I enjoyed this one, but I didn’t love it. There were some things that were a bit farfetched and that sort of ruined my enjoyment of it.

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

Luc’s life is falling apart and the only way he can keep his job, as the person running the PR for a small private charity, is by getting a very respectable fake boyfriend. So he asks Oliver, a well respected barrister, to be his fake boyfriend. Then the fun and drama begins.

Lovely book following the ups and downs of true love.

The fun and enjoyment of the eccentric characters in this book were truly hysterical.

Loved the ultimate feel good factor of the journey the 2 men unexpectedly take .

DNF at 20%

I don't usually DNF a book. I always try my best to finish it or give it a fair chance but unfortunately this book had such glaring problems from the start that I could not bare to read past chapter 10.

The main character, Luc, is utterly insufferable. If I hadn't known this was an adult romance, I would have guessed that Luc was about 15 years old. The way he behaves and reacts to situations feels almost child-like and the way he speaks is just horrible, borderline offensive. I cannot stand self-pity and unfortunately this book is just 300 pages of it.

I definitely felt like I didn't "get" the humour in this book. The jokes were so awful that they were unfunny. I can't stomach jokes surrounding sexual assault and given the recent talks online about consent (even if it's just kissing), the whole scene between Luc and Oliver after their first date was a huge miss for me.

I also felt HIGHLY uncomfortable with the fact that the premise of the book is about being a "good gay" vs. being a "bad gay". This just screams internalised homophobia and I just felt so disgusted by the conversations surrounding Luc's sexuality by the people around him.

I felt that the side characters were flat, one dimensional and trying too hard to be funny but the jokes miss their mark every single time. Judging by other reviews I've read, there's also some stuff about invalidating bi/pansexual people and shaming people for their vegetarianism/forcing a vegetarian to eat meat???

I was really drawn to this book by the cover (very Red White and Royal Blue esque) and a lot of the people in my reading circle rated this 5 stars so I had such high hopes but this just reads like teen fanfiction with outdated and offensive jokes that just don't land. This ended up being a cringefest from start to finish and I'm really disappointed that I feel this way. I know a lot of people love this but this was just not for me.

This was my first book that I've read from Alexis Hall, and wow I really enjoyed it.
Such a fun and sweet story, It made me so happy!
I really liked the writing style, and the pacing was great.

Really enjoyable read. Compelling relationship. Sometimes the humour veers a little too ridiculous for my tastes - still funny, but so absurd that the characters feel less real and a bit like caricatures. But overall I still quite liked it!

I really enjoyed this British cute romance between then two main characters Luc and Oliver. The way this two come together involving fake dating was interesting to see. Although the writing made me cringe at times, I loved their interactions with one another, the jokes and self-deprecation was amazing I couldn't stop laughing at times.

Boyfriend Material is a fake relationship to real love story that has so much depth to it. I really fell in love with Luc and Oliver and wanted to see them succeed. Normally I am not a fan of romances from a single perspective, but it wasn't too bad in this story. Luc's struggle with his father, and his relationship with his mom added a lot of depth to his character who on the surface seemed really annoying. But I warmed up to him quickly.

Oliver is everything I love in a romantic lead and loved finding out more about his back story, which is why I would have really enjoyed seeing the story from his POV as well.

I loved the side characters, and the way that they really care about Luc even when he isn't being the best friend. The love of chosen family is real.

I'm just not sure why this didn't resonate with me as it clearly did with other readers! I found Luc vapid and shallow, so much so that I just didn't want to continue reading. There were moments that were funny, the side characters in particular, so I would consider trying another Alexis Hall book.

I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I LOVE THIS BOOK SO MUCH!!!!!! This is the cutest book I have ever read. I loved the plot, the characters, the everything. Everything about this book is absolutely perfect.

Thank you kindly to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this review copy.

One of my favourite reads of 2020; and I had few of those (everyone understands, pandemic!!!)

Anyway back to this amazing book.

I’ve been an Alexis Hall fan for awhile and I was feeling a little cautious about this book — it had gotten so many amazing reviews and I was afraid one of my faves may have had to dilute their style to go more mainstream.

I didn’t need to worry!!!

This book was hilarious, ridiculously sweet, and had enough angst to keep it interesting and the pace moving. It was easy reading with a perfect amount of complexity to give it balance.

