This is a second chance romance where she fell first but he falls harder. Well, Actually has plenty of spice, lots of banter and tonnes of tension.

Eva has an online show interviewing minor celebrities over hotdogs (think Chicken Shop Date) - one night she drunkenly duets a video of her ex college boyfriend Rylie, who’s now a social media star. When the video goes viral her network gets her to invite him on her show, as the incident boosted ratings - he asks to take her on some dates to make up for how he treated her in the past and to prove he’s changed. When the fake dates start to feel real, can she give their relationship a second chance? Especially when it’s playing out for views?

This was such a hilarious book, I really liked the personality and characterisation of Eva - how she quipped with Rylie and the comments she made. I equally loved how he reacted to them and how well they worked together. There was such tension and fire in their relationship but they also had their cute moments!

The book also raised awareness and had such great discussions on themes such as misogyny/sexism in the workplace and online - looking at how Eva and Rylie were treated comparatively, and the way Eva was treated at work. There author also did a really good job on the discussion around sexuality - from the issues the characters themselves faced to the way it was championed. This was really well done.

Overall I enjoyed this book and would recommend for a spicy second chance romance with plenty of tension and a lot of laughs. But that also touches on some heavier hitting themes.

ARC copy provided by Headline & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Well, Actually is a spicy, sparkling second-chance romance with bite — and no one delivers biting better than Mazey Eddings. Eva Kitt thought her worst-case scenario was slinging hot takes over hot dogs on a show called Sausage Talk. But when she publicly drags her college ex, Rylie Cooper — now a feminist heartthrob influencer — she doesn’t expect to go viral… or to end up face-to-face with him again.

Their chemistry is undeniable, their past is messy, and the petty games? Impeccable. Rylie proposes redemption-by-dating: a series of very public, very performative dates to prove he’s no longer the clueless guy who broke Eva’s heart. She agrees — not to forgive, but to eviscerate him on-camera and ride the publicity wave. But behind the snark and spite is something tender, something unresolved, something that might just deserve a second shot.

Eddings writes with razor-sharp wit, an eye for millennial messiness, and deep emotional intelligence. Eva is fierce and vulnerable, and Rylie is infuriatingly charming with a real desire to grow. This isn’t just a romance — it’s a reckoning, and a love story built on accountability and earned trust. It’s hot, hilarious, and healing in all the best ways.

This is my favourite Mazey Eddings book so far. I absolutely TORE through this one. I was hooked from the first sentence and then had such a great time following Eva's story. The banter between her and Rylie was top notch and the way they (eventually) dealt with the big moments that came up throughout were so wonderfully done. I laughed out loud at multiple points while reading and felt oddly proud of this fictitious woman when she finally accepted that she could be exactly the way that she was and still be worthy of love. This was the perfect balance of all the things that I love about romance novels.

Eva is working hard to carve out a career in journalism, but for now, she’s stuck in a truly degrading role. Meanwhile, Rylie—an old ex—has managed to find a foothold in the world of social media. When Eva sees one of his posts, she makes what feels like a throwaway comment on her personal account. Naturally, it goes viral. Naturally, Rylie sees it. And just like that, the two reconnect and start collaborating on a new project, opening the door to a second chance. Constantly. Maybe this was amplified by the audiobook narration, which leaned hard into a high-pitched, urgent tone that made every emotional beat sound like a meltdown. Annoyed? Whine. Flirty? Whine. Nervous? You guessed it—whine. It wore me down early.

Rylie, on the other hand, is a sweetheart. But even he has quirks that made me pause: his fashion choices are baffling, to the point where it’s hard to believe Eva would realistically go for him. And his willingness to tolerate Eva’s relentless edge? Borderline masochistic. That said, the romance still follows the satisfying beats you expect in a second-chance love story. No surprises here—and that’s part of the charm. Overall there is humor, tension, and enough heart to keep things moving. And hey—sometimes even a not-quite-right love story deserves a second chance.

I have a feeling Eva might not be everyone’s favourite—she’s definitely an unapologetically angry girl, which isn’t the usual “nice” heroine we often see in romances. But being inside her head really helps you understand why she’s so guarded and why she struggles to trust Cooper. Plus, her humour had me laughing out loud, making the story hard to put down.

As for Cooper, he was an absolute joy. His passion and dedication are genuinely refreshing—total green flags all around. And the smut? It’s seriously impressive, definitely not holding back. Cooper is supportive, persistent, and emotionally available—the perfect match for Eva. Mazey Eddings really knows how to deliver a romance that hits all the right notes!

