Mazey Eddings delivers a winner with Well, Actually, a romance that balances fiery banter, tender vulnerability, and mental health representation with an effortless touch.

Eva is feisty and sharp—think black cat energy—but what makes her especially compelling is that her edge isn’t just for show (even though, sometimes, it is for her show). She’s a layered character performing a version of herself for the internet, shaped by a messy past and complicated family dynamics. The angst she carries never feels melodramatic because it’s grounded in real emotional weight and self-protection.

Cooper, on the other hand, is all golden retriever energy—warm, loyal, and patient enough to weather Eva’s emotional walls. Their dynamic sparkles from the beginning, and what’s refreshing is that their first fallout isn’t due to betrayal or cruelty, but miscommunication and timing. It makes the second-chance angle feel earned and satisfying, especially as they begin to unpack what went wrong.

I received an advanced audiobook, and the narration only deepened my love for this story. The voice performance made it feel like I was hearing everything from a close friend at a chisme session. Equal parts hilarious, emotional, and intimate. The heartfelt moments especially hit harder thanks to the emotion behind the narrator’s delivery.

Eddings weaves in therapy and mental health themes in an honest and accessible way. The characters don’t just talk about healing; they do the work, making their growth feel authentic rather than conveniently timed for a happy ending.

Well, Actually is witty, raw, and swoon-worthy in equal parts. It’s the kind of romance that makes you believe in second chances, messy people, and love that doesn’t just accept your baggage—but helps you unpack it.

Eva & Riley. 3.0 ⭐️s. It took me a bit to get into this book and while the book was not necessarily bad, I do think it was longer than it needed to be. I really liked Riley’s character. Out of both main characters he was the only one with actual growth and substance the entire book. He and the other side characters are what mostly kept me engaged. Eva was contradicting and at times annoying. I get her having mental health problems and family issues she had not dealt with, but her façade was not believable. She was supposed to give this black cat energy but it poorly masked her insecurity. Overall the book just felt dragged out, it’s supposed to deal with modern issues and it has representation, which I loved, but to me it just felt too much like the real world, which in all honesty is not what I enjoy reading. The spicy scenes were great but again a bit overdone and they added nothing to the plot. One of the reasons my rating is not lower is because I had both the audio and the book and the narrator, Ariela Crow was great! She made it funny and witty. & her switch up to make Riley’s voice has been of the best ones I’ve heard. She sounded sensual lol gotta give her props because I could definitely differentiate between the characters, not just the main ones but also the side characters. I would still recommend for people who like modern romances, specially if it’s audiobook form. The hopeless romantic in me just wish it had been a lot shorter. Thanks to Macmillan audio for allowing me to listen and review ahead of publication.

The narrator was a great choice to voice the main character and tell the story.

The main character was whiny and I expected her to take a stance for women with the issue at hand, but it wasn’t quite what I had hoped for.

Readers get a glimpse into social media life and the downfalls it can come with.

If you want a book with a lot of sex this is a good choice but not for me.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC.

Unlike most reviewers, I find myself enjoying the second half of the book more than the first. I can deeply relate to the workplace bullying and corporate America nonsense, which makes me value myself even more, rather than thinking that’s what I deserved.

I appreciate the pace and the witty banter. The spice scene and the emotional depth are also very nice. I especially love the narration by Ariela Crow. I think I need to explore other books narrated by her.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for providing the ALC!

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

Well, Actually is about Eva, an internet show host (think Chicken Shop Date) and Rylie, a tiktok influencer/podcast host. They briefly dated in college and ended with a ghosting. Six years later, Eva makes a “take down” tiktok about him which forces them to interact for the first time since their relationship ended.

I’m glad I gave this author another chance. Late Bloomer was one of the worst books I’ve read all year, but Well, Actually is one of the better books I’ve read. Overall I give this book a 4.25. This was a fun and campy rom-com that had me smiling almost the whole time.

