I loved this book! I loved the characters, I loved the spice. I loved everything! 5 stars for this fun read.

What a book! 🥰 Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake is something you should order ASAP! If you loved a Brush with Love, then you'll adore Eddings' sophomore novel. 🤍

📝 Lizzie is always trying her best, but her life is a hot mess! 🌪 She can't keep a job, her apartment is a disaster, and emotionally she's closed off to any romantic relationships. Then she meets Rake, an attractive Australian, and decides to break her one-night stay rule. Spending time with Rake may be more than she bargained for. Sometimes the biggest mistakes turn out the be the greatest things in life. 😊

What I 🤍:
🧠 Neurodiversity Representation
🍑 Sex & Body Positivity
😳 Awkward Moments
🥐 Creative Bakery Items
👟 Quick Pace

I ADORED 🥰 the characters in this book! Eddings writes in a way that makes you fall in love and root for her characters. 🙏 The perspective of a neurodiverse character living with ADHD was done phenomenally. When I was reading I kept thinking, "Man, Eddings did a lot of research on how to portray this." It wasn't until the author's note that you learn Eddings herself has ADHD. My eyes were opened to a whole new way of seeing the world. Blake was dreamy. I loved how he appreciated Lizzie's mind and how she saw the world. 🌍 We all need a boss like Bernadette, and a best friend like Indira who loves you unconditionally.

Prince's Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Steaminess: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

(I took off half a point because there was a lot of swearing in this book. Swearing doesn't bother me, but sometimes it felt unnecessary.)

Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake
by Mazey Eddings
Pub Date: 06 Sep 2022
3.5/5 Stars

At first glance I think we all wish we were a little like Lizzie, free spirited and unencumbered by societal inhibition. Lizzy struggles with ADHD and anxiety, though, and that’s something that affects all aspects of her crazy, messy life. Two things that bring her joy are baking and sex. The latter leads her to Rake, a hot Australian on a short trip to the U.S. Two days together leads to an unexpected pregnancy.

Lizzie and Rake are both sweet characters and it was fun to root for them as they grew closer, all the while growing their baby. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into Lizzie’s life as she faced her struggles with Rake by her side, as well as her wonderful support system of friends.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC.

Kudos to Mazey Eddings for writing such an important story. I love the way she dove in and tackled a prevalent but misunderstood and under-discussed disorder that affects so many people in our society. Lizzie Blake’s mind does not work like most people's. She has always been a square peg trying to fit into a round hole. Lizzie is full of energy and life, but her adult ADHD has always made her feel out of place and out of control. Her life constantly keeps her moving. That is where she feels best. Craving human touch, but afraid to form attachments, Lizzie creates a world where one-night hook-ups are her normal. Until she meets the sexy Aussie Rake, who is visiting her hometown, Philadelphia, on business. Their attraction is intense and instant. Rake, suffering from his own issues, seeks and craves the energy Lizzie exudes. Their one night of pleasure leaves them in an unexpected situation. Rake longs to be there to support Lizzie, but both are afraid of their true feelings. Lizzie’s upbringing has left her self-confidence in shreds. She feels like she ruins everything good. Rake does not see Lizzie or her mind as a train wreck. He sees her as beautiful and intriguing. Will they be able to overcome their personal issues and find their happy ending?

Lizzie and Rake’s story is a raw and beautiful one. I loved the deep insight into Lizzie's character. The firsthand look into the intricacies of Lizzie’s mind was educational and caused me to look at life from a different perspective. It was refreshing to see an author normalize mental health issues and all the things that go hand in hand with them. I fell in love with Rake’s character. His devotion and longing to understand Lizzie melted my heart. Every woman deserves to have a champion like Rake in her corner. Their unexpected journey to find love was a delight to read. The whole plotline was realistic and engaging. It had me hooked from the very first page. I loved all the characters, even Lizzie’s horrible mother, as she added a harsh and realistic truth to the story. Lizzie’s story touched every single one of my emotions. Her propensity to blurt out everything that came to mind had me cracking up. Rake and Lizzie’s snarky banter kept making me smile. Lizzie’s feelings of being unlovable and inadequate made me cry. The steamy scenes were sizzling, hot, and plentiful! This story contained all the ingredients I love. It was a 5-star read for me.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for providing this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake is SUCH a fun read! I could not put it down. The ADHD representation is spot on and the book made me laugh, cringe, it gave me all the feels. It's a must read for any rom com fan. Lizzie meets Rake in a chance encounter in a bar and things quickly heat from there but then there's some complications and you ride this wave of a story with them as they face challenges. II'll be reading this one again this summer, I thoroughly enjoyed it start to finish.

