Thank you to netgalley for my advanced copy of this novel!

Surprisingly, this was my first Mazey read! I have several on my shelf to read, but I haven’t gotten around to the rest of them yet! Now, I definitely will. I really enjoyed this romance! The push and pull of the main characters was fun and as was the setting of the social experiment for the sake of a media company/podcast partnership.

I want to point out the unfair treatment of Eva as a woman in the media workspace and I’m sure this happens in real life too. But I love that Rylie was her strongest supporter, even when they were at odds.

Well done, Mazey! I’m definitely going to go pick up my backlist of titles now.

I did not enjoy this book as much as I originally thought it would. I did get a few good laughs, especially during their first date, however, the rest of the book didn't really resonate with me. I think some people may really enjoy it and align with the topics included throughout the book.

I want to thank Mazey Eddings, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the eARC!

I enjoyed the premise of the book so much. I liked that it starts off strong and to the point—I can't stand when beginning chapters drag—this was not the case. The book itself was fine, I think the dates were well thought out.

What got me was the dialogue. It came off a bit to strong for me and at times a little rude. Although I did like Eva and Riley, she just felt a little too aggressive which made the interactions feel a little tight. The side characters were ok, but I they could've have more depth added to them.

Thank you to NetGalley, Mazey Eddings and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press (you guys are the best!!) for allowing me to read this ebook!
Well, Actually is going to be released on Aug 5 2025. Eva Kitt never imagined hosting Sausage Talk instead of chasing her journalism dreams—until a viral callout of her ex, internet darling Rylie Cooper, puts her in the spotlight. To prove he’s changed, Rylie proposes a deal: a series of redemption dates, aired on his channel, where Eva gets the final say. But as their staged romance starts feeling real, Eva wonders if the guy who once broke her heart might actually be the one to mend it.I loved the premise of this book and was so excited to dive in, but the FMC’s aggression just didn’t work for me. 😕 She felt mean for no real reason, and the attempt at witty, comedic writing came across as trying too hard. Unfortunately, it just wasn’t a hit for me!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advance reader copy of Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings.

Eva currently hosts the show Sausage Talk which is not the journalism career she wanted. When Eva’s video calling out her college ex goes viral, suddenly the journalism career she’s hoped for may be within reach. The ex, Rylie, is an influencer focused around teaching people how to be good partners while deconstructing toxic masculinity. In response to Eva’s video, Rylie goes on Sausage Talk and asks Eva to take her on a few dates and an on-air debrief after.

I love everything that Mazey Eddings writes!! I was so excited when I read the premise for Well, Actually and it was absolutely what I'd hoped for!! Eva and Rylie are so perfect together. The beginning of this book captured me immediately. After hearing about their college relationship from Eva’s perspective I was really interested in how the story and their relationship would progress. When those moments came, they were so well developed and written. I was absolutely obsessed with Eva and Rylie and I also liked how the book wrapped up. We also get to check in with LIZZIE!!!! That cameo was EVERYTHING!

If you enjoy a second chance romance, I would definitely check out Well, Actually!

This was a quick read but it never clicked for me. I thought Rylie’s character was a bit unbelievable. I never bought in on him and Eva’s relationship and overall this just fell flat for me. I was drawn in by the Chicken Shop Date of it all but it just didn’t deliver. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Looking for a second chance romance with a heavy side of personal growth? Look no further!

Loved:
- Rylie. His evolution from grieving fuck boy to Perfect Man was amazing
- LGBTQ characters being a natural part of the story without it feeling forced

Meh:
- The friendships overall felt very shallow
- Pacing just felt off with everything being magically resolved in the last thirty pages
- Eva constantly being reactive got old fast. I understand it was a defence mechanism, but it made her supremely difficult to root for her

Disliked:
- Aida’s lack of support after the whole reading comments incident. If my friend did that to me I would have a hard time forgiving
- For all the growth that everyone else had, it would have been nice to see more of it in Eva

At first, I really didn't care for Eva at all, she was just so mean, but as the story continued, she grew on me. And Rylie! Ugh perfect book boyfriend! Their flirty arguments were some of my favorites to read! And those spicy scenes were fire!! I wish there could have been one more scene so that we could see what happens to William and Landry, but I'd like to picture it as one hell of a confrontation. Also, loved the little cameos from a couple of previous books! This is a standalone, but it's just a nice little nod to previous stories. Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

ooo girl did this book have me giggling!! the netgalley gods were in my favor and sent me an arc and i was obsessed! i loved the characters and the storyline so much and i need a man as down bad as riley mf cooper was for eva! the man was literally on his knees for her AND he goes to therapy?! like damn what more can we ask for! however, if there was one thing that made me roll my eyes was eva begging her stupid ass boss for her job back-like girl please stand tf up-they don't deserve you..she was so much more than that and i wish she stood on business just like she did when it came to her hatred for riley (hatred she was fighting but hatred nonetheless lol)! other than that, this was such an enjoyable read and i want to reread asap!
side note: can we talk about the cover-it's so cute, im in love!!!

I received this book as an ARC and I was so excited to dive in! Eddings’ books tend to have a lot of heart and touch on important topics and Well, Actually is no longer exceptional. The FMC, Eva, is so relatable as a woman in her mid twenties that has lofty dreams but is stuck in a miserable job with terrible bosses. The MMC, Rylie, is a delightful golden retriever that you can’t help but root for! This book is poignant but doesn’t take itself too seriously. I highly recommend it!

