This rom com was extremely unique and honestly unlike anything I've read before. If you love chicken shop date and those vibes, I think you will really enjoy this one. There were some parts I struggled with a bit.. the character arc and dialogue for Eva at times, but Rylie was quite simply the biggest green flag and softest boi. I really appreciated the facetious and dry humor and I thought their relationship progression flowed really naturally!

3.5 ⭐ rounded to 4

Thank you to SMP for the ARC copy!

Im a self admitted Mazey Eddings fan girl. She can do no wrong. Wed be the best of besties and honestly she should call me cause girl youre missing out! I promise. Im not crazy! 🫣🤣 As soon as I got the email for this one i clicked so fast I almost broke my phone. And as usual, she does not disappoint!

Eva is all of us to some degree. Due to past hurts, she believes if she pushes you away first you cant hurt her. She has the most witty comebacks and has made it her full time job to keep people far away. Enter Cooper. The world's biggest golden retriever. After hurting Eva in the past, he's truly done the work to fix himself. Forced into a series of disastrous dates for their respective careers, we watch Cooper thaw the Ice Queen that is Eva.

Yall this book is so so good! Watching them fall for each other was magic, and the dates has me cackling! Mazey has a way of making characters that are so realistic you can see yourself in them. You empathize and cheer for their HEAs. I absolutely adored this book! It's out now so grab it and fall in love with Mazey just like I did. Only you cant have her. Shes my pretend bestie first! 🤣

Well well well. A new bombshell has entered the villa. Mazey Eddings, everyone, a new favorite author. Eva Kitt, a new favorite fmc. And Riley Cooper, the ultimate mmc. That’s the review. Thank you and goodbye.

JUST KIDDDING 😂 although legit, that could be the full review. I am SO thankful I was influenced to sign up for this eARC because literally from the first page I was sold. Eva is me. I am an Eva. Like no notes. Can relate to every. single. aspect. of her personality. I ADORED her and reading an FMC I could legitimately relate to. And Cooper? We ALL deserve a man like him. Six years later and he knows she’s always been the one? And he is more than happy to fight with her for her heart? Yep, I’m a fucking goner for that man.

Read if you like
🌭second chance
🌭strong willed fmc
🌭desperate mmc
🌭pan, bi, trans rep
🌭mental health rep
🌭workplace romance
🌭fake-ish dating/secret relationship
🌭Amelia x Andrew with a twist

Thank you thank you thank you to NetGalley, Mazey Eddings, and St. Martin’s for access to an eARC in exchange for this honest review.

I giggled, kicked my feet, sweat a bit, AND swooned throughout this book. I absolutely LOVED Eva and Rylie's story.

It's giving enemies to lovers, second chance romance, vicious black cat with hopeless golden retriever, banter beyond banter, and spice that leaves you needing a glass of milk and a cold shower.

Eva's Hot Girl outlook was amazing and inspiring. It made me want to don it for myself, albeit in my own less intense way.

I loved the sweet baby girlness of Rylie. He gave me the warm and fuzzies and somehow made ME feel loved and appreciated with his actions.

This was absolutely one of my favorite books of the summer.

Mazey Eddings totally nails the black-cat and golden-retriever vibe between these two. Eva’s sharp, sarcastic humor crashes right into Rylie’s sweet and eager-to-please energy.
Their banter is gold and there are so many laugh-out-loud lines, especially “I give off lactose intolerant energy?” LOL

That being said, Eva is not going to be for everyone! I love a messy, complicated heroine, but she can be really hard to root for. She’s witty and hilarious - but also guarded, standoffish, and sometimes just plain mean in a way that didn’t always feel justified. Rylie’s warmth and patience carry a lot of the emotional weight in this romance!

If you like your romcoms with sharp banter, a bit of chaos, and a modern twist - this one might be for you. If you need to really love the heroine to enjoy the story, you might find Eva a bit frustrating. Either way, it’s a quick, funny, and heartfelt read that kept me entertained from start to finish.

I normally love all of Mazey's books, but this one fell short for me. Even a few cameos from other characters can only help so much. Loved seeing my girl Lizzie.

Eva came off way too prickly and snarky as an obvious front for how anxious and fragile she truly is, and Rylie was just too soft and quirky. Between the eccentric crewnecks, the jean comforter (literally called it a jomforter) and the PT Cruiser he was just far too cringe and "adorkable." He was Jess Daye from New Girl but taken too far. Their conversations were mainly just snarky put downs for the whole first third of the book. Sometimes they were funny but often they felt too barbed and Rylie would just sit there and take the jabs with a smile and act spineless at times but then be domineering during the spicier scenes which felt too whiplash-y in personality for me.

Rylie sharing his backstory and why he ghosted Eva made sense then and how it influenced his character going forward and filled in who he was, but Eva never did the same as far as I can tell. Granted walking Daddy Issues are general easy to spot, but why didn't she share even a piece of that? Explain why you hate heights. Your dad is a douche, got remarried, and replaced you with the family he always wanted right before your eyes. I don't even remember if her mother was ever mentioned.

