Included as a top pick in bimonthly July New Releases post, which highlights and promotes upcoming releases of the month (link attached).

Screwed-up E-list celebrity Luc needs a fake boyfriend to rejuvenate his reputation with the press and keep his job. Uptight control freak lawyer Oliver needs a fake boyfriend to accompany him to family gatherings. It sounds like a match made in all-your-favorite-romance-tropes heaven. And boy, is it ever (even down to the good ol’ “only one bed” moment).

Boyfriend Material is a good enough book that I forgave the times when it wasn’t actually that great a book. If that sounds self-contradictory, well, I’m okay with that. Because this story is romantic, it is moving, it is fun, it is deliciously goofy, it is laugh-out-loud funny (legitimately, I giggled through the whole thing), and it is sincerely, earnestly, squee-worthy. And all of that somehow totally overrides the fact that nearly every major plot point feels more than a bit contrived (why can’t you just tell him you had a family emergency? Why does everyone seem to agree that a fake bougie boyfriend is somehow the right and only solution to Luc’s initial problem?? Why can’t anyone just talk to people???). So the story beats mostly rely on the kind of stretch that requires some serious yoga practice - but so what? Honestly, less than halfway into Boyfriend Material, I really didn’t mind. Because I was too busy laughing at Luc’s snarky oneliners and Alex Twaddle’s surprisingly appealing nincompoopishness, feeling legitimately peeved at Jon Fleming’s faux-enlightened jerk moves, and muttering under my breath “oh my god just say I love you and kiss him already!” So if that sounds like your cup of tea (an extremely British cuppa, mind), as it turned out to be mine, then enjoy Boyfriend Material.

This was my choice of book for PRIDE month and I am so not disappointed. The book starts in the most hilarious way and I realized immediately that Luc was going to be my fluff ball. Alexis Hall has done a commendable job at creating his character because he is the most real character I have read about recently. Luc is not an ordinary gay boy - he's the son of a rockstar who might have cancer. He is also the evidence of what the paparazzi can make of you for not fault of yours. Luc is vulnerable, sarcastic, rude, mean and cries without being ashamed which is something men are always ridiculed for.

The plot line is fairly good but nothing out of the world. However, for those of you who absolutely love the 'fake-dating' trope, this is the best you will get. Also, apart from Luc, other characters are equally QUIRKY. I adore Luc's group of friends - Bridge, Priya, Tom, James Royce and James Royce-Royce. I would kill to have friends like these. Can someone get me friends like these?

It's been a long time since I brought my puppy eyes on for people to read this, but this book most definitely made me do this on my bookstagram account. Another subplot that I really enjoyed was "crappy parents". This book is a collection of crappy/eccentric parents. Luc's mother is the only exception and she is the most adorable person who calls her son 'mon chere'. But the rest of them were horrible! Satans, if I might say. Despite that, I really enjoyed these relationships.

Luc is the son of rock stars who split when he was young. He never really knew his Dad but has a great relationship with his Mom. Because of his famous parents he is often in the public eye, especially now that his Dad is making a comeback. Luc works for a charity and he has been getting some bad publicity recently due to some photos taken of him. He decides he needs a respectable boyfriend to change the way people think about him.

Oliver is a barrister who is not Luc’s normal type. He’s nice, a good person, and a vegetarian. They don’t have anything in common except both needing a date to important events. So they decide to publicly fake date, that way Luc will get some good publicity and they will both have the dates they need. Once their events are over they plan to go their separate ways but of course, feelings change and it isn’t that easy.

I loved this book! Luc and Oliver are amazing characters who are perfect for each other. In the beginning they don’t like each other, but as their fake relationship goes on they start to fall for each other and you realize how good they are together. They both grow as people throughout the story, especially Luc, and it’s so nice to see.

Luc has such good friends and a great support system with them and his Mom. I loved each of them so much! Anytime they were all together you couldn’t help but laugh at what they were saying or doing.

