First off, the cast of characters in this series/universe feel like old friends and I can't get enough. Each book in this series is my favorite until I read the next. Mazey Eddings has a true talent for writing characters that feel REAL. Indira and Jude's story is no exception.

To put it simply, I loved this. The amount of notes and highlights I have after reading this is almost worrisome. This story had three things I absolutely love: brother's best friend, childhood enemies to lovers, and fake dating. However, it also had a lot of heart and character growth. Indira and Jude are two imperfect people wanting to be perfect together. I was rooting for them the whole time and couldn't keep a smile off of my face!

I look forward to reading more of Eddings' work in the future!

The Plus One is the best romance I've read in years. It's smart, funny, and oh so swoon worthy! Truly one of those books that reminded me why i love reading. The chemistry between our two leads is absolutely everything.
The book is fast paced, engaging, witty, and unexpectedly emotional at times.Overall, I think this book is outstanding.

Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & Wednesday Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Heartbreakingly beautiful. The emotions on the page, the deep soul searching, the love that Jude and Indira have. It was so beautiful. Mazey has seriously only gotten better with each book in this series.

I feel like Mazey was looking into my soul on so many things. While I do not suffer from PTSD or some of the deep issues discussed in this book, I felt such a powerful connection to these characters. Mazey draws you in and keeps you there. You will be laughing at Jude and Indira one minute and then feel so moved by things they say the next.

With enemies/rivals to lovers you tend to think that one of the characters is super gruff. Which I thought Jude would be. From the moment we were in his head you saw what a soft super broken cinnamon roll he was and I immediately loved him and wanted to give him a hug. Indira surprised me with her deep emotions for her own problems as well as how she handled Jude while not making him a patient.

I have so many quotes I can’t wait to go back and highlight because I will be buying my own copy as soon as it hits the shelves! Thank you to SMP for this E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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

CW: PTSD (from being a doctor in emergency medical situations around the world), panic attacks (on-page), parental abandonment (past), parental divorce (past), cheating (on-page, side character)

This is the third book in the Brush With Love universe but can be read as a standalone

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

-m/f contemporary romance
-childhood frenemies to lovers
-brother's best friend
-roommance
-forced proximity
-roasting you is my love language
-only one tent
-the one allergic to all the emotions and the one who feels everything

Mazey Eddings' brand shone in this one. A romance filled with humor, tender emotions, and a soft look at mental health. I love how therapy was integrated into this story, how love doesn't make everything goes away but gives you someone to hold your hand and be there for you.

Indira, darling Indira. I adore her. Her spark, her snark, how sensitive she feels everything, trying to take care of everyone. While we meet her at a low point she doesn't let it bring her down, she's always moving forward. I adore her friend group and will miss Harper, Lizzie and Thu so much and loved all of the glimpses with them. The secondary characters really shined including Collin and Jeremy. But Indira was the one who really struck me, softer, sensitive, and trying to figure out how to open her heart after so much heartache.

And sweet, sweet, trying to keep all emotion away Jude. While he may never look at a bumble bee costume again, his journey with PTSD and accidentally letting Indira in. He was just gone on her and had no idea what to do about it, realizing she was his soft place to land, without judgement or anything. I love how they kept their snark as they began a relationship and figured out how to be together. their sex and intimacy, how they communicated, was just so wonderful and cheering in with each other and making sure they gave what the other needed.

This book feels like a soft hug and has you cackling with laughter in the next moment. I adored every glimpse of Indira and Jude's past and how it lead to their future. Now I'm off to cry that these books are over.

Steam: 3.5

Disclaimer: I CPed this book and am friends with the author

The Plus One is such a fantastic read. Like all Eddings' other books, this novel provides plenty of humor and fun along with beautifully handled stories about mental health and self love. The mental health representation is nuanced, genuine, and heartfelt. The romance between the Jude and Indira is such a fun enemies to lovers with so much heart. Their chemistry is fantastic and their path to mutual healing is so beautiful to witness.

Thank you SMP Romance, Mazey Eddings, and NetGalley for this eARC.

It's offficial.
Mazey Eddings has my heart and will forever be an insta-buy.

This is the final book in the 'series' of four friends living in Philadelphia. The Plus One focuses on Indira, who we met in A Brush With Love and Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake, and Jude- Indira's older brother's best friend.