The third act conflict I saw coming from a mile away when someone got all huffy and felt "disrespected" like the brat they are. So they decided to be petty and drag Eva through the mud to "get even."

5/5 stars
eARC provided by NetGalley

I really loved this book! It made me cry as well as laugh out loud! I really resonated with Eva! She was so well done as well! How she "plays" someone who always had snarky comments with no emotion and how that has affected her view of herself as well as how she lives her life! What we do as a job to eventually try to reach our dreams and how sometimes it feels like that is all we will ever be. I sometimes got annoyed at things that were happening of course but that's what made the story so much better to me! It was so well done and real and was more than just a second chance love story with no connection. I am also not normally a second chance trope fan but I liked that we did get flash backs! We just got the story told to us. Seeing them work through it was also a very different take and I really loved it! I would have loved to see Rylies POV cause that would have taken me out! I think she created two characters that go so well together! She showed their chemistry so well and I would have been obsessed with them without a doubt! This book was a really good commentary on parasocial relationships with internet "celebretity". How people suddenly became obsessed with Eva and how it affected her mental health! As well as the whole work place drama going on was really well done! This was my first Mazey Eddings book that I have read, funny enough not the first one i have owned, and it makes me even more excited to read the rest of her backlist!! I truly do not think I have anything negative to say about this book! I really enjoyed reading it the whole time even while it made me cry! Highly Reccommend!!

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I've read a few of Mazey's books, and this one, hands down, is my favorite. The way Mazey writes feels so fresh and flirty, drawing you in and making it impossible to put the book down.

One thing I've come to appreciate about Mazey's writing is that she takes such care when writing about difficult topics. From the grief that lingers after a loved one passes away to the draining toxic masculinity women often deal with in the workplace, Mazey doesn't shy away from tackling complex emotions and societal issues that we deal with daily. Having her characters navigate these challenges and experiences makes them feel more real, more relatable, and it makes for a more satisfying happily ever after.

Rylie and Eva together were magic. Their banter was laugh-out-loud hilarious, their chemistry off the charts, and their vulnerability was admirable. I loved watching them grow as individuals and figuring out how that translated into building a successful relationship with each other.

This book finally got me out of my reading slump, which is truly the highest honor. I've said it before and I'll say it again — I'll read anything Mazey writes. Pick this book up immediately and thank me later.

Started and couldn’t get past the first few chapters, I had no desire to read this obvious rip off of The Chicken Shop Date

Spicy, male female, 1st person single point of view, contemporary romance. I thoroughly enjoyed the banter, and the author's writing style. I did get frustrated with the female main character because she felt a little contrived and inconsistent. The male main character was adorable. LOTS of pop/internet culture thrown in. I wanted to love it, but just liked it. I would definitely try another book by this author though.

The hate, the chemistry, the banter, the tension, the FIRE🔥🥵 …. the hotdogs 🌭?!? 🤣 IYKYK

This plot and storyline was unique and fun & if this happened in the real world today - I would one hundred percent be obsessed with it.

A host of sausage talk, a show that interviews b-list celebrities over hotdogs, goes viral after calling out her college ex (who is also a beloved social media personality) 🤣 these two must now confront each other on her show! I laughed out loud so many times during this book & was honestly just having the greatest time reading

If you are looking for the energy of the chicken shop date interview with Amelia Dimoldenberg and Andrew Garfield (he even has the slutty little glasses) this book is 10000% for you. I’ve never felt chemistry like this fall off the page before. I think this book solidifies the ‘hate to love’ trope as one of my ultimate favourites. The author did it SO well

As much as I loved the vibes I do want to note that the author did an amazing job weaving multiple layers and complexities to this story. There toxic work environments, past traumas, therapy and sexuality were explored vastly & really brought everything together.

The vibes, writing and characters were chef kiss! This is a must read friends 🌭🌭🌭

I love a book filled with witty banter and chemistry! Well, Actually is so much fun. Once I got into this, I couldn’t put it down. I loved that Eva and Rylie matched each other’s energy throughout and that they understood what the other needed. My only critique is that I felt like so much of the conflict of the book was about Eva’s job and had nothing to do with Eva and Rylie. I felt that her work drama started to overshadow Eva and Rylie’s story.

Thank you to St Martin Griffin and NetGalley for the advanced reader’s copy.

I was so excited for this read because it gave me Chicken Shop Date vibes, but the story didn't't hook me like I hoped it would. I had a hard time really connecting to the characters. Especially with Eva, she was just a rude character and inconsistent in her attitude and not in the quirky way. And Rylie, although he had his moments that made me swoon, I feel like I wasn't a part of his story or his character development. It was all those details that led to a bit of a disconnect with the story and made it hard to root for these characters.

