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Well, Actually
Eva Kitt never expected to be the host of Sausage Talk, interviewing B-list celebrities over lukewarm hot dogs, instead of pursuing the journalism career she dreamed of. But when Eva’s impromptu public call out of her college ex goes viral, she’s thrust into the spotlight. It doesn’t help said ex is Rylie Cooper, a beloved social media personality that has built a platform on deconstructing toxic masculinity and teaching men how to be good partners.
Forced to confront Rylie on a live episode of Sausage Talk, he offers Eva a deal: allow him to take her on a series of dates to make up for his toxic behavior, then debrief them on his channel to show he’s changed. Eva refuses to play nice, but agrees to the scheme to advance her own career and continue defaming Rylie’s good name. When these manufactured dates start to feel real, Eva has to wonder if the boy that broke her heart has become the man that might heal it.
Forced to confront Rylie on a live episode of Sausage Talk, he offers Eva a deal: allow him to take her on a series of dates to make up for his toxic behavior, then debrief them on his channel to show he’s changed. Eva refuses to play nice, but agrees to the scheme to advance her own career and continue defaming Rylie’s good name. When these manufactured dates start to feel real, Eva has to wonder if the boy that broke her heart has become the man that might heal it.
363 pages, Hardcover
First published August 5, 2025
680 people are currently reading
69425 people want to read
About the author
Mazey Eddings
10 books2,793 followersMazey Eddings is a bestselling author, dentist, and (most importantly) stage mom to her cats, Yaya and Zadie. She can most often be found reading romance novels under her weighted blanket and asking her husband to bring her snacks. She's made it her personal mission in life to destigmatize mental health issues and write love stories for every brain. With roots in Ohio and Philadelphia, she now calls North Carolina home.
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October 28, 2024
March 20, 2025
as a tiktok addict with the attention span of a goldfish i only watch three people on youtube. one would be wizardliz when i need a reality check late at night, one would be emma chamberlain because her videos are my favorite thing ever and lastly my queen amelia dimoldenberg with chicken shop date because…no explanation needed.
this was basically chicken shop date where they eat disgusting hot dogs instead of chicken. the guests also can’t compare to who amelia pulled so far💅🏻 nonetheless the concept was fun and their banter was top tier😌
💌 "You might be the most conniving woman I've ever met."
"Thank you." I blow him a kiss. "Maybe you have more game than I've given you credit for."
"That wasn't a compliment," he murmurs. "You terrify me."
it starts with our lovely fmc Eva -the host of hot dogs program- who is also not lovely at all but more like an ice queen, seeing her college boyfriend/one night stand/hook up on internet talking about how men can beat toxic masculinity. which rightfully angers Eva because Cooper was the embodiment of toxic masculinity when they were dating. long story short she stitches his video(drunkenly) and talks about how bad he was back then, gets millions of views and her producers wants to milk the attention so her ex boyfriend comes as a guest to her show👀
💌 “I want you contrarian and difficult and keeping me on my toes. I want your sour moods just as much as I want your sunny ones. I'm not asking you to change. You can call me any name you want, as long as I can call you mine.”
now, i know Eva isn’t for everyone. she had some unreasonable moments and she was mostly rude and mean. but for me she was so real. i unfortunately saw myself in her like a mirror and it was both sad(because no one loves me like cooper loves her) and relieving (because someone loved her so dear).
but god how i adored Eva!!🥹 the sweet girl inside of her tough exterior, the walls she build around herself after everyone let her down💔 MY GIRLLLLLL deserved to be loved and Cooper loved her so much it seemed like loving Eva was easier than breathing for Cooper🩷
💌 “Because I fucked it up once and I saw a second chance. Because now I'm so deep in this I would crawl through hell on my hands and knees over a bed of broken glass before I let you go again.”
and Cooper my love🩷 ugh he was so slutty with his GLASSES and his precious ears that would turn pink around her🥹 every time he blushed an angel started singing in heaven. i love a down bad man, i believe this is universally acknowledged at this point🤭 but i also love a patient man, a man who doesn’t have a fragile ego, a man who can take a joke from a woman, a man who acknowledges his past mistakes and redeems them🙂↕️ he was all of them🥹 MY DREAMMMMMM seriously when.is.it.my.turn?!
honestly i wasn’t expecting to get emotional over this book let alone shedding actual tears🤚🏻 but there was a scene where they read hate comments about them on internet and all the comments for him was like “can i call him daddy, can he spank me” etc which i know there were probably bad comments about him and that was evil planning bla bla but what hurts me was the comments she had to read. the way people criticized her, called her mean names and the way they were all so real. like there are so many women on the internet getting hate comments for something so trivial something we all do and something no one bats an eye when a man does. so yeah the reality of it made me cry because my heart broke for her💔
also this has the worst nickname known to men: kitten that is, if we ignore buddy from all rhodes lead here which we should ignore because what the hell was that🤚🏻 anyways i even liked the name kitten here because it had a meaning and it suited her🙂↕️😽
💌 "I love you, you little demon. If at the end of my life someone asked me what I'd do with one more hour, one more minute, I would fight with you. Argue with you. Kiss you and hug you and hold you. Anything for one more second with you. I'd choose this every single time."
thank you netgalley, it was very kind of you to give me the arc😽
alsooooooo seeing her characters like lizzie, dan, harper from her other books was so cuuuute i love when authors do that <3
~~~~~~
😋“Stop being so mean to me or l'm gonna fall in love with you"
🤭Black cat x golden retriever
🥰She HATES him, he's OBSESSED with her
🫦Hero that creams his jeans going down
😜Lots of praise
THE TROPES ARE LITERALLY TROPING‼️ MAZEY, HONEY GIVE IT TO ME NOW💳💥💳💥
and cover reveal on insta????? pls i need this book
this was basically chicken shop date where they eat disgusting hot dogs instead of chicken. the guests also can’t compare to who amelia pulled so far💅🏻 nonetheless the concept was fun and their banter was top tier😌
💌 "You might be the most conniving woman I've ever met."
"Thank you." I blow him a kiss. "Maybe you have more game than I've given you credit for."
"That wasn't a compliment," he murmurs. "You terrify me."
it starts with our lovely fmc Eva -the host of hot dogs program- who is also not lovely at all but more like an ice queen, seeing her college boyfriend/one night stand/hook up on internet talking about how men can beat toxic masculinity. which rightfully angers Eva because Cooper was the embodiment of toxic masculinity when they were dating. long story short she stitches his video(drunkenly) and talks about how bad he was back then, gets millions of views and her producers wants to milk the attention so her ex boyfriend comes as a guest to her show👀
💌 “I want you contrarian and difficult and keeping me on my toes. I want your sour moods just as much as I want your sunny ones. I'm not asking you to change. You can call me any name you want, as long as I can call you mine.”
now, i know Eva isn’t for everyone. she had some unreasonable moments and she was mostly rude and mean. but for me she was so real. i unfortunately saw myself in her like a mirror and it was both sad(because no one loves me like cooper loves her) and relieving (because someone loved her so dear).
but god how i adored Eva!!🥹 the sweet girl inside of her tough exterior, the walls she build around herself after everyone let her down💔 MY GIRLLLLLL deserved to be loved and Cooper loved her so much it seemed like loving Eva was easier than breathing for Cooper🩷
💌 “Because I fucked it up once and I saw a second chance. Because now I'm so deep in this I would crawl through hell on my hands and knees over a bed of broken glass before I let you go again.”
and Cooper my love🩷 ugh he was so slutty with his GLASSES and his precious ears that would turn pink around her🥹 every time he blushed an angel started singing in heaven. i love a down bad man, i believe this is universally acknowledged at this point🤭 but i also love a patient man, a man who doesn’t have a fragile ego, a man who can take a joke from a woman, a man who acknowledges his past mistakes and redeems them🙂↕️ he was all of them🥹 MY DREAMMMMMM seriously when.is.it.my.turn?!
honestly i wasn’t expecting to get emotional over this book let alone shedding actual tears🤚🏻 but there was a scene where they read hate comments about them on internet and all the comments for him was like “can i call him daddy, can he spank me” etc which i know there were probably bad comments about him and that was evil planning bla bla but what hurts me was the comments she had to read. the way people criticized her, called her mean names and the way they were all so real. like there are so many women on the internet getting hate comments for something so trivial something we all do and something no one bats an eye when a man does. so yeah the reality of it made me cry because my heart broke for her💔
also this has the worst nickname known to men: kitten that is, if we ignore buddy from all rhodes lead here which we should ignore because what the hell was that🤚🏻 anyways i even liked the name kitten here because it had a meaning and it suited her🙂↕️😽
💌 "I love you, you little demon. If at the end of my life someone asked me what I'd do with one more hour, one more minute, I would fight with you. Argue with you. Kiss you and hug you and hold you. Anything for one more second with you. I'd choose this every single time."
thank you netgalley, it was very kind of you to give me the arc😽
alsooooooo seeing her characters like lizzie, dan, harper from her other books was so cuuuute i love when authors do that <3
~~~~~~
😋“Stop being so mean to me or l'm gonna fall in love with you"
🤭Black cat x golden retriever
🥰She HATES him, he's OBSESSED with her
🫦Hero that creams his jeans going down
😜Lots of praise
THE TROPES ARE LITERALLY TROPING‼️ MAZEY, HONEY GIVE IT TO ME NOW💳💥💳💥
and cover reveal on insta????? pls i need this book
dnf
March 30, 2025Unfortunately I can’t get into this one.
I didn’t realize this was the same author as Late Bloomer which I didn’t really like too much 😩
Do I need to read anything prior to this one? I thought it was a total standalone?
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the complementary advanced digital copy, all thoughts are my own. 💐
I didn’t realize this was the same author as Late Bloomer which I didn’t really like too much 😩
Do I need to read anything prior to this one? I thought it was a total standalone?
