Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - Don't Want You Like a Best Friend

This book has swiftly secured itself as a favorite for 2024- the audiobook features dual narration for both Beth and Gwen and both ladies are the perfect voices for both girls!

This sapphic regency romance X parent trap mix had the most perfect scenes, most believable and unique moments of love between multiple characters , and thee most satisfying HEA that I have read in months.

This is such a well written, lovely, gorgeous debut and I’m looking forward to the second book in the Mischief & Matchmaking series!

Spoiler?
Conversational awareness piece here:
The claim that this book is glorifying or show casing incest is a mega leap and extremely queerphobic. The girls NEVER knew each other growing up, do not call each other sister romantically, and this is a book of its time: it’s regency. They cannot marry one another like they desire too and this is the next best thing.

The epilogue is another example of them trying to work with the world they are in to potentially appease society/not draw attention to their queerness, live happily ever after together, and maybe help another queer couple live happily ever after all at the same time.

Please stop letting comphet normality ruin this book for you and stop looking at it thru a straight view point.

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fairytalefootnotes's review

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emotional funny hopeful tense slow-paced

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

4.75

Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
Writing: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Plot: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Characters: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Tropes: Friends to Lovers, Forbidden Love. Second Chance Romance for secondary characters.
3rd Act Breakup?: 2nd Act

The Praise: I loved Beth & Gwen and their development from friends to more. They’re so sweet together and there were so many moments that had me giggling and kicking my feet over them. The side characters were also wonderful, from the parents to Albie, Bobby, Meredith, Mrs. Gilpe, and Mrs. Stelm.

The Critique: My only real issues were that 1) Beth & Gwen didn’t immediately try to get their parents to marry when things went sideways when that had initially been the main plan and 2) it felt so long even though it isn’t really and I think it’s because so much happens. Oddly enough, it felt a lot like The Parent Trap in that way, in my opinion. I’ve always felt like the movie feels like 3 separate movies (camp, the switch, the switch back) and that’s how I felt with this, too, so maybe it was intentional.

Final Thoughts: I really enjoyed this! The characters were excellent, the banter was fun, and the drama ripped my heart out.

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livruther's review against another edition

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emotional relaxing medium-paced

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

i received an arc from netgalley and the publisher

Don’t Want You Like A Best Friend is a strong debut. I doubt it will have any trouble finding readers with its title, cute cover, and fun premise. I had some trouble believing in the development of their friendship at the beginning because I just didn’t feel that much chemistry between them, nor did I feel like they had a lot in common, but as they developed from friends to lovers, I became fonder of their relationship. The whole cast of supporting characters is also super lovable! It is overall a very well written book, and I thought the conflict was compelling. The third person present tense isn’t my favorite, but it didn’t ruin my enjoyment. The intimacy is done well, and the first kiss scene is absolutely phenomenal. Absolutely would recommend. The epilogue did a great job setting up for the next book, which I am excited for!

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haileyhardcover's review

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emotional funny hopeful medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.0

I’ve seen this book marketed as sapphic Bridgerton. Admittedly, I’ve only seen the show, not read the books, so maybe they are less spicy than the show is? In any case, I was expecting a good amount of spice and got… black pepper. 😒

(Lack of) spice aside, the time period, the drama, the goings-on of the ton, that’s all there and all too familiar for those of us who have enjoyed Bridgerton. I really liked both Beth and Gwen, and their families - especially Gwen’s cousins. It was really nice to see their relationship supported by the people who loved them, even though that wouldn’t have been likely for the time period.

I rushed through this book because I won’t have time for reading tomorrow and I didn’t want to leave anything unfinished before the new year. If I didn’t have that time limit hanging over my head, I think it probably would’ve taken me a few days to read because, though it was a sweet story, it didn’t really grip me. I took several breaks throughout the day while reading it, whereas normally, if I really love a book, I could get through one of this length in just a few hours. Still, it is worth the read and a perfectly good way to end the year.

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nerdybookqueen's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful 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? N/A

5.0

I got an e-arc of this book from Netgalley in exchange for fair and honest feedback.

A queer romance set against a backdrop of the parent trap and the politics of protecting women from abuse, named after a Taylor Swift song? This book was amazing, I adored these characters, and I can't wait to buy it.

This book follows Gwen and Beth, two sapphic women in the mid-1800s, in the midst of Beth's first season and Gwen's...fourth, if I recall correctly. It is through their friendship that they discover tthe past romance between Gwen's father and Beth's mother, both single. And of course, the only logical conclusion is for them to attempt a parent-trap style scheme and get their parents together.

