I am not typically a fan of historical romance, but I decided to request this one mostly based on the cover, plot summary, and the fact that it's a sapphic romance. It did not disappoint!
I fell in love with our main characters, Beth and Gwen, more quickly than they fell in love with each other. Their relationships with their parents are tender and felt realistic; the slow burn friends-to-lovers trope culminating in some particularly steamy scenes was PERFECT; and the double happily ever after was extremely satisfying. I'm really looking forward to reading more from Alban and revisiting some of our beloved characters to see what shenanigans ensue next time.

This was a super cute novel that I absolutely loved!!! The angst and pining was soooo well done. I loved the sapphic energy, and the HEA was so sweet. I think there was too much filler in the first 30% ish, but once the girls got together the book went super quickly. 4.5 rounded up!

🌈 Queer rep: FF main pairing, FF side pairing. MM pairing hinted in the epilogue.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for this ARC.

This book was so cute! I liked it a lot. I think one of my favorite aspects of Gwen and Beth's relationship was them slowly realizing that they had feelings for each other and what it meant to both of them to realize that they prefer women. I appreciated how important Beth and Gwen's relationships were with their parents (Beth with her mom and Gwen with her dad). I liked Gwen's cousins, Albie and Bobby, as well and how Gwen interacted with them. I also really liked seeing the relationship between Gwen's dad and Beth's mom develop throughout the story, They were cute too and I enjoyed their scenes together. The only issue I had was that there was a little bit of a lull in the middle, but it picks back up once we get closer to the end. I'm looking forward to reading the sequel and seeing how the rest of the story plays out.

This was a delightful read that I can see being a big hit for Victorian and sapphic romance readers. It was such a nice, heartfelt and easy read.

I am not someone who is drawn to historical romances, and truthfully I wanted to read this one because I have a hard time resisting a Leni Kauffman cover!! But this was a good choice, and I’m excited that there’s going to be another book! I can’t wait to see more of Gwen and Beth’s schemes!

I loved Gwen and Beth. Those sweet girls loved for each other so much. The small quiet moments they shared before they realized they could and do like each other which then led to the sneaking around! And the scheming to get their parents together! They were fun and sweet and loved each other and their parents SO much! They wanted to do what was best for their families but they also desperately wanted to be happy, they didn’t want to repeat their parents mistakes.

Gwen and her father’s relationship made my heart ache. They are so sweet together. The way he loves her and wants the absolute best for her, wants what he couldn’t have when he was younger… it all made me so happy.

And the four of them! Beth and Gwen trying to get their parents together was so cute. It was clear once they saw them together something was there. And seeing each parent reveal a little about their past to their daughter was so sweet, even if there were hurt feelings and regrets, they both still thought about it with such fondness and longing. I loved Cordelia and Dashiell together too, they were SWEET and seeing them reconnect and then eventually make choices based on not only their happiness but the girls’ too was so freaking sweet!

Thank you to Avon Harper Voyage and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange of an honest review!!

You want The Parent Trap but make it sapphic?

Look no further, Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend has got you covered. In this historical romance, we follow our two main characters, Beth and Gwen who upon becoming fast friends and realising that there is more to their parent’s connection than they have been told, decide to concoct a plan to set up their parents and give them the second chance at happiness they deserve. Yet their parents isn’t the only thing that’s causing them trouble. While Gwen has long since given up on finding a suitable husband, this season marks Beth’s last chance to find a good match so she can keep her and her mother afloat. Yet as Beth and Gwen spend more time together, scheme together and dream up wild and gorgeous futures together, the real love story might just turn out to be their very own—if they play their cards right in the regency era, that is.

(Listening to Dress by Taylor Swift on a loop while reading this book is obligatory, by the way.)

I honestly can’t quite believe this is a debut novel. Gwen and Beth as well as all the secondary characters were so fleshed out that they practically jumped off the pages.

Gwen is clever and feisty (maybe even more so than her father and that’s saying something) and then we have Beth, who is the embodiment of kind and cordial. It could be argued that together they bring out both the best and the worst in each other but it’s so entertaining that you can’t really complain about the drama that ensues. Not to mention that their chemistry was absolutely sizzling.

