3.5 stars rounded up

This contemporary rom-com has lots of pop culture references, a viral video response to an ex, and behind the scenes video and podcast production.

I found it to be an average read. The banter was fun at times, even if Eva overplayed her snark towards the beginning. I enjoyed the dates that Riley set up for them and could have read more of them. I wanted to see more about how Riley went from the disappointment Eva experienced in college to the current version portrayed.

And slight spoiler here: Eva comes off as a character all about female empowerment but doesn’t stand up for herself at the workplace where she was making the company a ton of money? This disconnect made the ending fall a bit flat for me.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley.

This was my first book by Mazey Eddings and, as a huge fan of Chicken Shop Date, I was ALL IN. If you are a fan of witty banter, emotionally mature MMCs, sassy side characters, and porcupine FMCs--prickly shell, soft center--then this is the book for you. I tore through these pages like a woman possessed.

The character growth....the banter....the slow burn...the banter...the pining...the banter...the green flags...THE BANTER.

As our girl would say: Eva, I want to be you when I grow up.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the absolute privilege of receiving this ARC in exchange for an honest review!!!!

I loved this. I loved the flaws of the characters and the dynamic between them. The true struggles and growth felt authentic and natural. I do need to disclose that there were parts of this that would have made me cringe if it weren’t for the other tender, laugh out loud, gripping moments that held me to a 5 star rating. This book was not at all what I expected and, frankly, was so much more in the best way.

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

Sadly this book wasn’t quite for me. Our FMC, while made to be snarky, got on my nerves a lot. I found it hard to believe that Rylie and Eva liked each other enough to get back together and make it work. While Rylie was sweet and knew what to say to make himself seem romantic, it at times came off as fake & playboy-ish. It seemed that he was just saying a line because he thought that it would be swoony and not because he really felt that way. I wish I liked this story more but there was just too many things that were unbelieveable to me and a little too many social media references for this book to stay relevant.

I enjoyed the writing well enough that I would be open to reading another Mazey book because I think it was a me problem that I didn’t enjoy this book.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I often struggle with book that has “black cat” FMCs because I am someone who firmly thinks that writing more flawed female character is incredibly important, given that they are often time held to a much higher standard than male characters when it comes to snark, energy, likeability, etc. I see a lot of female characters criticized for actions or traits that are not even looked at twice when they come from a male character. When I saw the cover of this and saw a surely heroine paired with a man so egregiously down bad I was really hoping it was going to smash some stereotypes. I definitely see that the intention of this book was to break Eva and Riley out of these molds, but unfortunately the execution didn’t exactly hit for me.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book! Forced proximity meets workplace romance, and the banter was so FUN! The pacing was excellent and always kept the story moving along at a really good speed - fast enough to keep interest, slow enough to see the enemies slowly morph into lovers. I thought that Riley was an excellent foil for Eva’s character and I LOVE when romance authors let their MMCs be so openly down bad for their love interests.

I would also be aware that if you are not someone who likes to see real world slang or references in your books, this should probably be a hard pass. The premise is literally based on the internet “dating” show Chicken Shop Date and it’s pretty obvious that the characters are based on Amelia Dimoldenberg and Andrew Garfield. Fun, but not really enough to carry the story.

Generally speaking, LOVED the idea of this, just wasn’t super in love with the execution. I liked everything fine, but I think maybe set against a different background/plot these characters would have really shined! More complex FMCs and more big-lover boyfriends, please!

Thank you NetGally for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

PSA: guys please. Don’t go back to your exes.

Soooo, I DNFed this book. Why?

Well, this book started out well I think. It was fun at first. I loved how quick we got into the set up. The “big” build up to meeting Cooper (I can’t call him Riley) was also well done in my opinion. The intro to Eva was also good. The very initial pop culture references were tolerable.

Everything else was not it.

Remember how I said the set up was fast. Yeah, the author never took her foot off the pedal after that when it came to setting up their relationship.