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the complementary advanced digital copy, all thoughts are my own. 💐
September 26, 2025
(2.5???)
I would've probably given this a 5 star rating had Rylie been the main character, but having to sit with an insufferable character like Eva for the entirety of the story really killed this book for me.
I would've probably given this a 5 star rating had Rylie been the main character, but having to sit with an insufferable character like Eva for the entirety of the story really killed this book for me.
August 5, 2025
ahh happy pub day to one of my favorites of the year!!!! i NEED everyone to go read this immediately or i’ll kick you 💘
4.5 ⭐️
hold on i can’t stop GIGGLING AND KICKING MY FEET!
i already KNOW everyone and their mama is going to hate eva. she stood for angry girl rights and we only want nice, palatable women in our romances 😃 it was also very much giving amelia’s chicken shop date w andrew garfield iykyk. and yet, being in her head you completely understand where her guardedness comes from, including why she’s so untrusting of cooper (while also being laugh out loud funny with a touch of unputdownable-ness for pizazz!)
COOPER on the other hand was a fucking delight 😫 I NEED THIS KID WITH AN UNRIVALED PASSION i swear to everything holy y’all. greenest of green flags. mouth of a sailor starring in a porno vibes 🙂↕️ (the smut literally goes so hard, it is *actually* panty-melting) he is one of the most supportive, persistent, loving, emotionally available fella’s out there and he’s absolutely perfect for her. this is why i read romance. mazey eddings, you continue to raise the bar!
thank you to netgalley and st martins press for the arc!!
4.5 ⭐️
hold on i can’t stop GIGGLING AND KICKING MY FEET!
i already KNOW everyone and their mama is going to hate eva. she stood for angry girl rights and we only want nice, palatable women in our romances 😃 it was also very much giving amelia’s chicken shop date w andrew garfield iykyk. and yet, being in her head you completely understand where her guardedness comes from, including why she’s so untrusting of cooper (while also being laugh out loud funny with a touch of unputdownable-ness for pizazz!)
COOPER on the other hand was a fucking delight 😫 I NEED THIS KID WITH AN UNRIVALED PASSION i swear to everything holy y’all. greenest of green flags. mouth of a sailor starring in a porno vibes 🙂↕️ (the smut literally goes so hard, it is *actually* panty-melting) he is one of the most supportive, persistent, loving, emotionally available fella’s out there and he’s absolutely perfect for her. this is why i read romance. mazey eddings, you continue to raise the bar!
thank you to netgalley and st martins press for the arc!!
July 30, 2025
pre read: getting chicken shop date vibes from the cover here, so let’s see. please don’t do bad on chicken shop date because i love them and watch them religiously.
———
post read review:
i want to start with saying this and if you don’t read the entire review; i am happy you read this part: there is no job in the world, no amount of money in the world that should make you okay with enduring mental and emotional violence. please.
she ruined chicken shop date for me.
so tbh, i was very confused and irritated this entire book.
the f main character is so rude it’s almost unbearable, no accountability, nothing. she’s also in love with the guy, obviously, but continues to just be rude and vindictive because of something he did years ago. you obviously still care about him if you did was she did, so stop making excuses. either be with him, or don’t.
the male main character continuously switches between using his first name and his last name and i couldn’t keep up half the time. also he’s so BORING.
the author made sure this book was current to the year, if you had read this a year ago you wouldn’t understand half of the references. or even if you read this in six months with all the shifts the world is going through, none of it will be relevant. she name drops and references a bunch of memes, viral videos, etc. that are popular now in january 2025, but if i read this when it came out half of it would be ancient history.
also, don’t get me wrong. i live for lgbtq+ & racially diverse characters in books but to an extent. don’t just throw the characters in the book with no backstory, for the sake of having the characters in your book.
also, her best friend/producer was a bitch the entire story, idk if that’s just me but. also, her boss. like i see the warning at the beginning, but i think it’s just so unnecessary in a book for a person’s boss to be such a bad human being and the person does nothing about it. girl, QUIT. find ANOTHER job. you’re in new york city, go be a mta operator or something while you find another journalism job.
overall, this book was a miss for me. i skipped half the book just to get to the end and even the epilogue was boring.
1 outta 5 stars.
———
post read review:
i want to start with saying this and if you don’t read the entire review; i am happy you read this part: there is no job in the world, no amount of money in the world that should make you okay with enduring mental and emotional violence. please.
she ruined chicken shop date for me.
so tbh, i was very confused and irritated this entire book.
the f main character is so rude it’s almost unbearable, no accountability, nothing. she’s also in love with the guy, obviously, but continues to just be rude and vindictive because of something he did years ago. you obviously still care about him if you did was she did, so stop making excuses. either be with him, or don’t.
the male main character continuously switches between using his first name and his last name and i couldn’t keep up half the time. also he’s so BORING.
the author made sure this book was current to the year, if you had read this a year ago you wouldn’t understand half of the references. or even if you read this in six months with all the shifts the world is going through, none of it will be relevant. she name drops and references a bunch of memes, viral videos, etc. that are popular now in january 2025, but if i read this when it came out half of it would be ancient history.
also, don’t get me wrong. i live for lgbtq+ & racially diverse characters in books but to an extent. don’t just throw the characters in the book with no backstory, for the sake of having the characters in your book.
also, her best friend/producer was a bitch the entire story, idk if that’s just me but. also, her boss. like i see the warning at the beginning, but i think it’s just so unnecessary in a book for a person’s boss to be such a bad human being and the person does nothing about it. girl, QUIT. find ANOTHER job. you’re in new york city, go be a mta operator or something while you find another journalism job.
overall, this book was a miss for me. i skipped half the book just to get to the end and even the epilogue was boring.
1 outta 5 stars.
August 8, 2025
╰┈➤ 4 stars!
this is my first mazey eddings' book and i had such a fun time reading this one! i mostly giggled my way through this book because of their banter! I know everyone is saying that it reminds them of the chicken shop dates, and it really does give that vibe.
let's get into the characters:
౨ৎ eva. she's the definition of a boss woman—truly. she’s incredibly aware, and i absolutely adore a woman who understands what’s happening around her. despite her strengths, there’s a lingering sense of loneliness that clings to her—shaped by both her past and present. she struggles deeply with trust, and it shows in the way she constantly feels the need to prove herself. i get her so much for being the way she is because our past really shapes us. her people-pleasing tendencies are on another level—she often stretches herself too thin just to make others feel comfortable, even when it costs her peace.
౨ৎ riley. OMG, i was absolutely swooning. he’s the kind of character that makes your heart ache in the best way. what i admired most about him was his patience—especially with eva. he’s completely gone for her, and he never makes that a secret. what made me appreciate him even more was how he didn’t shy away from owning up to the kind of person he was in the past. he knew he messed up. but instead of running from it, he chose to grow—to be better, not just for eva, but for himself too. it was such a move and i didn't even sense any sort of hypocrisy from him.
their dynamic is something that i don't always get to read and i absolutely had the time of my life! who doesn't love a black cat x golden retriever, right?! their banter was really fun because of how no one backs down. even them as couples, they complement each other because they know what each other needs.
as for the story itself, eva was one of the most relatable characters I’ve come across. her fear of abandonment was written in such a raw and realistic way—it genuinely felt like reading my own thoughts at times. that constant pressure to stay tough, simply because you think you have to be, is exhausting. everyone needs softness. Vulnerability. a safe space where they can breathe and let their guard down—and this book captured that perfectly.
one thing i also appreciated was how riley’s college struggles were brought up—they were acknowledged, but never used as an excuse for his past mistakes. he owned them and held himself accountable. and finally, one of my favorite takeaways: the book emphasized not settling in your career. it reminded me that the world really is your oyster. opportunities are everywhere—you just have to be willing to look for them.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-read:
literally requested this mainly because of it’s cover! i mean, can you see that cover? i actually love it! reading this book without any expectations because this is also my first mazey eddings book 🫶🏼
this is my first mazey eddings' book and i had such a fun time reading this one! i mostly giggled my way through this book because of their banter! I know everyone is saying that it reminds them of the chicken shop dates, and it really does give that vibe.
let's get into the characters:
౨ৎ eva. she's the definition of a boss woman—truly. she’s incredibly aware, and i absolutely adore a woman who understands what’s happening around her. despite her strengths, there’s a lingering sense of loneliness that clings to her—shaped by both her past and present. she struggles deeply with trust, and it shows in the way she constantly feels the need to prove herself. i get her so much for being the way she is because our past really shapes us. her people-pleasing tendencies are on another level—she often stretches herself too thin just to make others feel comfortable, even when it costs her peace.
౨ৎ riley. OMG, i was absolutely swooning. he’s the kind of character that makes your heart ache in the best way. what i admired most about him was his patience—especially with eva. he’s completely gone for her, and he never makes that a secret. what made me appreciate him even more was how he didn’t shy away from owning up to the kind of person he was in the past. he knew he messed up. but instead of running from it, he chose to grow—to be better, not just for eva, but for himself too. it was such a move and i didn't even sense any sort of hypocrisy from him.
their dynamic is something that i don't always get to read and i absolutely had the time of my life! who doesn't love a black cat x golden retriever, right?! their banter was really fun because of how no one backs down. even them as couples, they complement each other because they know what each other needs.
as for the story itself, eva was one of the most relatable characters I’ve come across. her fear of abandonment was written in such a raw and realistic way—it genuinely felt like reading my own thoughts at times. that constant pressure to stay tough, simply because you think you have to be, is exhausting. everyone needs softness. Vulnerability. a safe space where they can breathe and let their guard down—and this book captured that perfectly.
one thing i also appreciated was how riley’s college struggles were brought up—they were acknowledged, but never used as an excuse for his past mistakes. he owned them and held himself accountable. and finally, one of my favorite takeaways: the book emphasized not settling in your career. it reminded me that the world really is your oyster. opportunities are everywhere—you just have to be willing to look for them.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and the author for the ARC in exchange of my honest review.
