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"Emma R. Alban is a fresh, distinct new voice in the genre and her debut gives us all the top tier wit, spice, and swoons we love in a historical romance. One to watch!" -- Evie Dunmore, USA Today bestselling author of Bringing Down the Duke "Sweet, angsty, and ingeniously subversive, Don''t Want You Like a Best Friend will have you turning the pages and rooting for Beth and Gwen to finally get the happy-ever-after they both deserve. A delightfully refreshing historical romance!" -- Amalie Howard, USA Today bestselling author "Equal parts swoony, nail-bitingly emotional, and sizzling, Don''t Want You Like a Best Friend sweeps readers off their feet in a wholly new and exhilarating dance. With beautifully rendered setting, whip-smart banter, and a cast of characters that are so easy to love, Alban cements herself as an instant voice to watch in queer romance." -- Carlyn Greenwald, author of Sizzle Reel "For readers who want tenderness, not trauma, in their queer period fiction, this will hit the spot." -- Publishers Weekly "Alban''s debut is a disarmingly sweet and well-written story that promises two romances for the price of one. This has wide appeal and is recommended for readers who enjoy sapphic stories, new-adult fiction, or historical romance." -- Library Journal "With an engaging plot that offers a deft nod to The Parent Trap , Alban''s gracefully written and keenly witty romance debut perfectly encapsulates all the hunger, heartbreak, and hope involved in falling in love for the first time. The start to the Mischief & Matchmaking series is an absolute delight." -- Booklist (starred review) "[A] witty, complex slow burn.... [that is] lightly spicy and remarkably intense.... A stunning Sapphic Victorian romance from an author to watch." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review) ...
Summary
Mean Girls meets Northanger Abbey in this sharp and sexy Regency Romance that begs the question: what if Cady and Regina just… kissed?
When Catherine Pine relocates to Bath in 1817, she comes face-to-face with her mother’s arch nemesis and her daughter—the wildly popular Lady Rosalie. Twenty-five years after a horrible betrayal, Catherine’s mother sees the perfect opportunity for revenge: Catherine must win the favor of Lady Rosalie’s suitor and unofficial betrothed, the most eligible Mr. Dean.
Only Catherine soon discovers that Lady Rosalie is by far the wittiest, cleverest, most intriguing young woman Catherine’s ever met, and she’s instantly smitten. Which is a problem.
Meanwhile, Lady Rosalie feels trapped in her relationship with Mr. Dean and in her role as Bath’s resident mean girl. But when she notices newcomer Catherine gunning for her spot as queen bee, Rosalie finally feels a spark again–something she absolutely doesn’t want to extinguish.
As Rosalie and Catherine circle Mr. Dean, and their mothers force them into increasingly absurd contests of wit and feminine charms, the two women somehow find themselves falling for each other, scheme, by barb, by catty jab…
Is it possible that their sizzling rivalry can become a match to last?