Thank you SO much NetGalley for this eARC.

Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake features a delightful protagonist with poorly managed ADHD. She grew up with parents who saw her being aneurotypical as a failure, leaving her feeling that she couldn’t truly be loved- so why even try? It’s best to just keep it to one night stands. However, one day she meets Rake. He’s attractive, good in bed, and going back to Australia - what a perfect combination! However, when Lizzie realizes she’s pregnant, Rake immediately jumps on coparenting- moving to Philadelphia ASAP. Both struggle with emotions and vulnerability, but can they still find a way to love each other?

I still have tears in my eyes after reading this. As someone who struggles with both ADHD and a mood disorder, I can’t adequately describe how meaningful this book was. At one point it is explicitly stated that just because Lizzie’s brain functions differently than a neurotypical doesn’t mean she deserves to be valued less.
I cried.

Yes, the romance was sweet and I loved the side characters (especially Bernadette) immensely… but the incredible love shown for the neurodivergent is what made this a five star read for me.

4.5 rounded up to a 5. From one Philadelphian, ADHD, Elizabeth Marie to another, I loved this book. Lizzie was my favorite character in Mazey Edding’s last book so I was so excited to get an ARC for her next part of the series. I found myself relating so much to Lizzie’s story (the challenges that come from neurodivesity, not the accidental pregnancy from a handsome Australian man). Some of the logistical pieces felt a little far fetched but I don’t really read rom coms for realism. Even if you’re not usually a big fan of the accidental pregnancy trope, I’d still recommend giving this one a chance.

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

Thank you St. Martin Press and NetGalley for the eARC! All opinions expressed are my own. This review does NOT contain any spoilers. :)

☆☆☆☆☆ Overall
(Spice: ☆☆☆☆☆)

Trigger/Content Warnings: accidental pregnancy, super brief mentions of cheating and abortion, (If I’m missing anything here that you think should be added, please let me know and I will update accordingly! Thanks!)

I don’t even know where to start with this book. Eddings is one of the few authors I have ever encountered that writes honest, lovely depictions of neurodivergence, love, mistakes, and happy endings (literally, and well… y’know. ;) )

Lizzie Blake is a character that I fell in love with in her brief appearance in Eddings’ debut novel, A BRUSH WITH LOVE. (Also can we talk about Harper and Dan’s appearances here?? I missed them so much.) When we meet Lizzie in LBBM, it sort of feels like her life is scattered and out of whack, and she’s trying to get her bearings on everything. Things perk up when she meets our lovely Tough Boy, Rake, but then he’s gone, and she loses her job - she’s fumbling, and things keep going in ways she doesn’t expect. Navigating these situations with her ADHD is tough and challenging and she’s fighting tooth and nail to make things good for herself. Adding an unexpected pregnancy to the mix is bound to shake everything up again.. right?

How can a “fritzy,” crass, sunshine-incarnate woman navigate coparenting with a pragmatic, stone hearted, Aussie grumpy boots of a man? And how can they take on this massive life changing circumstance without losing themselves (and each other) in the process?

Our beloved ragtag family of side characters, individuals that love with their whole hearts, family members that are trying their hardest to understand and break the cycles of how things used to be - LIZZIE BLAKE’S BEST MISTAKE is overflowing with whit, personality, and tangible feeling. Eddings’ writing style, her ability to build worlds so immersive that I never want to leave, is truly remarkable. This is a novel that will have you laughing and crying from the same sentence, with romance that is swoon worthy and impossible not to root for.

