This was a short and sweet read that definitely fit the description of a m/m historical romance. As much as I love historically accurate fiction, when it comes to romance I am a big fan of eschewing that completely when it comes to queer romance and that is what you get with James and Bobby's story. The slight enemies-to-lovers is a trope that will never get old for me, and seeing their dynamic grow and change was great.

My reasoning for the three stars is, ultimately, style and pacing - the pacing felt a bit slow for the first 2/3 of the book and then rushed for the final 1/3 to resolve things (which meant the angst resolution was a bit too fast paced to really be satisfying). I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more of Emma's writing, though, because at the end of the day it was a fun read.

*Digital ARC provided by Netgalley and publishers, thank you!*

I have to say that this was one of my most anticipated reads on the year, so I was SO excited to receive this ARC. I read the first book in this series, Don't Want You Like a Best Friend, earlier this year and was really intrigued to see where the next book would go, and let me say I was not disappointed!

I was hooked from the very beginning of this book all the way to the end. I might even say that I enjoyed it more than the first book. I love a good enemies to lovers plot line, which I feel like this book delivered on. There was a bit of the miscommunication trope which I don't love, BUT the miscommunication led to some incredible character development so I feel like it was necessary to the plot. I also feel like the blackmail plot line really moved the story along in places when it started to be slower. However, I was slightly confused because James said that Raverson knew all of his secrets from when they were involved in college, but it was never revealed what those secrets were? Unless the big secret was that he was gay? But it seemed like they were alluding to a larger secret. Other than that there weren't any plot holes and the plot was very intriguing.

I truly love when regency era queer novels have a happy ending and this was probably the best HEA I've seen for a regency era queer book. The adoption of the children from the orphanage put a huge smile on my face.

Overall, I feel like the characters had a great depth to them and really seemed to come off the page. I would love to read more from this author and see if there could be even more expansion on this universe!

5 stars all around ⭐️✨

Thank you eternally to NetGalley for swooping in with this ARC almost as soon as I finished reading “Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend”. <3
Emma R. Alban has quickly become one of my favorite authors this year! The found family feeling in this book is to die for. I loved the characters from beginning to end, even when the flight responses kicked in for one of the main characters. This whole universe created will live rent free in my head now. I can’t wait to read more from the author in the future 🫶🏼

YOU'RE THE PROBLEM, IT'S YOU is a queer historical romance about a young lord and a second son who can't stand each other, and their meddling cousins who won't stop trying to force them together anyway. it's the follow up to DON'T WANT YOU LIKE A BEST FRIEND, which was one of my favorite reads of 2024 and i was so excited to get to read it!!

we all know i'm a huge historical romance girlie and even more so if it's queer, and alban's second novel did not disappoint. the tension and build up to the enemies becoming lovers had a great payoff and i loved seeing more of beth and gwen being adorably in love (and meddling like always). this is not for the fans of historical accuracy, but it does still touch on the history of queer communities.

read if you like:
- enemies to lovers
- angry kisses
- queer joy

thanks to netgalley and avon for the advanced copy! YOU'RE THE PROBLEM, IT'S YOU comes out august 27th.

DNF

I couldn't get into this one. Unfortunately, the writing didn't work for me and the beginning of the book didn't intrigue me enough to continue.

It took me a bit to get into this book (maybe reading the first one would have helped), but I did really enjoy the story and the characters. Bobby and James are fun and have lots of good banter. The side characters are all delightful and I probably will go back and read Beth and Gwen's book after enjoying them so much here. The spice was good, but it was not as detailed as some (not a slight, just something to be aware of).

My only knock against this book was that James and Bobby went from Enemies to Lovers to IN Love SO FAST. Like they kissed once, surprising both of them, and then it felt like they went from 0 - 60 in just a few pages. It was a bit jarring to me, but that may be my issue. I won't spoil it more than that.

Overall, I enjoyed this book, the characters, and the writing style. Well done Emma R. Alban!

