I liked this book! I enjoyed the main characters but some of the side characters (Aida) I feel like we could have went without. The writing style was perfect for me and it was a fast paced read. I do like the integration of technology and names of apps but I always worry if this will age the book.

I saw mixed reviews so I didn’t really know what to expect but I actually really enjoyed this book! There was definitely a lot of pop culture references but I didn’t mind them at all, it’s just what fits with the vibe of the book.

There were so many raw emotions and I found Eva very relatable! She has childhood trauma and that can and does manifest in many ways, a lot being insecurities, and I found that the portrayal of it was very accurate.

Some important topics were discussed - how women are treated horribly because of purity culture but men are praised for the exact perceived behaviours, how employers see employees are disposable and how your bosses can bully you.

Riley’s discussion of grief and loss and how his family dealt and coped with it was incredibly realistic and relatable. I found it was written so raw and real and resonated a lot with that!

Their chemistry and banter was super entertaining and enjoyable!

So much incredible representation was in this book - Bi, Pan and Trans rep!

I was reading the book as well as listening to the audiobook, I felt that the audiobook was so wonderfully done and it really made you connect to the characters and their emotions in a much deeper way.

Thanks NetGalley and Mazey Eddings for giving me an eARC of this book!

This was such a fun story. I lived the character development, despite it being a pop dream that a frat bro would transform so much. Mazey encouraged me to not fall for the propaganda, so I’ll give her a pass! 😂

loved the witty back-and-forth between the characters and how open the characters became as the story progressed

Well, Actually is rom com of all rom coms! I would love this as a movie! The Amelia and Andrew Garfield fanfic we all wish was reality! Eva Kitt & Rylie Cooper are one for the books (literally). This is a laugh out loud comedy and the romance is just as good! Eva and Cooper are so real I love the little moments they have together where they are just joking around with one another. The witty humor of these two makes you giggle and kick your feet. I do prefer chicken tenders over hot dogs but I’ll take it because Sausage Talk was such a cool spin on Chicken Shop Date. I love dates around nyc especially ones at the MET!

One of my favorite female narrators narrated this book on audio, highly recommend!

Tropes

💛 Second Chance Romance
💜 Workplace Romance
🧡 Fake Dating
💛 Bi x Pan Rep
💜 Hate to Love
🧡 Black Cat x Golden Retriever
💛 Witty Banner
💜 Single 1st Person POV
🧡 He calls her Kitten

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for early access in exchange for an honest review.

Loved the premise and the writing! Eva’s character is as sharp as a blade in wit, humor and reasoning. I found her character growth to be realistic since she isn’t someone full of warmth. I loved Rylie’s character because of the juxtaposition to Eva.

Highly recommend! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a chance to read and give a honest review of an advanced copy of this book.

I DNF'd this book at about 14%. I thought it was just so unbearably generic and unspecial, and even though I love reading rom-coms, I just couldn't stomach yet another boring, formulaic mush of the same old stuff. I really truly wish that publishers would start promoting authors who can offer something more unique to the industry.

Podcasters Rylie and Eva have a history. They met when Rylie was at a low point in life and their relationship ended poorly. But he's lived in Eve's head during the six years since they were together as she has lived in his. When a drunken social media post goes viral, Eva's boss decides putting Eva and Rylie back together then dissecting their dates on air would do wonders for the lagging viewership on Eva's podcast

As an average child among a blended family with five high achieving siblings, Eva often found herself overlooked and forgotten. No one made her a priority or considered her needs. Searching for acceptance, she's buried herself beneath the facade she shows other as she tries to be what she believes they all want her to be.

In many ways this was a hard book to read because Eva was a hard character to like. She's so mired in the sarcastic, snarky personality she created for her podcast that she has a hard time turning it off. She strikes first so no one strikes at her. Until Rylie comes along. The story works because of Rylie's determination. He can empathize with Eva because he's been down at the bottom where she finds herself and he made it out. He's determined to show Eva the way.

