Hey book lovers! I'm here with a book review for a DEBUT novel called A Brush With Love by Mazey Eddings. Thanks to Lexi at St. Martin's Press for the e-arc.
Title: A Brush With Love

Author: Mazey Eddings

Publication Date: March 1, 2022

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Suggested Reader Age: Adult (language, sex)

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Humour
"Mazey Eddings is a neurodiverse author, dentist, and (most importantly) stage mom to her cats, Yaya and Zadie. She can most often be found reading romance novels under her weighted blanket and asking her boyfriend to bring her snacks. She’s made it her personal mission in life to destigmatize mental health issues and write love stories for every brain. With roots in Ohio and North Carolina, she now calls Philadelphia home.


Her debut novel A Brush with Love is being published by St. Martin’s Press."
https://www.goodreads.com/mazey

https://mazeyeddings.com/
My Review
› The author included a note before the story which included trigger warnings for loss of a loved one, generalized anxiety disorder, sexism, ableism.

A Brush With Love begins in December in Philadelphia. Twenty-six-year-old Harper is attending Callowhill University's School of Dental Medicine, hoping to be accepted into one of the top oral surgery programs. Dan is a first-year dental student, also twenty-six-years-old. Harper and Dan have instant chemistry, however, Harper explains she's focused on school right now and doesn't have time for a relationship. Dan says he's okay with being just friends - yet we all know he doesn't mean it (and neither does she!).

Dan is feeling overwhelmed since his father died plus he's failing immunopathology and neuroanatomy. He's busting his butt studying, but the facts just aren't sticking. Harper never had a dad, and her mom died when she was twelve. She feels like she doesn't belong anywhere. Their friends are a lot of fun and extremely supportive.
"Word on the street is you're quite the oral superstar."

I learned about the Jewish Sabbath, which is the time for self-reflection from sundown Friday to sundown Saturday. No work, no chores, no technology. I also learned about their weekly Shabbat dinner where they lit candles and put away phones in order to connect. I love this idea and would love to incorporate it into my family's routine.

› I use the CAWPILE method to rate books.
0-3 Really bad
4-6 Mediocre
7-9 Really good
10 Outstanding

› Characters: 8
Well-developed with goals, motivations, strengths, flaws, external and internal conflict. Diverse cast, but I wanted a little more development of side characters.

› Atmosphere: 8
Appropriate emotions, mood, tone, but lacked description for settings.
› Writing Style: 10
High quality, authentic dialogue, excellent readability.

› Plot: 8
A little slow in the middle. Page-turner.

› Intrigue: 10

› Logic: 9
A couple of things didn't make sense.

› Enjoyment: 9
overall experience

Average 8.9

1.1-2.2 = ★
2.3-4.5 = ★★
4.6-6.9 = ★★★
7-8.9 = ★★★★
9-10 = ★★★★★

My Rating ★★★★
› Final Thoughts
• A Brush With Love is a touching and hilarious romantic comedy about love, friendship, acceptance, and mental health. I can't wait to read what Mazey Eddings writes next. This story reminded me of The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon, Crashing the A List by Summer Heacock, Red White & Royal Blue and One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston.


Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the complimentary copy in exchange for my honest review.


*Quotes taken from an ARC copy and subject to change*

There is always something that stands out the most in a book, and for me in A Brush with Love I was really moved by the emotional elements author Mazey Eddings included and the way she portrayed them.



First off, Harper and Dan are adorable and they made a perfect couple. They complimented the other in all the ways I love to see and created a very balanced pairing. And the mutual pinning for each other was delicious!



The females in STEM rep was excellent- I loved that Harper was the person in power in regards to experience and expertise in their field. I also appreciated the reality of females in a male dominated system- it’s not pretty- but it’s true, and needs to be shown to give a realistic portrayal.



Harper’s character struggles with anxiety and a compulsive need to succeed. Mazey tackles this in a way that allows the reader to feel the panic a ratchet up with her creating an understanding of the condition and empathy for Harper and also for Dan as he tries to help.



