Mischief & Matchmaking

The enemies-to-lovers queer Victorian romance follow-up to Don't Want You Like a Best Friend, in which a young lord and a second son clash, but find themselves thrust together again and again by their meddling cousins. "That man is, without a doubt, the absolute most obnoxious… Bobby Mason is sick of being second best: born the spare, never trusted with family responsibility, never expected to amount to much. He's hungry to contribute something that matters, while all around him his peers are squandering their political and financial power, coasting through life. Which is exactly why he can't stand the new Viscount Demeroven. …insufferable… James Demeroven, just come of age and into the Viscountcy, knows that he's a disappointment. Keeping his head down and never raising anyone's expectations is how he's survived life with his stepfather. To quiet, careful James, Bobby Mason is a blazing comet in his endless night, even more alive than he was at Oxford when James crushed on him from afar. But Mason is also brash and recklessly unapologetic, destined to shatter the fragile safety of James's world. Worst of all, he keeps rubbing James's failures in his face. …hottest man to ever walk the ton." They can barely get through a single conversation without tensions boiling over. Neither Bobby nor James has ever met a more intriguing, infuriating, infatuating man. If only they could avoid each other entirely. Bad enough their (wonderful but determined) cousins Beth and Gwen keep conveniently setting up group outings. But when an extortionist starts targeting their families, threatening their reputations, Bobby and James must find a way to work together, without pushing each other's buttons (or tearing them off) in the process… "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, on Don't Want You Like a Best Friend "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