You're the Problem, It's You is a Victorian-era m/m romance, and a follow-up to Don't Want You Like a Best Friend. It follows James and Bobby, cousins to Beth and Gwen, as they navigate high society and their complicated feelings for one another.

Historical accuracy begone! This book is for enjoyers of silly gay romance in a modern facimile of 1850s England. If that's your thing, this could be the book for you! If you're easily annoyed by historical fiction with characters that talk like it's the 2020s, you might look for something else.

I enjoyed it—I thought Bobby and James were fine characters, and it digs further into queer society that the previous book, which I thought was great. Alas, the shenannigans in this book aren't as far-reaching as they were in the last, but they're far from gone. And there's some great stuff with Gwen and Beth, the protagonists of the last book. It's comforting and silly and mostly happy, and very enjoyable.

My main issue with the book is with the plot. It's more serious and less lighthearted than the first book, and I don't think that's always handled well. It feels underdeveloped, a too-serious villain too-easily defeated. My other issue is that sometimes it feels like Gwen and Beth overshadow the boys—I often found myself wishing we could have had their perspectives, more of their shenannigans, more
insight into their characters. overall while I enjoyed it and I'd definitely recommend, it lacked the joyous highs of the first book. 3/5 ⭐

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the free ARC!

I appreciate how I was able to love both James and Bobby from the beginning, while acknowledging they were both assholes to each other. Their chemistry was great, and their pain was palpable. Excellent character development as well. 4.5 rounded down

A sequel that lives up to its first. Without compromising on the romantic, found-family vibes, Alban reintroduces us to this world with new depth and emotional resonance. Readers in search of a cozy queer Bridgerton--look no further!

You’re the Problem, It’s You by Emma R. Alban is a charming follow-up to her debut novel, integrating beloved characters from her previous work into this new, engaging narrative. Bobby’s charismatic and carefree nature, supporting by a loving family, contrasts with James, who struggles with emotional baggage and a tendency to run from problems. While the plot could have developed their relationship more deeply, the richly portrayed secondary characters, especially Meredith and her mother, significantly enhance the story. The final chapters deliver a heartwarming and fairytale-like ending, providing a cozy, satisfying conclusion. Fans of historical romance and enemies-to-lovers will find this book a delightful and uplifting read.

Before I begin, I would like to thank Emma R. Alban for allowing me to read a NetGalley Arc of her upcoming book, You’re the Problem, It’s You, which will be available on August 27, 2024.

Bobby Mason is tired of being the second son that no one expects anything from or relies on him for family matters. His peers are obsessed for money and political power, but the lack of those things is what makes Viscount James Demeroven so maddening. James, on the other hand, is fully aware of his flaws, but staying quiet is the only way he knows how to survive living with his stepfather. To him, Bobby is blunt, charming, and passionate, even if it means at the expense of James’ delicate hold on safety. They argue a lot since their cousins keep inviting them to the same outings, but when someone tries to blackmail their families’ reputations, then Bobby and James have to figure out how to solve their problems without wanting to maim each other.

This book was wonderful. You have Bobby, who is very protective of his family and believes that he should be free to love whoever he wants. You have James, a newly appointed viscount that is frightened of a world that has never been kind to him. Their cousins Gwen and Beth are charming, and the family dynamic between Lord Mason and his wife, Beth’s parents, and talking about historical events that happened at the time were touching and heart wrenching at the same time. Both of the main characters, James and Bobby, made a lot of mistakes but I always cheered for them when they tried to make amends. The ending was charming, sweet, and honestly sounds like a dream especially during the Victorian era. Overall, if you like found family, complex characters, humor, banter, important discussions about social norms and laws, romance, suspense, and lots of spice, then I would highly recommend this book. Here’s the link for more information: You're the Problem, It's You: A Novel (The Mischief & Matchmaking Series Book 2) - Kindle edition by Alban, Emma R.. Literature & Fiction Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

This book unfortunately didn't work for me nearly as much as the first book did.