I admit to being a tiny bit scared before I read this whether I would like the storyline with the parents. See, for The Parent Trap to work, you can’t just be invested in the youngster’s story, you also need to be rooting for the parents to actually get together because they belong together instead of just for the girls to get what they want.

It’s a feat to balance the main romance between Gwen and Beth and the romantic relationship development of their parents yet Alban does this swimmingly. I rooted just as much for Gwen and Beth’s plan to come to fruition as I did for their own happily-ever-after. The parent storyline offered so much: a layer of complication to Gwen and Beth’s romance but also a social commentary on the rules and conventions of a time that would rather see you stuck with someone in an unhappy marriage than following your heart’s deepest desire. There was a lot of depth to the discussion of women’s rights and political upheavals and the rich having their hands in keeping women powerless but there were also so many moments of fighting for your voice, for your dreams and not confining yourself to archaic gender roles that were all detailed beautifully in Gwen and Beth’s struggle to make it in society but also in getting their parents back together.

Also this may be a controversial opinion I’m sure but in my opinion this was idiots to lovers and I had just such a fun time reading it. Gwen and Beth both take a while to figure out that they’re into each other and once they do, all bets are off. From secret moments in a crowded room (IYKYK) to stolen kisses in a labyrinth, their romance made my heart soar. But all of these giddy feelings were amplified by the fact that they were the best of friends and genuinely cared for each other, even when they made mistakes or said the wrong thing.

Add to that rambunctious humour, found family, hilarious banter, Gwen’s dad who deserves his own book and other side characters that add so much to this wild tapestry of emotions as well as an explosively epic conclusion and you have yourself an unputdownable debut. I for one can’t wait to get my hands on the companion novel to return to the wonderful universe Alban has created.

Historical romance meets a sapphic The Parent Trap retelling in Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend, a gorgeously immersive tale that’s a must-read for fans of Bridgerton, the friends-to-lovers trope and swanky romances that leave you swooning.

Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other good book retailers, like your local bookstore, as of January 9th 2024.

A queer romance set against a backdrop of the parent trap and the politics of protecting women from abuse, named after a Taylor Swift song? This book was amazing, I adored these characters, and I can't wait to buy it.

This book follows Gwen and Beth, two sapphic women in the mid-1800s, in the midst of Beth's first season and Gwen's...fourth, if I recall correctly. It is through their friendship that they discover tthe past romance between Gwen's father and Beth's mother, both single. And of course, the only logical conclusion is for them to attempt a parent-trap style scheme and get their parents together.

And of course, while they do this, they fall in love. And it is sweet and messy and chaotic. And of course, there are the perils of the time period, and being queer during that era. To add to the mess, there is Beth's suitor, which they think will become a safe beard for their relationship, allowing them to stay together as "friends."

Alas, surprise, the suitor's father is fighting against a law supported by Gwen's father, one that would give women the right to divorce their husband's for abuse (something Beth's mother suffered from at the hands of her father). As such, both women are forbidden from seeing Gwen and her father. How they solve it? That's the rest of the story.

This book was such a wonderful, sweet romance between these two girls, and getting to watch their parents fall back together from afar was also so nice. Additionally, Gwen's family staff features to older sapphic women, and it is so, so nice to see elder LGBT women, both in general and for the time period. I adore Gwen and Beth, and I think other readers will too. And the ending? Fantastic, in more ways than one, and more than I expected.

Parent-trapping widowed ex-lovers, anxious debutantes, and unexpected romance intertwine in this captivating debut novel by Emma R. Alban. Alban skillfully weaves together a heartwarming story of friendship and love, set against the debutante season of 1857. As Gwen and Beth navigate societal expectations and their own spicy desires, readers are taken on a delightful journey filled with wit, charm, and unexpected twists. This queer Victorian romance is a must-read for anyone seeking a fresh and enchanting tale of love and self-discovery. Parts of it were laugh-out-loud funny and few novels have relationships as sweet as Beth/Gwen and their parents! I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC!

3.5 rounded up to 4

I didn't know I needed a lesbian Bridgerton × Parent Trap novel until read this. It's a cute, funny and cozy debut novel<3 It got a little slow for me in the middle but I enjoyed myself nonetheless.

