
Member Reviews

★★★★½ (4.5/5)
Quick take: A whip-smart, sweet-and-spicy romance that unwraps internet culture, workplace toxicity, and second-chance feels with a deft, compassionate touch.
Full Review
Mazey Eddings had me at hello, friendlies—and Well, Actually never let go. From page one, I was pulled into Eva Kitt’s chaotic corner of the social-media universe, where flame wars are faster than coffee refills and one ill-timed hot-mic moment can crater a career. Eva’s razor-sharp wit hides a tender heart, and watching her collide (again) with Riley Cooper—sun-shiny gamer-podcaster, proud owner of the golden-retriever grin—gave me the bookish equivalent of a serotonin IV.
Eddings structures the story like a slow-releasing time capsule: fragments of Eva and Riley’s history surface in just the right order, so every new detail lands with maximum emotional punch. Their text threads and podcast transcripts had me cackling, but it’s the quieter beats—an anxious late-night voice note, a shared silence in a crowded coffee shop—that prove these two aren’t just meme material; they’re soulmates who still have work to do.
Banter & Chemistry: Off the charts. Imagine a black-cat heroine who speaks fluent sarcasm meeting a hero whose default settings are kindness and relentless optimism. Sparks fly, but so do genuine conversations about boundaries, grief, and what healthy love looks like after public humiliation.
Representation & Sensitivity: Eddings tackles doxxing, misogyny in tech, mental-health stigma, and chronic illness with obvious research and empathy. Nothing feels exploitative; everything feels earned.
What I Loved Most:
The “fictional” podcasts are so convincing I checked Spotify twice to see if they were real.
Secondary characters (shout-out to Eva’s ride-or-die mod team) steal scenes without hijacking the narrative.
A workplace villain who will be instantly recognizable to every woman who’s been told to “smile more.”
A Minor Quibble
The final conflict wraps a tad tidily—but honestly, after all the emotional heavy lifting, I was ready for a swoopy, rom-com finish.
If you crave laugh-out-loud dialogue, earnest nerd culture, and a romance that respects its characters’ trauma without dimming their joy, add Well, Actually to your TBR ASAP. I’ve already pre-ordered a finished copy and bookmarked August 5th in my planner—because some comfort reads deserve a permanent shelf spot.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mazey Eddings for the advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Perfection from start to end, okay, the slow-burn enemies to lovers, toxic first time to wholesome second chance romance was >>>>>>>> I loved her sarcasm and mean-ness and his golden retriever energy, and their banter was so so good 😭
+100 for the subplot of toxic workplaces and how they handle it at the end
TWs - death of a sibling in the past + the grief of their family (discussed in the present), internalised biphobia, emotional abandonment by family, toxic workplace, misogyny,
-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

this was funny and sultry. i like how it related to chicken shop with amelia from youtube. this was fun to watch the banter

A very funny story about Eva, a minor internet celebrity in the vein of Amelia Dimoldenberg (Chicken Shop Date), who drunkenly posted a video about the brief relationship she had in college with Rylie, who is now a podcaster. Eva's bosses want to capitalize on her virality and basically force her to go on dates with Rylie and make content about them.
Eva is a mean bitch (complimentary). Throughout the book, she delivers some truly hilarious burns, like telling Rylie that he looks like someone with a lot of food intolerances, or calling him the human equivalent of Comic Sans. And Rylie *loves* it. From the very beginning, he simps so hard for her and will not go down without a fight. The two of them trade banter back and forth and they both try SO HARD to make the other laugh.
I didn't vibe as much with the non-romance story arc of the book, which is about Eva's troubles at work. Her boss William seemed sort of caricaturish. I also wish we'd delved deeper into Eva's issues with her family. However, my biggest complaint is that the MMC's name is RYLIE. Jesus Christ. The letters and pronunciation for Riley were right there, and yet Rylie was chosen. Oof.
Anyway, I really enjoyed reading this book. I laughed a lot, and Eva and Rylie had excellent chemistry. Ultimately, I'd rate it 4.5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced readers copy of this book (both ebook and hard copy! *Squee*)
"Rylie F*ck*ng Cooper"
What's not to love here?! Seriously, this is one of my top reads of the year. So much so, that I thrust the paper copy I received at my husband and told him he's reading it. (I may have swayed him with New Girl memes, but who's keeping track...)
The tension and banter between Eva and Rylie is FIRE. The character growth is top notch (every man should take notes from Rylie - even if they are "one of the good ones".) Queer representation is done SO WELL. Everything is just... perfect. I finished last night and I already miss both MCs. (Talk about Bi-Panic! Send help!) Be prepared for internalized trauma and sexuality, personal growth, and kick-your-feet fun romance. Oh, and slutty little glasses.
📚Trope(s): Second Chance, Enemies to Lovers, Ice Queen meets Golden Retriever
What you get: 👿+🥸 🌭🏙️🎙️💣 [🩷💜💙 & 🩷💛💙]
⭐️Plot: 5/5
🔥Chemistry: 10000+/5
🌶️Spice: 5/5