I also loved the conversations Luc had with his coworker Alex and how goofy they were. I laughed out loud everytime Luc told him a joke and Alex didn’t get it or tried to explain a part of it. This was such a funny book which I didn’t expect at all.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Alexis Hall is the author who managed to make me read a wholeass trilogy with a billionaire as a love interest, and enjoy the hell out of it. I was beyond excited to see what he could do with tropes I *do* like. Opposites attract fake dating ? Sign. Me. Up.

Boyfriend Material managed to exceed my already sky-high expectations. Luc and Oliver’s story was this magical mix of rom-com-y over-the-top goodness and more than a few Real & Raw Feelings that punch you right in the guts.

Luc is...a mess. As the child of a has-been rock star who’s making his come-back as a reality TV coach, his life is tabloid fodder. His trust has been betrayed before, so he’s this prickly, commitment-phobic hedgehog. And when he ends up, yet again, as a tabloid story, he has to “clean up his act” so he won’t lose his job at a charity for beetles preservation (yes you read that correctly).

I say “clean up his act” between quotation marks because Luc did absolutely nothing wrong. But since rank homophobia comes in all shapes and forms, a few donors want him to be “the right kind of gay” (presumably the kind that goes to art galleries and knows how to pair Italian cheeses with French wines, I suppose?). So to save his job, he has to find a Good Man (™) whose aura of respectability is gonna rub on Luc.

Oliver is the perfect man for the job. He’s a friend of a friend and they have history: a very short one, consisting mainly Luc feeling constantly judged and found lacking by Oliver. Their past encounters were very Pride and Prejudice-y, with misunderstandings that grew into dislike and mistrust (or at least, from Luc’s part. We only have his point of view, after all). And, surprisingly, Oliver is ready to play along with the fake relationship plan.

They couldn’t be more different if they tried. Oliver is a straight-laced vegetarian barrister, who boycotts Uber for his conscience and avoids sweets for his health. He’s also a mess. Because, unsurprisingly, when you scratch the surface of his perfection, what’s beneath is all the shit that he sacrifices, and deeper still, all the bigger, messed-up shit that motivates him to be this Ideal Human Person.

Luc and Oliver hit it off right aw...nah just kidding. Their first encounters as fake boyfriends are a disaster of misunderstandings and prickliness. They are both TERRIBLE at relationships, even at faking one, albeit for different reasons. However, they do try. And while they’re trying, we see the cracks in Oliver’s mask of perfection, the sense of humour beneath, the sense of fairness, the love he has to give if only he was a little less hard on himself. And we see the goodness in Luc, the empathy he tried to squash as a self-preservation measure, the fierce protectiveness. And it’s absolutely lovely.

The supporting (and supportive) “cast” of characters is another highlight of a book already full of highlights. Luc’s friends, Luc’s mother, Luc’s coworkers, Oliver’s friends...They manage to completely steal the show and bring a touch of bantery, sometimes absurd, romcom vibes.

Writing this review makes me want to read it again, for the third time, which might give you a hint about just how much I loved it.

*I received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinions. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity.*

I love the set up of this book! I have been an Alexis Hall fan for quite awhile now. I love the couples I have read before and I love the way I feel drawn to his characters. I love "British-ness" of them and the seeing into the LGBTQ+ community of his novels.

This novel is a set up for two men who are each looking for a Fake relationship to serve a purpose in their lives. We are in the POV of Luc, who is a hot mess express. He has 2 famous parents who are both a bit too self absorbed, one of which is a famous Rock Star who abandoned him and his mother many years ago and is now back to make amends before he dies of cancer… bit of a bummer, wouldn't you say? The job that Luc currently has is helping to fund raise for a charity, but when his rakish ways bring him too much attention, the bad kind, he needs to clean up his image.

Enter Oliver. A Barrister, clean cut, sophisticated gay man who is looking for someone to go to some family and friends events with. He is dreamy as hell and way too good for Luc, as Luc sees it.

