Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings
Contemporary romance. Second chance, 1st person.
Eva Kitt uses her social media presence for journalism though her following numbers aren’t strong. One night after a bit of partying, she hears a show about her first college boyfriend, extolling his virtues. Eva is so shocked to hear about the righteous Riley Cooper, she posts an explosive and eye opening restatement of their relationship from college. Needless to say, she didn’t have any nice things to say about him. When they agree to do a show together, Riley convinces Eva to go on six dates together, proving he’s a better man than she remembers. And so starts her falling for him all over again.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook. The performance is narrated by Ariela Crow. She does a great job with voices of the two main characters with a clear distinction between Eva and Riley. There are also clear voices for the recurring characters such as Eva’s two bosses. Emotions are vivid and I was often exasperated by Eva again going off on an emotional tangent of some kind. It was phenomenal acting projecting a breathless quality at the end of a rant with Riley always calming in the wild storm.
I enjoyed the audiobook for the personality that I didn’t get from reading.
I did listen at @.5 and slightly higher for closer to my reading and conversation speed.

Rylie is clearly smitten with Eva and always has been. Getting his second chance has him all in. For him, I felt bad when he revealed about the death in his family and how it impacted him. I’m happy he got his hea.

Lively, often humorous, and a good romance.
3.5

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Macmillan Audio.

I was so pleasantly surprised to be approved for this ALC!! The narrators are impeccable, and they really made this such a fun book to listen to. 💕

📱 The drama starts very quickly, with a late night call out of her college ex that snowballs into having to go on dates with said ex and the dissect it later on his podcast…. It is as messy as you can imagine, and so funny watching all this unfold, with Eva’s black cat energy a great foil against Rylie’s golden retriever earnestness. I won’t spoil what happened in college and why, it really was a fun read to watch it all play out!

This was my first Mazy Eddings book and it certainly will not be my last.

I adored this story and the realistic and honest characters, Eva and Riley. I ate up the black cat/golden retriever dynamic between these two and this constant back and forth.

"Kitten, I’d rather spend every day getting in a pointless argument with you for sport than be bored and complacent with anyone else.”

Both Eva and Riley had depth to them and so much character development, despite being scared they were both able to challenge themselves individually and then again as a couple.
Riley is the epitome of "if a guy wants to do it, he will". The lengths he was willing to go to correct his 20-year old self's wrongs was spectacular.

The audio was SOO good and made me feel like I was listening to a real life podcast and bringing this story to life. Ariela Crow nailed this project; it was absolutely giving Amelia from Chicken Shop.

“No. No, no. You misunderstand. I was trying to be generous and allow you to get to know me. I’m a goddamn delight.”

What to expect:
🌭 Second Chance
👓 Workplace
🌭 Fake dating
👓 bi + pan rep
🌭 he falls first....and so damn hard
👓 Hate to love

I really enjoyed the first half! The “we hate each other” tension and banter was written very well but once they got together everything got a little repetitive. Loved the messiness and the chicken shop date concept. I will definitely read another Mazey Eddings book!
Thanks to Macmillan Audio for the arc!

I don't think I need to say anymore about this book that hasn't already been said. Witty snarky banter throughout this second chance, fake dating romance that will leave you swooning in delight while blushing through the steamier parts. It is one of those perfect all round romcoms that I haven't read in a long time and I was all in for it. The audiobook was narrated incredibly well and brought the story to life while I read along with my ebook copy.

3.5 rounded up. Main characters had good banter and a lot of personality. The conflict seemed legitimate without being glossed over or blown out of proportion. I feel like the main character tended to mentally crash out a lot which hurt the believability for me a little. More spice than I typically prefer in books, but I know that’s not an issue for every reader. The narrator’s voice was perfect for the spunk of the character. Thanks to NetGalley for the ALC.

This was a great audiobook, I really enjoyed it and will be looking for more of the author’s books. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to listen to this audiobook.

🌭𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
🌭𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐲
🌭𝐄𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐯𝐢𝐛𝐞𝐬
🌭𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥

“𝒴ℴ𝓊 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒸𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓂ℯ 𝒶𝓃𝓎 𝓃𝒶𝓂ℯ 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝓌𝒶𝓃𝓉 𝒶𝓈 𝓁ℴ𝓃𝑔 𝒶𝓈 ℐ 𝒸𝒶𝓃 𝒸𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓎ℴ𝓊 𝓂𝒾𝓃ℯ．“

✨𝒯𝒽ℴ𝓊𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓈✨
𝐈 have a soft spot for second chance romances, but "𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲" took things to a whole new level. This book was filled with sharp wit, emotion, and some seriously steamy moments!

