I listened to an audiobook of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
This book was very enjoyable. I found it smart, witty, and had loads of chemistry between the characters. Harper's friends were an amazing group of girls too, which is so important in life I find.
Dan was so loyal and I have to say, put up with a lot in the beginning. Not many men would be as patient.
It was an easy story to listen to, both narrators did a good job of sucking you in.

I wanted to love this one but unfortunately it fell flat for me. Part of it was my issues with the male narrator; his female voice was absolutely cringe worthy.

Also, the main male character had such a white knight complex always trying to fix things for everyone else that it made me roll my eyes non-stop. Let the female main character buy her own freaking groceries for crying out loud if she tells you she doesn't want you to pay for them. End rant.

I did like the setting of dental school; that's one that I haven't seen before.

(I got the arc in exchange for a review)

I love Harper and Dan’s story. I especially loved the mental illness aspect of the book since it was not depicted as a necessarily bad thing, but something that touches everyone, grief for example. They were cute throughout the entire book and you can’t end up not loving them.

I listened to the audiobook and I have to say that I would rather have read the book than listen to it. There were two narrators for each point of view, but the story was written in the third person. I did not see the need to have two people narrating when it was not the characters actually talking. The fact that the male narrator was somehow always out of breath (sighing a lot when talking) making me dread Dan’s chapters.

I still rated the book 4/5 because the story is actually interesting, but I would recommend to read it instead of listening.

This was unfortunately a DNF for me. On the audiobook side I didn't love the narrators and their over exaggeration and over acting. On the book side I cannot stand insta-love and had I know that was the trope I wouldn't have picked up this book at all. I loved the Jewish representation and really hope to see more in romance in the future. I also felt both character's were so completely negative and "woe is me" I couldn't even force myself to enjoy the experience of reading a romance.

Thank you Netgalley for my ARC.

I listened to this book on audio. First off, the narrators did amazing. I really enjoyed both of them. I would search their names to find another book they narrated.

Secondly, I FREAKING LOVED this book. It is absolutely adorable while still approaching serious issues. I enjoy the couples relationship. They aren't perfect and things aren't always easy but they are just so cute together. The book is relatable is so many ways. It was a roller coaster of emotions. I will definitely be checking out other books by this author.

The perfect romcom— I loved this book! Dan and Harper can only be friends. Harper will not let anything distract her from finishing dentistry school, even though she really wants to let Dan. As he agrees to her “friendship only” rule, he can feel himself falling for her. Hard. As Harper’s feelings and anxiety take control, she worries that maybe her and Dan may be getting too close and she’ll lose control of her life.

The characters AND side characters were all so well rounded and written. I felt like I knew them all personally. I was rooting for the main characters to get together, and I was so happy with how the author handled all the complex mental health issues. Nothing was glossed over or ignored. Also, I liked that Harper had a Maine Coon because I do too :) I also really love reading a book written by someone who really knows what they’re talking about. While I don’t know a single thing about dentistry, it was super clear that Mazey Eddings does.

Book-a-like: The Love Hypothesis
POV: split (Harper & Dan)

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin, and Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

My expectations for this book were like “hm romance set in dental school seems odd, let’s see what’s up,” but I really ended up loving it. The setting ended up being way more fun than I anticipated, and I thought the characters and the pacing were stellar. We’re introduced slowly to Harper and Dan in a way that makes you care about them and feel like you’re becoming friends. You learn their fun sides first, and then their flaws, as it often is in real life. And I personally liked that their relationship was like, fall into bed together and then hit some bumps — it felt truthful. And the anxiety rep was just so, so well done and respectful and emotional. I alternated between audio and ebook, and really enjoyed the narrators.

Mixed feelings about this. There was a lot I liked but a lot that just didn't work for me.

First off, the dental school setting was fun. There were some genuinely cute moments between Harper and Dan, and I loved the mental health representation. Harper's anxiety wasn't magically fixed from her relationship or from one visit to a therapist, but she got to a place a better mental health over the course of the story.

Though I liked all this, I personally didn't enjoy the writing style. Nothing was wrong with it, but it was a bit too crass for my personal tastes. Dan and Harper's relationship also felt a bit too sudden and was a bit too instalove / instalust for me. I could see how others would enjoy this, but it wasn't for me.

