A wonderful romance that I really needed at the moment. More lavender marriages in historical romances please and thank you! This was just a really good time

oof. not for me. life is too short for the miscommunication trope and all the characters in regency england to be saying yeah? all the time.

The chemistry between James and Bobby was absolutely adorable. I loved the mutual pining and the slow-burn build-up of their relationship. Their characters felt much more complex and fleshed out compared to Beth and Gwen, and I found myself truly connected to both of them, like I knew them personally. While the beginning was a bit slow, the second half picked up quickly and was much easier to engage with. The plot was linear and well-executed, with no confusing moments. The third act breakup had me in tears, but the way they learned to accept each other in the end was incredibly heartwarming.

http://thesecretbookreview.co.uk

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

Grade: C / 3 stars

You're the Problem, It's You is the second book in Emma R. Alban’s Mischief & Matchmaking historical romance duology that began with Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend. You’re the Problem is a mostly lighthearted m/m romance that, despite being billed as enemies-to-lovers by the blurb is really about two men jumping to conclusions about each other and holding on to their misconceptions for way too long before finally deciding to give each other the benefit of the doubt.

Despite that, I quite liked the two protagonists. Bobby Mason is a second son who would like to actually do something with his life, but feels limited by the fact that he’s the spare, and James Demeroven was brought up largely away from London and has been constantly belittled and verbally abused by his stepfather to the point that he has learned not to stand up for himself and tends to run away from his problems. When the two of them first meet, Bobby’s cousin Beth (one of the leads in the first book) asks him to befriend James, to introduce him to the right people and help him to make some friends, but James is so tightly buttoned-up and standoffish that he almost immediately rubs the good-natured Bobby up the wrong way with what Bobby believes to be a condemnation of his lifestyle. Things don’t improve as time passes, and the two men do their best to avoid one another where possible - but being members of the same family makes that very difficult. Bobby and James find themselves often at the same events and having to at least attempt to be pleasant to each other – but whenever it seems as though they might be making progress towards friendship, one of them will say or do something that puts them right back at square one and thinking the worst. And herein lies the books’ biggest problem. The misunderstandings between the pair continue for almost half the book – it’s very repetitive and it got frustrating very quickly. And then, once they do start to thaw towards each other a bit, it’s zero to sixty in the blink of an eye, and their various declarations and all the deep feelings we’re told they’re experiencing are simply not supported by what the reader has seen on the page. There is very little chemistry between them and I needed more from their internal monologues to persuade me that they were falling/had fallen in love.

Add to this the somewhat complicated family situation of the Masons, the Bertrams, and the Demerovens. Not having read the previous book put me at a serious disadvantage here as I struggled to work out and then remember how all these characters, members of an extended family, are related to one another. Beth and Gwen from book one are, respectively, the daughters of the late Viscount Demeroven (Beth) and Lord Haverford (Gwen); James is Beth’s cousin, Bobby is Gwen’s cousin; Haverford is now married to Beth’s mother… I could really have done with a list or family tree at the front of the book!

The story is mostly character-driven, and the little bit of plot there is - a cartoonish villain attempts to blackmail our heroes with threats of exposing their ‘proclivities’ to society – is flimsy and only present in order to enable Bobby and James to, at last, join forces to work out a way to neutralise him. James’ character arc is the strongest, as he has to work to overcome his anxiety and insecurities and move towards self-acceptance and the realisation that he is deserving of the love and loyalty he is being offered by Bobby and their family. Having the entire Bertram/Mason clan be so accepting of its queer couples and prepared to offer them as much protection as possible did stretch my credulity given the time period, but I liked seeing James slowly working out that perhaps he could finally have the life he craves with someone he truly cares for.