It’s obvious Eva’s job is a play on Chicken Shop Date, but her job at Sound Bites gave me early Buzzfeed days vibes. When we would be shipping the coworkers based on the short videos we’d get and to the workers- they were forced to push anything the audience was craving despite it not being in their best interest.

There are many things that I loved about this book. I love a story about a strong-willed woman and a man that will do anything for her. The fact that he planned a couple’s therapy session for them when they aren’t a couple was so precious and perfect. I love that both of them were bisexual.

My biggest concerns were sometimes the choices the characters made didn’t make sense and it made it so unbelievable. This was my biggest issue with the author’s last book, but in Well, Actually it didn’t ruin anything, just earned an eye roll from me.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a romance lover. You’re in for a fun, giggle-inducing, and fast-paced read!

As far as contemporary romances go, this one was just fine in my personal opinion.

I had a really hard time rooting for Eva because all she seemed to do was complain. No matter what Cooper did, she complained. It's like nothing he ever did was good enough, and it's her right to think that, but jfc girl if you're holding that much of a grudge towards him, let the damn relationship go! I really dislike characters that do nothing but complain and don't make the effort to improve their situation. She also can't let anything go. She becomes obsessive over every single little thing... this would be a good character flaw if Eddings had done anything to resolve it, but no, Eva remains the same throughout the whole book.

Cooper (I can't be bothered to remember his first name... he's referred to as Cooper for half the book anyway) was just fine as a love interest. He wasn't anything special, and was just your typical contemporary romance MMC. Sweet, caring, accommodating... honestly Eva didn't deserve him. He doesn't call her back when they were in college (and for a totally understandable reason), and Eva holds it over his head for 90% of this book as if he assaulted her or something. Cooper had the potential to be a really interesting MMC with his whole deconstructing-toxic-masculinity social media personality, but it literally goes nowhere.

The antagonists were almost cartoonish... villain monologue and everything. What was supposed to be a really tense moment became eyeroll-worthy. No doubt what the antagonists did was heinous, but that monologue...

I really liked that both characters were bi, and that their bi identity wasn't erased the moment they started dating each other. As a bi woman myself, I've encountered a lot of biphobia (unfortunately most of it from the LGBTQ+ community) centered around being "bi enough". Just because we date or marry someone of the opposite gender doesn't mean that all of a sudden we're not bi. Ridiculous in-fighting. Seeing ourselves represented as still bi while in heterosexual relationships is really important.

Overall, would I recommend this book? Meh, there's no harm in reading it. I don't feel like I wasted my time even though it was by no means a favourite. It was a good distraction from everyday life, which is what I primarily look for when reading.

this is definitely going to be a top read of the year for me.

this audiobook was amazing! my first time listening to a book narrated by ariela crow and she was perfecttttttt for
eva. she really brought her dry sense of humor to life

she might be my new favorite fmc i loved her so much! and her growth throughout the book was amazing. we have so many similarities and i related to her so much.

riley is the blueprint that man was down so bad! and no matter how hard eva tried pushing him away he was standing strong and reassuring her that hes not going anywhere and he'll always be there for her 😭

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

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the free ALC via NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

I believe the saying goes like this: Forgive me Mazey Eddings, I was not familiar with your game!

I don't want to belabor the synopsis of this one, so I'll talk about the characters briefly instead. FMC Eva has built up a tough outer shell because of childhood emotional wounds. She's sarcastic, snarky, and biting. This does her favors in her current gig: a Chicken Shop Date-esque interview show called Sausage Talk involving lots of hot dogs. But on the inside, she wants softness, gentle care, validation, and - on the career side - to be an actual journalist. Enter Rylie, a one-time college hookup who really hurt her feelings and now has a successful podcast about deconstructing toxic masculinity. Oof.