Thanks to NetGalley and Headline Eternal for a copy of this ARC! All opinions my own.

I thought that this premise sounded so fun, but this didn't live up to the hype for me. I didn't warm up to Eva like I thought I would. Her personally just kinda annoyed me honestly. I didn't get the chemistry between the two main characters as much either. Perhaps it's just me, I am sure this will find its audience. But, I'll continue to read from Eddings.

I'm very conflicted with how I feel about this book. The premise sounded so fun and it was a really interesting take on tropes, but I struggled to feel the connection between the characters. Although I loved the banter between Eva and Riley, at times it just felt like she was unnecessarily rude so I couldn't warm to her. While we do get to hear about her background and why she is so standoffish so I understand why she struggles to be genuine and open up to people, at times she was just mean so I really struggled to understand why Riley liked her so much.

Riley, on the other hand, was a great character and I would've loved to have his point of view. I think that would have helped me to feel the connection between him and Eva and understand his feelings.

The book does cover a lot of important issues, such as biphobia, mental health, and workplace harassment, and I think these were handled really well. Although I do feel like the resolution of the workplace harassment storyline was very rushed and would have liked to see more about that. The mental health representation was very well portrayed though, which I've found to be the case throughout Mazey Edding's books.

Thank you NetGalley and Mazey Eddings for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chicken Shop Date but with questionable hotdogs and more savage banter... that sound like a bit of me, not gonna lie!

Meet Eva and Rylie: a black cat x golden retriever pairing with some issues to deal with.

Plot & Premise
Eva Kitt, once the journalism prodigy, now hosts Sausage Talk and awkwardly interviews minor celebs over lukewarm hot dogs. A drunken TikTok callout of her ex (can we really call him an ex after four dates a hook up six years ago?), Rylie Cooper, viral influencer hellbent on fighting fragile masculinity, triggers what she thinks is a pr nightmare for the company she works, but they decide to capitalise on her newfound TikTok fame and kick off a six dates experiment to test if Rylie has truly changed.

Fake dating? Yes. Toxic masculinity? Debunked. Chemistry? Off the charts. Is Eva fighting against this chemistry? Hell yes, she is.

💖 Characters & Chemistry
Eva is sharp, unapologetic and deeply relatable. Snark is her love language but the girl has got walls. Her emotional armour can be off‑putting at times and, I’m not gonna lie, I did struggle to like her at certain points.
Rylie, the golden‑retriever ex turned Insta‑influencer, is sweet, earnest and constantly evolving.
He shows accountability, vulnerability, and growth and yes, he will charm you with his curls and his crewneck collection.

🎭 Tropes & Themes
Second‑chance romance, enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, grumpy x sunshine
Tackles serious topics, like toxic masculinity, grief, queer identity, biphobia, treatment across social media and sexism in the workplace

⏳ Pacing & Structure
The banter is top-tier and the fake-date trope sparkles
As I mentioned above, I did struggle with Eva’s “defensive” tactics when trying to avoid admitting her feelings. I just wanted to shake her and tell her to stop doing this to herself and to Rylie.

🎙️ Overall Vibe
Not gonna lie, it did give me Taylor Swift song vibes: witty, emotional, redemptive. 


👑 Go For It If…
You want laugh‑out‑loud moments + tear‑jerkers
You’re drawn to authentic, flawed characters
You’re into socially aware romances: think mental-health icons, biphobia, toxic masculinity, queer chemistry

🔔 Final Rating: 4 ⭐️
A messy, modern, deliciously real second‑chance romance that hits hard with witty dialogue, emotional depth and a couple worth rooting for.

This book is an actual delight.

A perfect balance of witty banter and humour, emotional vulnerability and intimacy.

I'm not usually the biggest fan of slightly mean and obnoxious characters, but Eva was so funny, clearly a little traumatised, but deeply loving and caring. Her and Rylie were so good for each other, matched each other's humour and overall energy so utterly perfectly, and their chemistry was off the charts.

At times it felt like maybe a breakup was coming, but then things would turn around so incredibly nicely with a mature conversation. The addition of the couple's therapy session was such a nice touch here, because it's something Eva desperately needed.

I just really loved the overall humour and the jokes here, the cultural references, all the memes etc. It all made this book have such a nostalgic feel to it.