This book was everything i was hoping it would be and more. I love sapphic historical romance book and this is the best one i have read in long while. The romances where well thought out and written and i ended up enjoying the romance of Lady Demeroven and Lord Havenfort (Beth and Gwen's parents respectively. way more then i expected but the stars where Beth and Gwen they are so cute and sweet together. thanks to the publisher and neutrally for providing a copy for this review.5 stars will reread in the future

wow this had so many elements of my favorite stories: matchmaking, secrets, shenanigans, the looming threat of spinsterhood, and most of all, lesbians. This was genuinely one of the best romcoms i've read all year! It made me laugh, it made me cry, and it had me STRESSED. I did not know how it was going to turn out at parts!!! There were a few individual line edits that were needed (some sentences were a bit confusing or just had threads that needed closing) but i was reading an e-arc from netgalley, so it's possible those got fixed before print. All in all, a banger!! I hope there's a sequel

rep: lesbians, side queers

spice: a couple vivid sex scenes

I will read anything sapphic but I really don't like Taylor Swift or regency era so this was already a turn off for me. I think the cover is gorgeous though. This was a parent trap x historical romance blend and for that, it was quite fun and a different read than I'm used to. SO many relationships to get on board with. I enjoyed the friends to lovers trope. I thought the characters and the plot were well done but the actual writing could have been improved upon. I always want more but at least there was an open door sex scene.

'Don't Want You Like a Best Friend' is a Sapphic historical romance that delivers a heartfelt story with the right amount (and topic) of drama and none of the internalized homophobia usually found in queer historical novels (at least the ones I've unfortunately read). So, color me shocked and delighted!

I picked up this ARC with several expectations in mind of what the story would deliver: there would be drama over being queer, there would be homophobes in the ton, the word 'unnatural' would be thrown about...But none of this happened!?

Gwen and Beth start off as besties who eventually figure out they prefer each others company than that of any available male suitor. And while each has a moment of "oh goodness, what are these feelings!" neither has negative thoughts about what it means to like someone of the same sex. Their main concern is that society is against it and so they must hide. Yet, there are ways they can make it work, and we get a prime example of that in Gwen's household staff. What's even more brilliant? Gwen's father knows about it and it's one-hundred percent an ally.

The main drama does revolve around women's rights and the abusive treatment many of them suffer in silence just to pretend they are fine in the face of society. Gwen and Beth certainly break the mold when it comes to staying silent, but we also get the perspective of Beth's mother. Of how she lived through an abusive marriage, how she still hasn't broken through the trauma, and how she's now leading Beth through the same path, yet can't see it. The overall theme is about speaking up, following your heart, and not letting other dictate your life.

Never in my life did I think I would read a historical with such an open-minded, true-ally group of people surrounding the main queer couple and helping them along. 'Don't Want You Like a Best Friend" is a breath of fresh queer air for historical romance fiction! I am already recommending it to friends and I am definitely reading book 2!

This is the historical sapphic romance that I've been waiting for! I love Olivia Waite and Erica Ridley's books on the same theme, and DON'T WANT YOU LIKE A BEST FRIEND is a great addition to the cannon of lesbian historicals. This book is swoony, so fun, and very compelling. We are introduced to Beth, an anxious debutante who is determined to find a husband who will provide the financial stability that she and her mother desperately need. Beth meets Gwen who is on her fourth season and is terribly bored of the whole endeavor. Gwen is the daughter of a wealthy widower, and she has no pressure to marry if she doesn't want to. Gwen and Beth quickly realize though that their parents are perfect for each other, and Alban weaves the most fun Bridgerton/Parent Trap crossover. As they spend more time together, Beth and Gwen develop feelings for one another rather than for any of the eligible bachelors that they are supposed to be paying attention to. This book is funny, charming, and so full of heart!

thank you to avon and harper voyager + netgalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest thoughts <3

the rise of taylor swift lyrics as book titles is an era in books that i'm so glad i get to experience. dress has long been one of my favorite t.s. songs because it perfectly captures the yearning of friends to lovers. i knew the second i stumbled upon Don't Want You Like a Best Friend that it was made for me. a sapphic, friends-to-lovers, regency romance... i ate it up.

i really liked the characters to the point that i just wanted to protect them from everything. they were messy and real and so in love with each other. i was particularly attached to beth whose story is one of sacrifice for those she cares about most. the angst and yearning that make up these characters was like a gut punch toward the end. i couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, but i wanted it for them so badly.

between the prose and the romance, this was such an effervescent debut, and while it took me a while to read this one, i found myself picking it up whenever i could. it was easy to find myself whisked away into a world of afternoon teas and ball gowns. i'm foaming at the mouth for any future f/f regency romances after reading this.