The characters were great! All brilliantly fleshed out that they felt unique and real. Luc isn’t as such a mess as he thinks he is, which I like because behind his chaos is a thoughtful (maybe a little lost), sweet soul who just needs some cuddles. And Oliver isn’t as put together as everyone thinks he is, he’s just a cinnamon roll in a suit (who also needs the cuddles).

Just a lovely, lovely read. I’m excited for more.

I loved this so much! I'm not sure why it's getting compared to RWRB because it's it's own unique book and nothing like RWRB. Luc is such a relatable millennial character who just struggles to get by on the daily basis, makes poor decisions, and is emotionally fragile. Oliver seemingly has his life together but is struggling all the same.

Every once in a while I read a book that's so extra special I want to shout through a megaphone, "No seriously! This one is perfect! Read it now!" See: Spoiler Alert and Heated Rivalry and now Boyfriend Material.

Boyfriend Material has been on my TBR since I first spotted that fab cover, and the story within lives up to that greatness. Alexis Hall delivers a story packed with fantastic humor, heartwrenching vulnerability, and swoon-worthy romantic moments. Luc, a hurricane of disaster disguised as a human, asks Oliver, so-starchy-he-probably-irons-his-jeans, to be his fake boyfriend. They're utter opposites in every way, but as they spend more time together they realize how poorly they misjudged the other from the start. Luc begins to appreciate Oliver's drive and passion, while reminding him he doesn't need to be perfect. Meanwhile Oliver sees all of the parts of Luc that Luc thinks are unworthy of love and he loves them so earnestly, while wanting to help him heal and move forward. Plus there are endless Drag Race references—truly what more could I ask for?

This book was a breath of fresh air! Who doesn't love a great fake boyfriends plot when there is as much chemistry as there was between our two leading males? Watching Luc and Oliver's growth--both as a couple and as individuals with difficult pasts--was what kept me engaged the entire book. The quirky cast of friends and family definitely helped as well. It was a bit of a slow start for me, but once I was about 30% in I couldn't finish fast enough. I can't wait to see what else Alexis Hall has to offer!

4.5 stars.
I was actually thinking for like the first few chapters that this was going to be boring... like why all these 4 and 5 stars? then it changed and the two main characters are broken, messed up, funny, wierd, cute and so on... they are perfect for each other in a way and when together, they get to heal and start becomming the best they can be, though yes it is a long way and the characters said alot that was mean. But i still freaking loved it! I wish therw were more.

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*

Okay, let me start by telling you that I enjoyed reading this one so much that I am planning on buying it in the future. Just having an ARC is not good enough! I almost pulled an all-nighter to finish this book. Plus, I will be reading more by this author.

This book is hilarious, cute, and had me invested really quick. I was in love with the characters quickly, even the side characters.
I did have a minor issue with the conflict and some of the end parts -- I really wanted to dive into and condemn more of the negative issues that came up. Sorry, I'm trying not to spoil too much. In that vein, I do want to say that how Luc's anxiety and his family issues were dealt with were amazing -- in my opinion.

There is a lot of good to this book. I would totally recommend it and plan on re-reading this in the future.

4.5 Stars to Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall., another delightful m/m take on the fake dating, enemies-to-lovers tropes. Although the beginning suffers from some slow pacing, Luc and Oliver's story is worth the read. Hand to fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston, and the Brown Sisters saga by Talia Hibbert.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

The great goddess of our time, Talia Hibbert, said in her Goodreads review of this book that Boyfriend Material is an "instant classic", and I'm quite inclined to agree. I've been searching for something to fill the Red, White, and Royal Blue-shaped void in my heart, and not to take away from that priceless gem, but this book certainly did the trick. Our narrator, Luke, is vulnerable, honest, and so, so likable. And it's got everything-- fake dating, delightful banter, and an enviable friend group. I loved it!

This book was truely amazing, just absoluetly amazing. I put it off for so long, I was nervous it just wouldn't be what I hoped and I was SO wrong. It was everything I wanted from the opposites attract trope to the "let's be fake boyfriends even though I'm actually totally in love with you". What more can I ask for? I wish I could read this book for the first time again! Luc and Oliver are goals 100% and you can't tell me otherwise. What are you doing? Read. this. book.

This was a cute book that read a little like Bridget Jones to me. This is due to the self deprecating main character and all the Britishy goodness in the novel. I have recommended this for people who enjoy contemporary romance.