Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for this ARC of Mazey Eddings's next release!! Mazey Eddings has quickly become an instant buy author for me just because her writing is quick, easy, and swoonworthy. Her characters are not my favorite but Eddings's writing is just natural and her execution of A Brush with Love and Lizzie Blake were easy reads I would recommend to my more casual reader friends, knowing they'd enjoy it. The Plus One is no different and frankly, it's my favorite of her works so far! It had all my favorite tropes but instead of the tropes drowning out her characters, her story is driven through a force of its own and was so enjoyable. I love having been able to witness Eddings's growth as a writer across three books and I am SO excited for more!

This is the 3rd book in the series by Mazey Eddings, but I didn't read the other two books in the series. I didn't feel like I was lost or confused because I jumped in at the 3rd book. I loved this story, and I finished it in one day!

This book wasn't like a typical romance story because it also handle heavier topics, such as PTSD, mental health, and trauma. The heavier topics felt very realistic, and I felt like I could really connect to what the characters were feeling, even though I hadn't experienced their pain. Even though the book had heavy topics in it, there was still enough romance and fun to balance it out.

'The Plus One' centers around Indira, who has to pick up the pieces after she finds her boyfriend cheating on her. She goes to live with her brother, Collin, and his fiance, Jeremy. Also living at their house is Jude, who is Collin's best friend since they were in kindergarten. Jude and Indira grew up together, but they never got along. As children and now as adults, they love to annoy each other and get under each other's skin.

Indira and Jude start to reconnect as they work on activities and plans for Collin and Jeremy's upcoming wedding. They come up with a plan to pretend to date each other, as a way to get revenge against Indira's ex, who is also in the wedding party. The more time they spend together, they start to wonder what is real and what is fake about their interactions with each other.

Indira and Jude's relationship is one that I really enjoyed reading about because it wasn't a cookie cutter relationship. They had a great backstory and they also had things that they needed to overcome separately and together. I loved their interactions and how they were around each other.

For fans of the first two books, the other characters are about of this story, and they get a nice wrap up in the epilogue section of this book. I will probably go back and read the other two books in the series.

I loved that the book took place in Philadelphia because I am from there, and it was a nice surprise for me to see the city mentioned as the setting of the book.

I would definitely recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this book.

This book was so good!! I'm an absolute sucker for the brother's best friend trope, but the way that Jude and Indira were such a big part of each other's lives ever since they were younger felt bigger than Jude just being Collin's best friend and I loved that. And I also really liked how the book doesn't shy away from some of the serious topics that appear like PTSD and mental health, but instead shows how Jude and Indira continue to work on those things and love each other through it. Indira was honestly so so relatable at times, and I highly recommend this book to everyone!!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

thank u netgalley + the publisher for this arc!

i knew this was going to be great the second i saw the mmc was named jude cause i love characters named jude <3 i did get a little bored at like the 3/4 mark, but i loved the dynamic between the two mcs + the way ptsd is portrayed in this book. also, i had no idea this is the third book in a series until i marked it as 'currently reading' but it seems like it works really well as a standalone😭

I’m very grateful to have received an ARC of this book.

This was a very cute read, with plenty of comedy and romance. There are also some trigger warnings on the book, so before reading check those. PTSD factors hugely into the plot of the story.

Jude is a doctor who signed a contract for 4 years working for a group that sends him abroad to places in great news for medical assistance, often places dealing with disaster or war or something similar. Nearly 3 years in, Jude has some leave for his best friends wedding, and is deeply emotionally scarred by the traumas he has experienced. Insert Indira, sister to Colin, Jude’s best friend. Despite her own struggles she is a beacon of light for Jude, letting him experience moments of levity he hasn’t been able to feel for years.

Indira is facing her own problems, such as a boyfriend who she walked in on cheating on her, and past abandonment issues created by an absentee father. Together they try to figure out how to overcome the things that haunt them, and discover things about one another that they never thought they would see.