Everything that happened at the 50% mark should’ve happened at the 75% mark. Just so we could have this extra 25 of their relationship better developed and the changes Cooper wanted to show her better seen. It moved fast at the beginning (which I always appreciate), but then it kept moving too fast and jumping over development I believe was necessary. Whether that be betweeen Eva and Cooper, Eva and her bosses, and Eva and her other friends. All her development outside of Cooper was just glazed over. I think her relationship with her family was also really worth exploring, but nope. Ignored for all the smiles she was trying not to show.

If I see the world smile or any variation of the phrases “surpressed a smile”, “bit my lip to hide a smile”, I will pull my hairs out. Could really be a drinking game.

Also, I love a good groveling man. There’s slim to no groveling whatsoever. I needed him to beg her for her trust. For him to not care as much about earning it at first because it was all a ploy, then fighting with his feelings that he likes her, only to start really feeling the impact of her anger towards him once he had accepted those feelings and wanted nothing more than for her to trust him. Admiring that her coldness affects him, is admitting that even after all these years he still likes her, but he knows she will never trust him and that eats him up inside. I wanted for them to try and give into each other, but always hold themselves back because she could not trust him. Despite it all, even when he “proved” he had changed, she keeps on waiting for the other shoe to drop. There was potential for a good will they won’t they scenario because trust is such a valuable part of a relationship and no matter how much you love each other, without it, relationships wouldn’t work. So the reader would be questioning if she could ever forgive him. Despite his reasons(which I understand but don’t excuse), he still had broken her and it takes a lot more than fancy dates and pretty words to change her mind.

Alas, she was not cold enough. Almost from the beginning she had already fallen for him again and was just “fighting smiles” and nothing more EVERY SCENE THEY WERE TOGETHER and he was already in love with her. I wanted to see more of their dates before they realized they both had feelings for each other still, more of their podcasts and more of the public engagement. Maybe little excerpts of comment sections and news articles and other comments in between chapters would’ve been cool.

Maybe there was groveling and I didn’t feel it because she was obsessing about him from the jump.

Once I sensed where the story was going I lost all interest. Some scenes were either or boring. Brunch was a huge no. I wanted to get out of there so fast. And the 50% scene had potential but it ended up being a still and uninteresting scene.

I get that he was struggling, but that does not excuse anyone from treating others like shit because of it. It felt like he was trying to absolve himself of what he did just because he was suffering too. It’s like yeah, I bullied you in high school because my parents are mean to me. Okay, that does not undo what you did.

It was funny at times, but not all the time.
The pop culture was fine at first (and it makes sense for her job that she throws those in), but they got very old very quick because they were so overdone. And, a lot of them were not used in the correct context. (Another bad example of millennials trying to write Gen Z “lingo.”). And then the references just kind of disappeared all together. It’s not that I’m mad about it, but obviously because of her job she throws in a lot of these references in her day to day and suddenly they just stop when it doesn’t serve the story anymore.

In conclusion, the story started out fun, entertaining, full of drama and funny. But things got pretty old really quick and the build up from she hates him to she likes him again was too fast it was barely existent. The thing that sets the story in motion, the dates, were also uninteresting and up to the 66% mark barely there. So, it’s a no for moi.

I really really wanted to like this book but I don’t think it’s for me. This is the third book by this author that I’ve tried and all three I’ve had to DNF. I think it’s something with the characters, I can’t seem to connect to them like I normally do while reading a romance book. I do love Mazey Eddings writing style, I’d be curious to try other books by her in the future. Despite having to DNF this book I do love the cover for Well, Actually and would recommend it to other readers.

3.5/5 ⭐️

“The way he kisses me like he’ll consume me. The whimper of need like I hope he will.”

I hope you’re in the mood for a fun and quirky read, because that’s what this is. I wasn’t too sure what to expect but even though it was a little odd, I had fun with this one!

