In Mazey Eddings' romcom, we follow Eva, an internet personality who hosts an interview program for B-list celebrities in which she is rude to them over hotdogs. Honestly? Eva is so rude, and because of that she is SUCH a refreshing main character for a romance novel. Often, the FMC of romances can feel like a blank canvas for the reader to experience the male love interest, who is the only point of the story, but that was far from the case here. There are multiple times Eva sticks her foot in her mouth, reacts poorly, and overall doesn't come out looking like the greatest person ever. I understood why Eva reacted the way she did, and even though it was easy (as the reader) to form the perfect answer, when Eva gave her flawed perspective, it was so very human.

Rylie was a lovely male romantic lead, especially in a sea of romantasy shadow daddies who brood and smolder. Instead we have a dweeb with a novel crewneck collection who is featured because he fumbled big time at their first attempt of romance in college. A lot of times, banter can be written... not successfully, but these two were FUNNY. There were multiple times this book had me giggling, and their attraction to each other felt real and fully formed.

Thank youNetGalley and the publisher for this arc in exchange for my honest review!

Cute & fun with great LGBTQI+ rep, and pro-therapy narrative, plus a side of trauma (just how I like it)!

Overall a well executed second-chance romance!

What’s to Love…
- black cat/golden retriever vibes
- second-chance romance
- Grade A banter and witty comebacks galore
- MCs that actually communicate!
- pansexual FMC bisexual MC and generally some great representation as well as conversations on the subject
- Laugh out loud funny
- no 3rd act breakup

What I didn’t love…
- I didn’t love Eva, but not for the same reasons as other reviewers, I am pro woman being mean to men. What I didn’t love is the lack of confidence and the overall “woe is me” internal thoughts that happened (esp in the first bit of the book). Honestly though, this was a minor issue.
- the major non romantic arc and resolution was just meh for me.
- This was REALLY good at times, and then other times I was pretty bored.

🌶️ - Ch 14, 15, 16 & 21

Now I would like to address the elephant in the room (aka the cover) - the FMC is wearing black wide leg trousers and a red linen shirt in the scene depicted on the cover and honestly I can’t enjoy the cover now that I know that. Also while I’m at it he’s supposed to be in a navy crewneck sweater. - and if this is supposed to be the dinner scene then why are they eating hot dogs and not pancakes?!

Thank you NetGalley and St Martins Press for sending this book (eARC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Well, Actually is a book about two Internet personalities Rylie and Eva. Rylie and Eva have a past, dated in college and ended with Rylie ghosting Eva. One night 6 years later after having some wine, Eva makes a video responding to Rylie who hosts a podcast about being a better partner and toxic masculinity. She admits that they slept together and basically that Rylie is a fraud. Her employer than arranges for Eva and Rylie to do an interview together which leads to them spending more time together.

This was my first Mazey Eddings book. I did enjoy aspects of this book, but overall it was an okay read. The banter between Rylie and Eva in their enemies to lovers/second chance situation was fun. Eva was a hard character to like. There were times she was very "woe is me" at times. I also felt like parts of her history that would help us understand her better were left out. I really enjoyed Rylie as a character and the changes he made after college to better himself.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Would recommend if you enjoy a younger adult romance with enemies to lovers.

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

4.5 stars. This was such a fun read! I liked the premise of an enemies to lovers that was also second chance romance. Eva and Rylie have great chemistry and it was fun seeing them go from an awkward drunk call out to reluctantly agreeing to work together and their slow burn romance with Eva’s journey to personal growth. At times some of the foils to Eva seemed a little over the top but the fact that there was no third act breakup (my favorite!!) and great communication throughout with the couple more than made up for that. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins for the ARC.

loved this book so much! I really enjoyed the characters and their dynamic. Rylie is so sweet, and Eva is so bold, but together they balance each other out!. I really like the commentary on how women are percieved in media and how they have to navigate the workplace differently than men. I shed tears and laughed out loud.

4.75 on StoryGraph

I absolutely ate this book up!

A few months ago, I heard about this upcoming book that sounded really cute. I added it to my to be read list, and figured I would pick up a copy when it released.

Well, it was my lucky day and I was able to read this early, and I’ve got to say, I’m glad I pre-saved this book as it was worth the hype!

