Book 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.

My Review:

I always get an absolute kick out of Mazey Eddings’ books. They’re relatable, informative, funny, and deliciously spicy in that real-connection sort of way that just makes them a plain joy to read. While I honestly can’t say which one is my absolute favorite from her collection of published bundles of joy, Well, Actually is definitely making a sneak attack for the top spot. The sarcasm, quick wit, and jumping-off-the-page chemistry between Rylie and Eva keep you flipping pages just to see what zinger Eva is going to toss out next – only to be one-upped by Rylie. As expected with Mazey, the fun and humor are perfectly balanced with the deeper topics – in this case, navigating a toxic workplace, wrestling with the feeling of never being enough, and the mental and psychological anguish that comes with with grief. Truth be told, Well, Actually is a whole lot of fun, but also a gentle reminder of how fragile we really are – and how easily our dreams, wants, and wishes can be manipulated when power and greed come into play. Sometimes, we don’t even realize just how poisonous that dangling carrot can really be.

It was supposed to be a harmless video. No one was ever meant to see it. After yet another disappointing day at a job that couldn’t be farther from her dreams, Eva just wanted to drink some Prosecco and doom-scroll away another lonely night. But what she didn’t expect was to stumble across her worst nightmare: Rylie Cooper – the boy-turned-man who broke her heart in college, and whom she now despises more than eating hot dogs with B- to D-list celebrities. To make matters worse, he’s become a social media sensation, droning on about red flags and how to avoid male toxicity. Fed up, Eva decides to set the record straight by making a stitch and serving up the truth about the internet’s golden boy. What should have been a cathartic moment quickly spirals into chaos when her reply goes viral. Suddenly, Eva’s boss jumps at the chance to capitalize on the exposure, forcing her to share the spotlight – and “sound stage”  – with Rylie for the first time in six years. But Rylie has plans of his own: determined to prove he’s not the man Eva remembers, he challenges her to six dates of redemption. Torn between guarding her heart and exposing the fiasco she’s sure these dates will become, Eva agrees. Six dates won’t erase what happened between them, but maybe – just maybe – it’ll be enough to finally wipe the slate clean.

From the very first pages, this book had me in hysterics. On more than one occasion, I actually reread a scene because I was convinced it couldn’t possibly be that funny (spoiler: it was). The “number of dates” conversation is still my favorite scene. Eva’s insistence that she felt nothing (read: everything) toward Rylie in the early parts of the book was hilarious. She was so determined to loathe him – and for good reason – that any sign, symbol, or inkling of attraction was explained away as anything but. She even went so far as to claim a bolt of lust was just potential menstrual cramps!

It only got better when she went toe-to-toe with Rylie: for every jab, he weaved; for every push, he pulled – he gave as good as he got, sometimes even better. It honestly felt like a tennis match, just waiting to see who would break first in their little tiffs. You couldn’t help but love his character, and you could absolutely understand why Eva was losing the battle for self-preservation. Normally, I don’t care for enemies-to-lovers when there’s constant insult-flinging just to cover the hurt, but Eva makes it genuinely entertaining. She slides those jabs in so casually – especially when she’s trying to stomp down real feelings – that you almost miss them. She truly turns being Riley’s antagonist into an art form.

As mentioned before, with Mazey – where there is humor, there’s also heart. Eva’s continuous battle with trust was such a poignant part of the story, and honestly, who could blame her? She trusts her brothers – they left her on the roof. She trusted her father – the man who is supposed to be her protector – and he scolded her in her time of need. She felt easily discarded by those who were supposed to love her unconditionally. Add to that the first time she sought validation outside of that circle and, lo and behold, she was burned there as well. How do you convince yourself to trust when wanting to trust has always been the very thing that betrays you? It’s the perfect formula for a never-ending cycle. You convince yourself to trust, and because you trusted, you were burned. So you learn it’s safer not to trust, because then you can’t be disappointed when you are inevitably betrayed.

That struggle with trust bleeds right into the biggest cornerstone of this book: the toxicity of Eva’s workplace. For those she trusted (see – there’s that word again), she played the game, hit her marks, and did what she was supposed to do, all while being led to believe there were real possibilities in her future. She became the puppet of a woman she admired and was blinded by that simple fact. William was absolutely despicable, and there were moments when I really hoped his actions were his alone and that his mother, Landry, was unaware of just how much of a cutthroat lowlife her son was. But nope – she was just as much of a snake as he was, if not worse. Their games, low blows, deception, and outright toxic behavior were a stark reminder of how easily someone in power can treat others like pawns, threatening their well-being while hiding behind claims of being a “team player” and “dedicated” to the job.

I wasn’t sure how I felt about her relationship with Aida. On one hand, Aida was a good friend and support, but on the other, she was also part of the problem. Whenever Eva questioned William or even tried to stand her ground, Aida was right there to throttle her efforts. I get Aida’s need to placate William to keep her job, but it made her more of an enabler than a true ally. Knowing, as a reader, that Eva has a history of feeling invisible, not being chosen, not being enough – this only made that struggle feel even heavier. I was glad Aida eventually redeemed herself as a secondary character, but for a while, she was definitely not my favorite person.

On the brighter side, I absolutely loved the LGBTQ+ representation in the book – from Riley’s roommate Lilith and her non-profit, Euphoric Identity, to Ray and his throuple, to Eva and Rylie both being bisexual and taking very different journeys to that discovery (and a truly insightful look at internalized biphobia). It wasn’t the headline of the book, but where needed, it made a very clear stance – especially with Riley’s backstory. The way Mazey presented these characters to the reader felt as natural and effortless as walking, breathing, and simply living. It wasn’t thrown in for shock value or just to get a reaction; it was there as a prelude to something much bigger and more important – growth, trust, love, and understanding of who we are as people, no matter how the outside world may perceive or judge us.

Like most of Mazey’s books, there was some spice that heated up the pages, but there was so much humor woven into those moments that it took the edge off (not in a bad way – just made it feel more like a genuine moment between two people than an explosive connection). What I honestly enjoyed most about those scenes was the shift in power. In every other interaction, Eva led and Rylie followed. Sure, they went tit-for-tat, but when Eva went low with an insult, Rylie went high with a flirtatious compliment. But in those moments of intimacy, Eva submitted and Rylie was in control, and it was an invigorating dynamic shift to witness.

While the book wasn’t meant to be sad, it was certainly revealing in how Eva became who she is “today” because of the events in her past. Through a number of unfortunate situations, we see exactly why Eva wears her tough shell, why she pushes back when she can, and why it’s so hard for her to stand her ground when it comes to Landry and William. All she wanted was to be good enough, smart enough, to be chosen – to simply be enough for once in her life, to something or someone. That’s what makes you fall in love with Eva and Rylie, because despite being one of the slabs of concrete that built that foundation of distrust and pain, he’s the only one who not only undoes the damage he caused, but who will do whatever it takes to make her feel loved, protected, and safe.

Well, Actually has easily been one of my favorite beach reads so far this year. I am always floored by Mazey’s talent and her ability to keep churning out one hit after another. The greatest fear you have with your favorite authors is that they’ll eventually hit the bottom of the creative well, choosing quantity over quality – but Mazey continually proves she’s the exception. She not only delivers one heck of a read, but it’s every bit as good as A Brush With Love and each story that’s followed.

Oh, and before I forget – to Mazey Eddings fans, you are in for a treat. I won’t give away the surprise, but if you’ve read Mazey’s earlier work, let’s just say you won’t be disappointed by what she has in store.