4.5 Stars

****

Matthew Prince is young, rich, and spoiled. Even if his parents pay little attention to him, and the media is all over him, he is living the high life. Until, he makes a very bad decision that pushes his famous mother to listen to her publicist and cut Matthew off and ship him to stay with his grandparents over Christmas. Now, he's in the middle of nowhere, missing his life, wishing he could escape. Especially after meeting the student staying with his grandparents, Hector Martinez is now his new roommate. The two cannot seem to get along, but are thrust together when Matthew agrees to help with the towns charity gala. Can Hector, Matthew's grandparents, and a little Christmas magic help to grow Matthew's heart?

While Matthew first comes off as spoiled and cringey, as you learn about him, his life, his anxiety, what he has endured with the media and his mother's publicist, you actually cannot help but love this heartbroken Prince. His parents neglect him, he's suffered for years from anxiety, and he just went through a major and very public breakup. He has a hard time seeing his own worth and when people essentially "leave" him or push him away, he fights back with anger, resentment, and revenge. He hurts others the way they unknowingly, or sometimes knowingly, hurt him. He also surrounds himself with people who are only surface level, because he is so scared of rejection, of actually trusting someone else with his real self.

Hector is caring, kind, compassionate, and immediately notices Matthew's anxiety attack for what it is (and actively helps him through it, even when they dislike each other). He is angry at first at how dismissive and cruel Matthew is, but soon realizes Matthew has built this wall of indifference and shallowness around himself. Hector listens and Matthew finds that Hector makes him want to work on his years of hiding and callousness. They help each other to be better and to help others.

I really enjoyed the plot, that Matthew is finally able to use his calming technique and passion for planning to help a town that took a chance on him, when he probably did not deserve it. It's just such a heartwarming book that is like a Hallmark movie, but with actual emotion and depth. A great read if you enjoy the found family trope and if you like to see anxiety handled well in the writing of a character.

Just all around a really well thought out adorable Christmas romance, peppered with fun nods to Christmas classics and to Hallmark tropes. Highly recommend!

Finishing this one just in time for 2023! I’ve been feeling grinchy this holiday season, but You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince made my heart grow three sizes. It reminds me so much of Schitt's Creek or any of the classic Christmas romcoms. Spoiled rich kid sent to a small town to learn the meaning of hard work and the spirit of Christmas while falling in love with a local.

I can’t say I can relate to Matthew’s problems. I’ve definitely never bought an island and being sent to my grandparents house has and never will be a punishment for me. But for Matthew Prince his life is anything but normal. His father is a very successful and wealthy businessman and his mother is a best-selling author, whose fantasy books have produced hit TV shows with spinoffs and even a Broadway show in the works (think George RR Martin or JK Rowling). Unfortunately having such a successful and busy family means they never have any time for him. He’s had to grow up a lot faster than most kids and in the public eye. With the lack of attention from his parents and his generalized anxiety disorder there’s been a lot of destructive behavior (i.e. buying an island) and unhealthy relationships (his relationship with a married couple). He’s never been taken serious before and he most certainly doesn’t know how to be loved, that is until he meets Hector. The college student that’s staying with Matthew’s grandparents and is totally unimpressed with him.

Matthew and Hector couldn’t be more different. Where Matthew has never had a real job in his life, Hector has multiple while getting his degree and being so far away from his family in Texas. From the start these two are at each other’s throats like cats and dogs. When the town’s charity gala loses its coordinator and Matthew steps in as a saintly act to get sent home early on good behavior he recruits Hector for help in exchange for a plane ticket home for the holidays. For the first time ever Matthew lowers his guard and opens up to Hector and to Matthew’s surprise Hector accepts him for all his faults and quirks. As Matthew goes on a emotional journey of self discovery he finds the meaning of home. Its not a place. It’s people. It’s the people you choose to invest in, believe in—the people you let hold your heart. The forced proximity and infectious holiday cheer might just be enough to make Matthew believe in the magic of Christmas once again!

Read if you like:
- The Grinch
- Opposites attract
- Forced Roommates
- Winter Boo syndrome
- Small town
- Anxiety representation
- LGBTQIA+

Timothy Janosky hit the Christmas romcom out of the park with this one. I love MM romances and honestly need to read them more. This was everything I needed during the holiday season, and I wouldn't say I liked it when it ended too soon. The representation of anxiety and how the characters deal with it on the page was refreshing. Although one of the main characters comes across as spoiled and unlikeable, which is usually a turn-off for me when reading, the way Timothy wrote him made him likable. The enemies to lovers with the Christmas rom-com was just what I needed. I have read it over ten times. I love how they had to team up for a fundraiser together, and the tension and pacing are just chef kisses. I can't wait to read more of what Timothy has coming up. This is the one for you if you are looking for a queer romcom for any time of the year.