They start off rocky but as they spend time together and catch feelings for each other, Luc doesn't know if he is worthy of Oliver and if he is willing to be open when he has been burned so many times before.

Okay, that's the set up. Here are my feelings:

Lucien drove me absolutely up a wall! I am used to some more eccentric characters in this author's books. I loved For Real, and I feel like those characters were both broken in different ways too, but geez, Luc was just so grating after awhile. I would have really loved if this was a spilt POV novel, getting into Oliver's head would have been so helpful to me and if I could have seen some of his flaws and not just focus on everything about Luc that was insecure and crazy, it could have helped.

As it was, Oliver just seemed so perfect and I didn't understand why he was putting up with Lucien. Obviously he has some issues because he goes through a lot of boyfriends over the years, but I would have liked to SEE why. As it is, his text message communications showed a lot of his insecurities but he still felt too perfect and I wanted better for him than Luc.

Also, this didn't have the smut I was wanting. Previous novels of Hall's that I have read have had some AMAZING MM sex scenes. This one was like the Gay equivalent of Women's Fiction. I could feel the chemistry between them but it was so "behind closed doors" that I felt cheated. This is a personal opinion, I just have certain things I like in a romance and I don't feel like this had enough for me.

At the end of the day, this is a great story. I think it could be a good entry point for someone into a Gay Romance. Alexis Hall uses great slang and community references that will be good if you have never read them for me. However, as someone who has read many of his other writings and LOVED them, this felt very safe.

*Trigger Warnings: Homophobia, emotionally abusive parents, workplace discriminations, eating disorder.

First of all, I am not a big romance reader, but I loved Boyfriend Material...like..I. REALLY. LOVED.THIS.BOOK. It is a typical romance book troupe..someone needs a boyfriend so they go for a fake one, except Alexis Hall has breathed so much wit and humor into it that it doesn't feel " done before "

Luc O'Donnell is the son of an aging rock star who walked out on him and his mother when he was three. The press love to follow Luc about, putting anything he does, mostly wrongly, into the tabloids. He works for an environmental charity who thinks he needs to change his image by being seen with someone stable and suitable and suggests he get a boyfriend who meets those qualifications, even if he is fake. He has to raise his image by the time he puts together the charity's annual fundraising ball or be fired.

Enter Oliver Blackwell, a stuffy uptight Barrister that Luc's friend sets him up with. They have had run-ins in the past and know that there is no chance for a real relationship between them, but Oliver also needs a date to his parent's big anniversary party. The two of them strike a deal, they will be fake boyfriends until the charity ball and the anniversary party is over then they will go their separate ways.

I loved Luc, heck I wish I had a boyfriend like him ( never mind that I am married and he is gay ) His character was a complete disaster at everything in his life, but oh so adorable..oh and snarky...I loved his wit and snark. I found myself getting dirty looks as I laid in bed with my husband as he watched reruns of The Soprano's and I would laugh at loud while reading the antics that Luc found himself in and the comments he would throw out during them. He has no self-confidence...AT ALL..yet he often makes jokes about his mishaps and his " extremely low standards " when it comes to dating.

I also liked Oliver, he had a lot of good qualities, he was protective and thoughtful, but at times he was a bit annoying and stuffy, but the guy was dealing with his own set of problems that made him undateable. The one thing that the author did really well was the writing of the supporting secondary characters. They did such a good job with them that my second favorite character in the book happened to be one of them, Alex a co-worker of Luc's.

I don't know if any of you have read any of the PG Wodehouse Jeeves books or watched Jeeves and Wooster with Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie, but anytime Alex opened his mouth all I could think of was the bumbling Bertie Wooster, who has always been a favorite book and TV character of mine.

Boyfriend Material is a quick read, mostly because you can not bear to put it down, Luc's mishaps keep you wanting to know what happens next. While the book is choked full of snarky British humor, and chemistry which Luc and Oliver certainly have is also touches on more serious topics such as self-worth and trust.

