Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend Summary, Charactes and Themes

Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend by Emma R. Alban is a swoon-worthy queer Victorian romance that blends Bridgerton charm with Parent Trap mischief. 

Set in 1857 London, it follows debutantes Beth and Gwen, who devise a matchmaking scheme to unite their widowed parents, only to find themselves falling in love with each other. Against the backdrop of rigid societal expectations, the novel explores themes of forbidden love, self-discovery, and defying conventions. With humor, heartfelt romance, and a dash of historical feminism, it’s a story about daring to choose love in a world that dictates otherwise.

Summary

Set in Victorian England, Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend follows two young women, Beth and Gwen, navigating London’s high society during the social season. Beth, a newcomer to society, is under immense pressure to secure a wealthy husband to save her and her mother from financial ruin. 

Her late father left the family with mounting debts, and this season is her only chance to marry well and secure their future. However, Beth despises the idea of playing the demure, marriage-hunting debutante, feeling trapped by societal expectations.

In contrast, Gwen is a rebellious free spirit who has already been through four social seasons without any intention of marrying. 

As the only daughter of a charming, rakish earl, Gwen enjoys a life of relative freedom, engaging in unconventional activities like horse riding, fencing, and spirited party games. While her father hopes she’ll marry eventually, he allows her to take life at her own pace. 

Gwen, however, is determined to avoid the fate of many women in her society: a loveless, restrictive marriage.

The two young women meet during a series of social events and quickly form a deep bond.

They find solace in each other’s company and shared disdain for the pressures placed upon them. 

Gwen soon hatches a bold idea to help them both: rather than Beth marrying for financial security, why not set up Gwen’s father, Alban, and Beth’s widowed mother, Catherine? 

If their parents marry, Beth’s financial concerns would be resolved, and Gwen could continue living her independent lifestyle without pressure to marry.

The plan seems perfect, but there’s one issue—their parents appear to despise each other. Alban and Catherine share a complicated history involving heartbreak from two decades earlier. 

Still, Beth and Gwen are determined to rekindle that old flame. As they orchestrate their matchmaking scheme, they spend more time together, attending balls, theaters, and social outings. 

Their friendship deepens into something more, and both women begin to realize they’ve fallen for each other.

Their growing feelings are complicated by societal restrictions. Beth’s mother insists that Beth accept a proposal from Lord Montson, a wealthy viscount offering financial security. Beth finds herself torn between duty to her family and her love for Gwen. 

Gwen, too, struggles with jealousy and the fear of losing Beth forever. The tension between them builds, resulting in miscommunication and emotional turmoil.

Meanwhile, Gwen’s father, Alban, is an MP advocating for progressive divorce laws to help women escape abusive marriages. 

His political work reflects the shifting roles and rights of women during the era. 

This subplot adds depth to the story, illustrating how personal freedoms were beginning to be debated in society.

In the final act, Beth breaks off her engagement to Montson, acknowledging that she cannot deny her love for Gwen. 

The two women reconcile and work to reunite their parents, finally succeeding in their matchmaking scheme. Alban and Catherine marry, and Beth and Gwen are free to pursue their love.

The novel ends on a hopeful note, with Beth and Gwen defying societal norms and carving out their own path in a restrictive world, showing that love—queer love—has always found a way to endure.

Characters

Gwen

Gwen is a wealthy and independent young woman who has already participated in four London social seasons by the time the story begins. Despite being born into privilege, Gwen is unconventional for her time.

She enjoys activities like horse riding and fencing, which were traditionally reserved for men, highlighting her rebellious nature. Raised by her indulgent father, Alban, Gwen is given the freedom to explore life on her own terms.

Although her father would prefer her to find a suitable husband, he recognizes her desire to live independently and refrains from pressuring her into marriage. Gwen’s lack of interest in settling down is central to her character.

As the story unfolds, she grapples with the emerging feelings she has for Beth, challenging her established worldview. Her playful nature contrasts with her underlying emotional depth, and she eventually finds herself caught between the loyalty to her free-spirited ideals and her growing love for her best friend.

Beth

Beth’s character serves as the foil to Gwen’s. Coming from a more precarious situation, she is thrust into her first London season, burdened by the pressure to secure a wealthy husband to ensure her family’s financial future.

Unlike Gwen, who embraces her independence, Beth’s urgency to marry stems from survival, not personal desire. Her financial struggles are central to her character’s motivations and create significant tension throughout the novel.

