First, a huge thank you NetGalley & Mazey Eddings for an advance reader copy.
I consumed Well, Actually in less than 24 hours. It hooked me from the first page. Mazey’s sense of humor is always a delight and I cackled at various points throughout the book. The banter was solid and I felt like I really got to know Eva and Rylie. There were a few things that were not quite as developed as I would have liked. For instance, Eva’s boss and her boss’s son – they were easily identified as “the bad guys” in the narrative, but their role in the story arc could have been more fully developed. Additionally, I would have liked to have more on-page time from Eva and Rylie’s friends, especially Lilith. The last thing I’ll mention is that the transitions were a bit clunky. It may just be a product of this being an ARC but it was noticeable enough to mention here. Overall, another solid rom-com that makes me want to kick up my feet and giggle. Mazey never misses.

I was hoping to love this after enjoying 'Late Bloomer' so much, but sadly did not live up to expectations! It was hard to take the romantic and heartfelt parts more seriously when portrayed as a very un-serious comedy, and I struggled to truly empathise with the characters when they seemed like stereotypical caricatures rather than a unique individual. I ended up putting this down for a while in frustration, though at least it did seem to pick up a little at the end which made it slightly easier to finally finish.

Eva Kitt is a force to be reckoned with & the main female lead, as well as the point of view for Mazey Eddings' novel Well, Actually. The story is a romance between Eva & her college acquaintance/dated a few times, Rylie. Six years later & after too much box wine, Eva calls Rylie out on social media for who he is, the dumb college frat boy who ghosted her & not the mature, loveable man he's grown into, who's now hosting a podcast on taking down toxic masculinity. The banter between these two throughout the story is hilarious & the overall message of workspace bullying/toxicity is also a valid one.
Thank you, #NetGalley! I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book with all thoughts and opinions being my own. If you enjoy a progressive way of thinking as well as romance that'll make you swoon, then you'll enjoy Well, Actually by the talented Mazey Eddings.

I just wrapped up Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings, and I really enjoyed it! It’s a fun second-chance romance packed with clever banter and great chemistry. Eva, a journalist hosting this quirky show called Sausage Talk, ends up in a bit of a mess after a viral comment about her ex, Rylie—a social media guy who’s all about healthy masculinity. To fix things, they have to pretend to get along in public, which leads to some hilarious and sweet moments.

The way Eva and Rylie interact had me laughing one minute and feeling all the feelings the next. Mazey’s writing is witty and real, with a nice mix of humor and heart. Beyond just the romance, the story touches on growth, forgiveness, and the ups and downs of modern relationships.

If you like smart, funny romance with characters you actually care about, this one’s definitely worth checking out. It drops on August 5th—don’t miss it!

Lovers to rivals to lovers? Lol such a fun and exciting book to read that brings out our modern day podcasting and going viral! Such a fun read!

Well, Actually is now one of my all-time favorite second-chance romances—I truly couldn’t put it down. The banter is razor-sharp, the laugh-out-loud moments are plentiful, and the emotional depth? Stunning.

Eva doesn’t make it easy for Rylie to earn back her trust after breaking her heart in college—and I loved that. She’s sharp, funny, and guarded, using sarcasm as both armor and charm. Rylie, smitten from the start, sees all of her complexities and adores her for them. Their chemistry and growth made their romance unforgettable.

The mental health rep is excellent, with sincere communication, a standout therapy scene, and a deeply human portrayal of someone using humor to mask childhood trauma. It’s warm, honest, and handled with care.

This book delivers the highest highs and the most gut-wrenching lows, with perfect pacing and emotional payoff. Mazey Eddings packs a punch—with heart, humor, and healing.

Thank you to St. martin's Press and Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. I honestly loved this one.

I had really high hopes for this one but I just didn’t find myself connecting with the main characters. It was a decent book but it’s probably not one I’d read again.

I do adore everything Mazey Eddings writes. The main female character is the same age as me so some of her comments about how she's haggard/almost 30 were a little unsettling, but I deeply enjoyed the relationship between the main characters and how their chemistry progressed.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

From the start I loved Eva Kitt. She's a journalist stuck in a job she doesn't love interviewing "celebrities" over hot dogs (think Chicken Shop Date/Hot Ones), she gives off feminine rage vibes and her idea of self care is daily lattes & Diet Cokes. She's also lonely and trying to figure out what her next steps should be. Cut to being slightly drunk one night and seeing a video of her college ex boyfriend, Rylie Cooper, who's now Internet famous for teaching guys to be non-toxic nice guys. She films a rant, posts it and her life explodes.