You’re the Problem, It’s You is inoffensive enough, and may, indeed be The Gay Bridgerton you didn’t know you needed (eyeroll) for some, but in a sub-genre where the bar for excellence has been set very high by authors like KJ Charles, Joanna Chambers, Sally Malcolm and others, You’re the Problem just about qualifies as ‘middling’. It lacks depth and emotion, the characterisation is patchy and it’s wallpapery to the extreme. The date 1858 is mentioned in the text, but other than the fact that Demeroven, his uncle, and Bobby’s brother are working to get the Medical Act passed into law, (and same sex relationships between men are illegal), there’s no real sense of time or place, and the characters have an unfortunate habit of lapsing into modern language. Someone tells Bobby to “Get some sleep, yeah?”; Aunt Cordelia is “a right laugh”; one of Bobby’s friends asks “Do we need to get you laid?”; Bobby has “zero interest in finding a nice young lady to chat up.” And so on. In fact, the writing in general feels more suited to a YA book even though the characters are in their early twenties and the sex scenes warrant a ‘warm’ rating; it skews towards telling rather than showing, and the book feels somewhat… juvenile as a result. Plus, the use of third person present tense doesn’t do it any favours.

You’re the Problem, It’s You was entertaining enough in places, but I can’t recommend it.

You're the Problem, It's You is a very Bridgerton-esq historical romance. There's plenty of banter style dialogue and a promise of enemies to lovers queer romance.

Unfortunately, the enemies to lovers is mostly painful miscommunication after miscommunication, because Bobby and James will not converse with each other. The miscommunication and misunderstandings goes on for over half of the book, which makes the beginning very slow and frustrating. There's a lot of repetition, perhaps too much. In the beginning, it's easy to feel sympathy for James, however, it dies quickly as James behaves rather badly. At one point I hoped that Bobby would fall in love with someone else.

The last half of the book did somewhat make up for the abysmal beginning, and I did cheer for James and Bobby's happy ending - as well as Beth and Gwen's. I wish the book would have been shorter and the miscommunication sorted out earlier, then the overall story would have been much more enjoyable.

This one’s a solid enemies to lovers read, with the added complications of a time when relations with other men is a criminal offence. There’s whole heaps of drama throughout and naturally, James and Bobby are forced to work together to fight a threat. I found the story a little slow, and James’ snootiness towards Bobby frustrating. It seems like he’s constantly being mean and never apologises so it’s a wonder Bobby (who also has his moments, in all fairness) manages to overlook it. I haven’t read the first book in the series, so this one works as a standalone, but we do see plenty of the characters from the first book and they add a good dose of fun to the book, with a side serving of meddling.

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

ARC review (no spoilers)

This was such a lovely read. I really enjoyed both Bobby and James’ characters. They were both so different, yet so likeable.

I haven’t read the first book in the Mischief & Matchmaking series, but now I want to! I’d love to find out more about Beth and Gwen who the first book is based on 🥰💜

I’m so glad I was accepted for this arc. I was looking for a book that would give me the same feeling as Red, White, and Royal Blue, and this book delivered 🫶

Thank you to the author, and NG for this arc.

This is a beautiful, hilarious, affirming Queer romance with found family, matchmaking hijinks, and great historical detail!

this book was fun, but i didn’t enjoy it as much as book 1.

the blackmail plot was a bit boring to me. i also disliked how the mc slept with someone other than his li, but that’s just me personally.

other than that, this book had some things i did enjoy! i loved bobbys family and how close they all are, and how you can feel the love they have for each other. i also liked when james argued back to his stepfather and kicked him out.

the romance was fun once it properly started, i just wish it had been quicker. i also loved the marriage ideas so both couples can really be together

This was a fun, light read, if a bit predictable at times.

The first 50% of this book is paced slowly, with our two protagonists James and Bobby struggling to fall into common ground. For James, he is trying his hardest to avoid Bobby Mason at all costs, Bobby however, has different plans.

The second half of the book is where the romance really picks up, with some light spice and wholesome moments. I did feel as though the 'love' was slightly rushed and I guessed how the book would end at around 45% in but that didn't make it less enjoyable.

This was a really unique read and I'm happy it now exists in the world for LGBTQ+ & Historical Romance lovers!

