Funny and emotional new book from Eddings, with great bi representation all around. The inciting incident of the call out on social media was very funny, and even though the dating scheme felt a little forced, the resulting story was really fun.

I never wanted this book to end. The characters were so well developed, real, and like-able. I found myself rooting for them and relating to them. It's so nice when there is a romance novel that has a plot as well and this really hit the mark. Definitely going to read other Mazey Eddings books as soon as possible!

If you like your romance with a dash of social commentary and a heap of humor, this book is well, actually pretty fantastic.

Ever wondered what happens when your college ex becomes a self-proclaimed guru of healthy masculinity? Ava Kitt finds out the hard way in this deliciously spicy second-chance romance. Currently stuck hosting "Sausage Talk" (yes, that's exactly what it sounds like) instead of pursuing serious journalism, Ava's viral callout of her ex Rylie Cooper leads to an unexpected proposition: let him prove he's changed through a series of staged dates, all for his eager social media audience.

What follows is a clever dance of wit, redemption, and perfectly timed hot dog puns. Eddings serves up a masterclass in character growth, showing how toxic masculinity can indeed go to rehab - with receipts. The bi/pan representation is chef's kiss, and the banter? Sharp enough to slice those questionable wieners they're eating.

While the premise could've been as messy as a hot dog eating contest, Eddings navigates the complexity of forgiveness and growth with the precision of a master griller. It's funny, it's genuine, and it proves that sometimes the best relationships are the ones that come with a side of humble pie.

Eddings is a hit or miss author for me but this book was absolutely a hit. Funny, charming, and hot, I truly couldn't put it down. I read it on the train and had to physically stop myself from laughing out loud multiple times. I love how Edding's characters feel real. They're struggling with normal human things--their mental health, their sexuality, being looked over at work. Little details like that always help me latch onto the characters and root for their romance. I would read a dozen spinoffs.

I struggled with the start of this book but was loving it by the halfway point. I really liked the spice in this one. I have yet to read a Mazey Eddings book I didn't like

I think this might be my favorite of Mazey’s books. I really enjoyed the banter between the main characters. The degrading work Eva had to do in order to even have a job wasn’t far from what some people have to deal with in certain industries.

Mazey Eddings has always written such devourable books. I love her characters + pacing so much.

This was so good!! But corny at some points, so that’s why I took off a star. It felt preachy at times, which I guess tracks with the whole podcasting storyline, but I don’t love when books start to sound like motivational speeches.

The smut was really good😏 (as always; mazey eddings has always written good smut). The drama had me hooked from the very beginning. I was genuinely kicking my feet and giggling within the first 5%.

Thank you so much for NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC! This is the second Mazey Eddings book I’ve read and it was so fun!

Anyone who has been gutted in the past by a relationship can resonate with Eva’s Hot Girl attitude. At times she was unlikable and brash, but that only made her more real.

I loved Riley’s ability to soften Eva’s harsh exterior. I also appreciated the positive queer representation and how it impacted the characters growth.

It wrapped up a little too perfectly, but that’s the reason to love a happily ever after! Overall, this book was a win for delicious banter, spice and love.

Thank you for the ARC I appreciated being able to have a first glimpse at this, I however DNF'd at 22% finished I just couldn't get passed a few things, the cover is beautiful and the description intrigued me. I have never read anything from this author before so I didn't know what to expect but the profanity and use of the word sin or sinful for everything was a bit much for me and the scene where they are texting and making a joke of the antichrist I couldn't get into it and stopped there. While I did like the idea behind the plot I would have preferred it in a clean romance setting but still thank you for the early copy.

Eva and Rylie get a second chance and it's a wild ride. Eva is dragging along, struggling to find a place in her career. Rylie is fairly successful and Eva calls him out for past transgressions from 6 years ago. Eva's slimy boss wants to capitalize on it. Eva has baggage so heavy it could sink a ship. Rylie is the sweetest and it's driving Eva nuts. Rylie is insanely patient with Eva. Eva is sarcastic and untrusting and not willing to give Rylie a chance. Rylie chips away at her walls and earns her trust. Things get steamy and emotional and you get to the point where you can't help but root for them. The book is pretty well paced, but did drag a little after the midpoint. Well, actually I enjoyed this very much.

unfortunately this one wasn’t for me! i liked the (sometimes millennial coded) humor and the banter, but even that became grating after a while. the fmc was insufferable, and not in a good way. halfway through the book it became very clear that cooper was a changed man, with no signs of it being performative, but eva was still so tightly gripped on her grudge over a 5+ year grudge that it becomes her whole personality and all she revolves around. the fact that she clearly liked him, yet was still so rude became repetitive after a while. cooper’s growth held such a mirror to the fact that eva has a very un-fleshed out character arc. i was waiting for her to explore her fear of abandonment or her insecurity. i thought she was going to take the “hot girl is an armor you put on” thing and deeply explore what was under the armor, but halfway through and no cigar!

had to dnf, but i’d try another one of her books in the future.

