You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince was a fun, sweet, coming of age story. Although it's more new adult than young adult, and it may seem weird to say it's a coming of age story, Matthew really did come into his own over the course of the book. Mixed in with the funny parts and the romance, there was a heartfelt journey of self discovery.

It took a little to warm up to Matthew- a spoiled rich kid who buys an island?!? But once I got into the heart of the story, my feelings quickly changed and all I wanted was for Matthew to find his happiness. He had a lot to work through, and even though I wasn't that big of a fan of his parents for most of the book, I think they did right by sending him off to his grandparents. Although in age he's an adult, in actions he sure didn't act like one- he definitely needed time away to figure things out.

I enjoyed Matthew's growth over the course of the book. It was nice to see him finally take responsibility for his actions, and also do good for a change- thinking about others, not just himself. The romance with Hector was another facet of his life that helped Matthew grow. He never really had anyone like Hector in his life and I think the feelings his was feeling got to be too much for him at times. But it was a good thing, and a good change for him.

I really enjoyed this book, it was cute and heartwarming. A perfect Christmas romance.
I highly recommend it!

❄️queer love
❄️only one bunk bed
❄️opposites attract
❄️snowy small town
❄️anxiety rep

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review and opinions.

This book surprised me!! The vibes of You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince are pretty much: What if the Rose family didn’t lose their wealth, and what if they sent David to Schitt’s Creek alone during the holidays?

It took me a second to get into this book––I’m not in love with the writing style (voicy first-person is hard to nail!!), and the initial “enemies” section of the enemies-to-lovers arc feels slightly cartoonish. But! Once Matthew and Hector team up to save their small town (classic), this book becomes a delightful holiday romcom.

A few honourable mentions: Matthew and Hector have *fabulous* chemistry, and I was genuinely moved by Matthew’s emotional growth; I’m partial to anxious protagonists who worry about being “too much” for others. The book’s third-act conflict is also handled with care, and the resolution is well-paced and effective. A third-act conflict can make or break a romance novel, especially if the reader finds it overdramatic, or that it came out of left field. Janovsky seems hyperaware of this pitfall, and that pays off.

[A note on racial identifiers: I find it odd that Janovsky capitalizes the word “white” as a racial identifier. From my understanding, this isn’t the industry standard, mainly because that term is commonly capitalized in the writings of white supremacists. To lowercase the term is an act of separation from those ideas. I know that sensitivity readers were involved in this project, so I’m curious as to why they didn’t pick up on that.]

Loved this book more than I did the first one. Generally, the unlikable main character isn't my vibe - but I really enjoyed Matthew Prince (and this grinchy story hehe). He starts off spoiled and immature but then you get to see his character grow. There is GAD (general anxiety disorder) represented in this novel, which was nice to see. I think this is a sweet queer holiday romance. This novel had better pacing than its predecessor and I love holiday stories.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Timothy Janovsky’s You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince is one of those fish-out-of-water stories wherein a spoiled brat is sent away to some backwater they wouldn’t normally set one toe of their Louboutins in and finds meaning, purpose, and often, love as well. It’s a story we’re all read hundreds of times before (and as this one is set around the Christmas period, there are plenty of very obvious references to the most famous meanie-finds-humanity tale of all time), but while the story is decently executed and the characters are likeable, it doesn’t really have anything that sets it apart from the other gazillion stories that employ the same theme.

Twenty-one-year-old Matthew Prince has it all – good-looks, wealth and internet fame thanks to the regularity with which his antics end up on the gossip sites. His latest – the impulsive purchase of an island (yes, you read that right) following a recent break up has finally brought his parents to say enough is enough and put their collective foot down. To prevent a possible PR disaster, he’s sent to spend a month with his maternal grandparents at their cabin in Wind River in downright stifling, middle-of-nowhere western Massachusetts. And as if things aren’t bad enough, he learns he’s to be sharing a room – with bunk beds, no less – with Hector Martinez, a former student of his grandfather’s, to whom he offered temporary accommodation when it looked like Hector wasn’t going to be able to afford to finish college.

Matthew certainly appreciates the eye candy, but it becomes quickly apparent that the down-to-earth Hector is not the slightest bit impressed or awed by Matthew.

“For someone whose last name is Prince, you’re not very charming.”

