I really enjoyed the humor in this one. The main characters were both interesting people that I found myself rooting for. The tropes were *chefs kiss* and so well done. I don’t usually love books focusing so much on social media, but I thought it was well done in this case.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟 3/5 stars

Well, Actually is a cute second chance romance about a black cat heroine and golden retriever hero. This is for the fans of the Chicken Shop Date with Andrew Garfield.

When the host of a talk show has a viral moment calling out her college ex, she is forced into the spotlight. Her ex? A popular social media personality that’s platform is deconstructing toxic masculinity. When he reaches out with a deal to take her on dates to show her he has changed, the two realize the feelings may still be there.

A fun storyline with great dialogue.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the year since Mazey Eddings is one of my favorite authors and I thoroughly enjoyed this one from the start! I especially loved Eva - she was smart, funny, snarky - I probably shouldn’t admit how much I related to her black cat personality. On top of that, it also had one of my favorite tropes - second chance! All around, an enjoyable romance! 4⭐️

Mazey Eddings’ Well, Actually is a contemporary rom-com built on a second-chance romance between Eva Kitt, a sharp-tongued aspiring journalist, and Rylie Cooper, the ex who broke her heart in college. It leans into the grumpy/sunshine, black cat/golden retriever dynamic, with their reunion sparked by Eva’s drunken social media call-out gone viral.

What worked well:
Strong LGBTQ+ representation that feels meaningful to the story
Genuine vulnerability between Eva and Rylie
Sharp humor and witty, laugh-out-loud dialogue

Where it fell short for me:
I wanted more balance in character development. Rylie’s backstory is well explored, but Eva’s motivations and inner wounds are left underdeveloped. Her quick temper and defensive walls are presented, but not fully explained, which made it hard to fully connect with her. I also would have liked to see her writing career play a bigger role on the page rather than being mostly told to us.

On a more personal note, I struggled with how much of their relationship dynamic centers on fighting. While conflict can add realism, the frequent verbal sparring sometimes crossed into feeling unhealthy, raising questions about what kinds of love we normalize in fiction when constant bickering is framed as devotion.

As one quote illustrates:
“I want to spend every day listening to you be an absolute shithead to me… I would fight with you. Argue with you. Kiss you and hug you and hold you.”

Well, Actually is funny, heartfelt in places, and will definitely appeal to readers who enjoy banter-heavy romances. For me, the relentless bickering overshadowed the tenderness, leaving me a bit disappointed. I’d give it 3 out of 5 stars—worth reading if you love the black cat/golden retriever trope, but not one I’ll revisit anytime soon.

I am still chasing the high of Mazey's book Lizzie Blake, I feel like unfortunately her most recent releases are feeling more rushed. This just wasn't my favorite. It still has charm, but the setup was too similar to the real life like it was hard to overlook the initial fan fiction with the cover and it just didn't feel like fair representation of Chicken Shop Date, if you are going to be so close to the real thing give more credit where it's due to the work the host puts in. Just not my fav.

Thank you to SMP for the eARC.

This was unfortunately just not for me.

Thank you NetGalley, the author, and St Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for a review!

Thanks to NetGalley and SMP for this advanced copy. Another smash hit from Mazey Eddings. No notes other than that Eva and Rylie are everything to me. I love a man on his knees.

I think this might be my favorite Mazey Eddings book. Which is impressive because A Brush with Love has been my favorite for a long time. But this book had me howling with laughter and tearing up during the more emotional moments. It balances these two aspects beautifully. I don’t believe I have a read a second chance romance that was quite like this before. Both of the characters had such complex backstories that made the first time they dated a truly rough experience but was also the reason they fit each other so perfectly when they found each other again. As this is my fourth book I’ve read by Mazey, I can definitely see the growth in her writing.
The one thing that took this book down from being 5 stars was that there was so many repetitive scenes towards the end of the book. I was just waiting for the ending and it felt like a lot of filler at the 70-85% mark.
But overall, I really enjoyed this book. Definitely recommend, if for no other reason than you loved watching the Andrew Garfield chicken shop episode.

