3.5 ⭐️

a mean-ass pansexual version of amelia dimoldenberg (with sausages instead of chicken) gets drunk and posts a tiktok about her (famous podcaster) ex being a fake feminist then proceeds to go on a series of dates that they debrief on his podcast. he turns out to be a reformed frat boy with lots of trauma and still obsessed with her.

this was fun. i respect women’s rights and wrongs, but eva was borderline a bully 😭 i loved rylie bc the man is a sweetie in the streets and a freak in the jeets (yes he has denim sheets)

the story isn’t super memorable, but i will be thinking about his bedding choices for awhile.

Eva and Rylie's college romance ended abruptly when he ghosted her. Six years later, she sees his social media post, he’s a social media personality , focused on advice for treating women, and her reaction goes viral. Her media company employer seizes the opportunity, forcing a reconnection between the former lovers.

I struggled with Eva's "black cat" personality. My Southern sensibilities prefer a "honey, not vinegar" approach. The spice level was also too high for me, leading to some skipping. By the 80% mark, the story began to drag.

However, there were highlights! The skim milk scene was genuinely hilarious, waking my husband with laughter. Rylie's sunshine personality was well-written and charming.

Eddings tackles important topics regarding sexuality and sexism, expanding my compassion. For that, I'm grateful.

If you enjoy "black cat" FMCs, give this book a try!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

I think that this book had a really fun premise and set itself up pretty well. After we get the second date at the diner, it kind of feels like it becomes a different story. Everything before that feels like it is going to be a story about them going on six dates and falling in love over the course of those dates. Everything after feels like a story about her overcoming her job troubles and finding her identity out of work. The job troubles are set up in the first part, so it is technically not out of the blue and it doesn't sway from what has been established. I think I was just under the impression that we would see all six dates they agreed upon, so when we swayed from that it threw me for a loop. As for the leads, Eva and Rylie, I really liked them both as a couple and on their own. I don't feel like I see their dynamic often, so it felt like a breath of fresh air. They have the dynamic of she's mean and takes jabs at him sometimes, and he loves and smiles in return to every jab she throws. I don't think everyone is going to like their dynamic and I suspect it will ruin the book for some people. There were times that I think she was a little much, but because their conversations always flowed, I never really had time to sit and think about that. What I will say is that I don't feel like Eva was as open with Rylie as he was with her. We see him tell her about his sister and the personal struggles he has had with his sexual identity, and it helps them heal a lot of wounds. Eva on the other hand never really opens up to him about her childhood and how it shaped her. We as the reader know this because we are in her head, but we never see her tell Rylie about it. I just wish we had a scene of her talking to him about it because I think it would've gone a long way in their relationship. I liked the premise surrounding their second chance romance, but for the life of me I couldn't get over that they had only known each other for a couple months in college. I think I would've believed it more had they known each other for a year in college before their split. I struggled at times to believe she would hold all frustration with him six years later after knowing him for so little time. I do think that the author gave good reasons for why they might still remember each other given that he was her first and she was a light in a time of grief for him. I understand the reasoning; I just don't agree with the timeline. Overall, I really did enjoy this book and liked Eva's quick wit, but I could see other people not enjoying it based off their dynamic.

I enjoyed this. It took me awhile to read it but it was fun and cute. Riley is sooo down bad for Eva it's great! 💋

This was great! The spice was excellent…the banter was top notch!!! I will definitely be keeping my eye out for more stories from Mazey!!!

If you relate to the lyric “to you I can admit I’m just too soft for all of it” I think this book might be right up your alley. A sweet (and sometimes sassy) second chance romance about two people who are just trying their best. I loved the LGBTQIA+ representation, especially from our MMC. He really owned up to his mistakes as well. Overall an enjoyable read.

THIS BOOK YOU ALL!!
Mazey can’t write something I don’t like. This book was funny, full of banter and angst. Rylie and Ava were a match made in heaven and I loved everything about their storyline and second chance. I loved the dates and the debriefs. It was everything I needed to read and I am so happy with it!!

I devoured this book like it was a hot dog - I literally could not put it down.

Eva? Bitchy Queen for the ages. I loved her. I want to be her.

Rylie? Let’s see he’s hot, smart, self-aware - do I need to go on, honestly? He’s amazing. No notes.

I loved their dynamic, it literally had me laughing out loud reading some of their dialogue. Their romance is a 5/5 and the SPICE?! 🥵

This was a fun, emotional read that I truly enjoyed. A bit of angst, but overall a great book and I highly recommend.

Mazey Eddings delivers a witty and heartfelt second-chance romance in Well, Actually. Journalist Eva Kitt's career takes an unexpected turn, bringing her face-to-face with her college ex, Rylie Cooper, now a social media advocate for positive masculinity. Their rekindled connection is filled with humor, tension, and self-discovery. With sharp dialogue and authentic character growth, Eddings crafts a charming and insightful story about love, change, and second chances.

If golden retriever meets black cat is your thing, then Well, Actually is for you! While some people might think that Eva is just downright cruel, I really do understand that her harshness comes from a place of forever being misunderstood. Eva has never had a relationship, family or any other, that has made her feel validated! Between that, and working in a field where it seems she is never enough, its no surprise, when Rylie comes around for his redemption to the girl he let slip away, Eva is nothing but hesitant.

