Full of one liners and zingers, banter and touching vulnerability, slutty little glasses and questionable taste in crewnecks, combustible chemistry and emotional tenderness, Well, Actually may just be Eddings’s best book yet.

Eva has a black cat, tough exterior, which stems from her having to be the strong one that fends for herself. Present-day Rylie is a golden retriever, who is down bad for her from the start of their second chance romance, but it took work for him to grow out of the version she knew in college. Honestly, I loved the two of them together. I laughed—giggled, snickered, cackled—and cried. That therapy scene especially got me. Eddings navigates their story with humor and depth.

Read it for
- The disastrous beginning to their dates
- Their mix of humor and tenderness with each other
- Forearms
- Rylie’s crewnecks
- The therapy scene
- Their discussions on his podcast and her deadpan delivery on Sausage Talk
- Their heat
- The queer rep
- The found family
- How they understand each other

The only things I didn’t like about the book are related to her work and to something that happened in her childhood.

I received an advance copy of the ebook from St. Martin’s Press. All review opinions are my own.

Thank you, @stmartinspress, and @mazeyeddings the gifted ARC!

Rundown:
✨️second chance
✨️enemies to lovers
✨️banter
✨️lqbtqia rep
✨️mental health rep
✨️toxic workplace
✨️open door

Synopsis ✒️
Eva is hoping her interview show can lead her to a career in journalism. Rylie has a large social media following helping men change their toxic ways. Eva calls out Rylie for being a hypocrite after they briefly dated in college. In order to redeem himself, Rylie convinces Eva to go out on some dates with him to prove he's changed.

Thoughts 💭
The banter in this was top-notch and left me wanting more. I absolutely loved that Eva was tough because she had to be and that Rylie chipped away at her hard exterior without flinching. He knew what he wanted and went after it. I really respect that. He owned up to his past mistakes, grew, and went to therapy. All the healthy things you want someone to do. Some people might not like this because Eva's character could be polarizing. She was brutally honest, but I think it was completely necessary for the story and proves a point. She was a well developed character with trauma, and she helped bring to light how poorly and hypocritically women are treated compared to men. I just love that Rylie supported and validated her. The secondary characters were also magic. An all around A+ for me. With this level of banter, I'd read anything by this author!

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings

This was a wonderful second chance romance! Very modern and relatable. The main characters were so well drawn that it seemed like they were just like me or someone close to me.

The lead characters had met and formed a strong connection 6 years ago but one of them was going through a transition phase in their lives and wasn't ready to fully embrace a good relationship. This led to a rift and the other person was left wondering what went wrong.

The journey to figure out what happened in the past involved several dates in the present timeline filled with mishaps, miscommunication, supportive friends, lots of humor and self-reflection.

I received this ARC on Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Highly recommend 👍🏻

Another great Mazey book! I always love her characters so this wasn't a surprise, but this story was unique, fun and kept me on my toes. This was a really great second-chance romance with lots of heart and so much great banter, I couldn't put it down! Eva and Rylie were so cute, and I loved how they allowed themselves to be vulnerable with each other to heal from their trauma and deal with the demons of their past. Rylie was so good for Eva and exactly what she needed in her life.

Thank you to SMP and Mazey for this ARC!

“kitten, i’ll rather spend every day getting in a pointless argument with you for sports than be bored and complacent with anyone else” -riley cooper

mazey you never fail to make me laugh love and fall in love with new characters that hit too close to home. i am so in love with mazey a writing and characters that i’ll fight you if you say something wrong about them.

eva and riley make me laugh, kick my feet in the air and everything in between. they are just amazing and i felt so connected to eva… i can’t wait for everyone to meet her and baby girl 😶

thank you mazey for always writing such a raw and amazing stories 🥺 i have always love the way mazey represents queer characters, neurodivergent characters and stories that feel/hit close to home

This was my third Mazey Eddings book, and it was my favorite. The main character, Eva, is a podcaster on a show called Sausage Talk, where she eats hot dogs while interviewing her guests - do with that what you will. 😉

No, but seriously, this is a fun and yes, spicy (you probably guessed from the above) romance. Eva makes a big, drunken video call out on a man who ghosted her in college, Rylie Cooper, and of course, it goes viral. Rylie, who is now a popular social media personality, wants to save face and followers and offers Eva six dates to show that he is not the toxic man she thought he was. The catch is that they have to give an update on her show - and the comments are rolling in.