Indira and Jude grew up together- and bickered nearly every step of the way. It's been a few years since they've seen each other, though, as Jude has been overseas working as a doctor for an international organization that specializes in providing medical care in some of the most dangerous places in the world. They are pushed together as they both return to her brother's home in preparation for a month of wedding activities. While they start right where they left off (mutual dislike), Indira and Jude soon realize that they need to rely on each other to get through the entirety of this wedding celebration.

I just adored this book. Mazey does such an AMAZING job addressing mental health in different capacities. I especially love conversations that Indira (a psychiatrist) has with her own therapist. Stand out line- "We place these expectations that being aware of our brain or emotions lying to us means that we should automatically be able to get over it... That's simply not how it works." GAH. YES.
Jude coming to terms with his own needs regarding mental health (PTSD due to traumatic situations while serving as a doctor overseas) is also an incredible journey. I appreciate how it was explicitly stated that Indira didn't want to be his psychiatrist, and wasn't there to fix him. "I'm not looking to fix you... I'm here to love you."

The romance was spicy, of course- it's a Mazey Eddings book. It also has HANDS DOWN the FUNNIEST sex scene I have EVER ENCOUNTERED in my LIFE.... and I loved all of the call backs to its magnificence.
I laughed.
I cried.
I can't wait to reread this when I get my copy in April.

Mazey Eddings has done it again! The Plus One is such a great book! I devoured it. I loved Indira & Jude’s relationship, and also loved the small cameos of Lizzy (my fav) and Harper! I was happy to see the support that all the characters gave each other through different hardships. Mazey has a special way of writing about serious topics, that is so heartfelt. I enjoyed this book so so much. Mazey is quickly becoming my favorite rom com author!


📘: The Plus One by Mazey Eddings
🗓 Pub Date: April 4, 2023

Thank you to NetGalley, Mazey Eddings, & St.Martin’s Press for this ARC!

*Reviewed on NetGalley and Goodreads. Will review on retail once published!

This book has my heart. Mazey has so much talent and I cannot wait to see what she does next. This book and the whole series is such a warm hug.

Thank you Netgalley & St. Martin’s Press for an eARC of The Plus One by Mazey Eddings!

What’s it about?
A fake wedding date turns into the unexpected when childhood enemies find themselves sparking a romantic connection. Indira walks in on her boyfriend with a stranger, and her life goes up in flames. When Indira runs to her brother’s place, she finds her childhood enemy Jude home from his latest work assignment. Jude and Indira don’t get along, and they’re both in Indira’s brother’s wedding party (and all the festivities that come along with it).


I read this book in one sitting and stayed up waaaaay too late, relishing in the steamy scenes. As soon as I saw that Mazey was coming out with another novel (this girl is killing it, btw), I had to drop everything I was doing to read it. I am a thriller lover by nature but her rom-coms are my absolute favorite, and I love this set of characters. I’m so glad that with each book she releases, we get to revisit the lives of the characters in prior books. Mazey does a fantastic job depicting mental illnesses & PTSD, and while these are such heavy topics, the author expertly balances these with the perfect amount of humor, love, (lots of steam), and Inso about finding yourself.

If you’re an enemies to lovers fan, do not hesitate to pre-order this one!

I would very much like to declare my undying love for anything Mazey Eddings brings into the bookish world.
Indira’s story hooked my soul, held on and never let go. The way Indira and Jude came together and fought mental struggles was inspiring. Depicting mental illness can be a challenge for authors. Mazey Eddings does a superb job without over doing it or under-playing conditions. I loved the glimpses into her previous characters lives that were worked in to the story. I recommend this novel if you love sass, enemies to lovers trope, and the possibility of discovering something about yourself along the way. Thank you Mazey and St. Martin’s Press for my NetGalley ARC.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy of “The Plus One.” I loved this book and highly recommend to readers of contemporary romance. The characters were unbelievably real and their relationship felt completely authentic. The story line had some heavy elements (PTSD) but the author managed to balance those elements with humor and a truly sweet romantic story. Please read Indira and Jude’s story - it is a 5 star read that will stay with you long after you finish.

DEVOURED.
I truly loved Indira and Jude’s story.

Enemies to lovers
Slow burn
Spicy
Trauma
Brothers best friend
Sexual tension
LOL banter

I think this took first for me in the series. The character development was so raw, so real, I was 100% in.