This is a historical LGBT+ romance with a supportive family and friendship ring. We have some iconic moments including, but not limited to:

-Angry Kisses
-The use of the word 'romp'
-Blackmail
-Beth and Gwen content
-Beards
-An adorable epilogue

Thankyou to Netgalley and Penguin for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this book expecting a funny queer regency romp, and it did not disappoint - though it was also so much more. Hilarious, sexy, emotional and genuine, it has made me not only fall in love with the main characters, but also crave more from the world; coming into the series at the second book, going back to read the first is now a must!

I adore Emma R Alban’s writing. This story was a beautiful and well written story about love. As a massive historical fan I loved this book. With a gay twist. This book has found family and full of angst and love that I just enjoy so much in my reading.
This book was. Little bit slow for me that’s why I’m knocking off a star but that didn’t pull away from how much I loved this book.

Robert 'Bobby' Mason is the second son, his older brother Albert 'Albie' is Lord Mason recently married to Meredith who is expecting their first child. Bobby's cousin Gwen (one of the MCs of the previous book in this series) is in a relationship with Beth, who is Lord James Demeroven's cousin. Bobby and Albie's uncle (and Gwen's father) is Dashiell, Earl of Havenfort, just to make life complicated Dashiell has married Beth's mother. Lord Havenfort is trying to pass a bill in the House of Lords requiring doctors to have received some kind of medical training and he has enlisted Albie and James' help which maks Bobby (who doesn't have a seta in the House of Lords) feel excluded. Meanwhile, James is fighting to stay upright under the yoke of his stepfather's ire and caustic tongue.

As a consequence of all the above, Bobby and James are thrust into each others' company more often than they would like, especially since James had a crush on Bobby when they were at Oxford together, although luckily Bobby had no idea and doesn't recognise James at all.

Unfortunately, both james and Bobby fall foul of Lord Raverson, who likes to sleep with men and then blackmail them. Despite their differences they need to work together to get out of his grasping clutches.

Full disclosure, I read about a third of this, gave up, and then restarted several months later. My biggest problems were firstly the incestuous (figuratively speaking) relationships which made it difficult for me to work out who was who (especially since people were often called by several names eg Bobby, Robert, Mason etc), and secondly that they didn't seem to be any difference between Bobby and James' voices as each chapter was from alternating POVs but not a lot changed.

Overall, I just found it hard to keep the characters straight and there wasn't enough historical detail to really give me a sense of exactly when this was set (late 1850s apparently), although again that may be because I I don't have sufficient historical knowledge to know that the Medical Act (which was a real thing) was passed in 1858.

It was okay but I wouldn't go out of my way to read others in the series.

I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley.

I loved More Than a Best Friend and have been dying to read this book but unfortunately I'm gonna have to DNF for now. I really struggled to get into this book and care about the characters and though I read a good chunk of it, I felt like not much was actually happening. Having said that, I think my timing wasn't great so I'm definitely going to to read this again at some point and hopefully it'll go a lot better!

I can't seem to get my thoughts together on this one.

It's a cute and I daresay cosy MM romance, full of miscommunication and an enemies-to-lovers trope which is probably why I enjoyed it. I was simply here for the vibes. Had I known it follows characters from a previous book I don't think I'd have requested to read it and maybe I would have been a little less confused at times, but I enjoyed it for what it was nonetheless.

I think I'm figuring out that historical romance isn't for me, maybe.

I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me. I have classed this book as a did not finish for a variety of reasons:

> Writing style: the book is difficult to follow
>Boring, for the first 100 pages of the book nothing really happens, I wasn't able to carry on reading when nothing good was expected.
>Characters and who they are seems very confusing

I really enjoyed the first book, More Than a Best Friend so was incredibly eager to dive into it's follow-up. Let me tell you, it did not disappoint! In this book we follow Bobby and James and my God then tension and chemistry between these two was absolutely off the charts. It was such a great enemies to lovers tale with the two just being forced into situations where they have work together despite how infuriating (and infatuating) they find each other.

I loved these characters a lot and I loved the return of our main characters from the first book. I feel like side characters who weren't as prominent in the first book definitely got their time to shine in this one and I loved getting to know them more!

