After loving Janovsky's debut novel, Never Been Kissed, and seeing this book compared to Schitt's Creek, I was beyond excited to read You're A Mean One, Matthew Prince. However, I think I went in with expectations that were too high. Matthew, the protagonist, was super unlikeable. This is partially on purpose, but his "redemption" throughout the book wasn't enough for me. The novel itself was just okay and I am hoping the author's next book brings back the magic that can be found in his debut.

Rating: 3/5

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

It was really just...fine. It gave me all the Schitt's Creek vibes my heart could desire. I can say this book was low angst which sometimes your heart desires. But I was not in love with this book, I needed a little more something to pine for these two together. Maybe a bit more angst, maybe some more enemies to lovers. But also the word dude was used WAY too much, and I never again want to hear it in a book that much.

Very cute story and exactly what I hoped it would be! I fell in love with all the characters and cannot wait to read more books by Janovsky. Perfect book for this time of year.

This was a cute MM holiday romance. This book gave off very much Schitts creek vibes. Although if I read the word “dude” one more time.. I simply cannot.

Unfortunately, I just couldn’t finish this one. The MC was incredibly unlikable and I didn’t even care to stick around to find out if he was redeemable.

I think this book was ok! If you like Christmas rom-coms, you'll probably enjoy it a bit more than I did. The main character is a spoiled, sarcastic, rich kid who is supposed to learn a lesson about life (not unlike Scrooge from A Christmas Carol which is Matthew's favorite book). And while it's the point that he's supposed to be unlikeable at first and then slowly get better, he really never grew on me. I like the small town setting and thought the grandparents and Hector were cute characters. The writing overall for me was just okay though, and honestly if this was a m/f book and didn't get bonus points from me for being a queer Christmas rom com, I probably would have rated it lower. Still, it was a fun read for the holidays.

Thank you to netgalley for a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

You’re a Mean one Matthew Prince by Timothy Janovsky
Genre: Holiday, Romcom
Publisher: Sourcebookscasa

I recommend you read this one if you enjoy queer Christmas romcoms, grinchy characters and forced proximity.


~ Brief Synopsis ~ 
Matthew Prince is young, rich and spoiled, until now. After a PR disaster Matthew is cut off and shipped away to his grandparents where he finds himself having to share a room with Hector Martinez, a student living with his grandparents - it doesn’t go well. To worsen the deal, they must work together to organise a charity gala. Cue the forced proximity and let the holiday bickering begin! 

~ My Thoughts ~
You’re a Mean one Matthew Prince was my first Christmas read of the season and it did not disappoint. This one was everything I want in a holiday read and gave me those hallmark movie feels!
Cosy small town setting
Christmas festivities
Cute Romance
Banter
A Grinch 
A little Spice
A laugh out loud baking scene

I also enjoyed the discussions around Generalised Anxiety Disorder as I feel this is something underrepresented in books.

The only thing that got on my nerves after a while was Hector’s over use of the word ‘dude’. It was a funny character trait at first but by the end it was driving me up the wall. 

Thank you netgalley and Source for my gifted ARC e-book

Absolutely loved this one. Had David vibes from S Creek. Lots of lol moment. Nostalgia for me as my grandparents and parents are from the Berkshire’s. Would def recommend.

This was so cute!
💖 Spoiled party boy Matthew Prince gets sent to his grandparents’ after buying a private island
💖 Hector Martinez - college student is already rooming with them
💖 Eventually, they team up to plan a charity gala
💖 Hijinks and romance!

The beginning reminded me of Lindsay Lohan’s new Christmas movie. This book has a similar vibe - but without the amnesia plot line. And no one has children.

Mild complaints:
- The use of the word “dude” - with a romantic partner? No.
- The 3rd Act break up. Why. I almost threw the book. (I think that’s how plot twists are supposed to make me feel, not a writing complaint lol.)

Matthew also has anxiety - so be prepared if that’s a trigger for you. He has been to therapy and has a toolbox to help him but there are some rough moments!
I loved the therapy session at the end. I don’t want to spoil anything for anyone, but I love therapy and I loved how that was used for the plot and character development!

I wanted to love this so much. I mean, it has a character that might as well be David from Schitt's Creek. Plus, small town vibes, event planning, sweet grandparents, and Christmas. It was fun and sweet, but just as fun and sweet as so many other Christmas romance books out there. It wasn't entirely remarkable, and I don't think I'll remember it in a few months. I read so many rom-coms that at this point it has to be extraordinary for me to rate it highly. 

I do think that many people will love this, especially if you are dying for a M/M Christmas tale. More LGBTQIA+ representation is always welcome! 

I will say this: if I never hear/see the word "dude" again, it will be too soon. If you have read this, you know what I'm talking about. 

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book.

He’s a Christmas Grinch who’s been shipped off to a town that’s straight out of a Hallmark Christmas film...

After he buys a literal island, Matthew Prince is sent off to spend December with his grandparents in the small town of Wind River in order to avoid a PR scandal. His accounts have been frozen, he’s banned from social media, and Wind River is the last place on earth he wants to be, especially when it means missing his iconic New Years Eve party. To make matters worse, Matthew has to literally bunk with Hector Martinez, a student of his grandfather’s who is boarding with his grandparents while he finishes his degree. And it’s safe to say that the pair doesn’t get off to the best start. When the organiser of the local holiday charity gala falls ill, Matthew steps up to offer his event-organising expertise, hoping that if he does a good job it’ll mean he can get home sooner. With the promise of helping him get home to Texas to see his family, Matthew also enlists Hector to help with planning the event. Surrounded by the magic of a small-town Christmas, it doesn’t take long for Matthew to not only soak up the Christmas spirit, but maybe a little love along the way too...