This book is absolutely wonderful, and it is the honor of a lifetime to be able to read it. I fell in love with this series immediately with ABWL, and this second novel just further solidified the grip that Mazey Eddings has on my heart. I am so proud and overjoyed to see a fellow neurodivergent woman creating amazing things, and I will forever be your cheerleader, Mazey. Thank you for this.

This book left me swooning and hungry. My favorite kind of romance.
•
Mazey writes characters that are easy to love and relate to.
•
Instant romance isn’t always my favorite trope to read but I would probably have instantly fallen for Rafe too!
•
The female friendships you loved from Book 1 (A Brush With Love) are prevalent and just as wonderful in Book 2. That being said; you don’t necessarily need to read the first book to enjoy the second.

Lizzie Blake is a well-drawn character with ADHD. Her struggles are real, and it is a joy to see her when she hits her stride. Tropes in the story, such as the surprise pregnancy, feel fresh with Mazey Eddings approach.

As soon as I saw that Mazey Eddings came out with a 2nd book to follow-up A Brush with Love, I knew that I needed to get my hands on it ASAP. The fact that it follow’s Lizzie Blake made it everything for me.

A two-night stand turns in to a LOT more than Lizzie bargained for that first night at the bar, and the story unravels in a way that will give you ALL of the feels - I promise. I laughed, I shed a tear, I felt myself getting steamy, and damn I want more of what Mazey Eddings has to offer. She's an absolute auto-buy author for me now. Her representation of ADHD provides not only awareness but a much deeper understanding than I’ve ever seen in a rom-com novel like this one.

The pacing of this book is fantastic, and the character development is even better. This book will absolutely be one of my favorites of the year, and being only April I am that confident in this statement! Chef’s kiss to Mazey Eddings on a beautiful story about self-love and finding the perfect person to help you unpack your own unique baggage. Don't hesitate - Just pre-order this one NOW!

Holy Rake!!! This book was so good not even kidding. Thanks to Netgallery and Mazey for the ARC!!

I loved A Brush With Love and now getting a book focused on Lizzie?! It was so well written and cute and funny and all the feels!! Rake being australian was *chef’s kiss* and he was so supportive and caring of Lizzie. I loved how we got to see glimpses of Dan and Harper as well as the others and how we got to go on a deeper dive into Lizzie and her story!!

5/5 for me!!

An excellent book that I could not put down. I would actually sneak-read it on my preps at work. I loved the main characters and I was rooting for them on every page!

This book was super cute with just the right amount of spice. I love books where the characters are struggling to figure themselves out and then find their happiness. This book fit that bill perfectly!

I really enjoyed reading this book! Lizzie is real, funny, full of life, a total train wreck but such a joy to watch. I enjoyed the intimate portrayal of her mental health struggles. She was beautifully drawn, and while the revolving door on men seemed a bit overreaching, I couldn’t help but fall in love with her. It’s such an insightful portrayal of what ADHD can look like. And it was FUNNY!

I do agree with some comments on it reading a bit young. The language used wasn’t exactly thought provoking or intricate, but the story still worked and kept me engaged. I wouldn’t have minded a deeper, more sophisticated portrayal (especially of Rake’s character - weird name btw!) Also didn’t buy the boss’s vehement dislike of Lizzie after literally one interaction, but the book had so many laugh out loud moments, it outshined any con the book had.

I won’t include spoilers, but let’s just say I’m really happy with the way the Author left the relationship with the mom. Kudos for not sticking a bow on everything.

4/5⭐️

Lizzie is all for sex positivity with a dash of self loathing. When she picks up a guy from a bar, with the name of Rake of all names, she gets knocked up. It's a whacky happen stance. I think this must be a sequel. I felt dropped kind of in the middle of some relationships, but it was totally fine. It's a lot of spice. If that's your thing, this book is for you. I thought it wasn't going to be, I know, don't judge a book by its cover, but the cartoon cover led me to believe it wouldn't be. Jokes on me 😆 it's a fun spicy novel if you're in the mood for it

“She wanted to run and run until she outpaces the feelings. She always felt too much. Too sharp.”

Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake by Mazey Eddings is her second book, and set in the same world as her debut A Brush with Love, but can easily be read as a standalone. Lizzie Blake has always felt like she was too much. Struggling to control or manage her ADHD, life is hard for Lizzie, she makes mistakes, messes and a couple bad decisions. But she definitely doesn’t regret her two night stand with the unbelievably hot Australian Rake. Well that is until she finds out she’s pregnant and the two have to navigate co-parenting while also definitely not falling for each other.


You might like this book if you’re interesting in:
* m/f insta attraction
* we can only do this once, we can’t fall in love
* accidental pregnancy trope
* opposites attract
* oh no there’s only one bed
dual POV
neurodivergent rep
spice
HEA epilogues


When I started reading Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake the only things I knew to expect were an accidental pregnancy trope and a good amount of spice, but ultimately it was much deeper and more impactful on me than I expected it to be.

“Your brain was built different and that’s beautiful, never a burden.”

Lizzie is a bright, witty character who jumps off the page, but her struggle with her ADHD feels so raw and real. As an adult looking to get treated for her own ADHD I undervalued just how much it would mean to see my own struggles represented. Eddings’ descriptions of Lizzie’s struggles and pain were realistic and emotional, making me tear up multiple times.

Lizzie feels like she is consistently too much, feeling too much, doing too much, and it was really endearing to see a love interest who embraced her struggles and never saw her in the judgmental ways she saw herself. Rake’s push to love Lizzie isn’t a “I love you despite of xyz” type of love, but rather a “I love you for who you are completely” type of love and god was that good to see. Lizzie and Rake’s banter was really fun to read and even though this was definitely instant attraction their relationship was realistically built throughout the novel.

Overall Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake was an incredibly fun romantic read that had me laughing out loud one moment and tearing up the next. I’ll definitely be recommending it to others, as well as picking up Eddings other books in the future.

This book was so fun! We only got a glimpse of Lizzie in Brush With Love and so this new installment was very exciting. Lizzie and Rake’s story was sexy, sweet, and vulnerable. It was the absolute best.

This isn't necessarily a bad story, I just didn't believe it.

With romance novels where there really isn't much of a plot other than two people falling for each other, the connection between the characters really needs to shine and I just didn't see that with this one. I was never actually convinced that Rake and Lizzie had any sort of bond other than lust. Which is a type of connection, it's just not the deep connection I would expect for someone who flies halfway across the world, quits their job, and coparents with someone they know fewer than three days.

It just seems so unrealistic, so implausible, so over-the-top that I couldn't get into the story. I also realised while reading this that I'm actually not a fan of the ‘unexpected pregnancy’ trope. It just doesn't work for me, personally.

So obviously not the target audience for this one. But if you enjoy whirlwind romance with characters taking all of the risks and chances, then this is something to look forward to!

Thank you to SMP and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: cheating (past relationship), accidental pregnancy, brief discussion of abortion

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f insta attraction
-this is just a hookup
-accidental pregnancy
-close-proximity/roommance
-an appreciation for smexy food
-opposites attract
-face sitting
-roommance (but there are no walls)
-food porn

This book has lived rent free in my mind since I read it. Lizzie is chaotic, has ADHD, and is just her authentic self. She speaks her mind, but also has such real self-doubt. Enter Rafe the Australian man of all of our dreams. Type A, trying to keep emotion at arms lengths.

Both Rafe and Lizzie have past hurts that make them hard to trust love especially when you add in an accidental pregnancy. These two bumble around each other, an apartment with no walls, just pining for the other. Both Rafe and Lizzie are stubborn and trying to do the best they can, live their dreams. In some ways so similar and I loved how they began to lean on the other.

Full of the wonderful female friendships from Book 1 and some wonderful pop ins, this was just a steamy, feel good, horny time. All about being your authentic self, learning to accept love, accept yourself and that you are enough. Mazey just continues to be one of my favorite authors and I'll read anything she writes

Disclosure: I'm social media mutuals with the author

Stea,: 3.5