A rich Scrooge-esque character and the handsome working man working on small town gala…where could this story go wrong? Matthew Prince is sent away to his grandparent’s as punishment after Ill advisedly buying an island-yes, and island. The culture shock of going from islands and yachts to a small town without “decent coffee” made this such a a cute and light hearted read. Matthew could of been an unlikely character pretty easily, and it speaks a lot to the writing hat even when he’s being downright shallow and materialistic, he’s still endearing. He struggles with anxiety attacks, and it’s clear the author either has first hand experience with them or did very thorough research because it’s very close to how mine manifest, which was very nice to read. Hector…god how do I review Hector? He’s the small town man everyone wants to fall in love with. Hard working, kind to a fault, and just trying to be a genuinely good person. His influence on Matthew is insurmountable. Slow burn isn’t usually my thing, but it worked so well with these characters. Holiday themed books usually aren’t my thing, but this melted my ice cold heart and left me cheesy smiling on my patio when the book needed. Highly recommend if you like riches to rags, grinch, or holiday rom coms!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This had such a catchy title but the story didn't engage a such a significant hoped.

📚 Christmas in July Book Review 📚
-
You’re A Mean One, Matthew Prince
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
-
Thank you to @netgalley @sourcebookscasa and @timothyjanovsky for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
-
I had to end this July with a bang and what better way to do it than to talk about one of my most anticipated holiday reads 👀
-
Guys, get your planners out and mark the date as “Day Timothy Janovsky became one of Adriana’s auto-buy authors” 🖊 My favorite thing about both of Timothy’s books is the way LGBTQ+ characters are represented with worries and flaws and aspirations and dreams and the ability to love and the experiences that come with simply being human. The rom-com of it all is obviously a huge amazing part of it, but I always stick around for the gut punches 😂
-
Matthew should be insufferable, but he’s not. He grows on you as you get to know him and I think that’s the whole point. He’s rich and a tiny bit heinous, but ultimately he just wants what a lot of us want. To exist on his own terms and pave his own way. Hector wants much of the same thing, but he’s used to working for everything he has. I loved watching Hector fall head-over-heels for Matthew, hot pink pants and all! Watching them connect despite layers upon layers of hurdles was a heartwarming ride.
-
The rep here is amazing. Hector is Puerto Rican and bisexual. Matthew is gay and has been part of a polyamorous relationship, a fact he’s not ashamed of or seen less for in the slightest. Matthew also has generalized anxiety disorder, something discussed with care and tenderness. I also really liked that Matthew takes into consideration all the intersectionality in his relationship with Hector, from their different social classes to their identities as gay and bisexual men respectively.
-
I’m so glad I decided to end off this month with this book. It definitely made my Grinch heart grow three sizes too big. Or five. If you want a cute holiday romance that smacks you right in the feels, please pick up this book. You’re A Mean One, Matthew Prince is available for pre-order now and will officially be released on October 4, 2022. 💚

You're a Mean One Matthew Prince gave me the same cozy soft warm feeling when I was reading it that I get whenever I watch an episode of Schitts Creek. This snarky, sure of himself rich boy has to lose everything and land in the warm embrace of a lovely little town to realize who is really is. The chemistry between our lead and love interest is so crackling. And the communication is SO wonderful. Of course they have their issues but when it comes to characters opening up about the serious mental health conversations with the person they are with and seeing how that person cares for and helps them in crisis moments, the way that is done in this book is remarkable. Also the Steam was turned UP in this one and oh boy was it a fun time. This is a christmas classic not unlike a certian Muppets special that will be wonderful to turn back to during the holiday season!

I loved every single thing about this book. I was hooked from the first sentence. You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince is the perfect Christmas romcom that evokes holiday joy, but also the loneliness one can feel during Christmastime.

Matthew Prince is the definition of spoiled, but Matthew and I have that in common, along with being an only child. Being an only child can seem so perfect and content until you’re suddenly surrounded by company. Matthew didn’t notice how lonely he actually was because it was all he’d known. I can sympathize with him. Being an only child is hard, especially during the holidays with hard-working parents.

Hector and Matthew start off on the wrong foot at first, but their growing connection throughout the story is so incredibly beautiful. Hector is extremely lovable. Matthew and Hector are complete opposites with similar interests. I have to say that they have an excellent taste in movies. (*cough* The Muppets Christmas Carol is superior *cough*) Noelle and Sienna are amazing and I would die for them. Matthew’s Grandparents are the absolute best characters. I literally love them and how supportive they are. Matthew’s parents play a significant role throughout the book. While they are flawed, they should not be seen as irredeemable villains.