Eva and Rylie had a lot of good banter, some laugh out loud moments and a real battle of stubbornness. Eva is a little of a tough exterior and kind of mean, but I ate it up. I love an undeterred man.

A few parts had me cringing a little (eating hotdogs, Rylie being douchey, KITTEN), but it kind of added to the charm of the characters.

Edit: I was trying to think of what the concept reminded me of and I saw someone say Andrew Garfield on Chicken Shop Date and YES! That’s it! I’ve never actually seen an episode, but I saw those clips go viral.

Top quotes:

“You can’t even raw-dog vision so I’m not particularly eager to take life advice from you.”

“I have never seen a more homoerotic gathering of men than at your frat house and I’ve been attending NYC Pride for nearly a decade.”

“Does my hair look cute or do I look like a yappy little Shih Tzu?”

4.5 stars

this was my first mazey eddings novel, and it won't be my last. well, actually is an ode to the chicken shop date, except with hotdogs? with that being said, there isn't an overtness to pop culture references (thank god).

character-wise, this is where readers are divided. some detest eva (FMC) because of her crass rudeness and unrelenting hate towards rylie. if you're someone who hates reading sally rooney-esque problematic, fault-ridden characters who are more red than green flags but appreciate the lore behind why and how these "red" flags came to be, then this book is not for you. i've read books where the characters are red flags for absolutely no reason — they do a bad thing, they are forgiven, and it's over. eva is nothing like that. she's unlikeable for a good reason, and mazey does an excellent job at developing her backstory (abandonment throughout her childhood, starting with how her parents treated her), and it gives a pretty solid reason as to why she's so vitriolic towards rylie. is it rational? absolutely not! is it frustrating? 100%. but isn't that what the human experience is? understanding that people with deeply traumatized pasts grow up becoming shells of themselves due to the pain they've carried throughout the years? the best way i've found going about this character is understanding that getting closure isn't an easy process. when eva gets her closure regarding her situationship with rylie from years ago, she still has to go through stages of binding what she's known about her self worth and how everyone eventually abandons her in the end, with a new constant, rylie, who is trying his best to show eva that he's changed. and sure, we as readers can clearly see that he is a much different person from when he was in college, but when you actually put yourself into eva's shoes, you are clouded by layers and layers of resentment and heartbreak — these layers don't dissolve upon truth. they have to be physically broken down through therapy, communication, and time.

some eva quotes that will provide more context as to why she is the way that she is:

“But why?” I push, unable to leave well enough alone. “Why was that the choice you made? Why did you make me like you? Why did you chase me, if you knew how it would end?” Why was I so easy to leave? What is it about me that’s so simple to forget?


It isn’t easy to learn about someone else’s pain, then have to explain your own. It can feel like the trauma Olympics and everyone loses. But life doesn’t exist in a vacuum, and neither do our actions, even if they result from our personal experiences. It’s okay to acknowledge that Rylie was going through a tremendous loss and grieving process and offer him grace. But it also doesn’t do you any good to swallow your feelings altogether.


I’m sick of having to choke down my feelings, fend for myself. I’m sick of stepping into glass armor every day, waiting for whatever stones people on the internet chuck my way, whatever fractures the powers that be at my job chisel onto my surface. I’m sick of having to scrape my way to aloofness just so I’m not a nuisance to my friends. My family.


I deserve softness, goddammit. I deserve tender moments and gentle caresses and whispered sweet nothings. I deserve someone, somewhere, wanting to like me for me and not the hardened veneer I gloss my vulnerability with.


as for rylie, everyone loves rylie. how could you not? a once fuckboy turned feminist. he's everything you could ask for in a man — communicates clearly with intention, genuinely caring, and endearing. you will fall in love with him throughout his attempts to woo eva. plus, he's in therapy — the dialogue during the couples therapy session is nearly identical to what my own therapist would say. i wouldn't be surprised if mazey took the time to have these parts reviewed by a certified therapist, because i felt like i was going through another session in between these pages.

favorite rylie quotes that deserve permanent residence in the fictional green flag men hall of fame:

“You met me at my worst, Eva,” he reiterates, keeping a hold of my hand even though my grip has gone slack, palm sweating. “I was dumb and devastated and I can’t take it back but I want to give you the context as to why. You didn’t deserve my mess, but I gave it to you anyway.”