This is full of great banter, sassy humor, and intense chemistry!
While it does get romantic and whew, spicy, I was so appreciative of how these two really opened up to each other, despite Eva's initial disdain for him. They allowed each other to see their hurts and flaws, which made it feel more real.

𝘏𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘹𝘺, 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘢 𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦!

Thank you @youhadmeathea for this #gifted book and ebook via #NetGalley.

Like, what else could i possibly ask for in a book?!

-Hate to love
-Second Chance
-Black cat x Golden Retriever
-Avoidant, Middle child FMC (aka ME)
-So many hot dogs
-A jomforter

I genuinely cannot say enough good things about Eva and Rylie! They were such a delight from beginning to end. I laughed out loud multiple times bc Eva is just so mean to Rylie and my man EATS IT UPPPPPPP. I identified a lot with Eva and loved seeing her find someone she could be soft with and let herself be loved. Being a middle child is no easy feat; we rarely make it out unscathed. I adored seeing her grow and the ways Rylie made sure she felt safe and desired. Rylie was such a doll. Talk about a man that is DOWN BAD for his girl. He was honestly everything I am looking for in a partner (Mazey.... is this book about me???). He is kind and silly and breathtakingly honest in his pursuit of Eva and i couldn't get enough of it.

10/10 would read 1432432 more pages of them being in love.

THANK YOU so much to St. Martins Griffin for the eARC through NetGalley! All opinions are my own ◡̈

Thank you so much to the author, St Martin's Press, and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Y’all, this was such a fun time! The banter alone kept me plugged into this audio, and I easily binged it in a day. I don’t even know where to begin, but circumstances unfold, hotdogs are present, and Eva Kitt finds herself in a situation in which she has to entertain an old flame’s attempt at a second chance to woo her. They may have had a lackluster first attempt at dating back in college, but Rylie Cooper is certainly giving it his all this time around and oh, the man is so gone for her. The little things he said and did…🫠🫠

It’s not all light and fluffy, however, as both Eva and Rylie are dealing with past hurts and trauma that have kept them from fully committing to relationships. If you are in the mood for a black cat x golden retriever second chance romance with lots of banter and tension and all around laughs, then look no further! This book was seriously such a good time!

𝚝 𝚛 𝚘 𝚙 𝚎 𝚜:
🌭 second chance
🧡 workplace romance
🌭 hate to love
🧡 black cat x golden retriever
🌭 fake(ish)dating

2,75 ⭐

Eva Kitt interviews B-list celebrities over hot dogs, but she dreams of becoming a real journalist. One night, after a few drinks, she records a video mocking her ex, Rylie, who now runs his own podcast. Rylie asks her for a second chance to prove he’s no longer the guy he was back in college.

I’ve read the author’s other book, The Plus One, so I had certain expectations, but unfortunately, this one didn’t quite live up to them. I didn’t feel much connection or strong affection for the characters. It was an enjoyable read, but the plot didn’t really grab me. I was hoping for more emotional depth, especially for a second-chance romance. My favorite part was when Rylie opened up about his past and the reason he left Eva six years ago. I also appreciated that there was no third-act breakup in the book.

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✓hate to love
✓second chance
✓fake dating
✓black cat x golden retriever
✓workplace romance

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press (St. Martin's Griffin) for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Well, Actually I found this book to be enjoyable second chance romance book about featuring two characters who dated in college and reconnect when one calls out the on air over their past relationship.

Eva Kitt, the host of Sausage Talk, who interviews B-list celebrities, and you guessed it, hot dogs are involved. When she calls out Rylie Cooper, her college ex-boyfriend who is now a social media darling on air about their past college relationship, she gets quite a bit of attention. She also gets Rylie's attention. Rylie has made a name for himself by talking about toxic masculinity, offers to take her out on a series of dates where they can talk about their past relationship. Eva takes him up on the offer....

