Thank you for the digital ARC!

I've had my eye on this one for ages, ever since Emma announced it. I mean, historical romance AND ballgowns AND it's sapphic AND the title is a Taylor Swift lyric? I'm so excited that the book absolutely delivered on all of that. The romance was swoony, the plot was a romp, and I love friends-to-lovers, especially when it's queer. This book is a warm reminder that queer people have always existed through history.

"Don't Want You Like a Best Friend" delivers pretty much exactly what the blurb describes: a historical romance between two friends trying to set their parents up so they don't have to get married themselves, though there are definitely some darker undertones in the background and a lot of angst.

Some things about the book that will either appeal or turn readers off, depending on preferences:
-The language is very modern.
-The pacing is fairly slow, with a lot of scenes with side characters where the two leads are not together. More of a book to sink into rather than race through.

CWs: there's quite a lot of heavy drinking, as well as mention of spousal abuse and domestic violence.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc! Opinions are my own.

A queer Victorian debutant-romance and a matchmaking scheme, what more could you want?

Beth, upon her fathers death, has to catch a husband as a debutant during the season to save herself and her Mother from financial ruin. Gwen and her Father are partiers, ready to make fun of all the ton’s social events. But when Gwen and Beth form an unlikely friendship to get their parents together, they find love in unexpected places.

I really loved this book — the dual POV gives you a great insight into each character, and it’s a good mix of fluff and angst. I really liked the realistic conversations and concerns about the reasons for marriage, and how being queer during the regency period required jumping through a lot of hurdles. But it still has that fantastical, romance element, and I loved the amount of queer joy and queer characters within Beth and Gwen’s circles. With some fun side characters and a romance for the parents that is actually very cute, this wlw romance is top notch.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to get this as an Arc.

This was the sapphic Victorian romance of my dreams. We start off with Beth and Gwen meeting at a ball where they are supposed to be looking for husbands and we wind up on a wild ride where they try to set their parents up instead.

This book had humor, fluff, angst, spice. It checked all of the boxes. Gwen had wit that had me cracking up and Beth is just the sweetest thing. Their falling in love took them by surprise and it showed through the pages. It felt authentic and just so real. The spice was written beautifully and their chemistry shone off the pages.

The historical aspect felt very accurate. I had to research a few phrases here and there. And a side note- hoop skirts sound absolutely awful! I give them credit for being able to do anything in them.

I really wanted to like this book but it was really long and predictable. Also, the perspective would randomly change without any warning in ways that were really confusing. This book could have been a third of the length and had one less plot point and it would have been so much better. The relationship between the women is cute and the build between the parents is too, but it couldn’t make up for everything else the book lacked.

Maybe closer to a 3.75, but I’m going to round up.
Victorian-era debutantes who get up to Parent Trap schemes to set up their widowed parents but end up falling for each other? Plus a Taylor Swift title?? From Dress???
Yeah, I obviously had sky-high expectations for this and was extremely excited.
I’m such a character-driven person, so I think I would’ve loved it a lot more if we had been able to get to know everyone better. I usually need to really connect to the characters to feel fully immersed in the story. Although, I didn’t realize the second book in this series was going to have the same characters, so maybe we can get to know them more then! Also, this could’ve just been me, but there were a lot of side characters, and so many lords specifically, that I found it a bit difficult to keep following at times.
I would’ve really loved more time dedicated to Gwen and Beth getting to know each other too (and then we could know them better, as well), but their relationship was sweet and cute and even a bit steamy at some points. I adored their secret moments in a crowded room ;))
While it’s mostly lighthearted, there are occasionally some more serious tones since it deals with being queer in an unaccepting society. However, I loved seeing the support Beth and Gwen did get. I especially loved Gwen and her father’s relationship. I feel like I don’t see a ton of close father-daughter relationships, and they were so sweet.
I also appreciated everyone choosing lives truly for themselves, even if everyone around them meant to deny them that. They had to go an unconventional route that may seem odd to get their HEA but, again, they weren’t allowed much choice. I appreciated the acknowledgment of other queer people in the time period, as well, but how Beth and Gwen weren’t willing to accept any compromises to be together.
I can’t get enough of happy queer historical romances so you knew I was going to have to enjoy this in some way.
I totally thought this would make a great movie, and after learning that Alban is a screenwriter, that makes so much sense!

