I was really looking forward to this book as I’ve rated all of Eddings' previous books 4 & 5 stars. I also thought the cover was very cute. Eva Kitt wants to be the journalist she studied to be. But her work is being the host of Sausage Talk, which has her interviewing B-list celebrities while eating hot dogs. Evidently this is a play on a currently popular Chicken Shop Date show. (I had to ask my daughter about that as I had no clue.) Rylie Cooper has a popular podcast with over a million subscribers. He has a good guy persona and his show is about men being better partners. Well, Eva hooked up with him in college and then he ghosted her so she publicly calls him out. In return he shows up on her show asking her for some dates to prove he has changed. They can talk about it on both their shows and increase each other's ratings.

The set up is decent but Eva is in constant put down mode. She calls him baby girl, which I loathe when men use that as a pet name for women. I thought it was equally obnoxious for her to use it on him because it was being used as a derogatory word. My daughter DNF’d the book at the 24 percent point and I understood her feelings. I pushed forward and the story redeems itself and gets better. He has a reasonable explanation for his college self’s actions and she has reasons why it caused her trauma. But his first date goes horribly and one of the dates he takes her to couples counseling. I honestly wasn’t sure if the second one was for laughs or not.

Edding’s has touched feelings with past characters who have struggled with ADHD and anxiety. I was surprised when I finished this book that I didn't care if the pair got together or not. It does end in an okay place but I wanted something more concrete. (3.5 Stars)

This was good - it was compared to Chicken Shop Date in a lot of the promo and I definitely think that tracks. It was a really unique premise but also really interesting to actually read. I did like the second chance of it all, and, in my opinion, I think Riley and Eva worked really well together.

I do kinda think it fell into the "we discovered sex and now that's all we do and let me tell you all about it" hole that I kinda hate, but it all tied back together so I'll give it a little forgiveness for that. I also do kinda think a lot of the non-romance plot lines went unresolved, especially the ones regarding her friends. They kinda discuss it, but I definitely feel like the discussion they had about everything would not have made them go back to being good so quickly.

I did really enjoy the narrator for this - Ariela Crow's voice really fit Eva perfectly for this. I think that her narration really added another layer to this that I had a good time with.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

Eva Kitt is called into the spotlight after a social media video calling out her ex and social media star, Rylie Cooper, goes viral. Her boss then persuades her to meet with him on her show, where they make a deal to go on a few dates to make up for his past behavior. This was a quick read with fun enemies to lovers banter and a lot of steam. Ariela Crow did a great job narrating this story from Eva’s point of view, making me empathize with her, and I loved how she voiced the dialogue with the supporting characters. There were times when I felt the characters’ immaturity pulled me away from the story, and I wasn’t as invested in them as a couple. Still, a quick and fun read!

Read if you like:
-Black cat/ golden retriever combo
-Second chance
-Workplace
-Mental health/ Bi + Pan rep

2.5 stars
I really liked the set up of the book— the hot dog equivalent of Chicken Shop Date! The enemies to lovers genre isn’t my fav but I do like a second chance romance. Unfortunately, I felt like this book tried to do too much and take on too many traumas and toxic behaviors. It got bogged down with it all and I struggled to root for Eva and Rylie.

I loved the characters in this, but honestly I’m not sure if it was the narrator, or the dialogue in general, but it was just too much description in weird areas. It’s like the characters were trying too hard to be romance-esque, and this left a cringe on my face through many of the talks they had back and forth. The title, description, and cover are cute, but it’s all a little too cliche sadly.

This is a story that has several tropes. First, we have the second-chance romance, and then we have the grumpy sunshine where she is the grump. Eva went to college with Rylie, where they had a brief fling, but then Rylie ghosted Eva. Then years later, Rylie becomes a podcaster with a following, giving guys advice on how to not be toxic or whatever. Drunkenly, Eva stitches his podcast giving details on how horrible he was to her. Then Eva's job brings her in, and now she's stuck interviewing Rylie on her show Sausage Talk, where she interviews "celebrities" while eating hot dogs. These two wind up in some kind of scheme where they have to go on x amount of dates and then talk about them for their audiences.

With this story, the first three quarters of this book are spent learning about how incredibly broken both of our main characters are. They have both been through some trauma that has broken them in one way or another. Once these two finally get to the part where they jump into bed together, that is what the rest of the story focuses on. In and out of bed with a few breaks for a story in between. I will say the therapy session was rough and sad and heartbreaking, and that seemed to be the big turning point of the story. Eva is such a broken character that even by the end of the story, there didn't seem to be much better because, well, she needed some more therapy sessions. We have a lot going on besides the romance and sexy times. There are toxic jobs, toxic families, an inability to connect, and some hope that a lot of communication will help. It's a good story, not your typical romance, but I did laugh out loud a lot. The banter is top-notch. I loved the wit in here and the dark humor as a coping mechanism, which I can relate to. There are a lot of relatable scenarios here, mixed in with deep feelings and some spicy scenes at the end.

