3.75 ⭐

“I love you. I want to spend every day listening to you be an absolute shithead to me. If at the end of my life someone asked me what I’d do with one more hour, one more minute, I would fight with you. Argue with you. Kiss you and hug you and hold you. Anything for one more second with you. I’d choose this every single time. Because I know you love me too.”

let me preface this by saying, I LOVE LOVE LOVE EVA KITT. She is mean and bitchy and just plain rude if she wants to be and I ate it up. I loved her responses - the bite in her replies. It was also interesting to read about her black cat exterior in regards to her soft, vulnerable and insecure interior thoughts. for someone whose image was of someone so un-approachable and ’annoying' ( Yup she is one of those fmcs a lot of readers are going to call annoying), eva was so under confident about herself and just wanted to be held and loved unconditionally and while I have read the kind before, I have never read the dichotomy be this vast before and it made me love and adore Eva so much more.

With Rylie, it took me some ( a lot, actually) time to warm up to. eventually I loved him for his hard headed devotion to eva. the man yearned and took real effort to win her over even when she tried to push him away repeatedly. Their banter was funny af tbh, Eva was a little menace and Rylie just loved her for it.

the story - the premise is very interesting and in the social media era, super fun. but I kinda got a little bored in the middle of it, and the end left me wanting more. it felt like an unfinished end. i wanted more of what happened to Landry and William and Eva's career ( especially given its the central point of the book). i also kept hoping for Eva's Family to appear Because she went viral multiple times, her insecurities were rooted with her family and in one scene she expressed the desire to be with her siblings again (?) but nothing ever was mentioned. There are also a lot of conversations I kept hoping for with Rylie and Eva that never happened - including her family, her insecurities, therapy maybe and more, which would have helped me feel their relationship's depth better. They meet again as completely new people but the timeline jump in meeting again to falling in love is too soon for me to be convinced. With time do I think these two were meant to be? 100 percent. In the book timeline though, it became a little more about their physical compatibility then love.

to conclude this isn't my most favourite Mazey Eddings but I do think other readers who like witty back and forth with too much sexual tension and High spice will definitely love this story. Slow burn lovers and readers who need more emotional development might not.

thank you Netgalley for the arc.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Another Mazey Eddings book that I really enjoyed! She’s been an auto-buy author for me since her debut and Well, Actually did not disappoint. Eva and Rylie get reunited by drunken internet shenanigans/happenstance in this second-chance romance. Eva is all black cat, prickly cactus and Rylie is all soft/baby girl energy and they’re perfect for each other. The way this man has learned to communicate and how well he handles Eva and her insecurities and anxieties — sooo good! #menwrittenbywomen

Once again Mazey does an amazing job of handling the tough topics of anxiety and grief with such care and as always I truly appreciated the Author’s Note so that you know what you’re getting into. Mazey has a way with handling difficult topics with such care and grace. And in true Mazey fashion you get some of the best spice, banter, and humor with a book that will have you giggling and kicking your feet rooting for the HEA.

Overall, really enjoyed this read and LOVED the cameos from Harper and Lizzie — like they made me so excited to get life updates from them I squealed. Definitely pick this one up!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book provided to me through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Mazey Eddings and St. Martin’s Press for giving me the opportunity to read this book!

YES! Just, yes! This was a romcom for the ages! I ate up every page of this book. Imagine a book based on Chicken Shop Date interviews, but instead of Amelia, our FMC is fiesty Eva Kitt. And her “Date” is her college ex who is combination of Andrew Garfield and Jonathan Bailey in slutty little glasses of course. A new MMC has entered the chat, and he is Rylie Cooper! The banter, the pining, the healing, all of it was *chef’s kiss*. You NEED to add this to your TBR.

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings is an enemies-to-lovers, grumpy/sunshine, and forced proximity romance with fun banter between the characters. Eva, the FMC, is definitely a firecracker. Her comebacks are great. Her banter with Cooper, the MC, is fun and at times, laugh out loud. There is some spice that is open-door. Overall, it wasn’t a book I loved, but I can see why others might. I’m not really sure why I didn’t connect with it but I definitely love the way the banter between Eva and Cooper was written. I love Eva’s character development and vulnerability. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC.