This sweet and spicy book was a top-tier contemporary romcom for me! The more I read romance the more I notice how difficult it can be to write a really good one. My biggest pet peeve is when the conflict relies heavily on miscommunication between the two main characters. I get so frustrated with them, and sometimes the third-act conflict can feel contrived. While I understand that miscommunication happens in real life, I often find myself hoping for something different. This book delivered in spades, and I'm so impressed with how it all came together!

Quick list of tropes and things I loved about this book:
- Black cat x golden retriever
- Second chance romance
- Queer rep (pan + bi)
- NYC setting
- Hate to love
- To borrow from my friend Sherry's review: The banter is bantering!
- Quite a bit of open-door spice (I don't recommend this book if you prefer closed door)
- The characters communicate well!
- A competent, patient, MMC!
- Third-act conflict has real stakes and consequences, and doesn't rely on the MCs withholding information from each other

Audio was a great format choice here. This book is not dual-POV and is solo narrated by Ariela Crow. I thought she did an amazing job bringing all of the characters to life!

This book had everything I want in a romcom, and I'll absolutely be looking to read more of Mazey Eddings's work!

5 🌟
Spice: open door
Format: ALC

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the alc in exchange for an honest review.

You ever read a book and just feel so seen as a person? This one definitely did that. I saw a lot of myself in Eva and lot of my relationship with my husband reflected in this couple. The banter throughout this book was magnificent. It is a single pov, but I didn't feel like we were missing anything without the mmc pov. The narrator did an awesome job, her male voice is very well done. So many of the issues brought up in this story are so relatable. I laughed, swooped, almost cried. Will definitely be thinking of this one for awhile.

Eva can't help but call out her college ex, Rylie, after seeing his video teaching men how to be good partners. Surprisingly, her response video goes viral. Eva and Rylie are forced to make more content together to keep the attention on Eva and traffic going to the site she works for.

I really loved this one. The premise was unique and hooked me immediately. My favorite was when he called her "kitten". 😍 Mazey Eddings is hilarious and it shows in her writing. Heads up, there was a decent amount of spice. I'm so excited for everyone to get their hands on this book next week!!

The audiobook is fantastic. Ariela Crow does a great job with male voices.

I listened to the audio version of this book narrated by Ariela Crow. Her narration of this story was superb. The inflection and pacing for all the banter and the highly emotional parts were right on.

The story was about Eva, who responds to a podcast segment done by someone she knew in the past. Rylie was actually her first intimate experience and she proceeds (assisted by too much to drink) to really knock his ability in said encounter. She wakes in the morning to discover that it has gone viral. Her bosses decide it would be delightful and bring in tons of watchers if they were to pair them up for several episodes. Oh, boy!

This is a rom-com. A very good romcom. There is lots of great back and forth between the two. Also some back and forth between the sheets. It also manages to bring in the emotion between the two in a funny, but also touching way.

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the audiobook. All thoughts are my own.

Well, Actually is a story that had me giggling. It is a second chance romance that will keep you coming back for more. It is not just fluff though, there was a lot more depth than I expected from the MMC, Cooper and the story of his past made me think. I enjoyed this audio book because of the narrators of course. If the cover is calling you, you won't be disappointed!

Thank you Net Galley, Mazey Eddings and MacMillian Audio for the opportunity to preview this title. The opinions shared are my own.
Well, Actually is expected to be released Aug. 5, 2025.

This one unfortunately didn't work for me. I loved Mazey's last book, so I was expecting more I guess. I felt like the FMC was a mess and that is hard for me because I put myself into all of them. The MMC was cringey at first, but by the end he was the saving grace. He wouldn't let Ava get into her own head and ruin what they had. I enjoyed Riley's character at the end. There was one line that made me laugh though. "The bar is on the ground and you keep bringing a shovel". I feel like this is the most relatable line in the book.
I didn't love the narrator for this one. The woman voices were fine, but when she tried to go lower to do the men's, it was hard to hear and felt like mumbling.
Thanks to Macmillian, Netgalley and Mazey Eddings for an ALC.

