Thanks to the publisher for giving me an early copy of this book for review purposes.

I love Dress by Taylor Swift as much as every other totally sane person that had her as their top artist of 2023, so when I first heard about the sapphic Bridgerton adult romance of my dreams with friends to lovers and a Taylor Swift title, I made my way swiftly to Netgalley to request an ARC and very very thankfully got approved.

This is a Bridgerton x The Parent Trap romance between two girls, Beth and Gwen, that all starts with Beth and her widowed mother coming to London for the season to find Beth a husband. At the first ball of the season, she makes fast friends with Gwen, who decidedly has no interest in finding a husband, and when their parents meet each other, the two girls instantly come together to get their parents together. And they happen to fall in love with each other along the way.

I absolutely loved this book! I fell in love with Beth and with Gwen, especially with Gwen, and was completely entranced by their romance. Not only that, this book is fun at it's heart and doesn't make us read about period-typical homophobia. Is it a magic world where our two protagonists can get married at the end of the book? No. But there's no traumatic coming out scenes, there's no homophobic people that betray them. This is a queer-friendly historical romance which was just very nice and healing to read about. I didn't know that going in, and I was so pleasantly surprised by that fact. This is a book that cares about it's characters and makes you care about them in return.

This is also a dual POV book, and it definitely needed to be. I loved Gwen's chapters more, admittedly, because her character arc is a more dynamic and she has more vibrant people in her life. She's bitter and funny and utterly in love and had me swooning.

The ONLY thing that I wanted more of from this book was for a 400 page romance, there was not enough of just Beth and Gwen for me. I needed a bit more pining. I needed more scenes with them on their own (both before and after they get together). I did love how fleshed out the side characters all are, and especially for a debut I think Emma Alban did an incredible job making me care about all of her characters. The only downside of having me fall in love so much with the side characters is that there's less time spent with our main couple, which I was left wanting more of by the end of the book.

I need book two immediately.

A gorgeous purple Leni Kaufman cover, an incredibly well written historical fiction Sapphic romance debut with tons of mutual pining, a great Parent trap secondary plot and an overall beautiful queer New Adult love story. Give me more please!! I'm so excited this is the first in a new series. I can't wait for the second book!! Highly recommended for fans of Lex Croucher or Amalie Howard. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!!

🌟: 4.5/5
This book exceeded all of my expectations! It delivered on the romance, with an adorable friends to lovers storyline, but it also packed a surprising emotional punch, making for a delightful debut that I'm excited to follow up on when You're The Problem, It's You comes out later this year.

Gwen and Beth's immediate kinship was nothing short of adorable. The pair connects immediately, and it's so entertaining to watch them both come to the realization, which is apparent to us as readers, that what they feel for each other is beyond friendship. Both characters were delightfully oblivious to their deeper feelings, despite Gwen seizing every opportunity to get her hands on Beth and Beth not wanting to spend time with anyone other than Gwen (and I was living for it).

This book also delivered some pretty wonderful supporting characters, whose relationships with the main characters only added to the enjoyment of the story. One standout in particular was Gwen's relationship with her father. The pair were so tightly bonded, it really did feel like it was the two of them against the world, and some of my favorite moments throughout the book came when they were both comforting each other over their heartbreak from the relationships they could not pursue with the Demerovens. I also really grew to love Bobby, Albie, and Meredith over the course of the story. They are so eager to support Gwen, and later Beth, which allowed for both heartwarming moments and hilarious hijinks.

The only thing that kept this book from being a full five stars for me was the writing style. I always say I don't have a preference between first or third person until I actually start to notice which form is used, because then I am taken out of the story. I don't think the third person used in this book is poorly done at all, it just took some getting used to, and it didn't impact my overall enjoyment of the book as a whole.

Marketed as The Parent Trap meets Bridgerton, this debut romance novel following the love story between two ladies of the ton is sure to be a hit amongst many historical romance lovers out there, and I am eagerly awaiting book two in the series to see what mischief Gwen and Beth can scheme up in their matchmaking of James and Bobby.

Thank you Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager Publishing, for the e-arc1
Immediate 5 stars upon finishing! This really had every element I love in a good romance book. Sapphic central romance, second chance romance for their parents, a bit of fantastic spice, and just the right amount of tension. This book brings everything I love amount period romances, like pride and prejudice, and makes it queer and spicy.
Our two main characters, Gwen and Beth, complement each other perfectly. They both have so much passion and energy! They are truly perfect for each other. The parts where they thought they couldn't be together had me tearing up. The author definitely knows how to get people invested in the characters. Their parent's part of the romance is also excellent. Their second chance at happiness was executed perfectly, and I don't think I have ever been more happy for two characters.
Can't wait for the next book! I have my fingers crossed hoping for another book. I would love to see how the story continues.

Don't want you like a best friends had a wonderful premise that I was interested in reading. I started the book and was enjoying it, but I found myself growing more and more frustrated with how juvenile the writing was. I was thrilled to be reading a historical queer rom com, but then I found out it also had the "parent trap but the main characters still get together" aspect of it and I was very put off. I ended up dnfing this book around 35% of the way in. I will give it three stars for the queer historical rom com aspect, but its just not the book for me.

