3.75 stars rounded up :)

Is this Chicken Shop Date fan fiction with hot dogs???

I thought this was a pretty fun second-chance romance. The FMC Eva brings a lot of fun and humor to the story, but is also kind of an ice cold bitch at times, but that felt suited to the character and to the situations her life has found her in. Sometimes life turns you into a hard person, that's how you have to behave in order to make it through, especially as a women TBH. So she was kind of relatable in that sense, because even though I didn't like some parts of how she behaved, I get it. And I really liked seeing how Eva reconnects to Rylie through this, how she has to reprocess things that happened between them six years ago because she didn't have his side of things back then.

Rylie?? I don't know if I've ever read a more cinnamon roll, green flag raising, self reflecting and learning MMC, like, ever. He was my fav part of the story, full stop. I don't know if I would have enjoyed these characters connecting if he had been written any other way, because he was everything needed in every moment of the story unfolding. Best person to be with Eva, their differences really worked for them, and their banter was some of the best moments for me while reading.

So very grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for being able to read this before it comes out in August. This was my first read from Mazey Eddings, and I am happy to find she has several other novels I can devour. I really enjoyed her writing and her characters.

So many good tropes in here: second chance romance (with an ex situationship, no less), black cat/golden retriever, praise out the wazoo, hate to love, and not to mention, so much queer rep goodness.

If Mazey writes it, I am reading it. Well, Actually is black cat/golden retriever, second chance romance with fun and flirty banter. Eva and Rylie did in fact have me rooting from the rooftops for their love and I was entralled in their journey. All the starts.

Thank you for my early copy.

Mazey Eddings is one of my favorite romance writers. Her characters are always well rounded and complex, but what she does with Eva Kitt is masterful. Eva is prickly and harsh, but Mazey will make you fall in love with her by the end of the book with her wit and vulnerability by the end. Well Actually will have you laughing till you cry and then sobbing at the emotional development.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!

I already knew Mazey Eddings was perfection and this latest is further proof! The absolute yearning in this man and how down bad he is had me in a chokehold. And Eva Kitt, while incredibly different from me, was still relatable and such a badass! I love how Mazey’s characters leap off the page and tug on your heartstrings and in this novel they’re also funny as hell.

This might be one of the top 5 romances I've read this year! The banter was incredible, the pacing was perfect, and the characters were flawed, yet deeply loveable. I loved every second of this, and will definitely be reading Mazey Eddings again!

I just love a romcom!
This had me giggling and kicking my feet! Dry humor and banter will get me every time. The character growth for Eva was so good!

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.

quotes:
"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."

"Sweetheart, l'd rather spend every day getting in a pointless argument with you for sport than have to be bored and complacent with someone else."
"Watch, baby," he says. "Watch how perfectly you take me."
"Every part of me is yours if you want it."
- romcom
- bi + pan MC's
- black cat x golden retriever
- second chance
- great banter

I have mixed feelings about this one. I didn’t really feel the chemistry between Eva & Rylie. It’s a grumpy/sunshine, second chance romance. But even though we’re told explicitly on the page that they’re attracted to each other, I didn’t buy it until almost the end. There are also some interesting storylines that don’t get enough time. They both have difficult things in their family histories. Rylie has gone to therapy & seems to have put in a lot of work to become healthier. Eva has not & I felt like her backstory was kind of brushed aside. Her family seemed borderline abusive & her issues with self-worth stem from her childhood. The toxic work environment plot also doesn’t really develop until the end. I felt like it was there all along but it wasn’t really acknowledged or discussed until the last 2 chapters. I liked Eva’s spikiness & I liked Rylie’s steadfastness. The media/social media landscape was interesting. I was engaged enough to finish it but I wasn’t itching to pick it up.
Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for this e-ARC.

I loved Riley and Eva‘s relationship, I love seeing a strong willed and opinionated woman soften around the man she loves. Riley Cooper was such a cutie, and I am obsessed with all of his ironic sweatshirts and his slutty little glasses. This was my first book by Mazey and I will definitely be reading more from her!

I received a ARC from Netgalley, for my honest review. I have been a fan of Mazey's - Lizzie Blake's Best Mistake.
I enjoyed Rylie and Eva's banter the whole book.
Eva shares details with her ex and it goes viral. Rylie then wants to meet and discuss for his viewers what happened. I laughed lots and found this story sweet and a chance for second chance romance. Rylie redeems himself. Recommend!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing to read this book. Well Actually was so funny. Eva blasted one of her exes on social media Riley Cooper who is a beloved social media personality!!!! to wake up the next morning and be a social media hit over night with millions of views, they loved it… Riley Cooper comes on her talk show to rehash old times and asked to repeat the last four days to prove that he’s better than he was when he was younger. The banter between Eva and Riley was chef’s kiss. This book had me laughing and kicking my feet in the air. It was so funny. I genuinely enjoyed this book so much. This kinda is a grumpy meets sunshine. Riley was the sunshine and Eva was the grumpy FMC. I’m so glad I read this book and I cannot wait to read more from this author. I do have many of her other books. This was my first read, and I am now excited to read more.

3.5☆

it took me quite a while to get into this book, but once I did it was intoxicating. I loved the chemistry between Eva and Rylie! I felt a lot of Eva's struggles and wish for someone like Rylie to lift me up🥹

thank you NetGalley for providing me with the E-arc of this book!