I believe that the anxiety representation within this book was handled in a good way. It felt realistic and similar to my own experiences, however some readers may feel differently. There are on-page descriptions of these panic attacks, but in my opinion, they were handled appropriately. Showcasing how difficult it can be to live with anxiety, but learning how to cope is important.

Overall, this immediately became one of my favorite holiday books. It checked all the boxes; queer, romcom, and happy ending. Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.".
Ding Ding we have a winner You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince. This book was all the emotions for me when a book can do that it's a 5 star read

Thanks Netgalley for a arc copy of this book for a honest review

Happy Reading Lisa 📚

So normally this is not the type of book I would reach for. I don’t really read holiday themed books and I don't think I've ever watched a Hallmark movie in my life, let alone a Christmas one. However, I really enjoyed the author's previous book, Never Been Kissed, and Schitt's Creek is one of my favorite shows, so I decided to give this a shot. I'm so happy I did!

Matthew is a spoiled rich boy who's sent to his grandparents house for a month to avoid a PR nightmare after he impulsively buys an island, which he is less than pleased about. He's even less pleased when he learns one of his grandfather's students, Hector, is living with them, so they'll be sharing a room for the duration of his stay. Despite an antagonistic start, the two eventually team up to plan the town's charity gala. For Matthew, it's a chance to prove to his parents he's matured and get to come home early. For Hector, it's a chance to go home and see his family for the holidays, as Matthew agrees to buy his plane ticket in exchange for his help. Cue feelings!

This book was so fun. Matthew is as obnoxious and unbearable as you would expect him to be in the beginning of the novel. However, he begins to grow very quickly. Partially from being surrounded by decent, normal people who encourage and expect better behavior from him, but also because at his core he isn’t a bad person. I really felt for him once we dived a little further into his history, as well as his mental health issues. I thought the GAD representation was overall handled very well, and I’m happy that Hector was respectful and helpful, even when he and Matthew were at their most antagonistic.

As for Hector, I thought he was a great love interest and a good foil character for Matthew. He was kind and funny, but not too “perfect” or bland the way love interests can be sometimes. He was a character that could very much stand on his own, and I appreciate getting to learn so much about his own history and family even though they didn’t play much of a role in the plot itself.

The side characters were overall likable, and I thought the prep for the charity gala was quite fun to follow! I wish I could see some inspo pictures or sketches for it because based on the description it sounded very well done and pretty. I also appreciated that, despite the many ways Matthew’s parents had failed him, he was still willing to sympathize and try to make their relationship work once they did as well. I can’t say I would have done the same, but good for him!

All in all, a fun holiday read!

When a rich and spoiled young man is exiled to spend the holiday with his grandparents in a small town he’s about to find the the holiday spirit and it doesn’t hurt that there’s a super cute but snarky guy staying at his grandparents house too.. Matthew Prince is from a wealthy family, his parents barely remember he exists and he’s constantly being watched by the press, so in an attempt to impress his parents that goes horribly wrong Matthew is cut off and sent to lay low while his parents do some PR recovery. Matthew finds himself stranded in a charming small town with barely any internet, no money on him, and time to just re-evaluate his thoughts and actions. Along the way is Hector Martinez, a extremely good looking local who is unimpressed by Matthew and gets under his skin. Matthew can’t stand the holidays but with nothing to do and the charity gala needing a coordinator Matthew offers to help in hopes of being able to go home early on good behavior... except he has to have Hector as his maddening- plus one. Matthew might be a Grinch but the charming of the holiday season and the warm town might just be what makes his heart grow three times bigger. This is definitely a Schitt’s Creek-esque story, and Matthew definitely gave off David vibes. Yes Matthew was a bit obnoxious and rude and pretty unbearable at the beginning but after reading about his circumstances and issues, he grows on you, especially as you get to see him open up. This was a cute Christmas rom-com and Hector was a great love interest.

*Thanks Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca, Sourcebooks Casablanca for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I loved this book so much! The rep of generalised anxiety disorder was well done in my opinion because I recognised so much of myself in Matthew. He tries his best, he doesn't always manage it, but he tries and sometimes it comes out rude and people misunderstands hik, but sometimes he is like that on purpose. He needed a sort of reset, to see who he was and who cared about him and his wellbeing. He needed to put his life abd privilege in perspective and see who he wanted to be.
I loved Matthew and I loved Hector, and I loved them together. They started as sort of enemies but we know that can't last, right? I really liked how their relationship changed and flourish and how love wasn't the solution to all his problems but something amazing he wanted to cherish.
The side characters of the little town were all great, too! Made me want to live there!

wasn’t really feeling a connection to matthew. i liked hector more, which makes sense given the similarities to schitt’s creek - i liked the small town beau (patrick) more than the rich newcomer (david) there, too. in general, it just took me a while to get through, but i did like the growth/how things settled in the end.