Honestly if you love queer historical romance with amazing characters who you cannot help but root for I definitely recommend this duology!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review

I have been anxiously awaiting this book since I devoured More Than A Best Friend. And when I tell you I was so close to throwing hands with my partner and anyone else who got in my way while reading… Not only do we get more of Bobby, we get to meet the scrummy Viscount Demeroven.

Was my heart in my stomach from about the halfway point? Maybe. Did I cry? Definitely? Was the ending the most wibbly, satisfying, happy-tear filled kind? Yes.

This is the only kind of period romance I want going forward. Queer and happy.

— 3 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️

📖 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 384 pages
👤 𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Emma R. Alban
🏢 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫: Viking Books, Penguin UK
📅 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 15 August 2024

What you can expect:
— Queer Historical Romance
— Interconnected Standalone Series
— Third Person X Dual POV
— Achillean Enemies-To-Lovers
— Only One Bed
— Secret Relationship
— Heated Lawn Games
— "I Am NOT Attracted To Him"
— Meddling & Well-Meaning Family
— Found Family
— Blackmail & Scheming

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:
You're the Problem, It's You is the second instalment in the Mischief & Matchmaking series by author Emma R. Alban. There’s a fine line between love and hate. Bobby Mason is sick of being second best: born the spare with the personality of the heir. James Demeroven, is a Viscount who wishes he wasn’t one. His title brings far too much attention. They can barely get through a single conversation without tensions boiling over. Neither Bobby nor James has ever met a more intriguing, infuriating, infatuating man. If only they could avoid each other entirely. But when an extortionist starts targeting their families, Bobby and James must find a way to work together, without pushing each other’s buttons (or tearing them off) in the process...

𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲:
Whilst the ending of More Than a Best Friend felt satisfactory enough to feel like a complete ending... I was beyond thrilled for the continuation of this story as we join Bobby and James in their path to love and acceptance. Whilst I had been hoping for yet another feel-good and cosy love story which set out to challenge their era and societal standards, I'm truly devastated to say that this highly anticipated follow-up has not hit its mark for me. The pacing throughout the entire first half threw me off as I struggled to push myself through repetitive arguments with no end in sight. Whilst I easily devoured and enjoyed its predecessor, You're the Problem, It's You struggled to maintain that momentum and carry the plot forward. The return of my favourite characters from the first instalment were what saved the story and prompted me to continue into a thankfully stronger second half of a story. For a book that sits at less than 400 pages, I found myself often eyeing my kindle to gauge how long I was estimated to have left. The story thankfully picked up within the halfway point and I quickly became enraptured and engaged with the love story I was being foretold... it's just a shame the weak beginning had to be saved by a much stronger end.

𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭:
The overall plot was enjoyable to follow despite its predictability at times. When James finds himself reunited with his previous infatuation and school crush Bobby in a club where men are free to act upon their true selves and desires, he stumbles. Never did he anticipate that the fantasies of his younger self may come to fruition, or that Bobby made indeed desire him in return. Unfortunately for James his mouth often runs away with him as he struggles to accurately articulate himself in social settings, which as a result is often the cause of upset and disdain from the peers he greatly wishes to earn respect from. Not that it matters anyway, when a previous slivers out of the shadows with the threat of outing him to society if he doesn't deliver on what he wants. James accepts that he cannot be both. The Viscount with a high standing in society and parliament who desperately wishes to perform better than the man before him, and the man who wishes to stay true to himself as he finds a family who will love and accept him as he was born to be... or can't he? My issue with the plot was how slow-moving the first half was. As soon as his former lover came slinking out of the shadows with threats of revealing not only his own nature but also Bobby's, James should have immediately taken action rather than try to pretend that the issue didn't exist. The second half of the story proved the joyful realities of entrusting the right people to keep you safe and support you no matter what. I honestly would've been happier for the book to be shortened in length if it meant rounding up the story for a more concise and straight-to-the-point story that didn't find itself trapped in a vicious cycle of repetition.