・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・。・
pre-read:
literally requested this mainly because of it’s cover! i mean, can you see that cover? i actually love it! reading this book without any expectations because this is also my first mazey eddings book 🫶🏼
March 26, 2025
a bitchy queen and a words of affirmation king!! i love eva, i love rylie, AND I LOVE THIS BOOK!!!!
August 8, 2025
I read an early draft of this book last year, then gifted myself with the experience of listening to the audiobook this week and this just solidifies my absolute, undying adoration of women who are a little mean to their men, and men who pant for it (my origin story for this is Rosalie and Emmett in the Twilight series). I love Eva and Rylie with my entire soul. The banter in this book is masterclass. The character depth is phenomenal. The vulnerability that both Eva and Rylie show on their own and to each other is perfect. Easily one of my favorite romcoms ever.
Mazey Eddings, I’m forehead kissing you from across the country I hope you can feel it.
Mazey Eddings, I’m forehead kissing you from across the country I hope you can feel it.
August 8, 2025
Mazey Eddings has crafted a lively, witty second-chance romance that feels both modern and deeply heartfelt. The story follows Eva Kitt, a journalist who never imagined her career would involve interviewing B-list celebrities about hot dogs instead of chasing serious stories. But life has a way of throwing curveballs, and Eva’s takes the form of a heated on-air rant about her college ex, Rylie Cooper, who’s now a famous influencer. When the rant goes viral, Eva finds herself in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Rylie, who’s built his brand on teaching men how to be better partners, sees an opportunity to prove he’s changed. He proposes a deal: a series of dates where Eva can put his redemption to the test, documenting each encounter for his audience. It’s a ridiculous idea—one Eva is more than happy to use to her advantage. But as their playful back-and-forth starts to feel real, Eva has to confront whether the guy who once broke her heart might now be the one who truly understands it.
Eddings absolutely nails the “black cat/golden retriever” dynamic here. Eva’s sharp, sarcastic wit clashes hilariously with Rylie’s eager-to-please energy, and their chemistry is electric. The snarky banter, ridiculous antics, and moments of genuine vulnerability make their relationship feel authentic and engaging. The social media angle adds a fresh twist to the classic second-chance trope, and while some parts of the story felt a little drawn out, the charm and humor kept me hooked.
Overall, this is a fun, flirty, and surprisingly introspective read. It’s perfect for fans of banter-filled rom-coms with a touch of emotional depth. I’d give it 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for its cleverness and heart.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
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Rylie, who’s built his brand on teaching men how to be better partners, sees an opportunity to prove he’s changed. He proposes a deal: a series of dates where Eva can put his redemption to the test, documenting each encounter for his audience. It’s a ridiculous idea—one Eva is more than happy to use to her advantage. But as their playful back-and-forth starts to feel real, Eva has to confront whether the guy who once broke her heart might now be the one who truly understands it.
Eddings absolutely nails the “black cat/golden retriever” dynamic here. Eva’s sharp, sarcastic wit clashes hilariously with Rylie’s eager-to-please energy, and their chemistry is electric. The snarky banter, ridiculous antics, and moments of genuine vulnerability make their relationship feel authentic and engaging. The social media angle adds a fresh twist to the classic second-chance trope, and while some parts of the story felt a little drawn out, the charm and humor kept me hooked.
Overall, this is a fun, flirty, and surprisingly introspective read. It’s perfect for fans of banter-filled rom-coms with a touch of emotional depth. I’d give it 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4 for its cleverness and heart.
A huge thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
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August 6, 2025
(happy publication date!! it was yesterday, but whatever 🤪. go read this book and meet my beloveds ♡)
4.25 ★
You see that cover? Do you see that stunning cover? Yeah, that's my dream dynamic. Now, picture this: When you find out that your ex, who ghosted you and was very on and off about your relationship, has a podcast on how to be a better man, you immediately stitch one of his TikToks and expose him... right? Well, maybe not, but that's what Eva does, and that brings engagement to his podcast and her talk show (think a lá Chicken Shop Date but with hot dogs). Now they'll be forced to do some PR together if she wants to keep her job and he doesn't want to end up like a fraud.
🎧 Currently listening to: Cinnamon Girl - Lana Del Rey (“you try to push me out, but I just find my way back in” is so him, “if you hold me without hurting me, you’ll be the first who ever did” is so her, “hold me, love me, touch me, honey, be the first who ever did” is so them. I think this song's a good mix of their past and present relationship. They're way healthier now, but they went through some rough moments the first time they dated.)
Yeah, you read that quote right, so let's talk about the man who said it. I know you saw "man with a podcast advising fellow men," and you're wondering if you actually want to read this because straight white men with podcasts? In 2025? Well, first, he's not straight; he's bisexual ✋🏼. Second, rest assured, because this man is a walking green flag (or at least, he's doing his best) who prioritizes communication and doesn't shy away from letting his girl know how in love with her he is. Cooper's the very definition of boy-obsessed because this man was basically on his knees for Eva, and of course, I loved that 🤭. He was a bit quirky, silly, and weird, but it worked for him and added to his charm. The things he thought of and said to Eva had me (literally) giggling and kicking my feet. He went through some very tough times in the past and had these beautiful moments of healing throughout the story that made me tear up and ready to hug him. He wasn't the best the first time he went out with Eva, but he did everything he could to prove himself worthy of her, and he succeeded.
Now, Eva. Eva. Eva. Eva. My love 🥰. Some of you might get frustrated with her, her cynicism, and her reluctance to believe in Cooper, but I understood her. I understood her so much that it hurt and made me cry. She puts on this tough exterior, and even though she is tough, demanding, and somewhat dry, she also has a very vulnerable side that wants love and craves sweet and soft caring —and that's exactly who I am. I know you see me being all sweet and using pet names for my closest friends, but it's very hard for me to be affectionate in real life. I'm quiet, sarcastic, hard to impress, and I spend a lot of time in my head. I've gotten the "I can't see you in a relationship" comments, been told I'm intimidating and cold, and whenever I've randomly felt like hugging someone, people have acted like I'm going crazy, so I get what it feels like to be like Eva 😅. That's why it was beautiful to see her feel comfortable enough with Cooper to open up about this, to let herself be vulnerable and accept that she craves this validation and gentle love. I'm so proud of her, so if you end up hating her, I hate you 🫵🏼 (joking... kinda).
I'm going to admit I was a bit worried in the beginning because some comedic lines and moments didn't land the way they were supposed to, but it got better, and I found myself chuckling through lots of these characters' conversations. Eva and Cooper's banter and back and forth was delicious. She kept being slightly mean (affectionately) to him and he ate this up and always had something to say to her back. But just as they had all these fun moments and I spent a good portion of the book chuckling, there were also some great and emotional conversations about sexism, bullying, toxic masculinity, and internalized homophobia. I loved the little cameos we got of characters from other Mazey Eddings' books, and the bits we got of both Eva and Cooper's friends but I wished we had more scenes of them together, as well as ones with Eva's brothers and Cooper's sister that were only mentioned but had no appearances. We didn't get an epilogue either 😔. I also had a little problem with Cooper's dirty talk since there was this (unnecessary, for me) emphasis on making him curse through it all, so there's a lot of "fucking" that threw me off, but some of the other things he said were scrumptious 😋, so it's okay.
All in all, Eva and Cooper were so witty, hot, loving, caring, and adorable, and I loved them very much. I'm so obsessed with them, and you need to know it took me this long to write a full review because I annotated and highlighted so much of this book that I couldn't choose which quotes to pick. I can't wait for this to come out and see all of you reading it, as much as I can't wait to have a physical copy to put all my notes into. Make sure to pick this up when it comes out on August 5th, and be ready to fall in love with Eva and Cooper.
This turned into an impromptu buddy read with my girl Buket, so thank you for reading this with me. You're so precious (🤪) to me, and it was a pleasure to go crazy over Eva and Cooper's chemistry and hating on his car (I insist that he cannot go around with that thing when he's dating a baddie like Eva ✋🏼)
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC ♡
---
pre-review thoughts:
oh, i loved this 🥹 eva was such an amazing FMC and who i resonated with so much it hurt at times (and i know some of you might have some problems with her but i don't care because i'll be here to defend her). rylie was an incredible MMC too, and so insanely obsessed with her that he had me giggling and kicking my feet. they went through so much separately and together and i love them a lot. full rtc once i choose some quotes from the 3000 ones i highlighted 🫶🏼
4.25 ★
You see that cover? Do you see that stunning cover? Yeah, that's my dream dynamic. Now, picture this: When you find out that your ex, who ghosted you and was very on and off about your relationship, has a podcast on how to be a better man, you immediately stitch one of his TikToks and expose him... right? Well, maybe not, but that's what Eva does, and that brings engagement to his podcast and her talk show (think a lá Chicken Shop Date but with hot dogs). Now they'll be forced to do some PR together if she wants to keep her job and he doesn't want to end up like a fraud.
🎧 Currently listening to: Cinnamon Girl - Lana Del Rey (“you try to push me out, but I just find my way back in” is so him, “if you hold me without hurting me, you’ll be the first who ever did” is so her, “hold me, love me, touch me, honey, be the first who ever did” is so them. I think this song's a good mix of their past and present relationship. They're way healthier now, but they went through some rough moments the first time they dated.)
“I'm so deep in this I would crawl through hell on my hands and knees over a bed of broken glass before I let you go again.”