I enjoyed seeing Jude and Indira’s relationship with one another grow throughout the course of the book, from childhood not-quite-friends to actually tolerating one another years later when they reconnect. However, I was expecting more of an enemies to lovers story going into this, and didn’t really feel like their relationship necessarily qualified. Although they didn’t get along as children, the actual story of this part of their relationship had nothing to do with the actual story, as it was really just last bygones and they moved right passed this from the start in my opinion. Indira quickly became the only thing that made Jude feel some happiness, and it really just skipped the enemies part of things.

Beyond this, I loved the banter between Jude and Indira, it was quite witty and showed a lot of chemistry between the two and I enjoyed seeing them grow closer as the story went. One other thing about the story though was that I found the conflict limited. Yes, there was some back and forth related to Jude’s trauma and his lack of coping effecting his happiness, but there was never really that moment of stress that left you wondering if they could make it through their issues. It always seemed to be resolved almost before it started.

All that said, it was a light, funny, cute read and I did enjoy it as a quick little mindless read and would definitely check this author out again in future. Very good book for the rom-com lover!

Thank you to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review. This review is wholly my own.

Can you ever go wrong with Mazey Eddings???

The Plus One was the perfect final book to end this story of 3 friends.

Indira got her happy ending with the amazing Jude. As with all of her books, the characters are so relatable and well written.

This is a perfect contemporary rom-com that you do NOT want to miss. I absolutely LOVED it!

"Some facts are indisputable. The sun rises in the east, sets in the west. Gravity exits. Indira doesn’t like Jude. Jude doesn’t like Indira. But what happens when these childhood enemies find the only thing they can rely on is each other?"

This novel about a pair of childhood enemies who agree to be each other's wedding date is sprinkled with both classic tropes and moments dealing with mental health issues (primarily PTSD).

While novels that shine a light on mental health concerns can be a good thing, the reader's relationship isn't cemented enough with a character before introducing it. We know that Jude has baggage, but the cause of it is kept too long. All of the scenes with him feel like when someone sits down next to you and sighs loudly, but refuses to explain.

"What's wrong?" you ask.
"Nothing . . ." *Cue bigger sigh*
"What's wrong?"
Sigh. "Oh . . . Nothing." Sigh.
"Fine. Don't tell me then."

The coyness around his PTSD just made me annoyed, and it made it hard to care when it finally was explained. It also didn't help that the characters felt very one dimensional, especially the secondary characters--a gaggle of sUpEr qUiRkY pals. I just couldn't make a connection with this book.

Thank you, NetGalley, for an advance copy

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

I absolutely loved it! I thought it was cute and well-written. I flew through this in a day. It was a heartwarming, funny, and charming read. I love a good enemies to lovers trope!

loved this friends to lovers and it started as being a date. loved her friends and family. i loved that mental health was talked about and dealing with issues.

Thank you to Netgally for this ARC. This book is such a strong representation of the importance of mental health and the reality of trying to navigate life while going through a battle with your brain. Our main characters are experiencing a classic love story while also presenting very real and deep emotions and struggles. We see representation of self doubt, PTSD, therapy and counseling; as well as a cast of characters that support our main couple rather than create trials and conflicts for the sake of the plot. In most enemies to lovers/brothers best friend stories the conflicts of the book are usually overcoming opposition from close family members that often lead to a third act falling out. This books went beyond that and instead of focusing on external obstacles they instead have to overcome their own individual issues and doubts. I highly recommend this novel for anyone looking to find a story that they might relate too if going through mental health hardships and/or success of improving one’s own health. The love story is strong, the plot is realistic and I couldn’t put it down. You will root for Indira and Jude.

Thanks to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy!

Indira just discovered her boyfriend cheating on her while smeared with peanut butter of all things. She decides to stays with her brother and his fiance while they prepare to get married. What she finds there is her brothers best friend, Jude, her childhood nemesis.

I loved this book! Enemies to lovers, fantastic banter and sarcasm, laugh out loud funny, great mental health rep, and so much more. Mazey Eddings always does a great job with mental health rep and I have really enjoyed her previous books. BUT Jude and Indira's relationship is just top notch. This is her best book yet!!

I loved this book! I was given an ARC by Netgalley & St. Martins Press in exchange for an honest review!⁣
⁣
Indira is a psychiatrist for children at a hospital. She also has just caught her boyfriend cheating on her with another woman and it involves peanut butter! Gross! Indira’s brother is getting married and she now has to be forced to spend time with the person she hates Jude! Jude is a doctor for the past three years treating humanitarian crises across the world! But what’s worse is she also has to see her ex make out with his new girlfriend the whole time. Jude offers to be Indira’s fake boyfriend to help her get through it all! But what if Jude and Indira actually don’t hate each other and years of childhood memories bring up hidden feelings the two didn’t know that we’re there. ⁣
⁣
This book was an amazing own voices invisible illness rep! PTSD and therapy were heavy topics in this book but handled with grace and care! I loved Indira & Jude! I love a good fake dating trope! This did not disappoint! I loved the side characters just as much as I loved the main characters! The steam was top notch as well! ⁣
⁣
Be sure to pick this up on April 4,23.

Oh wait this was cute!!! This is an emotional read, with childhood enemies to lovers (one of my faves), weddings (we love weddings), anxiety/PTSD/mental health rep (love to see), ~one tent~ (the one bed trope, but make it outdoorsy) and some bonus fun scenes. Would definitely recommend this cute read! I haven't yet read the second book in the series, but I also enjoyed the first book. I can see this being a go-to romance trilogy.

This book has it all:

ROMANCE: I mean, it is a romance book. With two of my favorite tropes, fake dating and there’s only one tent (the seldom used variation on there’s only one bed).
COMEDY: The banter in this book is top notch! The advantage of the MC’s knowing each other since childhood, and hating each other, is fodder for the hilarity.
HORROR: The groomzillas have multiple forced crafting parties 😱😱 Dipping flowers in melted wax to preserve them – seriously, what the hell is that??

OK, now for the real talk: this book is marketed as a romcom, but there is a lot of seriousness. Mental health struggles and therapy are depicted on page, with frequency and detail. Indira struggles with relationships and self-worth, and Jude has PTSD from his three years in the field as an emergency doctor (for a Doctors Without Borders type agency). Panic attacks are also depicted on page. I’m sorry if some of you see this as spoilers, but these are big triggers for some, so I want everyone to be aware. But as is always the case from this author everything is depicted honestly, accurately, and with respect. And there is acceptance and healing and love.

This really is a wonderfully done book, as long as you’re in the right headspace to read it.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

This was such a cute book. Mazey Eddings is a favorite author and I loved this story and the continuation of Lizzie and Harper's lives
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to St. Martin’s and NetGalley for my early review copy!

This is exactly what I was expecting and at the same time so much more. I attached myself so hard to these characters, it was difficult not to feel their emotions like they were my own. This beautiful book takes you on a beautiful journey of love, healing, and learning to love yourself. I’m so in awe of this book and its characters.

Indira and Jude start out as frenemies. They’ve known each other for their whole lives as Jude is Indira’s older brother, Collin, best friend. They’ve always been annoying to one another, and after years they pick up right from where they left. We see them rediscovering each other and realizing that while they still annoy the shit out of each other, they’ve also changed.

I loved seeing the shift in their relationship and how their thoughts of one another slowly changed. From frenemies to tentative friends to an inseparable bond to lovers. How they started to lean on each other for support and seeing them fall in love was the absolute best!

I loved Indira a whole bunch. Watching her heal from her struggles and understanding what troubles her was gratifying. While it was difficult for her to do so, she was so brave. She was also hilarious and her banter with Collins was so funny!
I loved seeing the girls’ group back in action, their friendship is always a highlight, that and seeing how the previous couples from the previous books were doing, it’s always a favorite of mine in any friend group series! We also got a tiny little glimpse into Thu’s book which again, amazing.

Jude. I loved him to pieces. My sweet, selfless, broken hero who wanted nothing more than to go back to his old self but was stuck in the dark. His journey was a notch more difficult. Seeing him struggles after so much trauma was hard, if I’m going to be honest. His friendship with Indira was really important to his healing and I loved seeing it.

