Book Rating: 3.5/5

This was a cute and fun read! I enjoyed the dynamic between Eva and Riley, both were interesting to follow, though Eva’s attitude might not be for everyone. She’s intentionally written as a bit rude, which I personally don’t mind, but if you’re not a fan of sharp or sometimes unlikable protagonists, proceed with caution.

The romance is a slow burn, and Mazzy Eddings absolutely nailed it. I love her romance writing style, and this book was no exception. However, my biggest issue was Riley, I just didn’t love him. He was okay, but at times, I found him a little boring, which made the story feel slow in places.

One major highlight was the lack of a miscommunication trope! With social media playing a role in the story, miscommunication could have been an easy pitfall, but these two actually communicated well and worked through their insecurities. That was so refreshing because, in my opinion, miscommunication tropes can be the worst.

Overall, this was a solid read with some great moments, but I can see how it might not be for everyone, especially if you don’t connect with the main characters or their actions.

Thank you, NetGalley for the arc and exchange for an honest review!

What did I enjoy about Mazey Eddings new romance novel "Well, Actually"? Well, actually quite a lot! Eddings' writing is hilarious, fresh, and culturally relevant. I relish stories with bisexual representation and Eddings story honors the LGBTQ+ community surprisingly well for a classically heteronormative romance novel. Was I frustrated with the FMC at times? Yes, but I am the first to admit I'm tough to please.

The pacing near the end of the story didn't work for me, but I really appreciated that the characters retained their personalities from start to finish, but still grew and evolved throughout.

I will definitely be recommending "Well, Actually" to my friends!

This was an overall fun and enjoyable read!
Although I didn’t relate to Eva very much and I found some of her actions kind of frustrating, I grew to really like her by the end.
Riley was fine, I enjoyed his character overall, but I think that’s mainly due to his interactions with Eva.
Where this book shines is the banter between them, I REALLY enjoyed their banter. Him being her ex was interesting and I was hooked as soon as she publicly shamed him.

This book was just okay. It as very over the top with unrealistic scenarios, and it was full of all the cliches that exist. I think it is an overdone topic, so it was not my cup of tea.

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

the banter in this one was OFF the charts! this girl is MEAN and he just eats it right up!!! the chemistry of these two was crazy. i love them, so much, with my entire being!

this is better than the andrew garfield episode of chicken shop date (and that’s saying a lot).

this story was funny, sexy, and just down right amazing. i HIGHLY recommend it and cant wait to read more from this author!

I am super grateful to Netgally and St. Martin's Griffin for an ARC copy of this book. I loved this book so much I related so much to the female main character, I saw so much of myself in her. I was actually LOLing and having giggle fits with the banter between the two main characters and how they communicate with each other. Not only do you get the laughter you get the emotional aspects that has created the trauma in the two main characters. You relate to them you want to give them hugs through the book and you also get the anger where you want to punch her boss in the face.

My second Mazey Eddings book and I'm going to be diving into the others

A huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for early access to Mazey Eddings’ “Well, Actually”. This is my first Eddings book, and I can’t wait to read more because this is everything that I want a romance to be. Eddings takes time to show each character’s trauma and then gives an equal amount of time showing the importance of good communication. It has dialogue that makes you laugh one page and then cry the next from characters that are so fully fleshed out and well rounded you will want them to be your friends — and then the STEAM! Spicy and oozingly romantic bedroom scenes that will make you blush and swoon send this reader rating over the top! I absolutely loved this book!

Mazey Eddings has completely outdone herself with Well, Actually! This book is the perfect mix of heart, humor, and swoon-worthy romance. The protagonist is refreshingly real—smart, funny, and navigating life’s messiness in a way that feels deeply relatable. Eddings’ signature wit shines through in every conversation, making the banter between the characters an absolute delight. I love Mazey books and this might be my favorite.

Beyond the romance, the story touches on important themes like self-worth, personal growth, and the struggle to find balance in a world that often demands too much. The love story feels organic and heartfelt, with chemistry that leaps off the page.

If you love sharp, modern rom-coms with depth, laughter, and characters you want to be best friends with, Well, Actually is a must-read.

The book was good but it was hard for me to finish and I didn’t really like the FMC. She was so rude to Rylie for so long. it was very funny though and I loved the representation

Thank you so much to Net Galley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for the ARC of Well, Actually! I received this copy in exchange for my honest review and as always I’m so appreciative of the opportunity.

I will be posting this review in full on my goodreads profile, featuring parts of this review on my Instagram account story, and placing the story into the highlights portion of my Instagram page under ARC reviews (or page) on 3/27/2025.

This book started off so strong! I was blown away by how witty, hilarious, and truthful it felt. I thought it felt extremely relevant and current with the incorporation of social media. It’s the story of how Eva and Rylie through a hilariously real social media meltdown reconnect and try to navigate if they want to be in a relationship or not. The banter between the two of them was excellent and I could feel their chemistry coming off the pages.

However the second half of this book somehow someway just went off the cliff. It lost its bite and just felt extremely redundant. I saw why the author was trying to set up the storyline the way she did to show how Eva was able to establish her own career but I just felt like there could have been a ton of the book edited out to get to that point and not so obvious.

