Eva Kitt never expected to be the host of Sausage Talk, interviewing B-list celebrities over lukewarm hot dogs, instead of pursuing the journalism career she dreamed of. But when Eva’s impromptu public call out of her college ex goes viral, she’s thrust into the spotlight. It doesn’t help said ex is Rylie Cooper, a beloved social media personality that has built a platform on deconstructing toxic masculinity and teaching men how to be good partners.

Forced to confront Rylie on a live episode of Sausage Talk, he offers Eva a deal: allow him to take her on a series of dates to make up for his toxic behavior, then debrief them on his channel to show he’s changed. Eva refuses to play nice, but agrees to the scheme to advance her own career and continue defaming Rylie’s good name. When these manufactured dates start to feel real, Eva has to wonder if the boy that broke her heart has become the man that might heal it.

Loved it. Cannot wait to read more from the author. Will recommend to others.

• eva, a journalist stuck in a job interviewing celebs while eating hot dogs, accidentally goes viral when she makes a video calling out her ex, rylie cooper, who just happens to be a beloved social media personality. when she’s forced to confront rylie on ‘sausage talk’, he proposes that she let him take her on a series of dates to show him he’s changed. eva agrees, but only in an attempt to further her own career. but when the fake dates start to feel real, eva has to question if she boy who broke her heart so long ago has changed for the better.
• this was a really fun little romp of a story that had some great character development, especially from eva, who we saw become less icy through her reacquaintance with rylie.
• rylie wasn’t as interesting of a character, as he was pretty one-note.
• this book is very much “what if chicken shop date was a romance novel?”

I enjoyed reading this book. As a fan of the author, I was looking forward to reading this. The author did a great job writing the black cat and golden retrieve trope. The characters were very well developed and the banter was top tier. Eva was an extremely relatable character. This might be my favorite Mazey book yet!

Refreshing is the word that really sticks for this book for me. It was just the perfect book I didn't know I was looking for. Offering humor and heartful emotion, this book felt so relevant and relatable in a way I think every author aims for. I am not usually a fan of second chance, but there is always the exception that disproves the rule this book was 100% the exception for me and so well done.
Both Eva and Riley are so well written, and have so many layers, they truly felt like real people that I wanted to take to brunch. I loved Eva so much - Eddings was able to balance her sense of humor and grumpiness with her heart and background to make her someone I has instantly rooting for. Rylie was a great counterpoint to Eva in so many ways, and it was refreshing to see such a soft male character shine unapologetically.
On top of the beautifully written plot, dimensional characters, and top tier banter, the book also handles many more sensitive topics with such aplomb. They are written with such thoughtfulness and grace that they resonates even more clearly and amplify an already nuanced and wonderful story.
A wonderful story filled with laughs, spice, and heart in equal measure.

Gah! This booook! I freaking adored it.
So sweet and romantic, with the perfect amount of angst. And witty!! The aspects around social media also was super fitting and resonated to the world today.

Eva and Riley…I could gush about them forever. So many moments I was screaming and kicking my feet in absolute delight. Also added to my ‘books that made me cry’ page in my book journal.


🌭 second chance romance
🌭 hate to love
🌭 forced proximity
🌭 black cat X golden retriever
🌭 mental health rep - couples therapy!!!
🌭 queer rep
🌭 the banter 👌


Thank you to NetGalley for the arc of this book.
Well, Actually is out NOW! Please, go read it!

Listen, if a book has good banter I will forgive 90% of its flaws and this just worked for me. I was frustrated at the seemingly forced miscommunication at points but the banter was so spot on I just kept powering through.

3.5 stars

Chicken shop date but with hot dogs!

Eva hosts a semi popular show interviewing B-list celebrities while eating hot dogs. After a crappy day and too much wine, she goes viral when she rants and calls out her ex Riley Copper, an influencer who helps men be better partners, by telling the world how he ghosted her in college and did all the things he preaches to men not to do.

Riley, who wants to save face and show the world he’s no longer the same guy he was in college, proposes a deal- let him “date” Eva and document it for his followers to show everyone that he's changed for the better. But when things start getting real, Eva must decide if Riley is the guy who broke her heart or if he's the one that's going to help put it back together again.

I like a sassy FMC who isn't apologetic and says what she means without sugar coating anything. The double standard that this book pointed out really resonated with me. If a woman stands up and speaks her mind she's a bitch and is criticized for it but if a man does it he's authoritative and applauded for it. The internet (and society) is a wild place! I have a feeling that people will either love or hate Eva but personally I loved her. She spoke her mind freely and didn't hide who she was to appease others.

