First things first...If peanut butter is his foreplay then Indira was not missing much when catching her ex in that sticky situation. Though felt bad for her all the same.

I usually don't like men's POVs in audiobooks but I was surprised to actually be enjoying this one. I think the narrator for Jude really did him justice. And I loved Indira's narrator, I would definitely listen to more audiobooks read by her.

For the book overall, I loved it. I think Eddings done a really good job with dealing with PTSD and the little moments that may be overlooked by those who don't struggle. Especially when dealing with the panic attacks. The banter was funny. There was moments that more romcoms overlook in attempts to be more cutesy (Ex: Indira letting one rip during foreplay). There wasn't a huge miscommunication third act breakup scene too, so that was refreshing and very nice.

I give this 4.5 stars because I thoroughly enjoyed it; I laughed, I felt, I connected. But I do wish there was more of a build up between Jude and Indira. I know there was a little but it was so overshadowed by everything else and then boom, they were in love. And I do wish we could have seen more of Indira's trauma and coping, too, instead of the just her helping Jude.

Loved the main characters and the way they quip with each other!
Also loved the side story of obsurd wedding planning activities!
It's a fun little journey with this book!

Book Review 🌷

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Tropes:
Enemies to Lovers
Brothers Best Friend
PTSD/Anxiety
Cheating

I listened to this on audio. The narration was a little lackluster at times. I didn't feel into the story until 65% and on. Even then it was missing something. I think the idea of the story and topics were great. I just felt like it all didn't mesh together like I'd have liked.

Jude is dealing with PTSD from his profession. Indira went through a lot of trials herself. This is where I was conflicted. Indira was there to help Jude process and cope with his feelings over and over. But when Indira's issues were mentioned it was brief and Jude didn't reciprocate the same help. The dynamic between the two were just off for me.

I did love the laughs I got from it. I will never look at peanut butter the same. I also love these hard topics being addressed and know others will connect with this story in ways I wasn't able too.

Thank you to @netgalley
@macmillan.audio
@stmartinspress for giving me the opportunity to listen to and give my honest opinion.

The Plus One (A brush with Love #3)
Mazey Eddings
Indira comes home from work to find her boyfriend in the arms of another woman. Furious, she packs her bag and moves to her brother’s home. She knew he and his soon to be husband would take her in. What she wasn’t expecting was to see Jude staying there also. Jude was a close friend of her brother’s but never her friend.
Jude was a surgeon; he signed up for a program that helped pay for his college in return he would spend four years going where he was told and doing humanitarian work. It sounded good when he signed up but he had another year to complete his contract and he is having a breakdown. He is back home long enough to see his best friend marry and then off again. But he isn’t sure he will survive if he has to face another emergency, another catastrophe, another war and another death.
Indira and Jude form a truce for the sake of living in the same household temporarily and for the sake of her brother. They would pretend to be a couple but soon find they have more in common than they realized. Their fake relationship turns into real love.
My heart went out to Jude. I couldn’t help but wonder how many young people have faced the same situation. I would hope the sponsoring organization would show more empathy than was shown to Jude. Indira was so patient, kind and caring while dealing with Jude. By helping Jude, she was also helping herself. Indira’s father had deserted her years ago and she had never forgiven him.
Watching the long and drawn-out wedding was fun. I would never have thought of some of the activities but I will be surprised if a few brides do not take some hints from the festivities. This is a nice modern romance with some heart filled messages hidden within.

This book is a delight! I laughed out loud, learned new things, and cheered as they made it through some really hard life challenges. Real people have hard things that happen in their lives, and it is nice to know we are not alone in having struggles, and getting through hard things, and the humor of making a relationship work, and even thrive! I can't wait to read another book from Mazey Eddings!

Life long frenemies to lovers. Excellent banter. Swoony and spicy 🥵🔥🌶️. Mental health awareness!!! Dual narrators. Indira and Jude's story is so sweet and special! I absolutely loved how mental health was an integral part of the story. Grief, trauma, abandonment, asking for help, healing and proactive relationship work are included (check trigger warnings). I highly recommend this one!

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC of “The plus one” in exchange for my honest review! This is my second novel by Mazey Eddings and just like last time I loved it!