The book tries to establish itself as an enemies to lovers, but I think the dynamic only works with a robust mix of begrudging respect and sexual tension mixed in with the "enemies" bits. Instead, Bobby and James spend the first half of the book being downright nasty to each other in the ugliest of ways, making it difficult to root for them, with no real chemistry established between them. The shift from enemies to lovers felt like too sudden of an about face with not enough atonement for the prior nastiness, and the sexual tension didn't really build. They also went really hard into a serious commitment for something that initially felt like an arrangement of convenience more than anything else.

The second half of the book is more sappy and honestly reads a bit like the first half didn't happen, even down to the villain disappearing for a good portion of it until a last minute reappearance. It made for odd pacing.

I'm glad Gwen and Beth got their happy arrangement in the end as I was far more invested in the first book's pairing than this one.

<i>I received a copy of this story from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

3.5 stars

I didn't read the first one but this sounded interesting. And it is very interesting, if it takes a while to really get into it.

First, it isn't very historically accurate. I think the historical context helped define Bobby and James (and Gwen and Beth) but otherwise it felt pretty modern. And very queer, which made me so happy!

The first half of the book drags in a bad way. I wasn't enjoying it until something clicked and I absolutely devoured the second half. But I can't forget the slog that was the beginning. It wasn't quite enemies-to-lovers and it wasn't really miscommunication. It seemed like James and Bobby needed to stack up enough awkward moments and mistakes in order to establish their characters. I can't help but think another tactic could've been sprinkled in.

I appreciated how deep James' and Bobby's character development went. We really got to see into their upbringings and their thinking and their feelings. It created a beautiful dichotomy between knowing how they'll react and <b>hoping</b> they'll react differently. I was fully invested in their story.

It's better than a lot of other historical romances I've read recently, but I can't quite forgive the beginning. I'd probably still recommend it, though.

So many angry kisses. Like half of their scenes were just them yelling at each other followed by them angry humping and truly, I APPROVE.

There was some miscommunication at the beginning—but don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed it because *drama* reasons. (James has been pining for Bobby for YEARS but is extremely awkward about it, so interactions go…poorly.) But once that was ~resolved, the book really moved along well.

It was a bit instalove because they were confessing all of these deep feelings, and I just wasn’t quite sure if what we were shown on page supported the some of their declarations. Like I fully believe they’d grow into those feelings, but I needed them to work it out a bit more in their internal monologues on page.

It had me in the first half since I’m not a fan of blackmail, but barring a couple unsavory scenes with the villain, it wasn’t a huge deal in terms of the plot. The second half was entirely enjoyable though, and I LOVED the ending. I was actually just thinking about how I haven’t read that type of ending recently (or ever). Also the epilogue????? I won’t spoil it but !!!!!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 🌶️🌶️/5


I received an ALC from Avon. All opinions are honest and my own.

I'm sorry but this is a DNF from me. Tried super hard to get into the story but I was so dethatched to the characters and couldn't bring myself to read any more when I just couldn't be interested.

I actually think I enjoyed this one more than the first one, despite the same rating. As I said about the first book in the series, if you’re reading these for any sort of historical accuracy, walk away, because that does not exist here. That being said, I really liked the book.

Where I think these books shine are in the characters and their dynamics, and that stays true here. I enjoyed the myriad of different relationships in the novel, Bobby and James’s burgeoning one included. Both of the boys were characters I really enjoyed and I appreciated having both POVs more than I did in the first book. It was more necessary here. James’s arc was easily the better of the two, but Bobby’s wasn’t bad, just less concrete. The hurt/comfort lover in me wishes we got more angst with the two of them together and supporting each other rather than created by pulling them apart.

