This book was super cute. I liked how the characters and relationship evolved. I thought it was also a nice way to shine a light on mental illness and how anybody, of any gender, is at risk if they don’t practice self care.

Mazey Eddings is now an instant read author for me. I loved this so much. Jude and Indira’s story is so raw and so real and so beautiful. I loved revisiting Dan and Harper, Lizzie and Rake, Alex and Thu.

I recently finished Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake and was excited to read the next book in the series. Happy to say that I was not let down.

I really enjoyed this "enemies" to lovers trope and I think it was because there was so much more to the story than just not getting along and then falling in love. Eddings did another great job of tackling the impacts of mental illness/disorders on those experiencing it and on those connected with it. In this novel, we saw this from both characters perspectives. I also appreciate how she normed the importance of being aware of one's mental health and not being afraid to ask for help.

While you can read this novel and enjoy the simple romance, I think it hits even harder when you let yourself fall into the pain and healing of the characters.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital advanced copy.

Thank you to the publisher, net galley, and the author for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.

I was not expecting to go into this read to read about PTSD and mental health issues. I think the author did a good job incorporating them into the overall romance story. I overall enjoyed the story but wasn’t my favorite writing style- I felt it was rushed and included a lot of extra pieces that weren’t needed to the story and just stretched it out.

I was so excited to read the third book in this series, and it did not disappoint! Each book in this series has dealt with a different, very important, mental health theme. The first book was anxiety disorder, the second book was adult ADHD and the third book dealt with PTSD and imposter syndrome. Whether you struggle with these specific diagnoses or not, there is something for absolutely everyone to relate to in each of these books, while also keeping you entertained with hilarious dialogue, an adorable friendship group that you want to be a part of yourself and believable love stories between characters that so clearly belong together.

In The Plus One we get to see Indira and Jude's story. Indira has always been portrayed as the friend "who has it all together" in the previous books in the series, but once we get to know her more we learn that she is struggling with her own silent burdens, dealing with fears of abandonment and imposter syndrome. Jude has been working as a surgeon in war-torn countries and has been left with PTSD from the experiences and situations that he has been in through his work.

Indira and Jude lean on each other for support and comfort, both growing to love each other while learning how to love themselves, flaws and all. This book brought me to tears multiple times and I cannot count how many quotes I highlighted because I resonated with them so deeply. Mazey Eddings does an incredible job of placing common, relatable struggles into her beautiful characters, and then bringing you along on their healing journey, making you truly feel a part of it. This book has both adorable and gut wrenching moments, the ending was absolutely perfect and I could not have imagined a better way to wrap up this incredible series. I will miss these characters so much!!

Ya'll, this is smut covered in PTSD and therapy.

In a nutshell…
-The PTSD/mental health representation was awesome.
-There were some touching moments that almost made me cry.
-The overall plot had great potential and was intriguing.
-The overall writing style was good.

THESE QUOTES were awesome:
“I’m not looking to fix you… I’m here to love you.”
“I can attest to the torture that we inflict on people when we minimize the impact of a hurting mind.”

I DIDN'T CARE FOR:
-The messages became repetitive at the end.
-At least 5 chapters, including the epilogue didn’t need to be there.
-The rushed romance gets in the way. I love that they got together but did they really have to “get it on” so quickly?
-I would have preferred a slower burn with less dirty and more flirty.
-The pacing and organization of the plot after 60% was done poorly.
-The graphic sexy scenes happened at the wrong times.
-There was no comedy in this romcom. I think I laughed twice?
-The romantic conflict wasn’t really there. It was resolved quickly and too easily.
-The extreme use of F bombs. roughly 200+ was too much.... I would expect this in an adult thriller, but it threw me to have SO many in a romcom. Maybe it's just the style of the author? Either way, it distracted me from the plot, and I was exhausted in the end.

OVERALL THOUGHTS:
This would be perfect for someone who loves spicy books with an attempt at deep character exploration and doesn't mind that every character only knows one expletive.
With all my critiques, why is this not lower than 3 stars? The PTSD representation was too good and the lovely moments that moved me, gave it a higher rating than I'd normally do.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m a huge fan of A Brush With Love and was so excited to read this. I didn’t really get into the story or our main characters until about the 25% mark but after that I was hooked. There were so many cute moments between Jude and Indira. Loved all the positive therapy representation and how it was very clear that this was a story about two people wanting to help each other on their healing journeys simply because they loved each other and it was NOT about trying to “fix” someone. It felt very healing being able to read about these people so freely express their thoughts and feelings with each other and find ways to try to heal. Also loved that their was no 3rd act breakup and that the slight miscommunication that happened was all solved within the next page. It all felt very true to the characters and their relationship.