This was literally the first book I picked up for Christmas because I was feeling a little Grinchy myself and I got quite the surprise let me tell you.

I wasn’t 100% sure what to expect, I loved the title and the concept and it’s a really fun rom-com with an on point romance, some memorable and brilliant characters both main and supporting and lots of drama! There’s exes and misunderstandings and Matthew really getting his sense of self back, in a way as he adjust to life outside of the city and kind of gets to relax and indulge in what he loves!

Matthew was the biggest surprise for me. He’s certainly colourful, and he’s perhaps not entirely likeable initially because of his attitude however by the end of this book he was my cinnamon roll that needed to be protected at all costs. It’s very rare for me to read a book and be able to point at a character and go “oh my god that’s me” when it comes to anxiety but the author nailed it with Matthew and I may or may not have gotten a little bit emo. Just ever so slightly.

I couldn’t help but root for him and empathise with him and the way I gasped when I thought a certain character had done a certain thing?! I was ready to fight but happy endings all round!

I need more festive queer rom-coms!

Christmas Hallmark movie + Schitt’s Creek = You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince!

The LGBT+ and enemies to lovers provided a fun and delightful story.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for this enjoyable read.

A very cute enemies to lovers book that could have come straight from the Hallmark channel. Matthew was such a spoiled brat, yet I liked him. His backstory was heartbreaking and made him more human. Hector came off as a bit gruff, but I soon warmed to him. The story is fun and compelling. A light read for the holidays but maybe a bit too predictable.

DNF @ 10%

Unfortunately, I just found the main character unbearably unlikable. I thought the writing was good but couldn’t get past the silly rich character being turned into a rich character seemingly too stupid to live. Maybe next Christmas I’ll be more tolerable of the character trope but this year I’m apparently a Scrooge.

You’re A Mean One, Matthew Prince is a captivating, heartfelt, Christmas, LGBT+ romcom that showcases powerful mental health representation.

Matthew Prince is the son of two successful parents, and is a walking PR nightmare. After he makes a bad decision, buying an entire island, he is cut off and sent to stay with his Grandparents in a cosy-small town called Wind River. There, he meets Hector, the charming local who is staying with his grandparents, and they definitely do not get off on the right foot…

This enemies-to-lovers novel was so captivating and as someone who does have severe anxiety, I really enjoyed and appreciated that Timothy showcased GAD in this book. I thought it was written very well, and I could see myself a lot in Matthew. The romance is definitely more of a slow-burn, but it was so worth it! Hector and Matthew’s banter had my laughing on every page, and I truly cannot wait to get Timothy’s next book in my hands.

5/5 ⭐️ I would definitely recommend this book and I cannot wait to read this book again during the Christmas season.

This one ticked a lot of my required boxes. A Christmas story, always delightful, a small town setting with charming secondary characters, the sweet, supportive grandparents and a love story. All of this was there, and it was all good. The main characters were good too, on their own, but the chemistry felt a bit off to me. It wasn't as page turning as it should have been. It was good, but not great for me.

I loved the diversity in the story, and the accepting spirit of the town. That was big for me.

All in all, it was a love story with a happy ending, and I loved that as well.

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky. Pub Date: October 4, 2022. Rating: 5 stars. Matthew Prince, a young and rich male who lives a life of luxury is shipped off to his grandparent's house due to him making a questionable purchase of an island. To protect himself from publicity while his parents work to reverse his recent purchase, Matthew is thrown into a world he knows minimal about. He loses access to his bank accounts and to his life of luxury. He is a grinch about the situation until he meets Hector Martinez. Hector is living with Matthew's grandparents and Matthew starts to thaw out his feelings and develop conflicting thoughts about Hector. This riches to rags to riches again story with a dabble of romance and Christmas charm was unputdownable and I absolutely loved it. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review. #netgalley #youreameanonematthewprince

This was the cutest holiday queer YA romance. It gave me a little bit of Schitts Creek vibes, particularly the episode where Jocelyn asks David to talk to a teen in her class who she thinks is struggling with his sexuality while being in a small town.

The book is very lighthearted but also deals with subjects like anxiety, identity, and sexuality.

Would definitely recommend.

Absolutely stunning. Adored reading this book and had the greatest time! The characters were relatable because they were flawed, and I loved the plot. Timothy Janovsky does not miss and I was kicking my feet and giggling while reading this.

You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince……..well, I would have expected more of a Grinch than we got. It was still a cute romance. This is a poor little rich boy falls for the hard working hunk trope.

I appreciated the anxiety and mental health representation, and how Hector helped Matthew when he was struggling. I really did not like Matthew at the beginning, but I warmed up to him by the end.