He’s not used to being so easily dismissed, but then realises it doesn’t matter, because he’s already plotting ways to get back to NYC in time to throw his famous New Year’s Eve bash alongside his bestie, Bentley. But when his plan to sneak away is foiled – by Hector, no less – Matthew realises he’s stuck there until he does what his parents have sent him there to do – grow up and prove to them that he can behave like a responsible adult. The perfect opportunity to do just that presents itself when the organiser of the town’s annual charity gala is unable to undertake the job due to illness. When his grandmother suggests that perhaps Matthew should lend a hand, he just about manages to conceal his horror at the idea of becoming involved in what is undoubtedly the sort of thing he would never (normally) be seen dead at – until Hector subtly reminds him of something he’d rather his grandparents didn’t know about (his plan to go to spend his time in Wind River at the local hotel instead of staying with them.) Matthew decides he’ll pitch in and plan the gala – after all, planning parties is his ‘thing’ (he even copes with his anxiety attacks by planning events in his head) - but first, he’s got to switch gears and plan something that the people of the town will like, rather than something he thinks they should like.

Thankfully, Hector is on hand to point Matthew in the right direction and soon Matthew finds himself starting to enjoy making connections with the townsfolk and, for the first time in many years, enjoying the Christmas season. He’d always loved that time of year as a kid, but by the time he was thirteen, the joy had been sucked out of it, replaced by false sentiment and illusions of family togetherness – and expensive gifts that were somehow supposed to make up for the loss. It’s been a long time since he’s let himself feel anything approaching his youthful love for the season, but working on the gala with Hector alongside him – having a silly Christmas cookie baking competition and debating the merits of the various Christmas movies (the Muppets win every time!) – helps Matthew begin to find the comfort and joy he thought he’d lost. Along the way, he gets to know himself, too, learning who Matthew Prince is and what he could become away from the city, the wealth, the labels and the fair-weather friends.

Matthew is likeable despite his initial snobbishness, because the author does a good job of balancing the bratty attitude and behaviour with a good sense of humour and hints that behind the glitz, glamour and designer clothes, he’s struggling. His GAD (general anxiety disorder) is sensitively and realistically portrayed and the author skilfully explores what it’s like to be someone in the public eye and media spotlight simply because your parents are famous – and to be the child of parents who have little time for you – so that it’s easy to feel sympathy for Matthew and root for him to find his way through all the crap in his life to find happiness.

The festive, small town setting is well done, and the secondary characters are all nicely rounded – even Matthew’s parents, who are never demonised, instead coming across as flawed people who have made poor choices. That said, Matthew’s mother does something inexcusable in the last part of the story - and even though it’s clearly born of fear, it’s tough to get past.

Matthew’s romance with Hector is cute, and I liked how supportive Hector is once they get past that initial antagonistic phase, but the romance does play second fiddle to Matthew’s journey. Hector is a great guy – he’s funny, compassionate, sexy and sweet – but the story is more about Matthew growing up, learning to take responsibility for himself and his life and breaking out of the patterns he’s fallen into. (The couple of sex scenes just about require the ‘warm’ rating, by the way.)

I had a bit of trouble grading this one, mostly because I suspect I’m not really the target audience for a book like this, and so, while it has a lot going for it, for me, it hits that ‘above average, but seen it all before’ area. The writing is strong, Matthew’s internal dialogue is a great mixture of poignant and funny, and his character growth is easy to follow, but the middle of the book is a bit slow and the Crisis Moment in the last section feels contrived and obvious.

In the end, there’s nothing actually wrong with You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince – it’s cute and fluffy and full of Christmas cheer (extra Brownie points for two characters bonding over a love of The Muppet Christmas Carol) but it didn’t wow me or have anything really new to offer. It’s a head/heart thing; I can see perfectly well that there’s a lot about the book that some people will absolutely love – but I wasn’t feeling it, which is why I’ve ended up giving it a B-. It might not be something I feel I can recommend to readers who have similar tastes to mine – but I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who will enjoy it more than I did.

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I voluntarily read an advanced copy of You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovksy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an ARC to review.

This book started slow but the longer I read, the more invested I became in Matthew Prince's journey. The romance was really sweet but it was his shift from a spoiled boy to a mentally strengthened adult that kept me reading. It was perfect for providing charming holiday vibes, emotional growth, and a healthy dose of romance. I give this book 4/5 stars.

