*Received as a free ARC*
Oh my goooooood. I loved this so much. Beth and Gwen are absolute icons. I'm a sucker for historical queers and I was not failed here. Their struggle felt true to the period, yet hopeful. I've already requested the next book in the series and though this was a debut novel, I foresee myself being an avid fan of Alban in the future. Absolutely would recommend.

Okay, I've been so excited to review this book! I received an ARC copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway and I was SO EXCITED. This book is everything I didn't know I needed right now. I really, really loved this book. It had such a different vibe from what I've been reading lately and I wasn't ready for it to end. I laughed out loud, I got a little misty at times and my heart was full to bursting with Gwen and Beth. I adored so much about this book, from the cousins to the parent's second chance romance journey, to the angst from Beth's needing to secure a marriage before the end of the season - just everything about it.

Gwen is so clever and feisty. Beth is utterly lovely. The two ladies together are just wonderful. From the garden kisses to the steamy discovery of love between the two- this was just such a great read for me.

I thought the parent trap concept would hit me weirdly- but it was a wonderful thread to this story's tapestry. It added a wonderful layer of complication and another love story to root for. I'm not ready to leave this world behind and the epilogue opened a door to a follow up which I couldn't be more delighted to hear.

(ALSO - I listened to the Bridgerton soundtrack / Vitamin String Quartet / Taylor Swift instrumental on repeat while reading this and it just made it even more perfect)

ALSO ALSO - This cover is PURE Genuis and perfection and I'm obsessed with it.
Thank you to Netgalley, Goodreads, Emma R. Alban, Avon, and Harper Voyager for an advance reader's copy of this book!

A Bridgerton meets Parent Trap esque sapphic rom com set against the Victorian era. The season has started and Beth needs to find a husband to keep her family afloat. At the first soirée she meets Gwen, on her fourth season, and instead of finding a mate she finds a friend. Together they scheme to rekindle their parents love and just might fall for each other along the way. A promising premise but I learned that historical fiction, even if the gay variety, is not necessarily for me. I am soft DNF’ing at 50% as I don’t feel the drive to continue through the lulls in the book. There is an audience out there for this book, especially if you love Victorian romance with an air of forbidden love. The audience, is not me, however. I hope to come back to this book later when I feel in the mood for something historical. I would give this 3 stars especially since I know there are people who will love it.

Taylor Swift songs I associate with this book: Dress (for obvious reasons), gold rush, delicate, Cruel Summer

A cute sapphic regency romance with a big setup for the sequel! Gwen meets Beth and basically immediately falls for her in a "post your QRT on twitter about how you didn't know you, a woman, were in love with your best friend" sort of manner meanwhile everyone around her is like "dude how obvious are you... go get the girl." The levels of support were surprising and I should re-think that as positive instead of my jumpscared Millennial initial outlook. An enjoyable read overall and I liked how ""masculine"" Gwen was (aka drinking and betting oh no!) while still being a beautiful woman in large hoops. Did we mention the amount of hoops and skirts? Because this book definitely mentioned the amount of skirts and the width of the hoops nearly constantly.

I'm rating this as 4* because I did enjoy myself, it was a nice light read, but there are some things that stood out to me:
a) I was much more invested in the parents getting together than Gwen and Beth. Maybe because we knew it was going to be HEA but we didn't know re: the parents? And the resolution to the engagement was good! Love the way that was done!
b) We have Gwen at several moments saying how smart and funny and clever Beth is but we never actually see Beth being smart or funny... really at all. Maybe it would have made her and Gwen too similar? She's portrayed both in her POV chapters and Gwen's POV chapters as wide-eyed and new, often blushing, unsure of so much but doing her best to get through and get the match she and her mother want for her to save them from destitution!
c) Honestly I wish the title was different. I get it's to draw in the attention of Swifties but it feels much too modern for something so solidly Regency. I wonder if that's why the UK title is different?

I'm interested to read the sequel because I DO love someone absolutely pining (I think this was Gwen too but since we only got POV chapters from the girls it was impossible to have the same sort of outward looking at someone pining as she does with James) and looking forward to more Schemes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

What a fun book! Besides being an f/f romance, this book has a Parent Trap vibe as the two love interests try to get their parents back together for a second chance at love.

It's also set during the Victorian era. While I love a good Regency, I was thrilled to move ahead a couple decades to a time which is equally fascinating. While Queen V was mentioned, I wish she and Albert had been more of a presence.

But overall, this was such a fun read and it looks like it might be a series. More Swift lyric titles? More retellings? I am excited for what comes next.. Highly recommend!

Beth is embarking upon her first, and only, season. She must find a husband of means or she and her mother will be left homeless. Gwen is being dragged into her fourth season, not really interested in making a match. When the two girls meet at a ball, they become instant friends. They also realize their parents were involved before they each married other people and decide to hatch a plot to get the two of them together. When Gwen and Beth's friendship deepens into something more, they are even more determined to get their parents married so they can avoid Beth's marriage to the perfectly nice, but equally boring, Lord Montson.