Yeah, you read that quote right, so let's talk about the man who said it. I know you saw "man with a podcast advising fellow men," and you're wondering if you actually want to read this because straight white men with podcasts? In 2025? Well, first, he's not straight; he's bisexual ✋🏼. Second, rest assured, because this man is a walking green flag (or at least, he's doing his best) who prioritizes communication and doesn't shy away from letting his girl know how in love with her he is. Cooper's the very definition of boy-obsessed because this man was basically on his knees for Eva, and of course, I loved that 🤭. He was a bit quirky, silly, and weird, but it worked for him and added to his charm. The things he thought of and said to Eva had me (literally) giggling and kicking my feet. He went through some very tough times in the past and had these beautiful moments of healing throughout the story that made me tear up and ready to hug him. He wasn't the best the first time he went out with Eva, but he did everything he could to prove himself worthy of her, and he succeeded.
“I hold him closer, pick up his hand and kiss the tip of each finger, then the center of his palm, then place it over my heart, and let the quiet comfort of the TV lull me to sleep with his arms wrapped around me.”
Now, Eva. Eva. Eva. Eva. My love 🥰. Some of you might get frustrated with her, her cynicism, and her reluctance to believe in Cooper, but I understood her. I understood her so much that it hurt and made me cry. She puts on this tough exterior, and even though she is tough, demanding, and somewhat dry, she also has a very vulnerable side that wants love and craves sweet and soft caring —and that's exactly who I am. I know you see me being all sweet and using pet names for my closest friends, but it's very hard for me to be affectionate in real life. I'm quiet, sarcastic, hard to impress, and I spend a lot of time in my head. I've gotten the "I can't see you in a relationship" comments, been told I'm intimidating and cold, and whenever I've randomly felt like hugging someone, people have acted like I'm going crazy, so I get what it feels like to be like Eva 😅. That's why it was beautiful to see her feel comfortable enough with Cooper to open up about this, to let herself be vulnerable and accept that she craves this validation and gentle love. I'm so proud of her, so if you end up hating her, I hate you 🫵🏼 (joking... kinda).
“You'll always be worth it,” he says, threading his hands in my hair. “Always,”
I'm going to admit I was a bit worried in the beginning because some comedic lines and moments didn't land the way they were supposed to, but it got better, and I found myself chuckling through lots of these characters' conversations. Eva and Cooper's banter and back and forth was delicious. She kept being slightly mean (affectionately) to him and he ate this up and always had something to say to her back. But just as they had all these fun moments and I spent a good portion of the book chuckling, there were also some great and emotional conversations about sexism, bullying, toxic masculinity, and internalized homophobia. I loved the little cameos we got of characters from other Mazey Eddings' books, and the bits we got of both Eva and Cooper's friends but I wished we had more scenes of them together, as well as ones with Eva's brothers and Cooper's sister that were only mentioned but had no appearances. We didn't get an epilogue either 😔. I also had a little problem with Cooper's dirty talk since there was this (unnecessary, for me) emphasis on making him curse through it all, so there's a lot of "fucking" that threw me off, but some of the other things he said were scrumptious 😋, so it's okay.
“It's such a luxury to love him like this, slow and unhurried, like we have nothing but time.”
All in all, Eva and Cooper were so witty, hot, loving, caring, and adorable, and I loved them very much. I'm so obsessed with them, and you need to know it took me this long to write a full review because I annotated and highlighted so much of this book that I couldn't choose which quotes to pick. I can't wait for this to come out and see all of you reading it, as much as I can't wait to have a physical copy to put all my notes into. Make sure to pick this up when it comes out on August 5th, and be ready to fall in love with Eva and Cooper.
This turned into an impromptu buddy read with my girl Buket, so thank you for reading this with me. You're so precious (🤪) to me, and it was a pleasure to go crazy over Eva and Cooper's chemistry and hating on his car (I insist that he cannot go around with that thing when he's dating a baddie like Eva ✋🏼)
Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC ♡
---
pre-review thoughts:
oh, i loved this 🥹 eva was such an amazing FMC and who i resonated with so much it hurt at times (and i know some of you might have some problems with her but i don't care because i'll be here to defend her). rylie was an incredible MMC too, and so insanely obsessed with her that he had me giggling and kicking my feet. they went through so much separately and together and i love them a lot. full rtc once i choose some quotes from the 3000 ones i highlighted 🫶🏼
February 6, 2025
Me cheesin at my kindle any time Eva does anything: "Hell yeah."
August 26, 2025
જ⁀➴ 2 stars
Thank you to NetGalley, Mazey Eddings, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Well, Actually is out now!
. ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁
If I have to hear or read the nickname "Kitten" ONE MORE TIME I'm going to lose my mind.
✎𓂃Full review to come soon!
. ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: I'm kicking off ARCgust with this highly anticipated book coming out this month!☀️🌊 I know I'm not the first person to make this comparison, but the cover is giving Amelia Dimoldenberg and Andrew Garfield on Chicken Shop Date and I'm loving it!
(Shoutout to my bestie Jii for sending me that ARCgust post she found on Threads, and said it reminded her of me😂)
This is ARC 1/20 for my August 2025 ARC reading schedule, and ARC 1/5 for my August 5th, 2025 deadline! (Yes, I know I'm behind, but I have all the ARCs downloaded so I'll get to all of them in due time!)
Thank you to NetGalley, Mazey Eddings, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. Well, Actually is out now!
"If at the end of my life someone asked me what I'd do with one more hour, one more minute, I would fight with you. Argue with you. Kiss you and hug you and hold you. Anything for one more second with you. I'd choose this every single time. Because I know you love me too."
. ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁
If I have to hear or read the nickname "Kitten" ONE MORE TIME I'm going to lose my mind.
✎𓂃Full review to come soon!
. ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁ . ݁₊ ⊹ 🏙 . ݁˖ . ݁
⋆˙⟡ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: I'm kicking off ARCgust with this highly anticipated book coming out this month!☀️🌊 I know I'm not the first person to make this comparison, but the cover is giving Amelia Dimoldenberg and Andrew Garfield on Chicken Shop Date and I'm loving it!
(Shoutout to my bestie Jii for sending me that ARCgust post she found on Threads, and said it reminded her of me😂)
This is ARC 1/20 for my August 2025 ARC reading schedule, and ARC 1/5 for my August 5th, 2025 deadline! (Yes, I know I'm behind, but I have all the ARCs downloaded so I'll get to all of them in due time!)
August 15, 2025
──⟡⋆˙✩ 3.5 stars ✩ ⋆˙⟡──
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 βօօҟͲąցʂ 𓍯𓂃
➽ Ice Queen x Golden Retriever
➽ Second Chance
➽ Dismantling Toxic Masculinity
➽ He blushes
➽ She calls him “babygirl”
𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕀𝕤 𝔸𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥: ℕ𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕪 𝔼𝕕𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 ᯓ★
So basically—Eva’s still fuming over her college ex from six years ago, the one who was an absolute dumpster fire of a boyfriend. Then she stumbles across videos of him teaching people about how “a real man” should behave. Drunk, angry, and armed with the internet, she roasts him online.
Cue chaos: the public wants THE TEA, Riley (said dumpster fire, now rebranded) shows up asking for a chance to prove he’s changed. She’d say no, but—plot twist—her job is on the line (it makes sense in the book, promise). So now we get Riley taking her on dates, being absurdly cute to prove her wrong (and maybe, just maybe, to win her back), while Eva does her best ice-queen act so he doesn’t get the chance to hurt her twice.
BRILLIANT. I’ll take ten more, thanks.
𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤 ᯓ★
Here’s the thing: second-chance romances and I have… a rocky relationship. The breakup reason has to be bad enough that splitting up makes sense (stupid reasons just annoy me), but not so bad that I can’t forgive it.
Halfway through, the book finally drops all the sordid details—and wow. I was furious at Riley for a good couple of chapters. Then Eva decides to give him another chance immediately after telling me these details. Now I’m stuck: mad at him, unable to rant about it, because Eva and Riley are busy being disgustingly cute together.
But… Riley is also a ridiculously sweet babygirl golden retriever man, so my rage didn’t last long. By the end, I was back to thinking fond thoughts about him.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
⇢ ˗ˏˋ Connect with me on Instagram ࿐ྂ
𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔 βօօҟͲąցʂ 𓍯𓂃
➽ Ice Queen x Golden Retriever
➽ Second Chance
➽ Dismantling Toxic Masculinity
➽ He blushes
➽ She calls him “babygirl”
𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 𝕀𝕤 𝔸𝕓𝕠𝕦𝕥: ℕ𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕪 𝔼𝕕𝕚𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟 ᯓ★
So basically—Eva’s still fuming over her college ex from six years ago, the one who was an absolute dumpster fire of a boyfriend. Then she stumbles across videos of him teaching people about how “a real man” should behave. Drunk, angry, and armed with the internet, she roasts him online.
Cue chaos: the public wants THE TEA, Riley (said dumpster fire, now rebranded) shows up asking for a chance to prove he’s changed. She’d say no, but—plot twist—her job is on the line (it makes sense in the book, promise). So now we get Riley taking her on dates, being absurdly cute to prove her wrong (and maybe, just maybe, to win her back), while Eva does her best ice-queen act so he doesn’t get the chance to hurt her twice.
BRILLIANT. I’ll take ten more, thanks.
𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤 ᯓ★
Here’s the thing: second-chance romances and I have… a rocky relationship. The breakup reason has to be bad enough that splitting up makes sense (stupid reasons just annoy me), but not so bad that I can’t forgive it.
Halfway through, the book finally drops all the sordid details—and wow. I was furious at Riley for a good couple of chapters. Then Eva decides to give him another chance immediately after telling me these details. Now I’m stuck: mad at him, unable to rant about it, because Eva and Riley are busy being disgustingly cute together.
But… Riley is also a ridiculously sweet babygirl golden retriever man, so my rage didn’t last long. By the end, I was back to thinking fond thoughts about him.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
⇢ ˗ˏˋ Connect with me on Instagram ࿐ྂ
August 16, 2025
*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an arc in exchange for an honest review!*
I see what you've done with the cover, miss gurl. 👀🫦
3.75 stars!
Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings was such a warm, witty, and deeply charming read. The banter was quick and clever, the emotional beats landed perfectly, and the characters felt so authentic that I found myself rooting for them like old friends. I loved how it blended laugh-out-loud moments with tender, vulnerable scenes, making it impossible to put down. Their chemistry had that perfect mix of spark and depth, and by the last page, I was grinning like a fool. This book reminded me exactly why I adore contemporary romance.
I see what you've done with the cover, miss gurl. 👀🫦
3.75 stars!
Well, Actually by Mazey Eddings was such a warm, witty, and deeply charming read. The banter was quick and clever, the emotional beats landed perfectly, and the characters felt so authentic that I found myself rooting for them like old friends. I loved how it blended laugh-out-loud moments with tender, vulnerable scenes, making it impossible to put down. Their chemistry had that perfect mix of spark and depth, and by the last page, I was grinning like a fool. This book reminded me exactly why I adore contemporary romance.
September 11, 2025
i'm torn on this one. i think this is my favorite book by this author by a long shot, but she still finds a way to write characters that kind of piss me off lol.
i also am really torn on the audio narration. i think the female narrator KILLED IT with her voice for the hero. made his voice gravelly and sexy. but as the heroine? i was already irritated with the character but the narrator made her sound especially whiny.
gonna have to sit with this one i think.
i also am really torn on the audio narration. i think the female narrator KILLED IT with her voice for the hero. made his voice gravelly and sexy. but as the heroine? i was already irritated with the character but the narrator made her sound especially whiny.
gonna have to sit with this one i think.
November 24, 2025
✩ 4.25 stars ✩
What to Expect:
➼ Second Chance
➼ Black Cat x Golden Retriever
➼ Witty Banter
➼ Workplace Romance
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Chicken Shop Date Inspired
➼ Rom-com
➼ Mental Health Awareness
➼ Narrated by Ariela Crow
➼ First Person POV
THIS is how you write a second chance romance! 🙌🏻 I have a very rocky relationship with the second chance romance trope, but this one was so fun! The author was very clearly inspired by Chicken Shop Date and it really made for such a perfect backdrop for a rom-com. Many romance authors attempt to write witty banter and sarcastic FMC’s, but very few truly succeed. The dialogue tends to be overly saturated with pop-culture references and the jokes rarely land. If I had to guess, I’d say this author is ACTUALLY funny in real life because the banter between these two characters was perfection. 🤌🏻
The FMC was a little mean at times, but she had good reason to still be hurt and angry with the MMC. Once I understood their situation and how her insecurities had developed, the front she put on made perfect sense. I really loved how fully they explored their feelings surrounding their history together. Her hurt ran deep and there were many deeply personal details they both needed to share in order for them to heal and move forward. They even involved a therapist which I thought was very well written and highlighted the importance of their role.
I’m extremely picky about which reasons I will accept for the initial break up and this storyline passed the test. I was a little bothered that he never reached out to her on his own, but I wasn’t bothered enough for it to ruin the story. It made sense to me that the MMC would believe he’d lost his chance with her, but even if he thought she would never take him back, he still should have explained why he ghosted for her sake. If I’d been in her shoes I think I likely would have processed the situation in almost the exact same way. I’d like to think I wouldn’t hold onto those hurt feelings for as long as she did, but truthfully, I probably would have. 😅 You’d better believe I’d be masking it with sarcasm and sass like she did too. 😆
Overall, this was really cute and a lot of fun! This was my second book by this author and I gave the first book I read by her 1 star, so let this be your sign that authors deserve a second chance too! 😁
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: I have a few more Fall reads to squeeze in this month… I’ve honestly been really looking forward to this one, so here’s hoping it delivers!🤞🏻
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
What to Expect:
➼ Second Chance
➼ Black Cat x Golden Retriever
➼ Witty Banter
➼ Workplace Romance
➼ Forced Proximity
➼ Chicken Shop Date Inspired
➼ Rom-com
➼ Mental Health Awareness
➼ Narrated by Ariela Crow
➼ First Person POV
THIS is how you write a second chance romance! 🙌🏻 I have a very rocky relationship with the second chance romance trope, but this one was so fun! The author was very clearly inspired by Chicken Shop Date and it really made for such a perfect backdrop for a rom-com. Many romance authors attempt to write witty banter and sarcastic FMC’s, but very few truly succeed. The dialogue tends to be overly saturated with pop-culture references and the jokes rarely land. If I had to guess, I’d say this author is ACTUALLY funny in real life because the banter between these two characters was perfection. 🤌🏻
The FMC was a little mean at times, but she had good reason to still be hurt and angry with the MMC. Once I understood their situation and how her insecurities had developed, the front she put on made perfect sense. I really loved how fully they explored their feelings surrounding their history together. Her hurt ran deep and there were many deeply personal details they both needed to share in order for them to heal and move forward. They even involved a therapist which I thought was very well written and highlighted the importance of their role.
I’m extremely picky about which reasons I will accept for the initial break up and this storyline passed the test. I was a little bothered that he never reached out to her on his own, but I wasn’t bothered enough for it to ruin the story. It made sense to me that the MMC would believe he’d lost his chance with her, but even if he thought she would never take him back, he still should have explained why he ghosted for her sake. If I’d been in her shoes I think I likely would have processed the situation in almost the exact same way. I’d like to think I wouldn’t hold onto those hurt feelings for as long as she did, but truthfully, I probably would have. 😅 You’d better believe I’d be masking it with sarcasm and sass like she did too. 😆
Overall, this was really cute and a lot of fun! This was my second book by this author and I gave the first book I read by her 1 star, so let this be your sign that authors deserve a second chance too! 😁
✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼ ҉ ✼
Pre-read: I have a few more Fall reads to squeeze in this month… I’ve honestly been really looking forward to this one, so here’s hoping it delivers!🤞🏻
≪ ◦ ❖ ◦ ≫
Connect with me on Instagram
August 5, 2025
3.75 stars
So I really liked it for like the first 50%.
Eva and Rylie were so entertaining and cute. The banter was great, the chemistry was there, and the pacing was flawless. It was just so fun to read. But then the story kind of started to drag; all of a sudden, the pacing was off. It felt like nothing was happening anymore, everything was a bit drawn-out and repetitive. Overall though, I do think it was a great read.
I really liked this concept of two people who knew each other in college where they hooked up, and it ended badly, only for them to meet again years later and discover that people can change. That aspect was so fun and well-written. Because a lot of the time in second chance romances, what happened in the past is either stupid and nonsensical or simply unforgivable. But here, the author really managed to make me understand why things happened the way they did and why the characters acted the way they did. The communication between Eva and Rylie was amazing, there is no miscommunication in here because these two actually talked about their feelings, insecurities and doubts, which I loved.
Talking about the characters, I read some reviews that said they didn’t like Eva because she was mean and rude. And sure, she was a bit of a mess. She was kind of mean sometimes. But just because she didn’t take shit from anyone doesn’t make her unlikeable imo, the opposite, actually. She stood up for herself, because no one else ever has. And sometimes she went too far. But her behaving like this was a defence mechanism to not let people get too close because she never had anyone that really cared about her. Like she was afraid of getting hurt again, and idk that really resonated with me. I think she was a well-written and complex character that I really understood. Also she was refreshingly self-aware, she recognised when she was wrong or when she overreacted and owned up to it? Adult behaviour in a romance? Shocking.
I will admit that in the second half of the book, she did become a bit unbearable, but I still kind of loved her.
I liked Rylie enough to enjoy them together, he definitely had his moments, but overall I felt a bit meh about him.
Now the romance? Amazing slow burn. I know it won’t be for everyone because it takes time for Eva to trust Rylie and so it also takes a while for him to win her over. She genuinely doesn’t like him at first and only slowly starts to trust and open up to him. But I loved that, I want to see the romance develop, I want to see how she learns to trust him and then slowly falls in love with him. And I got that here.
The one thing I really didn’t like was the whole social media stuff. And I knew that it’d be part of the story going in, so that’s obviously on me and not criticism, just an explanation for why I didn’t enjoy it as much. I was hoping it wouldn’t be a big part of the story. And it wasn’t but still enough that it annoyed me.
Also, Eva’s work situation was terrible, yes. But I get why she stayed there, why she suffered through the bullshit. Because she wasn’t in a position to just quit, she talked about her money struggles in the beginning. Like rent doesn’t pay itself. And she also stayed for so long because it’s as close to her dream job as she has managed to get at this point. To me, it made sense why she didn’t want to give that up and kind of accepted the way she was treated. Even though she should’ve obviously left that job way sooner. But to find a new job and one she likes on top of that is difficult. So while it was frustrating to read it also just made sense sadly.
I really enjoyed this story, even though the second half was a bit underwhelming for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
___
4 hour train ride 🤝 cute little romance
So I really liked it for like the first 50%.
Eva and Rylie were so entertaining and cute. The banter was great, the chemistry was there, and the pacing was flawless. It was just so fun to read. But then the story kind of started to drag; all of a sudden, the pacing was off. It felt like nothing was happening anymore, everything was a bit drawn-out and repetitive. Overall though, I do think it was a great read.
I really liked this concept of two people who knew each other in college where they hooked up, and it ended badly, only for them to meet again years later and discover that people can change. That aspect was so fun and well-written. Because a lot of the time in second chance romances, what happened in the past is either stupid and nonsensical or simply unforgivable. But here, the author really managed to make me understand why things happened the way they did and why the characters acted the way they did. The communication between Eva and Rylie was amazing, there is no miscommunication in here because these two actually talked about their feelings, insecurities and doubts, which I loved.