Loved this book more than I did the first one. Generally, the unlikable main character isn't my vibe - but I really enjoyed Matthew Prince (and this grinchy story hehe). He starts off spoiled and immature but then you get to see his character grow. There is GAD (general anxiety disorder) represented in this novel, which was nice to see. I think this is a sweet queer holiday romance. This novel had better pacing than its predecessor and I love holiday stories.

“Matthew Prince is young, rich, and thoroughly spoiled. So what if his parents barely remember he exists and the press is totally obsessed with him? He’s on top of the world. But one major PR misstep later, and Matthew is cut off and shipped away to spend the holidays in his grandparents’ charming small town hellscape. Population: who cares?”

This books was enjoyable, but struck me as Diet Schitt’s Creek.

There were funny moments, and sweet moments, and moments where spoiled rich boys don’t know how to cook, (Fold in the cheese!), and I might be unfair in my comparison to that show, but Matthew and Hector didn’t burrow as deep into my heart the way David and Patrick did.

I think the ask – that Matthew change his entire personality in two weeks – was a little too much.

I did, very much, like the representation of Matthew’s anxiety disorder, and his subsequent panic attacks. It ventured a little to close to Mental-Illness-as-Character-Traits for my liking.

“Matthew has GAD, so he MUST have hidden depths!”

Or, he could just be a shit person with shit brain chemistry.

That said, there was one thing this book gets completely and irrevocably correct.

The Muppets Christmas Carol is absolutely the best version of Dicken’s classic.

6.5/10

Thanks to NetGalley, Dreamscape Media, SourceBooks Casablanca for this festive ARC.

Matthew Prince is the worst. He is the most entitled character I have ever read. The fact that I eventually really liked and care for him speaks to Timothy Janovsky's talent as an author. And Hector had my heart right from the start.

Despite the clear nod to the Grinch in the title, this book draws more from Dickens' A Christmas Carol. It's deeply emotional and shows such character growth. Although not a YA, both characters read young, so I would call this a new adult romance.

I greatly appreciate seeing neurodivergence in books, and was glad to see generalized anxiety disorder represented. And it was distinguished well from Matthew not being likable at first.

I loved the small town and Matthew's grandparents. And I enjoyed the whole journey through the book. It's a great new holiday romance.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

Krampus is on the loose! At least in the mind of Matthew Prince, because that's what he's nicknamed his anxiety, and I don't blame him. After having a bit of a meltdown and buying a multi-million-dollar island with his parent's money, Matthew is shipped off to his mother's hometown of Wind River until the situation can be handled.

He thinks nothing can be worse than living with his grandparents in a small town with absolutely nothing to do during the holidays...until he discovers that he will be sharing a bunk bed with his grandparents' house guest.... the strapping Texan named Hector.

Can Mr. Prince pull himself together enough for his heart to grow three sizes? Or will the dislike between Hector and Matthew be too much for Wind River to handle?

Dude! (lol) I will now need Netflix or Hulu to buy the rights to this steamy and holiday fun book. Gives you all the beats of a Hallmark movie with the steaminess we all crave. This swoon worthy, enemies to lovers, queer holiday book deserves a place on your shelves and in your hearts. It also brings light to general anxiety disorder, and I am all for advocating for your mental health especially setting boundaries with one's family.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

You're A Mean One Matthew Prince is an Adult Queer Romance by author Timothy Janovsky.

Spoiled rich boy Matthew Prince takes it a step too far when he buys an island, which results in his parents cutting him off and shipping him to his grandparents house. Located in a small town with no funds and no cell service, he's in his own personal version of hell. To make things worse, his grandparents are housing a college student which means he has to share a room that has bunk beds. Hector doesn't fall for Matthew's glamour and sees underneath his mask. When they team up to through a charity gala for local business for their own personal gains, they discover they actually have things in common. When real life burst the bubble they've been living in, will it destroy the relationship they built.

I'll be honest, this book sat at a solid 3 stars for me for the entire first half of the book. I didn't care for our narrator and main character Matthew and spent most of the time wishing we had Hector point of view. While I struggled for the first half but by the end I was fully invested in Matthew and Hector , in Matthew's personal growth, the new friendships he was building and devoured the second half . As Hector slowly broke down Matthew's walls, you were able to see the lack of nurturing he had growing up that resulted in who he was today. I loved the bisexuality rep with Hector and the anxiety / mental health rep with Matthew. I was also pleasantly surprised with the amount of steam in the book, since his last novel was YA with zero steam. Hector and Matthew are both sexual active young men in their early twenties, and the sexual tension between them builds and then delivers with mutual orgasms and open door intimate scenes.

