This book gets off to a rocky start. Eva isn’t likable because we don’t have her backstory yet; and we never get Rylie’s POV, though he does make himself heard eventually. But stick with it. It’s still filled with Mazey Eddings’ brand of charm and humor. And once the lines of communication open between the MCs, the story really becomes unputdownable. Thanks to St. Martin’s for the ARC.

Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ARC of Well, Actually! Mazey Eddings delivers another whip-smart, delightfully unhinged rom-com filled with clever banter, viral chaos, and a very public reckoning between exes. The premise? Delicious. The execution? A little uneven, but still a fun ride.

We meet Eva Kitt—grumpy, razor-witted, stuck hosting a B-list celebrity hot-dog talk show called Sausage Talk (yes, really). Her career dreams? Dashed. Her tolerance for nonsense? Low. When she calls out her college ex, Rylie Cooper, mid-episode and it goes viral, she finds herself in an unexpected career upswing—and face-to-face with the man who broke her heart. Rylie, now a beloved softboi internet darling teaching men how not to be trash, proposes a wild idea: let him take her on a series of redemption dates, then dissect them on his channel to prove he’s changed. Eva agrees, not because she believes him, but because the exposure might finally launch her career.

Cue fake dates, old resentments, new sparks, and plenty of hot dogs (both literal and metaphorical).

There’s a lot to love here: Eva’s dry humor, the enemies-to-lovers tension, and the book’s deeper commentary on performative allyship, accountability, and emotional growth. Eddings nails the balance between comedy and heart in several standout scenes, and the concept of a toxic ex trying to publicly rebrand himself is chef’s kiss modern romance chaos.

But not everything lands. Some of the emotional beats—especially Rylie’s transformation—feel more told than shown. I wanted to root for him more, but often felt like I was being asked to forgive him before truly seeing the growth. The chemistry was cute but lacked the full punch of a swoonworthy second-chance arc. Still, their banter was solid, and the enemies-with-history trope is always a fun time.

Well, Actually is clever, chaotic, and trying to say something real beneath all the snark and sausages. It doesn’t quite stick the landing, but it’s a worthwhile read for rom-com fans looking for something fresh and fiery.

Would I recommend it? Sure—especially if you like your romance with a side of redemption, sass, and low-grade internet fame.

I loved reading this second chance romance book about Eva and Rylie. Eva is a host of a tv show called, “Sausage Talk”. One night she has a little too much to drink and posts a video online about Rylie, a podcaster she knew from college, being terrible in bed. Her boss meets with her the next day and wants her to bring him on their show to gain views. While on the show, Rylie challenges Eva to let him take her on 6 dates to try to win her over. Throughout the book you learn about the backstory behind Rylie and Eva. Will Rylie be able to win Eva over? You will have to read to find out!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of this story in exchange for an honest review. I LOVED Eva and Riley - Eva is my angry girl champion, and getting to be in her head as she processes the emotional whiplash of reuniting with Cooper is a delight. I giggled throughout almost the entire story, and can’t wait to see her out in the world!

This one was a delight. I appreciated the nuanced look into modern relationships and the current trend now of everyone having a podcast or web series. This was an exes to maybe more tale and I found myself rooting for Eva even as I had to suspend a lot of disbelief about the plot line.

The cover is adorable and I was really excited to read this because it was giving me Chicken Soup Shop vibes. Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. Rylie was not super engaging to me and Eva was a bit too mean for me. As a result, I just never really felt connected to the story.

This is a second-chance romance about Riley and Eva, who dated 6 years ago and Eva posts about online after Riley ghosted her. Eva was a bit of an aggressive FMC, which I’m not sure I liked paired with Riley’s more doormat behavior. There is a lot of workplace references. This is an easy read with some fun banter but I didn’t love how the story unfolded.

2.5/5 stars: I really really wanted to like this book- I love a sharp-tongued black cat fmc. But I really dislike conflict for the sake of conflict and characters that refuse to grow just to further the narrative.