Talking about the characters, I read some reviews that said they didn’t like Eva because she was mean and rude. And sure, she was a bit of a mess. She was kind of mean sometimes. But just because she didn’t take shit from anyone doesn’t make her unlikeable imo, the opposite, actually. She stood up for herself, because no one else ever has. And sometimes she went too far. But her behaving like this was a defence mechanism to not let people get too close because she never had anyone that really cared about her. Like she was afraid of getting hurt again, and idk that really resonated with me. I think she was a well-written and complex character that I really understood. Also she was refreshingly self-aware, she recognised when she was wrong or when she overreacted and owned up to it? Adult behaviour in a romance? Shocking.
I will admit that in the second half of the book, she did become a bit unbearable, but I still kind of loved her.
I liked Rylie enough to enjoy them together, he definitely had his moments, but overall I felt a bit meh about him.
Now the romance? Amazing slow burn. I know it won’t be for everyone because it takes time for Eva to trust Rylie and so it also takes a while for him to win her over. She genuinely doesn’t like him at first and only slowly starts to trust and open up to him. But I loved that, I want to see the romance develop, I want to see how she learns to trust him and then slowly falls in love with him. And I got that here.
The one thing I really didn’t like was the whole social media stuff. And I knew that it’d be part of the story going in, so that’s obviously on me and not criticism, just an explanation for why I didn’t enjoy it as much. I was hoping it wouldn’t be a big part of the story. And it wasn’t but still enough that it annoyed me.
Also, Eva’s work situation was terrible, yes. But I get why she stayed there, why she suffered through the bullshit. Because she wasn’t in a position to just quit, she talked about her money struggles in the beginning. Like rent doesn’t pay itself. And she also stayed for so long because it’s as close to her dream job as she has managed to get at this point. To me, it made sense why she didn’t want to give that up and kind of accepted the way she was treated. Even though she should’ve obviously left that job way sooner. But to find a new job and one she likes on top of that is difficult. So while it was frustrating to read it also just made sense sadly.
I really enjoyed this story, even though the second half was a bit underwhelming for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc in exchange for an honest review.
___
4 hour train ride 🤝 cute little romance
July 23, 2025
✨ Rating: 4.5 ⭐️
🫧 Vibes: electric tension with snappy banter
🎶 Song: i love you, i'm sorry - gracie abrams
📖 Favourite Quote: "Because now I'm so deep in this, I would crawl through hell on my hands and knees over a bed of broken glass before I let you go again."
📚 Would I recommend? HELL YES!!!
💬 Final thoughts: immediately want to read this one again.
In the package:
📦 second chance romance
📦 snarky/witty banter
📦 black cat x golden retriever
Eva and Rylie are college exes that are thrown back into each other's lives after she replies to one of his TikTok's calling him out. Eva's a host of a "Sausage Talk" hot-dog show (think Chicken Shop Date YouTube show) and she's thrown into a new segment with Rylie after he offers a “make‑up-date” series aired on his platform to prove growth.
WELL I'VE FOUND A NEW BOOK BOYFRIEND TO ADD TO MY TOP 10!!Rylie oh Rylie *swoons* 🤭 golden retriever, words of affirmation king with glasses!! I mean what more do you want!? I couldn't stop picturing him as Seth Cohen with glasses. 🧎♀️ Rylie tries to make it up to Eva after royally screwing up back in college and boy does he TRY, TRY, TRY. I would have folded a lot quicker than Eva, I'm sorry. He's so kind, selfless, caring and showed so much growth. We love a man who works on himself to become a better version of himself. Eva was snarky and unapologetically herself. Her quick witted comments were hilarious but a little too mean at times. She had her walls up for so long but Rylie eventually broke through them, after working overtime. Their tender moments were my favourite 🥹
There are lots of laugh out loud moments balanced with emotional depth, which made this a well rounded book! I wish there was an epilogue 😭
📚Read if you enjoyed: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, The Love Wager by Lynn Painter
Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the arc!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok ⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
🫧 Vibes: electric tension with snappy banter
🎶 Song: i love you, i'm sorry - gracie abrams
📖 Favourite Quote: "Because now I'm so deep in this, I would crawl through hell on my hands and knees over a bed of broken glass before I let you go again."
📚 Would I recommend? HELL YES!!!
💬 Final thoughts: immediately want to read this one again.
In the package:
📦 second chance romance
📦 snarky/witty banter
📦 black cat x golden retriever
Eva and Rylie are college exes that are thrown back into each other's lives after she replies to one of his TikTok's calling him out. Eva's a host of a "Sausage Talk" hot-dog show (think Chicken Shop Date YouTube show) and she's thrown into a new segment with Rylie after he offers a “make‑up-date” series aired on his platform to prove growth.
WELL I'VE FOUND A NEW BOOK BOYFRIEND TO ADD TO MY TOP 10!!Rylie oh Rylie *swoons* 🤭 golden retriever, words of affirmation king with glasses!! I mean what more do you want!? I couldn't stop picturing him as Seth Cohen with glasses. 🧎♀️ Rylie tries to make it up to Eva after royally screwing up back in college and boy does he TRY, TRY, TRY. I would have folded a lot quicker than Eva, I'm sorry. He's so kind, selfless, caring and showed so much growth. We love a man who works on himself to become a better version of himself. Eva was snarky and unapologetically herself. Her quick witted comments were hilarious but a little too mean at times. She had her walls up for so long but Rylie eventually broke through them, after working overtime. Their tender moments were my favourite 🥹
There are lots of laugh out loud moments balanced with emotional depth, which made this a well rounded book! I wish there was an epilogue 😭
📚Read if you enjoyed: The Hating Game by Sally Thorne, The Love Wager by Lynn Painter
Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the arc!
✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on tiktok ⋆☾✩⁺₊✩
September 11, 2025
⋆˚࿔ Review 𝜗𝜚˚⋆
5⭐️
Single POV books really should be banned because the only time I care about a man’s thoughts is in books . I need to know just how obsessed he is.
This book gave me the ultimate early 2000s romcom vibes, and I loved every single second of it. It had that perfect balance of humor, romance, and swoony moments that made me feel like I was watching a classic romcom play out on the page.
Ava, my baby, absolutely stole the show for me. She was so entertaining from beginning to end. I love a baddie, and her style was everything literally to die for. She wasn’t just fun and stylish though, she had depth and relatability, which made me adore her even more. Yes, I say this about most FMCs, but Ava really had those layers that make you connect. I personally loved her mean streaks, even though underneath it all she’s a total softie. She was also so real for falling for him again, because let’s be honest, I would too 🙂↕️. And her insults? Top tier. I genuinely need a whole book of just Ava insulting men. I even added a few of her lines to my own vocabulary. I just want her in every book I read.
Rylie was such a pleasant surprise. At first, I wasn’t sure I could take a curly-haired man seriously thanks to Sue Sylvester, but he completely won me over. He was absolutely obsessed with Ava, and I loved every bit of it. The way he adored her, even when she was mean to him, was perfect. I loved how real and vulnerable he was dragging her to therapy on their second date was both shocking and so endearing. It showed he actually cared about being better, which made him a keeper in my eyes. His endless collection of sweaters was both corny and adorable, and the glasses staying on… well, if you know, you know. The only strike against him is his comforter. I don’t want to imagine it, but I know it’s ugly. Still, he has a baddie like Ava, and he knows it, so he gets my applause.
The chemistry between them was perfection. Their banter had me giggling constantly, and the way he adored everything she did was swoon-worthy. Every insult she threw at him, he turned into something hilarious, and their back-and-forth was just pure gold. The spice was immaculate—it had me blushing and kicking my feet like a fool. Their dynamic was electric, and I couldn’t get enough of them.
I have to give the narrator, Ariela Crow, her flowers because she brought this book to life. The way she voiced Rylie had me baffled at times, he actually sounded hot. She deserves her flowers for making the characters feel so real.
Overall, this was pure perfection. If you pick it up, I highly recommend imagining it as a romcom straight out of the early 2000s, because that made the whole experience feel even more magical.
Some of my favorites from Ava💋
“You look like someone with a lot of food intolerances.”
“Oh no, was the ketchup too spicy for you? I told them they should give you mayo.”
“I feel like someone who can consume cheese without issue wouldn’t compensate with a fit like that.”
“Baby girl.”
“I would never listen to a man speaking in my spare time.”
Thanks for reading my rambling x.💕
⋆. 𐙚 ˚ pre read ⋆. 𐙚 ˚
Read the first 10% of this, and she’s so mean to him I love it! 🤭
5⭐️
Single POV books really should be banned because the only time I care about a man’s thoughts is in books . I need to know just how obsessed he is.
This book gave me the ultimate early 2000s romcom vibes, and I loved every single second of it. It had that perfect balance of humor, romance, and swoony moments that made me feel like I was watching a classic romcom play out on the page.
Ava, my baby, absolutely stole the show for me. She was so entertaining from beginning to end. I love a baddie, and her style was everything literally to die for. She wasn’t just fun and stylish though, she had depth and relatability, which made me adore her even more. Yes, I say this about most FMCs, but Ava really had those layers that make you connect. I personally loved her mean streaks, even though underneath it all she’s a total softie. She was also so real for falling for him again, because let’s be honest, I would too 🙂↕️. And her insults? Top tier. I genuinely need a whole book of just Ava insulting men. I even added a few of her lines to my own vocabulary. I just want her in every book I read.
Rylie was such a pleasant surprise. At first, I wasn’t sure I could take a curly-haired man seriously thanks to Sue Sylvester, but he completely won me over. He was absolutely obsessed with Ava, and I loved every bit of it. The way he adored her, even when she was mean to him, was perfect. I loved how real and vulnerable he was dragging her to therapy on their second date was both shocking and so endearing. It showed he actually cared about being better, which made him a keeper in my eyes. His endless collection of sweaters was both corny and adorable, and the glasses staying on… well, if you know, you know. The only strike against him is his comforter. I don’t want to imagine it, but I know it’s ugly. Still, he has a baddie like Ava, and he knows it, so he gets my applause.