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬:
Bobby Mason has struggled with feeling second best his entire life. The second-born and spare to the family title and fortune with no set direction in which his life should take. Bobby wanders aimlessly from one season to the next, one party to the other, wishing he could find his purpose within his family and within society itself. His preference towards men has him reluctant to find a wife and live his life dishonestly, so instead Bobby partakes in fruitless intimate encounters to try and stave off his drowning feeling on loneliness and abandon. My favourite thing about Bobby was his unwavering loyalty and care towards those in his trusted circle. Despite struggling with his own wants and feelings, Bobby did the best that he could to remain present in being the best brother, cousin, nephew and friend that he could be. All Bobby craved was the love and affection that others could so loudly proclaim in public, whilst his own afflictions would be deemed as shameful and worthy of prison. Bobby craved acceptance and to find a true partner that would waver the storm by his side without fault, and I was thrilled to see him gain this and more by the end. Honestly, my only complaint is that I wish Bobby had more of a backbone when it came to James. I loved his understanding and overall patience, but in the end he continued to allow his own heartbreak as a result. Bobby deserved to be made into a priority, and I just wish I had gotten the chance to see him be the one to demand it.

James Demeroven is the surly and at-times rude Viscount who has newly aged into his appointed title and fortune, and not the slightest clue on what to do with it. With his horrid stepfather constantly in his ear belittling his authority and undermining him at every turn, James is at a loss and finds himself wishing for it all to go away. I felt for James's character as it was clear that he was treading shark-infested waters with no land in site to save him. All James wanted was to earn the respect of his family and maybe, just maybe, be lucky enough to be welcomed into their tight circle as one of their own. I really felt for his character as I could understand what the motivations behind the decisions may be, whilst feeling equally frustrated at his stubbornness and refusal to trust. His stepfather's emotionally manipulative actions have left James anxious and utterly terrified to reach out his hand to those who reach first, and I was proud to see the work that he put into his own growth and development. His tenancy to run was aggravating as I desperately wished for James to find his inner strength and fight for the life that he wanted, however I also understand that it's not always going to be that simple. His respect and adoration for Bobby was really sweet and heart-warming, even when all they seemed able to do was bring out the worst within one another, and I was thrilled to see the maturity and growth that he found by the end.

𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:
Bobby and James's relationship development was wholly aggravating within the first half of the story. The miscommunication, or complete lack of communication should I say, was dragged on for too much of the story which greatly hindered the believability of their love match. The pair couldn't go a single conversation without exchanging jibes or insults as they truly brought out the worst in each other. I understand that this stemmed from their clashing of their lack of understanding regarding how they approached their own hidden desires. James couldn't fathom how Bobby had manged to find himself within a safe space to express himself freely, whilst Bobby strongly disliked how James hid himself away and made him feel shameful for being true to himself. If they had managed to hold a single civilised conversation without butting heads two sentences in, so much of their conflict could have been swiftly resolved.

By the half-way mark they finally seemed to settle upon the decision to be friends... just to spend a week in the countryside and feel madly in-love. I honestly wish that Bobby and James had been given actual time to grown into a stable friendship who took the time to actually get to know one another. The majority of their relationship conflict stemmed from inaccurate assumptions and lack of understanding. Getting to see them build a solid friendship to act as a fall-back for their romantic relationship would've deepened their overall connection and chemistry. That being said, I did like them as a couple at the end. Their agreement with Beth and Gwen was really sweet, and I was thrilled to see their loved ones fully backing them with nothing but unchallenged love and support.

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
After adoring the first book in the Mischief & Matchmaking I'm really gutted that my expectations for the sequel have not been met. In my opinion Beth and Gwen once again stole the show and all of my attention, which ultimately shouldn't be the case in a story where their presence should be secondary. I adored the overall themes to the story and the premise that love will always find a way to win no matter what, and the epilogue was definitely my favourite part to the entire book. Seeing everybody together as they had found a way to fight for their right to love in the safest way possible, with a family that they get to proudly call their own, makes their journey all-the worthwhile.

𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐑𝐂 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰.