fuzzywilson's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, and Sexual content
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Alcohol
kshertz's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
This is such a cute quick read. At first I didn’t want to read it because I haven’t read the first book in the series but it was recommended by two different people and both of them said you don’t need to read the first one. They were correct. This was so nice to see a rich boy understand truly who they are and find the love of your life. I thought it was very sweet and I loved the ending.
Content Warnings
Minor: Mental illness, Sexual content, Homophobia, Classism, and Abandonment
rrubin97's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
A slow start but a cute story of two men - a poor little rich boy and a struggling college dude who Christmas carol their way to love
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism and Panic attacks/disorders
crypticbutton's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic relationship and Mental illness
Moderate: Classism
morganperks's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Well, I'll be darned if the small-town romance didn't thaw my stone-cold heart and make it grow three sizes. 5 stars. Only cause I'm feeling sappy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, Alcohol, and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship, Toxic friendship, Classism, and Abandonment
Minor: Infidelity, Miscarriage, Homophobia, Gaslighting, Outing, Drug use, and Misogyny
kirstym25's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Classism
Minor: Drug use
slayergirl3281's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
f you loved Schitt's Creek, this one is for you! Especially if you loved David and Patrick's relationship.
Janovsky knocked this Holiday time romance out of the park. The chemistry between Matthew and his love interest Hector is palpable. I think my favorite part of this book was the way Janovsky wrote and showed how Matthew struggles with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. So many people struggle with GAD and it isn't talked about enough. Throughout the book Matthew is shown going through panic attacks and his own coping mechanisms.
On top of that Hector is so understanding and empathetic to Matthew's anxiety, which is a first for him. Since Matthew comes from parents who shoved him off on nannies and didn't spend too much time with him, his anxiety is a big theme throughout the novel.
Matthew's coping mechanism is to start planning a party in his head when he starts feeling things spinning out of control. Which is very relatable to so many people who deal with GAD. They try to hold on to the things they can control in a situation that is spiraling.
On top of the amazing Anxiety representation Hector is not only bisexual, but Puerto Rican. There are side characters that are sapphic, and trans. And it normalizes therapy.
The spicy parts were both tender and realistic, from what I know of queer men having sex. I really enjoyed the narrator as well.
cw
abandonment
gaslighting
toxic friendship
toxic relationship
sexual content
Janovsky knocked this Holiday time romance out of the park. The chemistry between Matthew and his love interest Hector is palpable. I think my favorite part of this book was the way Janovsky wrote and showed how Matthew struggles with Generalized Anxiety Disorder. So many people struggle with GAD and it isn't talked about enough. Throughout the book Matthew is shown going through panic attacks and his own coping mechanisms.
On top of that Hector is so understanding and empathetic to Matthew's anxiety, which is a first for him. Since Matthew comes from parents who shoved him off on nannies and didn't spend too much time with him, his anxiety is a big theme throughout the novel.
Matthew's coping mechanism is to start planning a party in his head when he starts feeling things spinning out of control. Which is very relatable to so many people who deal with GAD. They try to hold on to the things they can control in a situation that is spiraling.
On top of the amazing Anxiety representation Hector is not only bisexual, but Puerto Rican. There are side characters that are sapphic, and trans. And it normalizes therapy.
The spicy parts were both tender and realistic, from what I know of queer men having sex. I really enjoyed the narrator as well.
cw
abandonment
gaslighting
toxic friendship
toxic relationship
sexual content
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content, Toxic friendship, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Classism, and Toxic relationship
pvbobrien's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Sexual content
Moderate: Alcohol, Classism, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Outing and Emotional abuse
serendipitysbooks's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince is a gay romance with a storyline straight from a Hallmark movie. The titular Matthew is exiled from New York to stay with his grandparents in their small town while he rides out a scandal. He is entitled, vacuous and arrogant, a badly-behaved poor little rich boy. Thankfully, the small town, and particularly Hector, a small town guy from a working class Latinx background, work their magic, permit a positive character arc and allow him to redeem himself. We also get to see some of the factors which contributed to his unlikeable behaviour.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Panic attacks/disorders, and Mental illness
betweentheshelves's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
An adorable Christmas rom-com, just what I was in the mood for! I realize I never really read that many holiday books during the Christmas season, so it's even better when it's a gay holiday book. This read kind of like a Hallmark movie to me, which is just the vibes you want in a Christmas novel. There's just something comforting about reading a romance where you know where it's going. Especially around the holidays!
If you pay atteniont, there are a lot of little hints for the Grinch peppered throughout the novel, and some of them were clever! I thought it made the book ever more fun to read. You don't want to sympathize with Matthew at the beginning, but as we get to know him more, you get to unpack some of his anxieties and stress. I really came to like him by the end.
There were some repetitive things that I wasn't a huge fan of (mostly, the repetition of "dude." I know it was supposed to be a character thing, it just drove me crazy). But there was great chemistry between the two main characters and I thoroughly enjoyed this!
If you pay atteniont, there are a lot of little hints for the Grinch peppered throughout the novel, and some of them were clever! I thought it made the book ever more fun to read. You don't want to sympathize with Matthew at the beginning, but as we get to know him more, you get to unpack some of his anxieties and stress. I really came to like him by the end.
There were some repetitive things that I wasn't a huge fan of (mostly, the repetition of "dude." I know it was supposed to be a character thing, it just drove me crazy). But there was great chemistry between the two main characters and I thoroughly enjoyed this!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Sexual content
Moderate: Classism, Cursing, and Toxic friendship
Minor: Drug use, Outing, and Infidelity