So thankful for this ARC.

I have never laughed so hard as I have reading this book. The immature humor and banter balanced out with very open communication and big heart felt feelings was amazingly done.

This story follows Eva Kit, media journalist whose talk show interviews people while eating hot dogs. One drunken night she shits on an ex, Rylie Cooper, who runs a very popular podcast on TikTok and it goes viral. They reconnect and go on dates in both the public and private eye.

I love how these dates went, their friends, and the banter every step of the way. The spice was very fun too. The open queerness was done well.

My biggest complaint was how the work situation was handled. Eva is at an extremely toxic job and forced to do things she doesn’t like. While by the end this is all resolved, I do feel like it was weird no one pointed out how bad things were earlier on in the book and talked through with her how they were taking advantage of her for views and money while treating her horribly. It was a bit frustrating because it felt a bit danced around until the end.

**Review: "Sausage Talk"—Where Hot Dogs Are Lukewarm, but the Banter Is Sizzling**

Eva Kitt never thought she’d spend her days interrogating washed-up celebs over questionable meat products, but life is full of disappointments. None bigger than her ex, Rylie Cooper—a guy who went from personal heartbreak hazard to internet-certified Good Man™. Now, thanks to an unfortunate viral moment, she’s stuck fake-dating him for content. Because nothing says “career advancement” like reliving your worst breakup in front of an audience.

Eva is the queen of sarcasm, and Rylie is so good at affirmations he could probably sweet-talk a potted plant into blooming. Their dynamic? Pure gold. Every date is a battle of wits, passive-aggressive jabs, and just enough real emotion to make you yell at the book, “OH NO, SHE’S FALLING FOR IT.”

If you love sharp banter, second chances, and the occasional deep thought hidden under a pile of snark, this book is for you. Just maybe don’t read it while eating a hot dog—you’ll either choke from laughter or start questioning your life choices.

Loved it so much!!!!

By far my new favorite and will be the perfect summer read! A second chance romance where the quick witty banter is complete perfection. Fell in love with both Eva & Rylie, both had me cackling.

Releases: August 5th!! I’m definitely buying it! 💕

—

𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙧𝙘.

ARC review
Publication date 5 August 2025.

'Well, Actually" by Mazey Eddings is a contemporary second chance romance.

I received an e-ARC from St. Martin's Press via Netgalley.
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

The cover describes perfectly the book.
Eva is the host of an online celebrity interview show that goes viral after posting a video about her podcaster ex, Riley.
She has black cat energy and he is a sweet golden retriever obsessed with her. They have such witty banter and I love them both.
The first half of the book is very funny and I had a smile on my face all the time.
But there are also some emotional parts that can be a bit overwhelming. Please check the content warnings if you have triggers.

The romance is a slow burn, as Rylie needs to show Eva that he deserves a second chance, after ghosting her 6 years ago. They go on dates, initially fake ones, for the podcast, and discuss a lot about their feelings and insecurities. Both characters are well written and complex. I would also say they complete each other.

I don't know what can I say more without spoiling the story.
Just that I laughed and cried and will definitely reread it.

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings follows Eva Kitt, a journalist that wants to write about things that matter, but has been relegated to interviewing B-list celebrities over hot dogs. Her blog of creative essays and think pieces isn’t getting much traction, either. However, her old crush, Rylie Cooper, has a booming podcast and online presence calling out toxic masculinity. Yet, when Eva knew him, he was the epitome of a fratboy dudebro, one that broke her heart.

Eva responds to Rylie’s latest video with one of her own, calling him out. The last thing she expected was to go viral. And now, Rylie wants to make a deal with her: let him take her out on a series of date to prove he’s changed. With her job on the line, she’s compelled to accept the challenge. But what happens when the feelings between them are rekindled?

I went in to this expecting to hate Rylie or at least barely tolerate him. Eddings, through Eva, does a great job of making you feel viscerally about people, places, even bubbles in champagne. Thankfully, much like Eva, I fell in love with Rylie’s golden retriever goofiness and sweet nature. We love a man who’s bettering himself and knows how to treat a woman. And, he’s vulnerable with her. I wish Eva was real so we could go to art museums together. She’s so sarcastic and cool, I wish we could be friends. And I love her style.

