What a sweet and lightheaded Christmas LGBTIQ+ romance 💕
I loved it! At first I was not a fan of Matthew Prince and his carelessness or disregard for others but he quickly grew on me and by the end of the book - we were best friends.

A special thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

At first, this book was haaarrrddd to get through. The narration was good but the personality of the protagonist was grating. Even I didn’t want him and Hector to get together.

Thankfully that calmed down and it became more bearable.

Overall though, I did enjoy it and would happily read another one of his books.

I wasn't sure what I expected from this novel, maybe a cute holiday romance, but what I got was more than that. Matthew comes off as self-center, a jerk, but can you blame him? Matthew grew up wealthy, going to high-end parties and buying anything he wanted. But that is just a shell of who he is, and throughout the novel, you get to understand Matthew and why he reacts a certain way.

Matthew deals with GAD (generalized anxiety disorder) throughout the story. However, it's not the story's main focus; it does add a layer of humanity to Matthew. His toxic relationship with his parents, especially his mother, makes you feel pity for Matthew. The writer did a fantastic job of making Matthew so entitled but relatable at the same time.

As for the love story, well, wow, just wow. Henry is entirely different from Matthew, as he comes from a family that struggles with money; he is thoughtful and kind, and, more importantly, he does not get along with Matthew. This leads to a fun enemy-to-lovers romance full of teasing and a chaotic baking competition. In addition, Henry and Matthew share a bedroom, which adds to the chaos.

This was a fun read; it was heartwarming, hilarious, and a perfect Christmas book.

Thank you, Netgalley and Sourcebook Casablanca, for allowing me to receive this digital copy for an honest opinion.

Thank you Dreamscape Media for my #gifted audiobook!

If you are looking to get into the holiday spirit, this book is for you! The story of Matthew and Hector will have you swoon.

What I loved about it:
1. Matthew Prince was such a fun, loveable character.
2. Brings awareness to GAD (generalized anxiety disorder)
3. The audiobook was very well done!

This book is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone. Since I didn’t read the first one I can’t tell you if there is anything in that one that would have any impact on what you learn in this one but I enjoyed this one without feeling like I was missing anything. Still, reading the first one first might be a good idea just in case.
Rich, young, and completely and totally spoiled. That’s Mathew Prince. His parents seem to not even realize he exists and the press loves him. He feels like he is on top of the world. However, when he makes a bit of a PR mistep and is cut off he finds himself being shipped away to his grandparents' small town for the holidays.
He’s not exactly pleased about being sent to the middle of nowhere in the middle of winter. Even worse? He has to share the house and his very room with Hector Martinez. Hector is an annoyingly attractive local guy who isn’t at all impressed with a single thing Mathew does.
Right when it looks like the holiday season is going to be nothing but arguments and dirty looks the charity gala finds that it’s in need of a coordinator and Mathew takes over the reins in order to get his parents to see how good his behavior is and hopefully end his banishment early. However, the Grinch he wants to be can’t compete with the joy of a found family. In the end, the holiday cheer may just be too much to keep up his doom and gloom and perhaps his itty bitty heart just might grow three sizes before the story ends.
This book is really cute. There are times you want to reach in and shake Mathew but that’s about normal for a character like him. However, as the story progresses you start to like him a bit more and more.
I would definitely recommend this is you are looking for a feel good holiday story.

The best of Hallmark Christmas movies but make it a little bit steamy & queer. Rich city boy gets cut off, has to move to small town for the holidays and gets looped in to planning the holiday gala with local good boy. It's the holiday book you didn't know you needed this season.

This book was super cute and perfect for the holiday season coming soon! I love Matthews grandparents and new friends.

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I tried to get into this audiobook a few different times, but I just disliked the main character so much, I found that my mind would start to wander.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

When I started this book Matthew annoyed me to no end with his whining, self-centered self. As the book went on and he changed into a better person, I began to enjoy the book. Overall it was a decent and festive read as Matthew had to start off as an annoying character because it fit with the storyline.

4.25 stars rounded to 4 for this seasonally relevant romance. A Schitt's Creek-esk Christmas tale! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an AudioARC in exchange for an honest review.

Matthew Prince is in small town hell for the holidays after being cut off by his parents. Apparently buying an entire island is frowned upon? Who knew?! His only shot at getting out and returning to the glitz and glamour in time for his new year extravaganza is to convince his grandparents that he has changed. Enter Hector, a college student currently living with his grandparents while at school. Hector's one wish is to make it home for the holidays, one which Matthew seems keen to make happen when he needs Hector's help to plan a holiday fundraiser for the local small businesses. What could go wrong?

