Thank you for choosing me for this advanced listening copy. I have to admit I’m really picky when it comes to audiobooks but this one was so good. Both narrators were perfect for this book. The book itself was delightful. I found myself laughing out loud for a good chunk of the book. But the mental health aspect was really well done. I think we need to talk about mental illness in men more; we need to break the stigma. This book did a beautiful job addressing it and I can’t tell you how much I appreciated that love wasn’t what “healed” him (I hate when this happens in books) and that both MCs do the work for their own wellbeing.
I didn’t really enjoy A Brush with Love and after this book I realized it wasn’t the author but the characters I didn’t connect with. This one though, I loved almost all of the characters. Jude’s relationship with Colin was almost as beautiful as his relationship with Indira.

Thank you to Netgalley, McMillan Audio and Mazey Eddings for allowing me to listen to an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book for an honest review.

Such a cute, quick read that I’d recommend to any hopeless romantic, {cough} I mean romance reader. 😊

Meet the characters:
Indira, a strong, feisty, independent woman, who knows what she wants, is in love, and has everything going for her until her world comes crashing down. She walks into her apartment to find her boyfriend cheating on her with another woman…and a freakish amount of peanut butter.

Jude, a doctor completing responsibilities abroad, who is seen by many as a hero but deep inside Jude feels lonely, selfish, and like he has nothing together. To top it all off, he lives in fear for when his PTSD may strike again.

Indira is forced to move in with her brother and his fiancé until she can find a place of her own. Jude, also finds himself sharing the same space when he comes to town to be in the wedding for his childhood best friend.

Tropes:
Frenemies to Lovers
Oblivious to Love
Fake Dating
Hometown Romance
Rivals
Childhood enemies to Adult Lovers
Best friend’s Sister

What I Liked:
💕 Sucks the reader in from the beginning.
💕 Honest, pure, and realistic.
💕 Strong and persistent female lead.
💕 Main male character with a wall up but deep inside has a desire for connection.
💕 When Indira and Jude both let their guards down to experience raw and true good old fashioned fun.
💕 Working through PTSD in a positive and healthy way.

4.8 rounded up
I absolutely loved this book

Childhood enemies to lovers
Spicy
Medial romance
Wedding romance
Mental health reps
Great character development
NO 3rd act break up!!!

I loved this series, but I have to say that The Plus One was my absolute favorite!

It's fast paced, witty and fun, with lots of spice! I seriously laughed out loud while reading.

It's a frenemies to lovers, brothers best friend, forced proximity, fake dating, romcom that gives you all the feels. I adored the connection, interaction, banter and tension between Indira and Jude. I read this in one day, I could not put it down.

Thank you Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Plus One is the third book in the A Brush with Love series and we get to hangout with characters from the other books as well. This one covered some difficult topics such as PTSD and abandonment but the author handles them with care. There were some lighter moments which made this a romantic comedy still. This might be my favorite book of the series so far. I liked the communication that the characters had with each other and the growth through out the book felt natural.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the advanced listener copy to enjoy!

“Whatever this is between us is real and it hurts and its beautiful and it matters.”

Such an incredible read, everyone needs a Jude in their lives!! I love the author’s realistic approach to mental health while also having some fun light hearted scenes! This book was absolute perfection!

✨Read if you love✨
- Fake dating
- Slow burn
- Brothers best friend
- Childhood rivals
- Mental health representatives
- Only one tent
- Cheesecake Factory

Well we know that Mazey Eddings completely blew me away last year when I read the first two books in the Brush with Love series. I even had Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake in my top books of 2022! So I was so excited when @NetGalley and @smpromance gave me the opportunity to read/listen to this ahead of time!!

This book has a little bit of ALL my favorite tropes and let’s shout them out: brother’s best friend, enemies to lovers, forced proximity, one bed, friends to lovers, fake dating… I mean COME ON!!! Does it get any better than this?!

Jude and Indira were childhood enemies based out of the fact that Indira was the little sister of his best friend who always annoyed him. Now he’s back in her life for her brother’s wedding and the story unfolds in such a fun but also heartfelt way.

You feel for both of these main characters right away. Eddings does such a great job of giving you a window into their trauma while still keeping it light and fun and fast paced. As the reader you truly want the best for both of these two and you are rooting for them to find a way to make it work. They are truly the sweetest pair. And also can get spicy!

