Timothy Janovsky

An "effervescent" (Rachel Lynn Solomon) Christmas LGBTQIA+ New Adult RomCom, perfect for fans of Schitt's Creekand Red White & Royal Blue. Bring a little joy to the world? Not today, Santa. Matthew Prince is young, rich, and thoroughly spoiled. So what if his parents barely remember he exists and the press is totally obsessed with him? He's on top of the world. But one major PR misstep later, and Matthew is cut off and shipped away to spend the holidays in his grandparents' charming small town hellscape. Population: who cares? It's bad enough he's stuck in some festive winter wonderland--it's even worse that he has to share space with Hector Martinez, an obnoxiously attractive local who's unimpressed with anything and everything Matthew does. Just when it looks like the holiday season is bringing nothing but heated squabbles, the charity gala loses its coordinator and Matthew steps in as a saintly act to get home early on good behavior...with Hector as his maddening plus-one. But even a Grinch can't resist the unexpected joy of found family, and in the end, the forced proximity and infectious holiday cheer might be enough to make a lonely Prince's heart grow three sizes this year. People Are Raving About Timothy Janovsky: "This book made my queer heart so very full and deeply happy."--Anita Kelly "A cinematic daydream guaranteed to steal your heart."--Julian Winters "Wonderfully upbeat and sweet."--Suzanne Park "Full of hope and heart."--Alexandria Bellefleur "[A] fresh, sweet, and swoony love story that blends coming-of-age comedy with the nuances of exploring sexual identity."--Alison Cochrun

You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince

I loved every single thing about this book. I was hooked from the first sentence. You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince is the perfect Christmas romcom that evokes holiday joy, but also the loneliness one can feel during Christmastime.

Matthew Prince is the definition of spoiled, but Matthew and I have that in common, along with being an only child. Being an only child can seem so perfect and content until you’re suddenly surrounded by company. Matthew didn’t notice how lonely he actually was because it was all he’d known. I can sympathize with him. Being an only child is hard, especially during the holidays with hard-working parents.

Hector and Matthew start off on the wrong foot at first, but their growing connection throughout the story is so incredibly beautiful. Hector is extremely lovable. Matthew and Hector are complete opposites with similar interests. I have to say that they have an excellent taste in movies. (*cough* The Muppets Christmas Carol is superior *cough*) Noelle and Sienna are amazing and I would die for them. Matthew’s Grandparents are the absolute best characters. I literally love them and how supportive they are. Matthew’s parents play a significant role throughout the book. While they are flawed, they should not be seen as irredeemable villains.

I believe that the anxiety representation within this book was handled in a good way. It felt realistic and similar to my own experiences, however some readers may feel differently. There are on-page descriptions of these panic attacks, but in my opinion, they were handled appropriately. Showcasing how difficult it can be to live with anxiety, but learning how to cope is important. 

Overall, this immediately became one of my favorite holiday books. It checked all the boxes; queer, romcom, and happy ending. Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

alya adlina

okay i saw this book on netgalley and when i read the blurb, without any thought i just requested it. it’s a queer romcom and also it has a christmas vibes. 

so this book is about Matthew Prince who is just got sent away from his big city life to his grandparents small town of Wind River. his parents sent him away bcs to avoid any potential nightmare that could cause after he bought an island. yup a literal island. after he arrived at his grandparents’ house, Matthew finds out that he won’t be the only guest for the holiday, there’s another guy, Hector a student at the local college is currently living there too. Matthew and Hector get off on the wrong foot but slowly they develop feelings towards each other. yup it’s kind of enemies to lovers. 

i don’t want to say anything more about this book because i really want you guys to read it by yourself and just find out what’s going to happen next by yourself. trust me you will love this. for the plot, i would say it’s a little bit long and wish it more sped up, but OVERALL i still love it. i really love to see Matthew internal dialogue in this book, like i could see his development and his character growth through the whole book. also the relationship between Matthew and Hector was so wholesome, just love how them being enemies to lovers and their feelings developed towards each other is just so sweet. there’s one my fav part of them that i’m still thinking until now. i’m literally rooting for them from the start till the end. it was a little bit cheesy but still i enjoyed it. 

read this book if you like: small town romance, queer romance, opposite attract, forced proximity, slow burn, mental health REP, diverse characters and more. 

this book would make an excellent choice for your holiday reading list. it will release on 4th October so pls get this book when it release. 

thank you netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca for this ARC. i really appreciate it so much.

Amanda

This was a delightful holiday read which I thoroughly enjoyed outside of the holiday season 😅

It's fun to have the story told from the POV of the "Grinch" character for a change. I thought the romance was very cute and believable.

I did struggle with how terrible Matthew's parents were. They did not in any way behave as parents to their child, and I feel like their intense harm got swept under the rug way too easily.

Ultimately the HEA was satisfying and the story was cute so that's all that really matters.

3.5 🌟

You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince

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