And lastly, what hit me the most, due to personal experience, was the portrayal of grief for a parent. Both Harper and Dan have lost a parent and are still dealing with their grief in different ways. I really appreciated the contrast between their reactions and how it has changed their life’s course. I can’t say I have acted the same as these two, but putting their stories on the page was cathartic to read.

🦷💗This book was a real treat.

A Brush with Love by Mazey Eddings was released March 1st, 2022.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#ABrushWithLove #MazeyEdings #Netgalley #pinkcowlandreads

I really loved Mazey's writing, her anxiety representation and that both characters were imperfect throughout this journey. Mazey was a guest in the podcast where she promoted this book.

What. A. Read.

Absolutely loved this rom com that touches in friendship, mental health, and loss. Definitely a must read for any rom com lover!

Future Dr. Harper Horowitz, DDS, has no time for distractions. Her group of girlfriends, a giant cat named Judy, and her dreams of becoming an oral surgeon take all of her time. Well, plus keeping her anxiety and panic disorder in check, but that’s just normal, every day stuff. Adding romance to the mix would be a waste of time, anyway, since she’ll be headed off for her residency in six months.

Former financier Dan has decided to head back to school to study dentistry to follow in his legendary late father’s footprints, even though he has no interest in this new career. That is, until Harper literally knocks him off his feet one day.

The chemistry between Harper and Dan is palpable, a perfect friends-to-lovers set up. This book also deals beautifully with neurodivergency and the self-imposed pressure to deal with anxiety and panic disorders alone for fear of seeming “ill”. The mental health aspect is handled gracefully, exposing the reality of what it is like to live with these feelings, and how hard it is to explain to other people.

This book is something else! I just loved every topic talked about. Just how the story develops is amazing. It’s just so raw and real that it makes me speechless. I would hundred percent recommend this.


Harper is anxiously awaiting placement into a top oral surgery residency program when she crashes (literally) into Dan. Harper would rather endure a Novocaine-free root canal than face any distractions, even one this adorable. A first-year dental student with a family legacy to contend with, Dan doesn’t have the same passion for pulling teeth that Harper does. Though he finds himself falling for her, he is willing to play by Harper’s rules. So with the greatest of intentions and the poorest of follow-throughs, the two set out to be “just friends.” But as they get to know each other better, Harper fears that trading fillings for feelings may make her lose control and can't risk her carefully ordered life coming undone, no matter how drool-worthy Dan is.

This book took me a bit to get into, but in the end I really enjoyed it. I particularly appreciated and liked the emphasis on mental health and illness and the stigma and shame that often surrounds these challenges. This was more heavily included in the second half of the book.

I also really enjoyed the romance that developed between main characters, Dan and Harper. These two were such a fun and helpful match to each other and I loved seeing how their own challenges brought them closer together. I did find it a bit surprising how much heavy alcohol was a part of this book, given its focus on mental health. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and look forward to the second in the series I hear is coming soon!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for my gifted review copy.

I have mixed feelings about this book as I didn’t really care much for Harper. She just didn’t grab my attention. She tried to be funny and what not but I found myself rolling my eyes.

This was a fun book and I so enjoyed a book where the female was the smart, ambitious one and she really helped the male figure out his life.

Harper and her friends are such a great group of characters.. It's wonderful to see a group of smart, driven women who support each other in both the hard things and the fun. From a personal level I could really relate to Harper holding part of herself back from these people that she loves so much. It's nice to have a character who works so hard but also has struggles and demons, it makes her so relatable.

Fan is great character too. He has so many emotions and such heavy things he's dealing with and it's a really great journey to watch him learn from Harper and open up to her. I loved seeing them grow alongside each other and then make those last big steps themselves before coming back together.

The end with Harper and her friends going to find Dan is one of the best climaxes I think I've ever read. It's fun and touching and so perfect for these characters.

