Cover Image: You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince

You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

3.5 stars, rounded up for the overall message of the book. Finding your mental zen isn't easy and the past isn't always pretty, but you can find a way to apologize and do better in the future.

Matthew Prince was a brat. Spoiled city boy. Only child. Rich. Babied. Then he goes one step too far, bugs an island, and gets sent to grandma and gramp's house where he meets Hector.

What I didn't like was that this booked seemed so looong. I would constantly find myself thinking about the grocery list or housework to get done while my eyes continued to read. I'd snap out of it and find that I had no idea what I just read. Some of the descriptions and entire scenes could have been shortened or cut completely.

I also didn't like how Matthew was supposedly this young boy...but he's 22?!? There were some conflicting feeling descriptions for me in the book.

It's a good mental health book about facing your anxiety, and a sweet story between Matthew and Hector.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. The above review is my own.

Was this review helpful?

What a perfect holiday read! I was a huge fan of Timothy's first book and this follow up did not disappoint. I enjoyed the MC's and loved all the side characters. Overall no complaints.

Was this review helpful?

Matthew Prince seems like a shallow spoiled rich boy who is punished into spending the holidays at his grandparents' house. He quickly realizes he will not be able to just sit back and relax, and worse he needs to share a room with Hector, a student at the local college. Fast enemies to frenemies to... are those sparks? Matthew gets tapped to plan the annual holiday gala with Hector and sparks continue to fly. This was a thoroughly enjoyable book and I highly recommend for anyone interested in a Hallmark-style small town enemies-to-lovers story. I appreciated the depiction of Matthew's general anxiety disorder and the care with which Hector treated him. It was a fun, holiday read. Loved it!

Was this review helpful?

The cool cover and "punny" title definitely helped draw me to this book but unfortunately, I did not finish reading as the plot didn't capture and hold my attention.

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this one! This queer Christmas novel provided plenty of feels. At first I really didn't think I'd connect to the main character but I ended up falling absolutely in love with them. We love when a mildly unlikeable character is redeemed.

Was this review helpful?

I NEED MORE OF THIS AUTHOR. I started hating Matthew, but I ended up loving him by the end of the book. It was fun, emotional and heartwarming, perfect for Christmas!

Was this review helpful?

5* Finally a Christmas story with LGBTQI* representation. I'M HERE FOR IT!

This is a queer holiday romance that has great character development, but also the cheesyness you expect from a Christmas-themed book. Very much enjoyed reading the book and would highly recommend. More from this please!

Was this review helpful?

Timothy Janovsky is a wizard. That's the only way to explain how I could hate Matthew Prince with the fury of a thousand suns in the first 20% of the book but then love him by the end.

You're A Mean One, Matthew Prince has all the bells a whistles of a basic modern romance but let's just add on tackling mental health and wonderful LGBTQIA+ rep. I recommend this book to anyone who just wants a fun read. Read it a Christmas or any time because even though Christmas is a major theme, reading it out of season won't hinder your enjoyment.

Was this review helpful?

I need more books like this. More queer holiday romances with good character growth! I really enjoyed reading this book during the holiday season and I had a great time watching these characters interact and their relationship develop, I look forward to reading more by this author in the future!

Was this review helpful?

This was a great Hallmark read for Christmas time it had the small town setting and made me wish I was having a Winter Christmas rather than a hot summer. It kind of gave me Schitt's Creek vibes which is one of my favourite shows and can see that the author got some inspiration from David's character. I wish we saw a bit more growth from Matthew because it made it hard to connect to connect with his character throughout the book. I did like the anxiety representation and the conversations he had with Hector about, I thought it was very well done. As much as I liked Hector's character the amount of times he said dude wasn't needed at all and became very frustrating!

It did have two of my favourite tropes enemies to lovers and forced proximity. Although it was a really cute read it's not one I will read again.

Thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince was a fun grinchy holiday romance with all the grumpy/sunshine vibes. This book is perfect for fans of Schitt's Creek.

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.

Was this review helpful?

This was a cute holiday story. I enjoyed the characters and the premise. I'm looking forward to reading something else from Janovsky!

Was this review helpful?

I loved this book so much! Matthew is a spoiled, rich kid who got into one too many pickles. His character depth and growth within the novel was so good and their relationship? YES. Absolutely yes. Can’t wait to read more from this author!

Was this review helpful?

4.5 Stars

****

Matthew Prince is young, rich, and spoiled. Even if his parents pay little attention to him, and the media is all over him, he is living the high life. Until, he makes a very bad decision that pushes his famous mother to listen to her publicist and cut Matthew off and ship him to stay with his grandparents over Christmas. Now, he's in the middle of nowhere, missing his life, wishing he could escape. Especially after meeting the student staying with his grandparents, Hector Martinez is now his new roommate. The two cannot seem to get along, but are thrust together when Matthew agrees to help with the towns charity gala. Can Hector, Matthew's grandparents, and a little Christmas magic help to grow Matthew's heart?

While Matthew first comes off as spoiled and cringey, as you learn about him, his life, his anxiety, what he has endured with the media and his mother's publicist, you actually cannot help but love this heartbroken Prince. His parents neglect him, he's suffered for years from anxiety, and he just went through a major and very public breakup. He has a hard time seeing his own worth and when people essentially "leave" him or push him away, he fights back with anger, resentment, and revenge. He hurts others the way they unknowingly, or sometimes knowingly, hurt him. He also surrounds himself with people who are only surface level, because he is so scared of rejection, of actually trusting someone else with his real self.