This book is hilarious, I laughed out loud a few times, cringed some other times, but at its heart, there is so much love here. Riley is going to steal so many hearts. He’s down so bad, it’s adorable.

Eva is a fascinating protagonist. We see everything from her point of view so we get to see her softer moments more clearly, but she clearly pushes people away and is sharp to everyone else. Telling the story from her point of view is such a smart choice but I’d love to see a chapter from Riley’s point of view to see how others see Eva!

The story itself was so cute as well, the disaster of a first date, the romance, and career conversations were navigated so well. I couldn’t put this book down.

If you’re a romcom fan, pick this one up!

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings is a heartfelt and witty contemporary romance that expertly balances humor and depth. Here’s my personal take on the book: The story revolves around Mia, a sharp-witted and ambitious woman navigating the ups and downs of her career and personal life. Mia's journey to self-discovery is both relatable and inspiring, as she learns to embrace her true self while juggling the complexities of modern relationships and professional ambitions. Mazey Eddings's writing style is refreshingly engaging, with a perfect blend of humor and emotional resonance. The characters are well-crafted, with Mia standing out as a particularly compelling protagonist. Her vulnerabilities and strengths are portrayed with authenticity, making her a character readers can easily connect with.

The romance in the book is both charming and realistic. The chemistry between Mia and her love interest is palpable, and their interactions are filled with clever banter and genuine emotion. Their relationship evolves naturally, with moments of both joy and tension that keep the reader invested in their journey. One of the strengths of the book is its exploration of themes such as self-acceptance, mental health, and the importance of supportive friendships. These elements add depth to the narrative and make it more than just a typical romance. The supporting characters, including Mia's friends and family, are integral to the story and provide additional layers of humor and warmth.

So happy to read this while available on #netgalley for 72 hours. Funny, challenging, and steamy, this enemies to lovers had it all. Eddings is such a gifted writer, managing to weave deeper themes into the story that make it so satisfying. Highly recommend! Releases August 4th. Don't sleep on Mazey Eddings, y'all! She is one heck of a storyteller!

I struggle with my review of this book simply because I loved the first half or so but was not a fan of the second part/end.

To start I enjoyed Eva’s sass, her attitude, her sense of humor. I totally felt for her in her moment of weakness with the online video/rant. Rylie is a sweetheart, so assertive and kind but also frank and silly. I found them to be entertaining, cute, great compliments and positive for eachother.

While not every book needs a 3rd act break up (and honestly I don’t think with Eva & Rylie’s history a 3rd act breakup would have worked for them) if there is no 3rd act breakup, the alternate drama driving the latter part of the book needs to be substantial and engaging and carry the narrative. The storyline here did not do that for me. I found myself struggling to stay interested,

Overall, I liked the book and Eva & Rylie were fun characters to get to know. Was it my favorite Maxey Eddings book? No. Was it a cute read? Yep. Would I read another Mazey Eddings books? Yes.

This was such a funny romcom! I was cackling. Love when one of the main characters has a dry sense of humor.

Riley Cooper had my stomach hurting from laughing so hard. Eva is an FMC who is super relatable as she just wants to protect her heart. I really enjoyed how she evolved in this book.

What to expect…

Second chance
Right person/wrong time
Black cat/golden retriever

I want to thank St. Martins press & NetGalley for this ARC.
I’m a big fan of Mazey Eddings so I was very excited to ready this story as I had been hearing about it for a while. I loved the concept right away. I’m a big fan of the YouTube shows where an interviewer chats with celebrities over hot sauce or chicken so it was smart to take this new way of entertainment and turn it into a story. Now, I want to say as much as I enjoy Mazey’s writing I found myself struggling through this one. I tried to like Eva. And it has nothing to do with her stubbornness, or prickly nature. I’m all for a main lead to not be full of sunshine and rainbows and speaks her mind. I actually loved those characteristics in Eva. I feel like it just took me too long to understand her. I dislike how she used her insecurities to make others feel less than or feel bad about themselves. She needed therapy badly. Riley on the other hand was a great male lead (Mazey’s male leads are always really good btw to anyone who hasn’t read her other books).He was almost too patient and kind to Eva with the way she treated him even if he did feel bad for what had happened six years prior. The development of a relationship between them was well done and when Eva finally let down her walls it made for a better story. I did believe in the end they truly love each other which at the end of the day makes a good rom-com.
All in all a fun read!