In the end , You're A Mean One Matthew Prince turned out to be an enjoyable queer Christmas romance with steam, friendships, loving grandparents, forgiveness, personal growth, cookie decorating, holiday movie watching, visiting Santa, event planning, grand gestures, and the true meaning of the word Home.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved Matthew Prince the character, I loved his indifference towards Christmas, I loved how much he hated the town, how much he hated his grandparents house, even how much he hated Hector. Maybe because it's a rom-com and I knew how it was going to end but I really enjoyed his character.

I also enjoyed Hector's Latinx representation and the only thing that bothered me was the fact that he was the poor Latino boy that needed saving, which is why it's not getting 5 stars in my opinion. I also enjoyed the anxiety representation in the book and thought it was properly done.

Thank you to Net Galley for an Arc of this of this book in exchange for my honest review as always all words are my own.

I found this book to be a delightful holiday treat! You’ve got Matthew Prince, Jr. – the spoiled NYC social media brat who is cut off from his funds and is forced to spend the holiday season at his grandparents’ home in a small town, totally off the grid. His grandparents have taken in Hector, a rugged but beloved student who is struggling financially but has lots of academic promise. They’re forced to share a basement living quarters together – in bunk beds no less! When the town’s annual holiday gala needs a last-minute coordinator, Matthew sees this as his opportunity to show his parents that he is maturing and worthy in their eyes, and Hector is promised the opportunity to visit his family that he hasn’t been able to see in a long while.

I loved all the tropes that You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince includes – enemies to lovers, forced proximity, only one bunk bed, opposites attract. I also loved how the small town is almost utopian with their acceptance of queer love and diversity. Timothy Janovsky also takes great care in portraying generalized anxiety disorder and panic attacks (CW: on page). I switched between reading the text and listening to the audiobook, and once again Mark Sanderlin brings Janovsky’s writing to life with his incredible narration. I think this book is a fantastic queer holiday romance!

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca and author Timothy Janovsky, whom - full disclosure - I met during a rollicking library panel

You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince, deserves all 5 sparkly stars...for glittering dialogue between its enemies to lover main characters, for entertaining scenarios, and the real-life depictions of anxiety.

This is a fun Grinch holiday m/m story NOT to be missed. You will fall in love with Matthew Prince, despite his start as a spoiled son of wealthy parents...because, true to the classic Seuss tale, his heart will grow!

This book is giving Schitt’s Creek meets Hallmark movie, and it was perfect!

So, Matthew Prince is basically on time out for making some lavish expenses (buying an island, for one), and finds himself living with his grandparents in a small town. Hector is already living there, so now they have to share a room and bathroom, which Matthew’s not happy about. He’s grouchy about the whole situation, but throw in some forced proximity, a sprinkle of opposites attract, and Matthew starts to look at Hector as more than just a roomie.

The book is a MM romance, with great LGBTQ representation from MCs and side characters. It’s sweet, a little steamy, and the ultimate comfort read! I loved that one of the characters has GAD (we need to normalize mental health diagnoses!) and it’s addressed beautifully.

It is a true romcom, with laugh out loud moments, and it was such a cozy read! There were a few chapters with on-page adult activities, but it was more sweet than spicy. But, if Hector says dude one more time, I will also send him a Venmo request.

Spice Level: Medium

Never Been Kissed is still my favorite, but if you happen to prefer peppermint mochas and Hallmark movies to PSLs and Halloween, this book is for you. Janovsky’s books are sweet rom-coms, and this one throws in a little more spice than Never Been Kissed had.

You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince has everything you want from your go to feel good Christmas TV movie, but make it queer and add some extra fake snow. It’s a light retelling of A Christmas Carol with a spoiled rich boy and a charming small town ready to teach him about the important things in life. Pairs excellently with ugly Christmas sweaters and your boozy hot beverage of choice.

If you’re looking for a fun holiday read for the upcoming cozy season, grab this book and some Christmas cookies and settle in by the fireplace.

