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!

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.

I kept hearing about this book and how anticipated it was. It has been all over the books of summer to read. I have only read one of Mazey's book, so I thought that this one sounded like it would be interesting. Although, it was not my favorite book of the summer, it was a good book. I enjoyed all the talk about social media and how it plays a huge part of people's lives.

Thanks NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

I read the book and loved it, but I would have preferred to stick just to the book.

The audio didn't do much for me, tbh I really like the narrator, she is good at the emotions and you feel what's happening through her voice but I think this one really needed a male voice for Rylie. And I know this was a single POV but this has been done in books like Problematic Summer Romance and having a male voice would have complimented the experience soooo much because he is a podcaster! But that's me.

Gosh, Mazey Eddings really knows how to cut right to the heart of the matter, doesn’t she? This one’s a golden retriever/black cat situation, and he lays it allll out. I might never recover from his vulnerability. As always with Mazey’s books, the queer rep is fantastic and the steam is… plentiful. TBH, it was a little too steamy for me (esp since it didn’t feel essential to the plot) but to each their own.

I loved the cameos from some of my faves — Lizzie and Raf from Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake and Dan and Hazel from A Brush with Love! So fun to see what they’re up to!

🎧 : This was a new-to-me narrator and she nailed it. You can hear every emotion in her voice — from the laugher in happy moments to the tears in the emotional scenes, and everything in between. You can even tell when the waitress is chewing gum or someone’s talking with their mouth full. SO well done!

I love absolutely everything that Mazey Eddings writes, but this one felt extra special. Also, Ariela Crow did an incredible job narrating this book. This is my first time listening to one of her narrations and she didn't disappoint!

I related to Eva in so many way. I appreciated that Mazey made her tall and never had her speaking about it like it's a curse. So many books I read the women are tiny, dainty little things or tall and have so many insecurities around it.

Speaking of insecurities, I related a lot to Eva's. Her fear of being too much or not enough. Her use of sarcasm as a crutch and a weapon. This book had so much verbal sparing between Eva and Riley and I loved every second of it. Banter is my love language.

The way that Riley met and matched Eva at every turn. Whether is be her wit or giving her grace, comfort, and security when he knew she needed to let the walls down and open up. He was such a patient and caring person the whole time and what I wouldn't give to find someone who saw me the way he saw Eva.

Can't end a review without speaking on the intimacy. It was chef's kiss!

Well done all around Mazey! I can't want for the next one!

Can’t talk rn, i’m too busy on my knees worshipping the ground Rylie Cooper walks on! A bisexual man with slutty little glasses, a jomforter, and the tendency to wear cutie little crewnecks? Count me in. Our freak in the jeets is a former frat boy who now hosts a podcast focused on breaking down toxic masculinity. He also happens to be the (not great) ex of our female main character, Eva. A traditional black cat heroine with impulsive tendencies. When a drunken night leads Eva to stitch a video calling Rylie out on all of his past misogynistic behavior, the pair find themselves in a second chance agreement of six dates to give Rylie the opportunity to prove he has changed and make it up to Eva- in the public eye. We all know I love a second chance romance and Well, Actually delivered. I loved Rylie and Eva’s dynamics; Rylie jumped high on my mmc list for the way he was so able to dish out the sass just as well as he could take it. I also adored the cast of side characters and their bits of wisdom along the way. This is my second read from Mazey Eddings; I read Late Bloomer last fall loved it so I will definitely be adding the rest of Eddings’ backlist to my TBR.
Thank you Net Galley for the advanced listening copy of Well, Actually! Ariela Crow did an excellent job with the narration.

This was good solid fun!!! With all the energy of a deranged, camp, indie rom com, this story will have fans of that hooting & hollering. I’m all for a story about a wallflower girlie, our Miss Eva, turned baddie who will claw thy eyes out. & A SWEET, PERFECT, FUNNY SWEATER WEARING BOY??? WITH GLASSES?? Sign me the eff up. I thought that there was a lot here that was super successful, witty, & thoughtful. By the end the story felt like it slowed down a bit, & Eva herself was truly dragging my boy Cooper in a way that had me shocked he was coming back for more??? BUT HEY—that’s life. Got so many good laughs from this bad boy, excited to read more from this author!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley & to Macmillan Audio for this ALC!!