This book was adorable and sexy, with very much needed anxiety rep. The main character's anxiety felt real and was treated with such tenderness. The interactions and chemistry between the main characters was scorching and charming all at once. I loved watching these two fall in love. A must for any romance fan!

thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this arc in exchange for an honest review.
Since I had the absolute honor and pleasure of beta reading - I already know. I just can't wait for the rest of the world to see the absolute glory that this book is. This book saved me. It was EXACTLY what I needed. A neurodiverse main female character who happens to be an ethnic minority struggling through her crazy stressful grad school, juggling studying, friendship, love, and finding a way to accept and love herself?? SIGN ME TF UP. The connection I found with this book was everything. Not to mention it is KNEE SLAPPING HILARIOUS!

Where do I even start? This book made me understand anxiety, mental illness, guilt, and shame on an entirely new level. I FELT the emotions that Harper and Dan were struggling with. I understand so deeply now.I am so honored to have been one of the first people to read this beautiful story it it’s entirety.
This story about two dental students, banged up by the unfairness of life and coping as best they can, who find a safe place to land in each other's arms, is absolutely unforgettable. This is a brilliant debut novel about the glory and pathos of love, and you need to pre-order it now!

This was not at all what I was expecting! It held a lot of details but also had some humor. It also gives the reader a great look into the mind of someone with anxiety. Very cute romance with enough tear-jerker moments and topics to really give the characters a lot of realistic depth.

While A Brush with Love had a slow start, this book ultimately won me over with its sweet relationship between the two main characters, the dental puns, and the refreshing novelty of a romance set against the backdrop of dental school. I can't wait until I can get my hands on a physical copy.

DNF @ 10% ….. I usually dont dnf this early into a book but man … this did not look like it was going to get any better. it was so boring and insta-lovey I’m disappointed. maybe I’ll come back to it when it comes out

A Brush With Love is the debut novel from Mazey Eddings.
It is a real, honest, and raw look at navigating love while surviving dental school, debilitating anxiety, and grief.
Harper Horowitz is a dental super-genius. And the day she literally crash lands into Dan Craige's life was one that changed them both.
This book is SO unique in that, Mazey herself was navigating the dental school world as she wrote this, so without getting overly clinical in that part of the story (and it's important because it's Harper's whole world), you can get a real honest grasp on the pressure the students are under while also trying to have a real life outside of that. Dan is starting the game late to fulfill a "duty" that was placed on him by his father & mother. Knowing full well that his heart simply isn't in it. Especially not when he sees Harper's passion and love for the field. This one is a slow burn but it's not without a TON of sexual tension just bubbling right there under the surface. The undeniable attraction between the two leads, not just physically but emotionally & mentally too.

Mazey handles Harper's anxiety with such care and honesty. I don't think any two people experience or feel their anxious thoughts the same but it's so reaffirming to read a character who shares a lot of similarities as yourself. Mazey also has such a wild sense of humor and that is just one of the themes carried throughout the book. She's got a new and unique voice in romance and I can't wait to see what else she does next. The cast of friends is also incredible and so naturally you get invested there too, and I'm so excited to see their love stories unfold.

Full disclosure as well: Mazey and I are friends, primarily through social media.

Many thanks to NetGalley, and the publisher for the free copy of this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve been following Mazey on Bookstagram for a while now so I was SO excited to get the chance to read her debut, A Brush With Love.

This is a romcom between Harper, an aspiring oral surgeon in her final year of dentistry school, and Dan, a first year dental student who may or may not actually care about teeth. As someone who is TERRIFIED (seriously, it’s actually embarrassing) of the dentist, I worried about connecting with these characters. I definitely had nothing to worry about.

As someone who deals with anxiety on a daily basis, I connected with Harper so easily. Mazey managed to put the feelings and daily struggles of someone trying to manage an anxiety disorder into words that felt so relatable. The healthy narrative throughout this book about the importance of taking care of your mental health and that it’s okay to reach out for help is SO important. The one thing that made it even more authentic to me was Harper’s ability to be in control in her professional environment, particularly in one scene where she managed a difficult patient. Even anxious people have their domains where they are assertive and confident and I loved that that was depicted as well as the low points.