Hector is caring, kind, compassionate, and immediately notices Matthew's anxiety attack for what it is (and actively helps him through it, even when they dislike each other). He is angry at first at how dismissive and cruel Matthew is, but soon realizes Matthew has built this wall of indifference and shallowness around himself. Hector listens and Matthew finds that Hector makes him want to work on his years of hiding and callousness. They help each other to be better and to help others.

I really enjoyed the plot, that Matthew is finally able to use his calming technique and passion for planning to help a town that took a chance on him, when he probably did not deserve it. It's just such a heartwarming book that is like a Hallmark movie, but with actual emotion and depth. A great read if you enjoy the found family trope and if you like to see anxiety handled well in the writing of a character.

Just all around a really well thought out adorable Christmas romance, peppered with fun nods to Christmas classics and to Hallmark tropes. Highly recommend!

Was this review helpful?

Finishing this one just in time for 2023! I’ve been feeling grinchy this holiday season, but You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince made my heart grow three sizes. It reminds me so much of Schitt's Creek or any of the classic Christmas romcoms. Spoiled rich kid sent to a small town to learn the meaning of hard work and the spirit of Christmas while falling in love with a local.

I can’t say I can relate to Matthew’s problems. I’ve definitely never bought an island and being sent to my grandparents house has and never will be a punishment for me. But for Matthew Prince his life is anything but normal. His father is a very successful and wealthy businessman and his mother is a best-selling author, whose fantasy books have produced hit TV shows with spinoffs and even a Broadway show in the works (think George RR Martin or JK Rowling). Unfortunately having such a successful and busy family means they never have any time for him. He’s had to grow up a lot faster than most kids and in the public eye. With the lack of attention from his parents and his generalized anxiety disorder there’s been a lot of destructive behavior (i.e. buying an island) and unhealthy relationships (his relationship with a married couple). He’s never been taken serious before and he most certainly doesn’t know how to be loved, that is until he meets Hector. The college student that’s staying with Matthew’s grandparents and is totally unimpressed with him.

Matthew and Hector couldn’t be more different. Where Matthew has never had a real job in his life, Hector has multiple while getting his degree and being so far away from his family in Texas. From the start these two are at each other’s throats like cats and dogs. When the town’s charity gala loses its coordinator and Matthew steps in as a saintly act to get sent home early on good behavior he recruits Hector for help in exchange for a plane ticket home for the holidays. For the first time ever Matthew lowers his guard and opens up to Hector and to Matthew’s surprise Hector accepts him for all his faults and quirks. As Matthew goes on a emotional journey of self discovery he finds the meaning of home. Its not a place. It’s people. It’s the people you choose to invest in, believe in—the people you let hold your heart. The forced proximity and infectious holiday cheer might just be enough to make Matthew believe in the magic of Christmas once again!

Read if you like:
- The Grinch
- Opposites attract
- Forced Roommates
- Winter Boo syndrome
- Small town
- Anxiety representation
- LGBTQIA+

Was this review helpful?

Timothy Janosky hit the Christmas romcom out of the park with this one. I love MM romances and honestly need to read them more. This was everything I needed during the holiday season, and I wouldn't say I liked it when it ended too soon. The representation of anxiety and how the characters deal with it on the page was refreshing. Although one of the main characters comes across as spoiled and unlikeable, which is usually a turn-off for me when reading, the way Timothy wrote him made him likable. The enemies to lovers with the Christmas rom-com was just what I needed. I have read it over ten times. I love how they had to team up for a fundraiser together, and the tension and pacing are just chef kisses. I can't wait to read more of what Timothy has coming up. This is the one for you if you are looking for a queer romcom for any time of the year.

Was this review helpful?

This was literally the first book I picked up for Christmas because I was feeling a little Grinchy myself and I got quite the surprise let me tell you.

I wasn’t 100% sure what to expect, I loved the title and the concept and it’s a really fun rom-com with an on point romance, some memorable and brilliant characters both main and supporting and lots of drama! There’s exes and misunderstandings and Matthew really getting his sense of self back, in a way as he adjust to life outside of the city and kind of gets to relax and indulge in what he loves!

Matthew was the biggest surprise for me. He’s certainly colourful, and he’s perhaps not entirely likeable initially because of his attitude however by the end of this book he was my cinnamon roll that needed to be protected at all costs. It’s very rare for me to read a book and be able to point at a character and go “oh my god that’s me” when it comes to anxiety but the author nailed it with Matthew and I may or may not have gotten a little bit emo. Just ever so slightly.

I couldn’t help but root for him and empathise with him and the way I gasped when I thought a certain character had done a certain thing?! I was ready to fight but happy endings all round!

I need more festive queer rom-coms!

Was this review helpful?

Christmas Hallmark movie + Schitt’s Creek = You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince!

The LGBT+ and enemies to lovers provided a fun and delightful story.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for this enjoyable read.

Was this review helpful?

A very cute enemies to lovers book that could have come straight from the Hallmark channel. Matthew was such a spoiled brat, yet I liked him. His backstory was heartbreaking and made him more human. Hector came off as a bit gruff, but I soon warmed to him. The story is fun and compelling. A light read for the holidays but maybe a bit too predictable.

Was this review helpful?

DNF @ 10%

Unfortunately, I just found the main character unbearably unlikable. I thought the writing was good but couldn’t get past the silly rich character being turned into a rich character seemingly too stupid to live. Maybe next Christmas I’ll be more tolerable of the character trope but this year I’m apparently a Scrooge.

Was this review helpful?