Reviews

You're the Problem, It's You by Emma R. Alban

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sunflowerfoxglove's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

kristinlee___'s review against another edition

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emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-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? It's complicated

4.5

bzliz's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

I had just as good of a time reading this book as I did its predecessor. Bobby and James had a very different vibe than Gwen and Beth but not in a bad way. They both know about their sexuality prior to the start of the story so their journey is not about discovering queerness as it was with the ladies.

James and Bobby don’t get along in part due to some social fumbles relating to social anxiety from James, but they come together to unite against a toxic community member who is on a mission to extort as much wealth as he can from the pair and others. Their exposure could not only damage their reputations beyond repair but could even result in jail time, so the stakes are higher than they were for Gwen and Beth.

I didn’t like this duo as much as I did the ladies but I liked the over all story a little better. The secret gay club and the inclusion of other friends added a fun layer here that the girls were lacking. I’m sure that’s mainly due to what is “acceptable” for men to do but not women. I wish their presence had persisted a little more to the end of the book. The biggest detriment of the book was the epilogue. It felt a little too long and it seemed like it was trying too hard to over explain how perfect things were but I had lingering questions mainly about

the children. Do they take these kids in public? Do they call all 4 of our main characters mom/dad? How do they contain that in front of strangers who would find it extremely odd?

The political subplot in this book has to do with an act to register trained physicians. The characters discuss maternal mortality and pregnancy difficulties at several points and there are two pregnant characters experiencing some complications. There is a scene involving a risky pregnancy turned risky labor and delivery. The birth itself is not on page but the characters are listening to it from another room. Those with sensitivities to pregnancy may wish to avoid this book.

Content Warnings