4.5 ⭐️The Plus One follows Indira and Jude who have know eachother since childhood but haven’t necessarily always gotten along. They decide to fake date throughout the events that lead up to Colin’s wedding who is Indira’s brother and Jude’s best friend. Both Jude and Indira have their share of trauma due to events that have happened in there but they begin to navigate through it together. Trigger warnings are given at the beginning at the book so please be aware of that. I was honestly shocked by how much i enjoyed this book because it wasn’t what i was expecting. It is marketed as enemies to lovers, brother’s best friends, grumpy-sunshine book so i was expecting somewhat of a cheesy romcom. Although it does still stick to those tropes it takes on more heavy issues between the characters that can be dark at times. It’s definitely a journey that the characters go on and i appreciate how the author took their time in making sure the characters had their healing time. I absolutely adored Indira and Jude, their banter was actually hilarious. I would definitely recommend everyone picks up this book on its release date: April 4th , 2023!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC!

What I read: The Plus One by Mazey Eddings

Why I picked it up: I liked the cover so I requested the arc from NetGalley.

How I read it: The ARC from NetGalley which I received in exchange for my honest review.

What it’s about: Indira walked in to a sticky situation involving her boyfriend, peanut butter, and another woman. So she moves in with her brother but her enemy is staying there. Turns out Jude is less of an enemy and more of a person who knows her better than anyone else in the world. Also he’s suffering with PTSD and she’s a psychiatrist. She sees what’s happening and helps him see the truth about himself.

What I liked: I really appreciated the look at mental health and understanding of the human condition. I highlighted many passages that I would like to return to in the future.

What I disliked: There were a few too many spicy scenes that included way too much important dialogue so they were hard to skip over.

Genre: Mental health, fake dating, open door.

Rating & Recommendation: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and I think it’s worth a read if you like anything that talks about mental health.

Mazey's books just keep getting better and better! I enjoyed the first two books in this series, and book three is no exception. She has great character development, and writes emotion so well. This author has earned a place on my auto-buy list, and I can't wait to read what she publishes in the future.

I adored this book. It’s refreshing when the female MC makes the first move and the initiative. Everything felt very real and could all happen in real life. And it even featured one of my favorite tropes, one bed (in this case tent).

Thank you NetGalley for eARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5⭐️

OBSESSED!!! when mazey announced this one was fake dating AND brother’s best friend, i was beyond excited. this absolutely delivered!! i feel like every book is getting better as we go. the representation was really really good - i love that mazey includes a positive attitude about therapy in each of her books. i loved both of our mcs vvvvery much - and the spice was phenomenal ;)

⚠️tw/cw: mental illness, medical trauma, panic attacks/disorders, infidelity, abandonment, violence, war, toxic relationship, medical content

4.5 stars! This book was so good! This is my first book by Mazy Eddings, even though it is the third in the series it read beautifully as a stand alone! I will definitely be going back to read the other two now! I have so many thoughts about this book.

Tropes: brother’s best friend, enemies to lovers, fake dating, and it wasn’t necessarily a grumpy-shine it was kind of a grumpy grumpy in my opinion. Literally all my favorite tropes in one book!!

I loved getting to know Jude and Indira! Jude was an unconventional hero. He was awkward and broken and so sweet. And Indira was smart, sassy and funny. The two were so good together! It was a breath of fresh air reading a book about characters in their late 20s early 30s who were actually mature but could still have fun!

This book totally surprised me. First, I would not call this book a cheesy romcom, it’s more of a romance with some dark topic that were made light with witty banter, sweet romance and many funny parts. This book is centered heavily around mental health. Jude was dealing with major PTSD and Indira was dealing with her own mental battles. It made the book feel a bit heavier but not in a bad way, I actually really enjoyed the realness of it! Honestly, I felt a deep connection with these characters, my husband struggles with PTSD and I have my own mental health problems and being in a relationship where not one but both people are broken and fighting battles is hard, I think Eddings did a fantastic job depicting PTSD and how it can overtake someone’s mind. That feeling of just wanting to be normal and seem normal but your mind freezes you in fear. Eddings focus so much on the mental health aspects of this book, I would say almost more than the romance. We got to truly see Jude and Indira walk through their own battles and work towards trying to heal. But, that didn’t distract from their amazing and heart warming love story! Jude and Indira were so fun together! Their playfulness and banter was unmatched!
Both characters dealing with real problems made them seem so much more real.

There were many descriptive sex scenes. I wouldn’t say they were over the top or overly spicy. They were actually sweet. It was fun seeing Jude and Indira change and get more confident as the book went on.
My only complaint was I felt like the ending dragged out a bit.

Overall this book was a great read!! Very different than anything else I have read recently. Filled with real problems, witty banter, and a cute love story!

**Thank you for St.Martin’s Press and Netgallery for the early digital copy in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this comforting and emotional romance! It was the perfect fall/holiday read with just the right amount of spice and kick mixed with emotional rawness that brings the story to a grounded existence and let me feel even more connected to the characters. I will absolutely be reading more of Mazey Eddings upcoming releases! Thank you for a chance to read an early copy.

I read A Brush With Love last year and thought it was super cute and a fun read, albeit lacking something and not as captivating as I would have liked. However, The Plus One really blew me away! I'm so happy I decided to read this, because it was such a wonderful book and had everything I could have wanted. I loved getting a crossover and seeing characters from A Brush With Love appear in this book. It felt like family, to be able to see everyone come together. I think the most important thing to highlight about this book isn't the romance or the tropes or the writing - although all of those are stellar - but the mental health and trauma representation that we see. Jude and Indira come from difficult pasts, and carry their scars into their futures. I truly enjoyed seeing them come together and help each other heal, support each other, and love each other through it all, good and bad. Healing is not linear, and it is certainly not easy, and I have to prasie Mazey Eddings for giving us such a realistic and raw representation of PTSD, trauma, healing, therapy and so much more. This book was smart, sexy, real, funny and worth your time to check out. I highly recommend.