3 Stars

Thank you to @netgalley and @sourcebooks for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

#books #bookishlife #booklover #readingisfun #iowabookstagrammers #iowabookstagram #netgalley #sourcebooks #ltbreaderteam

A cute holiday romance - a bit of a stretch for me because I typically don't like a "poor little rich boy" trope - but there was a lot to like here! While it's hard at times to empathize with Matthew, Hector is so charming (with the exception of overusing the word "dude") that you'll find yourself rooting for these two. The mental health representation of anxiety is one of the best I've seen - kudos! Fans of Schitt's Creek will love this one!

Delightful holiday rom-com!! Matthew’s translation from self-centered rich kid to more selfless human being felt earned and Hector was an adorable foil to Matthew. Perfect cozy read by the fire.

I enjoyed Never Been Kissed by Timothy Janovsky, but this one fell a little flat for me. A little too Hallmark movie--cute, but predictable.

Really enjoyed this one! A fun little holiday romance with some deeper themes and an MC that goes on a great character arc (which is sorely needed because he started off as a total ass).

I felt the discussion on mental health was really well handled and although the plot was fairly predictable as it follows a standard romance format, it was enjoyable.

Main reason for the loss of a star was the sheer number of times Hector called Matthew "dude". Like...so many times the word dude stopped looking like a real word, yknow?

Other than that it was very enjoyable.

This is one of those books where I was enjoying the story but barely enough to really care whether I kept reading or not.

At the start of the book, Matthew is a caustically unlikeable character. He’s basically a cross between David Ross and a supervillain caricature. This is a man who reflectively tries to bribe people and is confused when he doesn’t always get exactly what he wants. He doesn’t know the name of his family chauffehuer and the doesn’t care, he’s just mad that the man didn’t carry his luggage all the way into the house. He’s upset that the guest room he was expecting has been turned into a study and doesn’t care that the change was because of his grandfather's illness. He talks about his designer clothes constantly, and is more concerned about caring for them than any human in his life. When he finds out he has to share a closet with Hector, he responds by throwing all Hector’s clothes on the floor and making fun of Hector’s things when he objects. He walks into a coffee shop and calls out “Coffee Girl”, I half expected him to snap his fingers.

Unlike David Rose, I didn’t find Matthew’s antics entertaining. Which is a problem because his personal growth is GLACIAL. Once things pick up between him and Hector he tones down over the top temper tantrums, but even a simmered down Matthew is still a huge asshole. He just started at such a high level of complete jerkitude, that even a significant reduction still left him in asshole territory. His motivation for everything is his own self interest and his laser focus on getting home for a NYE party. We’re given very little information about the party so his passion around it just emphasized how shallow he is. It tainted pretty much every moment he had with Hector, and made it hard to understand why Hector would be falling for him.

Ex: Matthew decides to help with the town’s fundraising gala and manipulates Hector into helping him with the promise of money that he know he might not be able to provide. It was gross.

My other issue with Matthew is that he’s not a very convincing uber rich world traveler. He’s a coffee snob, but his drink of choice is Starbucks-style macchiatos, a drink looked down upon by coffee elites because it’s a made up American version of an actual Italian drink. He’s a 25 year old who insists that all acceptable hotel suites must have clawfoot tubs. That’s a weirdly specific amenity that I have trouble imagining in all his luxury hotel rooms. He doesn’t like soup, because he’s “a bisque guy.” These are all throwaway moments, but they kept pulling me out of the book to yell, “Um, that doesn’t seem likely.”

What helped make Matthew tolerable is his vulnerability. He has generalized anxiety disorder, and doesn’t have anyone in his regular life who accepts and supports him. His only close friend is dismissive of him, and he isn’t close to his parents. Matthew is clearly lonely. He’s aggressive in arguing for his needs with his parents, grandparents, Hector, half the town…but it’s clear that what Matthew really needs is acceptance and safety, not a party with a bunch of people he doesn’t even like. I was rooting for Matthew, and I cared about him. Which is quite a feat considering what a total tool he was.

I love it when wealthy characters are forced to live a plebeian life (see Secret Princes, one of my favorite reality shows of all time). This book didn’t have anything original on couples with class differences, but if that’s a trope you like, here it is, just waiting for you.

DNF @ 28%
Thank you NetGalley for an eArc of this book.
I loved the idea of this book! It’s kind of like Alexis and Mutt from Schitt’s Creek but make it Christmassy and queer. Unfortunately it didn’t really work for me. I found Matthew quite annoying and I couldn’t stand how many times Hector was saying ‘Dude’. Maybe I will give it another try next year.

okay, so I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and lighthearted, and a delightful holiday read. I devoured this book in 2 days and would highly recommend it.

4/5 stars

Thank you NetGalley for proving me with an arc