What a strong debut from author Emma R. Alban! This sapphic Victorian romance is a well balanced blend of anticipation, humor, angst, and fun! Nice light read for a historical romance

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

2.5/5

Well this was... interesting. Certainly a unique premise, that made for an overall fine read. However, perhaps due to the nature of the premise, the story felt somewhat unfocused.

The core romance at the heart of the story, wasn't quite the sapphic romance as one might expect, but more so the parent's romance from the perspective of the daughters. But due to the framing of the story, I don't think either got the focus it deserved, despite both being interesting. This wasn't helped by the attempts at developing the wider cast of characters and all their relationships, while attempting to juggle two romances.

The relationship that I felt got the most focus was the relationship between Beth and her mother, which I rather liked. The character journey Cordelia had through the story was the probably the best written aspect of the story. However, for a romance novel, the romances felt somewhat dry, especially with the gaps between their interactions and somewhat inconsistent internal monologue.

It's still a decent and enjoyable read, with quite a few humorous moments, but the focus of the story could have tightened/streamlined a fair bit to fewer aspects.

Do you ever read a book and think to yourself…I wish I had this as a teenager?

That’s how I feel about this book. When I was younger I didn’t have stories like this—it is truly so heartwarming to read books like this as an adult.

Alban writes with warmth, skill, and vibrancy. For those that want Bridgerton with less spice and a sapphic twist, this is the book for you.

Overall, this is a great read—I had some issues with the timing and feel at certain points, but nevertheless found it delightful! I will be recommending this to everyone—so good.

A warm sapphic Victorian romance that'll have you swooning! Perfect setup for another couple in the book for the next one! A wonderful addition to historical romance!

A sapphic Bridgerton with less spice, this book had me captivated from start to finish. Beth starts out her first season with a mother out of mourning and a desperate need for funds. Her first ball begins with overly-forward elderly men and the saving grace, Gwen, a cyclone of fiery independence who fences with her father, Lord Havenfort, in her free time. It isn’t till the two’s parents meet that a parent trap is hatched. This scheme turns into misplaced croquet mallets, wayward hoop dresses, and not-so-secretive set-ups. This romance starts with friendship and turns into something that never dared be mentioned in the Victorian Era. Even if sapphic romance isn’t your thing, “Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend” has an HEA for everyone. I’m already swooning over the next book to come and this one isn’t officially released yet!

My biggest critique is the pacing during the climax. It went so much slower than the rest of the book, days dragging rather than weeks. It felt like too much was happening in that short time rather than cutting to the most important parts. Even with this time being prolonged, you really got to feel each character’s emotions and personality shine through.

-Dual POV
- Independent FMCs
-Scandal and Forbidden
-Friends to Lovers
-Social/Political Strife
4/5 Stars

There are no words for how obsessed I am with this book. No words! The moment I heard about this book I knew I needed it, and now that I have it I was not disappointed. It was everything, and I am seriously obsessed. For starters, I loved every single character (expect Lord Ashmond, obviously). Every single one had so much heart and jumped off the page at me. From Lord Havenfort and Lady Demeroven to Albie and Meredith to Mrs. Gilpe and Mrs. Stelm, there were fantastic characters and cute romance abound. I even sort of liked Lord Montson. Of course, Beth and Gwen were the stars of the show. I loved everything about both of them: Beth, with her undying, self sacrificing love of her mother and her brilliant mind and quick wit; and Gwen, with her chaotic, joking nature and extreme loyalty and unending kindness to those she loves. On their own, they were amazing. Together, they were something words cannot describe. They had so much chemistry from the very first meeting. As friends they were joined at the hip, always laughing and scheming. As a couple, they were so sweet yet passionate, never once questioning their feelings. Of course, there was still plenty of angst that made for an emotional rollercoaster. All in all, an amazing romance. I also enjoyed the rest of the plot. There was fantastic humor as Gwen and Beth tried to set their parents up, and great drama. I also liked the inclusion of the historical politics. As for the ending, it was as close to a happily ever after as possible, and left a clear opening for a second book that I need as soon as possible. Overall, I highly recommend this book!

this was one of my most anticipated 2024 releases and i was absolutely right to be excited. this book is a stunning historical romance, with a realistic but still happy ending. i loved beth and gwen's love story so much and was really rooting for them throughout the whole book, but what surprised me the most was how badly i wanted their parents to end up together as well. the side characters were also lovable (except lord ashmond, he was the WORST) and you couldn't help but root for them as well. this was a stunning debut novel and i cannot wait to see what the author writes next.