A struggle with second chance romance is that the reader needs to know why the first chance didn’t work out, and what is going to be different the second time around if we’re to believe in the hea. We’re given the backstory in bits and pieces throughout the first half of the book, which would be fine except that I kept waiting for Rylie to do something in the past that made sense for why Eva hated him so violently in the present. And that just never happened. Additionally, it was clear because of the way Rylie was written that there was something going on in his life distracting him from his relationship with Eva. So by halfway through the book, Eva in the present is still shocked when Rylie says or does something sweet or kind or thoughtful, but as a reader we’ve only ever seen him sweet or kind or thoughtful.

The characters in the second half of the book were much more fleshed out, but by that point I almost didn’t care because I found Eva so insufferable. I was also disappointed because a huge part of her backstory is her relationship with her family (which is so valid and made me relate to her), and it went almost completely unmentioned in the second half of the book. It also made me a little uncomfortable how blind Eva was to her relationship with her bosses, and that story wrapped up so quickly and a little too easily.

In a nutshell, this book has some great moments, but all of them surrounded the growth and development of the mmc Rylie. And if there’s one thing I can not abide it’s me being forced to cheer for the mmc at the expense of the fmc.

Thank you for the ARC. I feel like this book leaned too much into making the FMC very aggressive, to the point where some of the decisions she made were pretty absurd. The MMC was a doormat for most of the book. The grudge that the FMC was holding was ridiculous and unhealthy. It was really hard to get through a book of this length considering the intense emotions of the character. The writing was good , but the characters were hard to relate to.

I want to thank st.martins press and NetGalley for the opportunity for the well, actually arc and sadly it is not for me. I loved the premise of the story but I just wasn’t vibing with the characters and certain elements just seemed a bit forced.

Unfortunately, this one just wasn’t for me. While I can see how others might enjoy Eva’s bold personality and sharp wit, I personally found it hard to connect with her as a character. The tone felt more combative than clever at times, which made it tough for me to stay engaged. I also couldn’t help but feel that the concept bore a strong resemblance to Amelia Dimoldenberg’s Chicken Shop Date, which pulled me out of the story a bit. That said, the cover is absolutely stunning and initially drew me in. I’m grateful for the chance to read an early copy and wish the author all the best!

While I enjoyed the overall story, I found the FMC hard to like. I’m all for a strong personality, but she was rude a lot of the time, while the MMC did his best to try to communicate with her and get to know her again.

Well, Actually was such a fun and heartfelt read. The characters are definitely the highlight -charming and full of personality. The fact that Eva and her interviews were written similarly as the ones from Amelia Dimoldenberg, made me love her even more. It’s really easy to connect with her and Rylie and feel for what they’re going through. The story is also super digestible, and written in a way that flows effortlessly. Mazey has a really engaging style that makes you want to find out more.

I really enjoyed it overall, though I do wish we had gotten to see more of Eva and Rylie’s remaining dates since they were really fun (you will see). Also, the side characters were so charismatic and I would’ve loved to learn more about them too.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advance reader copy!

Eva Kitt has always dreamed of being a serious journalist. She considers her hosting gig on the interview show “Sausage Talk” to be a stepping stone to the real deal. One night she drunkenly posts a response video to podcaster Rylie Cooper, who happens to be her college ex. Rylie’s show is all about dismantling toxic masculinity, but that’s not the Rylie she remembers. The video goes viral and Rylie challenges Eva to give him another chance by letting him take her on a series of dates. All to be discussed and promoted by both of their media companies, of course. Has Rylie really changed in the six years since Eva last saw him? Will this be the jolt her career needs?

Well, Actually is such a fun book! I loved the premise and the banter was perfection. The first half of the book sizzled. I did find the second half to be a little frustrating at times, and I was initially very confused by the conflict Eva ends up in (although more information comes to light that clears things up). I loved Eva and Rylie’s connection and their character growth from the past to the present was amazing to read.

-Lovers to enemies to lovers
-Golden retriever MMC
-LGBTQ rep

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy of this book! This was already on my list so to receive it is an honor. I really enjoyed it, it’s a perfect light and easy summer romcom. Fans of the Chicken Shop Date will enjoy!