🌶️🌶️🌶️
🌭 5 motherf*cking stars! This book was so good and I absolutely blew through it! I was in a reading slump and this is an absolute slump-buster!
🌭 I am obsessed with Rylie and Eva, I love them so much as individual characters and together. They feel so real and relatable at the same time and they are both hilarious. Their dynamic together is incredible 👌 *chefs kiss*🤌
🌭 "Fuck yourself."
“Stop being so charming or I might fall in love with you.”
🌭 Also the spice in this book was perfection. Super well written and, um, where can I find me a Rylie? Asking for a friend, of course... 👀
🌭 I absolutely loved the amount of pop culture references in this. It was so easy to put myself into the story. This book is also just absolutely hilarious! It had me laughing so hard. Obsessed!
🌭 The cameos in this from characters from her other books made me SO HAPPY! If you haven't read her other books, you are missing out!
🌭 Needless to say, I highly highly recommend this book and it has got to be one of my top favorite reads of the year! I would say if you love Ali Hazelwood books, this would be right up your alley!
🌭 Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me an advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars 🌈
Oooomg I really loved this book. It felt so unique and raw and realistic. I related to both main characters so much, Mazey did an incredible job with their stories. There was so much to this book from incredibly sweet moments, spicy scenes and raw ugly pain. FMC could be annoying at times but that was definitely the point and I enjoyed it. I loved the crewnecks too so fun!!

Thank you for the earc in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a different spin on second chance romance- thoughtful and progressive in its presentation of personal trauma and misinterpretations/miscommunications between the main characters. There’s something so reassuring about characters that demonstrate growth and acceptance-and of course, the pining and clear forever attachment some have for one another. The banter, the chemistry, the humor all played well for Riley and Eva.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for providing me an early copy of this ebook. All opinions are my own.

I just loved this one so much! Such a fun read, but still with so much emotion, and the yeeearrrnning…I just loved everything about it!

These two “dated” back in college, and let’s just say, they were…NOT in the right place at the right time, and now, after a drunken viral take-down, they are thrust back together in a fake dating scheme, and it’s just so much fun.

Eva was the black cat of my dreams! 😍 As someone who uses snark as a love language, I was living for all of her interactions with Rylie.

And Rylie was absolutely delicious! With his slvtty little glasses, his whole kitschy vibe. (I’m sorry, but I was cackling about his comforter. 🤣) His love for her rough edges had me swooning. 🥰

I loved where the story took us, and I loved the character growth, and loved finishing the book with a huge smile on my face.

What this book is giving:
✅ Romantic Comedy
✅ Single POV
✅ Second Chance
✅ Black Cat/Golden Retriever
✅ Fake Dating
✅ Yearning
✅ Bi/Pan Rep

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
🌶️🌶️🌶️ / 5

Well, Actually: A Story of Love, Banter, and Unexpected Vulnerability

If you’re a fan of Chicken Shop Date, Well, Actually feels like a quirky spin-off—only this time, instead of awkward chicken, the characters are eating hot dogs that are, honestly, pretty questionable. The guests don’t quite match up to the legendary ones Amelia has brought on so far, but the concept is fresh and the banter? Absolutely top-notch.
And the cover—let me just say, the moment I saw it, I immediately thought of Amelia and Andrew Garfield. I loved it instantly.

Eva: The Ice Queen with Layers
Our main character, Eva, is far from the typical charming heroine. She’s sharp, sarcastic, and more like an ice queen than someone you’d call “lovely.” She’s hosting a hot dog-themed show when she discovers her college ex, Cooper, posting videos online about men overcoming toxic masculinity. The irony is that Cooper was the embodiment of toxic masculinity when they dated. Naturally, Eva calls him out in a viral, drunken video, and the producers decide to bring Cooper on her show to profit out of it. Eva isn’t for everyone. She can be rude and mean, and she had moments where I wanted to shake her. But there’s something raw and real about her that I couldn’t help but appreciate.

“You might be the most conniving woman I've ever met.”
“Thank you.” I blow him a kiss. “Maybe you have more game than I've given you credit for.”
“That wasn't a compliment,” he murmurs. “You terrify me.”

Beneath her tough exterior is a girl who’s built walls after being hurt. She deserved to be loved, and Cooper loved her so deeply that it seemed as natural as breathing for him.

Cooper: The Patient, Blushing Dream
Cooper was a total dream. From his adorable blushes to the way he owns his past mistakes without excuses, he’s the kind of guy who can take a joke, doesn’t have a fragile ego, and genuinely wants to be better.

“Because I fucked it up once and I saw a second chance. Because now I'm so deep in this I would
crawl through hell on my hands and knees over a bed of broken glass before I let you go again.”

