supposed to be focused on him becoming better rather than watching Eva grow up?

She is unbelievably terrible the whole book, all in the name of being a Hot Girl. I thought I was going to love that aspect of not taking crap from anyone, but honestly she isn't even good at that with her only really being that way with people she cares about instead of the people who actually deserve that kind of treatment. We see Eva being taken advantage of in an business that could not care less about her and a very toxic work environment full of harassment and nonconsensual recording.

There were also really great points about society and how we talk about sex! Conversations on taking out the size/shape of genitalia was really nice since there really isn't a normal, and verbally punishing people for their body is not in any way helpful or productive. The characters also talking about sexuality and the difficulties of understanding yourself was really well done.

This book was everything a rom-traum-com should be—sharp, hilarious, and unexpectedly deep. The humor was next-level—Eva had a quip for everything and everyone, delivering some of the most savage burns I’ve ever read. She used humor as armor, and it was both wildly entertaining and painfully relatable.

And Rylie? A walking, ironic-crewneck-wearing teddy bear. He took Eva’s verbal smackdowns like a champ, all while working through his own redemption arc—overcoming grief, rectifying past mistakes, and endless groveling. My new favorite trope is men in therapy. The way he broke down Eva’s walls while affirming her in ways she could actually accept absolutely melted me.

Their dynamic was pure gold. Every conversation crackled with wit, tension, and something deeper beneath the surface. The romance wasn’t just swoon-worthy—it felt like a natural extension of their already electric connection.

I've never read anything quite like this book—sharp wit and raw emotion woven together so seamlessly. It’s a rare mix that made this story completely unforgettable.

This cover is to die for and so are the contents of the book. SIMPLY PERFECTION. I had an absolute blast reading this. Everything about this was amazing.

THANKS. SO. MUCH. for the ARC‼️ it took me a while to realize I liked this book - but I love The Co-op by Tarah Dewitt and that’s the last time I read a book w a feisty FMC. Eva reminds me of LaRynn but they are def two distinct characters.

I literally just finished this book so I’m having a hard time quantifying the rating, but it’s definitely four stars if not higher.

I absolutely love the cinnamon roll / golden retriever, archetype for a MMC so that worked really well for me. I really love the pacing of the last third of the book and it made for a really enjoyable read. Another win by Mazey Eddings - I’ll read anything she writes. She is quickly becoming one of my favorite romance authors, which is crazy because this is literally her second job. No one writes togetherness like she does -- you can't not root for one of her couples when they're together and happy.

Eva Kitt calls out a college ex turned feminist influencer Rylie Cooper for his toxic behavior during their short relationship. After going viral, Eva agrees to go on a series of dates with Rylie where he intends to prove he’s changed. Romance ensues, explanations are given, and the prickly heroine falls. I loved the first half of this slow burn (one-sided) enemies-to-lovers/second chance romance. It’s funny and smart with a grouchy, but relatable heroine. My biggest complaint is that the second half felt like it moved too fast. I would have liked to spend more time unpacking the heroine’s baggage with her family that we hear about throughout, but she never really confronts. Overall, I enjoyed this fast, flirty read!

Mazey continues to exceed expectations in her ability to tell heartfelt and spicy stories, with characters who are "real". Each books shines a light on a little piece of the "small" girl inside. Love escaping the real world for a while in a Mazey Eddings book.