Book 982: You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince (Boy Meets Boy #2) – Timothy Janovsky

As I mentioned in my review of Never Been Kissed, I originally planned to read this but when I found out it was the second in a (now I know unconnected) series, I had to start with the first! Thankfully, my local library had digital copies of both and I was able to download them and jump right in.

The premise of this novel is that the very wealthy Matthew pulls a ridiculous stunt and his parents send him to live with his grandparents for the holidays to let the press cool off and teach him a lesson. There he meets, down-t0-earth scholarship student Hector who has no time or patience for spoiled little rich boy shenanigans.

Classic enemies to lovers having to work together to save the small-town Hallmark movie fodder. And for the most part, it worked and Janovsky did a great job. It wasn’t quite as aww-inducing or perfectly adorable as the first in this series was for me, but it was well-written with great minor characters and a solid plot.

Trends in fashion come and go, but feelings? Those fuckers are forever. (Chapter 4)

I struggled a bit reading this one mostly due to Matthew’s asshattery (yes that’s a real word, I thought it was hyphenated and I made it up, but Grammarly let me know it’s a real word, but not hyphenated). The more MM romance I read and the older I get the less time I have for spoiled little rich kids and their tantrums. Janovsky did a decent job of humanizing Matthew and the growth from the early chapters to the end is astronomical, but with the book coming from Matthew’s perspective, it got really old fast.

Like I said with the last book, I would’ve liked this to be a dual narrative. A dual narrative might’ve made me read this a lot faster and lessened the annoyance I had with Matthew. That being said some moments made me appreciate his character and his development, especially toward the end.

This is going to sound silly, but I always loved the big events in those books. The Jane Austen-esque parties, the big dance scene in Little Women, Fezziwig’s annual Christmas Ball. They set the stage for so many interesting interactions, different people coming together, making new connections. I think that’s what I love about planning events. I make space for new stories to start and old stories to collect new meaning. (Chapter 29)

A few days after finishing it, I’m still pissed at Matthew’s parents and what his mom pulled. I was so glad to see Matthew toss up his middle finger and say I’m going to make it on my own and we’ll rebuild our relationship slowly, but not today. And his return to Wind River (I think that’s the name) was exactly what the story needed and led into the final OMG YES scene before the epilogue and they just worked.

Also, should out to Janovsky casually throwing in a non-binary character or a character that uses they/them pronouns without making a big deal about it or explaining it. It was so natural that it took me a minute to realize Matthew was referring to his therapist with they/them pronouns and I was like YESSSS! Same thing for some of the other characters. Normalize. Representation. Thank you.

Recommendation: Overall, I very much enjoyed this read. To me, it wasn’t as perfect as Never Been Kissed, but it definitely had its charms. Hector and Matthew were great protagonists, but the minor characters and the quaint New England town built out the story and made me enjoy this one as much as I did. I will be keeping an eye out for future books by Janovsky. There was a preview of one at the end of this one but I stayed away because it’s not released until August!

Opening Line: “I bought an island. So what?”

Closing Line: “A new, remarkable holiday tradition begins tonight.” (Whited out to avoid spoilers, highlight to read.)

Additional Quotes from You’re a Mean One, Matthew Prince
“In the center are copies of books by James Baldwin and F. Scott Fitzgerald, Toni Morrison and Jane Austen. There’s every book Miguel de Cervantes ever wrote. Some even in their original Spanish. Hector couldn’t be more of a literature nerd if he tried.” (Chapter 9)

“It’s always weird being in a new place and meeting new people. The act of coming out all over again is exhausting, stripping away a little piece of yourself every time someone tries to get to know you. It’s not that I’m not one-hundred-percent proud (okay, ninety-eight percent). It just took a lot of hard work to get there, especially with the media hounding my family.” (Chapter 13)

“Guys want to sleep with me for the story.
Do I love that? No. Do I love a chiseled jawline and biceps that could crush me? Absolutely. And I can’t blame these boys. I’ve done the same with more than my fair share of semi-celebs and models. Falling into bed with someone isn’t falling in love. Casual sex is a hobby you pick up whenever the fancy strikes.” (Chapter 15)

“Following expectations doesn’t make you a better person. Being the person someone says you should be doesn’t always make you happy . . .” (Chapter 22)