The Reality Check: Hate Comments and Raw Emotions
One scene caught me off guard emotionally: when Eva and Cooper read hate comments online. The comments for Cooper were mostly playful or flirtatious, but the ones Eva had to read were brutal and painfully real. It broke my heart, reminding me how often women face unfair criticism online for the same things men get easily away with. It's sad to think about that, we are in the 21st century, and men are still getting away with stuff they do. There is still so much gender inequality and injustice going on. But anyways, that is a bit off topic.

“Kitten”: The Worst Nickname That Somehow Worked
Yes, the nickname “Kitten” is probably the worst I’ve heard, but in this book, it fit and had a deeper meaning.

“I love you, you little demon. If at the end of my life someone asked me what I'd do with one more hour, one more minute, I would fight with you. Argue with you. Kiss you and hug you and hold you. Anything for one more second with you. I'd choose this every single time.”

The Characters and Their Chemistry
Eva is a boss woman—aware and sharp, but deeply lonely and struggling with trust. Her people-pleasing tendencies often make her lose herself, which feels relatable.

Riley Cooper. He is patient and owns his past mistakes; he’s completely devoted to Eva and never hides it. Their dynamic? Think black cat meets golden retriever energy—neither backs down, but they balance each other perfectly.
Their banter is hilarious and real, making the slow-burn romance feel earned and authentic.

Final Thoughts
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC—this was my first Mazey Eddings book, and I had a blast. I mostly giggled through it because of their banter, and if you love Chicken Shop Date, you’ll get the vibe immediately.
Eva might not be universally likable—she’s snarky, sarcastic, and at times mean—but that’s part of what makes her feel so real. Riley deserves every roast she throws his way and takes it all with a smile.
If you want a story full of sharp wit, emotional honesty, and a couple that fights as much as they love, Well, Actually is worth a read.

Disclaimer:
I like to give my full review before adding a disclaimer because I’ve found that sometimes just knowing a book has steamy scenes can make readers turn away too quickly. While it’s true that some books rely heavily on unnecessary steamy scenes as their main focus, Well, Actually is not one of them. This book has a steamy level of 4 out of 5, but what stood out to me was how much it focused on the emotional connection and the characters’ growth rather than just the physical aspect. I appreciated that balance, and I think it makes the story much more meaningful.
For readers who want to skip the intimate scenes, they generally occur around chapters 10, 18, and 24 (page numbers may vary by edition).

It was difficult for me to get through this book. I understand the FMC greatly disliked her ex for how he treated her in the past, but the way she treated him was completely uncalled for. She was extremely rude at all times, and that made her very unlikable. It was hard to really enjoy this book due to the character's personality traits.
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press,  and Mazey Eddings for this ARC.

Thank you SMP Romance for my ARC! This book has my heart. Black cat + golden retriever energies, second chance that pulls at your heart strings, mental health + therapy representation that is the MOST accurate , witty af banter that had me giggling + kicking my feet, slutty little glasses , and all the sausage innuendos I LOVED how Riley accepted all of Eva’s edges + allowed her to be soft. I also adored how sassy + snarky Eva was and her near constant ribbing of Riley (basically flirting for them ). I’m not always a fan of the second chance trope however it made so much sense in this story and I had so much empathy for the younger versions of these characters who broke hearts + and the adult versions who came back together. The absolute cherry on top of cake: he calls her my favorite term of endearment “kitten." Mazey can truly can do no wrong when it comes to writing romance.

Eva met Rylie her junior year of college and they had a brief relationship before he ghosted her. Now it's six or so years later and Eva makes a drunken post on Rylie's social media. The post blows up and Rylie is brought back into Eva's present. I had mixed feelings on this book and considered giving up on it but I didn't. I just found Eva so brash and destructive and she knew what she was doing but couldn't help herself. She has feelings of being unlovable from her childhood and she never shared that with Rylie although he had bared himself to her often. Glad I finished the book as I wanted to see how Eva grew as a person. 3 1/2 stars.

I really loved this book: what a sweet romance! I need to get this teal edges edition for myself! Mazey Eddings romances always hit

Another enjoyable read from Mazey Eddings! This Lovers to Enemies to Lovers story is full of sassy banter and hilariously cringe moments. But it’s not all wit and charm, the plot and character development are well served by intimate moments of emotional vulnerability between our two characters.
There were some moments in the plot that felt off to me and some of the dialogue felt overdone, resulting in a four star rating.

"The world stops, capturing us in a Polaroid moment where we are staring at each other."