Mazey Edding’s books are quickly becoming some of my favorite rom coms! I think what I like best about them is that the romance feels secondary to the character growth of the couple. I especially love how she portrays characters with mental illness. Indira and Jude both need to heal from traumatic events in their past. And they put in the work along side each other, but their relationship isn’t what does the healing. Also it’s an enemies to lovers, fake dating, brothers best friend. There was not way I wouldn’t love this.

4 stars. The Plus One was a little slow to start for me, and if I’m honest, at first, I wasn’t 100% jiving with Indira and Jude. It took a while for me to really get into the story, and start to feel their chemistry. But let me tell you, once I got there, I was totally there. I think that Eddings has a knack for addressing really serious topics, but also giving us really important moments of reprieve. And I loved the honest conversations about mental health in this book, but I lived for the moments of comedic reprieve. Once I finally started jiving with Indira and Jude, I started to notice their banter… which was top notch. If that’s something you look for in book couples, you will not be disappointed. If steam is another thing you’re looking for, again, that’s also something you won’t be disappointed with. I do wish we had more scenes between the girls (that aspect of found family was more prevalent in other books and something I really loved), but I enjoyed the moments we did get with them. Especially the epilogue, which was chefs kiss perfection. All in all, I really did enjoy this book. I liked Lizzie Blake more, but I think that’s partly because I am really drawn to quirky characters. But The Plus One also ended up being a really enjoyable read that I have no problem recommending. And if I’m honest, truly the biggest bummer is that this is the last book on the series! Just be forewarned, there are several potential trigger warnings, including PTSD, absentee parent, and cheating.

Disclaimer: the author and I are friends and she did send me this title to read quite a while ago.

"You're allowed to be broken... and you're allowed to be repaired. I love every piece of you and however they fit together"

Mazey Eddings is a brilliant writer who has created two of the most beautiful, broken souls I've ever read. Indira and Jude are so so sad and their journey to each other is one of the most meaningful and real that I have ever read. I think what Mazey does so well, are her poignant and accurate mental health representations in every book she's written. She understands the full range of humanity and has written real love stories that are messy and human but so beautiful. This book is genuinely one of the best books I have ever read. Balancing humor and heart, Indira and Jude are profoundly wonderful and if you don't cry at least once reading this book, are you okay?

The deep longing to love and be loved something that everyone can relate to and I think that you will find yourself in either Indira or Jude. It is my genuine hope that everyone loves this book as much as I do.

I totally jumped on the chance to read Mazey Eddings' third installment in her Philly Girls (my name for them) series. Indira always seems so reasonable and put together in the previous books, where she is a supporting character (both in the literary way and in the personality way.) We see how supportive she is for Lizzie in Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake. So here the spotlight is on her and she is fully exposed. She is still the most supportive, wonderful friend but we also get to see her around everyone she is comfortable with and those inside conversations and vulnerabilities reveal insecurities and abandonment and a lot more emotional outbursts than you might have predicted. I personally loved every bit of it.
Jude is so, so broken. He is a baby bird that was completely trampled by life. I love that his backstory isn't a broken home tragedy. Just loving, honest, hard working parents. I love that he is still connected with his childhood friend, Collin.
As for their chemistry, it was definitely hot. The mix of childhood frenemies and both characters being at an all-time low with different aspects of their life gives both the 'how' and the 'why' to the novel. Eddings' gives them support and tools to grow together and come out better. And the HEA is earnest and tangible. I appreciate that. Eddings' gift is mixing the mental processing of life, the ache that forces emotional growth in a person, with the humor and joy that keeps them from completely falling apart. We get to tuck in alongside each of them and learn and grow and laugh.
Thank you so much for the ARC! I dropped everything else as soon as I downloaded it and I am sure I will read it again before it comes out next year.

I’m so speechless! I read three books of the series! I adored them! I want to hug each of the characters and write long sentences to tell how much I loved them but “Plus One” is so much special than the other two books!It’s extraordinary, honest, pure, realistic! Especially if you suffer from anxiety issues, questioning your self worth, meaning of your life, you can easily attach with the characters just like I did! It helps you to embrace your imperfectness and your insecurities!

Everything is written in those pages are like real life stories! Jude is my perfect imperfect hero! His predicaments, his inner tortures, his inner fight, fears, bottled up feelings were so relatable!