You also learn why she had a hard shell and put up a tough front. Her unresolved abandonment issues from childhood left her afraid to commit and be open and because when she did that with Riley in college he disappeared. It left a very sour taste in her mouth and a stain on her love life.

Speaking of Riley, what is it about a MMC with glasses? Why does it make them so much more likable, hotter and enjoyable to read about? The glasses effect is real my friends and I'm here for it! And men who grovel and fight and put the work in…sign me up!

Eva always felt like she needed to keep the persona up of being strong but she does feel deeply and it’s slowly breaking her. Rylie is the only one who can see that she needs support and needs to be there for her. He wants to make it right. Nor just show the internet he’s doing it for clout or as an internet stunt. She keeps pushing and pushing and pushing him away but he’s always there and never gives up.

This book had moments of humor and ridiculousness that had me laughing out loud and made me think of old MTV dating shows where you cringe and laugh at the same time. The snark and banter were top notch.

I think there were some loose ends that needed to be addressed or resolved but overall a very enjoyable romcom with strong characters and a fun plot.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for sharing this book’s digital advanced review copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

Well, Actually was, in a word, delightful. It was hilarious, had some of the best banter I’ve ever read, was emotional, heartfelt, and tender, but also completely irreverent and offbeat at the same time. I devoured it in less than a day and fell deeply in love with the characters.

Eva is snarky, has the best witty comebacks ever, and is totally closed-off and unapproachable. She is the definition of a black cat, and I empathized with her so much. Cooper is her opposite in every way. He’s happy, charming, beloved by everyone, and gives off major golden retriever energy. Every time Eva lashes out at him or tries to run away from her feelings, he won’t let her. He forces her to talk about things, supports her endlessly, shows up for her when she needs it, and calls her out when she’s being ridiculous. He goes to therapy, deconstructs toxic masculinity, and has a platform to teach men how to be good partners. He’s the greenest of green flags, and I couldn’t have loved him more if I tried.

The audiobook was narrated by Ariela Crow and it was fantastic. Her deadpan delivery of Eva’s one liners was perfect, and she brilliantly highlighted Cooper’s hopeful optimism and stubborn refusal to let Eva hide from her feelings. I definitely recommend listening to this one!

Thank you to You Had Me At HEA, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Publishers, Macmillan Audio, Mazey Eddings, and NetGalley for the ARC and ALC.

📔Well, Actually
✏️ Mazey Eddings
📆 August 5, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

READ IF YOU LIKE:
🌭she hates him
🌭second chance
🌭he falls first and harder
🌭black cat x golden retriever
🌭BANTER
🌭he wears slutty glasses
🌭 fake dating to save their jobs

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
This was a unique and fun read. I enjoyed the podcast aspect and their banter and chemistry was a lot of fun. Sometimes people deserve a second chance and how we perceive things aren’t as they appear.

This book started out a lot stronger than it ended. It was a fun read, but my enjoyment tapered the more I read of it.

Things I liked:
- Black cat/golden retriever energy
- Top tier banter and gold star snark
- Queer representation. More specifically, how it was just mentioned and accepted, and not the center of the plot or characters. Like in real frickin life.
- an OBSESSED MMC … love to see it

Things I didn’t like:
- The off pacing, especially in the last third of the book
- Needlessly whiny FMC (as per usual in the romcom sphere, ugh)
- pretty flat side characters

On a personal note, this book has inspired me to continue being super mean to all of the menfolk.
3⭐️

I absolutely loved this book! The way that the story is written with the format of the podcast and the fake dates was brilliant! I love a good enemies to lovers and I love it even more when it’s also a second chance romance.

The only thing that I didn’t really vibe with was that at times Eva could be a bit unlikable. And I didn’t really understand her hate for Rylie after something that happened years ago.

Overall though I really enjoyed it! I loved the banter and the way that Rylie was still a bit obsessed with Eva made me smile! I can’t wait to hear about the next project

Eva, with her platinum blonde hair, read lipstick, and deadpan affect has made being stone-cold b*tch her brand. It's the only way she can stay sane when all she wants is to be taken seriously as a journalist but is instead forced to eat hot dogs with C-list celebrities like a knock off Hot Ones. But Eva's feelings unfortunately reveal themselves in a drunken rant on social media over the irony of her first boyfriend, Rylie, a frat bro who ghosted her, is now a semi-famous podcaster preaching against toxic masculinity. When the video clip goes viral, Eva is so desperate to do anything other than her glorified cable show that she agrees to go on a series of redemption dates with her ex for content. But Rylie is determined to make up for his wrongs and turn their outings into more than content.

