Thank you to the publisher, St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin, for this eARC to review.

ANOTHER MAZEY BANGER, 10/10

I absolutely LOVED this story. The main character was unapologetically herself while dealing with being "unlikeable" in the public eye, while we also go to see so much of the way her mind works/what her thoughts and feelings were. The dynamic between her and the MMC Riley, who was an absolute CINNAMON ROLL of a human being and hilarious, was *chef's kiss* and the way they communicated throughout the progression of the story was one of my favorite relationship developments ever. It was so heart wrenching them both navigate their pasts and how if effects them today as people, and it was so satisfying having a story where someone gets to tell their manipulative capitalistic job to heck off. LOL. I will continue to devour Mazey like I always do.

Eva’s stuck hosting a weird celebrity hot dog show when a drunken, viral rant about her ex, Rylie—now a famous influencer—goes viral. He offers to make it up to her with a series of public dates to prove he’s changed, and Eva agrees… mostly to roast him and boost her own career. As their fake dates start feeling a little too real, Eva has to figure out if Rylie’s just playing the part, or if he might actually be the guy she hoped he’d be all along.

I absolutely loved this book—Eva and Rylie’s chemistry and banter were off the charts! Eva’s sass and sharp comebacks had me laughing, and even though she’s a bit much for some readers, I totally got her and loved her for it. Rylie, with his slutty little glasses and emotional glow-up, was trying so hard to win her back, and it was honestly adorable. Melt my heart and call me a puddle- I would take Riley as a book boyfriend any day!

The workplace drama added some extra spice, and watching Rylie be completely smitten, maybe a little obsessed, was such a treat. The story nailed the mix of humor, heat, and angst, and I flew through it. If you’re into messy romance with great banter and a little chaos, this one’s a must-read, especially on audio!

Rating: 4.5/5
Spice: 3/5

Tropes:
Black Cat x Golden Retriever
Second Chance
Witty Banter
LGBTQ+ Rep
Mental Health Rep

Thank you so much St Martin's Press, NetGalley and Mazey Eddings for this eARC. All thoughts are my own.

3.5 stars

Once I managed to get past the "trendy" words and phrases that were used, I really enjoyed this!

The pacing was great, and I was glad that both characters weren't deterred by each other. They stood their ground based on what they believed in, but slowly wore each other down.

There's something about a man who can admit he's done wrong and actively work to fix it... I was actually glad that their first date went wrong, because it showed how two people could be honest with each other but still do the work to make things better.

Overall, a really good book!

Second chance romance between Eva and Rylie. They dated back in college but now have to hang out and date for PR scheme after Eva’s drunken post about Rylie goes viral. Eva is mean to Rylie though most of the book as she pushes him away but makes for amazing banter and flirting between them.
I’m not a big fan of insta-love and everything advancing really quick but I enjoyed their story and love a patient and golden-retriever MMC! This book was a very fun and flirty read!

Thank you NetGally and St. Martins for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.

When I read a Mazey Eddings book, I know I’m going to get some spice, my heartstrings pulled on, and have a good time - and this didn’t disappoint. It’s not my favorite, but that’s just because of how annoying I found Eva, I’m all for the not perfect main character, but Eva was just too annoying & and too implausible for me to believe. Even so, I enjoyed the book.

This book was so much fun! I'm usually not a fan of second chance romances, but this one might change my mind. The writing was easy to get through and easy to follow. Once I got into the book I couldn't put it down! The characters were lovable and the banter was witty, but not annoying (to me at least). I loved the dynamics between all of the characters in the book, especially Eva and Rylie.

Overall, the book was lighthearted and just a joy to read. I will definitely be on the lookout for other books from this author!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press & Macmillan Audio for the review copies.

I loved Well, Actually. So much.

Eva Kitt has a tough exterior but that’s the armor she needs to protect her heart. And when she goes viral for throwing Rylie, a past fling, under the (metaphorical) bus, she is confronted with her past in relationships - with family, friends and partners. However - Rylie is different now than he was six years ago, and he doesn’t give up on Eva - he keeps on trying to break through her armor and showing up for her. That might be my favorite part of this book - the unconditional way Rylie shows vulnerability and caring for Eva, who by all accounts does everything she can to keep him at arms length.