It was still a good book, I just wished it could have stayed the same high quality it was in the beginning.

Mazey Eddings has a knack for witty banter between her characters. Eva Kitt and Riley Cooper had a brief, but according to Eva, meaningful relationship in college until Riley ghosts her. Six years later in a drunken social media post, Eva calls out Riley (who is known somewhat famous). Things escalate like they do - and overall the banter held it together.

⭐️3.8 🌶️2.0

The banter in this book is top tier!! Eva is actually so funny - her sarcasm had me laughing out loud. I’m glad she stayed sarcastic and fierce throughout the entire book. I do wish we saw more characters, like their family members or some more friends. Also - the diversity and representation in this story is SO important. I’m so happy this book had multiple characters belonging in the LGBTQ+ community.

Overall, I really did love this book. I can’t wait for it to be released so everyone can read it! I loved it so much, I had to preorder a physical copy as a trophy lol

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a free ARC!

✨️ Second Chance
✨️ Banter
✨️ Forced Proximity
✨️ No Third Act Breakup
✨️ LGBTQA+ Rep (bisexual and pansexual MCs)
✨️ Golden retriever MMC
✨️ Mental Health/Therapy Rep
✨️ Spice Level: High (multiple detailed scenes)

Eva is an ice queen running on female rage and spite, and Rylie is the golden retriever trying to get back in her good graces. When Eva calls out Rylie on social media for his poor dating performance in college, the two are thrust back together, and Rylie gets 6 make-up dates to prove that here's changed.

The plot does stray away from the initial set up of the 6 make-up dates. It didn't bother me much because I liked that the characters got more vulnerable and real with each other. That being said, I did love the forced proximity and bickering brought on by the dates, so I would have thoroughly enjoyed more of them.

I loved the banter between Eva and Rylie and that there was no third act breakup. I also appreciated the LGBTQA+ and mental health and therapy representation. They were presented as normal things that people experience in their lives while also highlighting ways they can be challenging for the individuals and can affect their relationships.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and am interested in reading more from this author. I would recommend it to someone who is looking for a contemporary rom-com that is okay with it straying into more serious territory from time to time. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because I didn't have a "wow" moment when I finished or felt like it blew me away.
One last note: I love that the cover gives fan art vibes and is not the typical generic illustration style.

Second chance romance done very well. This was cute, sexy and a swoon worthy read. I cared about the characters and I didn’t find myself eye rolling so all good things. It’s a quick read that I definitely seeing romance fans liking.

My only main critique of this book is how unlikeable I ended up finding Eva and how I wished she got more character development in the end. However, I think it’s too easy to dismiss a strong, sharp-tongued, and tenacious FMC as “rude” so I did appreciate her assertiveness and her commitment to keeping her safe space and her goals wholeheartedly hers! I think that was admirable.

Other than that, I gave this book 4.25 stars! This was probably one of the funniest and wittiest romance novels I have read in AWHILE. When I tell you every single joke landed, IT ALL LANDED. The banter was off the charts and natural, not just between our main characters, but between all of the supporting characters. Mazey Eddings has impeccable comedic timing that had me throwing my head back laughing SEVERAL times throughout!

I LOVED the amount of representation in this book. The fact that LGBTQ2IA individuals were not only front and centre but also spotlighted as being one of the heroes to look up to in the novel (i.e. Lilith) is exceptionally monumental and does wonders. I think it’s too easy to downplay important issues like those prevalent in this community when you stick it in a romcom but this was not the case here. Everything was integrated with respect and sensitivity in a really validating and empowering way.

The chemistry between Rylie and Eva was undeniable! It leapt off the page. I don’t normally go for black cat x golden retriever tropes but this was exceptional.

I truly loved this book, which, in my opinion, was loosely based on the famous interview between Amelia Dimoldenberg, host of "Chicken Shop Date," and actor Andrew Garfield. Mazey Eddings basically took that perfect, swoon-worthy interview and turned it into a heartwarming romance. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Ali Hazelwood. No notes; this was perfection for me.

I found the characters relatable, Their flaws made sense based on their backgrounds. I like that the MC was emotionally mature and available to the FMC.

I unfortunately, was not able to finish this book. The layout of the text made it too difficult for me to read. I really like the premise and think it's similar to first time caller. It has a lot of potential and hope that lots of readers get to experience it.

GIVE ME MORE! Omg. I loved this book so much. I can't even tell you how many times I cackled out loud while reading. I highlighted so many of her quips and jabs!

I think everyone fell in love with Chicken Shop Date in the last year, so when I realized this had a similar tone, I was so excited to read it. I've read several other books by Mazey Eddings and have loved all of them and this was no exception.

I loved their dynamic together. She was mean and he was smitten - a total golden retriever. Aaaahhhh! It was so cute.

I seriously can't wait to read it again!

Well, Actually was a charming and witty read! The characters were endearing, and the romance had a great balance of humor and heart. The dialogue was sharp, and I found myself really invested in their journey. A fun, lighthearted book that’s perfect for anyone looking for a feel-good read!