What a genuinely lovely holiday romcom! It's very much a Hallmark movie set up, city boy comes to his grandparents small town and learns the real meaning of Christmas and falls in love. A tried and true story, this works perfectly with some fresh updates on the classic set up. I really enjoyed Matthew's family and the small town .characters. And Hector! A fantastic love interest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

After purchasing an island, and to ensure a public scandal doesn’t happen, Matthew’s parents cut up his credit cards and send him to spend the holidays with his grandparents in the Berkshires, which doesn’t seem too bad to me, I watch The Real Housewives. There, Matthew meets Hector, a college student who is staying with his grandparents, and unfortunately for Matthew, will also be his roommate as they have to share a room. Hector doesn’t like Matthew at first which I get, he’s a spoiled rich kid who isn’t portrayed in the best light in the media. To help with his redemption, Matthew, with the help of Hector, agrees to work together to throw a charity gala to help local small businesses, and in turn, they grow closer.

I will say I love a holiday romance, especially a queer holiday romance, but I found myself getting a tad bored while reading. Don’t get me wrong, Matthew and Hector are very sweet together and have some swoon worthy moments, but I wish there was more of a build up between them. Matthew had fantastic character growth and I ended up liking him by the end of the book, but I really didn’t like or connect with him at the beginning of the book. Hector is a sweet character, but the amount of times he says “dude” almost pushed me over the edge. I know it was explained, but it was too much. Overall, You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince is a fun holiday read. I loved the Schitts Creeks vibes, the banter between Matthew and Hector, and most of the secondary characters (Noelle and Matthew’s grandmother being my favorites and Matthew’s parents being my least favorites).

I received an ARC from Sourcebooks Casablanca through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

3 / 5 stars.

This is the cozy, low-stress gay Christmas romance that I always wish for every season, and desperately need more of.

I don't want to compare this to Schitt's Creek again, since a lot of people seem to be doing in these reviews and it wouldn't be similar at all if we just had more gay, and in general LGBTQ+, small-town romances with "big city hotshot in a small town" tropes like all the cishetero Hallmark ones have. BUT Matthew's character did immediate remind me a lot of David Rose. At the beginning he's rich, snooty, stuck-up and shallow... and at first all I could think was "oh god", another insufferable rich boy, because I have no empathy for the problems of entitled, rude wealthy brats... but he does slowly start to grow on you.

The chemistry and banter between Hector and Matthew was super enjoyable, and I love how I could breeze right through this book with little to no stress. Matthew's grandparents were adorable, and Hector was virtually perfect. Although, a quirk of his that did start to annoy me was how often he said dude - I know it was on purpose and they address it - but it still got on my nerves because of the sheer amount of times he said it (apparently 79?!) which didn't seem natural at all.

My biggest critique, other than the "dude" part, is based mainly in my preferences- I wish it had been even more of a slow-burn. Their resentment was pretty strong in the beginning, although not based on much, and then it felt like a switch flipped more than anything when they started to hook up. It wasn't an immediate flip in feelings, but I think Matthew should have shown a bit more character growth in order for Hector to really be invested in him. Then again, they didn't admit actual *feelings* until later on in the story, but at that point Matthew was *still* hung up on classist conceptions of Hector (and just in general) which bothered me. I think if this had been duel POV and I could have gotten a glimpse into Hector's feelings and perception of Matthew change throughout the novel, it would have felt more fulsome.

A part I didn't expect but liked was that Matthew's exes were a polyamorous, married gay couple. At first I thought it was going in the direction of "look how wild and wacky Matthew was with his weird rich person life and polyam flings" but you really do see how much Matthew loved them and had his heart broken by them. Similarly with Hector's ex- I like how she was a woman, and appeared in the story, but not in a cliché road-block or biphobic way.

Overall, I loved the sense of found community as well as (re-)found family in this book that felt like a warm hug. The town was so cozy, full of Christmas cheer, community-oriented and LGBTQ+ friendly... I want to GO there! Are towns like this real? Can they please be and can I move to one?

Look, I tried. I really, really tried. I wanted to love this one--a great title, a fabulous green cover, an author I enjoy, and an intriguing blurb. But this book ended up being a bore to me. I read over a third and just had no motivation to continue. I didn't really like the main characters, so I wasn't really rooting for them, which made it hard to want to find out what happened. I kept thinking I'd come back and finish it one day, but it never happened. An unfortunate DNF for me.

Thanks to Sourcebooks for my eARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

2 stars - 4/10