I listed to the audiobook, and the narrators did an excellent job.

Content: one explicit scene which was decently easy to skip through, frequent language

I really loved the story it was so cute and almost a love at first sight thing happened I loved that Dan and Harper loved each other so much.

I had such an excitement going into this audiobook, but sadly this was a bit of a letdown. I had a hard time imagining each narrator as Daniel and Harper. Their tone and cadence didn’t match who I had envisioned and I felt like their side character voices were not the best. It felt as if each narrator were trying to have an underline “sexy tone” to make the story more interesting, but really the story didn’t need the exaggeration of their voices.

For me, this would be the instance where reading the book would have been better than listening to it. I like the story, the characters, and the writing style of the author, but there were times where the dialogue felt too sarcastic and felt over exaggerated which made it hard to connect with them as more than just characters in a story. There were moments that were supposed to be funny, but ended up being flat. I wanted so badly to love this audiobook but unfortunately it was just not a good match. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advance audiobook.

I loved this book! The way the characters meet and their interactions throughout the book were so much fun. The characters were relatable with just the right amount of character growth. The pacing felt a little rushed at the end; but the wonderful ending makes up for it!
Characters
The narration follows the POV of both main characters.
Harper suffers from anxiety, and copes with it by immersing herself in her studies and her goal to become a dental surgeon. As a young child she had minor anxiety which manifested as a rather intense case following trauma.
Dan does not want to be going to dental school, but I does it out of obligation to his widowed mother. He previously turned down his original acceptance in order to pursue finance and left a job in finance in order to be able to help his mother with the dental practice.
Side characters: Harper’s friends add humour and camaraderie to the novel; their friendship is a lot of fun.
The chemistry between Harper and Dan is exquisite. Harper keeps Dan at a distance, wanting only friendship, because she does not wish to have any distractions. Their friendship is slow to start, but they become fast friends. There is an undeniable attraction and a sexual tension that the reader can feel. Dan is compassionate and helps Harper through a few anxious episodes; he’s good for her. From her POV we can see that she wants more from their friendship, but she continually pushes him away.
Narrators: overall, I enjoyed the narration for both characters, they added to the characters personalities. The only thing that was difficult to endure was when the narrator that voiced Dan attempted to voice Harper. At times, it made it difficult to relate the Harper from Dan’s POV to the Harper we get from her own POV.

I really loved this one. The writing was very poetic and lyrical at times. Also great discussions on response to the traumas of losing a loved one. Amazing depiction of struggling mental health and the path to seeking out help which is so much harder than it sounds. And the romance! God I love those two dorks. They’re perfect for each other. I love how awkward and funny they around each other. This was one hellavua debut!

Harper has anxiety which makes waiting for placement and studying for school feels like a root canal. She refuses to be distracted when she literally crashes into Dan the first year. Things are complicated for Dan since he is being pushed into a career he doesn't really care for. As they begin to get to know each other their relationship gets quite complicated and so does their life, of course.

Dan and Harper felt very real which made it very easy to get invested in this book. I loved their chemistry and how they gravitated towards each other. I was able to relate a lot to Harper sadly, she is an anxious perfectionist who has trauma and pushes people away. Dan is so loving and patient and the poor guy also has trauma. But this makes them coming together really beautiful. Harper's friends are great and I loved the role they played in the story.

I think this book did a great job at covering mental illness, ableism, sexism, racism and family struggles. As someone who has experienced all of those things, I did feel a tiny triggered while reading. I felt frustrated on behalf of Harper and at her. I enjoyed the character growth and Dan's understanding and patience with Harper during those tough moments. They are both flawed characters and I tend to enjoy that.

The plot is fairly predictable, but I think because the book felt realistic I didn't really care. I did struggle with the pacing of the book but overall I think this was a really great read. This would be a great read for those who want a contemporary romance that touches on some more real topics. I am excited to see what else Mazey Eddings release in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was amazing. It made feel seen and validated. The anxiety issues are so realistic and relatable. The struggles faced, the MC internal thoughts of not being good enough, etc. So perfect. I'm recommending it to everyone who will listen.