The chemistry between them was perfection. Their banter had me giggling constantly, and the way he adored everything she did was swoon-worthy. Every insult she threw at him, he turned into something hilarious, and their back-and-forth was just pure gold. The spice was immaculate—it had me blushing and kicking my feet like a fool. Their dynamic was electric, and I couldn’t get enough of them.
I have to give the narrator, Ariela Crow, her flowers because she brought this book to life. The way she voiced Rylie had me baffled at times, he actually sounded hot. She deserves her flowers for making the characters feel so real.
Overall, this was pure perfection. If you pick it up, I highly recommend imagining it as a romcom straight out of the early 2000s, because that made the whole experience feel even more magical.
Some of my favorites from Ava💋
“You look like someone with a lot of food intolerances.”
“Oh no, was the ketchup too spicy for you? I told them they should give you mayo.”
“I feel like someone who can consume cheese without issue wouldn’t compensate with a fit like that.”
“Baby girl.”
“I would never listen to a man speaking in my spare time.”
Thanks for reading my rambling x.💕
⋆. 𐙚 ˚ pre read ⋆. 𐙚 ˚
Read the first 10% of this, and she’s so mean to him I love it! 🤭
September 4, 2025
This book made me laugh, cry and feel so much, it’s almost unreal. You know that feeling when you can relate to a heroine so much it feels like the book is about you? That’s how I felt reading this.
It was almost eerie, like the author had crawled into my head and described my emotions and twisted thought processes.
Eva isn��t exactly likable—she struggles with forming connections and opening up. She’s witty and often hilarious, but also sarcastic, snarky, and, at times, just plain mean.
Rylie kinda deserves her constant roasting, and it’s satisfying that he takes it all with a smile. What an adorable cinnamon roll, that man!
Besides, is there anything better than a heroine going for a third-act breakup and the hero just not having it? There isn’t, ladies and gents! This might be my new favorite micro-trope; a hero preventing my most hated thing from happening. You have all my love, Rylie.
I loved this book. It made me cry, but I loved it. I couldn’t binge it, I had to pause and process some of the things it brought up. That’s the beauty of it, though: no fabricated drama, just raw emotion and real healing. That therapy scene—chef’s kiss!
I don’t know if it will hit other readers as hard as it hit me. It feels deeply personal, more so than usual.
But if you’re into reverse grumpy-sunshine, second chances with lots of groveling, and absolutely brilliant banter, go for it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
——-
Yesssss, approved for the arc! Headline, you’re my heroes💗
It was almost eerie, like the author had crawled into my head and described my emotions and twisted thought processes.
Eva isn��t exactly likable—she struggles with forming connections and opening up. She’s witty and often hilarious, but also sarcastic, snarky, and, at times, just plain mean.
Rylie kinda deserves her constant roasting, and it’s satisfying that he takes it all with a smile. What an adorable cinnamon roll, that man!
Besides, is there anything better than a heroine going for a third-act breakup and the hero just not having it? There isn’t, ladies and gents! This might be my new favorite micro-trope; a hero preventing my most hated thing from happening. You have all my love, Rylie.
I loved this book. It made me cry, but I loved it. I couldn’t binge it, I had to pause and process some of the things it brought up. That’s the beauty of it, though: no fabricated drama, just raw emotion and real healing. That therapy scene—chef’s kiss!
I don’t know if it will hit other readers as hard as it hit me. It feels deeply personal, more so than usual.
But if you’re into reverse grumpy-sunshine, second chances with lots of groveling, and absolutely brilliant banter, go for it.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
——-
Yesssss, approved for the arc! Headline, you’re my heroes💗
August 6, 2025
This felt like Bobbi Althoff meets Emma Chamberlain with a sprinkle of Chicken Shop Date awkwardness. It’s got podcast girlies, social media drama and an ex boyfriend redemption arc all wrapped into one.
Eva, the FMC, ends up hosting Sausage Talk, a show where she interviews B list celebs over sad hot dogs. Her big break comes after she post a video of her drunkenly dragging her college ex, Rylie Cooper🤩 who just so happens to be a beloved internet heartthrob preaching about dismantling toxic masculinity. Of course it goes insanely viral.
Rylie then shows up on her show and basically proposes a PR scheme: a series of fake dates where they “heal” and reflect on their past relationship for the camera. Eva agrees, not because she wants to make nice but to further her career and publicly roast him some more. But the more they fake it, the more it starts to feel… not so fake.
As much as I wanted to love her… Eva’s not gonna be everyone’s cup of tea. For me personally, she was too mean and rude in a way that didn’t always feel justified. I love a messy woman, but whew. It was hard to root for her sometimes.
BUT COOPER. God bless Cooper and his slutty lil glasses. He had the patience of a saint and the charm of a golden retriever boyfriend. He’s the reason I didn’t DNF this book.
Thank you netgalley for the arc 🫶🏼
Eva, the FMC, ends up hosting Sausage Talk, a show where she interviews B list celebs over sad hot dogs. Her big break comes after she post a video of her drunkenly dragging her college ex, Rylie Cooper🤩 who just so happens to be a beloved internet heartthrob preaching about dismantling toxic masculinity. Of course it goes insanely viral.
Rylie then shows up on her show and basically proposes a PR scheme: a series of fake dates where they “heal” and reflect on their past relationship for the camera. Eva agrees, not because she wants to make nice but to further her career and publicly roast him some more. But the more they fake it, the more it starts to feel… not so fake.
As much as I wanted to love her… Eva’s not gonna be everyone’s cup of tea. For me personally, she was too mean and rude in a way that didn’t always feel justified. I love a messy woman, but whew. It was hard to root for her sometimes.
BUT COOPER. God bless Cooper and his slutty lil glasses. He had the patience of a saint and the charm of a golden retriever boyfriend. He’s the reason I didn’t DNF this book.
Thank you netgalley for the arc 🫶🏼
July 27, 2025
Lord have mercy! This book was so good! The banter and tension!?! The black cat x golden retriever energy!?! Everything stacked up to make such a vibrant and emotional read. I loved how Eva and Riley came together and worked through their issues. Riley was so willing to admit his faults and do anything to make up for their past and create a future for them as a couple. I loved that Eva came into it with her claws out and wouldn't relent with the quips and barbs, she was such a vibe. The two had so much chemistry and were quite frankly just so hot together, Riley with his slutty little glasses and curly hair, Eva with the ice queen exterior and fragile heart. Not to mention the workplace backdrop and how all the drama unfolded; I love that Riley didn't care about how others would see their relationship and just wanted to make sure Eva was secure and comfortable. The man was smitten and downright obsessed, it was so apparent with how that translated in their intimate scenes. With the perfect balance of humor, heat, emotion, and drama, all wrapped up in a second chance romance, this story delivered on every front!
~Many thanks to St. Martins for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
~Many thanks to St. Martins for an ARC of this book in return for an honest review.
February 4, 2025
rylie said “i will fall in love with you if you keep doing that” and it was just eva being mean & unapologetically herself and it was from then on that i had no choice but to stan
Read my full review
the love exists and it changed everything, the love exists and it changed everything, *half sobbing* the love exists and it changed everything!!!
thank you to edelweiss and the publisher for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review. full review to come
Bookstagram | Blog
Read my full review
the love exists and it changed everything, the love exists and it changed everything, *half sobbing* the love exists and it changed everything!!!
thank you to edelweiss and the publisher for providing the arc in exchange for an honest review. full review to come
Bookstagram | Blog
November 4, 2025
holy shit!!! i have not had this much fun with a book in what feels like forever. everything about this book from start to finish was AHHHHHH levels of amazing, like that is the only appropriate reaction, just screeching into the abyss.
i have absolutely NO idea how mazey was able to accomplish making one of the silliest and funniest yet deep and heavy hitting book ive ever read.
i just KNOW im going to be fighting people left and right over eva, everyone always wants a REAL angry at the world black cat fmc until they actually get one!! i LOVED her from start to finish, i resonated with her in every way i possibly could have and it was really healing to watch her get her happy story shes always longed for but never thought she could have. eva’s growth through out this book was really beautiful to be able to watch 🥹
RILEY, god i dont even know where to begin. the literal perfect man if i have ever read one. i absolutely loved how much depth this man had and the way he held himself accountable for his past mistakes and just wanted to do whatever he could to right things between him and eva. i LOVEEEED how well he matched her energy in every way and he had me cackling left and right with his comebacks and little nicknames he would call her in fits of exasperation 😂. um also, the mouth on that man???? had me blushing 🤭🙂↕️😮💨
i really enjoyed how the two are opposites AND similar in every way possible. dont ask me how that makes sense - it just does, deal with it.
the narrator made this book SO fun, im actually really upset its over and im made at myself that i binged this in one go bc what the hell am i supposed to do now? move on? impossible 😭
i already know this will be a top 3 fav of this year and honestly its taking everything in me to not just restart it from the beginning and go again LMAO i loved it so much.
i have absolutely NO idea how mazey was able to accomplish making one of the silliest and funniest yet deep and heavy hitting book ive ever read.
i just KNOW im going to be fighting people left and right over eva, everyone always wants a REAL angry at the world black cat fmc until they actually get one!! i LOVED her from start to finish, i resonated with her in every way i possibly could have and it was really healing to watch her get her happy story shes always longed for but never thought she could have. eva’s growth through out this book was really beautiful to be able to watch 🥹
RILEY, god i dont even know where to begin. the literal perfect man if i have ever read one. i absolutely loved how much depth this man had and the way he held himself accountable for his past mistakes and just wanted to do whatever he could to right things between him and eva. i LOVEEEED how well he matched her energy in every way and he had me cackling left and right with his comebacks and little nicknames he would call her in fits of exasperation 😂. um also, the mouth on that man???? had me blushing 🤭🙂↕️😮💨
i really enjoyed how the two are opposites AND similar in every way possible. dont ask me how that makes sense - it just does, deal with it.
the narrator made this book SO fun, im actually really upset its over and im made at myself that i binged this in one go bc what the hell am i supposed to do now? move on? impossible 😭
i already know this will be a top 3 fav of this year and honestly its taking everything in me to not just restart it from the beginning and go again LMAO i loved it so much.