Ava and Rylie has fun and interesting banter. While Rylie tries to wind Ava over, she sticks to her guns, but how long can she be stoic and not get sucked in by Rylie's charms? Ava is full of spunk, sarcasm, and sass. Rylie is charismatic, fun, lighthearted, and charming.

As with Mazey Eddings other books, this book is full of charm, wit, great banter, fun situations, sexy scenes, and interesting characters. I liked that both characters had things to work on and there is individual growth as well as growth as a couple. With romance, it is all about the journey for me and this was a light, fun, and interesting one!

This is the fourth book that I have read by Mazey Eddings, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!

Thank you for the ARC of this title

Unfortunately, I could not get into this one. I’ve been trying for months. I just really don’t like the FMC.

4.5 ⭐️

I’m not a regular watcher of Chicken Shop Date, but I definitely picked up on its likeness to Eva’s Sausage Talk show, which was a cute nod. The setup for this was fun, if a little cringey, with Eva dissing her college situationship, Rylie Cooper, on what is ostensibly TikTok, only for her boss to then demand that Rylie appear on Eva’s show to drum up interest and views.

I really enjoyed Mazey Eddings’ writing style and her dry, sarcastic humor. Her vivid descriptions of characters’ feelings make their emotions feel so real and relatable. The little quips, witty one-liners, and banter between characters were so entertaining. Eddings also handled the more serious discussions on things like grief, sexuality, and self-worth very well. You could feel the care and intentionality she put into her words and her characters.

Growing up, Eva felt like the invisible middle child, and those feelings followed her into adulthood, leaving her emotionally distant and constantly assuming she’ll be overlooked or abandoned—in both romantic relationships and otherwise. She suffers from self-doubt and often deflects sincerity with humor and sarcasm (which… relatable). I appreciated how self-aware she was and how much she was able to work through so much over the course of the book.

Rylie was sweet and thoughtful. He always seemed to notice the little things and make an effort to ensure others felt comfortable and cared for. He was charming and endearing, and I loved watching him patiently chip away at Eva’s walls.

Right from their first interview, Eva and Rylie have great, heated banter and immaculate sexual tension. I loved how he got under her skin—her annoyance with her physical attraction to him, and her denial of their growing emotional connection. It’s hard for Eva to believe things between them are genuine, especially with the social media ploy at play, so it was sweet to see her slowly warm up and learn to trust him.

I loved the black cat / golden retriever dynamic and the flirting by way of insults. The “black cat” personality can sometimes skew mean, but that wasn’t the case here—Rylie was loving every second of Eva’s attitude. And I appreciated that when Eva did start to take things too far or overreact, she could acknowledge it and make amends. In general, they had great communication, and I liked how they were able to work through conflict together.

I also appreciated that, with this being a second-chance romance, they actually got to know and care for each other as they are now—rather than the relationship relying too heavily on their past connection.

I was more invested in the first 70% than the last 30%, so I didn’t quite get that five-star feeling, but honestly, I could see my rating going up the longer I sit with it. Also, nicknames almost always give me the ick, so I’m sorry, but I cannot support “Kitten” 🤢, so there’s also that.

Overall, a really solid read with a great balance of rom- and -com.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this book for review consideration.

This was AMAZING!! Eva and Rylie 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.

Rylie 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. The spice was sexy. The plot was both fun and tender, yet 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.

This book was so good! The banter between the MC’s was absolutely amazing!!! Loved the growth each character had! The representation was amazing!

Have you seen Chicken Shop Date? This loosely takes that idea and has Eva interviewing D list celebrities over bad hot dogs. She drunkenly calls out her ex on TikTok for his toxic behavior in college and ends up with him on her show asking for a do-over. Eva is continually mean to him as she has a tender side she hides with ice as she's been hurt many times. Cooper has a lot to make up for but won't give up and is a total Golden Retriever to her Black Cat. This book had me hooked and I couldn't put it down!