The plot was fun and the characters were likable, but the second half of the book seemed to drag a bit. Recommended for fans of sapphic regency romance, with a Parent Trap twist.

Sometimes historical romances feel adequately historical. This is not one of those times! It wasn’t a huge bother, but if you’re someone who gets up in arms about accurate vocabulary, it might be something to note. Overall it was sweet, and I loved the parent trap scheme. I would classify this as an enjoyable, if slightly forgettable, entry in queer hist-rom canon.

Don't Want You Like a Best Friend follows Gwen who is in her fourth season of being a debutante who has no intention of finding a husband ever. This season things change when she meets Beth who is in her first season of being a debutante. They soon hit it off. Beth also is not ready to get married. So the two hatch a plan to set up their parents who used to be lovers. The more time Beth and Gwen spend together, they son start falling for each other. Beth also gets a marriage proposal and that threatens to ruin everything. Will the two be able to be together and get their parents together?

This book was a little out of my comfort zone. But I did think it was a cute YA book. I did think it dragged on a bit in some places. And I felt like there was so unnecessary drama. But I thought the over all story was really good. I also loved the relationship between Gwen and Beth. If you are looking for a cute YA romance I would suggest this.

Thank you so much Emma R Alban, Avon books, and Netgalley for this ARC.

A queer Bridgerton-esque romance with a Taylor Swift lyric as a title? Say less.

Beth is in a precarious situation after the passing of her father. She has just one season to secure a husband, and therefore stability and security, before her and her mother lose their home and livelihood.
Gwen is no stranger to the season, this being her fourth. She has no plans to find a husband, and as the only daughter of her rakish father, she's just here for a good time.
Early on in the season, Beth and Gwen become fast friends and instantly catch on to the fact that their parents have a history. The two hatch a plan to get their parents together, and soon find that maybe they love each other more than friends.

This book was so well written, and I had so much fun reading it! I love that we got both Gwen and Beth's POV. It was a little slow paced for me, but I still enjoyed the story overall. It's also perfectly set up for the sequel, which I will definitely be reading!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

'Our secret moments in your crowded room,
They got no idea about me and you'

all i could listen in my head while reading this book was dress by taylor swift.

it's absolutely perfection, the writing was simple yet so emotional and meaningful, the angst and pain throughout the story made my chest hurt, but then the beautiful moments between them and their parents and friends and family that knew and supported them, it just made my heart swell with love.

for a victorian lesbian romance it has exactly what i was hoping for, the ending makes so much sense, i think i've seen that solution somewhere else *wink, wink* in one of my favorite sapphic books and i'm excited to read the second one and see how it works out in these two stories together.

thank you netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy in exchange of an honest review.

This was more of a 3.5-3.75 rating for me. It was rather slow paced, and I still didn't really feel the chemistry between Beth and Gwen. Also, I did think it was weird and a little gross that the only way they could be together was to be stepsiblings. I would have rather enjoyed the epilogue plot as the main plot of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Emma R. Alban, and Avon for providing me with a free ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

I quite possibly will NEVER be over this book!!!!!! LESBIAN BRIDGERTON VIBES ARE EVERYTHING I'VE EVER WANTED!!!!!! This was absolutely incredible, and I don't think I have any notes. The drama??? Gowns and balls and teas and society gossip??? DOUBLE ROMANCE???? Absolute perfection all of it!! Now was it super historically accurate? No lol but that's not the POINT. It's romantic and juicy and literally the perfect story. There's so much going on at all times that I was immediately hooked and couldn't put it down. I loved seeing not only Gwen and Beth's relationship develop but also seeing their parents' together. Alban is a fabulous writer and knows how to beautifully construct both plot and characters. I knew going in that there already was a sequel, and the ending set up book 2 perfectly, which was such a pleasant surprise. I already can't wait to read it, and I hope more than anything else that Alban keeps writing a million more books like this one because it was a pure delight!!

This was a really cute book!
It's my first time reading a parent trap-esque book set in the Victorian era at that and i really enjoyed it. I do think it kind of dragged a little around the 50% mark but it wasn't too much. I do wish we saw more of Beth and Gwen getting to know each other better and I kind of wanted to see more of their parents. At times everything felt rushed, but by the end it was really engaging and I'm definitely interested in the next book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper voyager for the Arc

