This is my first Mazey Eddings book, and after finishing it makes me want to go back and read her first.

Lizzie is proof that messy can be beautiful. She’s all over the place. She doesn’t stay still. She doesn’t conform to the way people expect her to act. To Rake, she’s a breath of fresh air in his stale, closed up world. She is the sunlight.

Mazey Eddings writes ADHD very well. Reading about Lizzie’s day to day, before her routines and medications, made me extremely anxious, and I’m not really a type-A/organized/orderly person either. I feel an empathy with Lizzie and all of those people who have ever felt too much or too out of place. Eddings’ characters feel relatable and realistic, and multidimensional.

I hope that every Lizzie finds their Rake, and vice versa. Someone who sees the unconventional bits and loves them because of it, not in spite of.

Lizzie fierces loves Philadelphia, having left her small town home and family behind to first travel the world before settling there. She also has uncontrollable ADHD, leading to her not being what her parents consider successful - she’s single and has trouble holding a consistent job. But Lizzie is an awesome baker, and she finds an unconventional bakery where she can be innovative with her treats. After a prolonged STEAMY one-night-stand (what do you call that - a two-day-stand?) with an Australian in town for work, Lizzie has an unexpected bun in the oven. Unplanned pregnancy isn’t the main idea of the book, and it is involved in a way that feels more natural than other books I’ve read.
I listened to the first half of this book while packing and cleaning one morning. The audio is fantastic, with dual narration, and I especially loved the narrators’ Australian accents for Rake. While I was loving the audio, I also knew that as I got into bed and wanted to continue, I needed to switch mediums.There is a 100% chance I will fall asleep while listening to an audiobook and then not be able to find the place where I was when I fell asleep, driving myself CRAZY, so I’m not allowed to listen to audiobooks when I’m lying down any more. *cry*
Instead, I continued to devour Lizzie Blake by reading it (hearing the narration in my brain), and I had to force myself to stop and go to sleep. I eagerly finished reading the last half hour the next morning in bed even before I got a cup of coffee - it was that good!
This was the first book I read by Mazey Eddings. I read this as if it was a standalone, but we’ll see if there was anything I missed after I listen to A Brush with Love in the near future. Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC from Macmillan Audio and the ARC from St Martin’s Press/St Martin’s Griffin. This publishes 9/6, and I enjoyed both the audio and the ebook - if it sounds good to you, check it out!

This is my first read from Mazey Eddings. I enjoyed this book very much. It has its moments of funny, sad, and super sweet. It was well written so I'm definitely going to read her debut novel now. Mazey did a fantastic job representing ADHD. When reading the book, you feel like you're a fly on the wall just watching everything unfold. "SPOILERS* Lizzie had a couple of eventful *wink wink* nights with an Australian stranger. She found out she was pregnant. Well, this is a romance book, so you know everything works out, and the two moved in together to raise the child. It also makes me happy to see Lizzie eliminate the toxic people from life and just focus on what makes her happy. This is hands down one of the best books I've ever read.

Well paced romance, goes deep into the main female character and her struggles. It took a while for the man to open up and then to me the relationship really took off. If you've read the authors first book you'll enjoy this one as well.

Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake is the story of Lizzie and Rake. They are a one night stand that turns into an unexpected pregnancy. Added to this obviously giant complication, he lives in Australia and she is an unemployed baker trying to do life with ADHD. This story is fast paced and is filled with humor and a cast of characters that are easy to enjoy. I liked the tension and heat between Rake and Lizzie. I always appreciate a good external conflict over an internal one. I enjoy that we get a deeper insight into living with ADHD, but sometimes for me, Edding's characters are a little bit too loud in their representation. Instead of being a window into their life, it's like an open door with a giant fan. It's totally a me thing.

Mazey Eddings does it again!!!

I knew I loved Lizzie’s character in A Brush With Love, but I didn’t expect to be this obsessed with her after reading her story! Also let’s just add Rake to the book boyfriends list because holy WOW, this man is a dreamboat.

I love the way Mazey writes her characters. In this book, Lizzie struggles with a huge lack of self confidence as well as ADHD. She feels like a failure most of the time and tries to shove her giant personality into a small box, but throughout the book we truly see her blossom.

I wanted to cry when Lizzie was crying, I laughed at how hilarious she is, I felt butterflies over the pure kindness that she received from Rake.

This was a rom-com with a heavy focus on the female main character that was not dependent on the male main character which I LOVE!! Also it did not lack the spice!!

11/10 would recommend to literally everyone. I adored this book and I adore Mazey Eddings - please write a million more books. Also, would love another Lizzie & Rake story just because I adore them.