At the outset, Beth is anxious and apprehensive about her role in society, feeling trapped by expectations. Her internal conflict intensifies as she forms a deep bond with Gwen.

While Beth initially tries to adhere to societal norms by considering suitors like Lord Montson, her growing feelings for Gwen complicate her situation. Beth represents the conflict between duty and desire, particularly in the context of societal expectations.

Her development revolves around embracing her true feelings despite the repercussions.

Alban

Alban, Gwen’s father, is a charming and understanding man who plays a pivotal role in both the romantic and thematic aspects of the novel. A widower, he supports Gwen’s independent lifestyle, knowing that she has yet to find someone who suits her.

However, Alban is not indifferent to his daughter’s future and, like most parents of the time, hopes she will eventually marry well. His emotional complexity is revealed through his progressive stance on women’s rights, particularly his efforts to pass a law allowing women to divorce abusive husbands.

This subplot underscores Alban’s depth as a character and adds a layer of historical feminism to the narrative. While Alban’s interactions with Gwen reveal a supportive father-daughter relationship, his connection with Beth’s mother, Catherine, introduces a subplot of rekindled love.

Alban’s character shows the tension between personal desires and societal norms, reflecting the evolving attitudes of the time.

Catherine

Catherine, Beth’s mother, is a widow struggling to secure a stable future for her daughter. Unlike Gwen’s father, who is financially stable and politically active, Catherine is more concerned with the practicalities of her situation.

Having experienced the loss of her husband, she harbors her own romantic dreams, and her past relationship with Alban is an untold chapter of her life. Catherine’s vulnerability and desire for stability make her a sympathetic character.

Her eventual willingness to entertain Alban’s affections adds an element of hope and renewal in the story. Through Catherine, the novel explores themes of second chances in love and the emotional complexities that come with widowhood.

Her relationship with Gwen’s father, though complicated, becomes a focal point for both women as they work together to orchestrate the matchmaking scheme.

Supporting Characters

The supporting characters in “Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend” contribute to the richness of the story, particularly in reinforcing the themes of queer love and societal expectations.

The queer elders, such as Gwen’s housekeeper and maid, offer insight into the existence of queer relationships during the Victorian era. Their presence in the novel is essential as they provide Gwen and Beth with a glimpse into alternative forms of love and survival in a repressive society.

These characters not only offer emotional support to the protagonists but also challenge the restrictive norms of the time. Their subtle but significant role highlights the novel’s commitment to portraying LGBTQ+ relationships within a historical context.

This emphasizes that queer people have always existed and found ways to love, even under societal constraints.

Themes

Confronting Norms in a Repressive Society

In “Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend,” the protagonists, Beth and Gwen, wrestle with the overwhelming societal pressures that dictate their lives, particularly regarding marriage. The Victorian era, steeped in rigid conventions, positions marriage as a necessary means for women to secure social status and financial stability.

For Beth, this pressure is more acute, as her family’s financial survival is contingent upon her finding a wealthy suitor. Conversely, Gwen, who hails from a privileged background, resists these societal expectations due to her personal choice and the independence granted to her by her father, even as he too wishes for her to marry well.

Throughout the novel, both women’s personal desires clash with the institutionalized role women are expected to play. This theme challenges the deeply entrenched norms around gender and the concept of marriage, as both Beth and Gwen find themselves defying their roles in pursuit of love on their own terms.

Hidden Desires in a Repressive World

The relationship between Beth and Gwen is defined by the taboo of same-sex love within the constraints of 19th-century English society. The novel delicately explores the hidden and often unspoken lives of LGBTQ+ individuals during a time when their existence was criminalized and marginalized.

As their friendship evolves into a deep romantic bond, both women must navigate the dangerous terrain of forbidden love, where their affection for each other is not just unrecognized but also punished by the very society they are trying to conform to.

The secrecy surrounding their love creates an intense emotional tension, particularly as they are aware of the very real dangers of being exposed. The story deftly addresses the challenges of maintaining such a relationship in a time where public appearances were everything, and private desires were either repressed or hidden away.

The complexity of this forbidden love reflects the historical realities of LGBTQ+ individuals in a society that denied them the freedom to love openly.

The Burden of Economic Dependence on Women

At the heart of Beth’s storyline is her dire financial situation. With her father’s death, she and her mother face the prospect of ruin if Beth cannot secure a wealthy husband to ensure their continued survival.