Still, this is a well written story. Eva's pain bled from the page, as did her fear of never finding anyone who would accept her. Rylie's positive attitude, his patience with Eva and his ability to laugh at her cynicism and his willingness to keep trying bring a lightness to what is otherwise a very heavy story.

Amazing premise, great set up, fantastic characterization, then... disappointment. I couldn't help but be let down by the progression of the plot after a plan was introduced early and later disregarded completely (sue me that I really wanted them to go on 6 dates and do more podcasts about it! let us watch you fall in love!).

I really liked the reversal from the typical grumpy x sunshine where our FMC Eva was allowed to be the grumpy one. I like a sardonic woman. She's fun. She's relatable. And I like a man who brings sunshine and is a cheerleader for his woman. It's what she deserves.

The tension and history between Eva and MMC Rylie was great, but I felt I knew Rylie better than Eva despite being in *her* head.

Unfortunately, I ended up dragging myself through this story despite enjoying the first few chapters. A fun idea that could have used more editing.

3.25 stars

After a drunken rant against her college ex who is now a relationship pod caster goes viral Eva and Rylie decide to go on a series of dates so he can show her he's reformed. Eva agrees as it helps her new boss is really pressuring her for increased engagement. Eva is a black cat through and through and Rylie is one self aware golden retriever caring for her in ways she doesn't even know. Their banter is sarcastic a biting in the best of ways. The self discovery as they grow closer in this second chance romance is a great journey to go on with them.

First of all, the concept of this story was so fun and original. I love the set up in the beginning of the story and the drink call out of our MMC by our FMC. This book also had great representation and discussions of mental health and gender in the workforce. While I loved the banter between our characters, there was just something that didn’t totally click with me regarding their chemistry and connection. I also found myself getting frustrated with the characters and some of their choices. Overall, a sweet, fun time but not a major standout in the romance genre.

This was a fun and unique premise! I loved the idea of Sausage Talk and how Eva’s viral moment sets everything into motion. The fake dating/reputation-repair setup had so much potential, and there were definitely moments where the chemistry between Eva and Rylie really worked. Their banter was sharp, and I appreciated the commentary on toxic masculinity and accountability woven throughout the story.

That said, some parts felt a little uneven for me. The pacing dragged at times, and I struggled to fully connect with Eva—her character arc was interesting, but I wanted a little more depth and vulnerability earlier on. Rylie, on the other hand, was definitely the standout for me. Watching his growth and seeing him try to prove himself made him easy to root for.

Overall, this was an entertaining read with a clever concept and a romance that delivers some sweet moments, even if it didn’t completely blow me away. I’d still recommend it to fans of second-chance romances and anyone who likes their love stories with a side of social media drama!

Just finished Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings, and wow—I’m obsessed! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 This book is sharp, funny, and heartfelt in all the best ways. The characters feel so real, their banter had me laughing out loud, and the deeper themes snuck up and hit me right in the feels. It’s one of those stories that stays with you long after you turn the last page. If you’re looking for a rom-com that’s both witty and wonderfully human, this is it.

This book made me laugh out loud and had so many lines that made me swoon and/or immediately rush to my notes app to write them down. We have a prickly, mean journalist who is doing a job that she does not feel passionate about (Sausage Talk 🌭) and a sweet, thoughtful podcast host who focuses on challenging toxic masculinity and unhealthy relationships (and honestly just problematic men, tbh). The two have a brief dating history from back in college (I’m talking 4 dates, 6 years ago), and one night Eva drunkenly makes a response video to one of Rylie’s videos… and it goes viral. Suddenly, her employer wants to capitalize on the views that their joint content would be bound to bring in, and the two are forced back together for capitalism’s sake, and Rylie is eager for the chance to redeem himself with Ava - but that doesn’t mean Eva won’t be bitter about it.

