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*

This was delightful! I didn’t love it as much as the first book, partly because the storyline with the parents in the first book really added something to it for me, but it was an absolutely satisfying follow up. I picked it up the day I finished season three of Bridgerton and it was exactly what I wanted after that.

I will say, when we got to the third act conflict, Bobby kind of annoyed me, like he should understand why James is so worried about his stepfather/other people finding out about them. And yes after his knee jerk reaction he does acknowledge that of course James has reasons for not wanting to be open about the relationship, but the fact that he takes it as being there something wrong with himself, like..I get it, but this is a character trait that I always find very frustrating. And the way he just assumes that this means James doesn’t care about him, like how about you at least ASK him first. (Obviously this is a romance novel, and even if it wasn't, talking about those kinds of things is always agonizing, but still.)

I like that the main conflict is external at the end though; that they face it together rather than letting it tear them apart and that the conflict is actually pretty mild and easily resolved. And the confession scene had me 😭🥹.

Thank you to Avon and NetGalley for the digital ARC, I’m SO glad I didn’t have to wait until August to read it!!!

I read Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend and I was so excited to learn that the story would be continued! I had such high expectations for the sequel and it checked every box. It's just as good if not better than the first. I loved the characters, the new and the old. I loved the story, the world building and the plot. I felt completely immersed in the story and couldn't stop reading it.

A delightful queer Victorian romance! The first half of the story develops Bobby and James' fraught tension but undeniable attraction, picking up momentum in the second half as they both face a common enemy and come to terms with their feelings for each other and what a happily ever after can even look like for them. While the romance is fun, my favorite part of this book is the found family element and James' arc in realizing there is space for him in the world and people who will embrace him for who he is. There is never enough queer, uplifting historical romance, and I had a wonderful time with this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley, Avon and Harper Voyager, and Emma R. Alban for the chance to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I LOVED the first book in this duology, Don't Want You Like A Best Friend and was sooo looking forward to reading You're The Problem, It's You- I was NOT let down.

Book two has higher stakes than book one, so that does evolve the vibe of the series a bit. But that's a good thing. No two experiences are alike and both couples have different layers of history and support.

This book has the perfect balance of angst and banter PLUS understandable miscommunication. It was a lovely continuation of Don't Want You Like A Best Friend with the coziest HEA for all.

Bobby and James had me giggling and kicking my feet. Lord & Lady Havenfort brought me to emotional tears. Lord Raverson made my skin crawl- but that was the point.

Thanks to Avon & Netgalley for this eARC (my first -- thanks for making this a Read Now)! I absolutely adored the author's first outing, Don't Want You Like a Best Friend, and was very excited to get to read the second!

Ultimately, this was a 3.5-ish. A lot of the book was pretty cute, but after the absolute delight of the first book I was underwhelmed.

I want to note that this book is less enemies-to-lovers (which might be the most watered-down trope in existence right now) and more... I don't know, vague dislike because of miscommunication to lovers? Whether the miscommunication is annoying is going to very much depend on your stomach for that kind of thing. Personally, I didn't mind it so much -- the miscommunication makes sense for the characters (particularly James; his perspective, fears, anxiety, and trauma was portrayed very strongly and it makes perfect sense for his character) and just misunderstanding each others' complicated situations, as opposed to the thing I hate, which is 'if this one tiny thing could be cleared up...' So that worked for me.

The main 'antagonist' of the book is almost a non-presence. The characters think about him, but he vanishes for large portions of the book and it made me wonder if the author had just sort of forgotten about it. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure the book really needed that part -- it sort of exists and then fizzles out and doesn't have much impact on anything. I was also disappointed with the relative lack of Beth and Gwen. The promise of their 'meddling' also barely comes to anything, which was disappointing.

Final thoughts: A cute, queer romance, that could have been amazing but was bogged down by some clumsy plotting and extraneous subplots.

While I absolutely loved the first one, this one took the reins. I’m still very new to regency type stuff but this was fabulous. I was crying, laughing and cheering the entire time. This is really precious.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it did not disappoint! I was absolutely thrilled to be back in the Mischief and Matchmaking universe! While Beth and Gwen will always have a special place in my heart, it was impossible not to love James and Bobby just as much. For starters, I loved the alternating points of view. Both James and Bobby had so much inner turmoil, and it was so important to see what was going on in their heads in order to fully understand them. And it was so fun to see what they were saying to each other versus what they were thinking about each other. James and Bobby truly had such amazing chemistry. However, the switch from hate to love felt a little abrupt to me. But overall I absolutely loved the two of them together. Of course, I also loved James and Bobby as individuals. They each had their own character development as they learn to make their own paths in life, and they both became the better for it. Overall this book meet all my expectations and more, and I highly recommend it!

This was such a lovely extension of Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend, which I simply adore. I loved getting to know James and Bobby more and seeing their love story blossom. Alban does a beautiful job of building tension and chemistry and you can’t help but fall head over heels for these characters from the very beginning. I was positively giddy getting to reunite with Beth and Gwen and continue witnessing their matchmaking endeavors, and their scheming brought lightness to more serious moments.

James and Bobby’s story was so lovely and tender, and their moments of intimacy were so open and vulnerable that it left me teary and quite moved. I loved watching the trust build and communication strengthen between them and seeing their growth as individuals as they found their voices and used their positions in society to build a more loving world where they could help others and live as their true selves.

For anyone chasing the Bridgerton high or who is looking historical romance filled with queer joy, you need to pick up these books. The Mischief & Matchmaking series has been such a delight to read and I cannot wait to dive into what Alban dreams up next!

You're the Problem, It's You by Emma R. Alban was such an enjoyable read. There is such good angst and banter in this book, I couldn't put it down. I definitely think this book was just as good as Alban's first book and I cannot wait to read more from her.

Thank you author, publisher, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!!

I was super hyped to read this after I read Don't Want You Like a Best Friend... maybe even a little too hyped. I did feel like it dragged at the beginning but THE ANGST! THE BANTER! Absolutely yes.

I’m thinking I just preferred the lesbians lol who could’ve seen that one coming.