If you want to be laughing out loud and also screaming at people to communicate, this is the book for you😂😂 (they do eventually communicate in really good ways, don’t worry!)

There were a few parts that felt a little… off to me? It was a super enjoyable read and I sped read it in one day, but some word choices and the continuous back and forth + miscommunication really did throw me off. I almost stopped reading after the first page had the word “gullet” lmao

Also, it’s 100% Chicken Shop Date inspired but it doesn’t hinge too much on that aspect except for the beginning and then it being brought up throughout the book that Eva’s job is to eat hot dogs— ew lol

Did not finish, I had a hard time getting into this book, which is disappointing because I LOVED A Brush With Love. I just had too much trouble relating to the main character; she just felt too unrealistic.

What a great introduction to Mazey Eddings. She brought us interesting and real characters. The main character Eva is angry and spiteful and so, so real. Eva has been neglected by her family and has had a string of bad relationships to solidify the idea that she's unlovable. Rylie was an interesting character too. I wish we had to opportunity to be in his head but I understand why it made more sense for this to be a single POV. The Rylie that Eva knew was a total douche canoe who would send any sane person running for the hills with their feelings in taters. Thankfully we don't see that side of him because he has been therapized by the time we are introduced to his character. Overall the book had an engaging plot my only real issue was the ending. The last 10% felt rushed and the ending while tying everything together wasn't quite what I wanted.
The final thing to mention is that this is an inclusive book (which we love to see)

Mazey Eddings’ Well, Actually is a witty, refreshingly modern rom-com that delivers equal parts laugh-out-loud humor and genuine emotional depth. With an unforgettable premise, sizzling chemistry, and sharp social commentary, this book is a must-read for fans of second-chance romance with a side of viral drama.

Eva Kitt’s career has veered wildly off course, leaving her stuck hosting Sausage Talk—a gig as ridiculous as it sounds. But when a spontaneous public call-out of her college ex, Rylie Cooper, goes viral, she suddenly finds herself back in the spotlight. The twist? Rylie, now a beloved internet personality known for dismantling toxic masculinity, offers her a deal: let him take her on a series of dates to prove he’s changed—then publicly critique them on his platform.

What starts as a petty (and highly public) revenge scheme soon turns into something far more complicated. Eva and Rylie’s chemistry crackles on the page, their banter is razor-sharp, and their emotional journey is deeply satisfying. Eddings excels at blending humor with heart, exploring themes of personal growth, accountability, and the complicated nature of forgiveness. Eva’s struggles with her own ambitions and lingering heartbreak make her an incredibly relatable protagonist, while Rylie’s evolution from "the ex you love to hate" to someone genuinely trying to be better is both compelling and swoon-worthy.

Well, Actually is a pitch-perfect rom-com that captures the chaos of internet fame, the power of second chances, and the undeniable magic of well-written enemies-to-lovers tension. With its mix of biting humor, heartfelt moments, and slow-burning romance, this book is a delight from start to finish.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — A must-read for rom-com lovers who enjoy smart, socially relevant storytelling with a side of sizzling chemistry!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for this ARC.

Second-chance romance is not one of my preferred tropes but Mazey Eddings' writing sucked me in and made me care about a saucy, Aubrey Plaza type FMC and a words of affirmation, non-toxic MMC - with great pan and bi representation! I appreciated how Riley shut down Eva's spiral and desire to push him away during the conflict (I hate a dumb miscommunication final conflict and this was not that). This one got me in the feels!

This was a huge success for me—I absolutely ate up the confrontational yet sweet banter in this book. I really understood Eva’s motivations but also believed Rylie. At times the fmc’s boss seemed a bit unbelievable, but I understand her actions may have been exaggerated for the resolution of the story. Only major issue was the switching back and forth between the mmc’s first and last name; sometimes even in the same paragraph. It seemed really inconsistent and at one point I didn’t know which was his first name.

I’ve really enjoyed Mazey’s previous books but this one didn’t land the same way for me.