Mazey’s done it again - she’s written a book that made me laugh, made my heart ache, made me blush, and made me swoon. I’ve loved her writing since her debut and in Well, Actually, we get cameos from some of the characters in her former books which felt like a homecoming of sorts. Rylie and Eva are a couple that had to earn their HEA, and I loved going along the ride to see it through.

Well, Actually is out today!

Well Actually | Mazey Eddings
4.5 ⭐️ | 1.5 🌶️

Rylie and Eva have history. From flirty friends to hopeful dating, the eventual ghosting left a 6 year grudge in its wake.

When Rylie shows up on Eva’s FYP with his do-gooder podcast many years later, she drunkenly roasts him for all the internet to see. In an effort to redeem himself, Rylie proposes 6 actual dates, documented for the internet, to show Eva how he’s changed.

Begrudgingly, Eva finds that Rylie has changed, and truly done the work (hello therapy!) and what unravels is a hilarious time of misadventures, so many fight or flight reactions (but mostly flight), and all the banter.

I really enjoyed this read and thought the mental health representation was great and the therapy scene was my favorite.

💞 second chance
🎙️ content creators
🤝 enemies to lovers
🖤 grief

How I read:
📱 60% digital
🎧 40% audio

Eddings has delivered one of her boldest, most emotionally intelligent romances to date. Well, Actually will make you laugh, think, and maybe even reconsider what it means to publicly apologize—and privately forgive.

I've yet to meet a Mazey Eddings book I didn't enjoy and this was no exception. In fact, I think the banter in Well, Actually was Eddings' best yet! Perfect for nostalgic fans of Buzzfeed or current fans of Chicken Shop Date.

This book was such a letdown! It started off so strong, I loved the two main characters and then it all went downhill from there. Typically I love a radio show host vibe, but I was not liking the direction that things went. Also, we don't love to see a lack of communication skills.

Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for my early e-arc.

mazey eddings just writes the most entertaining and banter-filled romances and I love her for it! the entire premise was so wild yet fun, filled with pop culture references and hilarious moments. eva and rylie's dynamic absolutely made the book. a second chance romance of sorts, we get to see the two reconnect after a drunken social media post leads the internet to become obsessed with the former relationship the two had back in college, resulting in a chicken-shop inspired date, a series of follow-up dates, and a budding relationship. the joking and the teasing between the two combined with the sweet moments where you could tell how much they cared and how well they remembered each other was just perfection. this was just so much fun and I loved it as I have every other one of mazey's books.

Mazey Eddings… excuse me… what did you put in this book because I was unwell, unhinged, and absolutely obsessed.

Massive thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for sliding this chaos my way early. Y’all really said “here, ruin your sleep schedule,” and I did.

So, here we go: Eva Kitt thought she’d be out there doing Pulitzer-level journalism, but instead? She’s hosting Sausage Talk - yes, literally interviewing washed-up celebs while holding a lukewarm hot dog. Then she “accidentally” (aka drunkenly) drags her college ex… and the internet eats it up. And who is that ex? Oh, just Rylie Cooper - Mr. Internet Heartthrob, rebranded king of “toxic men, begone.”

Cue a public “redemption arc” scheme where he takes Eva on dates to prove he’s changed. She’s determined to tank his reputation harder than a gas station hot dog at 3am… but then, inconveniently, he starts being hot and actually nice. Rude.

Tropes/vibes (aka the chaos checklist):
* Second chance romance, but with side-eye and sass
* Internet drama we’d all hate IRL but love in a book
* A heroine who could verbally body-slam you and look good doing it
* A reformed ex-boyfriend who is suddenly… kinda irresistible??
* Hot dogs. So many hot dogs.

Thank you to St Martin's and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book! All opinions are my own!

I really really wanted to love this book with all my heart, but alas, I just could not enjoy it like I wanted to. Eva is exceptionally immature and annoying throughout the entire book. She's downright hateful and rude instead of being charmingly full of banter and wit. Every time she did something mean it would take me out of the story and make me cringe. I wanted to be able to give her the benefit of the doubt, especially regarding her past traumas and working to find inner healing, but she didn't seem like she wanted to heal, only lash out at everyone who was trying to love her. Except the whiplash of her suddenly being really sweet to Rylie because of his own trauma.