I loved every single page of “Don’t Want You Like A Best Friend”. I’m a total Swiftie, so I LOVED the title of the book! It's exactly what it says on the label, a fun romantic romp that features friendship, sexual awakening and machinations to bring together the Earl and the Viscountess. It’s “The Parent Trap” in Victorian England. There's a good bit of angst to get through but the payoff of the HEA is totally worth it! There are moments towards the end that you truly wonder how this is all going to work out and how Beth and Gwen are going to get their HEA but be assured that they do! Beth and Gwen are fantastic and their banter more so. They feel like believable early twenty something women in the Victorian era, and I loved their banter and their feelings for one another. The slow process of their feelings felt believable, as well, and the relationships with each other and other characters felt genuine. I could pinpoint everyone's motivations and could see why everyone got along. I wanted the parents to get together just as much as I wanted Beth and Gwen to get together. I loved that this is a dual POV book. I think that all romances should be dual POV. The POV switches regularly between Gwen and Beth, so the reader gets to experience the yearning and frustrations they both feel. And it's wonderful that this same-sex couple has a great deal of support from family, friends, and even staff. I love that Gwen and Beth are kind of bad at overcoming obstacles, because it allows their delightful wider circle of friends and family members to get in on the action and help out. I highly, highly recommend this book. I will definitely be purchasing for my library, as well as pre-ordering a copy of my own. I think that this would make a great series for TV or streaming and would love to see it somewhere. I can’t wait to continue the series with James and Bobby, and of course return to Beth and Gwen’s story. The teaser we got in the epilogue was delicious and just what I was hoping for! Thank you, Emma R. Alban, Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley, for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for my thoughts.

Don't Want You Like a Best Friend by Emma R. Alban was such a sweet and beautiful read. I'm so glad I got to read about Gwen and Beth. Alban does a great job of creating characters that you want to read more about and just wish for the best for them. I'm so glad that there are more queer historical romances coming out and this one is such a great example of how they can be done so well. The writing was so good and I cannot wait to read more from Emma Alban. I will be recommending this book to everyone especially people who already love historical romances.

I love them, and I want them to only have happiness for always. Watching Gwen and Beth slowly fall in love, and then realize they were in love, as a side effect of trying to hook up their parents was the silly sweetness that I was absolutely looking for. I want more in this version of Regency London. The characters are so good hearted, even the never-going-to-marry-him guy isn't a jerk, just kinda spineless. An absolutely hug of a book.

[arc review]
Thank you to HarperCollins Canada for providing an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend releases January 9, 2024

London 1857 courting season: Beth and her mother only have one chance at debuting before their financials and housing are critically at stake.

As a seasoned debutante, Gwen quickly befriends Beth when they meet at the first ball. Soon, they come to realize that their widowed parents shared a slice of history of their own during their season all those years ago.
None too eager to wed, Gwen and Beth co-conspire to set up their parents instead (a little Parent Trap situation if you will).

Being that I’m someone who basically grew up in a single parent household, I loved the close mother-daughter and father-daughter dynamics that were shown with Beth and Gwen, respectively.

As for the relationship between Beth and Gwen, I loved their unexpected queer awakenings. From unassuming hand holding and little touches, to the exploration of each other for the first time and this frenetic curiosity that comes with it. But also, the absolute gut-wrenching agony of wondering if your first time is also the last, and if they should even be allowed this quiet hope for anything more.
Why settle for companionships with men that are ‘just pleasant enough’ and leave you feeling hollow, when you’ve found someone that makes every moment feel full and lively?

I felt their love, I felt their angst, and this probably comes as an unpopular opinion, but I loved how there were multiple romances at play!

Alban created such a warm cast of characters in her debut and I can’t wait to dive into the next book in this series.

This was the book that I absolutely didn’t know I needed. When I saw it was a queer, histrom mashup of Bridgerton and The Parent Trap, I knew I had to read it, and I definitely wasn’t disappointed. This book was a fun and frothy read, and I devoured it in an afternoon. I had a couple issues with the pacing but not enough to slow me down. I enjoyed the secondary romances almost as much as the two main characters. I really enjoyed this book, and I’m really looking forward to reading the next in the series.

I received an ARC from NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Very much filing this one in the 'not for me but my goodness will it have an audience' category. If you love Bridgerton, and, of course, love Taylor Swift this is going to be the book for you. As far as Regency Romances go it was okay, albeit very surface level. It had all the trappings, but it felt more like a costume. The book itself also has pacing issues--the middle is very bogged down, and the beginning is slow to kick into gear. I found the parents and their relationship to be the most interesting part of the book, and wanted more focus on them, as opposed to the main couple. But that is more of a personal preference, and the main couple themselves are very sweet--I'm a sucker for friends to lovers, and although their relationship developed at lightning speed, it was still an enjoyable part of the book.

Overall, this book was either sluggish or rushing through things, and I was not totally invested in the characters. But, that is not to say it was unenjoyable--I curled up with a cup or two of tea, and enjoyed the afternoons I spent reading this. So put on the Bridgerton soundtrack, or an instrumental Taylor Swift playlist, and enjoy.

After her father’s death, Beth is entering her first Season on the Marriage Mart and looking for a suitable husband to provide for herself and her widowed mother. At her first ball, she meets Gwen, and outspoken and charming daughter of an earl, who is basically her new best friend. Neither of these women are interested in finding a husband this year and when they notice the sparks between their respective widowed parents, they try to pair them up instead. It goes about as awkwardly as you’d think it would go, and all the while, Beth and Gwen are drawn more and more to each other. It’s takes some nudging for them to realize that they’re actually in love (and lust) with each other, but it’s all complicated by societal obligations and Beth’s pending engagement to a viscount who has been courting her. This was a fun take on the Victorian-era marriage mart and I was definitely rooting for our heroines to find a way to be together (as well as their parents).