A queer historical romance set in 1857 Victorian England. Beth is entering her first season and must make a match or she and her widowed mother will be without a home. Her father’s heir has come of age and is sending them from his estate. She meets Gwen who has already had a few seasons. All the girls look to Gwen for her fun games that made the balls more adventuresome. Gwen and Beth notice the reaction when their respective single parents meet and plot to put them together instead. Along the way the two become closer. Complications come when Beth catches the attention of a nice guy with a horrible overbearing father. Politics enter the fray as well regarding a new marriage act.

Kudos to the author for writing a fun historical romance that is inclusive and with passion on the page. I especially like that it isn't a slow burn letting the pair steal moments together midway through the book. Gwen’s understanding father get an extra nod for allowing two servants to be her confidants. I like the title being a Taylor Swift song reference but that kind of playfulness doesn’t continue in the book. The language may be too modern for historical romance purists but I didn’t mind it and they kept most of the basic rules of the time period. The Parent Trap trying to get the parents together moves the story along. I think the only thing that slows reading is the story is written in third person present tense. I got used to it but it isn’t common in the books I read. I kept thinking why is this sounding different.

This is a good debut novel and I hope the sequel includes more of Beth and Gwen as I really like their characters. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review.

Don't Want You Like a Best Friend is an incredibly fun read. I loved the characters and their friendships with each other.

Oh. Oh that was *wonderful* !!! I don't know if I've ever read a sapphic historical romance that completely holds its own in the romance department like this one does. I felt all the ups and downs and the passion Beth and Gwen felt for each other. It easily rivaled the gay historical romance novels and m/f historical romance novels I love.

We have sort of a parent trap situation going on, but instead of sisters Beth and Gwen are... more. The scheming and banter and scandalous behavior was absolutely wonderful and I loved every minute I spent reading it. All of the characters were wonderful (well, except Lord Ashford, but there has to be at least one villain) and felt wonderfully real and well fleshed out. I loved Gwen's cousins, and her and Beth's parents, and Meredith, and Gwen's servants.

Beth and her mother are witty and clever; Gwen and her father are charming and roguish. They make the perfect matches. And Gwen's father is a truly excellent father. I loved the fencing scenes and their other shared mischief.

This was an emotional rollercoaster, and I felt the pain and heartbreak and glee and joy and all of it. Emma Alban did a phenomenal job capturing all of that. She also did a great job writing passionate scenes that I didn't want to just skip over.

After that ending, I absolutely need to read the sequel immediately. I can't wait for more matchmaking and hijinks and fun.

*Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for providing an early copy for review.

Rounded up from 4.5 stars!

WHAT A FUN BOOK. If you like the Parent Trap, read this book. And that should be most people, who doesn't like the Parent Trap. It's basically a period retelling of Parent Trap except instead of being sisters they're gay best friends. Truly, what isn't to love.

I was immediately so invested in this book and the relationships in it. Shockingly, I don't think Beth and Gwen were even my favorite romance in this book. My entire soul was grabbed by the relationship between Lady Demeroven and Lord Havenfort (Beth and Gwen's parents, respectively.) Their relationship is such a sweet second chance romance of broken hearts brought on by sacrificing your own happiness for the others, and the need to eventually put yourself first in your own life. I understood why Beth and Gwen jumped through such hoops to try and get them together - I would too!

Absolutely read this book. I am so impressed that this was a debut novel and I cannot wait to see what Alban gives us next. I'm already off to request the second book!

It is really hard, in my opinion, to write a queer historical romance that is believable or at least walks the line of asking us to suspend belief and accept it. I don't know if this worked for me as much as I would have hoped. The writing was good, but the plot for me wasn't quite what I would have liked. It definitely reads like a bit of James Austen fanfic, and while well-done, it just doesn't land for me.