Timothy really said let’s take everything we love about a Hallmark Christmas film and make it queer! Matthew and Hector’s relationship was equal parts sweet, swoon and cute, with a little sprinkling to spice to create a really enjoyable romance read. It’s a little frenemies-to-lovers and a little slow burn, which is always such a good combination.

And it’s not just the romance that makes this book such a joy to read – seeing Matthew’s evolving relationships with his parents and grandparents, as well as the townfolk of Wind River was also really interesting. Wind River is totally a town I need to visit, especially at Christmas time!

This book also had a really great focus on Generalised Anxiety Disorder, and it was nice to see such a topic woven throughout the whole story. While anxiety can be a heavy topic at times, it was balanced really well with the rest of the story.

With ALL the festive vibes and romance, this is the perfect book to dive into this silly season, so be sure to make the holidays gay with this sweet holiday romance!

I actually pre-ordered this book with a local bookseller because I thought it was going to be great. This book was awful. The writing was meh. The story was meh. Overall a huge flop.

-Hesitant about this when I first started due to how whiny and annoying Matthew is.
-Ended up enjoying this.
-Cute and funny romance to get you in the Christmas mood
-I did not realize this was apart of a series.

back on my holiday romcom bs, this time with timothy janovsky's sophomore novel 'you're a mean one, matthew prince,' a story that essentially follows the same plotline as the new netflix romcom 'falling for christmas' starring lindsay lohan, only this story features a rich party boy shipped off to his grandparent's small town home after making too large of a financial mishap with his parents' money, and a down-to-earth college student boarding at the grandparents' home as well. matthew & hector are forced to put aside their differences to throw the town's annual gala, matthew hoping to impress his parents and let him come home, and hector wanting to do something good to forget about his broken heart. all of this and the fact that they are sharing a bedroom (forced proximity, anyone), and you can pretty much see where this is going.

honestly, the very tired plotline didn't bother me too much. there's something about knowing exactly what you're getting yourself into that i find comforting, doubly so in a book centred around christmas and set in a small town with very cozy vibes (think stars hollow). what really grated on me was matthew's narration style, and how utterly insufferable he is as a character. every stereotype you can think up of a self-centred spoiled trust fund baby was there, and after about 3 pages it was exhausting. hector (the love interest) was the saving grace, as his utter chill demeanor calmed matthew's over-the-top theatrics down a peg or seven.

overall i enjoyed this, but wasn't the best holiday book of the season by far.

I really enjoyed this Matthew Prince! I think he was a spoiled character who grew so much in this novel. While he was not perfect, I do think he is someone we can all grow to love and admire as we read this book. I loved the accepting small town who really showed that you could be your true self. I do think Matthew's parents were a little out there, but I think his Mom even learned she needed to be her true self as well. I think this is a perfect christmas time read. Its not too Christmas-y, but gives you some vibes while also a romance with growth!

A perfect holiday read. Matthew and Hector share a fun holiday story with a meaningful ending. I love the growth Matthew goes through and the sweet romance they share. It’s got those good holiday Christmas feels and left me Happy and wishing for more! Loved it,

If you’re looking for a funny, festive read with a lot of heart, look no further. Also, if you’re a fan of Schitt’s Creek and you’ve been missing the Roses and their small-town antics, You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince will do the trick in satisfying that craving.

Matthew Prince is spoiled, entitled, and kinda clueless. At 21, he’s living off his parents’ money, riding a wave of semi-fame, and not doing a whole lot with his life. After he does something particularly foolish, his parents send him away to hide out with his grandparents, who live a quiet, modest life in a small town. Matthew is certain he’ll be miserable there, especially when he finds out he’ll be sharing a room - and a bunk bed - with his grandparents’ boarder, Hector, a total grump who instantly makes it clear he dislikes and judges Matthew. When Matthew is roped into planning a holiday gala for the town’s Small Business Association, he makes a deal with Hector for his help and, as the pair work together, Matthew learns a lot about himself, the real world, and the new hot grump in his life.

I really enjoyed Matthew’s growth throughout the story. I especially appreciated the mental health rep; Matthew has Generalized Anxiety Disorder, and he’s named his anxiety Krampus, which is both amusing and relatable. I loved watching him open up, especially to Hector, who was patient and understanding and never made Matthew feel bad about the ways his anxiety manifested. He was exactly what Matthew needed, along with some hard work, a change of scenery, and some new friends.

This book has a very slow start but it good for fans of Christmas retelling. I was a fan of Mathew Prince and how he seems mean, but isn’t. I wouldn’t say he’s exactly like the grinch, but I do see the similarities.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

When I first saw this cover I gasped. Full on.

It is still one of my favourite covers to date and every time I see it on Instagram or TikTok it makes me want to reread. Because if there's one thing that everyone should know about me it's that I love Christmas and I looooove a Christmas rom-com!

Timothy Janovsky had a successful debut with his first book and this one was just as good but it didn't hit that great marker I was hoping for. There were some things that annoyed me though (see: "dude" omg), the pacing was a little slow but guh. The characters were great. Matthew isn't supposed to be super likeable at first, but he did grow on me. Hector is the foil to Matthew and is sweet and hard-working. But D U D E. No.

Still, I would recommend picking this one up if you're looking for a holiday LGBTQ romance with some great representation!

I absolutely loved this one. Matthew and Hector were my perfect match and the representation of a queer main character with generalized anxiety disorder was absolutely needed. The holiday goodies were incredible and brought me so much joy, and the david rose/upper east sider vibes that we got from Matthew made me feel so many things. This is a perfect holiday read, and I for sure recommend to anyone who needs a little bit of Christmas joy and queer love.