Loved this book! I'm a big lover of surprise pregnancy trope books and this is one of my new favs!!! Love Mazey's writing style and always recommend.

Thank you St Martin for proving an ARC, for me to review.

Lizzie is a spirited independent woman who is living with a roommate who happens to be one of her best-friends. Lizzie doesn’t believe in dating as she isn't the dating type instead she sets up hookups on her dating app. She will only hook up with someone once and has no desire to meet anyone a second time. Unfortunately, one of her hookups was harder to walk away from as she forgot some of her belongings at his hotel room. It turns out she's pregnant, so more confusion and chaos in her already chaotic life as she manages to get fired from jobs every few months, has accidents etc.

I read Mazey’s first book that she wrote and enjoyed it, however I enjoyed this one much more. This book was a very spicy read which is not my thing. What I loved about this was Lizzie has ADHD and the author gave the reader a sense of what is like living with ADHD as it is really challenging to live with. I have friends that have ADHD and as much as I try to understand what it is like this book was insightful and I feel I have a better understanding of some of the challenges that exist living with this neurodivergence.

Absolutely beautiful!! I devoured this book, could not put it down! Basically if Mazey Eddings writes it, I will read it. That's two books now of hers that have been 5 star reads for me.
This is the story of Lizzie who has ADHD and is floating through life thinking she's making one mistake after the next. But then she meets Rake and after two nights together, both of their lives change. I absolutely loved seeing the growth and change in Lizzie and seeing Rake begin to open up. This is dual POV and it's great that we get to see both their thoughts, feelings, and views.
I am already counting down the days until Indira's story- the next in this series!

I loved a brush with love so I had hoped this would be the same type of story. However, I found it too graphic for me. I liked the idea that Lizzie owns her sexuality and does not care about going to bars and meeting guys. But I do not enjoy reading books that have such graphic sex scenes so often throughout the story.

First of all, whenever I see a Mazey Eddings book I think “she has the cutest name ever! Is it her real name?). Mazey Eddings is also a great writer. Her writing style has cute and funny lines that keeps you engaged I’m the book. Unfortunately I had a problem with the pregnancy trope in this book. It just wasn’t done in a way I would have liked,

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC in return for my honest opinion.

I loved this book! The author has such a thorough and sensitive approach to mental health; I felt like I was able to learn so much about ADHD through Lizzie and how her mind works.

I just really loved Lizzie overall, and watching her so eagerly jump into motherhood despite all her anxiety over parenting with ADHD made my heart swell. She's going to make such a fun and supportive mom! Not to mention her chemistry with Rake, and the SPICE, oh my goodness. So dang good. People who love open door romance are going to be obsessed!

I'm honestly not a fan of the pregnancy trope, but I found that it didn't bother me here, which was a great surprise. I felt like it was handled really well! However, I'm not a fan of insta-love, and that would be the one thing that I wish was different for this story. A Brush With Love was similar - the reader gets a lot of open door scenes right at the beginning, and then the characters pull back for various reasons. This definitely gives some good sexual tension, which romance readers live for, but my personal preference leans to more tension without the initial reward! I love a good build up.

The storyline with Lizzie's brother was something I didn't expect to love so much. I was so glad to see him stand up for her, and I loved the scene where she and Rake got to spend time with them at their house. That gave me all the warm fuzzies! It made me think of spending time with my own sisters, and I feel like Lizzie more than deserves to have siblings who love her that much.

I literally can't wait to read more books in this friend group, and I'm so excited to see which mental health issues get their time in the spotlight next.

I usually don’t love the accidental pregnancy trope but I thought it worked so well for the book and I actually really enjoyed it. I think because I knew that was the major premise to the story I was prepared and ready for it. I think the author did such a great job of showing different representation throughout the book and making a sometimes unrealistic storyline feel very relatable. I can’t wait to keep reading the series and be able to get to know everyone in this friend group.

I know that accidental pregnancy tropes are controversial, but I tend to not mind them when they are done well. Often, the issue is finding one that is done well, but I can assure you that this is one! Full disclosure, in an exercise of embracing chaos I chose to read this ARC before reading A Brush with Love - as far as I can tell it stands alone, although there are mentions of Harper and Dan throughout the book.

Lizzie is a beautiful and chaotic character. Her struggles with ADHD is a central theme to the book, honestly almost more than her pregnancy. A pregnancy is the catalyst to get these two into the same space, but from there it’s more about their individual relationship hang-ups and personal issues as they find a way to co-exist. Rake is a stoic, but lovable character who manages to roll with the punches and handles well at almost every turn. He is so gentle with Lizzie and encourages her growth without trying to change her. The book follows their relationship as it develops and as they grow up together.