I adored this book. Ambitious women like Eva are my favorite types of heroines and the banter between her and Rylie is truly fire. That kind of back-and-forth is what I LIVE for in a romance novel and the best part about enemies-to-lovers. I also appreciated all the subplots and actually viable explanations for Rylie's past behavior, and was even more pleased at the ending. This one reminds me a bit of The Ex Talk, but I also love that book and there's certainly twists and even more sexy sniping here.

Thanks to St. Martin's for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

5 stars - 9/10

In my head this book is inspired by Amelia Dimoldenberg from Chicken Shop Date and Andrew Garfield and I will not be convinced otherwise.

In Eddings latest romcom, our FMC is Eva Kitt who hosts B-list celebs on her much sadder show Sausage Talk- where many a hotdog is eaten- and the MMC is Rylie Cooper, a brunette podcaster who preaches about the harms of toxic masculinity, complete with sexy little glasses. When Eva publicly- and hilariously- calls out her ex for preaching about how women should have standards after he treated her like crap and the video goes mega-viral, Eva is forced back into Rylie's orbit. And he wants to make it up to her. Six dates for him to show Eva what a good guy he really is, which Eva grudingly accepts in exchange for a ratings boost and a potential for promotion.

The banter in this book is FIRE. Eva is sharp and silver tongued and Rylie really really likes it. Rylie is an expert communicator, wears iron crew necks and is, the kind of guy I would actually date. I love the pining and regret that comes with anything second chance, so Eva and Rylie working through their past mistakes and pain to find their way back to their feelings hit me hard in the feels. Yes, I even cried!

Not only it is the book sexy and romantic, it is also hilarious. I was literally laughing out loud at Eva's clapbacks or the failed date antics. It also deals with some serious elements as well, such as the double standard for how men and women are treated in the workplace, especially in audience facing fields. I have a feeling some readers may be put off by Eva but I'm all for a women who doesn't make herself smaller or nicer or easier to digest just to please men. I totally identified with Eva and saw some of myself in her. As for the kind of love that Rylie showed her? May we all find this kind of love.

My verdict? 10/10 I loved every moment of it. This is my first Eddings book but it will not be my last!

Thank you so much to St. Martin's Press for approving me for this one!

Well, Actually follows Eva, who hosts Sausage Talk, where she interviews B-list celebrities while eating hot dogs, even though she dreams of a perfect journalism job. She is thrust into the public eye when she decides to call out her horrible college ex, Rylie Cooper. It doesn't help that Rylie Cooper is now a beloved social media influencer who deconstructs toxic masculinity and teaches men how to be good partners. The talk show believes it's a great idea to have Rylie Cooper on the show, so Eva can confront him. Eva ends up taking a deal; she agrees to a series of dates for him to make up for his toxic behavior. When these manufactured dates start to feel real, Eva starts to realize that maybe the man who broke her heart is the same man who can heal it

This one was so much fun to read! After absolutely loving Late Bloomer, I knew Mazey Edding's newest book was going to be a blast. Mazey handles mental health and queer stories so delicately. I love the way these characters have such well-developed backgrounds that it feels like you're in the book with them.

Eva...Eva, Eva Eva. She is a very complex character, but in a way, it is justified. She has roadblocks and has a tough exterior. She doesn't want to get her heart broken again, and she is the type of person to be shaped by her past. She is a people-pleaser, stretches herself too thin, and doesn't do anything that is in HER best interest. But she is also unbearable at times. Rylie is trying to get her to open up and to talk about what happened in the past, but her walls are so far up, she is rude and vindictive. I can see why so many don't and will not like her.

Rylie is such a gem, though. He truly wants to prove why he was the way he was when they first broke up. He held himself accountable and never used his experiences as an excuse for his past mistakes. Instead of running away from his past mistakes, he faces them head-on and grows from them - not just to prove himself, but to better himself.

Their banter and conversations is so much fun though. Their chemistry is always there, no matter how much Eva treats him like crap. Rylie is eager to please, but gets pushed back with Eva's sarcastic tones. One problem I did have though, is the same problem I had with Late Bloomer. The story was coming along nicely, and then the spicy scenes it. I am ALL for spicy, but when the spiciness starts to overpower the story that was happening, it gets frustrating. Eva's career struggles were underwhelming and weren't satisfying in the least. She dealt with so much; her conclusion could have been more developed and satisfying. Overall, this book was a lot of fun to read, and I expect myself to go back and read Edding's past work!