I highly recommend this book! It’s such a fantastic read!

5 STARS!

Mazey Eddings can do no wrong, and "The Plus One" might be her best yet. What a book! It's a childhood frenemies-to-lovers, fake dating, brother's best friend, forced proximity romance (some of my favorite tropes!!) with a ton of humor. Don't go into this book thinking it's going to be *all* fluff and lightness because it also gives an honest, authentic look at mental health, PTSD, and trauma. I fell in love with the main character, Indira and Jude, both together and separately from the very first chapter. Indira is strong but fragile. Jude is grumpy but adoring. Both of them have a lot of baggage to work through from the things they experienced in the past. This book revolves heavily around therapy, which plays a central character in both Indira and Jude's lives. This book might be *the thing* that gets me to see a therapist because Indira and I have such similar stories. It's as if Mazey Eddings grabbed some of my own lived experiences and turned them into an incredibly heartfelt, raw story. It's okay to work through your issues with somebody, even if you are a therapist (Indira). Apart from the heavier topics, "The Plus One" doesn't shy away from showcasing the sillier side of love (which is most definitely my bag, baby). Between the dog poop jokes and the stinky feet fake-outs, I found myself laughing on more than one occasion at Indira and Jude's whimsy and intimate vulnerability with one another. As the kids say: they are relationship goals. And the SPICE. DEAR GOD, THE SPICE. My jaw was on the floor multiple times, too! Have a fan nearby! Let's just say: this book will soon be tabbed for future readings (if you catch my drift)!

Jade Powers & Joe Arden both do a terrific job bringing Indira and Jude to life. They act their hearts out with this audiobook!

Mazey Eddings has taken such a different approach with each of the books in this series. Heck, she even made me a fan of the accidental pregnancy trope with "Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake." I cannot fathom anyone thinking that the romance genre is only full of false expectations and bad writing because Mazey Eddings's books are some of the most substantive books I've ever read. Please do yourself a favor and read this one!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Mazey Eddings, and St. Martin's Griffin for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

I received a copy of this audiobook in exchange for a honest review from netgalley.

This book gave me the feels. Both the warm and fuzzy kinds and the hard and teary kinds. These two are perfect for each other and probably always have been if they could get over there shared animosity. Jude is having a hard time adjusting to "normal" life after working in the field for a medical rescue organization. So he defiantly has PTSD and isn't working though it in the beginning. This could be a trigger for some people. Indira is in therapy and is a therapist herself. She's dealing with the abandonment of her father.

I'm so glad I've gotten to listen to this authors works. Mazey Eddings is so good at showing real people with real problems getting help for those issues and finding love. I can't wait until her next book!

I’m.so excited that I received an audio version this highly-anticipated book!

The Plus One follows childhood enemies Indira and Jude who are reunited for a wedding. It was full of funny banter and I found myself chuckling out loud several times. But it also covered serious topics like PTSD and anxiety, giving it a lot of depth. I can’t wait to read the first two books in the series now!

This has been my favorite of the 'A brush of love' series. The story begins with Indira getting cheated on (which is kind of shown in the caption warning section) and overall having a crummy day. She is forced to move in with her brother and his partner (as they plan their wedding) and realizes that there is now a force proximity of her living his nemesis since childhood Jude! The book moves from forced proximity (in true enemies to lover form) to fake dating to something more.

This book engages with concepts of mental health in both Indira and Jude's life, Jude specifically focusing on his experience as a doctor in places of war and destruction and the author does an amazing job in writing this. Jude comes back from his work to be there for his best friend for his wedding but everyone can tell that he is not the same, in particular Indira with her psychiatrist experience and helps him ground himself when he begins to spiral.

This can be a stand alone book but it is beautiful how the author wove in the rest of the characters in the series, particularly in the end. It was a beautiful way to end it and I hope others enjoy it as much as I did.

The Plus One was an impeccably layered romcom. There were great moments of laughter, and beautiful moments with tears. The author impressively integrated mental health, discussing a topic that’s so often avoided. This helped to make the topic more accessible to so many who are terrified to breach the difficulties they face hopefully feel less alone and more willing to reach out and find support.

The love story was fantastic, with enemies to lovers of childhood friends. I loved both the characters, and loved them even more together.