Alright, let’s take a second to swoon over Dental Dan. WHAT A SWEETHEART! Dan was so patient with Harper and always wanted to lift her up (as he should!). Dan had a completely different path than Harper that brought him to dental school and I really enjoyed reading about his struggles both with his family and what was expected of him.

I really really enjoyed reading about Harper and Dan’s stories both as individuals and seeing them figure out their own needs, and also seeing how they complimented each other as a couple.

If you’re looking for a sweet romcom that also has some really great conversation surrounding mental health, this is definitely for you. Also, the cover is ADORABLE and I can’t wait to have a physical copy to put on my shelf.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVED A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings! This dental school romance was so sweet and so accurate to being in professional school. I enjoyed how Eddings switched points of view from Harper and Dan so the reader really gets to know what's going on with each character. It is so cool to see anxiety and therapy woven into the story. This one will be a must read for sure add it to your library hold NOW!

Oh my, this book is a swoony delight. The romance, the friendships, the deft way anxiety is handled. Everything is just so well done. It was everything I hoped for and more.

I am cry and I am so happy about that.

Harper is a mid-20’s dental student in her final year. She has a plan, a clear path, and nothing will stop her….except Dan: a hottie with a body & brains to match. Between the pages of this beautiful book, there is grief and loss and anxiety but also triumph and redemption and growth.

I can’t put into words how *seen* this book made me feel. As someone who suffers with GAD (Generalized Anxiety Disorder), it is basically impossible to turn my brain off, to get it to just ~chill~. I overthink everything. I think about everything all at once, all the time and yet I’m thinking about nothing at the same time. I cried, Harper crewed, and together we crowed (I tried to conjugate the verb there…how’d it go?).

A Brush with Love is the story of a type A girl who learns what it is to love and be loved in return. I think that’s a lesson we can all use and take with us.

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Thank you so much to Mazey, my wonderful, brilliant friendo for (somehow) getting an ARC of this book into my hands. I am forever in your debt.

Harper and Dan are in Dental School. Harper is a Type-A student in the last year with generalized anxiety disorder and is trying to get into an elite residency program. Dan is in his first year and dental school was not his choice. He is miserable. However his parents own a practice and his father was a world famous dentist. Though his calling is finance, after his father died, he has been expected to go to dental school so he can fill his father’s shoes.
And then they meet… Dan knows almost immediately that he is in love with Harper but she simultaneously keeps him at arms length while letting him slip in as a ‘friend’. She is so afraid of losing focus or letting anyone see her anxiety disorder. But Dan is able to break through, at least for a while. However, it all becomes too much for Harper and she breaks it off. When they both end up in New York, he in finance and she in a residency program will they be able to come back together?
This is a moving love story that manages to be redemptive without getting bogged down in the heavy issues of anxiety disorder, losing parents and dealing with crushing expectations. Those things just make it more real, the characters more endearing and likable.
I would recommend this book to my patrons.

Our library visitors will most certainly enjoy this contemporary rom-com, and the best part is the strong, independent female lead. Thank you for the ARC!

DNF -did not finish. I decided not to keep reading this novel because I did not connect with the writing and plot. Thank you, netgalley and publisher for the early copy.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read A Brush with Love.

Oh my, where do I start? Dan, let's start with Dan. DAN IS THE MAN. Gah! I loved him soooo much! He's set the bar so high for all book boyfriends. He was sweet and attentive and kind. He's a loyal son and he genuinely likes Harper from the first look. I loved him so much.

Harper is such a real character and I could relate (and I think others will too) to her all consuming anxiety.
I loved that this book was set in dental school (how fun! that's a new one!) and I loved that Harper and Dan had a fun meet cute and the group of friends in this book was amazing and added so much to the book.

I wish I could give out more than 5 stars! I loved it so much! I can't wait to purchase my own copy of this one!
READ THIS ONE, friends!

This was a great book dealing with the impact of anxiety on a young person. I really liked how the main character’s struggle with anxiety was on full display and was central to the plot of this. While I would not adopt this for a curriculum, I do think this would be a good book for a mature, older young adult crowd—possibly high school juniors/seniors and those in college.