I love a book that makes me cackle out loud while reading it. It was pure joy to watch them fall in love with each other again. Some of the signs are subtle, like how Eva calls Rylie by his first name instead of his last name more.

Not only was the book about the romance growing between Eva and Rylie, but it was also about navigating a toxic workplace, being true to yourself, and healing past trauma. It let very topical and I felt seen. It was refreshing for both characters to have had trauma in their past, so that they could be there for each other when past hurts surfaced.

I loved this! It made me feel all the feelings. I think I’m a second chance romance lover now, because this was done so well. I’m already a big fan of grumpy/sunshine, but can now say I’m a big fan of golden retriever/black cat, too. If you like these tropes, you’ll love this, too.

Thank you to SMP and NetGalley for this advanced copy!

Mazey Eddings solidified her status as an auto buy author for me with Well, Actually. I always love a black cat/golden retriever pairing, and Eddings executed this so well.

The character development was beautiful, not just for the FMC on page, but learning about the MMC’s path and growth off-page. As a self-professed black cat myself, it was so special to watch Eva learn that she is worthy of love, and to watch Rylie patiently walk beside her on her journey to accept his love.

I liked that there was no third act breakup, especially considering Eva’s abandonment issues. It was beautiful to see her have someone show up for her for the first time.

The first half of the book was a bit slow for me, but right around the 50% mark, you start to see layers peeled away. The back half of the book flies by (in a good way!). I loved the ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s for a copy of this eARC. Mazey has written a fantastically angsty story of second-chance love that comes with a healthy dose of snark.

Eva’s black cat energy is unapologetically refreshing. She has come by much of her toughness naturally, and it resonates when she continues to have to defend herself as a woman in the workplace. It was hard watching her do the same thing with a friendship - I wanted her to have one safe place to land that wasn’t only Riley.

The banter between her and Riley was top-notch, and the exploration of the emotions between them during a therapy session and a car ride were exceptionally well-done. It took them a long time to get there but it was worth it.

I adore Eva's wit and sarcasm and how truly unfiltered she is with her thoughts! It's very refreshing to see such a strong-willed FMC. At some points, it did feel a little excessive how blunt she was, especially when it came to Rylie, but Eva is just a certified hater and I kind of love it. This book was hilarious and heartfelt and I loved every second watching Eva and Rylie reconnect, grow, and fall for each other.

I’m a sucker for anything Mazey writes, and of course she didn’t disappoint.

I didn’t think I really understood the characters until the therapy scene which was so brilliant. I loved the exploring of each of their insecurities and trauma’s and how they really informed their reactions to each other. It was really beautiful,

And obviously the spice was brilliant and the banter was next level.

This book was EVERYTHING. It gave Amelia’s Chicken Shop vibes in the best way, and the banter? The angst? The second-chance romance? PERFECTION. Rylie and Eva’s dynamic had me absolutely hooked, and the way the story tackled toxic masculinity while still being fun and addictive?? Obsessed.

And let’s talk about the smut—CHEF’S KISS. Compliments to the kitchen because they COOKED, and I ATEEE. Every scene was top-tier, the chemistry was off the charts, and I could not get enough. Mazey Eddings truly did that, and I will be seated for whatever she writes next.

Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable read. The plot was solid and the main characters were super interesting to me in the beginning, especially their dynamic. However, I felt the pacing was off at times and found many of the character choices to be an odd and the supporting characters were not my favorite at times either. Definitely worth the read for some fun banter and cute moments. Plus no third act breakup which is always a win in my book!

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings is a fun, witty romantic comedy that plays on the typical "nerdy romance" trope, but with some clever twists. The slow-burn romance is well-executed. The tension builds up in a way that feels natural, and the relationship develops through shared experiences and emotional growth. If you’re a fan of lighthearted, intellectual romantic comedies with a focus on quirky, lovable characters, Well, Actually will probably be right up your alley. It’s sweet, smart, and funny, with just enough emotional weight to make the romance feel grounded and real.

This rom com follows Eva Kitt, in all her black cat energy, as her life takes an unexpected turn when her video calling out her college ex goes absolutely viral on social media.