I'd like to thank Netgalley and St. Martin's Griffin for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5
This was a hard one for me. I liked it but I just wished the story would have progressed a little faster. Harper was hard for me to care about. Dan on the other hand was a total sweetheart. I understand her anxiety and type A, driven personality but it felt over the top for me. There seemed to be too many times that she would pull Dan close to just push him away. I really liked Harper's friends and I thought they made a great balance to her life and reminded her to have fun.

I did like the story line and it was unique and new to me focusing on dentistry school. I liked that the characters were a little older. The cover is very catching and appealing to the eye. For a debut, it was pretty good but not one that would stick with me. It did take me a while to read - it's not one that I couldn't put down but I do have high hopes for this author.

In a Brush with Love we follow Harper and Dan, two dental students, who both have very different reasons for there studies. After Harper falls for - quite literally- Dan they decide to just be friends but sparks fly and can they manage to keep everything together? I really enjoyed how well Harper was written and how well show-cased her anxiety is. Also the side characters were a great addition. Every one needs a Thu in their life! I can't wait to read Lizzie's story next, I'm sure it'll be amazing based on the peek at her we got through Harper!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

Harper is a dental student in her final year of her program. On the way to class one day she tumbles into Dan, a first year in the dental program. They hit it off and instantly have chemistry, but Harper is very serious about being top of her class and becoming an oral surgeon and this coupled with her anxiety leads her to continually push Dan away. I thought this book was so sweet and really enjoyed the characters. Harper was frustrating at times, but I totally understood her struggle of wanting to pursue her passion and not feeling like she had the capacity for a relationship as well. I can’t wait to read more books by Mazey Eddings!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

This was a delightful rom-com that has all the feel-good moments mixed with a searing build-up. The portrayal of mental health both characters grapple with is realistic and had me reflecting on my own life with mental illness. Dan and Harper have witty banter and humour that had me laughing along with them.

~Thanks to Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Brush with Love in exchange for an honest review. ~

Oh man, so I thought this would be a cute read when I requested it, but holy crap the slow burn pining that lasts the first 60%? I loved it.

I’d put this pretty on par with Emily Henry’s romance, with wonderfully realistic characters who are working through their past baggage while also falling head over heels in love with each other. Harper has anxiety and a panic disorder, while Dan is struggling with some issues between grief and anger at his father. Harper’s anxiety and mental health play a big role in this book. The way her anxiety is handled! Her fear, her spirals, her panic attacks, the overwhelming feelings, I think all of it was incredibly well written.

I really loved the way Mazey Eddings gave us a possessive and protective Dan, but did so in a way that did not belittle Harper. She still had her own autonomy and was able to stand up for herself. Dan didn’t NEED to protect her, but he wanted to.

The third act conflict made perfect sense for the characters and was very realistic, but that being said, I would have liked to see the growth they experienced on-page, the time jump felt a little like a cop-out

Also, given the tension and build-up, the lil sprinkle of spicy moments we were given, I was expecting some really great smut but was a little underwhelmed when they finally slept together. The intimacy we see between Harper and Dan though, is amazing.

This book was recommended to me by Rachel Lynn Solomon, and we all know how much I love her work, so I was pretty sure I would love this book before I even started reading. I was thrilled when I got approved for an ARC of A Brush with Love on NetGalley.

I love finding books with main characters who are Jewish and discovering how that indentity plays into their story. Harper Horowitz is Jewish, and she tells Dan that she tries to go with her friends to Shabbat dinner at the Jewish Student Center. She also takes Dan to visit a Jewish deli and describes her relationship to her faith, "Obviously, no group of people is perfect, but I’m privileged enough to feel I belong to something greater than myself." Harper’s words struck a cord with me because my favorite part of being Jewish is feeling connected to a greater community.

Harper, like me, also struggles with anxiety. Eddings describes Harper’s anxiety throughout the novel. Harper is concerned that she will be unable to find love because of it and even describes her anxiety as her “chaotic ugliness.” I was moved by Dan’s compassion when he witnesses Harper having a panic attack. He stays with her as she asks, removes her from the situation, and makes sure she gets home safe.