This read was everything! Even better than I had hoped it would be, and with just enough spice to keep it interesting without smutting up the plot. Matthew's grandparents are the kind I wish I had, and seeing him reconnect with them was a special treat. Hector gave me massive Patrick from Schitt's Creek vibes, complete with an ex fiance in the mix. That being said, Matthew gave me Season 1& early 2 David Rose.....like when he completely overdoes the Blouse Barn and causes it to go out of business (but also saves the day!). If you're looking for a fun holiday romance then look no further than You're a Mean One, Matthew Prince.

4.25 stars which is a lot for me to give a romance novel. These aren't really my forte, so it's hard for me to relate it to another book, but fans of Schitt's Creek will enjoy Matthew Prince and all he has to offer. Age recommended for 16+ as there is some adult content and talk of drug use.

I love a good romcom story. Add Christmas to it and I am there. This book contained some mental illness/anxiety issues. It was well done and made the story realistic. I always enjoy audiobooks because they add such realism to the characters. I actually laughed out loud several times while listening.

I'll be honest, I requested this book pretty much solely based on the title and the green background. Way to go marketing! Haha. You're A Mean One, Matthew Prince was a quick, easy read that was quite entertaining. Matthew Prince is your typical spoiled rich kid. When he runs off and buys an island (yep, an entire island), his parents get mad and send him to stay with his grandparents in a super small town for the holidays. Once he gets there, he realizes his grandparents are also having Hector Martinez stay with them. This is not at all what Matthew was counting on. However, if I told you this was a romantic comedy...you'd know exactly which trope I'm talking about, right? Stranger/Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, and Opposites Attract. You've got a spoiled rich man and an attractive down to earth man being forced together. It was a very cute story. Spice level is medium. It's a bit open door, but nothing too descriptive.

Matthew Prince is a neglected rich kid with a penchant for designer clothing and a ton of drama. After a bad investment on a private Island, his parents temporarily cut him off financially and ship him off to his grandparents house in a small town. Worst part is he has to share his room with Hector a town local who is his polar opposite. But when a coordinator position for the town gala opens up Matthew see's this as an opportunity to get back on his parents good graces as well as redeem himself to the town who only see's him as a spoiled rich kid.

This was cute, but overall a little too halmark-y and predictable for me. It also felt very much like Schitt's Creek with a Christmas twist. We've got LGBT representation, a diverse cast of characters and an opposites attract trope. There is also a side plot with tons of family drama which I enjoyed.

Thanks to the publisher for the ALC in return for an honest review.

Another sparkling queer YA/NA romance from Timothy Janovsky. I loved Mark Sanderlin’s narration too. He perfectly captures the exuberance and emotional turmoil of young adults with his narration style.

This romance is a Grinch-meets-Schitt’s-Creek style holiday story. The titular protagonist is a rich NYC socialite and has some growing up to do, he’s rather unlikeable at the start of the book. But it’s also clear that he’s struggling with some legitimate mental health and family issues. I think part of the attraction of this type of character-growth story is the discovery that they’ve had what they needed inside of them all along (very Grinch!), rather than some external force. Of course, there’s also the nudge provided when Matthew meets, and is forced to share a bedroom and bunk beds at his grandparents with, his seemingly polar opposite, Hector. At first he bristles at the forced proximity, and their dislike is mutual, but Matthew is also attracted to Hector pretty early on. When they are tasked with planning a holiday fundraiser gala for the small businesses in Matthew’s grandparents’ town, Matthew comes to better understand himself, with both Hector and the small town serving as a mirror (albeit at times unflattering) showing Matthew’s foibles *and* strengths. Hector also sees Matthew in a different light as they work together, and the blossoming romance is equal parts playful and heartfelt, and a bit sexy too. I thought the story dragged just a bit toward the end but I was sufficiently into the characters and the romance that I went with it.

The small town supporting cast is a delight. There were a few secondary characters in Matthew’s life that I thought would be caricatures but turned out to be surprisingly complex. I would’ve liked a bit more of Hector’s family and his ethnic and cultural background, it’s discussed between Matthew and Hector but not really explored otherwise. But ultimately I was ok with that because this is really Matthew’s story (note that this is a single POV novel, we only see Hector’s perspective through Matthew’s POV).

