This was such a cute sapphic historical romance with a Parent Trap scheme!⁣
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Beth is a debutante who has just a few months to find herself a husband, or else she and her mother would be out on the streets. And she meets Gwen, who is on her fourth season and they quickly become friends. When they discover that Beth's mom and Gwen's dad have some history, they devise a scheme to bring them together😆 but their parents don't seem to get along with each other at first. And while Beth and Gwen grow closer, a viscount also starts courting Beth and he seems like the perfect match on paper. Will Beth and Gwen be able to bring their parents together while figuring out their relationship too?⁣
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I loved Beth and Gwen in this one! They had an instant connection and they were so comfortable with each other while bringing out the other's mischievous side too! There's a bit of a push-pull thing going on because of their circumstances but I loved watching them figure things out. Gwen also has an amazing relationship with her dad! And the parents' love story was an added bonus and I'd have loved seeing more of it😆 I did want a grovel from Beth's mom at the end though 😂⁣
What kept me from fully enjoying this one was the third person present tense writing 🙆‍♀️ I'm fine with both first person and third person povs but when it comes to past/present tense, I'm definitely gonna pick the first. It took me a long time to immerse myself because of this and I also found certain parts of the story a bit more on the contemporary side at times. But, I still enjoyed reading this one and the next book sounds very promising too especially with another round of matchmaking hijinks 😆

I forgot to leave a review for this, but I really enjoyed it! It's been out for ages, so I won't say much more than I need to for my star rating. <3

Lesbian Bridgerton Parent Trap with a Taylor Swift lyric as the title? I think this book may have been made in a lab for me to enjoy.

Alban's book was a thorough delight. The characters were charming and dynamic, the tension was delicious, and the story was exceptionally well paced. There's fun hijinks, swoony moments, lovable side characters, and two beautiful love stories. My only wish is that Alban needs to immediately pen a novella that gives the readers the story of Dashiell and Cordelia twenty-two years ago and now their reunions because god I wanted to be in their heads too.

I'm deeply excited for the sequel and to follow Alban's blossoming career!

Beth has just one season to find a suitable husband or her family will be left with nothing. On the contrary, this is Gwen's fourth season and she is so tired of trying to find a man to marry. The two become fast friends and realize that there are old feelings between their parents. Together, they brainstorm a scheme to set them up, but quickly discover that their parents aren't the only ones with chemistry.

This is my first time reading in the historical romance genre and I'm just not sure that I'm a regency/Victorian romance girlie. Despite that, I found this book to be lighthearted and fun and I especially liked the Parent Trap-esque hijinks. Overall, I enjoyed this novel, but just did not love it as much as I'd hoped. However, I think fans of historical romance would really love it!

3.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

This is a really cute sapphic romance that scratches the period romance itch without completely rewriting historical norms. There are some weird little anachronisms here and there that are jarring on occasion but in the end they didn't detract from my enjoyment of the book too much. The characters have some dimension even if parts of the plot are very standard romance fare. If you're in the mood for sweet, mindless fluff with barely a touch of mild spice, this will probably make you smile.

I was honestly very interested in the set up of the next book in the ending as well, so I can't wait to read that one!

This was cute! If a bit uneven. I did enjoy the political thread woven into it, more expertly in the last act than it seemed at first. I was thrown by the sporadic use of slang terms that wouldn’t exist for 70-120 years, but on the other hand I appreciated the lack of Bad Corset Tropes and the reminder than massive skirts are really much more troublesome to wear than stays.

This one was SO super cute, although it ended up being a little angstier than I expected (mostly due to the consequence of miscommunication and characters just NOT being upfront about things) and for longer than I hoped it would be. But the gradual development of Gwen and Beth's realization of romantic feelings for each other was fantastic, and I really loved their plan to trap their parents into a second-chance relationship, especially with that secondary love story basically playing out underneath the main one. (There SHOULD be more historical romances where characters set up their widowed parents, just saying.)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this edition from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I love the idea of the girls playing matchmaker for their parents and falling in love with each other, but this fell short for me. I wanted to love this book with everything in it. I love a historical romance, especially if it is sapphic, but I didn't feel the chemistry in this one.