“I’d call you, Eva,” he says, giving me a tiny shake. “I’d tell you I liked you. I’d tell you I was a mess and ask you to be patient while I sort it out. But I can’t. I’m not that guy and you aren’t that girl anymore and I can’t unhurt your feelings or push myself out of my own way. But right now? I’m trying, Eva. I’m fucking trying. Can you at least meet me halfway?”


“So I’m here,” he says slowly, keeping his eyes locked on mine, “to check on you. I’m here, despite being fucking furious at you for leaving like you did last night, because I was worried about you. I wanted to make sure you’re okay. And if you’re not, I wanted to see what I could do to make things better.”


“Eva, I’m an idiot with an alarmingly large ironic crewneck collection and a denim comforter. There is literally nothing you could say that would drop you down to my league. I want you contrarian and difficult and keeping me on my toes. I want your sour moods just as much as I want your sunny ones. I’m not asking you to change. You can call me any name you want, as long as I can call you mine.”


all in all, this book felt so genuinely raw from eva and rylie's perspective. this is the story of two people with their own demons, hurt at one point in their lives to find each other years later.

I love love love this book. Mazey's writing is refreshing, relatable, descriptive,and raw. This is first person, single POV. The main characters work through so much together and seeing (feeling) the vulnerability and growth for Eva is lively and authentic. Rylie is a real gem too. I appreciate and value the inclusivity and advocacy for LGBTQIA+ and mental health and well-being as well as a great middle school humor. We're all still 12 at heart...more relatable content. 5 stars, can't wait to listen too!

When Kate calls out her ex on her podcast. She doesn’t expect him to actually respond. She definitely doesn’t expect it to become a banter back-and-forth that starts to feel like it could be a budding romance. Will sausage talk lead her to her long, lost love?

This one was such a disappointment to me! I loved a bunch of Mazey Eddings books but this one did not vibe with me. The female main character was unnecessarily rude and standoffish and just came off as being a horrible person. The male main character felt very one dimensional and I wished we could have had chapters from his perspective too. Their love for each other felt toxic and surface level, I didn’t feel their connection to each other and didn’t like how they treated one another. The work drama felt middle school level petty to me and not like grown adults. I also felt that she tried to throw in every hot topic she could think of in this novel just to sound hip and woke. It felt like too much! Overall, not a winner for me at all. I really loved her other series though so I’m hoping to support her next books. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

Thank you for the opportunity to review! I've read almost everything that Ms. Eddings has put out, and this book definitely continued her great tradition of writing. I was hoping for a slightly less predictable offering, but the characters are interesting enough to make it feel worthwhile - but with Ms. Eddings' talent of writing, I do feel like she should take the risks and branch out more!

The first half of this book had me laughing out loud and BLUSHING...!! Oh my god, the banter was SO well done. I loved the energy between Rylie and Eva and how he didn't just take what she threw at him but that he was able to lob it back at her. Black cat and golden retriever vibes for sure. I didn't want to stop reading because whenever they were together I was two seconds away from sighing dreamily at any given moment.

I think Eva will be extremely relatable to a lot of people - myself included. I can also see how she could be seen as 'annoying' with her self-deprecation and distrust of others, but I appreciated seeing her growth throughout the story. (I *do* think there was a little bit of 'telling' us things rather than 'showing' us, but it wasn't so much that it really affected my reading experience.)

Rylie Cooper! What a guy. If only all guys would take a look at their past actions and get therapy and work on being more emotionally intelligent. I loved that he never tried to tell Eva to 'get over it' or make excuses for his behaviour; he owned his shit and was patient and listened when she was upset with him or triggered by his behaviour.