March 21, 2025
no bc i am eva, eva is me. like, that's literally it.
okay, not actually, but seriously i really loved this one!! i love a good black cat x golden retriever dynamic and this gave what needed to be given. like, rent must be due bc mazey eddings delivered so hard here. the whole concept is actually really entertaining, if a bit cringey at time. i imagined the sausage talk show to be like an overly sexualized version of the chicken shop dates on youtube and like ... that's literally what it was. why has no author ever used that concept before?
lovedddd the characters. like i said, i saw so much of myself in eva and just related to some of her opinions and experiences sm. except i don't have a hot golden retriever man making me slowly fall in love with him. where is my rylie cooper fr!!!
absolutely recommend. no notes. i enjoyed the writing and the plot and adored the characters and this COVER!!! i'm buying the paperback the second it comes out simply to have this cover on my shelf (also i liked the book but yk, priorities).
thank you to netgalley & st martins press for the arc! all opinions are my own <3
pre-read:
me: i have too many arcs to read, let me stop requesting them
also me: oh! pretty cover, let's request!
okay, not actually, but seriously i really loved this one!! i love a good black cat x golden retriever dynamic and this gave what needed to be given. like, rent must be due bc mazey eddings delivered so hard here. the whole concept is actually really entertaining, if a bit cringey at time. i imagined the sausage talk show to be like an overly sexualized version of the chicken shop dates on youtube and like ... that's literally what it was. why has no author ever used that concept before?
lovedddd the characters. like i said, i saw so much of myself in eva and just related to some of her opinions and experiences sm. except i don't have a hot golden retriever man making me slowly fall in love with him. where is my rylie cooper fr!!!
absolutely recommend. no notes. i enjoyed the writing and the plot and adored the characters and this COVER!!! i'm buying the paperback the second it comes out simply to have this cover on my shelf (also i liked the book but yk, priorities).
thank you to netgalley & st martins press for the arc! all opinions are my own <3
pre-read:
me: i have too many arcs to read, let me stop requesting them
also me: oh! pretty cover, let's request!
August 5, 2025
Well, Actually I found this book to be enjoyable second chance romance book about featuring two characters who dated in college and reconnect when one calls out the on air over their past relationship.
Eva Kitt, the host of Sausage Talk, who interviews B-list celebrities, and you guessed it, hot dogs are involved. When she calls out Rylie Cooper, her college ex-boyfriend who is now a social media darling on air about their past college relationship, she gets quite a bit of attention. She also gets Rylie's attention. Rylie has made a name for himself by talking about toxic masculinity, offers to take her out on a series of dates where they can talk about their past relationship. Eva takes him up on the offer....
Ava and Rylie has fun and interesting banter. While Rylie tries to wind Ava over, she sticks to her guns, but how long can she be stoic and not get sucked in by Rylie's charms? Ava is full of spunk, sarcasm, and sass. Rylie is charismatic, fun, lighthearted, and charming.
As with Mazey Eddings other books, this book is full of charm, wit, great banter, fun situations, sexy scenes, and interesting characters. I liked that both characters had things to work on and there is individual growth as well as growth as a couple. With romance, it is all about the journey for me and this was a light, fun, and interesting one!
This is the fourth book that I have read by Mazey Eddings, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!
3.5 stars
Thank you to St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
Eva Kitt, the host of Sausage Talk, who interviews B-list celebrities, and you guessed it, hot dogs are involved. When she calls out Rylie Cooper, her college ex-boyfriend who is now a social media darling on air about their past college relationship, she gets quite a bit of attention. She also gets Rylie's attention. Rylie has made a name for himself by talking about toxic masculinity, offers to take her out on a series of dates where they can talk about their past relationship. Eva takes him up on the offer....
Ava and Rylie has fun and interesting banter. While Rylie tries to wind Ava over, she sticks to her guns, but how long can she be stoic and not get sucked in by Rylie's charms? Ava is full of spunk, sarcasm, and sass. Rylie is charismatic, fun, lighthearted, and charming.
As with Mazey Eddings other books, this book is full of charm, wit, great banter, fun situations, sexy scenes, and interesting characters. I liked that both characters had things to work on and there is individual growth as well as growth as a couple. With romance, it is all about the journey for me and this was a light, fun, and interesting one!
This is the fourth book that I have read by Mazey Eddings, and I look forward to reading more of her books in the future!
3.5 stars
Thank you to St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.
Read more of my reviews at www.openbookposts.com 📖
June 23, 2025
After hearing this was chicken shop date made rom-com, I was so excited to pick this up and it was SO FUN! as much as I adored the comedy and the ongoing banter between the love interests, there was so much heart with queer representation, discussions on grief, the dismantling of toxic masculinity and so much was laid bare. also rylie <3 people are going to fall in love with him!!!
I haven't read a romance in SO long so perhaps this was a breath of fresh air in that aspect however it's such a fun one for summer (would be rated higher if the FMC wasn't unreasonable in her anger at times)
I haven't read a romance in SO long so perhaps this was a breath of fresh air in that aspect however it's such a fun one for summer (would be rated higher if the FMC wasn't unreasonable in her anger at times)
November 30, 2025
this took me ages to finish, not because i wasn’t enjoying it, but i’m sick and on antibiotics 😭😭 but this was a great distraction!!!
i truly enjoyed the story, especially because eva and rylie have such a great chemistry!!! of course there is the invisible pull between them, it was obvious where their relationship was headed from the start, but the constant banter (even after something happened between them)!!!!!!! you know it’s a great enemies-to-lovers when you can have a great laugh at the characters' bickering.
i have nothing against eva and rylie. they are such a likelable main characters, i was instantly pulled in thanks to them and it was fun to get to know them better. i sometimes wished we got rylie’s pov, but i understand it is necessary to have the story just from eva’s point so you can feel the situation through her and also find out about rylie’s past this way rather than immediately knowing why their relationship didn’t work out the first time.
maybe just maybe i wish more of the dates were included, i was looking forward for rylie’s ideas!!! since it was something that brought them really fully together and what was promised in the blurb, i wished there were more.
also what annoyed me was aida. ok, i need to give her points for the huge discovery towards the end, but throughout the story she was such a pain in the ass, i wouldn’t really call her someone’s best friend. whilst eva has her flaws, aida often acted like a child, sorry. i usually enjoy side characters, but when she appeared i rolled my eyes big time🥹
anywayyyy i need to read more of mazey’s books omg!!!!! totally love her writing style, this was truly amazing ❤️🩹❤️🩹
────୨ৎ────
౨ৎꨄ︎ pre-read: impulse purchase from two months ago without knowing what this book is about, now i see many of you loved this so i trust you 🙂↕️💗
i truly enjoyed the story, especially because eva and rylie have such a great chemistry!!! of course there is the invisible pull between them, it was obvious where their relationship was headed from the start, but the constant banter (even after something happened between them)!!!!!!! you know it’s a great enemies-to-lovers when you can have a great laugh at the characters' bickering.
i have nothing against eva and rylie. they are such a likelable main characters, i was instantly pulled in thanks to them and it was fun to get to know them better. i sometimes wished we got rylie’s pov, but i understand it is necessary to have the story just from eva’s point so you can feel the situation through her and also find out about rylie’s past this way rather than immediately knowing why their relationship didn’t work out the first time.
maybe just maybe i wish more of the dates were included, i was looking forward for rylie’s ideas!!! since it was something that brought them really fully together and what was promised in the blurb, i wished there were more.
also what annoyed me was aida. ok, i need to give her points for the huge discovery towards the end, but throughout the story she was such a pain in the ass, i wouldn’t really call her someone’s best friend. whilst eva has her flaws, aida often acted like a child, sorry. i usually enjoy side characters, but when she appeared i rolled my eyes big time🥹
anywayyyy i need to read more of mazey’s books omg!!!!! totally love her writing style, this was truly amazing ❤️🩹❤️🩹
────୨ৎ────
౨ৎꨄ︎ pre-read: impulse purchase from two months ago without knowing what this book is about, now i see many of you loved this so i trust you 🙂↕️💗
October 29, 2025
so, let’s go with a 2.5 here - i’m not sure i really vibe with this author’s writing but the story was amusing enough.
i love a bad bitch character and while eva had all the bite and quick wit to sustain me, it was really only surface level and i wish she’d actually been the powerful woman instead of just using it as a shield.
the relationship and feelings progressed really quickly between the 2 mcs (too quickly for my liking) and i get that feelings can linger from 6 years prior, but 6 years is a long time to not know someone and have no contact to then essentially pick right back up where you left off. it just felt rushed.
overall, a fun and banter-filled read for sure, but i don’t think it was as groundbreaking as i’d hoped.
.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.
꒰ pre-read. ꒱
i’ve been taking a break from reading recently but i wanted to try this one so maybe it’ll be what cures what feels like an incurable slump? (hopefully 🤞🏻). anyway, it looks fun and i’m excited to dive in! <3
i love a bad bitch character and while eva had all the bite and quick wit to sustain me, it was really only surface level and i wish she’d actually been the powerful woman instead of just using it as a shield.
the relationship and feelings progressed really quickly between the 2 mcs (too quickly for my liking) and i get that feelings can linger from 6 years prior, but 6 years is a long time to not know someone and have no contact to then essentially pick right back up where you left off. it just felt rushed.
overall, a fun and banter-filled read for sure, but i don’t think it was as groundbreaking as i’d hoped.
.・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・.
꒰ pre-read. ꒱
i’ve been taking a break from reading recently but i wanted to try this one so maybe it’ll be what cures what feels like an incurable slump? (hopefully 🤞🏻). anyway, it looks fun and i’m excited to dive in! <3
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