The plot was overall okay. The main antagonist was pretty stereotypical and easily defeated to boot. It seemed like a switch flipped for him and then all of the sudden he wasn’t scary anymore, which lowered the stakes for me significantly. The one thing that may throw people off is the period of miscommunication in about 20% of the first half of the book. I didn't actually have a big problem with it because it wasn't super dramatic, but it was there.

I also think that the getting together section could have been drawn out a little bit more. The switch from irritated at each other to lovers was too abrupt for me.

But overall I enjoyed it. The ending/epilogue was sweet — logistically confusing for how they’d all go out in public and who is what to each other — but it was sweet nonetheless.

This duology is one of the coziest sets on the market right now. There is nothing I adore reading more than characters finding acceptance, whether that be in themselves or within a found family. And this novel delivered in terms of both those elements and then some.

As a Jane Austen fan, I could see some Pride and Prejudice inspirations throughout the novel’s first half. Bobby and James carried a level of misunderstanding and miscommunication that was reminiscent of Lizzie and Darcy’s relationship. We had Bobby, who was more outgoing and had friendship, and we had James, who was shy and unaccepting of so many pieces of himself. Seeing these two characters grow into who they were meant to be through their relationship made for a gorgeous read.

I also enjoyed the tension that arose from the novel having not one, but two antagonists: society and Lord Raverson. Of course, "Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend" touched heavily on society and its lack of acceptance for queer couples during the 19th century. But I found this novel interacted more thoroughly with that theme. That largely came from James’ characterization, as he worked through accepting himself and grabbed onto the life he deserved. There was a secondary antagonist in Lord Raverson, who served as a brilliant foil to Bobby and James’ story. Lord Raverson served as a reminder of the negative effects society can have on those who aren’t accepted for who they are, and how blackmail is not the answer to solving monetary problems.

I’m a huge fan of the found family trope—it translates well across all genres and is such a mirror to what people experience in real life. Found family is a huge part of the LGBTQ+ community, and I adored seeing it play out amongst this cast of characters. And I enjoyed the comedic angle Alban took; it simply wouldn’t be a book in this duology if Beth and Gwen hadn’t attempted architecting the found family trope for themselves, Bobby, and James! (Spoilers) For Alban to take the found family trope and expand on it with a Lavendar marriage was absolutely genius. Of course, it was historically accurate for that time period, but it beautifully wrapped up the concept of acceptance for our four characters.

I do believe that Alban’s writing grew and improved with her sophomore novel. There were stronger writing elements—stronger themes, foils, commentary, and character development—and the writing style carried her voice while also providing the perfect amount of imagery. I look forward to rereading these cozy books again in the future and highly recommend them to anyone looking for a 19th century, queer romance.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

I've been hesitating for a while over whether or not to review this, because I'm DNFing at 27%, which may not be fair. But I simply don't like or care about any of the characters in this, and if "historical romance that's written as if it were contemporary romance" is a new thing, I am... not here for it. I spent the first chapter(s) of the book trying to figure out whether it was supposed to be a contemporary or not, and the reference to a "dance break" was the last straw. Writing historicals is hard, and I imagine many authors end up missing an anachronism or three, but... make the effort, at least.

My thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

I enjoyed the first book more but this was also so cozy and fun to read. I loved seeing the different relationships (platonic and romantic) unfold. I loved Bobby and Mason in the first story and was eager to see more of them.
The only thing I found a bit irritating is all of the miscommunication in the first half of the book. Like we get it… it just felt repetitive

I would purchase anything Emma writes and can’t wait to buy my physical copy of this book.

So. Many. Angry. Kisses.

If you’re in the mood for something cozy & heartfelt, that will leave you feeling hopeful, give this a chance! I would highly recommend reading book one first, since this is basically an extended epilogue.

Admittedly, I didn’t love this one as much as Don’t Want You Like A Best Friend. However, I would still highly recommend YTPIY, because it features a lavender marriage and a beautiful found family! I actually got teary eyed near the end. Overall a wonderfully satisfying and feel good romance with much needed Queer joy!


*I received an arc from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*