Eva and Rylie end up in a work agreement that benefits both of them. He gets a chance to prove he's not who he was six years ago and she gets to prove that she was right. They agree to go on six dates and then talk about it on his podcast. The story really picks up once the dating starts. The dates are so hilarious that I was laughing out loud while reading. Mazey Eddings has such a way with words and I loved every bit of it.

I was emotionally invested in Eva from the start and quickly fell in love with Rylie too. My chest felt tight most of the book while I was reading because I just wanted to know what would happen and wanted all good things for both of them.

There's a work sub plot that provides a common enemy for both characters and I felt like it wrapped up really nicely. There's no third act break up, just two people trying to figure it out and (mostly!) acting like adults while doing it. Super fun read!

I did not really connect with these characters and therefor didn't care as much about the story as I did with other Mazey Eddings books!

But it's still a fun read. I was just expecting something else I guess? I would have liked to see Rylies sexuality more explored. And have Eva go to therapy on her own because we all know she needs it.

The connection between Rylie and Eva was there, but I didn't really believe it. It was unclear to me how Rylie could be so obsessed with Eva all this time and that was the foundation of their relationship. So it didn't really feel believable to me.

Also would have liked to see a deeper dive into the workplace drama. That's where the story got interesting for me and we didn't get very much detail. So I guess this book just wasn't for me, or it was marketed wrong because I did not get the golden retriever vibes from Rylie at all. He was just a player turned simp for Eva. And I don't vibe with that at all.

I did like Eva being 'rude'. It's nice to see a woman not play the overly interested part to be liked on the internet. It's refreshing. But the banter between Rylie and Eva just didn't land for me. Other Mazey Eddings books have better banter! Maybe the humour just wasn't for me. I usually find myself smiling, giggling out loud. And that didn't happen with this story...

So sadly, the newest Mazey Eddings is a miss for me personally. I will be rereading 'late bloomer' instead this pridemonth!

Wow, I thoroughly enjoyed this. Eva's snarky sarcasm was truly comical. I loved her sense of humor. And OMG -- Riley.. yall 😍 He was 100% swoon worthy! By the ending I just about fell in love with him. An amazing book boyfriend. I truly loved the banter and humor in this one. It made me fall in love with all the characters even more. It had a few deeply moving moments as well. I just loved the depth to the characters and their character development throughout the story. It was truly beautiful and spicy!

I received this ARC from NetGalley and St Martin's Griffin to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

I absolutely adored this book! Eva and Riley were such a fun couple and I loved that they confronted their messy pasts together. The spice was also perfection. I also loved the queer rep. I'm super excited for this book to come out in August so the rest of the world can experience how delightful it is! Genuinely couldn't put it down.

I loved loved this book! The male and female main characters were both so interesting and I loved following their separate story arcs and their story of reigniting their love from early college days. The professional aspect with the female MCs job was another interesting perspective as well that I enjoyed!

I started this with little idea what it was about but quickly fell in love. It’s Chicken Shop Date meets all the tropey romcom movies of the early 2000s.

The concept—Eva’s drunken rambling about her ex, Riley Cooper accidentally going viral—was really fun, and the second hand embarrassment was bearable. As Eva and Riley get reacquainted, their chemistry jumped off the page. It was giving black cat and golden retriever vibes as she maintained a hard exterior and he worked hard to earn her trust. It was a lovely journey and I really rooted for them. I only wish Eva didn’t go quite so far with trying to push him away at times.

I’ll definitely check out other books by this author.

Mazey Eddings delivers a great read, again! Well, Actually addresses some very difficult themes, without pulling any punches. Misogyny, bullying, corporate greed, internalized biphobia, and loss of a sibling. However, it is also full of encouragement, empowerment, second chances, and romance. There is plenty of tension and irreverent humor. This is an entertaining, yet thought provoking read for romance lovers everywhere.
Well, Actually was a 3.75 ⭐️ read for me. I struggled a bit with Eva. I wanted her to be stronger from the beginning. Instead, I watched her grow stronger and more self-assured as the story played out. And what’s more encouraging than that?

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings is a beautifully written romance that blends humor, vulnerability, and heartfelt emotion. The story follows Eva Kitt, a neurodivergent sex and relationships columnist navigating life after a very public breakup. When she ends up working with Rylie Cooper, a sweet and slightly chaotic golden retriever of a man, their unexpected partnership leads to a slow-burn romance full of warmth, wit, and mutual growth.