It was all too much for me, and I was really disappointed, as I've loved Mazey Eddings' books up until now. Hopefully whatever comes next will bring back the heat!

Thanks to St. Martin's for the #gifted copy of this book

“I deserve someone, somewhere, wanting to like me for me and not the hardened veneer I gloss my vulnerability with.”

Summary: Eva Kitt, host of Sausage Talk, never quite expected to be the face of this show. She had big dreams and wanted to pursue more meaningful research topics than interviewing B-list celebrities. But after drunkenly responding to her college ex's program and turning into a viral sensation, Eva is suddenly thrust into the spotlight. When her ex, Rylie Cooper, suggests they go on 6 dates to make up for his horrible ways all those years ago, Eva has no choice but to accept.

My Thoughts: I enjoyed this story. It was a quick and steamy romance featuring an enemies-to-lovers plot, which is always a favorite of mine. The way Riley wanted to right his wrongs with Eva really made me enjoy his character. He realized he was toxic in their past and was trying to make up for that lost time, even if Eva thought it was all a publicity stunt. Behind her curtain of sarcasm, Eva hid her past hurts and insecurities. But Riley, who was never fooled by the act, compelled her to drop her guard and experience real emotion again. I like that when they finally gave in to their feelings, they became a true team and supported each other through some challenging moments at work. Also, they had an amazing friend group who was always there to add some comedic relief.
🎧Ariela Crow did a fantastic job with this audio. I felt the full range of Eva's emotions, a testament to the narrator's spot-on portrayal.

What You'll Find:
💖Second Chance
🎙️Workplace Romance
❤️‍🔥Enemies to Lovers

WOWOWOW!! This book was amazing! Truly spoke to my soul, but was also whip smart! The dialogue was laugh out loud, but without losing any of its immense emotional depth!

The sarcasm and quick wit. The characters and the writing. This book is excellent!

I was instantly hooked and didn't want to put it down. I laughed (no really, I laughed SO MUCH). I swooned. I cheered for these characters! And... I really appreciated the serious exploration of what women face in the workplace in this freaking country.

I don't think it's easy to make a book simultaneously funny and romantic AND serious. Mazey Eddings navigated it perfectly. Everything about this story works so well. I'll read everything she writes going forward.

Thank you to Mazey Eddings, St. Martin's, and #netgalley for my advanced copy.

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings is a sweet and funny second chance romance.

Eva, the host of a hot dog 🌭 program posts one night about an ex, Cooper who is tik tok famous. When the post goes viral for pointing out his short comings he suggests a date do over.

Can these two move past what happened 6 years ago?

A fun read for the last days of August

Thank you to St. Martin’s for providing me with an ARC of this book. I’ve read several of Mazey Eddings’ books before and have always enjoyed them.

This is a romance that also explores heavier themes of grief and rejection. Reviews have been quite divided—readers seem to either really connect with it or not at all. Personally, I enjoyed it. Mazey has a gift for capturing emotions in such a raw and authentic way that you can truly feel the characters’ turmoil. Eva’s emotions in particular are written with great intensity and honesty.

The story follows Rylie Cooper, a podcaster known for his show about dismantling toxic masculinity. Eva doesn’t buy into it—she sees him as the definition of toxic masculinity. One night, after a few drinks, she records a TikTok exposing her own traumatic experience and calling him out. The video goes viral, changing both of their lives.

Rylie reaches out with a proposition: if Eva agrees to go on six dates with him, he’s confident he can change her opinion. Her boss encourages her to do it for the sake of her career, so she reluctantly agrees. Together, they embark on this six-date experiment, with follow-up interviews after each one. The concept quickly draws media attention, and both of their careers benefit from the arrangement.

The book balances sharp banter and moments of humor with some emotionally heavy, heartfelt storylines. If you’ve enjoyed Mazey Eddings’ previous books and like romances that mix vulnerability, wit, and emotional depth, then this one is worth picking up.

This was an entertaining cute rom com. If you like second chance romances, this book is for you! The female main character was hilarious and the banter had me chortling. I enjoyed the pacing and the tension was chef's kiss! But there was also some very emotional parts that gave the story depth. A fun read for romance enthusiasts.