I loved the supporting characters. They were delightful! I did not like either of the main characters. It was confusing switching back and forth between using the main character’s name. Either use the first name or the last name. But don’t go back and forth. And using the word “kitten” as a term of endearment - and also using it when he is being sarcastic and angry - does not work. It got so unpleasant.

Thank you for the opportunity to review! First off, the narrator is one of my all time favorites and right away I knew I’d enjoy it. It was a quick listen and kept me engaged and wanting to know what was going to happen next. I really enjoyed it and look forward to recommending to my book club!

Sweet and steamy second chance romance. The banter between the two main characters is funny and usually filled with sexual tension. Their friends are fun and supportive, and I enjoyed the few references to characters from the author's previous books. The workplace drama as their relationship evolves is realistically despicable. Although this novel focuses less on mental health issues, the female lead does have to face her abandonment issues and the male lead is so sweet and caring in this respect.

The narration was good but I just could not connect with either MC or the storyline. I really did not enjoy the characters, their background, and unfortunately felt no chemistry between them. This was my first book from this author and I believe that her writing style is just not my favorite.

I think if I would have read this book without the audio, I would have DNFed. The narration was this book’s saving grace. Kudos to the narrator for keeping me entertained!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
* Hate to love
* Fake dating
* Workplace romance
* Second chance romance
* Black cat x golden retriever
* Bi x pan rep
* Chicken shop vibes!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macey Eddings, and Macmillan Audio for this eALC! This is my honest review.

I LOVE enemies to lovers, especially ones that are so vicious like Eva is towards Rylie!! The first chapter really sets it up so well and I love how savage she is!

I loved how they become more and more open and vulnerable with each other, their honesty so raw and heart rendering. Their chemistry is intense and passionate, and they progress to it being more about them supporting each other emotionally in addition to the physical steaminess in the bed. I love his nicknames for her and how he teases her while taking her biting attitude towards him. He accepts her for her, breaking down the high walls she put up ever since he broke her heart. So when they give in to each other physically, it’s especially steamy, detailed, and spicy!! 🌶️🫠🔥

Eva is very relatable as an FMC. She feels exhausted by societal expectations of women and jaded, especially after what happened before with Rylie. So I liked that he actually walked the walk and wanted to find how to fix things and make it right with her. He’s genuine, so affectionate, and romantic, wanting to right the wrongs from before and not just use excuses to explain away how he made her feel. And when she needs him most at the end, he proves his love to her. I loved their ending. ❤️

The narrator did so well with Rylie’s sultry and earnest voice especially, and her pacing and emotion was strong and made this such a good audio to listen to! And the author did well to really describe and explain both of their points of view, even though it’s only from her perspective in narration.

I have read every last one of Mazey Eddings’ books and have been following her as an author from the very beginning. This book is one of my absolute favorites by her, and it completely took me by surprise. Of her other books, this is most similar to The Plus One as it has excellent mental health representation, excellent banter, and the main characters don’t hide away from their issues… maybe Eva is a little but of an exception. Don’t get me wrong. This book is still incredibly fun, has a really clever concept, and it certainly brings the spice! I just wasn’t expecting this level of depth when the cover and the concept just seem really fun and bubbly. The idea of a woman who really is passionate about journalism being a host for a hot dog eating, celebrity interviewing show and then going on a drunken rant about her ex and uploading it online. AND said ex happens to be a famous podcaster and her complaint is that he doesn’t actually having the values he’s talking about. AND THEN she has to interview him on the hot dog show. There is just so much humor to the entire scenario and Eva just brings so much sass and humor in general. She’s fantastic at banter and is always willing to go toe-to-toe with Riley. Riley brings heart and has such great character growth. I love how this book explored their past and balanced it with their future. The dates just made this even better and this became the perfect modern love story. The audio was very well done and the narration added so much character to the novel. I loved how authentic it made Eva feel and how well the emotion behind the sensitive topics came through. Not to mention, such good mental health rep and even bringing up SSRIs and their effects on libido? Well done Mazey Eddings, so freaking well done with Well, Actually. 5⭐️, 3🌶

3.5 stars rounded up. I listened to the audiobook version. The narrator was pretty good, but I wish they had cast a male narrator as well. The dual voices would have added a lot to the story.
The book itself features an enemy to lovers theme with plenty of spicy scenes.

