Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for proving me this ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! The banter was top-tier and I will always love a second chance romance! I loved how down bad Rylie was for Eva and didn’t even try to hide it! The back story for Rylie was especially heartbreaking and I love the bi and pan representation!

"You keep saying that, but the bar's been on the ground, and you keep showing up with a shovel."

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings is a phenomenal second-chance romance. The FMC and MMC are the embodiment of the black-cat/golden retriever relationship! Mazey killed it with this book; it is definitely my favorite of hers. However. I feel like the ending was very rushed and left a lot of questions. I wish there was an epilogue!

I devoured this book in one sitting! I highly recommend you read this!

I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I devoured this book. It was such a great, fast read! The banter between Eva and Rylie was so quick-witted and sharp that I found myself laughing out loud at points. The storyline was well-developed and the spice was just right. I will definitely be reading more from this author!

This book was sooo good! I loved the second-chance romance aspect and you could physically feel the love

ARC REVIEW:

the fact that I need to wait to actually buy this book is a travesty. I loved every minute of reading it and it was such an easy 5 stars to give. Black cat/ golden retriever is quickly becoming one of my favorite tropes and this book did a perfect job of making me feel so much for the FMC and want to hug her when she was vulnerable and strangle her for her self sabotage. August can’t come soon enough but in the meantime I will absolutely be reading all of Mazey Eddings other books.

Did you ever watch an episode of Chicken Shop Date and go, what is the story behind that and is it a rom com? Then Well, Actually is the PERFECT book for you. And it is the reason why I requested this from NetGalley but I ATE THIS UP! Eva and Rylie's second chance romance story was the perfect way to give a nod to those who shipped two specific individuals from Chicken Shop Date without slapping it across your face and making it its own story.
Not only is this rom com full of angst and delicious banter, but it is also filled with self-discovery and the true ugliness of toxic work environments. This book was an enjoyable experience and was exactly what I was looking for.

Thank you NetGalley and You Had Me at HEA for this arc in return for an honest review.

This was a tough one for me to finish. I felt like just rage read the entire thing because the FMC was so insufferable. There’s a different between having a snarky attitude every now and then and just being straight up bitchy. And speaking of bitchy, her so called best friend is almost as mean as her.

We don’t even get the true reason why Rylie ghosted Eva and we see no true connection between them that grows into romance. Just sexual tension. We get little bits of Rylie (Cooper) and then it’s just left there hanging in therapy session.

This just felt very flat to me. Characters weren’t enjoyable, the romance wasn’t there, the plot unrealistic. Plus the many reference to very current memes and etc would make it difficult to understand if you aren’t chronically online.

Thank you to Saint Martin's Press and Mazy Eddings for allowing me to read an ARC of this book!

Overall, I enjoyed it. However, I think maybe Eva was a bit too harsh at times. I would never expect her to just melt and give into Rylie's charm at the drop of a hat, but she carried on her ruse a bit too long for my liking, being downright insulting at times when Rylie was trying his best.

Landry and William were so frustrating, but in a way that made the book better. They were slimy and awful and I wish there had been an epilogue to talk about the (hopeful) fallout of Eva's article coming out. I hope their punishment was swift and cutting.

Anyway, this was a great little book with exciting spice levels and a great cast of characters. That I wish we'd gotten a bit more of. Ray seemed like a riot!

Let me tell you - this book has some top tier banter so if you’re looking for spicy, witty, borderline bitchy, sarcastic retorts that will make you laugh…look no further.
I loved the plot around the FMC, Eva, and the MMC, Rylie (who also has THE BEST collection of cheesy crewnecks)! I thought it was well thought out and enjoyable to read. There was moments where Eva definitely annoyed me a bit with her constant stubbornness and much like Rylie, I would find myself thinking, “come. on. Eva!” But I also think this worked in really well with their dynamic which made their chemistry almost perfect. Eva and Rylie had me truly cheesing and routing for them.
I do think that the ending felt a bit like it was cut short and I wish there would have been more there to explain the outcome of the events whether by drawing out the last few chapters in general or at least including an epilogue.
Well, Actually was not at all what I was
expecting and I do wish that the book blurb included a bit more of a description of what was included in the book because some of it was not my typical cup of tea, but overall I really enjoyed the story!

Release Date: August 5, 2025

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for proving me this ARC in exchange for a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Quotes I Loved:
"Would you also say you're a Kraft Single ready to mingle?"

"We'd be Gouda together, don't you think?"

"Hot Girl is an armor you put on. An impenetrable fortress of makeup or dyed hair or fake nails or killer clothes or expensive perfume or any other bodily adornment that makes you feel fucking good. Powerful. Hot Girl isn't a look or a style, it's a commitment to doing whatever makes you feel unstoppable in the face of life's fuckery."

"Welcome to Sausage Talk, where fun in the bun is guaranteed."

"You're the human equivalent of Comic Sans,"

"Sometimes you have to shove yourself out of the way and take a risk,"

"Every part of me is yours if you want it."

I’ve never read a book by this author before but after a few chapters I was an immediate fan! Such a perfect cute quick read!

I received an ARC of Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings in return for an honest review.
Eva Kitt, the host of a tongue and cheek show Sausage Talk, drunkenly posts on social media berating her ex-boyfriend, beloved podcast host Riley Cooper. Surprisingly, the management at her job decides to capitalize on the action and bring them together hoping for a drama-filled interview to boost their ratings.
Throughout the book Eva hides her broken feelings behind her quick-witted digs at Cooper, but then is she starting to get feelings for him?
The sharp-tongued banter was my favorite part of this book. Eva had a quip for everything and Cooper gave it right back to her creating a great story that I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I would absolutely read this author again.

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!!!