It was an enjoyable read over all but it didn't resonate with me like I wished it would as a second chance romance. I did like the way it represents the current internet and podcasting culture. And how all of that plays into the story, but in the back of my mind it all just felt a little bit of a rip off too when it comes to Chicken Shop Date and Amelia Dimoldenberg. To the point that it was Amelia who I pictured when I read about Eva.

Overall, I wish we had been a bigger part of the characters development and more ways to connect with them. That would have really driven the story home for me. Thank you again to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for an e-arc copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I had high hopes for this book. Both main characters were appealing and the podcast/social media world setting was as very current and relevant. However, I did not finish this book even though I was 2/3 of the way through. The spicy didn’t deliver. Rylie was just not a believable character. Him taking her to a therapy session and a therapist being willing to participate in the “couples” session even though Rylie was already her client felt silly and unbelievable. Rylie was depicted as a little too perfect and self-actualized. I kept waiting for him to have any flaws. It was a bit frustrating and left me feeling not very invested.

I really enjoyed this second chance romance between a closed-off internet content creator and the popular golden retriever podcaster that ghosted her in college. The story picks up 6 years later, when she drunkenly posts a reaction video to one of his episodes and calls him out. He responds, asking for 6 dates to prove he's not the guy he was then and to apologize. With her (very mediocre) job on the line, she agrees.

The basic plot of the story was fine, but what sold it for me was the actual banter and heat between the two main characters. They fed off each other in hilarious ways, and both the sparring and the (open door) romance felt natural. I was happy to watch how they brought out the best in each other, and loved their side cast of characters as well.

Honestly, the only part that didn't work for me was...work. Her job situation was truly terrible, and the way her boss treated her was not pleasant. And while I can believe she felt trapped into staying, I felt like the resolution of that part of the story felt rushed. I wish we'd seen a little more of how she pulled off the ending.

Overall, a very fun 4-star read and highly suggested for anyone who enjoys that chicken shop date show on youtube. Thanks to the author for the chance to read and review!

Mini review time 🤏🏼

Well, Actually
@mazeyeddings

👏🏼 this romcom is perfect and is my favorite Eddings book so far! Funny, snarky, grumpy, and sweet, the characters in this novel really came to life for me.
This premise is almost giving the red/green flag meme guy while reading this ( @dustinpoynter ). It’s very much so grumpy X sunshine, golden retriever, enemies X lovers tropes, and they’re done super well.

It’s not often I give super glowy reviews for romcoms because they’re usually overdone - but this one deserves the review! Overall, this is heartwarming, character driven, spicy, and has plenty of moments to keep you engaged, laughing, and rooting for Rylie and Eva!

📚 what are your favorite tropes when reading romcoms or romance novels!?

Big thank you to @stmartinspress @netgalley and the author for this ARC in exchange for my review!
Pub date was last week! So run and grab this now 😍

The writing is voicey and fun but for my taste it was a bit over the top in terms of believability—the male lead seemed like more of a concept than a character and said a lot of highly emotionally evolved, therapy speak things versus what a person would actually say or do in the moment. I liked the main character a lot and definitely found myself laughing and empathizing with her. 3.5/5

While I empathize with and can relate to Eva’s character, I found her “black cat energy” to be excessive, and Riley’s character seemed too perfectly reformed. Both characters felt like caricatures, making it difficult to believe that characters like this could exist, inevitably making it difficult to believe in their story. Their chemistry was good, but it was impossible to ignore some of Eva’s overly cruel quips within their intense banter.

The story had good pacing and was entertaining, however, once the main characters finally confront their feelings for each other, the next 30% of the book is simply them in their bubble, which muddied the remaining plotlines. Between her fight with her best friend and the company’s problems finally being addressed, I wasn’t invested.

Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable-ish read, but it lacked any groundbreaking elements.

I’ve always appreciated the way Mazey Eddings writes her characters. They always have a lot of depth and relatable at more than surface level. These two are no different.
I found myself immediately loving Eva’s character and the hard exterior she puts on to protect herself from getting hurt and I absolutely LOVED her sarcasm and quick wit. I think the teasing banter between the MCs was SO well done and the two personalities meshed so well together.
I really appreciated that Rylie owned up to the past mistakes & didnt give up on showing Eva not only that he had changed but that SHE didn’t have to change in order to be loved for who she is.
I loved how this book displayed a really healthy relationship and communication (they even to couples therapy as a date?!) and yet the book still had plenty of realistic & hilarious drama that had me zipping through this in under 24 hours.

Thank you St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin for the ARC!

I have enjoyed Mazey’s last few books and this one was overall pretty good. I can struggle with the black cat personality for fmcs sometimes because it can come across immature and unfortunately that’s how I felt with Eva in Well Actually. Other than that, I loved Riley’s golden retriever-ness and the second chance trope in this book.