The mental health rep in this story is fantastic, Matthew suffers from an anxiety disorder and is already managing it with therapy and various techniques from the beginning of the book. I appreciated reading a character who has mental health struggles but the plot is not about a mental health journey, he’s already in the acceptance stage at the start of the book.

A perfect holiday treat in book form, highly recommend! Thanks to Dreamscape and NetGalley for the ARC of this audiobook.

I surprisingly enjoyed this book. The main character is unlikeable, but that's kind of the whole point. I like the love interest and low stakes storyline. One thing did confuse me, the main character said that he as a gay man was privileged for not being bisexual. I didn't really understand that but go off.

Cute holiday rom-com about a a grinchy guy who finds happiness in a small town and maybe the man of his dreams too. Matthew isn't really mean or cruel, he's just been raised that money gets you everything and not given much unconditional love. His grandparents were great, caring for him and pushing him to have fun and make bonds with others in their town. Matthew starts feeling a sense of belonging and being important to someone and you can see the change in him. It was especially adorable set during the holiday season.

Hector isn't necessarily the sunshine to Matthew's grumpiness, but he is a good guy and well liked by people around town. He's just trying to work hard and accomplish his goals and I loved when he pushed Matthew to try with his grandparents and give things a chance. The pair made a good team when it came to the fundraiser and I was rooting for them from the beginning.

This was entertaining, funny, and a great romance!

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the audiobook copy

LGBT Hallmark

This would be a perfect movie for Christmas it has all the festive feelings with lots of sprinkle.

What i loved

Hector - Can you Imagine a Latino mountain man Because that's what i have in my mind!

The grandparents and community - this was fabulous all those small town feels to the perfect Hallmark (obnoxious city character is enveloped into the heart of the community and miraculously has a personality transplant) I love this in the movies not so much in the book... Matthew came across Way to annoying, spoilt and self obsessed, some of it was funny but on a whole he was really unlikable and i couldn't see how he could endear anyone to him, let alone make them fall in love with him!

The Anxiety.... Now i have Bad anxiety wrapped in OCD topped with a sprinkling of depression, if it was so bad he would be on Meds not party planning in his head, it was nearly trying to make it a fashion statement, which years of sleepless nights and panic attacks, not wanting to leave the house and avoiding going out... this is not how i see anxiety, buying islands to cope... cmon please.

Also a tad of a spoiler here.....

The Ending Mathew sacrifices nothing and is bankrolled all through, he gets a bit of leftover money from the island he brought with his parents money in the first place to buy everyone presents....... No... this and the Anxiety portrayal brought it down..... 2.5 stars

I liked this one! It reminds me of In the Event of Love by Courney Kae, but the gay version instead of the lesbian version. I love the play on words in the title as well. I wouldn't say Matthew is as mean as the title makes him out to be, but if I had to compare him to a version of the grinch, I'd say he was more like the 2018 version than any other version. He certainly doesn't aim to make other people's lives miserable, but he's about as snappy and doesn't like Christmas for similar reasons as 2018 Grinch.

*3.75 Stars*

Matthew Prince is a spoiled brat. He is 22 and has been sent off to his non-rich grandparents, in the small town his mom grew up in, as a punishment, because he bought an island and his parents didn't love that. Think of the bad press!
There's barely any cell reception or internet nor Starbucks!! The horror!!! Also, he has to share a room with this very annoying (and gorgeous) student of his grandfather's and no one is worshiping him like he's used to...
But maybe this quiet life is not as bad as he first thought?

This was just fine for me. And tbh a little of a disappointment after the author's first book which I loved.
The main character was so annoying for so long, I had trouble connecting with him and truly caring about anything he felt. The love interest was pretty layered and interesting but I didn't understand their love story and how they even fell into each other so fast.
The setting was pretty cool though, I liked the whole small town in winter and for the holidays thing that was going on.
But yes, overall this was a bit of a letdown, just a fine holiday romance for me.

Oh my goodness this title! I’ve been eyeing this one for awhile since I first heard of it and when I saw the audio offered/approved I immediately listened. This book is a holiday treat! From the plot to the characters this is a holiday RomCom done well! I love the growth of Matthews character and and all the book represents. With opposite attracts or two from different worlds who now have to share bunk beds 👀 an adorable holiday romance and the first for me this year I can’t wait to tell others about!