It didn’t take long for me to start to root for Eva and Rylie. To see through her touch exterior and know there’s a bleeding heart in there somewhere. Is Rylie what she needed in her life to see her soft and loving side is still deep down?

Also, I’m sorry but I just LOVE Rylie and his growth as a man, and the way he WORSHIPS his women. Hello new book boyfriend !

All the feels....

They're guaranteed with this read. The messy lows of emotions; that is, of feeling less than and abandoned as well as the higher ones of being seen, and valued. It's all in here.

Bit of a slow start but worth the buildup. Been a fan since her first book, "A Brush with Love". No two stories are alike. Nor are the characters. Their 'golden retriever' and 'black cat' personas are really felt by the reader by their back and forth snappy banter.

Added bonus was seeing past characters make a seamless appearance too ! Many authors do interconnected books but often the characters are from the same friend circles, small towns, or family. Not so here. And, if you are are an ardent fan of city life, especially NYC, this story is for you with the descriptions of its subway system, apartments, and restaurants.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, in exchange for an honest review.

Wow what a cute book! I really enjoyed this read. The characters grabbed my attention right off the bat. I really enjoyed the banter between the two main characters and how she didn’t want anything to do with him but he was trying to make up for how he acted to her years ago. I just really liked their connection and how he kept pursuing her and showing her that he had changed. What a cute quick read! This was an overall fun, flirty and surprisingly interoperative read. Prefect for those that like banter-filled rom-coms with a touch of the emotional depth added in there.

Thank you NetGalley for this Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for my honest Review.

Witty banter!!! I love when the dialogue flows realistically! I absolutely love the quick wit of Eva and Rylie !
This romance shines light on grieving and getting help ! I enjoyed this book from start to finish

I love Riley Cooper with his gray eyes and kitschy crewnecks and hideous PT Cruiser. I was overjoyed when Eva FINALLY let her guard down with Riley, but dang, did she make him work for it. The story felt a little slow and repetitive in the middle but overall I enjoyed it. 3.5 stars.

I didn't love this one. The basic premise is simple enough, but it didn't deliver. I simply didn't understand Eva holding so much hatred for this man who loves her and immediately jumps upon the idea of setting things right with her. Rather than shaping the characters and their arcs independently, I feel they were modelled to fit the trope of grumpy/sunshine. I couldn't connect enough with Rylie and I wasn't loving Eva's personally and attitude. Also with Aida, I don't understand why or how she was Eva's best friend. I truly love and value friendships, and with that there HAS to be support and good communication. Disagreements and fights? Sure. But the friends always have each other's back and resolve whatever issue. Aida did absolutely nothing for Eva and nor were there any good supportive side characters. I can't find much that I loved about this book, just that it's readable but I will not be reading this again.

I have never read anything from Mazey Eddings and wow, I could not stop blushing and squealing like a school girl while reading this book!

I saw someone say this was Andrew and Amelia from chicken shop date and that made me laugh out loud because that really is the vibes I got. I was kind of on the fence after reading the description on how they dated once before and he treated her terribly but once the book go going I was so pleasantly surprised but how this book not only opens your heart to second chances but also touches on personal growth that people can achieve through reflection and acknowledging your wrongdoings.

I was really enjoying the black cat/ golden retriever vibes I got throughout this second chance romance and she just hit everything so perfectly. Nothing felt too forced or too quick or too perfect. It all felt so organic and beautifully crafted.

Mazey Eddings, you have a new fan girl.

I really liked this! Eva is the ultimate cool girl and we all want to be a cool girl, right?! Well maybe not, but I certainly did. Of course there were points where I was frustrated with her and her choices, but that's only natural when reading a book. I do feel like we could have gotten more at the end with the career storyline, but I was still pretty happy with how it all played out.

If you're reading this for Chicken Shop Date vibes, skip it. If you're reading this for a snarky FMC with a rom-com story with good banter and yearning, give it a go!!

I just want to start by saying wow. Just wow. A book hasn’t made me feel this much in a long time. I stayed up until 5 am to finish it, I just could not put it down and I needed to know what happened. I loved the banter and the black cat/golden retriever vibes. This is the fourth Mazey Eddings book I’ve read and it is now my favorite of hers. I thought that the mental health topics were handled with care and it was lovely. Again, wow!

I really loved this book, it was funny and kept me in intrested!! i love a good black cat x golden retriever dynamic and this gave what needed to be given. like, rent must be due bc mazey eddings delivered so hard here.
I loved the characters. like i said, i saw so much of myself in eva and just related to some of her opinions and experiences sm. except i don't have a hot golden retriever man making me slowly fall in love with him.Absolutely recommend. no notes. i enjoyed the writing and the plot and adored the characters and this COVER!!

I really wanted to like this book!! I was so excited for the Chicken Shop Date vibes, but unfortunately didn’t get that. (Although it did have some cheesy moments that I ATE UP) Eva was really hard to like.. I had a rough time rooting for her. I enjoyed learning more about Rylie and his backstory. I wish we had gotten some chapters from his pov!
2.75 ⭐️

Thank you for the arc Netgalley!