Having to now confront the repercussions of this, Eva must face her ex, Rylie Cooper (in his pure golden retriever energy) who makes her a deal: allow him to take her on a series of dates to make up for the past.

What follows is a delightful adventure, full of witty banter and potential second chances? This book had me twirling my hair and kicking my feet! I also appreciated Mazey Eddings careful handling of mental health, and bountiful queer representation.

Highly recommend picking up a copy when it releases, as this story was just such a joy to get lost into!

There were parts of this book that I really enjoyed!
This was a fun second chance romance! Loved the LGBTQ+ representation in the story as well. However, there were just so many lines that took me completely out of the story.

thank you to st martins & NetGalley for an eArc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

DNF @ 66%

I think Mazey Eddings is a great romance writer, and I'm not entirely sure why, but her romances don't fully work for me. I loved that Eva was a badass softie, and I loved how moony Rylie was over her. I thought the side characters were just OK- Eva's relationship with Ada was weird, and I don't always love when the diverse characters are relegated to the sidelines. I liked Eva and Rylie's banter, but it couldn't keep me interested enough to finish sadly.

Take a cranky black cat of a journalist named Eva, stuck ingesting hot dogs for clicks, and force her to do a podcast with the worst one-night stand of her life in the form of one golden retriever of a hottie by the name of Rylie Cooper. It’s been years since he ghosted her, and she is NOT in the mood to relive the heartache, but that’s what she must do to advance her career out of the depths of Sausage Talk, her (literal) basement level show.

Meanwhile, Rylie has done a lot of work on his mental health since they were together, and he is ready to convince Eva to give him another shot. If only she would stop running the other direction! Can’t blame her though. Rylie’s tortoiseshell glasses are just too slutty to ignore and chip away at her resolve to keep him at an emotional distance.

If you love witty, sexy, heartfelt stories, with characters you just want to give big hugs to while they work through all the feels, then you will love “Well, Actually”, by Mazy Eddings.

Loved Eva & Cooper’s story. As a lot of others are saying, it gives Chicken Shop Date vibes which is why I went for it, my first Mazey Eddings book and I’ll definitely be back!

Thanks so much to NetGalley for giving me an ARC of this book!

This is my first time reading anything by Mazey Eddings, but I have a decent intuition when it comes to books I'm pretty sure I'm gonna like, and this sixth sense did not steer me wrong. I absolutely ADORED this book! The premise itself of girl drunkenly calling ex out on social media and it becoming a viral sensation had me immediately intrigued. This was second chance done right. I literally couldn't put it down.

Well, Actually had me in ALL the feels. From the beginning, the author was able to effectively make me want to hate the MMC. His unflappable optimism at ALL times made me want to rip his head off. How dare he?? But as the story progresses you're in the same boat as the FMC and you come around to him and appreciate him. My chest constantly felt tight reading this book. The emotions are all over. The ANGST??? My god. I could cut it with a hot dog knife. Do they make those? Someone should start.

As someone who is chronically online, I really loved Mazey's sense of humor that came through in her writing. And I want to give Mazey a kiss on the forehead for her bringing awareness to SSRIs and their impact on sexual health.

Are you still with me? Good. A parting word I want to leave you with is this. I have been married to the LOML for 13 years. That being said, I sometimes miss that excited and nervous energy that comes with meeting someone new. The uncertainty and the longing. Books like Well, Actually are why I love reading romance so much. This book was able to give me all those feelings as I got to bear witness to Eva and Riley's love story and I cannot thank authors enough for putting their magic, because that's what it is, out into the world. So thank you.

The premise of this book was everything I ever wanted. A play off of Chicken Shop Date. It started off strong then just fell flat for me. I understood why both Eva and Rylie felt the way they did about their past and the grudge Eva had ( I would have felt the same way) but by the middle of the book the girl just needed to let it go. It dragged on for wayyy to long. I enjoyed the banter in the beginning and had some laughs but I just couldn't connect with the leads.

This book wasn't for me but I know many other readers will enjoy it.
3/5

This was basically the chicken shop date episode with Andrew Garfield. Cute, funny, it dragged a bit in the last 1/3 but overall enjoyable read!