I loved the quick banter between the main characters and thought the trauma from their past was thoughtfully told by the author. I really loved that the MFC identified as pansexual but it was just noted as part of her relationship past not a big storyline. This showing of queer backgrounds coupled with the MMC telling history of internalized biphobia was really inclusive.
I read this book in a day, it was really a great mix of a story about a relationship, self discovery, personal growth, friendships and work norms in 2025.

Chicken Shop Date fanfic. Which is a weird choice. The FMC is super unlikable. Feels like Amelia Dimoldenberg is getting dragged a bit. She spit in Mazey Eddings Cherrios or something?

Also, when everyone is kind of an ass it's hard to care what happens to them.

5⭐️/2.5🌶️

Thank you thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I’m upset by how much I loved this book because I don’t have my own Eva or Rylie to come home to :(

The only complain i have is the arc didnt have the actual cover 😂

This story was so awesome. This was my first story from this author and im super happy about the writing and plot. Eva was the perfect black cat character, and the story very much gave those "dont be mean to me or ill fall in love with you" vibes from Rylie. He took her spicy moods and threw them right back at her.

The banter... was BANTERING. The best dialogue ever. Dude i had so many highlights and took so many screen shots because so many of the scenes were just SO CUTE and also hot 🥵

This was a fast paced read full of fun and love. AND, there was a lot of really good mental health and LGBT reps - our two mcs are bi/pan and you get to learn a bit about their dating histories, upbringings, and internalized homophobia that they had to learn to deal with. I was pleasantly surprised at these topics being present and even how they were handled. Looking at the other work done by the author and it makes sense, and also makes me excited to see what else shes written :)

This is going on my list of best books for 2025, easily. August cant come soon enough for me to get my hands on a physical copy!! Please read this rom com, i beg you.

I know we are only in March but this might be my favorite book of 2025. It was funny, sweet, and I couldn’t put it down. I had never heard of this author before but will definitely be looking for other books she’s written and recommending this one to everyone. Great for fans of Abby Jimenez, Emily Henry, Christina Lauren, etc.

I really enjoyed this book! The cover and description immediately gave me Andrew Garfield on Chicken Shop Date vibes, and I was here for it. Eva and Rylie are the perfect example of “right person, wrong time.” Their past relationship was messy, but they both had a lot of growing up to do before reconnecting. Rylie’s character really stood out—he’s 100% supportive of Eva, encouraging her to see her own value, and their chemistry felt real.

One thing that didn’t work for me was Eva’s friendship with Aida. Having worked in toxic environments with close friends, I found Aida’s lack of support frustrating. The way their conflict was handled felt glossed over, with Eva coming across as overdramatic while Aida avoided taking responsibility. I would have liked more depth in that resolution.

Overall, this was a fun, witty, and fresh take on second-chance romance. While some elements didn’t fully land for me, I still enjoyed the journey. A solid 3.5 stars. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!

Stop. This book was everything.

I'd never heard of this author previously, and let me tell you, she did not disappoint! I love banter. By far my favorite part of any fictional book and Mazee DELIVERED. I want to be bffs with Eva. Her sarcastic, dry humor is superb. Also Riley Cooper reminded me so much of my husband it made me want to keep reading and reading! Part of me wishes the friendship between Eva and Aida was explored a little more considering there was an edgy-ness to it but still very real.

Mazee Edding has become an author I will certainly search out in the future!
Thank you Mazee, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this, So grateful!

I REALLY liked this book a lot - although to be completely transparent, there were some times I didn't particularly like the FMC and I found some parts of the last quarter of the book a little farfetched. I know her mental growth was part of the crux of the book, but sometimes I thought "Who cares about her MMC? Move on and find someone else!!" As far as the last quarter of the book, no spoilers, but there were a couple of very far-fetched scenarios, such as the fundraiser, that I feel like most people in this line of work would have anticipated. My FAVORITE character, along with all the other women in the story, was the MMC. There was a lot of fun and snappy dialogue, as well as some some awful work habits.

Hooked from the first line: “I always expected my career would revolve less around wieners than it does.” 🤣

Eva works as the host of Sausage Talk, and I loved her. Funny, smart, sassy, challenging, and a little bitter. She makes a drunk post blasting her college fling, Riley, who is a popular podcaster. Eva is perfectly balanced by the walking green flag, Riley, when they reconnect. The banter was 🔥

I really enjoyed this book. It was a delicious slow burn, second chance romance, and slightly chaotic. The chemistry was great, and the characters were very funny.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. I loved it!

So I did not finish this book, I did NOT like the main character. I was out of from the beginning by her attitude. I do think it's totally a me problem but I do not believe in finishing a book that I do not jive with. I also did not feel the chemistry between the two main characters. There was not anything keeping me interested in this book, even after a few days. I love the cover though! Use that artist again!!
Thanks for the earc!

Honestly, I don’t think this was the right time for me to read this book. Personal stuff was going on, and it definitely affected how much I could get into it. That said, there were still some things I absolutely loved. The banter between Eva and Cooper? Chef’s kiss. Their back-and-forth was honestly the best part of the book for me. Eva is such an icon—she’s clever, sassy, and just so real. I really hope she gets the love she deserves because I adored her. As for Cooper, he was the perfect match for her. He brought the softness that Eva needed to balance out her sharp, bitter side, and I loved how he always gave her a bit of a challenge in return. Their dynamic was just so fun to read. The romance between them was cute too—sweet in its own way. Even though I wasn’t in the right headspace to fully enjoy everything, I can tell this is a really solid book. I’m definitely planning to come back to it when I’m in a better place because I feel like there’s so much more to appreciate. It’s a great story, and I’m excited to experience it properly next time!