The narrator did an amazing job. I have not listened to her books previously, but she really got into the story, especially those spicy scenes.

Much of this book was cringy and that ended up being the point really. So I hesitate to judge it negatively for just being what it is. It’s not for me. But I think it is probably good for the audience it is more tailored for. Well, Actually is about making space (and excuses) for second chances after extremely problematic behaviors. It is also about enduring problematic work environments and work friendships. Aside from his past disgusting behavior, I did like this couple. I did enjoy their banter. The audiobook narration was absolutely excellent.

5 Stars

Mazey always crafts incredible stories full of heart and messy yet relatable characters. Well, Actually is just as amazing as her previous books, and might be my new favorite.

Eva Kitt is like IRL Amelia with chicken Shops Date but make it hot dogs not chicken, and no one takes her as serious as we do Amelia. So when she sees her college ex who gave her a crappy one night and ghosted her gaining a platform for his podcast, she takes to the internet to rip him a new one.

Rylie, said ex, knows an opportunity when he sees one, and while Eva thinks he is in a newfound collab between their platforms for gain, he really sees it as an opportunity to prove her wrong and win her back.

We get to see the epitome of “if he wants to he will” as Eva and her walls keep pushing him away. Her love language is being a prickly pear and he lets her and gosh we all deserve the love of someone like Riley because we are all the imperfectly perfect Eva’s of the world.

I found myself highlighting so many parts of the book because they truly resonated with me and the lol moments provided so much levity. I cannot recommend this book and Mazey’s other novels enough! GRAB THIS ONE ASAP!

Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Narration: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for the early copy of Well, Actually. this title will be released on August 5 2025.

Buckle up for a bit of a wild bumpy ride!

This novel is fun, crass, frustrating, angsty, and so achingly romantic. You're going to want to kick your feet and squeal and then turn around and punch your fist through the drywall because some characters are so infuriating and awful. And then go back to smiling and giggling.

Eva Kitt is an internet personality that interviews celebrities in a hot dog shop setting. She uses deadpan humor and comes across as sarcastic and cold. Rylie Cooper is also an internet personality. He has a podcast that tackles toxic masculinity and Eva thinks it's hilarious because he was her first boyfriend and everything he says on the podcast is contrary to her experience with him. Instead of just ignoring things she posts a public video calling Riley out on what a lousy boyfriend he was 🙈 and surprise surprise everyone and their dog sees it! Her stunt leads to Riley being interviewed on her show and he talks her into going on dates with him to see if he has improved.

Dates ensue, character growth occurs, and there may or may not be a lot of juicy romantic tension that'll have you wringing your hands and punching your mattress with impatient excitement.

The narration was phenomenal! I love when a female narrator can do a really good male voice 🤭 Riley sounded incredibly attractive and he sounded SO weak for Eva that I could barely handle it. So yeah, narration is definitely the way to go for this novel!

This book started off really strong. I loooooove mean, angry FMCs, and Eva Kitt has made her career out of a bitchy persona. (She interviews B and C list celebs by acting like they're not hot shit at all while eating hot dogs with them in a dank basement. Honestly this is too believable.) One night she gets drunk and calls out her hypocritical ex on social media. This guy is a podcaster who's made his name in the "recovering from toxic masculinity" sphere. As a kind of redemption tour he goes on her own show and challenges her to continue to meet with him for 6 more dates. She's forced to do it by her company.

The first date is truly so awful that I found myself cackling. But (this is a romance novel, duh) Eva kind of legs him off the hook faster than she should have (in my personal, mean FMC-loving opinion). And yes, I get it, this is partly the romance of it all (she thinks he's soooooo hot even though she also hates him AND he has NOT IMPROVED on the date thing), but I guess I just wanted to revel in the Eva Kitt Is a Bitch energy rather than the swooniness of a romance. (Yes, I recognize this is a me problem. This is also my personal review and it's HOW I FEEL.)

This is billed as black cat/golden retriever, and Rylie is definitely the nicest, most genuine guy to ever host a podcast and wear ironic crewneck sweatshirts. I get that he's already put in the Work before this book (hence the whole podcast thing) but I wanted just a little more friction between them than his sweet pursuit of her not matter how many times she clawed at him. (Oh and if you need to make the whole black cat thing even more obvious? His nickname for her is "Kitten.")