Special thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press advanced digital copy!

Eva and Riley had a brief fling in college that ended in a disappointing night. 6 years later, Eva goes viral for a scathing review of Riley’s…performance. Of course, Riley and Eva are then thrown together and we get a front row seat. If you’re a fan of second chance romance and black cat/golden retriever then you will enjoy this book.

omg chicken shop date with a hot dog twist is my dream! loved the characters banter! definitely wish there was more about the dates and the podcasts to go along with them.

This was actually my first book by Mazey Eddings, and it certainly will not be my last. Well, Actually was hilarious, reflective, emotional and it kept me on my toes. I found myself lost in the story and rooting for both Eva and Rylie. An emotionally put together MMC who can admit his mistakes? Yes please. I also loved all the themes for LGBTQ+ community. I only deducted a star for Eva drinking the stupid juice for a bit too long in my opinion.

This was such a good book! I loved it from start to finish. I think we got a lot of swoon worthy moments from the banter exchanged between these two. I might be bias but I absolutely love a black cat and golden retriever style book and this delivered perfectly. I binged this book in a single day so it’s safe to say it hooks you right from the first page. I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future!

I have to be honest, I really struggled connecting with this book initially. Normally I am hooked within the first chapter of one of Mazey's books but this took be a good while to get into or feel connected to the characters. Once Riley and Eva have that first real conversation, I was in. It was very moving, pretty spicy and had a message to tell, I just feel like a lot was trying to be covered at once.

Overall, I think I enjoyed the peaks at some of my favorite Mazey characters from other stories the most. I think it was her first book that did not make me ugly cry at some point.

I LOVE Mazey Eddings so very much. I was so excited to get selected for this book and I still think it was very good overall just not one of my personal favorites.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC :)

So the only thing that would have made this book better was if we got Riley’s POV as well. A dual POV would be amazing just to humanize her a bit sooner than she exposed it herself but I still loved Eva.

This book definitely made me laugh, gasp and cry!

William can rot in the lowest portion of hell there is, with that said I wish there was a bit more on the follow up of how everything went down, like that there was actual personal consequences for him and his mother which I’m sure there would be, it would’ve been nice to see it in writing though since she made us feel so much hatred towards him.

Eva is rough around the edges and has built so much armor around herself that she closes herself off to love, friendships etc, the reasons for that get exposed but she also only uncovers that in relation to what made her that way and the aftermath of Rylie, I do wish that we got a tidbit of her dad or step brothers reaching out to her as all this chaos unfolded but that would’ve made a way longer book.

I also wish we got a bit more of Ray and Aida, I like them all together but then Eva shut down and shut them out that we got a bitchy Aida until the end where I liked her again. But although I haven’t read them all I hope we get a book for them since she likes to focus on friend groups.

I loved the therapy session, I love how well Rylie reads her emotions/thoughts just from her facial expressions and body language and he takes her as she is, calls her out on her shit or gives the sass right back to her.

This book is LGBTQ+ friendly as it should be, there is a trans side character, bi and pansexual characters in our MCs, it’s touched on respectfully in a self reflection/admittance way.

This one is for the black cat/golden retriever trope lovers. Mazey Eddings once again takes something familiar and makes it thoughtful and relatable. Her characters are unforgettable. Eva is that hard shelled creature that is begging to be truly seen and Rylie Cooper is the one to convince her that he's not going to abandon her. He also posesses my #1, most attractive character trait in a MMC right now: emotional maturity. There is nothing sexier than a man who chose to face grief and hardship by going back to school for a counseling degree and proceeding to work on himself. Scorching hot.
Read this. Read all of Eddings' back catalog if you haven't had the pleasure to do so yet. You won't be sorry! (There are a few cameos from some favorite characters here, too).
Thanks so much for the ARC! Scarfed it down in one day.

Well, Actually is a compelling read that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance. It's a story that is both heartwarming and thought-provoking, leaving readers with much to ponder long after the final page is turned. Whether you're a seasoned romance reader or new to the genre, this novel is sure to captivate your heart and mind.

This book is a goddamn masterpiece. The banter, the chemistry, the emotions, the raw trauma and healing ... And the fucking Monster Mash. A masterpiece, Mazey Eddings.