Eva and Rylie briefly dated in college, but then he ghosted her. When she stumbles across his successful social media page, she drunkenly makes a video calling him out for his mediocre… skills. And of course, it went viral!

This man practically begs for a second chance, to explain and redeem himself. Eva was pretty closed off, and I loved the growth her character had gone through by the end of the book. She gave him a chance, but didn’t make it easy on him and I love her for that. She was witty and sassy and my fave type of FMC. 

Rylie Cooper is that man, and I’m down bad. Why was everything this man said so smooth and sexy?! I was eating up their banter like a woman starved. This is the exact type of book I love… Where the FMC is a lil bit mean, but he likes it. Spectacular, gimme 14 of ‘em.

The audiobook was phenomenal. Ariela Crow was amazing as the single narrator. I will be re-reading this one for sure. 

🎧Single narration
🎙️Narrated by Ariela Crow

🌭Second chance
🌭Black cat x Golden retriever
🌭Bi x Pan rep
🌭Hate to love
🌭Fake(ish) dating
🌭Workplace
🌭Single POV

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for the free ebook and audiobook copies in exchange for my honest review.

ABOUT

Eva Kitt is a wannabe serious journalist working as the host of a very unserious web series called Sausage Talk on which her character is a bored, cold, negging woman full of innuendos who interviews celebs.

Rylie Cooper is a popular vertical video social media sensation for being a man who posts videos about how to be a better man and dismantle your own toxic masculinity - and a podcaster.

He also happens to be someone that ghosted Eva in college. One drunken night, Eva decides to stitch Rylie’s video and out him as someone who doesn’t practice what he preaches.

REVIEW

This writing is so funny that I cackled out loud in my car by myself more than once and unironically slapped my leg. I uncontrollably squealed at the tension. And the mix of humor and tension? Gimme 14 of ‘em. The narrator also does the writing so much justice. The internal monologue of our main character is so fantastically intimate.

The spice was hot, the banter was electric, the side characters were very fun. I had so much fun with this one - especially on audio.

I also want to say that the use of miscommunication here is reasonable and realistic and there were opportunities where I saw it could be used in a lazy way to add conflict in the plot and I was delighted that it wasn’t used in those moments.

This was everything!! Eva’s show was a fabulous mock up of Chicken Shop Date and the black cat has met her match in golden retriever Rylie. The banter was bantering and the snark and sarcasm were PERFECT. The bi/pan rep was amazing. They were both vulnerable and yet still edgy. Their nicknames for each other (kitten- hers and baby girl- his) left me giggling. The praise was top notch.
Check you triggers- this includes workplace harassment, biphobia, anxiety, and grief.
Ariela Crow’s narration was impeccable. She really captured Eva’s snark.

Well, Actually is a fantastic read! It’s got Chicken Shop Date vibes, but with sausages, and honestly, that alone should sell you on the premise. But OK, OK, here’s a bit more.

This is a second-chance romance with a side of fake-ish dating, bi and pansexual rep, and it all kicks off with a drunken viral video. The whole thing was absolutely delightful. It was funny, it made me laugh out loud, it had so much heart. The chemistry? Great. The spice? Fantastic. It’s just one of those feel good reads that leaves you smiling.

I was lucky enough to get an advanced listener copy, and the audiobook was amazing. Narrator Ariela Crow did a phenomenal job. She has a great man voice, and her New York accents were so well done. She made each character sound distinct and believable, which really brought the story to life. Great production too..

I would like to thank the publisher for sending me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review through NetGalley.

Eva has dreamed of being a journalist, but her only break so far has been hosting Sausage Talk where she interviews B-list celebrities... while eating hot dogs. Truth is, her life isn't going the way she's wanted it to, and maybe it stems from her childhood where she didn't feel wanted or loved, or maybe it's because the first guy she opened up to and allowed in hurt her pretty bad. That ex just happens to be Rylie Cooper -- a social media personality that has created a platform around the basis of teaching men how to be good partners. She's done her best to avoid him, but when a really bad day turns into a night of drinking alone and she stumbles on one of his videos, she can't help herself -- Eva stitches his video, calling him out as being the worst guy she's ever been with. Now she'll have to face the consequences of her actions, and that means confronting Rylie on a live episode of Sausage Talk. But when he offers to take her on a series of dates to make up for the way he behaved all of those years ago and then go on his channel to talk about them and discuss they way he's changed, she refuses... until her boss tells her she has to do it. Eva reluctantly agreed, if only to unveil his deception and further her own career. When things begin to feel real, however, they both realize that maybe all they've needed is a second chance all along.

