I really enjoyed the overall story of this book. The interaction between the main characters was fun and flirty lending itself to some great banter. I did think that some of the book was a little unnecessary- for example the focus on eating hot dogs as part of her job. But overall I enjoyed the book. I also really appreciated that (maybe spoiler alert: it wasn’t a traditional third act breakup, which I thought I saw coming).

It’s giving — grumpy x sunshine, black cat and golden retriever, she fell first, he fell harder… and let’s also throw in the Andrew Garfield episode of Chicken Shop Date as a bit of a callback, too.

My girl Eva is one for biting commentary, using b*tch as a term of endearment, wearing a hot pair of heels on the daily, cat eye sharp enough to kill a man, hot girl baddie vibes. I am all for a woman using her sharp conversation skills and impeccable style to make a living. I LIKE her from the very beginning. And when she makes her video calling out her fling from college, I full on groan in anticipation of what’s to come, but am so ready for the reconnect to unfold. Because I love a good second chance romance more than ANYTHING, y’all, and this one didn’t disappoint.

Eva’s got armor. And I love watching Rylie try to take it off with each interaction. I knew this was something special from the time the two locked eyes during their first “date” at The Met. I LIVE for their banter and sass. I always love that “Don’t be mean to me or I’m going to fall in love with you” trope and this book does it RIGHT. That man lives for letting her make fun of him and enjoys every second. And the SPICE?! Help, I’m melting. Because WHEW!!!!!

A few things I think that are very worth talking about:
- Eva’s career as a journalist: I think it’s a very real thing to not feel fulfilled by your job. Like you’re doing something in the *realm* of your interest but it’s not fulfilling that greater purpose. I know that life all too well and while I’m not eating lukewarm hot dogs on the reg, I get her feels on it. I was rooting for her to quit from the moment it got to be too hard on her emotions, because no job is worth your well-being.
- Rylie’s character is really just insanely well done. He is the biggest green flag of all green flags. I loved seeing Eva figure out that it wasn’t just all talk and that he was really that great and wonderful and the perfect partner for her. Additionally, the portrayal of his grief journey is realistic, raw, and emotional, and it brought tears to my eyes as someone who lost a friend similarly to how he lost his sister.

Favorite quote:
“You can call me any name you want, as long as I can call you mine.”

Tysm NetGalley and St Martin’s for the eARC!

Such a cute read for a second-chance romance.

The idea of Sasuage Talk made me lol in the beginning. Also the Lea Michele joke? lmaooooo. Eva was adorable. Definitely will be checking out this author more now.

There were a lot of things I enjoyed about this book, and a lot of things I didn’t. I’m feeling very conflicted on my rating because the things I loved, I loved. Rylie and Eva had such amazing chemistry. But at the same time, I truly thought Eva was unnecessarily mean at times, and it felt hard to root for her. But I also, could understand where she was coming from. I think because of her negative behavior at times, it resulted in me feeling less connected to her as a character, when we actually have a lot in common regarding upbringing, dating history, and coping mechanisms.

I also felt a touch bummed reading this. I was rooting for the main characters, but also felt like at time Rylie deserved someone a little sweeter, but also felt like Eva just deserved better than the way the world saw her, her employer saw her, and her best friend. Self worth doesn’t come from what people think about you, or how they treat you, at times it just felt like Eva was so looked down upon that it felt almost exhausting.

It was my first Mazey, and I can’t wait to continue reading her other books. I just think this one was a really confusing read for me when it comes to my enjoyment. I’m sitting at a 3 for right now, but I think with more thought and time it could change.

Thank you SMP for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I’m sorry to say but…. This is a DNF for me and pretty early on. I was really excited to read it but as I started, I just felt like I was losing brain cells within seconds. Sorry.

Rounded up from 3.5 stars.

Eva Eva Eva - some of her choices were messy. And they were MEAN to each other. Some low blows but led me to believe there was rly chemistry between them. I did love how everything Cooper said was dripping with yearning, even when Eva lashed out with something passive aggressive or condescending. This one was truly an enemies to lovers.

It was hard at times bc Eva felt like such a Negative Nancy. She called him an idiot and he grinned at her. Could never be me! He does call her out for being “brutal” and he admits he likes it. So I’m not going to tuck his yum.