Thank you NetGalley and Mazey Eddings for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I have to say, I was chuffed to receive this as an ARC because I had been waiting for this to get released in August, so to get it earlier was amazing!
The book was so worth the wait and the characters are really relatable, especially the MMC. He was honestly the sweetest person I've read about, he was such a good partner and just such a good person. FMC was a tad trickier to relate to but her grumpiness was also quite funny. Overall, it's such a good reach, can easily switch off and just enjoy the story

oh i did adore this book. right from seeing the front cover it took me in. such a gorgeous book to go with it. so fun, witty, energetic and with that perfect balance of emotional and beautiful characters to go with it. i couldn't get enough of this book and was doing that too big grin far to often whilst reading.
Eva in this book had my whole heart. she is such a wonderful character. and you get her. you see her. and you feel her. and how she felt about everything that had gone on in the past was so on point, and good on her for standing up against what she saw! lets have some more angry woman please. because its making a few people uncomfortable and WE ALL KNOW WHY THAT IS.
and Cooper? no stop. its not ok that we are all so into this bloke and clearly the work hes done and still doing. his kindness and emotional open doors is something stunning to see. and the realist of this current world aint seeing any of this or rarely. so yeh, forgive me for my escape and therefore falling harder for it in this book. i had to shout down my "these men dont exist" far too often which is far to sad to keep thinking over why woman cant believe in men like this apart from in books!
this books is why we read books. it was charming and fun and full of everything we need from this genre. and more than that, everything we need from the current world we live in which seems to be far to scary on some of the linking themes featured in this book. but dont worry Mazey doesnt make us feel down on that. she soars away from it with wit and sass and romance of a delightful kind.
the story follow Eva into a world she never really dreamed of. interviewing people she doesn't reaaaally care for instead of chasing the stories shed like to be as a journalist. ts not her career highlight to be honest. but when she confronts something on her podcast its about to change everything. this happens when she has a rant over her ex Cooper. and when we hear what she says we are totally on her side. so many of these influences are telling stories(LIES) about who they are. and are believed. they are believed. but her rant goes viral. and shes about to find herself at the top of the story not writing it!
Cooper aint happy. and he wants to SHOW her he has. he proposes a deal of dates so Eva can see hes changed. and she can document it.
Eva is all for it. she thinks this is going to be all balls in her court. this is going to be something for her. but as the time they spent together starts to feel different, real she thinks the man that once shattered her heart might be the only one she needs to make it feel whole.
the tone is perfect. the humour is perfect. the interactions are perfect. i loved this book with my whole heart and loved these characters with my whole heart. the ability that Mazey has here to make such lightness and brightness to the world she has bought us into whilst also making us ahce with the emotional vulnerability in it is a skill to behold.
this is going to my top list and will sit there forever. if someone would like to give me this book so i can have it on a shelf for all of time then id happily accept!
i needed this book to be told. and i needed to read it. and im so glad i got to. im so glad for books!

I really enjoyed this book! I've been following Mazey Eddings on social media for a while now so was very pleased to be granted access to her newest book! Thank you Netgalley!

Eva: 27, exhausted, and absolutely winging life.
Frustrated with her job and love life, she’s stuck interviewing celebrities over hotdogs — a gig that was supposed to be temporary 🌭🎤

One drunk night, she posts a rant about her ex — Rylie Cooper whom she dated six years ago , now a famous influencer — and the video goes viral.
Suddenly, her boss wants a new segment: an interview with Rylie himself.
Only... Rylie has his own plan — he wants a second chance.
Six dates to turn red flags 💔 into green lights 💚.

Eva says yes — for revenge, not romance. But in the process, she just might be putting her heart back in Rylie’s hands.

✨ My thoughts?
I had high hopes for this one. The concept was fun, the humor worked — but I struggled with Eva.
She felt a little too harsh, too quick to push Rylie away, and it didn’t feel like she was really open to giving him a chance.
Every time things softened, she pulled away again.
Not saying it was bad, but it didn’t land the way I wanted. I just expected more.

That said — if you love second chance romance and enemies to lovers with a side of celebrity drama — this might be right up your alley.
Thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of #WellActually in exchange for my honest review.