This story is a fantastic example of a second chance romance that really pulled me in! I loved the way the characters met again—it felt so organic and refreshing. They weren’t searching for each other; it was more like a spontaneous decision that brought them back together, and that element truly resonated with me.

The idea of revisiting past dates, where he’s genuinely invested in winning her back, struck a chord. It's clear she left a significant mark on him, and it really showed when he seized the opportunity to reconnect. The narrative is relatable and ripe for modern audience, especially with all the shows featuring culinary interviews and connections.

However, I did have a bit of a struggle with Eva’s character. Her sarcasm and somewhat prickly demeanor felt overwhelming at times. I wished she could display a bit more emotional maturity because, in comparison, Riley came across as quite emotionally developed. This wasn’t a major deal, but I found myself wanting them to be on a more even playing field. It would have made their dynamic feel more balanced and satisfying.

In the end, the story’s charm shone through, but I think I was hoping for a more mature dynamic between the leads. For readers who enjoy sassy and sarcastic characters, this book will definitely hit the mark. Personally, after reading so many female leads with that attitude recently, I found myself craving something a bit different. Overall, it’s a fun read that has plenty of heart!

Well Actually by Mazey Edding is an absolute treat. This is the kind of book you devour in one sitting because the banter is sharp, the chemistry is off the charts, and the premise is so uniquely chaotic. When black cat Eva and golden retriever Rylie, her ex, go viral, they're forced into a truly hilarious series of "reconciliation" dates.

The journey is a perfect mix of laugh-out-loud moments and tender, emotional truths. If you're looking for a book that's both deeply funny and genuinely swoon-worthy, this is a must-read!

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Tropes:

Second-Chance Romance

Black Cat & Golden Retriever

Forced Proximity

Public Figure/Influencer

I’d read Mazey Eddings grocery list. Everything she’s ever written is amazing and this one is no different. I absolutely love Eva & Rilie they were so relatable & Rilie isn’t the only one down bad for Eva Kitt.

this is my second mazey eddings novel, and i absolutely adored it! i think i might have even loved this more than late bloomer, which is saying a lot. i cannot recommend more highly!

everyone needs a bisexual, shameless flirt of a man who wears slutty little glasses and lots of crewnecks. mazey has given us that in the form of rylie cooper.

against all eva kitt's better defenses, rylie cooper barges back into her life years after breaking her heart, seemingly without explanation or care. now, he wants to the chance to redeem himself and isn't taking no for answer. eva isn't for everyone, but wow was she for me. she is an incredibly polarizing and nuanced character, but that depth is something that is so needed in the romance genre. she isn’t “likable,” but she is real. she is raw and honest, and, at times, reading her thoughts is uncomfortable because of just how genuinely relatable she is, especially the parts of ourselves that we don't want to acknowledge. rylie is her patient, persistent, and endearing counterpart who sees all the messy parts of eva and only loves her more for them.

if you love these specific things, well, actually is the romcom for you:
—andrew garfield's chicken shop date episode
—a man who begs
—nesta archeron
—a man in a slutty little sweater and/or crewneck and glasses
—nick miller
—men who go to therapy (but, like, not performatively)
—gilmore girls
—men who love a feminine nickname

review is live on goodreads, and will be shared to my bookstagram account on 9/8 (both linked below).

3.75 ⭐️

I love a book with great banter. I loved that Eva didn’t take anyone’s crap and I love a woman who takes charge of things. She was definition of a “boss lady”. I liked Rylie’s personality as well though. He owned up to not being good for Eva in the past but he wanted to be good for her in the future. 🥹

We love an enemies to lover book. 👏🏻

Thanks Netgalley and Publisher for the chance to read this book for free in return for my honest opinion.

Oh My Gosh!