This book was an easy 5 stars for me. I picked it up last night and couldn’t put it down.

It follows Eva, a talk show host who goes viral for calling out her ex, Rylie, and ends up fake-dating him for her job. I don’t usually go for second chance romances, but the banter and slow-burn yearning in this one completely hooked me. The chemistry was so good, and I actually laughed out loud a few times, which almost never happens.

Special shoutout to the narrator, who was incredible. There’s a scene where Eva sends a text, and the way it was delivered was hilarious.

I read it in one sitting and loved every second of it.

This could've been a decent read, the audiobook was pretty annoying, especially their voices during the spicy scenes. It was over-the-top cheesy. Kinda of a cute story but that was hard to get past. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC, I always enjoy listening & reading ARC's

Well, Actually is an unputdownable blend of humor, heart, and heat. It’s a romantic comedy that goes beyond surface-level laughs, diving into real emotions, personal growth, and meaningful connection while still being incredibly fun and sexy.

The male main character, Rylie Cooper, is an absolute standout. He’s the kind of MMC that sticks with you—generous, emotionally available, deeply empathetic, and a phenomenal lover in every sense. His dynamic with Eva Kitt, the female main character, crackles with chemistry, but what really sets this romance apart is how much emotional care and depth Rylie brings to the relationship. He is refreshingly vulnerable and communicative, which makes their connection feel real and earned.

Eva is just as compelling. She’s sharp, driven, and complex, with a strong voice and a rich emotional arc of her own. Her banter with Rylie is snappy and fun, and her journey toward embracing vulnerability and connection was just as satisfying as the romance itself.

Ariela Crow’s narration brings both Rylie and Eva to life beautifully. She seamlessly shifts between voices, making each character feel distinct. Her portrayal of Rylie is especially memorable. Her smooth, sensual tone added a richness to his character that elevated every romantic and intimate moment. She nails both the comedic timing and the deeper emotional beats of the story.

The book had me laughing one minute and tearing up the next. It tackles heavier themes without losing the joy of a great romantic comedy. I found it to be a wildly entertaining and emotionally satisfying experience.

If you’re looking for a smart, steamy, and heartfelt romance with a truly swoony MMC, a sharp and lovable FMC, and dynamic narration, Well, Actually absolutely delivers.

Thank you St. Martin for the eARC and Macmillan Audio for the ALC! This one came out earlier this week and I highly recommend grabbing a copy ◡̈

𝑹𝑬𝑨𝑫 𝑰𝑭 𝒀𝑶𝑼 𝑳𝑰𝑲𝑬:
♡ she’s black cat x he’s golden retriever
♡ second chance
♡ hate to love
♡ workplace romance
♡ LGBTQ+ rep

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑻𝑯𝑶𝑼𝑮𝑯𝑻𝑺:
I loved being able to read this one while listening to the audio. The narrator had such an amazing voice and actually loved her MMC voice; it was so sultry!! 🤤

I won’t lie, I typically have a hard time with black cat FMCs because I, myself, am such a passive peacekeeper, but I LOVED Eva. She was so relatable and had me LOLing at some of her thoughts that I’ve also absolutely had 😂 Her journey to claw her way out of a job that she hated and wanted more from while protecting herself with snark and indifference is somewhere a lot of people are or have been.

Through reconnecting with Riley, who btw is such a cinnamon roll MMC (I love him), she’s able to have a lot of character growth without losing who she is. I feel like a lot of “mean” FMCs completely switch up their personality after falling in love but Eva was still sarcastic and Riley took it in stride. He didn’t ask her to change, he knows just how to manage her and never wants her to be anyone than who she is.