Rylie seems like a bit of a saint - bringing her takeout after she leaves his place without saying goodbye? Hero status. They say “if he wanted to, he would” and he obviously wants to, but Eva is SO convinced he is only in it for the publicity. She is not listening!

It was a fun story, but a bit hard for me to believe that her level of teasing was “love.”

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

This was so sweet! A second chance romance beginning with Eva calling out her ex on social media for being a jerk when they dated. Eva is an ice queen to him (rightfully so) and Rylie is absolutely besotted.

I loved the witty banter, slow burn romance, and how they actually talk about their feelings. They have such a healthy relationship with all the green flags. Eva's job and their relationship trending on social media are causing stress and problems. But the relationship itself is adorable. Eva is seen and loved for who she is. I loved reading about them communicating and growing. They also have fantastic friends.

Anyone looking for a fun romance should read this one.

CW: explicit sex and language

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC for an honest review! The cover had me hooked from the start!

I loved parts of this story; call me crazy, but I really liked Eva. She's so raw, real, and relatable. She isn't someone I would likely be friends with in real life, but I admire her as a character all the same. She is witty and sharp. I also loved the enemies-to-lovers, but still mean-to-each-other-in-love vibe Eva and Rylie have. There were moments that I found myself giggling out loud and kicking my feet up.

I also really appreciated Rylie and his total love and care for Eva. Even when she is being a total brat, he is there for her and loves her through it. That kind of true love is what romance novels are all about. They had killer chemistry. Honestly, I desperately wish I could have given this book more stars because I loved this couple.

However, the main plot and how the ending wraps up with Eva's company felt a bit half-baked. Her bosses were frustratingly and obviously villainous. I also got frustrated at times by Eva's lack of consideration and self-awareness regarding her friends and relationships. And Rylie forcing Eva into couples therapy so he could reveal his secrets in a way where she would have to listen felt wrong. Couples therapy after only six days also felt wrong.

So, there were a few drawbacks that kept this as a 3.5-star read for me. All that being said, it's still a good story, and I'm totally making my sister read it once it comes out. It just may not be for everyone.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for a honest review.

I’ve read a few Mazey Eddings books prior to this one and I really enjoy how she mixes the fun of a standard rom com with real-world relationship issues. This book is no different. This book is an enemies-to-lovers/grumpy sunshine/second chance romance but this time SHE is the grump and he is maybe not sunshine completely but a mostly sunny day.

One of the things I liked about this book is that it models healthy communication between 2 people who clearly have a lot of trauma in their past. Yeah, sometimes it was messy but that’s real life.

There are quite a few spicy scenes in the book. I don’t typically shy away from that type of content in books but I felt like a couple of them were timed wrong storyline-wise and I found myself skimming them. That said, she does write great scenes!!


Solid 4 star book. It does deal with toxic workplace, bullying, death and bisexuality but Eddings handles all of that with care.

I LOVED THIS! Such a fun story. I fell in love with Eva. I found her relatable in an odd way. This is the type of book you forget that you're reading.

Well, Actually is an enemies to lovers rom-com where she's the grump and he's the sunshine. The story is well written with excellent banter and plot. I was so into the story that it was hard for me to put it down and participate in reality. I really liked all the characters and how they were written. I felt what Eva felt for the entire story; when she was mad, i was mad. The distain for Eva's boss was felt with the story. My only issue with We'll, Actually was that once Eva and Rylie got together the witty banter stopped and I was disappointed. Overall, it was an excellent read and I will be reading more books by Mazey Eddings. This is the second book I've read by her (A Brush with Love the other) and they were both five star reads. She's an excellent writer.

Eva is a host for a show at her work. She is funny and, well, mean. She works in a hostile environment and hopes to make her way to real journalism some day. Rylie is a social media influencer who has everyone’s heart as he works to take down toxic masculinity. After a night of drinking Eva posts some not so nice things about Rylie and it goes viral. He was someone she dated and fell for in college and he left her disappointed (and without an orgasm apparently). Both parties agree to come on her show to do some damage control and capitalize on the popularity of their moment and they face their past while they are doing this.