I love a romance novel that switches points of view between the love interests, and A Brush with Love is no exception. I enjoyed watching the dramatic irony unfold as the chapters alternated between Harper and Dan’s perspectives. This way, the reader gets to watch both Harper fall in love with Dan and Dan fall in love with Harper. At the same time, the reader is also falling in love with each of them.

I have never read a book about the dental field, and I loved getting a glimpse into what it takes to be a dentist or an oral surgeon. Harper’s passion for dentistry is so evident from the beginning of the story, and I admired her comittment to working towards her goals and her willingness to put her entire self into becoming an oral surgeon.

A Brush with Love also addresses the sexism present in the medical field. One of Harper’s patients tells her repeatedly that he wants a male dentist rather than allow Harper to perform the dental work he desperately needs. Harper handles it calmly and cooly, but ensures the patient is not welcome to receive care in that student clinic.

A Brush with Love is Mazey Eddings’ first book, and I cannot wait to read her next one.

me: *irrationally terrified of getting a cavity*
also me: *totally engrossed in dental anatomy*

okay workplace romances are about to shoot up to the top of the trope list for me because WOWIE. I adored this one with my entire heart.

normally, I’m all ENEMIES TO LOVERS OR BUST, but this friends to lovers one (and yes a lil bit of insta love ugh) took the cake for me. I haven’t felt this way since PWMOV!

dan and harper were just so so perfect for each other that it was physically draining my energy the longer that they denied their undeniable attraction and love for one another. I loved all of their chemistry and how much they deeply cared for one another while still respecting boundaries and characteristics.

WE STAN HEALTHY RELATIONSHIPS!!! (still love my bad boys though it’s fine)

and can we talk about how well written harper’s anxiety was? like seriously, we also stan mental health awareness and showcasing what anxiety / panic attacks REALLY ARE LIKE. the paralyzing fear, the phobias, all of it was just so well done.

harper’s squad rules and if I could just insert myself in their friendship, that would be lovely thanks 🥲

thank you to netgalley and st. martin’s press for the wonderful advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. this one’s out now!!!!

rating: 4 stars
wine pairing: venezia cava

I loved A Brush With Love, truly. I was in a rut where every romance felt unrealistic and the tropes were wearing on me and this fully picked me up out of my slump.

As someone who battles mental illness, it was really refreshing to see a realistic portrayal of someone genuinely struggling and not used to perpetuate a manic pixie dream girl character trope.

Harper and Dan’s love story felt genuinely perfect to me. I ate it up!

What a breath (sort of a dentist joke) of fresh air this book was. This book was just so pure and sweet in the best way. The book follows Harper and Dan who are both dentistry students. As someone who personally deals with a lot of the same anxiety as Harper she may truly be the character I have resonated with the most this year. As someone who is at an impasse herself in her career Harper is someone who gave me hope that I can have a successful career and maybe boyfriend. Dan is just the perfect book boyfriend for Harper and was so sweet, kind and supportive. I cannot recommend this book enough.

Thank you to St Martins and Netgalley for an ARC for my honest review.

Aww this book, gush!! And how did you make dental school sound fun?! Haha well I'm an auditor so I guess anything is fun compared to that😂

Oh man love at first crash! Harper and Dan's chemistry was immediate and I loved how they both seemed surprised they were interested.
Harper struggles with anxiety and I adore when a book represents mental health struggles and how we cope and communicate. It helps when we find partners and friends who are observant when it gets overwhelming.

I read along with my libro copy and let me tell you these narrators did amazing!!

Oh boy, this was such a winner!!

I loved how intense and sweet this romance was, and the story totally pulled me in. Hazel's anxiety was hard to witness at times and how it sabotaged her own happiness. He was just so perfect in how he respected her boundaries though, I really loved seeing that.