at times i didn’t hate it, but ultimately i couldn’t get past how forced it felt. to put it briefly, i couldn’t help but cringe at the pet names, the constant media references (which will make this book feel outdated fast), and the smut. all the characters fell flat for me —they just felt boring and lacklustre. most of the side characters seemed like they were added purely for the sake of “diversity,” without any real depth or development to them.
thank you to the publishers for the e-arc.

Rounding a 3.5 star up to 4, I think this might be my first Mazey Eddings read? And it was a delight!

The concept is cute, clever, and fresh. The banter was sparkling, the chemistry was 🔥. I read this on vacation and neglected my poor husband for part of the trip because I couldn't put it down.

It skewed a little too young for me--*cries in old lady*--I don't know anything about chicken shop date and I'm too old for TikTok. That said, I still found the book fun and relatable, especially the toxic workplace vibes.

Thank you to the author for a copy of this ARC. All opinions in this review are mine and are freely given.

omg I loved this book
The tension
The banter
I love them truly!!!!

My friend told me some aspects remind me of Chicken Shop Dates on YouTube and omg I can see it!!!! Ahhhh I love that show and this!!!

I don't think any other book has ever made me audibly laugh and kick my heels in the air like this book did. It was so funny, so well written, so personal and real, and hot! Even from one POV, both main characters are so well fleshed out and explained and unique in their personal journey. I would recommend this book to everyone I know!!!

This story was really cute! I loved the banter between the main characters. This was my first Mazey Eddings read, but I love rom-coms and decided to give this a try. Thanks for this advanced reader copy!

Thank you to St. Martin's Griffin for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own!

I had a really fun time with this and had a hard time putting it down! I loved how prickly and mean Eva was and how Rylie was just down bad for her. I wished we got more of a confrontation with Eva’s friend though as I felt like she was an unintentional villain half the time. I also feel like Rylie never really addressed his frat boy days, like he mentions it but we never find out why he was in a frat in the first place?

I also had a hard time with how Eva felt like her job was the end all be all of her career when they treated her pretty terribly. Her need to bend over backwards for them felt a bit out of character. Not my favorite Mazey, but I think others might enjoy it way more than me.

This book is giving Black cat/golden retriever vibes and I am here for it.
Eva is struggling to be taken seriously in her career. Rylie broke her heart in college and is now thriving with his podcast. After a night of drinking she comes across one of his TikTok’s and decides to stitch it and spills it all.
Now he’s trying to win her over in 6 dates.
The relatability of the characters and their struggles and real life was so good. The wittiness was great. The character growth was great. The growth as a couple is honest and relatable.

Well, Actually Book Review 🦇

What's your favorite black cat / golden retriever pairing?❓

Eva Kitt never expected to be the host of Sausage Talk, interviewing B-list celebrities over lukewarm hot dogs, instead of pursuing the journalism career she dreamed of. But when Eva’s impromptu public call out of her college ex goes viral, she’s thrust into the spotlight. It doesn’t help said ex is Rylie Cooper, a beloved social media personality that has built a platform on deconstructing toxic masculinity and teaching men how to be good partners. Forced to confront Rylie on a live episode of Sausage Talk, he offers Eva a deal: allow him to take her on a series of dates to make up for his toxic behavior, then debrief them on his channel to show he’s changed. Eva refuses to play nice, but agrees to the scheme to advance her own career and continue defaming Rylie’s good name. When these manufactured dates start to feel real, Eva has to wonder if the boy that broke her heart has become the man that might heal it. 🦇

Five stars? Not enough. This witty, sassy, bad-assy contemporary romance goes to infinity and beyond on the rating chart. I highly doubt another romance will top this one for a long while. Let's break it down. 💜

Characters (5/5) Hurt people hurt people, and Eva is no exception. She's ruthless, cutting, all sharp wit, and Rylie lobs it right back every time. Speaking of Rylie, this grieving, half-absent boy grown to attentive, adoring man: UGH. Where can I get one (shh, it's okay, my gf doesn't read these reviews)? It's not just that he takes Eva's attitude in stride, or that he loves her in spite of her ruthlessness. He loves her FOR it, for every messy, damaged, can't-get-out-of-her-own way part of her. He uses his own character growth to encourage Eva's, and it's beautiful. Eddings has always excelled at realistic, breathing-off-the-page characters, but she exceeds herself with this one. I have a big place in my heart for women who think they're too much and unlovable because of it; that mentality is rooted deeply in Eva's character, in her reactions to Rylie's actions, all of it. And Rylie, trying to change for the better, correct toxic masculinity, while recognizing and healing from Internalized biphobia; UGH, BABY GIRL. I will say our antagonists are a BIT much, but as someone who has dealt with corporate greed and horrible bosses, it's too real. PS: Spin-off book for Rylie's roommates when? ✨

Plot and Pacing (5/5) A lot of romances falter the moment the ship gets together or smut comes into play. Well, Actually does NOT fall into that trap, and Eva doesn't have a dramatic, unrealistic character crisis when these enemies become lovers. It's real, it's raw, it's consistent. The plot is a great second-chance set-up, and I'm glad the "six dates" thread is mentioned at the end instead of abandoned entirely. ✨