HOLY SH*T! I did not expect the ways this book would touch me or how enamored I would end up with the characters! I absolutely expected Well actually to be a silly story about two people who didn't like each other, and in a way it is a silly story, but the deep moments that go through Eva and Rylie, the rawness of Eva, truly elevated this story to be one of the best ones I have seen in a while! It takes a truly talented author to write a story that is silly yet incredibly touching and deep!

The only reason I did not give this story 5 stars is that it underutilized its side characters a lot, and I feel like the author introduced them and gave them very good and complex personalities, but did nothing with them; she made me care. a lot for them, but they just kinda appeared and disappeared, and I didn't love it. personally, that's my only issue, thi,s however, doesn't takeaway from how much I enjoyed it

3.75 Thank you to St Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy #gifted of this ebook. All thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed several aspects of this book. I thought the banter was great and I think Rylie was such a nice softie and I loved the fact that he put in the work to be better in the long run. I really enjoyed Eva, I resonated with her a lot in some ways. The disillusioned late 20 something where life seems bleak (FELT). She has a hard exterior but inside she's an anxious girlie that just wants to be loved. I felt very seen by her character in lots of ways. My main issue with the book was the pacing. It felt odd to me that they knew each other for 2 months in college and it had that much of an impact on their future relationship. I feel like some of the things that happened at the 50% mark, should've happened closer to the 75% mark. I also didn't love a lot of her friends choices when it came to how it affected Eva. I think she didn't support her in times she needed to. I think I enjoyed the book the most before the 60% mark. I was cruising through and loved the banter that they were giving each other. I thought that was the part that really made the book shine. Once the tension between the characters was gone, I felt like the plot got lost part of the way. The book gave me secondhand embarrassment at times but I believe that was intentional. I had a PT Cruiser for my first car so any and all jokes about them are valid and I felt so seen.

Favorite out of context quotes: "You headstrong fruit loop." "jomforter"

When I first started reading Well, Actually I actually could not put it down! I flew through the first 65% in one sitting 🤣 I ate it up! The premise of two former lovers, Eva Kitt and Rylie Cooper, reconnecting for a second chance years later on a social platform (think Chicken Shop Date but with hotdogs) and their ensuing witty banter was absolute perfection! For me, the story hit a bit of a lull in the latter part of the book before picking back up, but I deeply appreciated Eva's character growth and Rylie's advocating for healthy communication throughout. Their relationship was real and authentic, and Eddings tactfully dealt with issues of toxic masculinity, homophobia, biphobia, nepotism, grief, and mental health.

Thank you St Martins Press and NetGalley for an early copy in exchange for my honest opinion!

Mazey Eddings is an auto-read/auto-buy author for me. I really enjoyed this book! I found the characters to be funny, their banter was so good.

- Second chance romance, enemies to lovers
- Black cat/golden retriever
- Familial grief

Eva Kitt dreamt of being a journalist. Her current job as the host of Sausage Talk, where she interviews B/C list celebrities wasn’t exactly what she had in mind. Yet one drunk social media call out of her crappy ex who now has a podcast and social media platform focused on ridding toxic masculinity puts her in the hot seat. In order to keep her job she has to agree to go on dates with ex that broke her heart, Rylie. Eva is focused on continuing to despise Rylie, however as their dates progress the lines get blurred.

This one was hard for me to get through to be completely honest. Some of the writing was actually decent but it got overshadowed but the endless “jokes” that were just pulled straight from a TikTok comment section. The consistent references to internet memes (even in internal dialogue??) was painful to read and would continuously pull me out of the book.

I found Eva annoying for so much of this book and Rylie (or Cooper because the author decided to just keep switching between his first and last name for no apparent reason) had no backbone. It was so hard to root for them, I just felt there was an extreme lack of chemistry. All that’s between them is sexual; it was frustrating and unconvincing.

Eva continuously pulling away, while maybe understanding in some circumstances, came off as repetitive as the story went on. She keeps talking about how she wants, and maybe even deserves, some grand journalist job but does nothing to further her career or promote her work.

Rylie (Cooper?) was seemingly only there to be belittled and to keep returning to Eva afterwards? I just didn’t see enough of his character development. And they’re both apparently still into each other all the time they’ve been apart but yet all that’s between them is physical chemistry and the two months they shared back when they were in their early twenties.

I don’t know, overall the writing wasn’t abysmal but all of these things just made it so impossible to enjoy. Regardless, thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc!


SPOILER
And the love confessions????

“I love you, you little demon.”

GAG ME