Eddings writes with incredible care and clarity, especially in portraying Eva’s experience with chronic illness and neurodivergence. Rylie is a standout love interest who meets Eva with patience, understanding, and respect. Their relationship feels real and grounded, filled with tender moments and thoughtful communication.

This book is both hilarious and deeply moving. It celebrates self-acceptance, love in all its forms, and the importance of showing up for yourself and others. A feel-good, emotionally resonant read that I will be recommending to everyone. When I tell you I cried tears of joy and sadness in this book and it’s very rare for me to cry I really resonated with Eva and Mazey does an amazing job at portraying the characters back story. Thank you Mazey Eddings and Netgalley for providing me with such an amazing read! I can’t wait to meet Mazey at romance con in Orlando!

DNF @ 72%


Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. In Well Actually we follow Eva who is a host for a YouTube show where she eats hot dogs while talking to random celebrities( I believe it is a take on the girl who does chicken dates while interviewing celebrities). One drunken night she films a video exposing Rylie Cooper stating she had a couple crappy dates and a horrible one night stand years ago and was ghosted by him. The video goes viral and she is forced to do an interview with Rylie and during the interview Rylie asks Eva to go on a couple dates to make up for lost time.
That’s as far as I will go so as to not spoil the book.


Umm I’m not sure how I feel, I was 13% into the book and felt like I was wanting to DNF it. I felt like Eva was just too cranky for me. But I wanted to give it more of a chance, so I continued. I really started enjoying the novel more as Eva and Rylie went on a couple dates. However I still never really loved the book. I feel like Eva felt flippy floppy with her emotions with Rylie. It was hard to read how harsh she was being towards him. Not that I’m giving Rylie leeway for the way he had treated her. But idk it just felt like a lot. Their banter was really good, some of it felt cringy (like calling her kitten). I just felt like I really didn’t care about the book overall, so I decided to DNF at 72%. I feel like the chemistry was rushed toward the end and I didn’t fully believe in it because Eva would be so harsh to him and then a minute later be vulnerable with Rylie. Idk maybe it’s me 🤷🏽‍♀️

Well, Actually was such a fun and romantic read! I absolutely loved the dynamic between the main characters, Eva and Riley. Their chemistry jumped off the page, and I found myself rooting for them from the very beginning.

Eva is a strong and confident woman, but what made her especially compelling was how the author showed her emotional depth and vulnerability. Her moments of insecurity made her feel real and incredibly relatable. Riley, on the other hand, is soft-hearted, charming, and the kind of love interest who makes your heart melt.

One of my favorite aspects of the story was watching them work through their past miscommunications. It was beautiful to see how they grew, learned to understand each other better, and eventually rebuilt their trust. Their journey was a touching and heartfelt portrayal of a second chance at love.

If you're a fan of second chance romances with a great mix of humor, emotion, and sizzling chemistry, this book is definitely worth the read.

In Well, Actually, Eva is forced to work with Rylie, a man that treated her like trash in college. It sounds like a recipe for disaster, and for Eva, it is: she interviews him in a Hot Ones/Chicken Shop Date-style interview show over hot dogs, but when she snipes at him he seems… pleased? Excited, even?

Rylie sets out to prove to Eva that he’s a better man now, and while forced to spend time together for work, Eva starts to see that maybe he’s right.

I was so excited for this book! The delicious dynamic, the prophetic cover, the Mazey Eddings of it all! And it started out great - I was eating it up, etc etc. But eventually, Eva started getting on my nerves. She’s a b-word by trade and that’s great, I love that for her. But there were a couple of parts where Eva treated Rylie terribly and it didn’t feel like she properly atoned for that. That didn’t sit right with me. Rylie was doing so much physical and emotional work to prove himself to Eva and I got such whiplash from her treatment of him that I honestly at one point thought he should stop trying. That’s what’s holding me back from giving this book five stars - otherwise I did love the characters and the humor and the story, and would recommend to folks with a little disclaimer. Still love Mazey! Still will eat up whatever else she writes!

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

Sadly, I DNF’d at 25%.
Eva and Riley both felt very immature, I was picking up on Eva’s defense mechanisms and black cat energy, but it wasn’t an enjoyable read. It made me feel awkward reading their interactions and dialogue. It’s clear there’s some past trauma that will likely get unpacked and explain everything, but I’m not emotionally invested in their journey given what I’ve read so far.
Sorry and thank you for the arc in exchange for a review.