#netgalley

It’s Christmas in July and this queer romcom was delightfully festive!

Matthew Prince, after purchasing a literal island, is sent away from his glamorous, big city life to his grandparents small town of Wind River. His parents sent him away to avoid a potential PR nightmare that this purchase could be. Upon arriving, Matthew finds out that he won’t be the only guest for the holidays - Hector, a student at the local college, is currently living there so that he can continue to go to school. Matthew and Hector get off on the wrong foot, but slowly come together to support the small town.

Matthew is the picture of the out of touch rich kid. I keep seeing comparisons to David Rose and yeeeah. Accurate! He suffers from anxiety and has a method for controlling it: he plans imaginary events in his head. This translates to real life both in the small business gala and to previous parties he’d mentioned planning. Hector, in the other hand, is hard working and is staying with Mathew’s grandparents so that he can continue to attend college. If not for their generosity he would’ve had to return home and give up on his schooling. Hector and Matthew are literally opposites attract. When they first meet they have nothing but animosity towards each other. It was nice to see them thaw out towards each other and move from enemies to something more~

The description of Wind River is amazing. It reads just like a Hallmark Christmas movie, truly! I could clearly see it all playing out in my head and it was giving me all the warm holiday fuzzies! The conflict in the third act of the book was amazingly laid out and, while I’m mad at specific people for how it all tangled up, the resolution was good and the payoff felt right.

I do think the book was just on this side of too long. I felt that my attention waned a bit around the 40-50% mark. I wish the plot was a bit more sped up, but overall it was good.

I’d definitely recommend this book for anyone looking for a book delivering on the holiday feels with a queer couple who has a mutual love of the Muppet Christmas Carol. Obviously these two have great taste in Christmas movies!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Timothy Janovsky delivers another delightful queer rom-com with You're A Mean One, Matthew Prince. This book is humorous, heartfelt, sincere, and festive. It takes its character development seriously and delivers a charming story that balances holiday cheer with a story of romance and family dynamics that contains both depth and sincerity.

Matthew Prince is a wealthy, 21-year old New York City socialite whose parents send him to visit his grandparents for Christmas in small-town Massachusetts after he makes a large purchase (a whole island) without consulting them. I was a little concerned at first that Matthew would be just a bit too pompous to feel relatable. And he was, for maybe the first two or three chapters, but his heart and his struggles are quickly made apparent and I found him fully likable by the time I was a quarter into the book. Matthew suffers from anxiety attacks, and I found the description of these to be realistic to my own experience, although other readers may feel differently. This book does contain on=page descriptions of anxiety attacks, however, they are handled sensitively by the author, in my opinion.

This book thrives with a great cast of supporting characters, including Matthew's love interest, Hector, their friends Noelle and Siena, and Matthew's Grandparents. Matthew's parents provide significant plot points for the story, and while they are a part of the main conflict, they come across as nuanced, flawed characters, not simply villains. While I found Matthew's personal growth and the plot of the story and the romance to be the most interesting factors, the Christmas/winter backdrop is definitely present and will get you into the holiday spirit.

Overall, this was a delightful read that managed to convey happy holiday vibes while also covering heavier topics and providing a plot that felt genuine and important. If you're a fan of hallmark Christmas movies and have ever wished they were more queer, this is the book for you, but you'll also get a surprising amount of depth and heart along with your good times and Christmas vibes.

Schitt's Creek meets Christmas!

Ok here's the setup, imagine a young David Rose but instead of an actress, his mother is a YA author with a beloved series. Our David Rose, aka Matthew Prince, struggles with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, a deep desire to seek out human connection, and his family's ever-present PR fixer who views him as more of a prop for his parents' lives than as a human being.

After a bad break-up, our protagonist makes a ludicrous purchase that could cause a media stir. So instead of this David Rose like character traveling with his whole family to a small town, he is sent by his parents (and their wicked PR fixer) to stay with his mother's parents in a small town in Western Massachusets to lay low and "learn his lesson" Arriving in hot pink designer pants and with a major chip on his shoulder, Matthew discovers that his grandparents have a local English major staying in their guest room and he is expected to share bunk beds him.

This was a fun, fast read that gave me some of the Schitt's Creek warm fuzzies I have missed since the show ended. The only thing that I can really complain about is an over abundance of the word "dude" that didn't always flow naturally from our love interest. Definitely worth picking up this holiday season!

