I am going to read Mazey Eddings books forever. And this is on my faves. Well Actually is full of the banter we have come to love plus some second chance romance action! Keep reading this book review of Well Actually for my full thoughts.
Summary
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.
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Well Actually is actually designed to be my favorite. I love Mazey Eddings’s character voices and banter. They are truly unparalleled! From the beginning, I loved Eva’s hot girl armor even as she’s struggling to be vulnerable. My heart broke for Eva. I’m a sucker for a good second chance romance and this is serving! While every relationship starts off with a few hiccups, this one is full on get ourselves to the hospital. It’s a testament to the fact that when we have all these illusions surrounding us, we won’t be able to see each other. Only when we break down the illusions we present to the world, can we see the messy, the loveable, and the wrinkles.
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What I loved was that we see through to both Eva and Rylie. We see through their facades, the snarky comments, and the arrogant covers. Even though they’re both so ‘different’, they have these similar defense mechanisms and ways to undermine each other. The banter in Well Actually is supreme and my heart ached for Eva and how tough she has had to be. How she never had the space to be vulnerable, a soft space to land, could never be gentle. She’s terrified to open her heart and get hurt again, but Rylie has got it BAD! If you’ve ever felt like you had to be tough, to harden ourselves, then you have to pick up Well Actually. Find Well Actually on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop. org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.