I didn’t finish this book but I got far enough. The romance just…wasn’t there? And the ending felt very icky. I had higher expectations for this one and it just didn’t meet the mark.

This book was perfect. Honestly everyone I wanted in a regency romcom. So much pining. So much drama. I cannot wait for the next book!

Don't Want You Like a Best Friend was such a pleasant surprise! I confess I was a little skeptical of the title and cover as I prefer more adult-centered stories but this delivered it!

Emma Alban's writing was somehow perfectly fitting for the novel's setting and it made me love the book even more for it. As a historical romance enthusiast, I found the writing to be as immersive as the plot itself. From the descriptions to the dialogue, I truly wanted to read it all in one sitting.

I was enamoured with Gwen and Beth, as well as their parents and lovely meddling cousins. I truly did not think a single character felt too one dimensional or unnecessary to the plot.

I went through so many emotions while reading this and cried unabashedly more than once. This book did exactly what I hoped it would when it came to delivering a lovely and tender sapphic romance. I absolutely adored it and will purchase a physical version of this book as soon as I have the chance.

Thank you Penguin, Emma Alban, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Very unlike any other historical I’ve read before. I went into it super excited about reading something sapphic and Victorian. Though I do wish it felt more historical I still had a fun time. Will definitely be keeping an eye out for this author!

To me, this feels more like a forst draft. Lots of potential but wasn't quite done right. Thr main problem was the relationship progression between the two main characters. We barely got to see their relationship develop before they decided they were in love with each other. Also I feel like the author took random knowledge they had of the victorian era from period dramas and didn't do basic research needed for this book.

A truly charming and sweet sapphic romance novel about two irrepressible and spunky young women who are both on the marriage market and decide to marry off their parents so they never have to be married off themselves. So fun!!

What a fun novel! I had a great time reading this book. The antics were fun, the romance was sweet, and I can’t wait to pick up the sequel.

I loved every minute of this! Beth and Gwen are so freaking cute and I absolutely loved the parent trap vibes.

I was a little worried at first that it was going to feel like a NA or YA book because the main characters were 20 and 21, but I was pleasantly surprised because it definitely read like an adult book.

I love that we got multiple love stories in this book and not just one. It’s always a nice treat to get to get an extra one or two little love stories.

The epilogue totally set up the second book, and I am so excited to see where the story goes.

Thank you to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this sapphic historical romance, which is set during the Victorian period. The fluff and the angst are perfectly balanced, and the way the two FMCs discover their feelings for each other is pitch-perfect. You will run the gamut of emotions when you read this book, and savor every minute.

There were a few moments when this book felt a bit YA, and readers who don't love modern-sounding dialogue in historical books may not enjoy this one. However, to me, these choices felt very deliberate, and did not keep me from absolutely loving this book.

I can't wait to read what Emma R. Alban writes next!

I was excited to read this, and promptly dove in… but I was bored. I didn’t feel chemistry between the main characters (to me, it felt more sisterly… and of course they had to become step-sisters). Without chemistry, it made it difficult to figure out what I was reading (and the tone of each character doesn’t really change – there’s nothing uniquely theirs). And the plot, just didn’t go anywhere. I think my biggest issue with the story is that it was meant to be a period piece… but it didn’t read as one. Go in without any expectations, and you’ll probably enjoy it more than me!

“Bridgerton meets The Parent Trap” perfectly captures the plot and vibes of Alban’s debut in which two reluctant debutantes decide to make a match between their widowed parents instead of seeking husbands for themselves. As Gwen and Beth walk through lush gardens and avoid snobby suitors, their friendship turns into a coming of age romance. At first, I thought this read was a bit more YA romance than New Adult because the parents have such a presence on the page, but I grew to appreciate Alban’s depiction of family dynamics and generational healing.

I’ve heard absolutely amazing things about this one, and while I think it is one most people will love, it just didn’t work for me at this time. I would still recommend if you’re into historical romance!!