If all romance stories were written with the wit, romance, and feels of Boyfriend Material, I think a lot more of us would be reading them!

Alexis Hall's Boyfriend Material was a wonderful opposites attract story. It is full of humor and heart.

For fans of RED, WHITE, & ROYAL BLUE comes BOYFRIEND MATERIAL, a boyxboy rom com that takes a delightful spin on classically heteronormative tropes of fake dating and sort-of-enemies-to-lovers. Unashamed queer characters and a lively sense of humor really pushed this book into the "would read again" territory for me.

This is my first taste of Hall's writing, and it didn't disappoint! Luc is the first person narrator, and I found his voice to be compelling, witty, self-deprecating, and reflective of millennial humor. I particularly loved Luc & Oliver's text messages: they sounded authentic and I almost wish there had been more of their text messaging exchanges. I loved that Hall didn't shy away from romance tropes. Queer people deserve to indulge in tropes, too.

I LOVED Luc's character. He was so insecure and deeply flawed and impulsive in ways that I could absolutely relate. I do think Hall could've done more with the emotional depth explored between each of the characters as moments of tension due to interpersonal relations are resolved rather quickly and glossed over, hence why I'm giving this book four stars instead of five. Overall, this is a great addition to LGBTQ+ romancecs and sure to be a hit.

Some other (disorganized) notes:
- The one critique I'd have is that Luc's voice didn't quite fit in with the adult rom com shelf for me. It teetered closer to NA and maybe even older YA. However, I still adore Luc and it's really refreshing to hear a first-person rom com rather than the typical third.
- I prefer non-explicit sex scenes (RWWB is the most explicit I'll typically feel comfortable with) so I didn't have a problem that BM glossed over the sexy details. However, if you're looking for steamy sex scenes, you won't find that here.
- If you're "conservative" aka not someone who indulges in "socially woke Twitter" or whatever, you probably won't like this book. Which is fine. There's some dialogue relating to being "woke" that some people find off-putting, the same people who found RWWB's progressive elements off-putting. This book may not be for you.

Over all, I loved BM as an escapist fiction I could indulge in despite the chaotic current events around me. I look forward to purchasing a copy once the title is released.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for your kindness and generosity for approving my request for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

We follow Luc O'Donnell, the son of famous rockstars, as he is a subject to the public eye due to stories and photos that were publicized by someone he once knew. To clean up his image of the scandals and keep the only job who was willing to hire him, he needs to find someone whom he can form a fake normal relationship with. Oliver Blackwood is the perfect man and candidate. Total Boyfriend Material. Being complete opposites, they attempt to work together while Oliver is also in need of a partner to a big event. Together, they settle an agreement to help each other be publicity-friendly by faking a relationship just until everything is settled. Or just until before the faking feels all too real.
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Two flawed and broken characters make them relatable and make this book feel very close to realistic which had me hooked from the beginning; one is an over-thinker and masks his insecurities by the usage of humor, and one is the seemingly all too perfect man that can do no wrong but also has his own insecurities. Luc feels everything in his life goes wrong. Then Oliver came and he was everything that went right. But as the story progresses, Luc developed very much as a person. Both feel as authentic as they can be and not forced to be perfect as they seek the love and acceptance they long for and embrace each other's imperfections.
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A few things I thought I did not prefer in a book, I loved in this. I tend to not enjoy books that are mostly character driven and with quirky writing, but I surprisingly loved the story even when there was not much going on, and enjoyed the writing style and the effortless humor this book has. Being a romantic comedy, which I also do not really actively seek, it definitely made me laugh. I loved how the relationship between the two characters did not feel rushed. Both them and the story took the time to develop hence I very much appreciated the pacing. While it is overall fun and fluff, it also contains serious topics such as toxic family, homophobia, trust and abandonment issues.
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This book was the comfort, the warm hug, I did not know I needed.
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If you love these 3 F's: fake dating, funny, and fluffy, this book is worth the read.