Tropes: childhood friends, brother's best friend, fake dating, grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers.

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for an eARC of this book you cannot miss.

Thanks @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the chance to read and review @mazeyeddings forthcoming book, The Plus One. It releases on April 4, 2023.

The third book in the Brush with Love series follows Indira and her brother’s best friend Jude. They have been annoyed with each other since childhood, but their relationship shifts as they get ready for Indira’s brother’s wedding.

Jude has spent the past several years working in conflict zones as a surgeon and the experience has left him with PTSD. Part of their journey as a couple is figuring out whether they are too broken to be together. Mazey Eddings writes about mental health with such care and compassion. You will root for these characters to find their happy ending.

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: brothers best friend, enemies-to-lovers, one tent, accidental roommates

Such a cute book! I loved Dira and Jude’s bantering and the enemies to lovers trope. I did not read the 2 books in the series that come before this one, and I feel like I didn’t miss anything. Their stories was cute all on its own.

I’m also glad that Jude’s PTSD and struggle to fight for himself was part of it. I don’t think that’s talked about enough in guys.

Really cute read! Published date is 4/4/2023. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s for the eARC!

This was another cute addition to the series. I really enjoyed getting to know Indira better learning about her life.

I really enjoyed the back and forth between Indira and Jude. They way they tease each other is so funny. Of course I loved the way they supported each other. Especially Indira being there for Jude and pushing him to acknowledge his mental health needs and feel comfortable in taking the next steps.

This book had all the great tropes - fake dating, enemies to lovers, one bed (one tent). It was filled with very funny moments and also very tender ones.

This one is definitely a little heavier than the other books in the series, but the topics are handled with care. Definitely recommend picking up the final book in this series.

Enemies turned to friends, steamy with mental health struggles and awareness. Not necessarily a book I couldn't put down, but it was good. Would recommend as an easy read.

OHHH This book.
Can I just say I loved how they stress how hard dealing with PTSD is and how much it can effect every single part of your being. I love Indira for just being there for Jude and not overly pushing anything, even when they started off as enemies but she changed her tactic once she saw how he was struggling. I also loved that while a therapist herself, Indira sees one as well to help her unpack her trauma but to also stay on top of her feelings for her own patients. I can't even imagine working with children what she must have to hear and deal with.
I will say the more books that come out in this series the more and more that I am liking them.
This one was the perfect mix of light banter while bringing up some darker themes and issues.
Also can I just say PEANUT BUTTER... EWW

I absolutely loved this book! It intrigued me before I read it so I was excited to dive in, and once I started reading it, I couldn't stop. I couldn't put it down. It also gave me a little bit of nostalgia from my friendships in my childhood, so I really loved that aspect of it too.

I really loved the characters of Jude and Indira both as individuals and together. Indira is fiery and compassionate and strong and witty and I really enjoyed her as the lead here. Jude is quieter but also just as witty and compassionate and they both complimented each other well. I really loved seeing how Jude and Indira grew both individually and together through the course of the book. They are each on their own mental health journey and both dealing with their own trauma that they work through but also find ways to help each other through.

All-in-all, I adored this book and I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

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

I loved The Plus One! I read A Brush With Love and Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake, and this book did not disappoint. I loved the characters, the story, and the message. It wasn’t quite as funny as the other two books, but I still laughed a ton and enjoyed my reading experience. I think the story was well done as always.

If you like novels with enemies to frenemies to lovers, brother’s best friends, and mental health discussion, you’ll love this book.


I loved Mazey Eddings’ first two books, and I couldn’t wait to read her new book. The Plus One is funny, full of dirty talk and sexy scenes, but at the same time heavy and heart-rending. In this story, Mazey describes the difficult subject of mental health issues/PTSD in a brilliant and raw way, and through her vulnerable characters, Jude and Indira, she shows the importance of seeking support from mental health professionals and people you trust and feel most safe.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press and Mazey Eddings for an ARC.

Did I just read a book or attend a therapy session? I have no idea but I loved every minute of it. I laughed. I cried. I swooned. I fell in love with the characters, flaws included. In fact, I think I loved their flaws the most. They were honest and real and the true journey of mental well-being and healing was highlighted so well. I cannot say enough good things about this novel. Hats off to the author; she did a phenomenal job and told a beautiful love story with a rawness that I think is too often glossed over in romance novels. The ONLY thing I would consider changing is the title, simply because I don’t think it embodies the novel as best it could. 5 stars to this novel!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The writing is well done and the spicy scenes and romantic tension are done so well. I also enjoyed that this book takes on mental health and the stigma that can come with getting help. Relatable on so many levels and just overall so well done!

The plus one
⭐️Book review⭐️
Release date April 2023
Thank you @netgalley and publisher for the #advancereviewcopy

Summary: Indira and Jude agree to be each other’s dates to Indira’s brother’s wedding despite hating each other, but each has their reasons for needing the ‘fake date’. Indira is moving on from finding her boyfriend with another woman and since he’ll be at the wedding she wants to make him regret his actions. Jude suffers from PTSD as a result of working in a hospital war zone; Indira’s presence comforts him.

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. It was witty and had a great romance arc. It also contained a lot of depth in terms of dealing with PTSD. The supporting characters were amazing and fun to read about. The middle did get a little slow, so I felt like it could have been shortened just a tad to avoid that muddy middle, but other than that, an enjoyable and entertaining read.
4/5 stars.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Welp. Mazey Eddings is officially an auto buy author for me. More more more more more!! I want all of the books in this series on my shelf.