Mazey Eddings wrote a delightful, funny and heartfelt romance novel. I laughed. I cried. I felt all the things. I wanted more when it was over. I cannot wait to read more from Mazey.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

Five stars! This is a contemporary romance novel that skillfully employs many of the tropes we know and love while also addressing issues that are forefront in the minds of many romance readers! There's nothing preachy or dogmatic about this easy-to-read novel; Eddings takes the reader on an adventure that's full of relatable heartwarming and humorous moments in equal measure!
Eva and Riley had a bad situationship/relationship in college. They seem to have moved on, and both are pursuing careers in social media. One evening, Ada sees and calls out Riley's "Dating advice for men" video as being completely at odds with the Riley she knew "back in the day".
They soon find themselves in a social media frenzy, which leads to some very public "dating" and interacting, This then leads to some very relatable and also hilarious situations. Eva is a snarky, whip-smart FMC who can't quite put the pieces of her life together (relatable much?) and Riley's a golden retriever guy who just keeps trying even when he gets it wrong. Can they make it work with a second chance?
Loved every minute of this book and am looking forward to more from this author!

I loved the characterization and the detailed backstories in this novel. I was rooting so hard for Eva and Riley the whole time. I think the book did an excellent job of exploring trauma and how it can be overcome despite past mistakes and regrets.

Thank you to the St. Martin’s Press, St. Martin’s Griffin, Netgalley, and Mazey Eddings for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think this book is about to become my entire personality. I devoured it in 24 hours and purchased a paperback copy after reading only 20% of the book as a trophy for my bookshelf.

This book is hilarious and hilariously quote-able. (One of my favorites: the Universe is a messy b that loves disrupting my peace of mind.) The story of Eva Kitt, a journalist on a semi-pop culture internet show, makes a mistake and calls out a former college situationship, who is now an influencer, on the internet attached to one of his videos. They have to come together and fake date in order to save both of their reputations and jobs, and watching them reunite years post college is both fun and funny.

I related to these characters immensely. I loved all of the positive themes, including being pro-therapy, and watching the characters deconstruct their time together to evaluate how it influenced them in the years since and how they would like it to influence their future. Eva and Rylie are magnetic together, and I so enjoyed watching them navigate a second chance romance amidst social media.

I can't wait to re-read this book again! This was my first, but not my last, by Mazey Eddings!

So many lols 😆 the dynamic between Riley and Eva is a very specific flavor of cutthroat playfulness and I’m OBSESSED. This story is drenched in pop-cultural references (and their fictional counterparts) including Nick Miller’s iconic microtropic “Stop being so mean to me or I swear to God I'm going to fall in love with you!”

Riley is so steadfast, the poster boy of positive therapy progress, while Eva seems very aware of precise details of her trauma without the tools to navigate it in a productive way.

I hope these two pop up in cameos of other Mazey Eddings masterpieces because I love them to death and feel so at home and enamored with this little pocket of the fictional world. 🤩

Big thanks to St Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Mazey Eddings for the ARC for review!!

4.5 stars, rounded up.

This book was such a pleasant surprise! The pacing was just right, keeping me hooked without rushing through anything, and the characters felt so real and relatable. The plot flowed nicely, and I found myself really enjoying the entire experience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

The banter!!! The fun! The opposites attract!!

I loved the tropes in this book and I always enjoy a second chance romance. As with all of her books, there is a perfect blend of depth and fun. You can’t help but adore Rylie!

Mazey Eddings has crafted a lively, witty second-chance romance that feels both modern and deeply heartfelt. The story follows Eva Kitt, a journalist who never imagined her career would involve interviewing B-list celebrities about hot dogs instead of chasing serious stories.

I really liked this concept of two people who knew each other in college where they hooked up, and it ended badly, only for them to meet again years later and discover that people can change. That aspect was so fun and well-written. Because a lot of the time in second chance romances, what happened in the past is either stupid and nonsensical or simply unforgivable.

Now the romance? Amazing slow burn. I know it won’t be for everyone because it takes time for Eva to trust Rylie and so it also takes a while for him to win her over.

There is a lot of good representation in this book: bi rep, pan rep, pro-therapy. The plot is fun, even if you have to suspend your belief a little sometimes. There is a lot of character growth. I enjoyed the framing of how tender of a time your early twenties is and how it can have a lot of influence on you operate in relationships later in life.

This is the kind of book that feels like your favorite rom-com with a bit more heat and heart. If second chance romances and great banter are your thing, don’t sleep on this one!