And of course, while they do this, they fall in love. And it is sweet and messy and chaotic. And of course, there are the perils of the time period, and being queer during that era. To add to the mess, there is Beth's suitor, which they think will become a safe beard for their relationship, allowing them to stay together as "friends."

Alas, surprise, the suitor's father is fighting against a law supported by Gwen's father, one that would give women the right to divorce their husband's for abuse (something Beth's mother suffered from at the hands of her father). As such, both women are forbidden from seeing Gwen and her father. How they solve it? That's the rest of the story.

This book was such a wonderful, sweet romance between these two girls, and getting to watch their parents fall back together from afar was also so nice. Additionally, Gwen's family staff features to older sapphic women, and it is so, so nice to see elder LGBT women, both in general and for the time period. I adore Gwen and Beth, and I think other readers will too. And the ending? Fantastic, in more ways than one, and more than I expected.

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stardustandrockets's review

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adventurous challenging emotional funny hopeful lighthearted sad tense 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? Yes

5.0

I was given an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything! I absolutely love the hijinks Gwen and Beth come up with to get their parents together so they don't have to get married themselves. Not realizing they're both queer until it's too late, this was an absolute joy of a book. Mixing my love of historical romance, queer discovery stories, and badass ladies.

The cast of characters was great. Aside from the main duo, Albie was a stand-out to me. Same with Meredith. They were both so accepting of Gwen and Beth and probably realized they had a thing for each other before they did.

I absolutely adored this book and cannot wait to read the sequel!

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battyaboutbooks's review

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hopeful lighthearted slow-paced

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

3.0

🦇 Don't Want You Like a Best Friend Book Review 🦇

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

❝ She thinks about her a lot, of course. And the days are better when they get to be together. And when she's dressing for balls now she thinks more of what Beth might think of her gown than what any of the young men might. And holding Beth's hand today made her feel more than she's ever felt dancing with anyone...They're friends. Shouldn't she love her friend? ❞

❓ #QOTD What's your favorite Bridgerton pairing? ❓

🦇 Anxious debutante Beth has just one season to snag a wealthy husband, while Gwen is on her fourth season with no intention of finding a husband. Unknown to them both, their single parents seem to have a history. Getting them married could save all their problems. Only one hitch: they seem to hate each other. Can Beth and Gwen bring their parents together...all while ignoring the budding feelings they seem to have for each other?

💜 I'll admit it: the tagline "a swoon-worthy debut queer Victorian romance" and promise of a "lesbian Bridgerton/Parent Trap" caught my eye. Gwen is a firecracker from her introduction, while Beth is everything you would expect from a demure debut searching for a husband. There's an instant spark from the moment they meet; a subtle yet undeniable chemistry many of us have experienced after meeting our (platonic or romantic) soulmates. Every scene between them is full of energy. They're each other's ideal halves: Gwen is bold, energetic, and as charming as her father, while Beth is sweet, amiable, and reserved. They get into Parent-Trap-style shenanigans with one another while simultaneously bringing out the best in each other. We see Beth's character growth through her time with Gwen as much as we see Gwen grow after meeting Beth.

🦇 It's funny but before reading the plot, both the title and cover reminded me of The Fiancee Farce, which led me to expect something more modern. Despite the story's setting in the Regency period, the writing (everything from the prose and exposition to jokes and attitudes) seems more modern than expected. The only aspect that reminded me of any classic story (like Jane Austen) or recent Regency novel (like Bridgerton) was the pacing. The first 30% of the story drags without the type of messy antics or conflicts that would have driven the story forward. It felt like a modern story dressed up as a Regency period tale. The overlapping plots (the sapphic relationship, Beth searching for a husband, and the Parent-Trapping) aren't weaved together with cohesion that would have helped the pacing. Because of the uneven pacing, the transition from friends to more comes off as sudden instead of a natural progression. The dual third-person limited, present-tense POV was also a strange choice, which made the prose awkward at times.

🦇 Recommended for fans of Bridgerton, Parent Trap, and Victorian romances. There are also a few Swiftie references (for those of you who feel compelled to read a book for that sort of thing).

✨ The Vibes ✨
🩷 Victorian Era Romance
🩷 Sapphic Romance
🩷 Forbidden Romance
🩷 Friends to Lovers
🩷 Dual POV

⚠️ Content Warnings: Domestic, Emotional, and Physical Abuse; Sexual Content; Sexism; Death of a Parent

🦇 Major thanks to the author and publisher for providing an ARC of this book via Netgalley. 🥰 This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

Content Warnings

tranzkafka's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No

3.5

*eARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

had fun reading this book! it was really engaging and i was rooting for the relationships. i don't think the world building was that strong though; i found it hard to believe this was the Regency era, plus there were some Americanisms that slipped through. also the supporting characters felt a bit flat in places.

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