A lighthearted historical Sapphic friends to lovers story with a parent trap subplot.

Beth and Gwen became fast friends at Beth's first ball of the season. When the two women (ages twenty and twenty-one) find out Beth's mother and Gwen's father were in love with each other in their own youth, the two can't resist matchmaking their widowed parents. As they scheme, Beth and Gwen start falling for each other, but Beth needs to marry to ensure security for herself and her mother. What are two debutantes to do?

I love a story with supportive friends and family, and this one does not disappoint. I did find it a bit weird that Beth and Gwen were scheming to become stepsisters in no small part so they could stay together, but it fits the historical setting, and the author did a good job of not making it seem too strange. I also liked the political background of the act passing that would allow women to divorce.

Beth and Gwen are interesting, dynamic characters who care deeply about their parents and other family. Gwen is just a little bit spoiled and petulant, and Beth has the righteous attitude of being young. I'd definitely recommend this for people who love historical Sapphic romance with a splash of spice.

i lovedddd the plot of this book! and the chemistry between the main characters was beautiful! thank you for the arc!

A historical sapphic romance with a Taylor Swift song as the title? Say less! What a great debut novel! This romance gave exactly what I needed it to!

I SO enjoyed this book!!! Watching Beth and Gwen fall in love and fight so hard to get a life they wanted for themselves and one for their parents as well was so much fun.

The characters were all so loveable and tangible, and even though it is a little bit weird that Gwen and Beth’s individual dad and mom will have a baby together…and that baby will have two half sisters who are in love…it’s also regency and people were out there marrying their cousins so…i’ll let it pass?? LOL

i so look forward to the parent trap - COUSIN EDITION iykyk

THANK YOU to netgalley and Avon for the free review copy!!!

Don’t Want You Like A Best Friend is a strong debut. I doubt it will have any trouble finding readers with its title, cute cover, and fun premise. I had some trouble believing in the development of their friendship at the beginning because I just didn’t feel that much chemistry between them, nor did I feel like they had a lot in common, but as they developed from friends to lovers, I became fonder of their relationship. The whole cast of supporting characters is also super lovable! It is overall a very well written book, and I thought the conflict was compelling. The third person present tense isn’t my favorite, but it didn’t ruin my enjoyment. The intimacy is done well, and the first kiss scene is absolutely phenomenal. Absolutely would recommend. The epilogue did a great job setting up for the next book, which I am excited for!

Sapphic friends to lovers historical romance!

This book gave parent trap, bridgerton and taylor swift vibes! It was SO different than anything I've ever read before. I think I went in expecting something different so the book took me on a journey. The couple had a lot to work through to finally get to their HEA and the epilogue *widens eyes*!! The possible teasers for the next book really have me intrigued.

While this wasn't my fav book I've ever read, I did really enjoy to unique plot!

Thanks to random house & NetGalley for the ARC!

Historical fiction isn’t normally my cup of tea. But in this instance, I found myself blown away by this incredible book!

Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend was everything I wanted in a sapphic romance. It doesn’t shy away from the heteronormativity of the era it’s set in, which I appreciated. This also meant there was so much ANGST and PINING 😍 we love to see it. Both main characters are discovering their queerness for the first time too, and I truly can’t get enough of coming out narratives.

My favorite part of the book was the main characters and their romance. They truly begin as best friends and slowly realize they love each other. It’s such a sweet romance! And as they scheme to try and get their parents together, they grow even closer. ❤️

I highly recommend this book and hope you’ll read it when it comes out THIS TUESDAY! 😍 It’s a true gem of a romance.

Two women finding love in an unaccepting society. This sapphic love story set in victorian era society was a thrilling read and the perfect historical romance. If there is one thing about me, I EAT up a sapphic historical romance and this was no different. The premise was amazing, but the second half of the book took me longer than expected to finish. I was disappointed a little bit by the execution, but truly did enjoy the book.

This was my first sapphic romance book and I loved it! I am a historical romance girlie through and through and this was so enjoyable to read. I loved both Gwen and Beth and how they both realized their feelings for each other. I also loved the side story of their parents and the scheming Gwen and Beth did to get them together! I cannot wait for book 2!

Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend is a delightful sapphic romance novel. It is also a rare romance novel these days that was advertised as something and then delivered on it! Though it touched on some heavy topics at times, it also had lighthearted parts, and it was a quick and fun read.

One of the things that I love about historical romance novels with queer characters is that even though we are getting the standard romance novel - that is, a story about a relationship and a happily ever after ending - the “how” feels slightly less predictable to me. This was definitely the case with Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend. I was on the edge of my seat throughout nearly the entire story, because I couldn’t imagine how Gwen and Beth were going to get together.

This book is high on pining, angst and self-discovery. The way that Gwen and Beth’s feelings were described is spectacular and felt so real. I really felt like I was in their heads and experiencing the romantic feelings for the first time and the ups and downs that come with it. It is a wonderfully emotional book.