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings is a must read for rom-com lovers!
I really enjoyed this heartfelt, fun, banter filled, and clever story! The characters kept me invested and unable to put this book down.
One drunken night, Eva calls out the internet’s favorite social media personality for his hypocrisy. This leads to the pair meeting again in person after 6 years of silence. Now for the sake of their jobs they have to date and debrief the dates for all the internet to dissect. That seems like it will end well!
Read this if you like:
-fake dating
-second chance romance
-all the banter
-black cat FMC
-golden retriever MMC
-spice 🌶️🌶️
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Mazey Eddings for a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Eva and Rylie briefly dated in college, but then he ghosted her. When she stumbles across his successful social media page, she drunkenly makes a video calling him out for his mediocre… skills. And of course, it went viral!

This man practically begs for a second chance, to explain and redeem himself. Eva was pretty closed off, and I loved the growth her character had gone through by the end of the book. She gave him a chance, but didn’t make it easy on him and I love her for that. She was witty and sassy and my fave type of FMC. 

Rylie Cooper is that man, and I’m down bad. Why was everything this man said so smooth and sexy?! I was eating up their banter like a woman starved. This is the exact type of book I love… Where the FMC is a lil bit mean, but he likes it. Spectacular, gimme 14 of ‘em.

I will be re-reading this one for sure. 

🌭Second chance
🌭Black cat x Golden retriever
🌭Bi x Pan rep
🌭Hate to love
🌭Fake(ish) dating
🌭Workplace
🌭Single POV

This was a delight ! A fun second chance romance / enemies (at least on her part) to lovers read that had be absolutely absorbed from page one. Eva and Riley have some of the best chemistry I’ve read in a while, and they were so funny and flawed and deeply human. I enjoyed the cute, fun moments just as much as I enjoyed the heavier moments. This book touches on grief and forgiveness, and what it truly means to try again and better yourself for others but also for yourself.

I also loved that this book had such great representation - it’s a bi x pan romance, and to quote Eleanor Shellstrop, “more guys should be bi.” There was also a diverse and well developed cast of side characters that I loved!

What didn’t work for me was the pacing near the end. Things get resolved quite quickly at the end, and given the build up I would have liked to see a bit more. Finally, I did find that things could get repetitive at times - whether it was Eva running away or Riley using a pet name way too often. I felt like I read the same scene multiple times by the end.

Overall, 3.5 stars: it was such a fun read and I look forward to more by the author !

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Griffin for an e-arc of this book !

Okay Mazey has out done herself with this one, I could not put it down! The premise reminds me so much of ChickenShop Date, which we love; witty banter, playing hard to get, a teasing flirt. Not to mention the sexual tension you could cut with a knife! What I really appreciated was the side scenes of getting a look into Eva’s childhood and why this short lived relationship in college hit her so hard. I found myself relating to her feelings of being lost, lonely, and feeling unworthy of love and attention. Highly recommend all you romance readers out there pick this one up! A perfect way to close out the summer.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the free ebook and audiobook copies in exchange for my honest review.

ABOUT

Eva Kitt is a wannabe serious journalist working as the host of a very unserious web series called Sausage Talk on which her character is a bored, cold, negging woman full of innuendos who interviews celebs.

Rylie Cooper is a popular vertical video social media sensation for being a man who posts videos about how to be a better man and dismantle your own toxic masculinity - and a podcaster.

He also happens to be someone that ghosted Eva in college. One drunken night, Eva decides to stitch Rylie’s video and out him as someone who doesn’t practice what he preaches.

REVIEW

This writing is so funny that I cackled out loud in my car by myself more than once and unironically slapped my leg. I uncontrollably squealed at the tension. And the mix of humor and tension? Gimme 14 of ‘em. The narrator also does the writing so much justice. The internal monologue of our main character is so fantastically intimate.

The spice was hot, the banter was electric, the side characters were very fun. I had so much fun with this one - especially on audio.

I also want to say that the use of miscommunication here is reasonable and realistic and there were opportunities where I saw it could be used in a lazy way to add conflict in the plot and I was delighted that it wasn’t used in those moments.