The audiobook was well done, with two narrators who brought the story to life and meshed well with delivering the story in a believable way. Excellent job.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced audio copy.

Mazey Eddings knocked one out of the park with her latest release! This novel had so many yummy tropes wrapped into one delightful book. It had enemies to lovers, close proximity, brother’s best friend, and fake dating. All of my favorite themes were intertwined in Indira and Jude’s love story. While the beginning of the book was a slow burn, the end was steamy hot. I adored the dynamic and snarky banter between the characters, and their attraction sizzled off the pages. I found myself rooting for Indira and Jude from the very beginning. These flawed and broken characters deserved to find love, happiness, and the support they needed. Mazey’s excellent incorporation of mental issues created complex, authentic, and relatable characters. The PTSD and anxiety representation was well written and on point. I love that her stories highlight the importance of seeking help when needed. Indira’s psychiatric background was portrayed perfectly as she helped Jude on his journey to a better mental place in his life. This audiobook was a delight; listening to this story only added to its beauty. The narrators brought the characters to life. Both narrators were exceptional! Imani Jade’s beautiful voice was the perfect choice for Indira. Joe Arden was fantastic as he captured Jude’s every emotion. This is an audiobook I highly recommend.

Thank you to the author, Mazey Eddings, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for providing me with a gifted copy of The Plus One!

I know it is only April, but this is without a doubt going to the top of my list of favorite books of the year.

Indira and Jude are absolutely everything. What started out as frenemies turned into a beautiful, supportive, encouraging love story. This book broke my heart over and over again with the depictions of anxiety, trauma, and PTSD, but it pieced it back together throughout their story.

"I'm really f*cking broken," he admitted, the words ripped from his chest."
"I'm not looking to fix you," she said, staring straight into his eyes. "I'm here to love you."

I cried several times throughout this book. Both Indira and Jude have struggles, but they helped each other through it all. I just loved the whole dynamic between the two of them - they respected boundaries, gave space when it was needed, and talked things out. They were there for each other, through the good and the bad.

The epilogue wrapped everything up beautifully. I cried happy tears while getting updates about the other couples in the previous books and getting to see how things turned out for everyone. These characters are going to be with me in my heart for a very long time!

Imani Jade Powers did a wonderful job with her portrayal of Indira in the audiobook. My favorite part of this audiobook was Joe's portrayal of Jude though. The emotion in his voice when Jude was voicing his struggles and trauma had me absolutely sobbing. I can't imagine anyone else doing the performance for these characters. Imani and Joe nailed it!

What a cute palate cleanser. This is #3 in a series, but I read it as a stand-alone, which worked well. That is, until I realized I read number 2 in the series but didn’t know that until I was done with the book and looked up the author. This was another charming read by Eddings. Brothers’ best friend, and fake dating troupe? Sign me up! This was a romcom with substance that touched on mental health, anxiety, and PTSD. The characters felt real with real emotions and real problems. The story line was easy to follow which led to a quick read. Sometimes romcoms are exactly what is needed, and this one fits the bill perfectly. I listened to the audiobook version of this and thought the narrators did a fantastic job. I am looking forward to the next Eddings book!

I’ve loved the previous books in Mazey Eddings’ A Brush With Love series, but I do have to say… this one didn’t grab me in the same way. Once I read her author’s note at the end, I understood better that the whole PTSD storyline was very much about her own experiences, and wish that had been at the beginning so I knew going into the book it was more of a journey of herself, and the character was very much based around her own story and struggles.

It is still a very strong 4-star rating, but I don’t think I can get to the 5-stars I gave her other books. I didn’t feel the same connection to the storyline or characters. This one was completely about Jude and his struggles overcoming what he experienced while doing his (basically a Doctor’s Without Borders) doctors abroad program, and Indira was getting through the enemies to lovers, brothers best friend plot one-sided. I felt the disconnect the whole way through.

I know that this book has a very important place in many readers hearts who will struggle with the stress from past trauma, like the author, and that she needed to write it to work through her past pain as a way to heal and get through a lot of that pain, so there are many who will adore it. If others go in knowing that it’s so focused on Jude dealing with his struggles of the trauma he experienced in these awful, war torn and traumatic locations, hopefully they will have a better experience than me!

The audio version was narrated by two long-time favourites, who did help with making it better to get through - Joe Arden and Imani Jade Powers. Great performances from each - very beautiful and emotional!