Xoxo😘

I’m so sad to say this one wasn’t for me.
I’ve loved all Mazey’s other books but I just found this very slow. I didn’t warm to the FMC. Her grumpiness and general behaviour just came off as rude and unnecessary a lot of the time. So I didn’t really feel the romance between the two characters building.
I really loved the idea and the setup, but the actual dates and scenarios they found themselves in were quite dull.
Such a shame but it hasn’t put me off Mazey. Hopefully her next book is for me

This is Chicken Shop Date in the form of a romance book and it was tons of fun. Eva is the unhappy host of an online celebrity interview show who gets drunk and calls out the unproblematic darling of non-toxic men's podcasting, Rylie.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. Rylie is truly the sweetest most wonderful man who has made mistakes in his past and is doing the work to improve himself and atone. I am sure there are some who do not like this book because Eva is a very unlikeable character and probably feel like Rylie could do better. Sure, Eva is mean and rude and it would be nice if she had been more honest and vulnerable with Rylie but I feel like Eddings does a good job of making us see why Eva acts the way she does. The romance is sweet and swoony and, for the most part, I enjoyed the plot and how it called out how men and women are treated differently online. The humor is also really good and the banter between the characters is top notch. Also great queer rep!!! This felt like a solid 5 stars for me until the end started to go off the rails a bit in terms of plot.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's press for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.

3.25 stars

thank you to netgalley and headline for the arc!

honestly, the main takeaway i have from this book is that it could've really used rylie's pov. i feel like, while i enjoyed being in eva's head, i would've liked her a lot more as a heroine if we go to see her through his eyes. it wasn't really clear why rylie liked her so much and had held a flame for her for so long.

that being said, this book is funny and hot and the tension was really good. eva was, despite everything, very relatable and felt real, perhaps a bit too much (her self-pity got to be a bit too much sometimes, but ig that was the point?)

i really wish we got to know more about rylie and their relationship in college, since we only got very few glimpses into it. perhaps some flashback chapters would benefit here.

obviously i still devoured this very quickly, it kept me engaged and hooked, i LOVED the banter between the two main characters and the way rylie was just absolutely down horrendous

This is a beautiful book and a fun read. The characters are fun and relatable. I loved how much it reminded me of the chicken shop show. The FMC was powerful and that was good.

[3.5] i LOVED the fmc, eva, in this!! she was punchy, quick-witted and so confident (at least on the exterior). i wasn’t crazy about the mmc, rylie, at least at first, but i did like watching their banter and quips at each other. one thing i definitely made a mental note of was that we got an onscreen therapy session, that was realistic, raw, and not skimmed over like other books. some times the actual relationship did feel a bit on-again off-again, but overall, pretty refreshing!!

thank you to netgalley and headline for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.

This made me laugh! Mazey Eddings handed us laugh out loud moments throughout a crazy rom-com.

You have sass, tension, crazy banter that grabs you from the beginning. The remarks and banter had me dying and Riley....what can I say except swoony. Don't get me wrong, Eva will seem a bit off putting to some, possibly abrasive but it all comes together, she is a bit vulnerable...no? Maybe I am keen to her because of the inner dialogue, who knows...what I do know is this was a fun read and a wonderful palette cleanser in between my high fantasy reads. Give it some try, I bet you'll see a bit of yourself in Eva.

I received this advanced reader copy from NetGalley and am leaving my honest review voluntarily.

3.75 stars (rounded up to 4)

I've had Mazey Eddings' books on my TBR for a while now, so receiving an arc for Well, Actually was an honour. For the most part, I enjoyed this book. This was funny, emotional and deeply romantic.

It does an incredible job at showing the chemistry between the two main characters. Eva and Rylie have such a funny dynamic, and the connection between them is obvious. I can't lie though, at first, both Evan and Rylie acted a little immature and juvenile when it came to their insults; it was almost like I was reading about teenagers fighting. However, at some stage while I was reading their banter just clicked and I found myself laughing along. As we progress further into the plot, the growing attraction between the two becomes even more prominent, even when Eva is furiously trying to deny it.

However, a part of me thinks, that Eva and Rylie connected a little too quickly. Yes, there was chemistry, but I honestly would have liked for both to have slowly become friends first instead of just giving into their attraction by the third date (feels a little insta-lusty not gonna lie). I also thought the conflict in the end would carry on for longer, but it resolved too quickly for my tastes. I honestly thought it would last longer. I do get what the book is trying to do, and for the most part it succeeds but the pacing of things made it seem very surface level.

Overall though, I enjoyed reading Well, Actually and will definitely be reading more of Mazey Eddings' books!