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A review by erinkellyreads
You're the Problem, It's You by Emma R. Alban
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC - here is my honest review:
This was a very cute story! This is the second in the Mischief and Matchmaking series - queer romantic comedies based in the Victorian era with Taylor Swift lyrics as book titles. The first is called "Don't Want You Like a Best Friend" and follows the love story of Gwen and Beth. "You're the Problem, It's You" follows their cousins, Bobby and James, through their misadventures and love.
Bobby is the charismatic second son of a wealthy and important family rehabbing their image after their drunken and hurtful father passed. He wishes he could do more than just escort his cousins and attend parties to help his older brother, but he is limited by his birth order. On the other hand, anxiety-riddled James has just inherited the title, lands, and money of a viscount from his uncle and has had parliament, the running of a household, and the prospect of finding a wife and heir thrust upon him. However, James doesn't want a wife - he's had an unrequited crush on Bobby since they were in school at Oxford together, when Bobby didn't even notice him. Plus, James is bullied and berated by his stepfather into letting him run the finances and decisions for the family while making James believe he will never be good enough at anything. These two are thrust together during the social season in London, and Bobby is asked by his cousins to try and show James the ropes and introduce him to folks. Unfortunately, what could be a great friendship is quickly turned to sniping and rivalry by misunderstandings and miscommunications. Over time, Bobby and James see who the other truly are and feelings bloom, that is until the two of them get blackmailed by a former lover of them both. Will they be able to help their families, get out of trouble, and fall in love in the process? Is that even possible in Victorian England where they can both be sent to jail if anyone finds out that they are gay? Read on!
I really enjoyed both Bobby and James' characters and the growth you see them have over the course of the book. Their good traits became great and their flaws became things that they could help each other with. The real beauty of this book, and, apparently, this series, is the family the two have and create. That is one of the best parts of being a member of the LGBTQ+ community - we get to build our families and communities and take care of each other. This is very evident in this story, and it is very heartwarming. The joy of these two characters when they align is really a lovely thing to behold, and the ending was one I was shouting at them about from about chapter five. I also appreciated the differences and complications pointed out between the partnership of the ladies and the gentlemen. Gwen and Beth have some protection of their love - Bobby and James do not. Of course, if the ladies' relationship is found out, there will be a scandal, but if the gentlemen's is, they are both going to be in jail along with a scandal. While the men have more freedom in Victorian society, they also can't hide their love as much with the expectations of marriage and heirs, particularly for James. I appreciated the author pointing this out and raising the stakes of the history at the time.
I will say that my one critique was with Beth and Gwen. I haven't read the first book yet, and I intend to while hoping to maybe see if my critique in this one changes post-debut. I like the fact that we get to see them figure out what their happily ever after will look like after their novel, and their relationships with others, including Bobby and James, were really lovely. However, in order to create drama between the two through the book, they were fighting, sniping, and having a lot of miscommunication throughout. It was a little obnoxious, and I don't know that I'll enjoy a whole a book of it. Also, since James and Bobby had a little bit of a "enemies" (using that loosely) to lovers trope, it felt unnecessary and created moments where everybody was grumpy (characters and me). I'm hoping that reading the first book will change my opinion here, but, even if it doesn't, Bobby and James' story is lovely, and you don't need to read the first one to understand and enjoy theirs.
Overall, this was a great little love story to read to kick off Pride Month, and I hope you check out "You're the Problem, It's You" when it comes out in August of this year!
This was a very cute story! This is the second in the Mischief and Matchmaking series - queer romantic comedies based in the Victorian era with Taylor Swift lyrics as book titles. The first is called "Don't Want You Like a Best Friend" and follows the love story of Gwen and Beth. "You're the Problem, It's You" follows their cousins, Bobby and James, through their misadventures and love.
Bobby is the charismatic second son of a wealthy and important family rehabbing their image after their drunken and hurtful father passed. He wishes he could do more than just escort his cousins and attend parties to help his older brother, but he is limited by his birth order. On the other hand, anxiety-riddled James has just inherited the title, lands, and money of a viscount from his uncle and has had parliament, the running of a household, and the prospect of finding a wife and heir thrust upon him. However, James doesn't want a wife - he's had an unrequited crush on Bobby since they were in school at Oxford together, when Bobby didn't even notice him. Plus, James is bullied and berated by his stepfather into letting him run the finances and decisions for the family while making James believe he will never be good enough at anything. These two are thrust together during the social season in London, and Bobby is asked by his cousins to try and show James the ropes and introduce him to folks. Unfortunately, what could be a great friendship is quickly turned to sniping and rivalry by misunderstandings and miscommunications. Over time, Bobby and James see who the other truly are and feelings bloom, that is until the two of them get blackmailed by a former lover of them both. Will they be able to help their families, get out of trouble, and fall in love in the process? Is that even possible in Victorian England where they can both be sent to jail if anyone finds out that they are gay? Read on!
I really enjoyed both Bobby and James' characters and the growth you see them have over the course of the book. Their good traits became great and their flaws became things that they could help each other with. The real beauty of this book, and, apparently, this series, is the family the two have and create. That is one of the best parts of being a member of the LGBTQ+ community - we get to build our families and communities and take care of each other. This is very evident in this story, and it is very heartwarming. The joy of these two characters when they align is really a lovely thing to behold, and the ending was one I was shouting at them about from about chapter five. I also appreciated the differences and complications pointed out between the partnership of the ladies and the gentlemen. Gwen and Beth have some protection of their love - Bobby and James do not. Of course, if the ladies' relationship is found out, there will be a scandal, but if the gentlemen's is, they are both going to be in jail along with a scandal. While the men have more freedom in Victorian society, they also can't hide their love as much with the expectations of marriage and heirs, particularly for James. I appreciated the author pointing this out and raising the stakes of the history at the time.
I will say that my one critique was with Beth and Gwen. I haven't read the first book yet, and I intend to while hoping to maybe see if my critique in this one changes post-debut. I like the fact that we get to see them figure out what their happily ever after will look like after their novel, and their relationships with others, including Bobby and James, were really lovely. However, in order to create drama between the two through the book, they were fighting, sniping, and having a lot of miscommunication throughout. It was a little obnoxious, and I don't know that I'll enjoy a whole a book of it. Also, since James and Bobby had a little bit of a "enemies" (using that loosely) to lovers trope, it felt unnecessary and created moments where everybody was grumpy (characters and me). I'm hoping that reading the first book will change my opinion here, but, even if it doesn't, Bobby and James' story is lovely, and you don't need to read the first one to understand and enjoy theirs.
Overall, this was a great little love story to read to kick off Pride Month, and I hope you check out "You're the Problem, It's You" when it comes out in August of this year!