Romance (5/5) This is the perfect example of two people being right for each other at the wrong time; a second chance romance that proves second chances can change our lives. Each time Eva takes a step back, becoming her own worst enemy, Rylie has the perfect counter. He reminds her that he adores her for who she is, that she keeps him on his toes. I went CRAZY annotating this one; their back and forth is so good, first all bitter bite, then adoring, encouraging, HEALTHY. ✨

Mystery/Suspense (4/5) I did call Rylie's reveal about what happened in college, because, well, hurt people hurt people (even if it's unintentional). The toxic workplace drama, the video leak...I called that as inevitable real quick. However, I do think it's a necessary plot point, giving Eva the push she needs at the end. I adored, "I wanted to support other people experiencing the soul-sucking demoralization working for someone that treats them like less than a person." Perfect character growth. ✨

Tone/Prose (5/5) Like I said, I went crazy with the annotations. So many lines had me kicking my feet giggling or biting my bottom lip. This is, by far, Mazey Eddings' strongest book in terms of prose and dialogue. Even some of the lines that border on "too far" or "too mean" are perfect--for their honesty, yes, but also for Eva's character. ✨

Recommended to fans of Truly, Madly, Deeply by Alexandria Bellefleur and First-Time Caller by BK Borison. 🦇

The Vibes ✨
Pan FMC / Bi MMC ❤‍🔥
Queer Romance ❤‍🔥
Contemporary Romance ❤‍🔥
Second Chance Romance ❤‍🔥
Enemies to Lovers / Hate to Love ❤‍🔥
Forced Proximity / Workplace Romance ❤‍🔥
Fake(ish) Dating ❤‍🔥
Black Cat / Golden Retriever ❤‍🔥

TW: Internalized biphobia, workplace abuse, grief, toxic masculinity, Internalized misogyny ⚠

Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book. #WellActually 🦇

Quotes 💬
Hot Girl isn’t something someone is born as. Hot Girl is an armor you put on. An impenetrable fortress of makeup or dyed hair or fake nails or killer clothes or expensive perfume or any other bodily adornment that makes you feel fucking good. Powerful. Hot Girl isn’t a look or a style, it’s a commitment to doing whatever makes you feel unstoppable in the face of life’s fuckery.

"The spiciest thing here is undoubtedly you, Kitten.”

“In your dreams.” “I’ve certainly seen you there a time or two.”

“Haven’t you ever wanted a second chance to right a wrong?”

“I like listening to you. I like never knowing what out-of-pocket thing you’re going to say next. I like hearing about your ideas and your thoughts and then reading how you piece them together. I like that you’re a little bit feral and that sometimes you let me get away with teasing you.”

I am tough. And I’m really fucking sick of having to be. I’m sick of having to choke down my feelings, fend for myself. I’m sick of stepping into glass armor every day, waiting for whatever stones people on the internet chuck my way, whatever fractures the powers that be at my job chisel onto my surface. I’m sick of having to scrape my way to aloofness just so I’m not a nuisance to my friends. My family. I deserve softness, goddammit. I deserve tender moments and gentle caresses and whispered sweet nothings. I deserve someone, somewhere, wanting to like me for me and not the hardened veneer I gloss my vulnerability with.

"All of this is because I want to know you, be around you. Because I fucked it up once and I saw a second chance. Because now I’m so deep in this I would crawl through hell on my hands and knees over a bed of broken glass before I let you go again."

He stares at me, devastated like I’ve ripped the heart right from his chest, elated like he couldn’t be happier for me to hold it.

“Your bite is one of my favorite things about you; I’d never want you to go easy on me.”

"I want you contrarian and difficult and keeping me on my toes. I want your sour moods just as much as I want your sunny ones. I’m not asking you to change. You can call me any name you want, as long as I can call you mine."

"Listen here, you little demon,” he says, voice rough yet threaded with tenderness. “You can be as tough and harsh and guarded as you need out there, but in here”— he emphasizes the bed with a brutal pump of his hips—“ you’ll show me the real you. What happens between us isn’t a distraction, Eva. It’s too important for that."

"You’ll always be worth it."

"You are the sharpest, fiercest person I know. I have never been more off-kilter than when you let me into your life. I can’t even begin to predict what godless thing you’ll say or do next, and I have a very healthy fear of your bad side. And, fuck, I love you. I want to spend every day listening to you be an absolute shithead to me. If at the end of my life someone asked me what I’d do with one more hour, one more minute, I would fight with you. Argue with you. Kiss you and hug you and hold you. Anything for one more second with you. I’d choose this every single time. Because I know you love me too."

I initially considered DNFing this one, because Eva's caustic attitude and over-the-top negativity wasn't doing it for me. I'm SO glad that I kept going though, as I ended up really appreciating this book.