Second chances? Fake dating? Black cat X golden retriever energy? Yeah, this was right up my alley. AND I LOVED IT. Eva has been harboring such negative feelings in regards to what happened when her and Rylie dated in college, and he has no idea how much he messed up. But when the dates get going and she begins to hear his side of things, things start to change, because as much as Eva can't stand him, she also begins learning that he had his own things going on and maybe, just maybe, he's been hurting too. The fact that one of the dates has them seeing a therapist was great because we get to hear his side of things in a setting where he's able to talk, meanwhile she's forced to open up about her own feelings and she can't stand it. After that scene is where we get the big changes in their dynamics and we see Rylie being through a more humanized lens as she learns that he isn't the only one to blame for how things ended up. I hated her boss with a passion, but I loved that moment when she steps up to him and learns to fight for herself. I did love the fact that the banter between these two is top tier, and I found that almost all of their interactions were written so well. I honestly couldn't get enough of these two, and the audiobook does a fantastic job breathing life into these characters.

this audiobook is fantastic!!! it’s definitely making it to my top audios of the year list! Ariela Crow instantly became one my favorite narrators! i need more audiobooks by her! she put her everything into this performance— every single emotion perfectly portrayed and all the voice changes for different characters so seamlessly done! her “man” voice had me blushing! there wasn’t a single dry second— i was entertained the whole way through! i truly had the time of my life! i loved this audiobook so much i wanted to play it a second time!


thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts <3

Well, Actually hands down was likely one of my FAVORITE audios listened to in the month of July.

Eva Kitt is doing her best as host for Sausage Talk, a podcast where she talks to celebrities over hot dogs. When she quickly calls out her ex and everyone hears about it, the media goes HAYWIRE. The best part? This ex is none other than media personality who everyone is obsessed with---Rylie Cooper. When they are made to go face to face for views, sparks fly. Eva must come to the reality that well, actually she has feelings with the man who broke her heart all those years ago.

HOT DOG! Ariela Crow did a fantastic job narrating Well, Actually. I was laughing while also hitting "bookmark" on a lot of different relatable passages. I kept shouting out "YES" driving while listening to the mental health chat and then needing to google a denim comforter. It's a beloved story that y'all need to read...with a hot dog (or other summer food if you don't like those).

My first 5 star Mazey Eddings read!

Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio for the ALC, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC. These are my honest thoughts!

I DEVOURED THIS AUDIOBOOK IN 24 HOURS. I've been in quite a slump, and this book had all the makings of a 5 star read! I was intrigued from the first page to the last. There was drama, there was banter, there was black cat/golden retriever vibes, and there were some hard truths that I appreciated being represented in romance. I think Mazey does that well.

I think this is my first audiobook narrated by Ariela Crow, and I really enjoyed her performance! She played a variety of characters with diverse backgrounds, and I instantly recognized characters within her performance. I thought the pacing was perfection and the delivery of this story was exactly what I needed to enjoy myself to the max.

I feel like there are a lot of podcast/talk show host/radio host romances out there right now, but this one is my favorite from recent memory. I loved that both Eva and Rylie had their own things going on when the social media nightmare (for Eva) occurs, giving Eva and Rylie the chance to reconnect on air. Eva's got this dry sense of witty humor that I just ate up, and Rylie is *sooooooft* in the best way, which is not what I expected when Eva blasted him for ghosting her in college. When Rylie challenges Eva to date him so he can make up his past mistakes, THE TENSION IN THAT MOMENT... it was perfect. AND thennnn, the dates started out with a bang... quickly turning into a disaster. I loved that Rylie put forth so much effort for the perfect redemption, but he also obviously cared about Eva. Eva's experience in relationships... left something to be desired, but it's important to note that her emotional reactions are a direct response to her past experiences (or inexperience in general).

Read if you love:
- Lovers-to-enemies-to-frenemies-to-lovers
- Hate to love
- "Fake" real dating
- Second chance
- Tension + banter + THE CUTEST PET NAMES (kitten k!lled me EVERY TIME)
- Black Cat/Golden Retriever
- Bi x Pan Reps!!!!
- Workplace romance
- NYC
- Podcasts, pop culture, trending topics
- Reading mean tweets, but do it with a man who wants to protect you/your mental health
- Challenging toxic masculinity, toxic workplace environments, toxic friendship behaviors
- A man in therapy
- LGBTQIA+ representation (in so many beautiful ways)
- Spiceeeeeeeee
- And probably most importantly, he c***** in his pants from e*ting her out. Duh.