I have to give this book 4 stars.
While I enjoyed the story, I'm not a fan of the writing style. A well written book, just not my favorite writing style.

So, first off, I was not expecting this story to be as heavy as it was. I thought it was just gonna be a light rom-com. Turns out, there was a much more important and strong message that was shared and I really enjoyed it. That said, it doesn’t take away from the funny/cute moments shared by the cast of characters. Speaking of, I absolutely loved how everyone interacted with each other, such a relatable group. Also, thank goodness for the lack of the third act breakup. Like, can we make this more of a thing? All in all, this was a solid read that I really enjoyed.

I was excited to get a chance to read this before release because I love a good rom com with the tropes this book features. What I didn’t expect was so much great detail on mental health issues, ptsd awareness and getting to read about it being healthily handled in the book- a refreshing thing to read for sure. This has the brothers best friend trope, a hilarious camping one tent situation, enemies to lovers vibe and best of all diversity, inclusion and representation to those of us who struggle with mental health issues:) I really enjoyed this book and will definitely read more from the author. Oh and for a fun bonus, our mmc dirty talks his woman and loves her as she deserves! We love to see it!

Gosh I loved how deep The Plus One went!

Jude and Indira have been enemies since, well since they’ve known each other. Jude is her brother’s best friend so you’d think it would be simple to avoid him but then they are tasked with walking down the aisle together in Collin’s wedding. Soon they’re thrown together for pre-wedding festivities and realize they might be more compatible than they thought.

The Plus One is a brother’s best friend, forced proximity that has so much depth and feeling in it. As Jude and Indira struggle with life issues they learn to lean on each other and don’t hate it. This book was so deep and full of feelings and emotion, I loved it so freaking much!

If there is something I have come to learn about Mazey Eddings, it’s that she can write the human experience so heartbreakingly truthfully beautiful. She really does take these damaged experienced and lays them out in these characters so seamlessly that you can’t help but be completely entranced by their internal struggles as the world continues moving around them without any clue.

I fell in love with that experience once again while reading this book. The look on PTSD from someone who you may not normally think may have it was written to perfection. I love the interwoven therapy sessions for a way to show character development and guiding the plot.

I loved loved loved the friendship and sibling dynamics. They were so genuine and truthful to real life. I felt at home reading this book.

The only thing for me is that the ending was too ideal. It tugged back and forth and dragged on and the the resolution was too pretty. I felt disappointed after all of that build up.

But honestly read this book. You’ll
Learn so much about the human experience . This broke my heart in so many ways , but I needed this

The banter between Jude and Indira was top-tier but I loved how below all that banter they had such a deep connection. The way Indira grounded Jude and made him feel safe whenever he felt overwhelmed warmed my heart. I loved how their connection continued to strengthen throughout the book and how they were constantly there for each other. Even when Jude struggled with communicating his feelings, Indira was patient with him. I loved how patient they both were with each other and how they never gave up on each other. This story was emotional and heartwarming. I thought it was a great representation of PTSD, and how mental health can impact relationships. I also loved that this book showed that love doesn't magically "cure" mental illness. Jude still struggled with PTSD even though him and Indira were happy. I hate when books make it seem like falling in love with the right person solves every problem in your life. Overall I enjoyed everything about this book. From the main characters, the side characters to the representation and communication, I thought it was all beautifully done. I can't see what comes next from Mazey Eddings!

I loved this one! Indira and Jude are perfect. I loved seeing so much of how they supported each other. I especially loved that the main conflict wasn't a break-up over bad communication and instead was something they supported each other through.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martins Press for providing me with an E-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

It is not a surprise that I gave this book 5 stars. Mazey's writing is so addictive, and I swear she is the queen of ROM-COM. Mazey is an AUTOMATIC author buy for me, I will always read her books. This book holds a special place in my heart, and is one of my favorite books of all time (honestly, that's not a surprise).

Even though I flew through this book in 1 1/2 days, this book was a little hard to read, but I related so much to one of the main characters, Jude. This book made me laugh, smile, and sob uncontrollably. As a person who is diagnosed with PTSD, and struggles with it on a day to day basis, this book has made me feel like I am not alone. The feelings that Jude experienced during his day to day life is what it's like to experience in reality -- I would know. But then, the reassurance and persistence from Indira to Jude was such an eye-opener to Jude, but even to myself. The jokingly remarks throughout the whole book made this story even better, I can't even tell you how many times I laughed. Peanut butter (iykyk). Last but least, we CANNOT forget about the little dirty talk & sexy scenes that is mentioned!

This book is absolute perfection. Thank you, Mazey, for writing this book. I feel noticed and not alone. <3

Tropes:
- Fake Dating
- Childhood Enemies to Lovers
- Forced Proximity

Trigger Warnings:
PTSD, anxiety/panic attacks, cheating, parental abandonment

Oh man. This book.