I appreciated the way that it explored the stories we tell ourselves about other people's hurtful actions and how so often there's much, much more context to someone's bad behavior than what we know. While the context doesn't excuse the behavior or invalidate the hurt, it can help us understand the situation more holistically - and challenge the frequent tendency to assume it's our inability to be loved that's at fault. Eva's emotional growth throughout the book and the way she was eventually able to let go of the multi-layered armor she'd formed around her heart, was beautifully and described in ways that made it so relateable.

The book was also unusual in its portrayal of a m/f couple where both of the characters identified as part of the LGBTQ+ community - Eva as pan and Cooper as bi. The way that the author approached portraying the challenges Cooper faced in coming out to himself was tender and thoughtful.

In addition to all of the above I found myself laughing out loud several times while reading the book, which is always a plus in my book. And the book had more than your average amount of well-written, simultaneously sweet and sexy scenes to boot.

Definitely recommend!

Well, Actually has one of the most fun beginnings I’ve read in a long time. And the humor, banter, and crazy just kept going. Eva (grumpy) and Riley (sunshine) have absolutely everything against them, and it took Mazey’s excellent skill as an author to bring it all together. Eva is not very likable, imo, and she won’t be for every reader. However, I think that is the point - even those who don’t have their stuff figured out, are a bit selfish towards their friends, and hold grudges for years deserve and can find their own happy ending. Bravo Eva! Here’s hoping many readers find your story and see a bit of themselves in it.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC to read and review. All opinions are my own.

I ADORE THIS BOOK!
Mazey Eddings always knocks her witty romance novels out of the park, but this one is a new favorite!
The pace, setting, and characters really shine in this book. The way that the characters grow as people and as a couple is honest, relatable, and hilarious. There are so many laugh out loud, relatable moments that I devoured this book in just two sittings. I can't wait to get my hands on a finished copy of this book. 10/10 would recommend!

It was a laugh-out-loud, swoon-worthy second-chance romance that had me grinning and feeling things I didn't expect. Mazey Eddings delivers yet again a beautiful and emotionally raw love story. The FMC, Eva, is chaotic at best, sharp, and emotionally messy. She is one you would want to grab a drink with. She's stuck hosting Sausage Talk, a hilariously bizarre hot dog interview show (yes, it's as funny as it sounds, and I still giggle thinking about it). When she calls out her ex, Rylie, online, she is put face-to-face with him, and the emotionally intelligent cinnamon roll of a man is now reformed from his college F*Boy era. I can say sparks and insults fly.

Their bet of a few dates to change her mind leads to some of the best banter I've read this year. The chemistry was boiling over. Rylie brings his steady, grounded energy to Eva's hilarious moments and plenty of self-doubt. I mean, she hides from him until she sees he has food. What a boss move. It was rewarding to watch them slowly crack each other open again with genuine, soul-sharing conversations that brought pure joy.
Funny, vulnerable, and sparkling with Mazey Eddings' signature wit, this is a second-chance romance at its finest.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press / St. Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to review and provide my honest feedback.

This was a fun rom-com. My second book by this author and so far I enjoyed both.This book had me laughing but also could definitely have you crying.The second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes, and this one gave me all the emotions. Our main character Eva, she's one tough cookie, but soft at her core. Rylie on the other hand was so sweet. I loved the banter between these characters so much. So entertaining. And how they flirted with each other was pure fun. I just thoroughly enjoyed this one and I will definitely be reading this author's future books.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own..

Mazey fricking Eddings. One of my all time favorite authors, and this of course is no exception. SOOO fun

This book is so good. Its reverse grumpy/sunshine and second chance. The fmc is biting, and funny, and relatable and the mmc is a sweet golden retriever that knows how to match her energy.

This was such a fun read adored this author and they way they tell a story! I cannot wait to read more works by mazey.

This was honestly so much fun.

The banter, the bite, the tension and swoon. I laughed so hard in this book while simultaneously being giddy.

My only critique is there are way too many eye rolls.

Well, Actually is a brilliant, it made me think differently and I could feel the vulnerability through the page. It was refreshing to read about these characters and Mazey handled the characters with through and care.
I will read anything Mazey Eddings writes and this did not disappoint!

I really enjoyed this book from the opening line. I have enjoyed all of this authors books and will be recommending this to my book friends.

"Sausage Talk"—Where Hot Dogs Are Lukewarm, but the Banter Is Sizzling**

Eva Kitt never thought she’d spend her days interrogating washed-up celebs over questionable meat products, but life is full of disappointments. None bigger than her ex, Rylie Cooper—a guy who went from personal heartbreak hazard to internet-certified Good Man™. Now, thanks to an unfortunate viral moment, she’s stuck fake-dating him for content. Because nothing says “career advancement” like reliving your worst breakup in front of an audience.

Eva is the queen of sarcasm, and Rylie is so good at affirmations he could probably sweet-talk a potted plant into blooming. Their dynamic? Pure gold. Every date is a battle of wits, passive-aggressive jabs, and just enough real emotion to make you yell at the book, “OH NO, SHE’S FALLING FOR IT.”

If you love sharp banter, second chances, and the occasional deep thought hidden under a pile of snark, this book is for you. Just maybe don’t read it while eating a hot dog—you’ll either choke from laughter or start questioning your life choices.