Our main characters Indira and Jude are family friends who spent their child hood bickering. When Indira walks in on her long time boyfriend cheating on her a few months before her brothers wedding she leaves and moves in with her brother. Jude, her brothers best friend, is also staying in town for his wedding and thus their story begins. I loved the well paced progression from childhood hate to friends to being each others soul mates.

The audio for this story was amazing and it only took me a few days to finish as the story sucked me right in!! A solid 4/5 stars!

1.5 stars, generously rounded up to 2.

I think the book had a lot of potential, but I found the characters lacking in depth, especially Jude, where he has obviously gone through some trauma that has affected him mentally.

Whatever he is going through is constantly talked around, instead of talked about. It was mildly infuriating being at the 70% mark, and it was still not really addressed. And then when it’s finally revealed, it’s not exactly elaborated on and instead requires inference on what the traumas actually are.

It got very repetitive with Jude’s panic attacks, and then him using Indira as a crutch for his PTSD. This book was a missed opportunity for the author to demonstrate the journey of Jude getting the help he needs and working through his trauma. It certainly would have made for a more interesting read. Instead, it’s not until 90% into the book that Jude finally does something for his mental health.

And then we have Indira, who has childhood trauma, some of which has to do with abandonment from her father. Whenever it’s brought up, it’s very brief and not really explored. Again, this would have been a good opportunity to build her character by expanding upon this.

Overall, this book really came off as a debut novel. Then I come to learn that this is actually third in a series. If this book is any indication of the the others in the series, it’s highly unlikely I will read them.

mazey eddings i am begging you to stop breaking my heart and putting it back together!!! i need a moment (or several) to recover from tpo and really the whole brush with love series.

first and foremost, tpo like the other books in the series gives the characters the opportunity to fall in love, heal from their past, experience all the emotions, and just be people that are so real and easy to love!!!

indira and jude had me from the first page, begging me to fall in love with them too (and obviously i did). the progression from childhood hate to friends to being each others person was just so stunning!! it was inevitable, beautiful, and thoroughly enjoyable!!!

kid of divorce rep anyone? bc indira was so f***ing real with all her feelings and experiences of feeling left behind and broken because of her parent’s decisions!!!! i have never felt more seen than in indira’s struggle with accepting the effects her parents divorce had and still has one her.

the ptsd rep in here was just heartwrenching. jude’s story was hard to read but handled with such care. the feelings that he wrestled with were familiar, so i am grateful to eddings for how she handled his character arc.

what i love most about mazey eddings is that her fmcs are allowed to be emotional and hurt. i feel like so many romances gloss over emotions, but these ones feel everything and it makes an emo girl like me so pleased to see it.

the audio for this story was amazing as usual!! love that each book had different narrators because it let the characters feel different.

I’ve gotta say, I think this is my favorite of the series so far. Mazey is such a strong writer, and I really feel like she’s improving with every book. She knocked the mental health rep out of the park, the romance was so fun and deeply emotional, and I really felt for both of their emotional journeys—but particularly Jude’s, unsurprisingly. I also loved getting to see the characters from the earlier books! And she can write the hell out of a steamy scene…

Both of the narrators were really excellent, and I’m glad I went for the audiobook. Sometimes dual narration can be tricky, but I think both of them complemented each other nicely.

I loved this audiobook from St. Martin's Press. It was a great performance with two actors for each of our main characters, Jude and Indira, who are lifelong rivals and family friends.

I really loved the site up for for their being thrown together and their blossoming relationship. The humor and quips in this book were so good and much needed after all of the trauma that is discussed between them. I found their relationships and the pacing of the plot to be so well done. I their relationship flourished so well, and there were a number of spicy scenes to prove it!

My only compliant would be that there are like three epilogues and that feels like two too many. This is the first book in this series that I have read, but I never felt like I was missing out or lost within their friend dynamics or previous plots.

Synopsis:
Some facts are indisputable. The sun rises in the east, sets in the west. Gravity exists. 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?
On paper, Indira has everything together. An amazing job, a boyfriend, and a car. What more could a late twenty-something ask for? But when she walks in on her boyfriend in an amorous embrace with a stranger, that perfect on paper image goes up in flames.
Jude has nothing together. A doctor that’s spent the last three years traveling the world to treat emergencies and humanitarian crises, a quick trip home for his best friend’s wedding has him struggling to readjust.
Thrust into an elaborate (and ridiculously drawn out) wedding event that’s stressing Jude beyond belief and has Indira seeing her ex and his new girlfriend far more frequently than any human should endure, the duo strike a bargain to be each other’s fake dates to this wedding from hell. The only problem is, their forced proximity and fake displays of affection are starting to feel a bit…real, and both are left grappling with the idea that a situation that couldn’t be worse, is made a little better with the other around.