I enjoyed the storyline of her trying to find her way out of her hot-dog eating, B-list celebrity interviewing podcast into something she felt mattered and enjoyed. Those just desserts at the end were just too good too!!

I loved A Brush with Love and I loved this one too. Time to scour Mazey Eddings’s backlist!

4.5 stars ✨

I loved this! Eva is a badass, full of sass and sarcasm and Rylie proves to be sweet and thoughtful. Their banter was exquisite!

Second chance romances are not ones I always gravitate towards, but this one is truly well done. We find out why things didn’t work out the first time and it’s a believable “right person, wrong time” story. We also see how Rylie has put in the work and grown since that first chance, as well as witnessing Eva work through her emotions surrounding how things played out. Forever love a man in therapy!

I listened to the audiobook and oh my gosh, Ariela Crow did an amazing job narrating this story! She was the perfect fit for Eva and pulled off all of the attitude and emotion flawlessly!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

The cover really caught my eye and honestly made me think of Chicken Shop Date, you know the viral podcast type thing that's been happening for years now but didn't gain much traction until 2021 (imo). That alone intrigued me so I was excited to get accepted for the eARC and the ALC so I could immersive read this book. Normally IRL references bother me in books sometimes because it dates it, but I feel like it meshed well with the story and I was laughing 99% of the time.

What I loved:
I really liked Eva as a main character and I understand that there's gonna be people that think she's rude as hell, abrasive, and a bitch but that's why reading is subjective! I seen some of myself in her because she's always felt like she is the problem and why things don't work out for her in all aspects of her life. Could she be the problem sometimes? Yeah, aren't we all? But I don't think she is majority of the time. She made me laugh so much honestly and I could so see myself being besties with her. She felt so relatable and not just "nice and palatable", she has some fire to her and I love it.

"I know it may be hard to believe, what with my calm, cool demeanor and mature responses to life's biggest curveballs, but I do sometimes overreact in certain situations. Rarely, but it happens."

Rylie also made me laugh a lot throughout reading this book and I think Eva is the perfect woman for him. They balance each other out really well and she's the fire and he's the ice, ya know? He doesn't get a good rep in the beginning of this story because he did treat Eva horribly six years before they end up meeting again. (all because Eva drunkenly talked about him on socials lol) I really liked the therapy scene with the both of them and it showed us more about why Rylie was that way back in college and how he's trying and wanting to do better. ALSO RILEY IS SO DOWN BAD MY GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"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."

What I disliked:
Eva's bosses-- mother and son duo William and Landry, IRKED me to no end and I really wanted to deck them in the face every time they were mentioned. I understand toxic workplaces but I feel like they were on a whole other level. And in the topic of this there was a point in the book where Eva's bestie was more preoccupied about damage control than her friend who felt like shit because of a video they were doing because William is an ASS. Eva also should have quit her job SOONER because no job is worth that bs.

"I have no idea how to do this, but I'm going to try with everything I have."
"And that will always be enough."

Overall I loved this book so much and I was constantly giggling and kicking my feet. Eva and Rylie are some of my favorite fictional couples and I would so read another book about them. THIS WAS SO GOOD ON AUDIO BY THE WAY and I think the narrator did SUCH a good job.

————————
thank you to Netgalley and the publisher(s) for sending me an eARC and ALC in exchange for my honest review. all thoughts are my own.

Wow.

I've really been enjoying this authors writing, this one didn't disappoint.

The banter, emotion, story and characters made this such a fun enemies to lovers romcom! It was fun, enjoyable and a great palate cleanser!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This took me a minute to get into because I am chronically online and it read like it was Amelia Demoldeborg (chicken shop date) and Kyle Prue (things to say to piss off men) fan fic. Once I got passed that however I fell into the story and had a really good time. I love that we got to see the characters talk through their issues in therapy. And the ending was really satisfying.

My only issue with the narration was that the male voice was sometimes too whispering or however she describes it, i know thats part of what she likes about him, but it was sometimes cringey to listen to.