Excellent book! It was gripping the whole way through. Emotionally aware, socially impressive and dripping with comedy, this novel kept me gripped the whole way through. Not quite marketable to my student's age bracket, but will be recommending it to my senior students.

What a charming book. I really enjoyed this one. The writing was a little weak in places but it was laugh out loud funny and silly. Very decent rom com!

Now, see this space right here? This is where a reviewer might put a quote to pique your interest or make you chuckle. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to do that...since I had to resist the urge to highlight the entire book because I loved every single sentence so much. But if I had to pick only one quote? I would still have to hand you the whole book, because it truly IS that hilarious. Boyfriend Material is very much my sense of humor and incorporates one of my favorite romance tropes (fake dating).

Luc is the son of a washed-up rock star and receives negative press from the paparazzi. He desperately needs a respectable boyfriend to help clean up his image and make sure his work fundraiser to save the dung beetles goes off without a hitch. Enter Oliver, a principled and prickly lawyer, who just so happens to need a date to his parents’ anniversary dinner. I adore both of these characters so much. Sarcasm, bacon sandwiches, and fake dating ensue.

This is one of those love stories for anyone who has struggled to believe that they are enough. Both Luc and Oliver are so relatable, and while Oliver seems to have his life a bit more together than Luc, neither is perfect. Luc’s circle of friends and found family feels lovely and real. Sometimes you just read a book so good that your deepest desire is to get on a plane to England, so you can befriend fictional characters.

Boyfriend Material is hilariously descriptive, each line written with intense care and humor. If you told me I’d be shrieking with laughter as an apartment is described, I would have been skeptical. Boyfriend Material will definitely give you some serious laughs, cringes, and happy tears. As for me, I’ve got to look into saving the dung beetles now. Boyfriend Material releases July 7, 2020. Thank you so much to Alexis Hall, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A romance that made me laugh out loud far more than I expected. Fake dating, hilarious mishaps, complicated emotions, surprising eating disorder representation, a great queer friend group. Good for fans of Red, White & Royal Blue.

DNF at 15%

I wasn’t feeling it. It was too over the top, and I wasn’t connecting with any of the characters.

“I’m conscious this could be rather burdensome to hear, but you remain the thing I have most chosen for myself. The thing that’s most exclusively mine. The one that brings me the deepest joy.”— Boyfriend Material
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When I sat down to write this review I was tempted to say, “There are no words for how this book made me feel.”…But then I realized, like, it’s kind of my job to have the words…you know…book reviewer and all… So, *deep breath*, here I go.
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Ever read a book and it heals a wound you didn’t know you had? Or thought that if someone were to origami your heart—your love, your fears, your happiness, your ideals—into a book it would be THIS one? Have you ever read a book that made you cry even in the happy parts because somewhere along the way you’ve hidden a wounded piece of yourself in each of the characters, and them healing is a piece of you finding a home to heal in as well?
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Yeah, that was this book for me.
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The voice is so engaging, so well-written, and it immediately feels like you’ve known these characters forever. I swear on everything that Alexis is Oscar Wilde reincarnated. The writing and dialogue is THAT witty. The voice felt like the gay, contemporary remix of the Importance of Being Ernest. The love is so pure and real, and I most definitely cried during the first sex scene because it was. That. Freaking. Pure.
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One of my favorite reads this year—and it’s FILLED with wonderful gayness. I adored this book. Lucien and Oliver will forever hold a place in my heart. Everyone needs this little bit of love on their shelf. Please, please, please read this book.
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Some ending notes:
•Jon Fleming is an ass
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•Lucien is ME. I have BeEn SeeN.
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•Oliver is PERFECT. He reads Madeline Miller, for the love of Christ.
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•Dung Beetles are, like, essential to the continued existence of the world.

I recieved an E-ARC through Netgally from Sourcebooks, so thank you very much.