First, I would like to thank @netgalley for letting me review this book.

Second, this was the first book by @mazeyeddings I’ve read and I will DEFINITELY be reading her other books.

The banter between the two main characters was everything. They were completely sarcastic to each other and I was living for it. Indira’s brother is getting ready to marry his boyfriend and Jude is her brothers best friend. They’ve been enemies and annoyed each other since they were little. After Indira becomes suddenly single before her brothers wedding, her and Jude decide to be in a fake relationship to get through the pre-wedding festivities. What ensues is one of the funniest and emotionally beautiful stories I have read. The care and love that is shown in bringing mental health stigmas to light was simply beautiful. There were a few times I was sitting there wondering if the author was in my head when she was having Indira discuss her thought process.

All in all, it was a simply poetic book and I would recommend this for everyone.

“And I . . . I don’t know. I guess I started seeking that approval wherever I could get it. However I could, because maybe then it would prove that I am enough and I’m worth sticking around for.”

This was such a beautiful and realistic story. Reading about Indira was so special because I shared part of her story. I was also abandoned by my biological father and disappointed multiple times. I know what it’s like to wonder if you’re enough and being scared of people leaving. Indira’s experiences highlighted exactly what some people go through and how abandonment issues present themselves in different ways, even as adults. Now switching to Jude’s story, I can’t say I’ve experienced much PTSD, but I understood and felt for his pain. The small things that could trigger him such as small sounds was a perfect example of the many impacts mental health issues can have on a person. There’s a fine line on relying on a person to be okay, kind of like a drug, to being supported by someone else. I was hesitant at first, sensing that Jude would need Indira to be okay, only to later find out that it was just Indira’s way of showing support to Jude while also allowing him to have a say in choosing what was best for his mental health. I appreciated the description of struggling to find acceptance in needing help. More specifically, I appreciated the depiction of mental health professionals also struggling with their own mental health. Most of us think that because of the fact we that they’re specializing in mental health, they must be perfect and not endure any mental health issues, but that’s simply not the truth. Myself, being a psychology major, have wondered how to best help those around me when sometime I’m not feeling my best. It was so comforting to read about Indira feeling similarly to what I’ve felt so many times, and reading that it’s also okay for mental health professionals to not be okay and to seek help when they need it, it doesn’t make them any less as mental health professionals. I enjoyed reading this book so much. No one can have a perfect ending, but Indira and Jude show that there is something very near to it. I can’t wait for everyone else to read this book and open their minds to the many mental health struggles many people live with.

First & foremost, thank you so much to Net Gallery, St. Martin’s Press, and Mazey Eddings for the amazing opportunity to read this advanced copy.

The Plus One by Mazey Eddings

Pub Date: April 4, 2023

Rating: 🌟 🌟 🌟 🌟

Spicy: 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

TW: PTSD, Mental Health Issues, Parental Issues

When I first started reading, I just assumed that it would be another enemy-to-lovers, fake dating trope (which is perfectly fine 😛) but I wasn’t expecting the storyline to touch on such important topics, such as mental health, abandonment issues, and therapy just to name a few.

I fell in love with Indira and Jude both individually and together. Their whole fake dating, older brother’s best friend storyline was great and their bickering back and forth with each other actually made me laugh out loud. The anticipation that the author built between the characters was great and just the right amount of denial of their feelings for each other lol. And once Indira and Jude let themselves feel, it was just, *chef’s kiss* amazing. The way that Indira and Jude just connect with each other is so irresistible & I loved that their communication with each other was wonderful.

This book touches on some serious topics, which I thought was great since & in my opinion, makes the storyline even better. It talked about past trauma and PTSD in a way that makes it easy for the reader to understand and even relate. I loved that the author shed a lot of positive light on how important it is to seek professional help such as therapy or even just communicating with the people you feel most safe with. I would highly recommend this book to anyone; not just for the fun and flirty parts but also because of the deeply personal and emotional topics that were touched on within the book.

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

This book was fantastic. I was engrossed for the first page. The story of Indira and Jude was so honest and pure, I just loved it.

The author does a great job of offering initial trigger warnings at the start which was important and good to see. This book has a huge mental health focus and was so tastefully done.

5 stars, easy.

Thank you to NetGalley & St Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This story follows two childhood enemies Jude and Indira who agree to fake date leading up to her brothers wedding, all while dealing with their own emotional trauma from the past.

Each of Mazey’s books has mental health representation and this book is heavily focused on Jude’s journey with PTSD which I thought was handled with a lot of care. I loved how supportive and vulnerable Jude and Indira were with each other. Although this book did have its dark moments it was perfectly balanced out with light ones as well!