This was my first Mazey Edding’s novel and, wow, has it made me a fan of her writing. I lost track of how often I laughed over the words on the page, and I felt giddy watching Eva and Rylie’s romance unfold. I also appreciated the balance the story had between humor, romance, and the prevalence of modern-day issues in someone’s life.
Banter holds a special place in my heart, and Edding’s writing proved she has a strong grasp of comedic writing. I would literally read another 100+ pages of Eva and Rylie going back at forth, even if it’s just them discussing minute topics. The humor perfectly balanced the more serious undertone of the novel—I appreciated the content warning presented before chapter one—in a way that didn’t undermine the seriousness of what was being discussed. Edding made the balance between humor and seriousness appear easy to write.
Outside of the humor, this book contended with serious themes. What stood out to me was this idea that “hurt people hurt people.” It wasn’t called out in the content warnings for the novel, but it was a huge part of the plot. In the past, Rylie hurt Eva with how he handled their relationship and allowed it to fall apart. In the present, Eva’s cutting comments and actions were her lashing out at Rylie because of their unresolved past. Some contemporary novels would allow a plot/theme like this last for most of the novel. It was refreshing to see that hurt paused in its tracks around the 50% mark, when Rylie and Eva attended therapy together. As someone who has been in therapy for years now, that scene was handled with care and grace. It was an honest portrayal of therapy, while also serving as a great plot tool to bring the characters together.
Continuing with themes, this book did not hold back punches when it came to tackling modern day issues. This novel tackled everything from internalized biphobia to workplace abuse to toxic masculinity. I appreciated getting to experience the impact all these issues on the main characters. For example, Eva is pansexual, and Rylie is bisexual. Rylie struggled with his identity, which was one of many reasons why he hurt Eva in the past. Eva tackled workplace abuse and misogyny, while Rylie hosted a podcast breaking down toxic masculinity and misogyny. Both characters used words and actions to reject these issues in their lives and took action to educate external characters about it, while also taking a wonderful stand for the readers that no one should tolerate that behavior in real life.
There are two reasons why I knocked my rating down by one star. Was the writing fantastic? Absolutely. As was the care Edding’s took in handling serious topics. However, I found the romance and the story resolution unfolded a little too quickly, which is a common issue in adult contemporary novels. The first 30% of the story was full of Eva listening reasons why she didn’t like Rylie; the next 20% was her mind starting to change; the final 50% was Rylie and Eva jumping into romance with gusto. (Those spice scenes? Phew! They packed a punch in the best way.) While it was absolutely refreshing to not have a third act breakup, the remainder of the resolution unfolded across a chapter and a half. I wished it was a little longer, just to bring more satisfaction to wrapping up the themes of workplace abuse and misogyny.
Overall, I adored this novel. It was a blast from start to finish, and I honestly had a hard time putting it down once I started reading it. It’s a strong addition to Mazey Edding’s backlist and I cannot wait to pick up more of her novels soon.
TW: internalized biphobia, workplace abuse, toxic masculinity, internalized misogyny, grief (loss of sibling).
Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

well, actually yes I kind of loved this book so much.
Mazey's writing does to me what it always does - sucks me in and makes me want to cancel all plans to keep reading.
black cat x golden retriever isn’t a trope I normally dive into but Mazey made me immediately fall in love with Eva and Cooper despite all their glaring flaws.
Eva is a cynic and frustrating but god just so relatable. Meanwhile, Rylie is the ultimate example of a boy who is obsessed and would do anything for Eva.
Bursting at the seams with sarcasm, comedy and swoony moments, Well, Actually should be on everyone’s TBR.

If you are looking for a fun, lively romance with plenty of character look no further. Mazey Eddings has crafted a story with lots of chemistry and spunk. I love a golden retriever/black cat pairing as well as a second chance romance and this book does both tropes well. The pacing lagged a little during the second half but was spot on the first half and the story very quickly drew me in. The ending left me feeling satisfied and happy to have gone on a journey with these characters. Would definitely recommend this for a fun, feisty late summer read.