I tandem listened and read to this one (my poor ears just cannot handle too much steam!). Ariela Crow does a great job as narrator. The book is entirely first person POV, which usually works well for me on audio. My only issue with the narration is that the secondary characters are often differentiated from Eva by giving them a New York accent. (I mean, it did help me recognize Aida, Eva's BFF... I just thought it was kind of a funny narrative decision).

And speaking of my sensitive ears: let's talk about the sex real quick: I understand - I truly do! - that romance readers are loving the praise kink right now. But did we seriously have to have Rylie play against type and get all controlling in the bedroom? Instead of making this feel ironic (Rylie is soooo sweet and nice on the streets, of course he's a Dom in the sheets!) it just made the sex feel like every other book out there right now. But there is a LOT of sex (at least 3 full scenes), with a huge focus on her pleasure, and he does come in his pants on at least one occasion.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel and audiobook.

Cool fun story. Way too “woke” for my taste. I think the story would’ve been fine/just the same without all that. But the base was there. The narration was great! She was so good at making voices for other characters, so good when she was talk as a man I thought it was a different person! Very impressed with that.

5 stars

This was really fun and a very interesting take on a second chance romance. I definitely got the Chicken Shop Date inspo but people saying the MMC is like Andrew Garfield is a bit crazy to me, I don't get that vibe at all from his character. I loved how the FMC was definitely meant to be a bit unlikeable yet I liked and rooted for her still. Her reactions were FAIR (ghosting is SUCH a shitty situation) and I fully understand her hesitance for him returning and trying as hard as he was. But I also really liked how honest the MMC was throughout. And going to couples therapy was so nice to see in a romance novel.

The narrator was fantastic and I feel I recognized the voice but maybe they are under a different name for YA novels I've read previously. She does great work and makes interesting acting choices.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ALC!

Well, actually, this book was a total freaking delight. Told entirely from Eva’s point of view, Well Actually is a sexy, hilarious, banter-filled story with excellent character growth and Little charming main characters.

Eva unintentionally goes viral when she makes a video about her college ex. Her boss wants to exploit the online frenzy, and Eva panics at the thought of seeing him again. Unfortunately, he’s even better looking and significantly more charming than she remembers. While she fights her growing attraction to her ex, she also must deal with the sense of abandonment and heartache that the break-up left her with.

This is my first Mazey Endings book, and it definitely will not be my last. The banter and sniping between these two are hilarious and truly deliver such delicious tension. When the things happen, they are detailed, hot, and definitely worth the weight.

Eva spent so much time . In this book, the central conflict brings them closer together rather than apart, as he drives her to be a better communicator and open up her sheltered heart.

There is so much to love here, but I particularly enjoyed the representation of bisexual and trans individuals, the open communication during intimacy, and the normalization of therapy.

Did I mention this book is so freaking hot because it is? This one is not to be missed, especially if you like spicy books with strong communication.

The audiobook performance by Ariel Crow is outstanding. Not only does she perfectly capture Eva’s snippy remarks and biting temper, but she also brings Riley’s wit to life. I always appreciate when a single narrator easily distinguishes each character, and here Crow particularly shines. At 11.5 hours, the audiobook is easily devoured, and I listened between 1.5 and 1.7 without incidents.

I had seen many positive reviews of this book before picking it up, and I can tell you the hype is 100% real.

I think readers who enjoyed First Time Caller will also enjoy this one.

I loved it and cannot wait to get started on her Blacklist.

DNF at 67%. I'm sorry, I tried. That sex scene was just too cringy for me though. Thanks to Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook. Opinion is my own.

This was a cute, contemporary second-chance romance. Eva is a little prickly on the outside, but Riley is ready to learn more about her after a disastrous few dates six years ago. They are forced to work together and things heat up. I like Eva and thought she had some good depth. Riley wasn't as deep, but was definitely invested in pleasing Eva as they had verbal sparing matches. If you're looking for a romance that you'll be happy at the end, check this one out.

I’ll start by saying that lots of times, when a book focuses on social media woes or publicly embarrassing online content, I am very uncomfortable and even put the book down for good… But this had enough promise to make me want to push myself past that to get to the happy ending! Maybe because the characters knew a little bit about what they were getting into just by working in that world? Or maybe it was the fact that it was handled very carefully by Mazey and I trust her.

Riley and Eva had a few dates and an underwhelming hookup in college. Six years have passed, and he’s a social media darling and she eats hot dogs with celebrities on camera. In a fit of pique, she drunkenly posts a video putting Riley on blast for the bad hookup… then her job decides to capitalize on the drama and forces Eva to have Riley on the show.