This book was just everything I needed right now. I didn't know what to expect from it, but I wasn't disappointed.
This is just a very cute story with a lot of silly, funny and weird character, who didn't fail to make me laugh a lot. I might also have yelled a bit from time to time because some of the characters was making some pretty stupid choices from time to time, but it was just fitting for the story, and I do enjoy when they make me react in one way or another.

It does deal with some heavy topics such as mental health issues and homophobia, just a TW for that.

All in all. Solid read and I ended up giving it 4.5 stars.

Boyfriend Material was one of my most anticipated reads of the year. I was so excited to read it! Maybe I was little too excited because I just never feel totally in love with this story. The characters are cute and the writing was witty. It took me forever to get into this story, and I had to make myself pick it up a couple of times. I'm happy I finished it because it was a cute sweet story. It was missing the some emotions and angst. I just never fell totally in love with the characters or the relationship which makes it hard to care. However I think lots of people will ADORE this story!

Boyfriend Material is a romance novel packed with well-loved tropes. Fake dating? Check. Only one bed? Check! Awkwardly catching feelings? Triple check! And despite all of these tropes, it was still a fresh and interesting addition to the romance novel selection.

I'm going to be honest, I wasn't a massive fan of Luc at the beginning. He was, to be blunt, a dick. To be fair, that's what he was meant to be, but still. He messed up a lot (a LOT), and I was a little unsure about whether I wanted his relationship with Oliver to work out, even though I knew it would. However, he did grow on me, and actually he was a fairly endearing character because part of his appeal as a MC was the headshaking he prompted. Oliver, on the other hand, was an instantly likeable character for me, which is possibly because we're very similar but mostly because he's awesome. Though he was viewed through Luc's slightly biased eyes, he was still a compelling character, and the way he contrasted with Luc's brashness worked really well.

One of the best things about Boyfriend Material was the character development, as both Oliver and Luc grew throughout the novel. Luc starts out as a bit of a mess, and while he’s still a bit of a mess, he’s less so. His character development is also not entirely in the scope of his relationship, fake or not, because he grows independently of his relationship. The same can be said for Oliver, as he also had very necessary growth. They slowly become more comfortable with each other, and I really liked that. I have to put an obligatory shout-out to Odile and her ‘oyster dick’ comment (bite d’huitre in French, it rhymes) which got quite a laugh out of me!

Now, I’m a sucker for fake relationships. It’s the pining that does it for me, I think. The fake relationship between Luc and Oliver certainly wasn’t lacking in that, especially since both of them were attracted to each other before entering into the relationship. There is a sufficient amount of tension to keep the whole thing sizzling, and there wasn’t so much conflict that I felt them getting together was hopeless. As these things do, eventually they do end up getting together (presumably not a spoiler considering the genre of this book) but it’s not in an abrupt way, and it felt really natural.  I think that as far as relationships in romance go, Luc and Oliver are probably one of my favourite couples.

It's very much a classic fake dating plot, with pining and misunderstanding and all that jazz, so if you're going into this book expecting tropey romance goodness, that's exactly what you'll get. Because of the inherently tropey aspect of this book, it's a little predictable; to say there's a happily ever after isn't really a spoiler because that's what all of these books have. Alexis Hall does do an excellent job of keeping the reader interested and engaged in the story even though it's generally fairly predictable, which cements this as a great book to read when you need something comforting.

If you’re looking for a summer read that’s light but still interesting, I would highly recommend Boyfriend Material. It’s full of tropey, fluffy goodness, and will leave you with a warm feeling for several hours/days/weeks. I can definitely see Boyfriend Material becoming a summer hit.

Review is going to be posted on my blog on Sunday 5th of July.

Oh. My Goodness. This book.

I stayed up reading it until two in the morning even though i knew the kids would wake me at six. That's how good it is.

I never thought that it would be possible to find a man who out-Darcy's Mark Darcy, but I was wrong - Oliver is all that and more.

And Luc ... you beautiful hot mess. You had me at your skinniest jeans and pointiest shoes.