The main character, Eva, was extremely rude and combative throughout the book. I was hopeful that it would lead to character growth, but I didn’t feel that it did.
She also constantly switched between calling the love interest his first and last names which was confusing and there wasn’t a logical reason in the story to do this.

I did like the love interest, Rylie, and enjoyed the wit and banter between him and Eva!

A lot of people will enjoy this one but unfortunately it didn’t quite work for me.

You’ll enjoy this if you like 🩷
- black cat x golden retriever
- chicken shop date
- queer main characters (bi x pan)
- no third act breakup!

Thank you to SMP Romance & NetGalley for an arc of this book 🫶🏻
Pub date: 8/5/25

I had a really great time with this book. I love a second chance romance and Mazey knocked this out of the park. I always do forget how much on page processing of trauma Mazey does in her stories. It’s not a bad thing but can be heavy. This trauma processing left me a little wrung out. Riley and Eva were really precious. Banter was fun.

Thanks netgallet and the publisher for an e-arc to review!

oh she was CUTEEE. Definitely chicken shop date vibes (but like, that was the whole idea I presume). It was cute and the banter was definitely there, I hate when the fmc is… vanilla, but that was not the case in this book. I love, love, love the sassy female main characters in books because they give the story so much FLAVOR. It’s like putting a dash of salt in cookie dough, it completes a story! It was like enemies-to-lovers-but-they-were-never-fully-enemies-they-just-needed-to-talk-it-out. Nevertheless, I enjoyed this book a lot! It was unpredictable in the way that you kept reading because you just couldn’t see how the plot would work itself out. Mr. Riley Cooper was a firm green flag, and definitely a cat person. Deliciously engrossing, with a refreshing plot!

This was my first Mazey Eddings book and it won't be my last. Absolutely adored it! Rylie was such a man who just loved so hard and so unapologetically. Eva Kitt may be perceived as having a lot of rough edges, but Rylie didn't back down and loved her for it. It wasn't seen as a flaw. And the spice? Oooo it was good. Also loved the queer representation of bi and pan main characters as well. It wasn't a large part of the story, it just .. was. and felt so natural (as it should be!)

4.5

This book was so good! I really loved the characters and how well developed they were! I enjoyed reading their story!

This book was an absolute delight and will be the Hot Girl (haHt gurl) book of the summer! For the cover alone.

I would have read it in a day if I hadn't had to work yesterday! Mazey had me kicking my legs with excitement, squealing to absolutely in tears from the opening line.

I couldn't put this book down. The back and fourth between Eva and Riley is fire and I love how she doesn't make it easy on him! Black cat x Golden retriever energy through and through.

Eva although the middle child is 100% an eldest daughter and you can feel that in the way she's written. For those eldest daughters out there you know what I mean. Chapter 12 had me sobbing and feeling raw. With one specific paragraph and thought's of Eva's highlighted.

I also 100% agree that this is giving Amelia's chicken shop date vibes! IYKYK

"You think my glasses are smutty?" Welcome to all men entering their curly hair, slutty glasses phase. These one liners had me thinking of Jonathon Bailey in the Jurassic World Rebirth posters and Andrew Garfield at the Golden Globes. Sigh!

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Griffin for the eArc for their Valentine's day Romance newsletter.

This second chance romance is steeped in pop culture and social media references. Usually, by the time a book is published these are stale if not incredibly cringey. I do think that happened here a bit, unfortunately.

I was invested in where the plot was going, because it didn’t seem to have any real direction. The thing I thought was going to be drug out for a bit longer, wasn’t. The reveal I assumed would take place later in the book happened before 50%. After that therapy session the entire premise fell apart, and yet I had to know what was coming and why those choices were made. The answer? Not much, honestly. Even the spice was a little boring once they got together. There was potential with two queer main characters for some inventive scenarios, but all we were served was a lot of making out and vanilla encounters that largely drove the word count in the back half of the book.

The banter was fun. Rylie was a little obsessed with her. There were some sweet moments, but overall this was only a 3.5 ⭐️ book.