Like I said, the audiobook gets 5 stars. Will be recommending to people who love diverse characters, representation, and a man who is DOWN BAD for his kitten.

Well, Actually is a phenomenal read that’s so sexy and fun! I absolutely loved it! The storyline is great and the characters are the best! The FMC is strong and fiery. The MMC is so freaking sweet. I could not get enough of their story and their banter is top notch!! I also loved the underlying message in this regarding the workplace. This is my first read my Mazey Eddings and I can’t wait to explore more from her. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a fantastic job. 🌭♥️

I would like to thank Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for giving me an ARC (which did not sway my opinions or review).

Thanks to NetGallery for this ALC!

I am obsessed with Eva and Rylie! Mazey crushed Eva and representing a lot of us strong ice queen women in the world. She is someone who is working hard to excel while also just wanting someone to affirm their love for them. Rylie is one of the best affirmation kings. The therapy scene was absolute perfection representing the grief and hardships within growth. Huge shout out to Ariela Crow for bringing these characters to life in the most impeccable way. At 50%, I looked up if this book was dual narration and realized the narrator was just crushing these characters.

Banter was spot on, chemistry was a chefs kiss, and pace was on the gas front Chapter 1.

Would I recommend? Absolutely! Mazey crushed bringing the strong independent girl to life in Eva.
Vibes: Black cat meets golden retriever, second chance romance, sassy banter, slow burn, grief rep
Final thoughts: This was one of my most fun reads of the year and Eva/Rylie will consume my mind for a while.

Got a couple of chapters in and realized this would not be a book I enjoy at all. The authors warning at the beginning of all of the "triggering" subjects that might cause people "trauma" also helped me understand that this book is for a much younger and dumber crowd.

I always love Mazey Eddings’s storytelling! this story is full of so much heart, tenderness, hilarity, and joy. I just love a boy obsessed, and oh boy is my boy Riley obsessed with Eva! he’s so loving and tender. and I love and adore how Eva’s character develops, how she finally gets the long-lasting, dedicated love she deserves. 🥹 and the audiobook for this one is phenomenal! I LOVE a duet narration! I def recommend yall listen to it asap! thank you @youhadmeathea for the ARC and @macmillan.audio for the ALC!!!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and St. Martin’s Griffin for the ALC!

Oh my sweet lord. Mazey Eddings is THAT GIRL. She has become a MUST BUY in my world. After loving Late Bloomer, I requested this on NetGalley and I was not disappointed. Rylie is the definition of smitten, and I loved seeing Eva’s walls slowly be broken down. The smut was perfect, and I was invested in every part of their little scheme. The ending was phenomenal. No notes Mazey!!!!!!!!

I had a great time with this book. Truly a fun romp. Was I annoyed by our protagonist and her fly off the handle ways? yes. Did I laugh out lout and enjoy the spice and the romance? ALSO YES. I most likely will revisit this book because I just flat out enjoyed listening to it.

The narrator is great. And while listed as Ariela Crow as the narrator, fans of Better Than the Movies narration will enjoy this - wink wink nudge nudge. I love the tension, humor, and drama this narrator brought to the book. It made the stakes feel higher for as much as a romp this is.

Honestly, I wish I had more to say but I honestly just had a really fun time. 4.25 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this digital arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Mazey Eddings has delivered another stunning book that is equal part hilarity, well-defined characters, so accurate mental health rep, complete adoration (he falls first - in case the cover didn’t give it away), and just-right, so-hot spice.

Eva Kitt is the reluctant host of Sausage Talk, a podcast where she interviews D-list celebrities while eating hot dogs, in the hopes of one day making bigger waves in journalism. Wylie Cooper is her ex from college - who was a total frat boy douche at the time - and now an online personality that preaches against toxic masculinity. After Eva’s brutal (and drunken) stitch takedown of Rylie’s current persona goes viral, they are thrust together in a collab for ratings (and $$$).

These two had the best push-and-pull, banter, and hard (Eva) and soft (Rylie) edges that perfectly complemented the other. I can see how and why they fell for each other, and both of them deserve only the very best things. For long-time readers, there are also perfect cameo moments from past books.

This was one where I switched back and forth between ebook and audio and I loved the narration!
Narrator Ariela Crow was superb at nailing Eva's deadpan humor and the emotional depth that the story needed.