Thank you netgalley for providing me with this amazing book!!

I want to start by applauding Timothy because this was so perfect and it made my heart burst with joy
As soon as you start the book Timothy highlights Matthew’s flaws while managing to make him impossible to hate.
I wasn’t expecting to relate to him this much when I read the blurb (privileged , spoiled and rich?) but he ended up becoming one of my favorite characters

Hector and Matthew had so much chemistry and it was so fun seeing them grow and change together. Their moments of vulnerability with each were so beautiful it made want to cry

Even the smallest moments in the book were heartwarming! The scenes with Matthew’s grandparents were so precious and I loved how accepting and kind they were

Lastly What I loved most about this book was the anxiety rep. In a lot of the romance or rom-coms I’ve read, sometimes when the character struggles with something like anxiety/insomnia/etc it just randomly disappears when the love interest shows up. I loved seeing how Matthew dealt with his anxiety and I love how it wasn’t brushed off

I would recommend this to anyone who wants to get out of a reading slump!

Matthew Prince is the definition of spoiled. His very rich parents money funds every whim that Matthew has. When Matthew buys an island, his parents cut him off and send him to live with his grandparents and not the rich grandparents

This is Christmas rom/com perfection!! Matthew is a spoiled brat, but so lovable at the same time. His being forced to give up his lavish lifestyle to live in this small town with no cell service gave me all of the Schitt’s Creek vibes. I love the slow burn of Matthew and Hector’s relationship. My heart just aches for them all the way through. I had to put down my Kindle a few time so that I’d stop yelling at them to get their heads in the game. The ending was great and not to fairy tale love story. It was more realistic, more attainable. My favorite scene was Matthew and Hector baking cookies, beat the butter is right up there with fold in the cheese. The mental health rep was done well. We saw him struggle, cope, accept, and get help dealing with his anxiety.

If you are a fan of Hallmark-like, or ABC Family/Freeform, Christmas movies this is perfection.

The opportunity to read this perfect little queer holiday story was just the present I needed for Christmas in July! I absolutely adored reading about Matthew Prince as he is banished from his comfortable life in New York City to spend the holidays at his grandparent’s cabin in a small town.

Matthew give total David Rose vibes as he schemes ways to get back to his fabulous socialite life. After realizing leaving won’t be so easy, he teams up with Hector, a college student staying with his grandparents, to plan the town’s annual Christmas Gala.

Reluctantly, Matthew begins to give in to the Christmas cheer that seems to pour from the town, all while getting closer to Hector. By the night of the gala, he starts to think that his old life isn’t what it was all cracked up to be, but will a misunderstanding bring this new life grinding to a halt?

If you’re looking for a fun and heartfelt Christmas rom-com this holiday season, make sure that You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince is on the top of your list!

The cutest, cheesiest Christmas book. I loved everything about this book and can't wait to gift it to friends and family for Christmas
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was darling! I really loved Matthews internal dialogue, you are able to see how much growth he makes as a character through it. The relationship between Matthew and Hector was so sweet, I was rooting for them the whole time. It was extra cheesy, but in a way that we expect all hallmark Christmas movies to be.

I enjoyed this—it was super fun and fast paced. I loved the banter between Hector and Matthew. They were such polar opposites, yet the chemistry was palpable. There is definitely a need for more LGBT rom coms in the NA genre like this one.

The characters were not perfect, they had their own struggles and obstacles they had to overcome before they came to the realization that they are better together than apart.

I’m so happy with how everything wrapped up at the end. It was such an enjoyable romance and I cannot wait to recommend this to my friends!.

I knew I was going to love this as soon as I saw the dedication page read, “The Ed to my Taylor.” It certainly did not disappoint and provided all of the holiday cheer I come to expect from a holiday rom com!

Matthew Prince is from a well-off family and after the less than ideal impulse purchase of an island his parents have sent him to live in the small town where his grandparents reside and are also hosting a local struggling college student, Hector (who is Puerto Rican).

Hector and Matthew get off to a tense start due to perception and biases but then quickly start growing close and helping each other out when things start to grow more intense.

While Matthew’s relationship with Hector is blossoming he’s also getting to know himself away from affluence and labels, befriending other folks in the town and finding out his true desires and who his friends are all whilst dealing with some bad anxiety attacks set off by stressful situations due to his generalized anxiety disorder (and oh man did they feel true to my experience with anxiety).

I think this is the perfect queer rom com to put on your TBR for the feelings of love, togetherness, holiday cheer, queer love and the love and acceptance of yourself!

5 twinkling stars!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Source Books for the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.