Well, actually, this was AMAZING!! Eva and Riley gave me everything I wanted and more. Not sure anything will top The Plus One, but this came damn close.

I read several reviews about Eva being too mean, and I typically don't do well with mean romantic leads, so I was a bit nervous, but I should have trusted Mazey! Eva was so relatable. She has built a wall around her heart and uses wit and sarcasm to keep people out, but deep down, she wants to be loved. I thought her "meanness" fit her character perfectly, and I never found her mean. I adored her.

Riley FUCKING Cooper is a delight. A walking green flag with a dirty little mouth, and I will protect him at all costs. He earned every ounce of her heart.

Their banter was perfection, seriously top-shelf dialogue that had me cackling. I can't wait to listen to this on audio. The spice was sexy. The plot was fun but also tender and heart-wrenching. I loved the side characters and need a book for Lilith stat!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

Five freaking stars!! I adored Well, Actually. I love when enemies start to crack and become lovers… the best tension, the best thing to watch (read). Rylie and Eva have it all and then some.

The way Rylie is so kind, respectful, and tender… I think he’s my new book boyfriend. He doesn’t take Eva’s no for an answer, he sees right through her walls, and makes her feel safe, accepted for who she is, and loved and desired. YES FREAKING PLEASE.

Eva is a “don’t tell me what to do” kind of woman. She actually says this at one point and I felt seen. I love her tenacity, her drive, and her sass. I also love that she starts to crumble and succumbs to her feelings for Rylie.

Aghhhh. I am so excited for you to read this book. Please do, and enjoy. 🩷

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the ARC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

Mazey Eddings' work continues to grows by leaps and bounds. Her modern, realistic take on love in this second chance romance was a breath of fresh air. I'm usually fairly dismissive of podcasts as a plot device in this genre, but she makes it work so seamlessly. He characters were also a thoroughly messy, spicy pair. Overwhlmingly enjoyed!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

It was an okay read,There were moments that made me cringe, and I found the FMC hard to connect with at times. Overall, I liked it well enough.

Many thanks to NetGalley & the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Cute, witty, with lots of good banter. Pretty spicy, with great chemistry

Mazey Eddings is one of my favorite authors, making Well, Actually once of my top anticipated reads of the year! Eva’s journalism career isn’t what she expected, but when her impromptu call out of her college ex goes viral, everything turns, especially when her job wants to take advantage of the coverage and her ex Rylie Cooper wants six dates to prove to her he’s not the same guy. And with every date, Eva is forced to face she may have been wrong about the boy that broke her heart. This had a kind of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days energy to it. I loved the banter and Cooper was just so sweet and adorable, Eva is a really interesting character that sometimes I didn’t connect with, but she was also so well rounded and dynamic. She’s icy and guarded, but I also appreciated how authentic and unafraid to be herself she was. But I think where I struggled the most was her friendships, there wasn’t a lot of moments of the friends with her being good friends with each other; it was a lot of sharp barbs. Her best friend and her work together and there’s a lot of how Eva’s “bad” behavior is affecting her friend and I was mad for Eva. But Cooper more than made up for it with her; he got Eva. Every time he called her a little demon, I swooned some, and he just really cared about her. The banter was so good; Eva is sarcastic and Cooper is so cute. It’s just a very fun read!

this was so fun! obsessed with this obviously being inspired by Amelia dimoldenberg with chicken shop date! if you've seen those videos you can see she has chemistry with lots of the guests... and sometimes they leave you wanting a little more. Perfect for the people who would love to see that come to life! this was fun, whitty and light. easy quick read, highly recommend!

⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
Sharp, messy, and full of heart—Well, Actually delivers a hilarious, emotionally honest second-chance romance with a hot dog stand and a side of healing.

Mazey Eddings brings her signature wit and tenderness to this chaotic, cat/golden retriever pairing, and the result is a story that feels equal parts funny and deeply vulnerable. If you're into redemption arcs, slow-thawing tension, and characters with messy pasts trying to do better—this one’s for you.

🌭 What works:
Eva is a force. She's sarcastic, angry, and justifiably guarded—but watching her slowly allow space for growth (hers and Rylie’s) is so satisfying. Her voice practically jumps off the page.

Rylie’s redemption arc. He’s not perfect, and that’s the point. Watching him actively work to show—not tell—that he’s changed was refreshing and grounded in accountability.

Fake-to-real dating scheme. Their public “makeup tour” of dates is the perfect mix of awkward, flirty, and sweet. Every one feels like a new emotional layer being peeled back.

Tackles big themes. From toxic masculinity to internet virality to career frustrations and forgiveness, Eddings blends social commentary with romance in a way that feels sincere and never preachy.

Bonus points: Gorgeous teal-stained edges and an embellished cover? Yes, please.

🐾 Why it’s not quite five stars:
Some tonal juggling. The story tries to balance laugh-out-loud satire with heavier emotional beats, and while it mostly works, a few moments feel slightly rushed or undercut by the comedy.

Supporting characters fade. Eva’s world could’ve felt even richer with more development for her friends and coworkers, who sometimes read more like plot devices.

✨ Final thoughts:
Well, Actually is a smart, spicy, and satisfyingly real romance that isn’t afraid to let its characters be flawed. It’s about accountability, boundaries, and the very millennial experience of watching someone apologize on the internet for hurting you.

Four stars—a second-chance story that actually earns it.

This actually wasn’t my favorite . I could not for the life of me connect with the FMC. Like at all. She was unreasonably mean and unlikeable.