The Plus One

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At least, she thought they both knew that. It wasn’t like they talked about their relationship. They didn’t talk about much, if she were being honest … Eighteen-year-old Mallory Greenleaf is no longer interested in chess, not since her hypercompetitive dad left—the game calls up painful memories. But she grudgingly agrees to play in a charity tournament as a favor to best friend Easton Peña. After she unexpectedly beats current world champion Nolan Sawyer, she’s offered a fellowship that will prepare her to play professionally. Even though Mallory doesn’t want to play anymore, she needs the money that winning would provide; she’s delayed college to support her family, since her mother is chronically ill with rheumatoid arthritis and is unable to work regularly. The more time she spends with Nolan, the more Mallory comes to like and respect him—and the more time she spends playing chess, the more she remembers how much she loved it. But when she learns that Nolan has been keeping a big secret from her, she isn’t sure if she’ll be able to move past it to build a relationship with him. Filled with the author’s signature humor, well-developed characters, and realistic conflicts, plus the fully realized setting of competitive chess, this captivating romance will delight teen readers as well as Hazelwood’s adult fans. Mallory and Nolan are both cued white; there is some racial diversity among the supporting cast. Mallory and Easton are queer. The Plus One has THEE best trope: childhood nemesis. Not only that, but they also have to pretend to date! Which makes it ten times better. Indira and Jude are really the best people ever and they deserve the world and their love story is super adorable and swoony and I need more. I'm sad to see the A Brush with Love series end, because Mazey did wonderfully. These characters all resonate with you and stay with you days, months, years after reading their books. They become a part of you and I'm so glad that I got to experience them. A contemporary romance masterpiece . . . The most intoxicating slow burn I've read in ages' RACHEL LYNN SOLOMON

Each chapter is titled to give us a countdown to Colin and Jeremy's wedding. A wedding that Chris will be attending, so Jude offers to be Indira's fake date. As they spend more and more time together the fake dating line gets a bit blurred. It's still fantastic, don't get me wrong. I think part of it actually may stem from the relationship dynamic between our two mains. Jude and Indira have known each other a long time. They have an established relationship. I felt that mental health was well written. I liked that Indira is a psychiatrist who sees one herself and that Jude got the help he needed as well.Thrust into an elaborate (and ridiculously drawn out) wedding event that’s stressing Jude beyond belief and has Indira seeing her ex and his new girlfriend far more frequently than any human should endure, the duo strike a bargain to be each other’s fake dates to this wedding from hell. The only problem is, their forced proximity and fake displays of affection are starting to feel a bit… real, and both are left grappling with the idea that a situation that couldn’t be worse, is made a little better with the other around. this is an incredible third installment to the already hilariously-fun 'A Brush With Love' series and I am so glad i can add this to my list of 'books that make me suffer a bit less'. Summary: When long time frenemies Indira and Jude are thrown together for her brother’s huge wedding celebration, they devise a plan to be each other’s fake dates. Soon, however, things begin to feel a bit too real… Swoony, steamy, adorable . . . Read. This. Book. You won’t be disappointed. It’s a keeper and Mazey Eddings is on my auto-read list forever’ Funny and cute while also exploring serious topics, powerfully underscoring the truth that relationships require work, and that happy endings are for everyone' SARAH HOGLE

Honestly, this last installment really surprised me! After the cuteness and lightheartedness of the first two books, this one hit me differently. Taking a long look at mental health, trauma, insecurities stemming from childhood, therapy and communication, it felt real and full of hope. It's a lot more heavy and series than its predecessors, particularly Lizzie Blake, and made me well up several times. It was such a journey for the characters, and I adored the way they supported eachother. They were both so brave and vulnerable. Indira runs hot and cold. She's snarky (and not the kind that I like) and in the same breath can be soft and gentle. I am getting whiplash. The Plus One felt a little heavier than Mazey’s past books, but I enjoyed it just as much. All of her books confront mental health, but The Plus One took a close look at anxiety and PTSD. It felt very relatable and meaningful, compared to the more lighthearted feel of the previous books in the series. I love that Mazey’s writing talent is so expansive! There was so much to love about this book . . . Thank you to Mazey Eddings for this romance with its messy, true, and painfully real representation of anxiety . . . We need more books like this in the world’

Harper shook her head. "No, no. That's the amazing part. When you look at it-the part you see aboveground-it's this tiny little mushroom head. It looks so insignificant. They just pop up here and there" she gestures with her fingertips as though she could draw them in the air. "But it creates this root-like system called hyphae. And the hyphae-it spreads and grows and, kind of... takes over underground. One living thing, every cell genetically identical, spreading below the surface to take up this enormous amount of space." Really, Chris?” she yelled. “Because it looked like you were tongue-punching the tonsils of a stranger on the couch I paid for. But please, explain to me what I’m actually seeing.” i’m sincerely so glad i requested this book from netgalley, i think it might be one of my favorites that i’ve read. this really is gonna hold a place in my heart with how much i resonated with it <33 definitely recommend!!

There are trigger warnings mentioned in the beginning of the book which was helpful to understand the depth of Jude’s detachment. I admired Indira for her support and stance to Jude. Yes, she had training but her words are heartfelt.

Indira and Jude are easy to root for: Not only is there undeniable heat between them, but they each demonstrate a lovely willingness to work on themselves as they try to reach for lasting love.. An uplifting and honest portrayal of the healing potential of companionship." - Kirkus

On top of the incredibly touching, wise, lovely portrayal of mental health and finding love as we heal from trauma, was the joy of seeing the BRUSH WITH LOVE cast of secondary characters coming together. These characters feel like old friends and the group scenes were an absolute treat. I'm sorry to say goodbye to this world, but so glad I've been able to come along this incredible journey and finally see Indira and Jude get their happily ever after! But, observing the unearthly noises and mentally preparing to lose at least a nipple, if not an entire boob, to Grammy’s claws in what was about to go down, Indira wondered if she was making a fatal mistake. I loved seeing the shift in their relationship and how their thoughts of one another slowly changed. From frenemies to tentative friends to an inseparable bond to lovers. How they started to lean on each other for support and seeing them fall in love was the absolute best!Mazey Eddings's writing is authentic, emotional, and intensely romantic! To me, it's like a Taylor Swift song in book form' Ali Hazelwood, New York Times bestselling author Lizzie Blake’s Best Mistake” is the second novel in the “A Brush With Love” series and was released in 2022. Lizzie Blake has made countless mistakes. Pyramid schemes, kitchen fires, bangs (of both the human and hair variety). You name it, and she has done it. Made a mess of it, too. A mistake that she has never made is allowing anybody to get closer to her than just a single hook-up. However after losing yet one more bakery job because of her uncontrolled ADHD, she breaks her one cardinal rule and has a two-night-stand which changes everything. The pair was intimidatingly put together, their cushy doctor salaries granting them a spacious three-bedroom home in Manayunk, one of Philadelphia’s more residential neighborhoods a few miles northwest of Center City. Also, for fun, here is the amount of giggling that happened in this book: giggle (38), giggles (12), giggling (10), giggled (13). A contemporary romance masterpiece . . . The most intoxicating slow burn I’ve read in ages’ RACHEL LYNN SOLOMON