Eddings as always represented the tough parts accurately and well written. She portrays the difficulties and consequences realistically and truthfully. I’m so grateful to authors who show all of it!

I flew through this book, and really enjoyed it. It had: Forced proximity. Fake dating. Brother’s best friend. YES TO ALL OF THOSE!

Indira and Jude grew up together. Jude is Indira’s brother’s, Collin, best friend. Collin’s getting married so Jude is staying with him until the wedding festivities are over. Indira finds herself needing a place to stay after she walks in on her boyfriend/roommate with someone else. She ends up at her brother’s place sharing a wall with Jude. These two have never gotten along and love getting under each other’s skin, which makes for some really great banter, angst, and tension.

What I really liked most about this book is that they ‘make it official’ and avoid the third act break up. As a reader I see the set up for this coming a mile away and it’s … boring and makes me want to stop reading cause I feel like I know what’s going to happen. But it never came and I found myself enjoying this all the way to the HEA. Also really liked Jude. He seemed very real and a lil messy to me. He was kind of a mix of grumpy + stoic but also kind of a cinnamon roll at times. And then during the spice … let’s just say he’s full of surprises lol.

Took away one star because of the heavy topics discussed. I like the therapy normalization and I really felt for Jude dealing with his PTSD. But it was a bit much for my tastes.

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

The Plus One by Mazey Eddings 💍🩺💐

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

You guys already know I’m a @mazeyeddings stan. A Brush with Love and Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake were two of my favorites of this year.

The Plus One did not disappoint. Jude and Indira were the grumpy, flawed couple of my dreams.

Working in mental health myself, I indentified so much with Indira’s struggle to need to feel “healed” in order to help others. It was so healing to read about giving yourself permission to take care of yourself so that you can take care of others <3333

I LOVED the representation of male struggles with mental health. Jude faces PTSD from serving as an emergency medicine surgeon in other countries. Seeing these two characters love on each other and support the other seeking help was so so beautiful and needed.

I absolutely adored this entire series and as sad as I am for it to come to an end- this was a very satisfying conclusion <3

I can see myself rereading Harper’s, Lizzie’s, and Indira’s stories over and over again in the future!

Thank you to @netgalley and @smpromance for this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I love all of Mazeys books. What sticks out, for me, is her characters. They’re realistic and flawed. Mostly, I wish I had friends like these characters!
The plot of this book was steady and worked out extremely well. I loved that we got a happily ever after, while it also not being perfect. The only thing that was a little too much was that Dira happens to be a psychiatrist. In some ways it was just too cliche.
Overall, Mazey writes wonderful, unique, real stories. I love that she introduces readers to situations that they may know nothing about. In a way, if you read Mazeys books you will find yourself being more understanding of others in your life.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of The Plus One in exchange for an honest review.

For some context I read but did not rate A Brush With Love due to my complex feelings towards it (and my absolute hatred of the FMC) and refused to read the second book in the series because of the dreaded unplanned pregnancy trope. that being said I wanted to give the author another chance especially after reading the synopsis for this book - and I’m quite glad I did!

The pros of this book:
- it is extremely readable with a quick moving plot but still sits with emotions of the characters
- the characters are mostly believable and engaging
- the dialogue is snappy

The cons of this book that kept me from truly loving it:
- wtf was the epilogue? the last chapter already felt like an epilogue and it was lovely, and then there was just a thrown in weird epilogue that felt like an attempt of info dump of other people’s babies and life updates? I was a little lost and confused by it.
- as someone who already didn’t want to read the second book, I was super annoyed by the two Lizzie/Rafe as parents scenes in this book and it doubled down on my decision to skip the second book. Lizzie was outright obnoxious.
- why exactly were Dira’s friends so present in her brother’s wedding, I didn’t fully understand either
- Some thing about this book just never truly connected with me, I will probably give this author a third read in the future since I did really enjoy this book, but definitely just a pleasant read that didn’t particularly stand out

All told a solid 4/5 star read that I’d recommend to others