The second half of this book, unfortunately, didn't flow as well as the first half. They kind of dropped the whole point of Rylie and Eva's reconnection (the fake dates & accompanying interviews) and we had some 'slice of life'/cute couple-y chapters until a secondary plot point really developed. I think if we had had more of that secondary plot point earlier on, the second half would have flowed better and would have felt less meandering because I did find myself thinking, 'What are we even still doing here? They're happy!'

Overall, though, I had a fun time reading this book! Rylie and Eva are definitely one of my favourite Eddings couples to date. :)

Mazey Eddings can do know wrong - so I will except ZERO criticism LOL. Not only is Mazey a dentist (I’m a pediatric dentist)…but her writing really is fun, comical, serious and heartwarming in a tight yet very messy package. I’ve read all her books and have no plans to stop now…

Well Actually is truly fun and funny!

Her whole life, Ava has been thinking that maybe she is too hard to love, when in reality she just has not found the right person yet, until Copper comes back to her life (the one who broke her heart in the first place six years ago).

This book was so incredibly funny! I kid you not, I was laughing my ass off. Eva is not your typical FMC, she is insufferable, talks back and has her guards UP and I know so many people are going to complain about her but you need to trust the process and wait for that character development and you will see that she iss just trying her best in a world that has done nothing but disappoint her….

Talk about chemistry and GROVELING!!!! Cooper is equal parts adorable and slutty!!! My favorite kind of men 😫 the spice goes so hard in this book!!! Literally barking / salivating the entire whole time…..and think HOTDOGS too

Riley Cooper and Eva have a complicated past from college. Riley has a reason for his trauma and trying to heal but will Eva be able to see that. A great story of old love turned bad.

Thank you to SMP and Mazey Eddings for the opportunity to read and review the e-arc of Well, Actually in exchange for an honest review!

This book is a true Chicken Shop Date lovers paradise, and a laugh out loud funny rom-com. I can confidently say that I wish I could erase this book from my memory just to be able to re-read it again for the first time because I think would be such a fun book club book!

So so so good, I am excited to share on pub day!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I really had hope for this based on the premise. I tried to enjoy the story and characters from an unbiased perspective, but I just couldn't get there.
The book is like fanfiction for chicken shop dates, and it was too hard for me to separate fiction from reality.

I'm sure the book will be fun for somebody who can separate the two but I'm sorry, it just wasn't for me.

This book is definitely a 4 star read! The banter is amazing between the two main characters!

I love that Eva is a badass women who doesn't mind speaking her mind. I know some readers may not care for her but I love how quick witted she was. She always had something to say!

And Rylie...ohh Rylie. He was such a words of affirmation guy and I love that for Eva. Sometimes I wanted some more from him but overall he gave me the giggles that I want from a MMC in a book.

I would give this book 4/5 stars! Gave me that spice but still left me wanting a little more! Highly recommend reading though for a fast paced book with great banter.

Overall plot, good. Characters, good. Writing, I enjoy Mazey's way of writing character interactions and dialogue. The spice level was a little too much for me. Some of it fit the story, some of it felt not needed. I personally am not a fan of the dialogue during the spice scenes. That was a turn off for me. I felt like it ruined the moments a little bit. And again, maybe if it was one moment it would have been fine, but it was every time. The storyline and characters started as a 4-star read for me, but then became a 2-star as I found myself skimming through scenes because it all became very repetitive. I'm happy how the characters came together and that once they were their like/love for each other just grew, but some of the things that got them there were just blah. Sometimes Eva's reaction felt like it was going overboard forcefully. There was a point too where Rylee was referred to as Rylie and then all of a sudden it switched to Cooper for a little, then back to Rylie. Threw me off. I thought I completely missed something.

Overall, despite the lower star rating I thought the book was ok and I would even recommend it because I enjoy Mazey's writing, but with the repetitive scenes this one just lost me a bit.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the arc.