I loved the ADHD representation in Lizzie’s character. As someone who does not struggle with this, it was fascinating to read how her brain zipped from one thing to another, snagging on details here, or coming to a screeching halt there. It was eye opening and led to a full and rich character.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️ rating: 5 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 genre: romance
🔥 steam: all the flames, very open door
👉🏻 tropes: accidental pregnancy, one night stand
pub date 9/6/2022

LOVED. LOVED. LOVED.
All the stars.

✨ Excellent mental health representation. I really felt like I understood how Lizzie felt everyday living with her ADHD. I loved seeing her describe how her thought process works.
✨ It was really fun to see the female be the complete horndog. Most of the time, even in romance books, the woman waits for the man to make the first move. I really liked that Lizzie absolutely did not do that.
✨ Bernadette was a really fun side character addition. She also made me want to go research everything I can about auras - because her immediate fit with Lizzie and trusting her so easily because their auras matched just fascinated me.
✨ Rake is a cinnamon roll hidden in a bad boy exterior and I love it.
✨ Seeing Lizzie find confidence in herself & in her ability to be a mom was heartwarming. I loved that she realized that she's not broken & she isn't "too much," she's just different and that's okay.
✨ This book made me really want a variety of baked goods - so don't mind me as I go patronize all of the bakeries in my area.

Short Review: Gah. Oh my heart.

"Every brain is beautiful, and they all deserve love exactly as they are."

Long Review: I loved Lizzie's character so much. I saw so much of my daughter in her. This book is such a wonderful bright spot in destigmatizing neurodiversity and mental health. It will warm your heart and make your heart hurt at the same time. Understanding, commitment, and love are huge themes in this book. Oh and pastries...you will be hungry.

My only criticism is that Rake seemed too good to be true. I am so happy Lizzie found him. I can see myself reading this one again and again.

I was very pleasantly surprised by this book!

I have never read an accidental pregnancy book because I was skeptical but I loved Mazey's first book and wanted to give it a try. I loved it!
Lizzie and Rake's chemistry was off the charts from the beginning and just got better throughout the book. I loved them! And would continue to read about them if given the chance.
I also really enjoyed the subplot with Lizzie's family.

Overall, a very great book and I can't wait for the next installment.,
4 stars

I adored Lizzie and Rake! Yet another example of Mazey Eddings’s excellent writing, Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake takes a trope I typically dislike and made me fall in love with these two adorable heroes. Lizzie is all soft edges, a ball full of energy, chaotic, but oh so tender and Rake is a quiet, tidy, hard-working, but burned by past relationships Aussie. What is supposed to be a two-night stand before Rake heads back to Australia becomes complicated quickly as Lizzie finds herself in the family way. Both are romantics at heart and their “non-relationship relationship” gets put through every challenge imaginable as Rake and Lizzie attempt to make a family. Each character has their own reasons for wanting to see this pregnancy through and I loved the open dialogue between them as they try to navigate something that was not planned nor what either of them expected in their lives.

What works so well in this book is that the physical attraction has been there from the start, so when Rake and Lizzie find themselves cohabitating, the sexual tension becomes palpable. There are so many laugh-out-loud scenes that deal with both of them being sexually frustrated and DYING to make a move on the other one and Eddings shines here with her dialogue. Because neither Rake nor Lizzie really know one another at the start of their living arrangement, they are so open and willing to “see” the other as they are with no preconceived notions. I loved that Rake never once judged Lizzie for her ADHD or mannerisms, but instead found her interesting and fascinating. This in turn allows Lizzie to become vulnerable with him as she can be her true self. As a baker, food is always playing into Lizzie’s identity and the way her baking is perceived by her mother, compared to her sister-in-law, brother, and Rake show a clear divide in how important Lizzie is to each of them.
Favorite moments:
-When Rake goes to Lizzie’s defense amongst her friends (wow! Lizzie may have been mad, but I loved reading this)
-Lizzie becoming jealous and Rake intervening during her “frustrated” time 🔥🔥🔥🔥
-The moment in Lizzie’s childhood bedroom (swoon)
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press/St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for the eARC. I’m dying to read Indira’s book next!

I could not put this book down, it was phenomenal. Like pull out my phone while brushing my teeth kind of addictive. I loved the concept of this book, I think it was such a fun and unique story, with fun and unique characters. The writing was so wonderfully descriptive, but also funny and witty. I loved Lizzie so much, and think that her story is one that more people need to read. The family dynamics within this had me hooked and rooting for Lizzie throughout. I loved this book and am absolutely reading more from this author!

Adorable book with wonderful characters. I love a cute rom-com book that sweeps you away from the mess of reality. I adored the characters in the book and how delightful and cute the book was. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.