Many thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is a new author to me and one I'd like to pick up again. Such a cute romcom. Perfect for those who love romance!

I want to start this out by saying I typically love a Mazey Eddings book. My all time fave being Lizzie Blake’s Beat Mistake which made my least favorite trope so heartwarming and lovely.

Have you watched or listened to The Chicken Shop?! It’s totally giving that vibe. Podcaster goes viral for saying some pretty terrible stuff about a past partner from her college days. She is then forced to interview said partner and they reconnect and go on some kinda forced dates? It’s giving second chance romance and forced proximity vibes.

Unfortunately this one just didn’t do it for me. I felt like the characters completely lacked chemistry so when there were spicy scenes I just didn’t get it. I found myself speeding through them which is very unlike me. While this one didn’t do it for me - you might love it. I’m feeling it was written more for Gen Z than Millennial me.

Thank you SMP Romance for my ARC of this book to check out early!

3.5 stars

I'm not afraid to admit that I fell down the TikTok rabbit hole that was the Andrew Garfield Chicken Shop Date. What can I say? I am a simple girl with simple pleasures. Therefore, when I saw this book using a similar concept, I knew I had to pick it up.

I'm also not afraid to admit that I struggled through the first 50% of this book. There are a LOT of pop culture references and millennial humor that often fell flat to me (even as a millennial). On top of that, I found myself struggling to root for the relationship because so much of it was being told to us and not shown. HOWEVER, once the walls started to come down and the characters started to really connect with each other emotionally and physically, I found myself swept away by the romance and honestly found myself relating a little too much to our main character Eva.

With all of the ups and downs I had with this book, I cannot say that it's a five-star read; however, Eddings is playing with a lot of interesting ideas regarding modern romance, what it means to be in your twenties, and what it means to be truly vulnerable with a partner. It's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I definitely think it's worth picking up!

I really enjoyed this one - the concept of this book was a lot of fun. We have a boss babe, Eva who interviews B-list celebrities while eating hot dogs, and reformed man Rylie who is a social media personality who teaches men how to be better partners,
They had a bit of a connection in college but based on lack of communication, things did not go well.
After reconnecting, Rylie tries to win himself back into Eva's good graces by taking her on some dates.

These two had clear chemistry and there was so much banter. Beyond the physical connection, they were working through some surprisingly deep issues.

“Stop being so mean to me or l'm gonna fall in love with you"

Pick this one up if you enjoy:
🌭 Enemies to lovers
🌭 Second chance
🌭 Podcaster x social media personality
🌭 Black cat x golden retriever
🌭 Healing from trauma

Call me Rylie Cooper because I’m down BAD for Eva Kitt! Give me all the witty and sarcastic heroines I beg! This was such a fun read with a great premise based off one of my favs Chicken Shop Date.

The book starts with Eva going viral on social media after publicly calling out her college ex-situationship Riley Cooper. Riley has since reinvented himself as an expert on deconstructing toxic masculinity on his very popular podcast. They end up finding themselves trapped in a public-dating arrangement to salvage both their reputations.

The characters were relatable and have a fun dynamic! Eva is guarded and witty while Rylie is just happy to be in her presence. Their banter was top tier!!! The interactions were funny and had me giggling and twirling my hair. These are the type of characters that feel like old friends of yours.
Even with all the fun and romance it's still serving up emotional and reflective moments. Specifically around biphobia and Eva's family. I completely understood why she would be so guarded around people. I liked Rylies character but it didn’t feel as strong as Eva’s. He was simping a little too hard. It felt like a stereotypical book boyfriend. I did appreciate the one scene when he um… got excited he got while pleasuring her… lol I needed more of that.

This book was the perfect blend of sweet and funny and I definitely recommend!

Witty banter, an adorable cover - a couple to swoon over.

Eva is in a bit of a rut. At a job she doesn't love because she's not really doing the cutting journalism she was hoping. And not really dating or even trying to get out there. Then, one night, while she's doom-scrolling after some drinks, a video of someone she once dated comes across her FYP. Unbelievably, he's trying to sell what a great boyfriend he is when he was a complete jerk to her. Before she can think better of it, she hits "stitch" and records her own video - one letting everyone know he's not the smooth, suave man he's trying to portray. What she wakes up to is a viral video and a media storm! And an email to meet with her employer. Yikes.

This was such a cute book. I really loved the two mains - their banter was so good and the push and pull was swoony. I liked the reason they had to do podcasts and make their stuff public but, also, all the reasons they had to make it private. It was a quick read, I loved it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.