I received an advance review and advance listen copy from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin), and Macmillan Audio, and this is my honest feedback.

I will tell you 1 thing, @mazeyeddings is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me! If she writes it, I will read it!

The Plus One is the 3rd book in a series of interconnected stand alones. Do you need to read the first two to enjoy this one? No. But having read the others, I loved catching up with the previous characters as they do come up in this one as well.

I liked book 1 (A Brush With Love), I laughed out loud with book 2 (Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake) and now, The Plus One gave me all the feels.

Don’t get me wrong, it still brought the laughs and the spice but I felt such a connection to be Indira and Jude in this story. It features some of my favourite tropes of enemies to lovers and forced proximity so you know it can’t go wrong. Once I started this story I could not put it down and really loved the mental health representation.

If you made it this far, give yourself a big pat on the back and then rush out to grab this book!!

Thank you @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for my advanced copy!

The Plus One is available today!

This book had a promising start and held my attention for the most part. While I was initially hooked within the first few chapters, I found myself losing interest in the middle. That being said, it didn't last long before it picked up again.

I still found it to be a good read overall. The author did touch upon some deeper topics that aren't often explored in this genre, and I appreciate that they didn't shy away from them.

All in all, I would recommend this book as it was very enjoyable.

Happy Pub Day!

Did I just read what will most likely be my favorite book of the year in March? Yes, I think I did!

Indira has her life together… until she walks in on her boyfriend and another woman (I don’t think I’ll ever want peanut butter again!). Jude has been traveling the world as a doctor, going where he is most needed. When Indira’s bother (Jude’s best friend) is getting married to the love of his life, they agree to fake date to make all of the wedding events a little more bearable. Can they put aside their childhood differences and find happiness together?

I love Mary Eddings’ writing style- the way she can get me laughing and crying within a few pages is truly amazing. The Plus One deals with mental health in an authentic, respectful way that showcases the importance of prioritizing one’s mental health.

The Plus One can be read as a standalone, but features fun glimpses into the lives of Mazey Eddings’ other beloved characters.

I loved this book so much and highly recommend it!

"𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒽𝓊𝓇𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒶𝓁𝓈𝑜 𝒷𝑒 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒𝒹. 𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝓈𝒶𝒹𝓃𝑒𝓈𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒶𝓁𝓈𝑜 𝓁𝒶𝓊𝑔𝒽 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁 𝒿𝑜𝓎. 𝒢𝑜𝑜𝒹 𝑒𝓂𝑜𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒸𝑜𝑒𝓍𝒾𝓈𝓉 𝓌𝒾𝓉𝒽 𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒹 𝑜𝓃𝑒𝓈. 𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝓈𝓉𝓇𝓊𝑔𝑔𝓁𝑒 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓈𝓊𝒻𝒻𝑒𝓇 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓁𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓃 𝓉𝑜 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓁 𝓌𝒽𝒾𝓁𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒶𝓁𝓈𝑜 𝓁𝑜𝓋𝑒."

𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Indira’s life is turned upside down. Jude’s life is a constant struggle. Coming together for a wedding, Indira and Jude begin to question if their childhood bickering could turn into something more as adults…

𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄:
I LOVED IT!! I’ll admit this is my first book by Mazey Eddings but it definitely won’t be my last! I loved her careful weaving of a romcom with heavier topics of PTSD and anxiety. She created depth in the story and brought to life two characters that brought out the best in each other while helping each other navigate in this thing we call life. I loved the dual pov as we got to see Indira’s and Jude’s emotions and inner thoughts, bringing depth to the story. Such beautiful imagery (peanut butter and bees)! It was fantastic. I laughed, cried, got frustrated and breathed relief.

As much as I loved the novel, I highly recommend the audiobook. Joe Arden was magnificent. He captured Jude’s every emotion and brought it to life. Such a beautiful narration and Imani Jade Powers simply completed this audiobook with her interpretation of Indira.

𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀:
- Fake Daring
- Forced Proximity
- Frenemies to Lovers
- Brother’s Best Friend
- Open Door Romance
- PTSD & Anxiety Representation

𝑨 𝑩𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆
- A Brush with Love
- Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake
- The Plus One

𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲: Special thanks to NetGalley for an ARC copy of The Plus One to share my honest review.