I loved this books so much! It is right up at the top of my favorite Mazey Eddings books.
I really fell in love with Eva. She is so dry and witty and sarcastic, which I know some people may not enjoy as much, but she felt so real and flawed. I loved her.
I also really loved our love interest of Rylie. They both played off of each other in the best way and made me want to see their relationship grow.
And one of the things that I think Mazey Eddings does best is give us a heartwarming romance with some harder topics related to mental health. I loved what she brought in The Plus One, and I loved what she brought here as well.
I really could gush about this book so much more, but if you're looking for flawed characters, amazing representation (mental health as well as LGBTQ+), and no third act breakup, then this is the book for you!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you like black cat/golden retriever, slutty little glasses, bi rep, and second chance romance, this one is for you!

Eva has dreams of being a serious journalist, but right now she’s paying her dues by hosting an internet show called Sausage Talk where she eats hot dogs while interviewing C list celebrities. If you’ve ever caught clips of @chickenshopdate with @ameliadimz that’s the vibe.

But one night she gets a little drunk and puts her ex, who runs an anti-toxic masculinity podcast, on blast. You see, when she knew him he was anything but the sensitive emotionally stable person he claims to be now.

Soon her video blows up and her boss wants even more publicity so he throws them together on her show and his. The attraction is still there. But has he really changed? And why did he ghost her so many years ago?

I loved this book! Eva and Rylie are perfect together. Eva is tough as nails and snarky on the outside, but soft on the inside. She’s mean and he likes it! Their banter is off the charts and every interaction left me wanting more. Best of all? No third act breakup!

There are so many great supporting characters, and the single narrator did an excellent job with all the character voices and really brought the story to life.

I’m so excited that I get to meet @mazeyeddings next week and get a paper copy of this book. It’s one of my favorite romance novels this year!

Thank you to @Netgalley and @stmartinspress for the chance to review this ARC and to @macmillan.audio for the ALC.

Well, Actually was the perfect summer/beach read. Mazey Eddings creates amazingly believable characters with real flaws that impact the story. I felt like Mazey really captured the millennial plight that going to college and having big dreams of what you will do for a career, only to be sidelined by something or other. Eva didn't want to be the host of a web series, but found herself in the job and although she was significantly jaded about her career and life, she somehow persevered. She is the perfect black cat character! Rylie is the other side of the millennial issue, the person who makes the best of what is in front of them and just succeeds. He is the best golden retriever character. The love that rekindles between them through the feud, again, was believable and comforting. I will definitely be checking out more of Mazey Eddings books and will re-read this again next summer!

This was such a warm, witty, and endearing read. The banter was quick, clever, and had me giggling. The characters were so well-rounded and authentic, that I found myself wanting them to succeed and get to their HEA.

Those hilarious moments that are signature Mazey Eddings are blended with sweet vulnerability, and the chemistry was sizzling.

I found this hard to put down—a beautiful contemporary romance! Highly recommend.

This was not my favorite Mazey book (she’s definitely an autobuy author) but I still enjoyed it. It was a quick read and the characters are like able. I think for me it’s just I don’t really love social media/influencer stories and this was that.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review

This was my first read by Mazey Eddings, and I had really been looking forward to it since her books come highly recommended. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. I struggled to connect with the story in the early chapters, it just wasn’t gripping my attention.

The main characters first met in college and dated briefly. Years later, they’re reunited after the FMC responds to a social media post calling out the MMC for his past behavior. This sparks a forced situation where they’re confronted with what went wrong in the past and whether Riley (the MMC) has truly changed from his college days.

I’m glad I stuck with it, because the second half was much stronger and hard to put down. There are plenty of hilarious (though sometimes far-fetched) scenes, and as the characters’ layers are revealed, it becomes much more engaging to see them work through their past trauma (the loss of a sibling) and explore whether they can find their way back to each other.

Tropes you’ll find:
* Second Chance Romance
* He Falls First
* Enemies to Lovers
* 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you to the author, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the digital ARC. This review is voluntary, and all opinions are my own. 3.5/5 stars

Loved the originality of this one! Aida was a hoot and the chemistry between Eva and Rylie was great. Definitely will be reading more from this author.