I absolutely ADORED this book. Rylie and Eva are such a perfect match I was enthralled by them from the moment I started reading. Their chemistry, their cheekiness, and their banter was executed to perfection. I audibly laughed through the whole book. It’s a special thing when an author can make you literally cackle and then tear up two chapters later. I see so much of myself in Eva, and I was so so happy to see her get the supportive relationship she deserves. We love a black cat, sharp tongued FMC SO MUCH. And Rylie Baby Girl Cooper???? Even though for the first few chapters I was admittedly confused and thought Rylie and Cooper were two different people, I love him. And I think Rylie Cooper is one of my favorite MMC’s I have ever read. He’s unwavering in his admiration and support of Eva, while still being as witty and sharp as she is. Their communication was top tier and I will be thinking of their banter for weeks. Also, the SPICE? Mazey Eddings deserves an award. This is a new favorite read and an easy immediate 5 star. That’s all I have to say.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!!

4.5⭐️

Wow friends, wow! This is probably one of my favorite second chances romances I’ve ever read! Everyone please do me a favor and add to your tbr/be on the lookout for this to release when it does in August. Both Eva and Rylie were SO WELL fleshed out and this story was so deep rooted in overcoming trauma. You have two completely imperfect characters who are still lovable and you just want nothing more than to root for them. We love a black cat/golden retriever combo🥰 I audibly laughed and giggled in so many parts, I’m truly obsessed. I honestly would beg for more and additional spin offs or interconnected standalones here.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC, all opinions and thoughts are my own.

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings is a sharp, funny, and surprisingly heartfelt second-chance romance with a modern twist. Eva is a refreshingly snarky and driven protagonist, and her chemistry with Rylie crackles with both tension and charm. The concept—revenge dates turned maybe-something-more—is both entertaining and emotionally satisfying, especially as both characters are forced to confront their past mistakes and real growth. While the setup leans into rom-com chaos, Eddings balances humor with real emotional stakes. A fun, feminist love story that doesn’t shy away from messy feelings or hot dog interviews.

This book is my everything. Eva Kitt deserves to be protected. Rylie Cooper can have some rights. I'm obsessed with all their friends. This was so SATISFYING, so fucking funny, so beautiful!!!

3.5/5
When Eva makes a drunken video slandering her ex- a popular podcast host that tackles toxic masculinity- she figured no one would watch it. Hungover the next morning, she’s shocked to find that her video went viral. And her boss at her media job is demanding she and her ex do an interview to feed the masses (and the madness).

As an aspiring journalist and feminist, Eva agrees. She figures there’s a story there, and the ability to actively take her ex Rylie down a few pegs is too good to pass up.

Except Rylie is nothing like how she remembers him. And he’s determined to prove that he’s changed. He proposes a series of dates, with Eva tasked with picking him apart on his podcast after. Seems straightforward enough. Until Eva can’t help but start to feel things for Rylie. Things better left in the past.

What to expect in this story:
-Second chance romance
-Single POV
-Open door: mild to mod detail
-Social media as a job
-He falls first

Ok. I have lots of thoughts on this one. It was well written and I enjoyed the premise of the story. Rylie was an absolute stand out for me. His glasses and goofy crewnecks stole my heart.

Now. My thoughts on Eva are a bit more complicated. I liked her as a character. A stabby female is always a fun read. But I felt like all the potential for her to grow was stunted. I guess I just expected her to have a light bulb moment and either start to work on herself or decide to do something, anything, of that nature. I don’t love a martyr. Also, her complete blindness to her workplace really irked me. Maybe as an outsider it’s easier to see it and want to scream. But I found everything about her employment and how she thought of it really distasteful. It really took me out of the story.

I also felt like the final third really dragged. I feel like the coming together of our MCs came too early? It made the rest of the story a little too low stakes for me. It was kind of like a, ok…? What’s the rest of the book gonna be about? Idk. Wasn’t my fav.

Overall, a decent book. I’d definitely be willing to read what else this author has written.

Big thanks to Netgalley and publishers for my ARC of this book. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.