You can imagine me cringing at this point. I am SO UNCOMFY.

But then Mazey does this amazing thing. She turns this snarky, dry sense of humor Eva’s got into the thing that makes Riley adore her. She turns a scary situation into, well, if not a “good” situation, then one with potential to bring these two silly fools back to each other. Between Riley’s slutty little glasses and his soft heart, I melted for him immediately and hung around till Eva found out for herself.

Honestly I adored pretty much everything about this book. Eva was pretty harsh at the beginning, and the work stuff stressed me out, but the romance angle was top-notch. I adored their friends, the things they cared about, and the declarations?! Your honor, I cried.

Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me at 41%. I just could not connect to the characters or the story. This is the first Mazey Eddings book I have read, so perhaps it's her writing style that didn't work for me, I'm not entirely sure. I would say, if you like Mazey Eddings' writing, definitely give it a try...it might just be a miss for me individually. I can say that I really like the cover art, though...very cute!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio and Mazey Eddings for granting me access to the ALC. I'm sorry I didn't care for it.

One of my favorite Rom-Coms of the year! Mazey Eddings does a masterful job at blending witty banter, self-deprecating humor, and mental health in this fantastic second chance romance.

First, Ariela Crow, where have you been all of my audiobook-listening-life?!?!? Ariela brought a vulnerability and softness to Eva that I don't know I would have fully gotten if I had read a physical copy. Eva's self-consciousness and fear of not being good enough is evident at the root of her actions through Ariela's vocal portrayal. Although you don't always agree with Eva's actions, you definitely feel sympathy for her as Ariela brings all of Eva's vulnerability and self-doubt to the surface of her characterization. And although I'm always happy with duel or duet narration to help bring the different gendered characters to life, Ariela also killed it with her portrayal of Rylie. All the stars for Ariela's vocal performance.

Mazey addresses timely topics such as LGBTQIA+, the treatment of women in the corporate world, and the importance of mental health and self-acceptance as a way to explore our main characters' beliefs about themselves and how they interact with the world around them. As we are reminded in the book, our 20s are supposed to be messy as we grapple with who we are, who we want to be, and the impact we want to have on those around us and the world at large. Mazey is unflinching in her examination of these issues and handles them with care, compassion, and a healthy dose of laughter.

INCREDIBLE! I listened to this audiobook for a reread and it brings this story to life in a way I wasn't expecting. I was laughing and sweating and swooning and couldn't pause it for even a moment.

Ariela's narration enhances all of the things that made me fall in love with Eva and Rylie the first time I read Well, Actually: the wickedly sharp banter, the searing chemistry, the the tender moments that happen between them once Eva starts letting down her guard. Her voice work for all of the characters was incredible, but I was especially blown away by her impression of Rylie. So sexy and irresistible. It was perfection.

A+ I cannot recommend this audiobook enough!

What a unique, emotional, and unexpectedly hot romcom. Well, Actually is a second chance romance with bite, heart, and a lot of healing.

Eva Kitt is the host of a hilariously bizarre but totally addictive streaming show called Sausage Talk, where she eats hot dogs and interviews B-list celebrities. Her chaotic charm pulled me in right away. Rylie Cooper, her ex, is now the golden boy of podcasting with a “feminist ally” persona, which makes it all the more satisfying when Eva publicly calls him out for how terribly he treated her when they briefly dated.

From there, the premise kicks into full gear. They're thrown back together for professional reasons and forced to fake date to help fix Rylie’s image. This setup was such a clever twist on both the enemies to lovers and forced proximity tropes. I loved watching Rylie genuinely work to redeem himself, not just for Eva, but for who he wants to be. The slow unraveling of his backstory was both devastating and completely illuminating. It gave his character depth and vulnerability that really landed.

Mental health plays a big role here, and I appreciated how naturally it was integrated into the story. One of their "dates" even involves couple’s therapy, which is not something I’ve seen often in romance, but it absolutely worked. There’s also solid bi and pan representation that felt authentic and refreshing.

The chemistry between Eva and Rylie was fire. Once they let themselves be real with each other, the emotional and physical intensity exploded. But what I especially loved was how Rylie recognized the ways Eva tried to self protect and gently refused to let her push him away. Their growth, as individuals and as a couple, was genuinely moving.

And that ending? So satisfying. Eva’s career comeback gave me all the feelings I wanted.

I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrator nailed it. She captured Eva’s snark, sass, and emotion perfectly, and even pulled off a great Rylie voice. Definitely worth the listen if you love audio!

Thank you to, Macmillian audio for the ALC and You Had Me at HEA and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.