And Indira was fiery,smart, perfectionist questioning her self worth. I loved how she acted so patient, caring, neutral around Jude. I loved how she stands next to him when he needs her most, holding him tight with her healing hands,supporting him fully. Because healing him also means healing her self.

I loved their enemies to lovers, fake dating ( even though only people they lie to Indira’s cheating ex and his new girlfriend she’s caught in the act) , forced proximity ( living at the next room and sharing some camping tent) tropes!
And of course I loved the ending with the contribution of previous books’ amazing characters!

I highly recommend you to read entire books of the series and leave this one for the last! ( you gotta save the best for the last) The author’s realistic approach to mental health issues is so inspirational and helpful. Don’t miss this series!

Many many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ St. Martin’s Griffin for sharing this fantastic digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions and thanks to Mazey Eddings to create those memorable characters earned a special place in my heart!

Each book gets better and better (how is that possible?!)

THIS BOOK. I have so many (soooo many!) feels. And they're all good ones.
Jude has just returned for a short break from his humanitarian work as a doctor in war-torn countries. Understandably, he has seen and experienced some horrible things - and it's changed him. Broken him.
Indira is a psychiatrist and is working through some tough spots of her own. Jude is best friends with Indira's older brother and has returned home for his upcoming wedding. Although Jude and Indira "grew up together" they had more of a hate/hate, brother/sister, tit for tat relationship. Indira notices Jude is struggling and since she's just ended things with her boyfriend (who is also in the wedding party) they decide to be each others' "plus one" to help alleviate some of the wedding anxiety.
In the midst of wedding events and friendly excursions,, Jude and Indira are both dealing with some very real issues - coping in healthy and unhealthy ways.

Honestly, The Plus One is like a love letter to therapy. And I mean that in the best possible way. As a proponent of therapy (and a LMHC) I'm a little partial, but this book is just full of so much goodness and truth... Truths about human nature, the science behind trauma, relationships, and healthy boundaries. It is such a gift to watch Jude and Indira begin to heal both individually and together. Mazey Eddings writes about feelings that coexist - and that's exactly what happens while reading. I could cry for the hurt the characters were feeling, but laugh at their banter. Joy and sadness, anger and pride, love and annoyance - feelings can coexist and it's ok to feel them! The Plus One is so much more than a rom-com, enemies to lovers trope. It's a story of hope and healing. friendship and love. grit and perseverance.

Three cheers for supportive friends, good therapists, and steamy romance ;-) Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Definitely a must read!

After reading Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake, I was so excited to be sent this one!! If you’ve read Lizzie Blake, this one tells Indira (one of Lizzie’s best friends) story and it’s so so good.

What I loved:

- This one had some of my absolute favorite tropes: Childhood enemies to lovers, fake dating, brother’s best friend
- The banter between Indira and Jude is SO good!
- This The Plus One deals with some very heavy topics- PTSD, anxiety, panic attacks, emotional neglect. Though these are heavy, Mazey writes them with respect for the emotions attached to each and gives an accurate depiction of therapy.
- Indira. Indira is so so kind, caring and compassionate. I loved watching her relationship with Jude and how she helped him along his path to healing.
- The appearances from other Mazey Eddings books! I loved seeing Lizzie and Rake again and their little ones.
- I felt this book had the perfect balance of steam and plot.
- There’s honestly nothing I didn’t love about this book really. It was just perfection!


If you love emotional rom coms, you’ll love this one!!

Thank you NetGalley, Mazey Eddings and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this ARC!

No one can balance humor, romance, and the depths of the characters quite like Mazey Eddings!
Brother’s best friend is one of my favorite tropes, so I was sure going into the book that I would like it, but I also loved how it was kind of a twist on the trope. While Indira and Jude had bickered, they had a lifetime of memories that had already laid a foundation for the relationship they form in this book and I loved that for them! It also allowed them to have amazing and believable chemistry right off of the bat.
It’s really hard to balance a romcom with potential trauma that the characters have gone through, and watching Jude and Indira’s journeys to heal while also falling in love was adorable!
I also loved meeting Jeremy and Collin, and I liked how they allowed Indira and Jude to strive for a relationship like theirs.
My only problem was that the ending felt a little clunky, but I also appreciated one last scene with the main friend group that I have grown to love over the last three books!