Okay it's official.... I have hit the bookish jackpot with ANOTHER stellar read! 🎉 Please book gods, don't ever let this end! 🙏

The Plus One is not a fluffy rom com. It's deep, it's emotional, it's incredibly heavy at times. But I have learned that I need heavy themes with my romance. I need that substance and I need my characters to have a great deal of growth. This has that in spades. I also love that it has just the right amount of spice that adds to the chemistry, without overshadowing the plot.

This checked off a whole bunch of trope boxes: forced proximity, childhood enemies to lovers, one bed, brother's best friend, and probably a few more too. 😅

Indira and Jude are so great together, and my favorite part was watching them grow and heal and cope and lean on one another in doing so! I love Jude's sensitivity and his willingness to be vulnerable in front of Indira (we need more men like this in the world!!!!)

As I mentioned above, this has some very heavy themes. And yet... It's still a romcom. As another reviewer mentioned, the author has a way of dealing with sensitive and heavy topics while also keeping it light. That's some serious talent. 👏🏻 Mazey Eddings is good y'all. She's so freaking good.

As usual, I read along with audiobook in my headphones. The audiobook narrator dream team Imani Jade Powers and Joe Arden performed this flawlessly. I couldn't imagine a better duo. Absolute perfection!🙌🏼

Thank you SMP for the gifted paperback and eARC, and Macmillan Audio for the gifted ALC. 💗

This is the third book in A Brush With Love series. but could be read as a standalone.. With each book, I find I like this author's style more and more. She writes about real people with real issues. She doesn't shy away from things that aren't shiny and perfect. Her books aren't afraid to get into the muck of imperfection and brokenness.

The Plus One gives us two beautifully damaged characters. Indira, a psychiatrist who is passionate about her job and helping others. But also realizes that she has "work" to put in herself in dealing with past hurts and damage done by her father. Jude is a surgeon who has been traveling internationally to war-torn and ravaged countries all across the globe to help people as part of the arrangement for paying back his staggering medical school loans. But he's finding that the toll it's taking on his mental health may not be worth it.

Historically, Indira and Jude have been "enemies" - - even though Jude is Indira's brother's best friend, they always seemed to be in direct competition and were continually fighting. Yet, they are thrown together for her brother's extended wedding lead up. Indira is struggling with recently finding her boyfriend cheating on her and Jude is having a tough time being around everyone in a normal situation without letting his recent experiences overseas impact him. Together they strike up an arrangement to "fake date" through the wedding. It will help Indira tolerate being around her ex boyfriend and his new girlfriend and it will help Jude because she can buffer him from the noise and actions of other people. But what starts out as fake dating quickly turns towards something neither of them recognizes....and yet both of them are curious about.

This book has a lovely mix of humor, spice, serious emotional topics as well as a general feel good base. However, if you have any triggers, I recommend you reference the trigger warnings that the author addresses prior to reading the book to be sure it's something you're comfortable with.

AUDIOBOOK: The narration for this was done quite well and added to my overall enjoyment of the story. I felt that all the voices for each character were done well and kept my attention. I would recommend this audio to anyone who enjoys that medium. 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for early copies of both the ebook and audiobook. I voluntarily chose to read/listen to them and review them. The opinions contained in my review are my own.

Mazey Eddings is becoming one of my must read contemporary romance authors and I’m not sad about it!

In this one we have Indira and Jude, two childhood frenemies who are thrust back together when they both have to attend a wedding.

There’s a smidge of fake dating, a lot of forced proximity tension, but what I loved the most about this book was the focus placed on PTSD and the effects of trauma on a person.

Jude is a doctor who has spent years helping people in war torn areas, and as a result he struggles.

I loved the focus that this book placed on the importance of mental health and I would highly recommend!

The spice is spicy, the story is cute, and the underlying message is important, so what’s not to love??

I was lucky enough to have both the audio and ebook advanced copies and I loved the audio for any of my audio listeners out there!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review!