Well, actually, by Mazey Eddings and narrated by Ariela Crow, was my fifth novel that I’ve had the pleasure of reading and listening to. Ariela Crow was an excellent choice for this book, and I highly recommend listening to it. This was a slow-burn romance with a second chance and a sort of enemies-to-lovers feel. Eva and Riley had a lot of chemistry and great banter. However, I was a bit annoyed by all the hot topics that were included in the novel. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it had focused solely on their romance rather than trying to appease everyone. Mazey Eddings is one of the most talented romance authors that I’ve had the pleasure of discovering on NetGalley.

Thanks, St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio via NetGalley.

Well, Actually is a super fun, spicy romcom filled with hilarious and witty banter. I was living for it. I thought the story was super well done, the black cat & golden retriever energy was top tier. Eddings truly crafted a story that felt real, modern and heartfelt. Second chance romance is a trope that has to be really well done in order for me to enjoy it and I am happy to say this one worked really nicely. It was a fast read that sucked me in right away. I laughed and I swooned hard.

Eva is a very relatable character, her reactions, her emotions, her ways of dealing I truly felt for her. She will not be for everyone, she does come off as rude sometimes but once you uncover her layers, you can't help but love her. Rylie was such a sweetheart once he was fully vulnerable. I loved his character growth. I loved how they both came together, how fun their relationship was, how flirty and sexy it also was. It was the perfect mix of everything and it made for such a fun read.

Overall, this was a very entertaining second chance romance. It was funny, sweet and spicy, what more can you ask for. I enjoyed it and can't wait to read more from this author.

✨ ️ Thank you to @netgalley, @macmillanaudio & @mazeyeddings for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars, rounded to 4

I liked this book. I loved the narration.

The book: between the second chance theme and the fire dialogue, this book is going to appeal to a wide audience. The banter is so good. Riley is so good. I love the almost reverse take on the miscommunication theme: Riley's healthy communication. He refuses to let Eva cut tail and run. So refreshing. Eva is a tougher nut to crack. I was a little frustrated with her, but she was well rounded and well written overall. Ultimately, I struggled with the toxic workplace. I just wanted to shake Eva and tell her to snap out of it! And Ada. Ugh. I wanted a better friendship for Eva.

Narration: Absolutely delightful. The pacing was spot on. You could really feel the emotion. Also great voices and shift between characters. A great listen.

Audiobook/Book Review 📖🎧✨🩵🌭
thank you so much partner @youhadmeathea @macmillan.audio for the gifted copy and audiobook!

Well, Actually
by Mazey Eddings
Narrated by Ariela Crow

About the book 👇🏽

Well, Actually is about a woman named Eva Kitt who goes viral after publicly calling out her college ex, Rylie Cooper, for ghosting her. Rylie, now a social media personality known for deconstructing toxic masculinity, proposes a series of dates to make amends, which Eva agrees to for her own career advancement and to continue publicly criticizing him. However, as they go on these manufactured dates, Eva begins to question if Rylie has changed and if he might be the one to heal her past hurt

🌭 My thoughts:

I loved this book and audiobook so much! I was fortunate enough to hybrid read this… split between physical read and audiobook listen and I devoured them both because there’s just no other way to experience this one. The narrator was incredible and held my attention the same way the physical book did. It was perfection. With witty banter, a second chance romance, and a redemption arc there’s nothing but things to LOVE about this story. I really liked Eva’s character and found her to be relatable and funny. And very happy that Rylie had great character growth and was a pretty big theme in the story (which I love). If you love stories about forgiveness, second chances, and romance that’ll make you swoon, you need to pick up Well, Actually and it’s out now!

Happy reading 📖 🌭🩵🎧✨

Unfortunately, this wasn’t for me. It was funny at first, but I don't know, maybe I'm too old for this book. The FMC was immature and a bit rude, and the crude jokes got tiring and cringy after a while. I've seen so many great reviews for this book, so maybe I will try again in the future.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Ariela Crow. She was fantastic and very animated with her storytelling. She nailed it and definitely enhanced my listening experience.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.