What I enjoyed: Harper's anxiety and work/life ethic shown on page is well done. I am always going to be on board with a story showcasing the hero, Dan, with an immediate and loyal fascination for the heroine. The hot-and-cold hero is rather overdone, after all. Harper and Dan's relationship arc is pretty great too.
What I didn't care for: The constant innuendo and blatant eye waggle sex talk. Maybe it's my age? Maybe it's the female narrator that really made them stick out like a sore thumb? I had no qualms with Dan's POV and narration, so I'm apt to believe that's the issue for me. Which is really saying something, since I consistently liken my humor to that of a twelve year old boy. It appeared to be excessive though, particularly in the first half of the novel. It mostly came about through interactions with Harper's friends.
The male POV, performed by Vikas Adam, was well done. I'd easily pick up another book he is involved in. I've listened to Emily Lawrence before and don't recall any negative feelings for her in the past.
I will definitely give Mazey another try. The last half-ish redeemed the story. I think her next book sounds appealing and I typically am a fan of this publisher's romances.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the arc and MacMillan Audio for the alc. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Thank you Netgalley. I enjoyed this romance book. I love the setting of a dental school, it's a setting I've never read in before now. The audiobook had two narrators and it helped with the storytelling. I love the way the book portrayed consent. It felt so natural and it made their union earned and not rushed. The portrayal of Dan and Harper's friends was great too as it made the challenges the character went through more realistic.

Things I didn't like:
It was hard to suspend belief when it came to Dan's storyline. I understand his strained relationship with his father but to quit his thriving job to go to dental school so that he could save the family business doesn't make sense. That would mean that his mother would have to juggle the business for another 4 years without his help. How is this helping her? Idk I just couldn't get my mind around his logic for going back to dental school to save his family's business which is already suffering after the death of his father. Like huh?.


Outside of that, it was a pretty good experience.

This book was SO CUTE but man does it take you on a roller coaster filled with emotions. The problems they faced and how well that was written. Like I felt personally attacked the way Harper was because I could see some of myself in her and it was freaking toxic. But Dan and Harper have my heart they were perfect, and harper’s best friends with the way they supported her and stuck with her, those are true best friends. Only reason why I picked this up was because.l work at a dental office but I’m so glad I did! Thank you NetGalley for sharing this audiobook with me in exchange for an honest review 🥰

A Brush with Love is a MUST READ! This is a dual-POV romance with so much more added in- dental school, anxiety and mental health, love, family obligations, friendship, and more.

Harper is almost finished with dental school when she meets Dan and her world turns upside down. Being around Dan helps her relax and not be as structured with life and dental school, which is something Harper has struggled with because of her anxiety. I also loved that Harper is Jewish and we get a bit of Judaism talk in the beginning of the book! The slow burn between Harper and Dan builds nicely and I found myself eager to see how this would all play out.

Harper's friends were also a highlight for me in this book. They challenged and pushed Harper even when Harper fought back. They were all able to speak their minds and hearts with one another and still be loving friends the next day- true friendship.

I listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrators. They were easy to listen to and helped the story flow.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy.

I went into this expecting a 100% light-hearted rom-com and while this story disguised itself as just that, at times, it was so much more. Familial expectations, loss, tragedy, mental health, panic + anxiety, post-traumatic issues ... these were all topics woven among a sweet story line.

In summary: the storyline was fun and different. The conflict was emotional. The friendships were relatable. The steamy scenes were VERY steamy.

I loved this book! Definitely recommend to fans of rom-coms who also appreciate deeper emotional and educational elements.

I enjoyed this one!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my advanced listeners copy of A Brush with Love!

What I Loved-

* The Audio- A Brush with Love is narrated by Emily Lawrence & Vikas Adam. I love when books with multiple POV's have more than one voice actor narrating. They both were phenomenal.

*The Writing- This book was such an easy listen. I was able to multitask and listen and thoroughly enjoy this audio with no problems what so ever.

*The Romance- A Brush with Love is the first romance I have ever read that involves love interests in the dental field. I really enjoyed Dan and Harper's love story and found it to be unique.

Why This Wasn't a Five Star Read-

*Harper- I appreciated the anxiety rep in this book and I am in no way trying to be insensitive to those who struggle with it in any capacity. There were times that I was just so frustrated with how much the anxiety controlled her life. Yikes. That sounds bad. I feel like a horrible person. I think I'll go die now.

Overall- Fantastic Debut. I can't wait to read more of Mazey Edding's books.