I also love the nuance in other characters and the number of romantic plotlines were spectacular. There were people falling in love all over in this book! Plus, there was my favorite: great banter. Not just between Gwen and Beth, but between Gwen and Albie and others. It was awesome - so few books these days satisfy my need for a little quippy back and forth but this one delivered.

The one aspect of the book that I struggled with was the age range. Because the characters were in their early 20s, they were older than “young adult” genre characters. However, the parents were so present in the story, both as their own romance plot line but also just so frequently mentioned, that it almost felt like a young adult book. Certainly it had scenes there would not have been in a YA book, but there were times when it felt like it couldn’t decide what it wanted to be. Normally in an adult romance novel, even in historical stories, we don’t see as much of the parents as this book had. But also, because of the age of the characters, certain things worked that may not have worked if they were older. For example, the moment where Gwen realizes two women can be together, felt so real to me, because people in their early 20s are very self-absorbed! Their brains have not fully developed! So of course she didn’t see something that may have seemed to readers like it was right in front of her face.

Overall, I really liked Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend, and would definitely recommend it to readers looking for a fun, fresh, sapphic historical romance.

1 Star

To be completely honest I didn’t have the highest hopes for this one after seeing some mixed reviews but I still went in hoping for the best. Right off the bat something about the writing just felt off to me. I don’t usually care if a book is in past or present tense - I usually don’t really even notice. However, this book was written in present tense that just felt… off. Even now I can’t quite pinpoint what it is that doesn’t read right but it was very noticeable.
Even pushing past that I just found the book overall to be boring. I wasn’t invested in any of the characters and the pacing was a little awkward. Too slow in some parts and then jumping around.
I found that I just didn’t care about what happened and wasn’t excited about reading this book

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. These opinions are my own.

This book makes up for all those novels marketed as romances that don't really feature one. Because it has two! It's a historical Victorian take on The Parent Trap with Gwen and Beth attempting to set up their single parents when they realize they used to court in their own seasons.

I adored both Gwen and Beth and enjoyed seeing their romance unfold. There's loads of secret pining and sweet stolen moments. And I also loved Gwen's dad who was such a nuanced and charming man. It took a bit longer for me to appreciate Beth's mom, but I ultimately did.

The plot includes a small storyline focused on the passage of the Matrimonial Causes Act. I would have liked to see Gwen and Beth more engaged in the debate. I always appreciate the more political, and especially feminist, aspects of historical romances, and I like to learn the history. For me, including the act at all raised greater expectations of how it was addressed.

I also would have liked slightly different pacing at the middle. The third act tension hit earlier than I would have expected and took longer to resolve. But overall, the characters and premise were delightful. I enjoyed this multigenerational romance. And the hint of a tease for book 2 was perfection.

I love Sapphic historical romance! This book is unique because it's in present tense, not something I see a lot in this genre. That was a bit to adjust to but I once I was accustomed to the writing style I really enjoyed it.

The young debutantes and their suitors actually seem so young! It's something I hadn't really considered but I loved this approach. I bet 19-21 didn't always act mature, even back then. The playfulness and comradery between the friends was delightful. I also loved the detail descriptions of clothing!

I did think the middle was a bit slow; I think this book could have been tightened up a little bit overall. I still had a great time.

3.5 stars

What I liked:
- The premise
- The exploration
- The friendships
- The politics
- The mother/daughter relationship*
- The father/daughter relationship**
- The secondary love story***

What I didn’t like
- The use of 3rd person present was distracting to me. I often had to go back to the beginning of the chapter to clarify whose POV I was in.
- * The resolution felt alllllllmost manipulative (no matter the very happy result)
- ** The substance abuse, encouraged by Dad and done by Dad and daughter, wasn’t well addressed.
- *** This was a very sweet parent trapish trope (and this is really almost a dual romance) but the epilogue sees them on a similar mission I’m not sure how I feel about.
- The relationship between Gwen and her family servants was obviously meant to show how compassionate Gwen’s family is but she did vomit all over herself and the stairs and just assumed those people she loves would clean up after her.
- The style jumps a lot between YA and adult romance. Beth and Gwen felt VERY young for the first 1/2 of the book and then suddenly are quite mature. It was distracting.

First 5-star read of the year and the first book to make me cry in 2024!!

I was SO looking forward to reading this book and it did not disappoint--in fact, it completely blew my expectations out of the water! I really went into this book expecting a silly fun time, and while I did absolutely get that, I also got so much more. From the instant chemistry between Gwen and Beth, to the tangled hands in the folds of their hoop skirts, to the fraughtness of their situation and everything they have to go through in order to be happy, this book took me on an emotional roller coaster. I absolutely fell in love with Gwen, Beth, and their families, and I know this book is going to stick with me for a long time.

I will say--if you're looking for a historical romance that is set in a world free from homophobia, I would look elsewhere. Although there is no active homophobia on page, Gwen and Beth do still run a risk in living their lives as their full selves, and have to be careful in creating a situation in which they can spend their lives together, which is a huge part of the plot. But I also wouldn't completely avoid this book because of that. I think it's a beautiful exploration of how queer women could make things work, even when the world wasn't built for them, and I loved to see how accepting everyone in Gwen and Beth's families was.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the advance copy of this book!