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 follows journalist Eva Kitt as the quirky host of an entertainment show called "Sausage Talk". When she makes a public dig at her college ex that goes viral, she finds herself face to face with him once again. He's looking for a second chance to make things right after six long years, but Eva is hesitant to let her guard down again, especially when her career is on the line.

𝐄𝐯𝐚’𝐬 character was a delightful mix of sarcasm, humor, and vulnerability, perfectly complementing the sunny personality of our MMC, Riley. She had a tough exterior but a soft heart, shaped by past hurts and disappointments. Riley, on the other hand, was struggling to find himself in the midst of personal challenges and the loss of a loved one. He was a hurt person who ultimately hurt Eva in the process. But fast forward 6 years later and he’s a changed man with more charm in his pinky finger than any other MMC I’ve come across in the last year!

🎧Let’s talk narration. 𝐀𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐰, gave a stunning performance, breathing life into each character with precision and depth. The way she captured the chemistry between these characters and conveyed it to the listener had me hooked. Her talent truly shines in this audiobook, and her portrayal of male voices is simply irresistible!

𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥, if you need a good dose of romance with an emotional punch and witty dialogue, you have to listen to "𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐥, 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲"; it's perfection! Thank you to the 𝐌𝐚𝐳𝐞𝐲 𝐄𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬, 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐧 𝐀𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐨, 𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐧’𝐬 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 and 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐠𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐲 for this wonderful audiobook experience. All opinions shared are my own.

𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝟓⭐️ 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫: 𝟑.𝟓/𝟓🔥 𝐍𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: 𝟓 🎧♾️

Only Mazey could have me sobbing while reading a book about a second chance romance between a podcast bro and the host of a hot dog show. This book had everything I didn’t know I needed in a second chance romance. There was so much that went wrong that the level of groveling this man did was so justified. If your love language is also bullying, this is definitely the book for you.

I always love how much Mazey packs into her books, and this one is no different. All the love, grief, support, and representation is always so so so great to see! I also loved everything about this relationship and all the cameos from past characters that I loved!

I’m so so so grateful to have revived and ARC and ALC!

This is my favorite book by Mazey that I have read so far, and I think the audio of this made it even better! The narration made these characters feel very real, and I think the personalities of the characters really showed up and showed out in this audiobook.

Their second chance romance and black cat x golden retriever was a wonderful journey with snark, banter, and a little fun.

As crazy as this set up seems, social media of today make it actually pretty plausible that a random post on social media could blow up and change your life.

I loved to see the growth of the characters both in the present day and from what we learned about when they were younger. I also felt so empowered by how well he managed contracts and how she came out swinging in the end against her old company and came out on time. I was cheering that whole time.

I think my only big complaint is that it ended what felt like kind of abruptly. I even rewound the audio because I was afraid I had missed something. I did not feel like I got clear closure with the characters. I would have liked a little more at the end and/or an epilogue.

I have been looking forward to Mazey Edding’s new release and it did not disappoint! Once I started this audiobook, I did not want to stop. The narrator did such a great job with the story and adding so much to these characters. I loved watching Rylie and Eva figure out their feelings together with the hilarious banter along the way. My favorite book from Mazey so far!

A drunken night has podcast host, Eva Kitt leaving a scathing review of her internet famous ex, Rylie Cooper's performance" on her social media. Rylie then challenges her on her podcast "Sausage Talk" to go with him on six dates to prove that he isn't who she thinks she is. She reluctantly agrees and chaos ensues.
Rylie had struggles and growing to do and Eva is so insecure and never believes she's good enough. While I agree with others that Eva can be frustrating, her personality flaws are relatable and so well written that I felt something.
I liked the story. This book was a delightful mix of humor, steamy romance, heartfelt, and heartbreaking moments.. there are some themes of death and workplace trauma though so keep that in mind. It's about life, these two characters are finding out who they are, how they feel, and what they want in life. .
I listened to the audiobook and it was well paced and well done. The chapter transitions were on point and the flow was great. Ariela Crow, with exceptional voice acting, delivered a remarkable performance, bringing all the characters to life with great skill.

My first Mazey Eddings book but it won’t be my last. I absolutely loved this delightful read! It’s the perfect mix of humor and swoon. This book actually made me laugh out loud numerous times! I LOVED tough as nails Eva and I would have folded immediately for Rylie Cooper.

Ariela Crow does a wonderful job as the solo narrator~her male voice is *chef kiss* She was able to really bring to life all the banter, bickering, tension and heat of Mazey’s writing.