Everybody stop what you are doing and write this pub date in your calendars. If you like regency era London, romance, and best friends to lovers you are in for a TREAT. I read this novel in one day, I absolutely could not put it down. I was enraptured by Gwen and Beth, how the friendship this built morphed into something so gorgeous. I also adored how parts of the story felt like reading a gossip column in 1800s London. Something about the word choice and voice of Alban made me unable to put this down. I also wanted to say that the political subplot was smart and am so glad there was depth and consideration given to each and every character introduced. I can’t wait to discuss this book with my friends after they’ve read it. I need a physical copy IMMEDIATELY for my shelf.

I confess -- this is the first WLW historical romance I can remember in which I was conscious of how difficult it would be to have physical contact around the immense obstacle of fashionable attire. Well-paced, and a good job with both presenting obstacles to their happily ever after, but also a path to resolution that logically followed the established story parameters.

I knew when I saw the premise of this one I had to read it! I love romance with some match making thrown in. I was happy that I loved it as much as I expected to. I couldn't put it down!

I really liked Gwen and Beth! I have a soft spot for stories where people become friends before realizing their sexuality and discover it because they fall for each other. This was an interesting twist on that story because questioning sexuality wasn't spoken of at the time particularly to young women.
I also enjoyed that both parents had a close relationship with their daughters.

Additionally, I really enjoyed the discussion of the marriage act. I am always interested to learn about historical politics though reading romance. However, it was very relevant to the story so I don't think readers who don't like politics in their romance will feel overwhelmed by it.

Don't Want You Like a Best Friend is adorable and if you like historical romance you should give it a try! I cannot wait for the sequel. It sounds like Gwen and Beth have another scheme in mind!

Historic romances are some of the purest love stories. I enjoyed the friendships to lovers element between Gwen and Beth. I, also enjoyed that the relationship was able to develop and not being an immediate instant love. The parents are also a real joy in the story. Overall I enjoyed it.

Let me just say wow. I think this is one of my favorite reads of this year. I, like many, loved Bridgerton when the show came out and have read 2 of the books so far ( I know, I'm slacking). But if I'm being honest the Taylor Swift lyric title was what caught my initial interest and why I requested the ARC. With it being set in the 1800s there obviously was a lack of actual Taylor Swift. But nevertheless, this book was fantastic.

I loved getting to see these women fall in love with each other and discover that they had feelings for each other, and also what that may look like in this world that they live in (because we all know gay people have always existed, so it's great getting to read what their relationships may actually have looked like). I also loved that things weren't perfect from the start and they didn't just instantly get together and damned be Beth's prior engagement, they actually worked to make their lives together happen. I loved the struggle and the constant fear that "will they make this work!?" kept you on the edge of your seat and reading until the last page!

I also loved the snippet into the next book and I was SO hoping that the girls would find two gay men to "marry" and continue the rouse. Plus it makes me excited for the next book knowing the our favorite characters from this story will still be around so we can see their lives (and little ones).

Majorly obsessed with the characters and the plot. It’s like Bridgerton + the Parent Trap but queer 👏🏼🏳️‍🌈, PLUS a Taylor Swift reverence in the title? What more could you want?

My only complaint would be that it was written in present tense and it made it sound clunky in my opinion? Just a personal preference: “Mother leans in to kiss Beth’s cheek before stepping around her and off to gather with her society friends”.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC of this book!

This book lived up to all my expectations! Emma did a wonderful job weaving our main characters Beth and Gwen from strangers to friends to lovers without rushing any one of those steps. They built a strong foundation of friendship before realizing they had feelings for one another (and that scene of realization is my favorite scene in the entire book!).
I also absolutely LOVED how Mrs. Stelm and Mrs. Gilpe we’re role models for Gwen their scenes comforting her were some of my favs!
If you want a book with pining, secret hand holding, meddling parent-trapping, Taylor Swift references, and garden make out sessions this is the perfect sapphic romance for you!