I loved this book is was such a quick fun read there was so much banter and I enjoyed the second chance genre!!

I could not put this book down, it had some of my favorite tropes second chance romance and a golden retriever MMC. There is something to be said for a MMC who realized his issues and worked on it all on his own before helping the FMC work on her issues. Rylie Cooper was a perfect book boyfriend in my opinion.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun read. I really enjoyed the banter between the MMCs, it was quick witted and funny. I don’t usually like second chance stories, but this one did it for me and both characters were likable.

I found Eva and her issues to be completely relatable and very realistic. I really enjoyed her character and loved how she immediately found grace for Riley’s behavior once she found out why he behaved the way he did back in college. Riley was also a little cutie. I wish we had his POV in this book so we could have more insight to his feelings. Especially when he initially saw her video, how he felt seeing her again and just his journey in general. I would’ve enjoyed his internal thoughts.

Overall, this was a fun read and would recommend to friends.

well actually this book so cute. too cute in my opinion. The amount of times I was giggling and kicking my feet was ridiculous and too many times as a grown woman. But this book was good and I enjoyed the characters and their relationship. It was slow at the beginning but sped up as the book progressed.

4⭐️s! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this advanced copy! Well, Actually was my first book by Mazey Eddings but it won’t be my last! I really enjoyed this cute rom com and specifically the care in which mental health was represented.
Well, Actually is a romantic comedy with a black cat FMC and a green flags only, golden retriever MMC. This second chance romance takes place 6 years after the two main characters briefly date in college. Eva Kitt isn’t exactly living her dream life as the host of a Chicken Shop Date-esque internet show where she eats hotdogs and acts bitchy and bored with B-D list celebs. She wants to be a serious journalist and believes if she just does her best at this current assignment she will be rewarded by her iconic boss and her son (an absolute weasel of a man).
When Eva sees a video of her ex, Rylie, talking about how men can be non toxic and how they should treat the women in their life, she snaps. A drunken Internet sensation is born and Eva gets thrown back into Rylie’s life whether she likes it or not.
What follows is mostly Eva being very mean to Rylie and Rylie absolutely loving every second of it. My guess is a lot of people will say this FMC is unlikeable. I couldn’t disagree more! Is she kind of mean, yes! Is this a highly honed skilled to avoid being let down, also yes. The mental health and deep rooted feelings of both characters get explored beautifully and fully throughout the next 50% of the book. I adored Eva and Rylie and their relationship together.
The reason this is 4 ⭐️s for me instead of 5 is that most of the tension and story got wrapped up around 70% in and I struggled a little bit through the 90% mark with the story feeling a little stagnant. I wasn’t as invested in Eva’s career as the author would maybe like me to be. The final 10% did pick up again for me and this was a super cute read that I would definitely recommend to anyone who loves deep, fully formed but flawed characters.

On a career journey toward real life journalism, Eva ended up on air for a ridiculous, satirical internet interview show reminiscent of Between Two Ferns. After a liquor fueled bad decision to share her thoughts on Rylie, a famous internet host - and former college near-flame - lands Rylie on her show, life gets interesting. Explores some interesting themes of sexism. I love Eddings’s style and voice. It felt like a romcom for smart women. I’m now here for any title Eddings brings to the table.

Not good. Just, not good. The writing was pretty elementary. I’m sure this will appeal to some but it wasn’t the sharp, smart book that I was hoping for.

At the start of the book I was all in. Super sassy, strong fmc who gets herself into shenanigans with mmc and they then have to go on 6 dates. So in for this second chance slow burn. I was breezing along for the first half, but the 2nd half unfortunately the pacing felt off and dragged a bit. I did keep with it and glad I did as loved seeing how it all wrapped up. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced reader copy for my honest review!

5/5. This was a perfect romance. The prickly FMC who wants so bad to be loved and the golden retriever MMC. Absolute perfection and the focus on enthusiastic consent and participation during the intimate scenes was so sweet.