The book was okay. I liked the depth of the mental health issues, but it felt like they were trying to do too much. My interest wasn’t kept, I was always putting it down after reading for a while because I was bored. I also should not have chosen a book about dentistry when I have zero interest, so kind of my fault.

Wow. This book has a lot of great things going for it. Love, figuring out what you want to do with your life, fear of failure and not letting people down, anxiety, grief, expectations, stress, friendship, and of course dentistry. I didn't really know what I was getting into when I picked up this book, figured it would be a cute story about two students at dental school falling in love, and this book is that but both characters have so much anxiety and emotional baggage they haven't dealt with that while reading you can't help but feel awful for them, want to hug them and also cringe when they make terrible decisions...

This book made me laugh, get emotional and perhaps most importantly not want to put it down! If you are looking for an emotional romance novel that deals with extreme anxiety, grief (but not in an overwhelming way), friendship, mental health and falling in love then definitely give this book a read.

I will post full review on all outlets in February 2022 closer to publishing.

Rating: 4.75/5
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Fiction
Warnings: Death of a parent, anxiety, sexism
Read if you liked: The Ex Talk or The Roommate
Steam: 3.5/5

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Okay, so this book was really close of perfect to me and everything I could want in a book. It was lovely, swoon-worthy, funny, steamy, honest and such a fantastic read. What Mazey has created is a beautiful slice of a unique romance and I can't wait to read EVERYTHING she writes.

Side note: I applied, approved for and read this book within 48 hours and will probably re-read it before it is published.

Things I loved: Neurodiverse and Jewish representation. Adorable meet cute and grocery store date. Harper when she got all excited about being a dentist/oral surgeon. Dan is just a delightful human, giving me cinnamon rolls vibes and being so patient with Harper. Gold star side characters and very excited for their own books. The humor and banter/dialogue was on point. Delightfully steamy, oh the tension was fantastic. Therapy is sexy friends and I love seeing characters going to therapy.

Things I didn’t care for: Formatting for the ARC, I would like it if the text messages where more clearly messages...they kind run into the dialogue. This is a totally personal opinion and is part of why there are trigger warnings, Eddings does an amazing job talking about a heroine who has severe anxiety and this can be trigger for those who have anxiety.

Everyone please pre-order, TBR or request this one at your local library. I joins the world on March 1st, 2022 and that's frankly too far away.

This book was a really unexpected surprise. It is not only a satisfying and wonderful love story - but also takes a close look at what it is like to live with severe anxiety and the weight of familial expectations (both real and self-imposed).

Harper and Dan are both dental students on totally opposite ends of the spectrum. Harper is passionate about dentistry and oral surgery. She is at the top of her class and on her way to a residency in Oral Surgery - one of the most competitive in her field. Dan is a first year student who is only pursuing his degree in an effort not to disappoint his mother. He is failing his classes and struggling to make it.

Harper has pretty severe anxiety that was severely increased after the car accident that killed her mother and injured Harper happened. She hides the anxiety behind a wall of perfectionism and hard work. Meeting Dan gives Harper a safe space to be herself and share her burdens - but also amps up her anxiety to an unmanageable degree. She and Dan are truly a love connection - but even that is no match for the anxiety and weight of pressure on both of them.

This book definitely needs trigger warnings related to parental loss, anxiety, and bullying - also there is a lot of talk about dentist related things - and that can amp up anyone's dentist related worries. But on a majorly positive note - it shows the positive effects of therapy and letting your support system actually support you.

I loved Harper's friends and there were a lot of very laugh out loud moments in the book. I loved how Harper and Dan handled each other and the care and kindness Dan put towards Harper, even when she was not showing him the same.

Overall - I definitely recommend! I received this as an ARC from NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

Definitely

If you are looking for a book about a character that has anxiety issues then this book is for you. I was rooting for Harper to have a happy ending,

It was interesting to see a guys perspective. He was going through his own fears but showed it in another way.

The only suggestion I would give is that the text messages could be places in a fun format.

Thank you for the opportunity to read and advanced readers copy.