This narrative reveals the precariousness of women’s financial independence in the Victorian era, where the majority of women had no means of supporting themselves other than through marriage. For Beth, this societal construct isn’t just about love—it’s about survival.

While Gwen has the privilege of choosing not to marry for financial reasons, Beth does not have this luxury, and her every move is dictated by the need to find a suitable match. The novel intricately intertwines the pressure to marry for wealth with Beth’s growing emotional connection to Gwen, highlighting the difficulty of reconciling love with the practicalities of financial necessity.

The theme exposes how the economic dependencies of women during this period restricted their personal agency, forcing many into marriages that had little to do with affection and everything to do with financial stability.

Forgiveness, Second Chances, and New Beginnings in Parent-Child Relationships

The evolving relationship between Beth and Gwen is mirrored in the rekindling romance of their parents, adding another layer of complexity to the narrative. Their matchmaking scheme, designed to unite their widowed parents, ultimately becomes a metaphor for second chances at love and healing emotional wounds.

Both Alban (Gwen’s father) and Catherine (Beth’s mother) are burdened by their past romantic failures, and through the course of the story, they find in each other the possibility of rekindled love and emotional restoration.

This subplot contrasts the youthful, intense emotions of Beth and Gwen with the more mature, reflective relationships of their parents. The theme emphasizes the idea that love is not reserved for the young, and it is possible to find happiness again, even after significant loss.

Through the relationship of Alban and Catherine, the novel explores themes of forgiveness, understanding, and the power of new beginnings—showing that the potential for growth and love doesn’t end with age or past mistakes.

Self-Discovery and Identity in a Restrictive Society

Beth and Gwen’s journey is not only about their romantic love for each other but also about their self-discovery in a world that severely limits their freedom. For Beth, the struggle is about reconciling her duty to her family and society with her growing feelings for Gwen.

Her engagement to Lord Montson represents her duty, while her relationship with Gwen represents her true self, which she has never allowed herself to fully explore due to societal expectations. Gwen’s journey is more about exploring the boundaries of her independence while dealing with the pressure to conform to social expectations of marriage.

As both women navigate these emotional conflicts, they come to understand themselves and each other more deeply, slowly shedding the masks they’ve been forced to wear. The theme of self-discovery speaks to a broader narrative of personal growth, where love and identity are inextricably linked, and the journey towards freedom is often fraught with painful decisions and sacrifices.

The tension between societal repression and personal freedom provides the backbone of the characters’ emotional journeys, ultimately leading them to redefine their futures on their own terms.

The Parent Trap as Metaphor (Love, Mischief, and Complex Family Dynamics)

The central plot device of the “Parent Trap” in the novel introduces an unexpected blend of humor, mischief, and heartfelt drama. Gwen and Beth’s plan to matchmake their parents serves as a vehicle not only for their personal growth but also for exploring the complex dynamics of family relationships.

The two women, initially bound by friendship, use their parents’ past relationships as a catalyst for change, believing that their plan could resolve many of their personal challenges. However, as the scheme unfolds, the realization that their own feelings for each other are deepening creates an emotional paradox.

The tension of wanting to help their parents find happiness while also confronting their own blossoming love brings forth a rollercoaster of emotional highs and lows. The theme explores the complexity of family ties, the intricacies of blended families, and the emotional turmoil that can arise when familial roles shift.

As the plot unravels, the “Parent Trap” becomes more than a simple matchmaking scheme—it is a metaphor for the emotional entanglements that often accompany love, family, and the pursuit of personal freedom.

Historical Feminism (Gender Roles, Women’s Rights, and the Struggle for Autonomy)

The novel presents a historical context rich in feminist undertones, particularly through the subplot involving Gwen’s father, Alban, and his advocacy for women’s rights. His push for progressive legislation to allow women to divorce abusive husbands provides a backdrop for the broader struggles for women’s autonomy during the Victorian era.

This theme critiques the limited agency women had during this time, often relying on their husbands for safety and stability, or in some cases, their fathers. Alban’s progressive stance on divorce challenges the established patriarchal norms and highlights the ongoing fight for women’s rights.

It adds a layer of depth to the story by weaving real historical issues into the narrative, reinforcing the idea that love and autonomy are intricately tied and often under threat in a patriarchal society. Through Alban’s efforts and the experiences of Beth and Gwen, the novel brings attention to the evolving discourse on gender roles and the rights of women during a period of social and legal change.