This is the third book in the A Brush with Love Series, and it was my favorite. One thing I love about this series is that Mazey writes with such truth about mental illness. She has waved anxiety, ADHD, PTSD, divorce, loss of parents and so much more into her stories. Real things that real people struggle with everyday.

Synopsis
After walking in on her boyfriend and a woman in a compromising situation, Indira finds herself in need of a place to crash while she gets her feet back on the ground. She turns to her brother, Colin, who welcomes her with open arms. Unfortunately, her brother's best friend, Jude, is in town for a few weeks for Colin's wedding. He has the guest room, so Indira takes the couch. Jude and Indira have always had a bickering relationship, and it seems that nothing has changed.

Except Jude. Jude has changed over the last several years of working as a surgeon in battlezones. He has seen so much trauma and can’t unsee it. His fire has been dimmed and he feels more lost than ever. He tries to go through the motions of everyday life in hopes that no one will notice. But of course, Indria notices everything, especially with being a psychiatrist.

Indria’s ex is in the wedding so he is constantly around for all the festivities. Jude is clearly not okay in big gatherings with noise, so they make a deal. The will pretend to be together so that they have excuses to sneak off to escape with no one questioning them. But the wedding will be here before they know it and so will Jude’s next assignment. The feelings between Indria and Jude start to peel back like an onion and they realize that they have a lot to figure out.

Review:
This was my favorite Mazey book I have read so far. I loved everything about it, from the healing they both had to work on and the way their love started to unfold. Jude and Indria had been childhood friends since they were little. Their lives had been intertwined for a long time, and they just needed the right circumstances to come together.

The ending of this book left my heart feeling so full. I have no complaints about this book, everything from the storyline to the spice was perfect!

Tigger warnings are presented at the beginning of the book. Please check those before reading. To me the author handled the issues with care.

Narrators: this story is told in third person POV with both a male and female narrator. Both narrators chosen for this audiobook did a good job bringing the story and characters to life.

Story: This is my favorite in this series. Part of it was because I related so much to this book, but it also because this story was was more about the relationship and forming their connection than the spice.

The main characters and their mental health was handled with care. They are there for one another as you hope one can be there for you in that situation. The side characters were enjoyable.

This is the third in this series, but reads as a standalone.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to read and review this book.

The Plus One was an adorable read. I listen to my audio books in the car on the drive to and from work, and I found myself still listening for another twenty minutes after I got home because I couldn't stop! I'd give it a two out of five on the spicy level.

✨Book Review: The Plus One✨

Pub Date: 4/4/23
Rating: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Another mARCh read for me! 😁

This is the third in a stand-alone series, and the first book I have read in series. For this reason, I think I would have liked this book a little more if I had read them in order. (Although the author says you don’t have to!)

Indira, Jude, and all the other characters live in Philly; Manayunk to be exact. I loved reading about a setting that I live in! Each of the characters all work in medicine, so it was also fun picturing which hospital they worked at since my husband works at a children’s hospital in the city. I was coming off of a “meh” story right before this one, so I felt more connected with these characters from the start.

Overall, I wasn’t overly excited about the plot, nor was I underwhelmed. It was just okay. Jude and Indira are childhood enemies who are coming back together in adulthood for Indira’s brother’s wedding. They agree to fake date in order to make Indira’s ex jealous, and they soon hit it off. It’s a fun back and forth between childhood memories, snarky comebacks and a budding romance.

I liked how the story didn’t end at the wedding. Late in the plot, the topic of therapy is handled so delicately and deeply. Indira is an advocate of therapy and shares the benefits with Jude who is hesitant to try it. I applaud the author for including this important topic in this book because therapy can sometimes be a taboo topic amongst couples.

Thank you to @netgalley for the ARC copy!

This book had the perfect balance of every element imaginable. I really enjoyed the dual perspective as the characters explored not only their relationship with each other but also their internal struggles. I usually don’t read romance books but I thought this had a nice build up of sexual tension. While the spicy scenes definitely stood out I think it was just enough in the grand scheme of the characters relationship.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the audiobook for review. I really enjoyed this whole series. I was excited, after getting to know her in book 2, to read a story revolving around Indira. I love the enemies to lovers trope. I really liked the pacing of the relationship.