I loved this book! The ending was a little trite and I was hoping for a better payoff but the relationship between the two main characters was perfect, sweet, spicy and salty!

i had a great time, but i know this will not hit for everyone. it is essentially chicken shop date + andrew garfield, so do with that what you will.
i cackled way too many times while reading this. i related way more to Rylie than Eva, which isn't my usual but i'm here for it (relating to characters is absolutely not necessary, but it's fun when it's happens)
you've got:
- workplace drama (it's real toxic)
- second chance with idiots to lovers vibes
- black cat/golden retriever
- a pt cruiser with wood panels (this felt necessary to mention 😆)
there's a lot of trendy references, which might not age well considering the speed these things move, but not everything is made to be timeless. these things are current to time period of the story, and you don't need to understand every single one to understand what's going on.

In Mazey Edding’s second-chance romance Well, Actually we meet quick witted Eva and her former flame Rylie. Eva makes her money (barely) by eating hot dogs while interviewing lower list celebrities, until she drunkenly leaves a video on a post of Rylie’s. Over the course of what should be six dates, the two, who had a situationship of sorts in college, find their way back to each other. Eva is likeable in her snark and Rylie is endlessly patient, forcing the reader to fall in love with both of them.
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.

What a beautiful surprise! This was my first Mazey Eddings book but definitely won't be my last. The chemistry between the characters was palpable. And the struggles both the characters go through and how it affects their behaviors and their responses to love really resonated with me, and I think they will resonate with a bigger audience as well. Both main characters are lovable and funny and their banter is great. I love how sassy Eva is and I love that Rylie just eats it up. And it was sexy !! I always expect the same thing with spice levels but the way Rylie was written and how the scenes were written you can tell hes 100% about Eva and about Eva being happy and satisfied. They're literally black cat and golden retriever in the best way. 100% what I needed. Also great representation.

4.25⭐️
🌭Hate to Love
🎙️Fake Dating-ish
🌭Workplace-ish Romance
🎙️Second Chance
🌭Black Cat x Golden Retriever
🎙️Banter
🌭Bi & Pansexual Rep
🎙️Single POV
I was immediately sucked in to this book! The way Eva and Rylie came back into each other’s lives, the banter (she’s mean to him and he loves it!), their chemistry; I was eating it all up. I didn’t expect some of the conflict in this book to be what it was, but I liked it and how supportive the MMC was. The push and pull Eva had with Rylie comes to life on the pages, and when she finally gives it…hot damn!!! That spice was spicing’!!! During the first half of the book I was dying for Rylie’s POV. But something that has never happened, in the second half I was happy this was a single POV. It was a combination of the story and how it personally affected me.
As much as I loved this book in a very surface way, it also hurt me on very personal level. I have never had a FMC I so completely resonated with. I felt as if the author was describing me and my emotions, vulnerabilities, and insecurities. But I do wish I could have her superior sarcasm and wit. When the truth about these characters’ past is revealed I was devastated because it felt way too close to home and what I had experienced in the past. (Like how is it possible so much of this fictional FMC has lived what I have?) I had to take a break to decide if I could continue. Now I am not saying this book healed me or was cathartic, after my break I was just able to separate what I had experienced and enjoy how this fictional couple reunited.
Can we talk about the cover! I love the comic-y look. In my head, Eva and Rylie looked exactly like the couple on the cover and that rarely happens for me. The way he is swooning for her when she is so clearly being mean! 🫠 Also, how did I not notice the hotdogs on the table? After reading the first few chapters, I noticed it and it makes complete sense.

3.75 ⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin Griffin publishing, and Mazey Eddings for this e-ARC!
Mazey Eddings’ Well, Actually kicks off with a bang. It’s funny, sharp, and instantly engrossing. The first half of the novel is everything you want in a contemporary romance: witty banter, palpable tension, and two layered characters whose chemistry is undeniable. Eva Kitt is compelling right out of the gate. Her humor and guarded nature feel authentic, especially when grounded in the context of her childhood trauma and past “relationship” woes with ex, Rylie Cooper.
But somewhere around the halfway mark, the story begins to wobble. The pacing slows, the plot threads fray, and the narrative takes a few too many confusing detours. Instead of building on its strong foundation, the back half starts to meander, making it hard to stay as emotionally invested.
Eva’s fight-or-flight instincts, while understandable given her past, start to wear thin. Her knee-jerk reactions, especially in contrast to Rylie’s openness and willingness to fight for their relationship, become frustrating. Rylie, with his own complicated backstory, feels like the steady emotional center of the book, and you can’t help but wish Eva would meet him halfway more often.
Still, Well, Actually is a thoughtful look at intimacy and the courage it takes to let yourself be loved. Even if the second half doesn’t quite stick the landing, there’s a lot to admire in Eddings’ ability to blend humor with heartache and in the undeniable spark between Eva and Rylie.