When Eva, host of a quirky interview show Sausage Talk, posts a video online calling out her college ex/internet darling, Rylie, he proposes a series of dates to make amends. In an attempt to mitigate the damage her drunken video did with her bosses, Eva agrees. They have a set number of dates to go on and afterwards they'll record a joint debrief about it for their followers. The dates may be manufactured but their chemistry definitely isn't. Could feelings still be there for them both or is this just damage control?

I seriously loved the back and forth banter in this one but also the personal growth and care for our MCs. I would absolutely recommend the audio book, Ariela Crow nailed it.

For fans of:
- Black Cat X Golden Retriever
- Second Chance Romance
- Online Talk Shows
- Witty Banter
& Hotdogs?

I enjoyed this audiobook immensely. The story was fantastic and had a lot of depth to it. I was able to easily follow along and keep up with the characters. This is on my list of those I will be recommending to friends and family!

Imagine this: a grown-up version of the guy who took your v-card and ghosted you is posting on social media about red flags and being a better partner, and in a drunken rage, you respond. But everyone sees this, including your bosses at the "news" agency where you interview semi-famous people while choking down hot dogs. This turns into you and this douche doing a podcast episode together, and you getting tricked into a series of dates. That is the premise of this unique romantic comedy. But Eva and Rylie have serious sparks, and there is more to their mutual past than Eva knows. Can they work it out with a second chance, or will the public scrutiny bomb this chance too?

I adore Mazey Eddings as an author. The characters shine on the page and are well-rounded. They have flaws but are still likable. They have issues they need to work through, but they are unique. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a fun romantic comedy with lots of laughs.

The narration is excellent, with one narrator using voices and helping the listener enter the story.

Thank you to Net Galley, St. Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All opinions are my own.

Full of one liners and zingers, banter and touching vulnerability, slutty little glasses and questionable taste in crewnecks, combustible chemistry and emotional tenderness, Well, Actually may just be Eddings’s best book yet.

Eva has a black cat, tough exterior, which stems from her having to be the strong one that fends for herself. Present-day Rylie is a golden retriever, who is down bad for her from the start of their second chance romance, but it took work for him to grow out of the version she knew in college. Honestly, I loved the two of them together. I laughed—giggled, snickered, cackled—and cried. That therapy scene especially got me. Eddings navigates their story with humor and depth.

Read it for
- The disastrous beginning to their dates
- Their mix of humor and tenderness with each other
- Forearms
- Rylie’s crewnecks
- The therapy scene
- Their discussions on his podcast and her deadpan delivery on Sausage Talk
- Their heat
- The queer rep
- The found family
- How they understand each other

The only things I didn’t like about the book are related to her work and to something that happened in her childhood.

Ariela Crow’s audiobook narration is excellent. She really makes you feel the emotion in the story and captures the comedic quips as well as the intimacy of certain comments and rejoinders perfectly. And, you know how sometimes narrators read physically intimate scenes in a detached way? That is not the case here. Crow embraces the heat between Eva and Rylie.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio. All review opinions are my own.

“Well, Actually” by Mazey Eddings is like if Amelia from Chicken shop date worked for buzzfeed, got drunk and trashed her first college boyfriend who is now a famous tiktoker online. And honestly, that’s a pretty good pitch. However, this book is a lot more complex than that, which is true for Mazey Eddings books. Eddings handles both Eva and Kitt’s growth from college to present day with care. Eva’s feelings of isolation and abandonment are very relatable, especially related to how Kitt treated her in college.

The chemistry is great and the audio book was a good listen. The narrator did a great job with the voices. Would recommend. Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillian Audio for the audiobook arc!

Overall, I enjoyed the hell out of this one and genuinely laughed out loud on many occasions. Eva is a Disaster™ and Riley Cooper is obsessed with her mess- like SO smitten. INSANELY down bad. A court jester on hands and knees for his Ice Queen.

I loved their banter.
I loved the humor.
I loved the tender exploration of queerness and the conversations around biphobia.

I will admit, I got a bit bored towards the end though. As much as I adore a love interest who has put in the work on themselves, Riley was a little too therapized. I would have liked him to have been more flawed (even if you could argue that Eva was flawed enough for two.) His perfect responses and reactions kind of dulled the edge.

Big kudos to the narrator for her performance on the audiobook. She brought so much emotion and life into these characters.

Touchy societal subjects discussed:
Grief
Diverse sexualities
Breaking generational curses
Social media impact
Maturing and growth
It’s okay to ask for help and take it
Learned trust

Setting is in New York
Second Chance Romance
With some humor
And really good spice
Golden Retriever vs Black Cat energy

I can see this being a really good romcom on the big screen. The entire time I was reading it I kept picturing it. It’s a very well rounded romance. I appreciated its originality. The MMC is easily one of my favorites and truly unforgettable.