This book had so much things that I love: second chance romance, bi and pan rep, praise and good girl, and a slow burn. It also was written by Mazey Eddings, so it's automatically a winner for me.

Eva and Rylie hooked up in college, and he ghosted her. She now has her own online show where she interviews C list celebrities while they eat hot dogs, and Rylie is a podcast host. When Eva posts a video calling out Rylie for ghosting her and being terrible in bed, the video goes viral!

They sit down for an interview, and it leads to a series of dates where they explore their feelings and what happened in their past. Rylie is so down bad for Eva, and I loved it.

Eva is setup as an unlikable character, and that's what I enjoyed most about her. She felt like someone who was real.

I have so many thoughts about this book, and I'm sure that I will reread this book again before publication in August. So I will update with more thoughts then.

4,75 stars. I did not expect to enjoy this book so much.

Eva is the host of the show "Hot Dog Date", a segment that is very similar to Amelia Dimoldenbergs "Chicken Shop Date" where she interviews celebrities while acting uninterested and bitchy.
Rylie is a podcaster who talks about toxic masculinity and personal growth.
The problem is that six years ago, Eva and Rylie dated for two months in college, a time that left Eva feeling mistreated and even ghosted in the end. So she doesn't believe the way he acts on social media and in a drunken impulsive moment she stitches his video to tell the internet how toxic and horrible of a person he actually was to her. This leads to him being a guest on Hot Dog Date and propositioning her six dates to make up and to convince her that he is a changed man.

I usually dislike second chance romance and find it a difficult trope to execute. But in this case all worked well. This was the perfect mix of emotional and light-hearted, with funny bits strewn throughout.
Eva may have not been super likeable, but to me she was absolutely relatable, and since her bitchiness wasn't just there for fun but a part of her tough exterior, I found it understandable and forgivable.
Rylie was actually a bit too much of an optimistic sunshine character to me, but he was still highly likeable and a perfect counterpart to Eva. Oh and he is also a huge simp lmao.
The workplace situation was imo painfully realistic, but I would've liked to know what happens to her bosses in the end, other than that I was very happy with the plot.
I will definitely look out for this author from now on.
(Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this arc)

5/5 read it in one couch sitting
Banter is hilarious
Characters are very relatable
Great for ppl who love seeing grumpy sunshine turned on its head

Eva Kitt is a character that is hardened by feelings of failure and fear of not being enough. It is extremely relatable and realistic that she is not only closed off, but harsh and callous. I loved her. I’d read 14 more books about her. She and Riley are written so well, I absolutely love how Riley grew to handle her in her worst moments. I can’t say enough good things about this book

Rating —> 4.5 ⭐️

Thank you so much net galley for trusting me with this new and coming soon release. My opinion is my own and I was not bought out to give a good review and leave -

First off, I have never read a book by Mazey Eddings. But girl- SHE.DID.NOT.DISAPPOINT. The book hooked me in by chapter 2 - and by chapter 5 I was giggling kicking my feet and blocking out dumb household chores so I could finish this book.

The female main character - girl - I love her entire attitude. I see myself a lot through her personality and I’m glad to see some damn representation for the “cold hearted” girls. 😝

The male main character was a gem - a true golden retriever man. Without spoiling the book - that main is everything you’d want in a partner. Gosh. Had me swooning everytime he communicated with her.

The ending DID feel rushed to me - I wish we could have seen it play out a bit more, however, I felt happy and content and I will for sure be recommending this book to my friends,my book community, and others.

Again thank you so much - and I can’t wait to see others like this as much as I did. 💓

I enjoyed this!! It falls somewhere in the middle of Mazey’s books for me. I really enjoyed Eva and Riley’s dynamic, especially in the beginning. It did get a bit old throughout, especially since it feels like every single jab Eva took was pulled directly from Kyle Prue’s TikTok series on how to insult men. The ending felt a bit rushed. Overall though, it was fun and Mazey is gifted at writing spice lol!

This book was super cute and definitely worth the hype! Grabbed it for the cover but stayed for the romance