I absolutely loved this story! Not only was it hilarious it had a lot of heart! Eva has a tough outer shell which rightfully so and read about Rylie helping her come out of her shell and be seen and loved made my heart so happy and the audio production of this book was excellent!

🎧⭐⭐⭐⭐.5🎧
Big thanks to Macmillan and NetGalley for letting me listen to and review this delightful gem.

What a fun ride! I loved the way Eva and Rylie reconnected, and the fact that social media played matchmaker? Chef’s kiss. Eva finds herself in a bit of a pickle (okay, a major pickle), but she owns it. No excuses, no dodging, just accountability and a whole lot of grit, even with her job hanging by a thread.

And Rylie? He has every reason to be mad, but instead of storming off, he leans in. What Eva said wasn’t wrong, and he gives her the space to make it right. That kind of grace? Rare.
What neither of them expected was that those old sparks weren’t just lingering, they were practically a bonfire. I was hooked on their story from start to finish.

Now, Eva’s bosses? Not my favourite. The way she was treated had me grinding my teeth. But I get it, not everyone has the luxury of walking away from a toxic job, and the story doesn’t shy away from that reality.

And let’s talk about Ariela Crow’s narration I found it to be impeccable. She brought the sass, the wit, and all the feels. Honestly, she made the whole experience even better.

Well, Actually was such a refreshing read! Mazey Eddings does a great job blending witty banter with real emotional depth, and I loved how the characters felt layered and genuinely human.

I really loved this book! I have not read any books by this author in the past and so I decided to try this one out and go in blind. What a fun read it was. I really enjoyed the depth of the storyline and how it portrayed real life issues. I loved the way the characters came together but most importantly how they stayed together through the troubles life threw at them. I enjoyed how they transitioned from enemies to lovers and how they felt so completely connected to one another and so willing to show vulnerability to each other. I will definitely be checking out more books by this author. I also really enjoyed the narrator!

Thank you Netgalely and Macmillan audio for the advance listeners copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A huge thank you to Macmillan Audio and Mazey Eddings for an advance audio of this book!!!

When I tell you I am counting down the days to have a physical copy of this book in my hands! I’m going to tab the SHIT out of it when I get it 🤣

I knew from the opening line that this book was going to be so much fun!!!
The BANTER. THE BANTER!!! Mazey- how do you do it?!?? I was cackling the whole way through!
Not the jumpforter/denim duvet 🤭🫣🫣
“You head strong Fruit Loop”
“I’m here to check on you, you contrarian witch”
“Listen here you little demon”

“I don’t know that your work being tied to your identity is a super healthy thing…”
Damn. That hit hard.
The emotional roller coaster we go on with Eva hit so hard. I felt like I connected to her on so many levels.

Add this to your TBR immediately!
The. Fucking. End. ☠️☠️☠️

🎙️ Narration: 5/5
📖 Book: 5/5
▶️ Playback Speed: 2x

This is exactly what I wanted in a romance! A fun premise, second chances, spice, and BANTER. Maybe I’m a cat girlie, but I loved the FMC Eva! I understood her character, her fears, and the regret that comes with a late night posting ;-)

I also love that this book centered on a Pan FMC and Bi MMC. I have been gravitating more towards diverse voices in the Romance genre and I have not been disappointed once- Love is love.

Finally, the audio was amazing. Single narrator, but it made sense it was written given that the story is told via Eva’s POV.

Thank you Mazey Eddings, MacMillan Audio, St. Martins Press, and NetGalley for the Advanced Listening Copy in exchange for my honest review.

Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings

- Fake Dating
- Second Chance
- Black Cat x Golden Retreiver
- Hate to Love
- Bi/Pan Representation

Sigh. Where is my Rylie Cooper?! Y’all, this book so was refreshing - the story felt fresh and there was a ton of built up tension between the Rylie & Eva. The yearning was absolutely top notch.

My favorite part? When Rylie said every woman’s six magic words: “I have it all handled, sweetheart” 😍

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️