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

Thank you to NetGalley for providing a digital ARC of Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings!

This was my first Mazey Eddings book, and I can confidently say I’m obsessed! Her writing style was fun, engaging, and kept me hooked from start to finish. Every character, both main and side, felt well-developed and incredibly likable.

I don’t think I’ve ever read a main character quite like Eva, but I absolutely adored her. While she might come across as a little sharp, I never found her mean. She’s one of the most self-aware, funny, and sarcastic protagonists I’ve encountered, and I loved seeing her growth throughout the book. Beneath her tough exterior, she was so soft, and watching others misinterpret her while knowing her true heart made her journey even more rewarding.

And then there’s Rylie Cooper what an absolute sweetheart. That man was baby girl. Every interaction with him had me grinning, and I couldn’t stop laughing at so many of his moments. Beyond his humor, though, his emotional growth was beautifully done. I especially appreciated how the book tackled his past experiences with loss and internalized biphobia. The way he acknowledged his past mistakes without excusing them, and the effort he put into becoming better, was handled so well.

While this book had plenty of laugh out loud moments, it also explored important topics with depth and care. I loved how it balanced humor with heartfelt, meaningful themes.

Overall, Well, Actually was an incredible read, and I highly, highly recommend!

if you’re looking for a charming & laugh out loud romance, Mazey Eddings always delivers. This might be the funniest book I’ve ever read, from simple quips in banter to comically placed items, this book absolutely killed me.

If you’re a fan of Chicken Shop Date, the cover draws you in so quickly. The female main character, Eva, hosts an interview style talk show, but unlike Chicken Shop, they eat hotdogs (which are superior). Eva and the male main character, Rylie, film on this show and I loved the banter within this part!! It truly lives up to the hopes I had from the cover alone. Also, in addition to the meet-cute on the show, we also dig into Eva and Rylie’s history many years ago.. pulling you in even further.

However, ultimately I thought that Eva’s job would be more significant in the story. This was true for the first half, but not the second. Honestly, I wanted more from this plot line, because I thought it was super fun. By the end I was disappointed in it.

Even though this is a hetero-facing romance novel, it’s so important to point out that Eva is pansexual and Rylie is bisexual. Both of these facts are essential to each of their characters, and I loved the representation throughout the story. Especially because we learn so much about Rylie & his struggle with his sexuality in the past, this felt so real to me and I’m so glad it was a part of this story.

The spice level in this book is pretty moderate. The build up to it is so well done, and if you’re looking for spice fueled by yearning this is a good book for you.

Thanks so much to the publisher for giving me an advanced copy via NetGalley! I am very appreciative to get to read this story early,

Overall, I rate this a 4/5. It’s a solid romance with so much charm and wit.

Seriously best book I’ve read in a long time. I was laughing out loud constantly. The heart break, self love, second chances and humor were just perfect!

Mazey is an Auto buy for me so when I got this ARC I was so excited!
Banter is my favorite in romance books and this books goes above and beyond. I loved it. I also love a man who is down bad!

Thank you, SMP Romance, for the early copy of "Well, Actually."

Hot diggity dog, Mazey Eddings has done it again!

This is officially my new favorite from one of my auto-buy authors. Eva and Rylie are the ultimate black cat x golden retriever couple. From Eva’s emasculating nicknames to Rylie’s goofy sweaters, this bisexual duo is bound to have everyone falling head over heels. Heads up: this romance is a slow burn, but once it heats up, it stays sizzling!

At first, Eva’s work struggles felt stressful, but then I realized: that’s the whole point! Her challenges in climbing the career ladder are painfully relatable and so realistic that I could feel my heart racing. Readers will no doubt despise her higher-ups, which just proves how well Eddings writes her antagonists. And while the workplace drama keeps the tension high, the romance never takes a backseat, as both storylines shine equally throughout.

If you love second chances, out-of-the-box dates, and watching every episode of Chicken Shop Date, then "Well, Actually" is, well, actually for you! You’ll want to ketchup to this one when it hits shelves in August. (Sorry, I had to fit in one more.)

Well Actually by Mazey Eddings is absolute fun! if you're a fan of chicken shop date videos but what if they fell in love? Oh you will eat this up!
This book was so swoony and chemistry filled. I loved the dynamic between Eva and Cooper. talk about a grumpy sunshine but she's the angry girl and he just words of affirmations her into a swoony romantic relationship. It's such a unique and fresh take in the romance genre that I loved reading something new. Cooper is the greenest flag and I need more men like him! This was refreshing, witty, steamy and so good! I devoured this book in a sitting and will have readers swooning and twirling their hair. Must read for the summer!