I Received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

I loved the beginning of Well, Actually—the banter between Eva and Rylie was sharp, funny, and totally hooked me. Rylie’s sweetness and patience made him the heart of the story, especially when Eva’s constant sarcasm and mean streak started to wear on me. While I understood her sharp edges came from a place of hurt, I sometimes wished she’d softened sooner. It reminded me a lot of The Passion Project, with a feisty FMC and a kind, grounded MMC balancing each other out. Overall, it’s a witty, heartfelt romance with great chemistry that I still really enjoyed, even if Eva occasionally tested my patience.

Let me be honest here. I felt like I would enjoy this book, but I didn’t know I would end up loving it as much as I did!

Here are the deets:
Eva Kitt is the host of Sausage Talk (think chicken shop date but hotdogs and B and C list celebs) and wants more from her career. And while doom scrolling one night she finds a video of her college ex talking about how to treat a woman right, when he did not do the same to her 6 years ago. Eva drunkenly responds, as one does, to his video with her own and it goes viral. And now to capitalize on it all, and save face, Eva is meeting back up with Rylie on her show where 6 dates are proposed so Rylie can show Eva he isn’t the same guy he used to be. Will Rylie be able to prove he is changed and win Eva over? Or will Eva be able to keep her guard up and not be fooled by Rylie once again?

Thoughts:
I am obsessed with Rylie for starters and I just wanted to hug Eva! There is something about “hard to love” female characters that always makes me love and adore them with my whole being. I was laughing, swooning, wanting to punch a couple people, and feeling all the emotions. This was my first Mazey Eddings book and it will not be my last.

Will this book be for everyone? No, but no book is.
But was it for me? ABSOLUTELY.

Audiobook review:
The audiobook may have been the most perfect narration of an audiobook. I felt like Eva was captured perfectly by Ariela Crow. And her Rylie voice was fantastic as well. Maybe I’m being dramatic but this might be in my top 5 best audios of the year for me.

Other things of note:
- Bi and pansexual rep
- Black cat x golden retriever
- 4-5 open door scenes (can’t remember exactly how many)
- Lots of fun nicknames for both characters
- The man drives Pt cruiser

Thank you to NetGalley, Youhadmeathea, and Macmillan Audio for the eArc and alc of Well, Actually!

An utterly delightful and unexpectedly emotional second-chance romance that pairs golden retriever energy with black cat sarcasm in the best way. Mazey Eddings delivers another sparkling, whip-smart rom-com that is as thoughtful as it is fun.

Eva Kitt never planned to host a chaotic talk show called Sausage Talk, let alone interview B-list celebrities while holding a hot dog. But her offbeat career takes a sharp turn when a clip of her publicly calling out her college ex goes viral. That ex? Rylie Cooper, a swoony, reformed himbo and internet-famous advocate for healthy masculinity. He also happens to be the boy who ghosted her years ago.

When Rylie surprises Eva live on air and offers to make it right with a series of public dates, she agrees, but only to boost her own profile and take him down a peg. What begins as petty revenge quickly unravels into something far more vulnerable and real. Each date peels back layers of their past, revealing grief, growth, and a slow-burning chemistry that neither of them can ignore.

Eva is brilliantly written—neurodivergent, brash, and deeply relatable. Rylie is charming with just enough emotional wreckage to make him irresistible. Their banter is biting and hilarious, but the real magic lies in the quieter moments of understanding and care.

Ariela Crowe’s narration is pitch-perfect. She captures Eva’s sarcasm, insecurity, and fierce intelligence with nuance, and gives Rylie a warmth that makes every scene feel more intimate. Her voice work adds a richness to the story that elevates the emotional impact and makes the characters feel like real people.

Well, Actually is clever, sexy, and full of heart. A must-listen for anyone who loves second chances, enemies-to-lovers tension, or just really great storytelling told through an unforgettable performance. If you want to be crying of laughter and hear all the quips you would never think of with black cat x chaotic goldenretriever energy this book is for you!

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 charming main characters with excellent growth arcs. Also second chance!

READ VIA:
Thank you Macmillian Audio for the advanced copy

ABOUT:
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.

MY THOUGHTS:
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 wait.

In this book, the central conflict brings them closer together rather than apart, as Riley 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.

AUDIO:
The audiobook performance by Ariela 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.

SIMILAR BOOKS:
I think readers who enjoyed First Time Caller and Love and Other Conspiracies will also enjoy this one.

SHOULD YOU READ:
I AM BEGGING YA’LL don’t skip this one

I loved this audio! This was my first book by this author and definitely won’t be my last. I love me a grumpy FMC. I enjoyed their banter and was laughing out loud multiple this. Second chance with a mix of work plus and the enemies to lovers. It truly was absolutely perfect