3.5 stars
Eva Kitt yearns to be a hard-hitting journalist, but unfortunately finds herself the host of an online video series interviewing B-list celebrities over lukewarm hot dogs. When she drunkenly makes a video slandering the now-reformed fuckboy she briefly dated in college, her superiors sieze the opportunity to capitalize on the virality of the moment and force Eva and Riley to make several videos together.
I love a second-chance romance, and I love when the woman is grumpy in a grumpy/sunshine, but I found Eva really, really unlikable. At first her quips were funny, but after its pretty obvious that Rylie is being sincere, she continuously is just mean and rude to him past the point where it's funny and good banter. There were also a ton of chronically online culture references that are going to date this book pretty quickly. Besides that, I still love Eddings' romances, this one just wasn't written for me!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this romance. I didn’t find it too cheesy and I thought the storyline was good. I really liked the character development as the book progressed. They really go from hating one another to falling in love. It does show that maybe you meet people at the wrong time and sometimes they do eventually return. Also maybe wine drunk isn’t always a bad thing.

Okay so this book was just okay for me. I really struggled connecting to Eva. Like I really wanted her to be “that bitch” but it just was not delivered. Sometimes she was a little too mean and sometimes I felt she was inconsistent and missing something. I also wanted more vulnerability from her with Riley but oh well.
Riley on the other hand was flawless. No notes. Perfect. Chefs kiss.
It was overall a cute book but just not for me.

I went into this book with zero expectations and was completely bowled over!
While the synopsis sounds like a relatively straight-forward rom-com, you are in for so much more! Eddings has an incredibly emotionally adjusted hero, a therapy scene that was truly everything, and strong LGBTQ representation in her main characters. With all of this, you still get the rom-com vibes you may have felt like you signed up for when picking up the book. This one will definitely stay with me for quite some time!
Thank you MacMillan for this ARC!! It was such a treat!

I haven't read all of Mazey Eddings's books, but I did read and enjoy the Brush With Love series, and everything about this one drew me in. I love a prickly, grumpy, black cat heroine, and that is very much our main character Eva. All she wants is to do real journalism - what she's worked hard for since college - but she's kind of stuck in a role that involves eating microwaved hot dogs with minor celebrities on a web series called Sausage Talk. She's not happy, but her bff is her producer, she likes being in New York, and Sausage Talk is part of a larger media empire that might be the source of opportunities she sees as more in line with her goals. Things blow up a bit for her when she drunkenly calls out her ex, Riley, via TikTok. He's built a whole online platform trying to fight against toxic masculinity and to teach straight men how to be good at sex and relationships with women. But to Eva, he's the guy who led her on in college, broke her heart, and disappeared, and her story about him goes viral, drawing the attention of execs at her company. A deal is struck, and Eva finds herself having Riley on Sausage Talk, guesting on his podcast, and going on a series of very public dates so he can show her that he's changed. The romance itself - the second chance, black cat x golden retriever, enemies to lovers of it all - was great for me, and I enjoyed the plot and the characters. One thing I found tough to read was the thread of extremely blatant and harmful sexism that is Eva's entire work experience. There's a particular scene where she and Riley are supposed to be reading mean tweets, and the ones selected by the company execs for her are like, horrifying. This is fully realistic and I appreciated that Eddings didn't gloss over what it's like to be a woman with a public social media platform, but dang, it was hard to get through. So definite content warning for sexism and misogyny in the workplace (and of course, on the internet).

This book has the spice, the emotional characters, and the banter. I just felt like it fell a little flat for me. The first 60% is just Eva being Eva, which let the record show that I am a fan of her. Once they “work” through it and get together it felt like everything was happening at a really slow pace. It’s not a bad book! It had me kicking and giggling a lot.
I fear that most readers will hate Eva because she is in her own way for most of the book but that is very realistic. I feel like the author showed care to the heavy topics discussed in the book, while also incorporating banter that all readers love.