What I loved: the banter, the tension, Rylie’s unrelenting optimism and how down bad he is for Eva, the forced proximity, the chemistry, so many lines that made me laugh out loud

What I didn’t like: how determined Eva was to dislike Rylie based on a brief stint in college that ended with a simple ghosting, the toxic workplace, Eva being a little too mean / negative at times imo

This is ultimately story of unresolved feelings and the hurtful things one may say to deflect from those buried feelings rather than admit hurt. While Eva is redeemed in the end, I do still think that she is far from blameless in how she handled the situation and she could’ve been guarded but less bitter. However, given that they were pretty young and she was inexperienced at the time, the ghosting had a much bigger impact. If she had tried to communicate and learn Riley’s side sooner, though, she would’ve gotten the context much sooner and likely been much less bitter (I don’t love a miscommunication or no communication trope).

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

Second chance romance in the age of instant social media. Eva Kitt wants to be a serious journalist, but finds herself writing a blog and hosting Sausage Talk where she talks to B-list stars over hot dogs. When she sees her college crush speaking on behalf of men who are deconstructing toxic masculinity, she rashly posts her opinion of him. in an attempt to salvage her show, her boss influences her to record several episodes with Rylie, the former crush. Well, you can image what happens. A fun romp!

Mazey Eddings always knows how to write female characters who are also so unapologetically themselves and i adore that!

this book had me laughing and had me in my feels! such a fun read. i always recommend this author!

From the very first page I was laughing out loud, even cackling at times. I loved the FMC with her snarky quips. Despite the comedic aspects of the book, there were a lot of serious topics touched upon.
I usually hate corny nicknames but I actually really liked them in this book.
Also I loved Riley’s slutty little glasses!
Thank you for this arc!

I really enjoyed this one! I love female characters who are just unapologetically themselves and who don’t see the need to cater to men and Eva is literally that and I love her for it. I also adore a man who is just head over heels obsessed with his woman and Rylie is literally sooo obsessed with Eva and he likes everything about her including how mean she is. Needless to say I really enjoyed Eva and Rylie’s relationship and I really enjoyed the premise of the book and thought it was really unique and captivating.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

Thank you for the opportunity to read the latest Mazey Eddings book. This is the second book I have read by this author and really enjoyed it. She does a good job of fleshing out the characters so that you really feel like you know them. I enjoyed the banter and vulnerability between the characters. The scene in the therapists office was so raw and really stuck with me, I can still feel the emotion of it several months after reading it. I will definitely recommend this book to others. Thanks again!!

well, actually had me hooked from the first page. the brief was giving Chicken Shop Date and that was all i needed to know. the unique storyline and execution made for an incredible addition to contemporary romance.

rylie and eva had undeniable chemistry. every interaction was filled with the most delectable banter and tension, oh my god. i simply could not get enough of their back and forth, the golden retriever x black cat vibes were top notch. these characters were especially raw and real. mazey wrote them in such a three dimensional way that you felt as though you knew them personally. they had they flaws, but they also had their truths and incredible depth.

i loved both of these characters so much, though rylie really shined through in this one for me. he was simply incredible, the amount of care, consideration and tenderness he demonstrated throughout. ugh. my heart was melted. (the slutty little glasses were a big thing for me). he is the epitome of a man down bad, think “stop being so mean to me or i’m gonna fall in love with you”. i was obsessed with their dynamic.

i have such a deep appreciation for the level of representation in this book as well. mental health concepts were made accessible and easy to understand for all, therapy was written in wonderfully, and we got incredible pansexual / bisexual representation with discussions on internalized biphobia! which is huge! while some heavier subjects are discussed, an undercurrent of humour brings a lightness that carries the depth so well.

the writing in this book is multi-layered in its beauty, depth, and lightness. the pacing was exceptionally well thought out, i was completely wrapped up in the story the whole way through. this was such a beautiful read, a 4.5 stars for me!

thank you to NetGalley and and St-Martin’s Press for the e-arc!