Cover Image: Boyfriend Material

Boyfriend Material

Pub Date:   |   Archive Date:

Member Reviews

Lucien is the son of rock star parents. They split when he was very young. His father is now making a comeback and it is bringing undue attention to Luc's less than stellar love life and activities. His job is at risk and unless he cleans up his image, he's out. He's talked into finding a respectable boyfriend to turn his image around. Oliver is a barrister that is about as good as they come. He's a vegetarian, scandal free, and has impeccable manners. He also has absolutely nothing in common with Luc. He does, however, also need a boyfriend to attend social functions with, so they strike up a deal to be fake boyfriends until things settle down in their respective lives. The problem with being fake boyfriends is that the lines sometimes get blurred and real feelings have a tendency to sneak in. This book had alot of humor, angst, and tenderness. Oliver and Luc were delightful.

Was this review helpful?

"Boyfriend Material" has the potential to be a cute, enjoyable romance : both romantic leads are a little damaged, but they're clearly attracted to each other from the start, so the reader gets to enjoy the tension of "will they/won't they" while secure in the knowledge that this ends happily. There's also nice, believable character growth on Luc's part, though it's definitely not reflected in his boyfriend, which is a shame.

That said, the plot is contrived, and I say this having just finished Mhairi McFarlane's latest book, which uses the same "fame relationship" trope in a much more successful manner. The stakes aren't high enough in 'Boyfriend Material': allegedly, Luc wants to keep his job and thus need to look respectable, but he's nothing but negative about his work, his coworker, the goal of the charity and his boss throughout the book and he doesn't need the money - both his parents are rock stars (though only the one is a parent, so to speak). As to Oliver, he wants someone to accompany him to his parents' wedding anniversary, which could make sense , but once we get to the actual event, it' really doesn't. There are only three reasons why Oliver could bring a plus one to his parents' anniversary: he wants to impress them, he wants to finally show his family he's settled, or he needs someone to protect him...which Luc eventually does, but only after they become friends, which they weren't when they struck the deal And Luc's a hot mess that you definitely don't show off to your family to impress them. It could be that Oliver just wants a reason to date Luc, but...why?

In the same vein, it's really difficult to sympathize with Luc and Oliver's brand of messy, because we literally get no details as to what happened to them to make them that way until well into the book. Luc's ex is made out to be a generic villain, but given how terrible a person Luc is at the beginning of the book, you're almost tempted to sympathize with his ex at times.

I still enjoyed the story, but this book could be so much better if anything actually mattered in it.

Was this review helpful?

First things first: I was thrilled to have my wish for this book granted on NetGalley. Super awesome; I love that these are finally happening. Or, finally happening for me. Friends, pressing that "Wish For It" button actually works. I had my doubts.

I'm an Alexis Hall fan. I don't think I've ever disliked one of his books, and I didn't dislike this one either. Unfortunately, I like the alternate version better. Which one was that you ask? <b>[book:How to Bang a Billionaire|31423483].</b> I loved it (<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1931093448?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1">Em's Super Naive and Awkwardly Oblivious Review of How to Bang a Billionaire</a>), but by the time we got to [book:How to Belong with a Billionaire|31933327], I was burnt out on Arden. It was a disappointment.

Okay, okay, I hear you! You're right, it can't possibly be the same book! Tell us about this one. Look, Luc feels so familiar - so much like Ardie (<b><i>Arden St. Ives</i></b>), I kept confusing the two. And Oliver, well he isn't living out D/s fantasies in his free time, but he also feels very, very familiar. He has lots of rules - rules he lives by and rules for the people he allows in his life - but despite that, he's still inexplicably drawn to his complete opposite, a man who sweetly/blindly stumbles and bumbles through life after a challenging upbringing after his dad turns out to be a total dick. And even though he's a positioned as a grouchy/buttoned-up nerd, he also sounds a lot like this guy: <blockquote><i>It's impossible not to be captivated by someone like that. But Caspian Hart makes his own rules. And he has a lot of them. About when I can be with him. What I can do with him. And when he'll be through with me.</i></blockquote> Anyway, aside from the principal characters sort-of appearing in an earlier book, I didn't connect with the story either. Honestly, I think this is largely in part to my inability to separate Luc from Ardie, but aside from that, I simply couldn't go along with him working at this bizarre organization that seems like one big inside joke that never seemed funny. The people who run the organization are odd (I think it's meant to come across as quirky), or ridiculous, and the office interactions grew tedious after a while. How does a place like this stay in business?

The family dynamics - on both sides - feature such absolute extremes of good/bad, there's absolutely nothing to even 'take a side on,' even if I wanted to. Luc/Ardie's mom is a funny french angel who has a special friendship with another 'unique' character, and Luc loves her lots because she understands him in her own way. His dad is a jerk, but since that's established right from the get-go, I kept thinking that storyline was going somewhere...and it kind of doesn't? Oliver/Caspian has a tense relationship with his own family that causes him to have meltdowns whenever he's required to spend time with them (sound familiar?), and turn into a total dick with his partner (ahem), and...oh gosh. WE'VE SEEN THIS ALL BEFORE.

Luc/Ardie's friends are amazing and supportive and funny and helpful and big drinkers and quirky and interesting...and, well, IT'S ALL BEEN DONE ALREADY. I liked them, they're super awesome to Luc - and by extension, Oliver, and that's all well and good.

What's not well and good? <B>Boyfriend Material</b>. Bummer.

Anyway, aside from the characters appearing in an earlier book, I just didn't connect with this story. I think this is largely in part to my inability to separate Luc from Ardie, and to imagine him in this bizarre job that seems like a big joke. The people who run the organization are odd (I think it's meant to come across as quirky), or ridiculous, and come on! How does this place even stay in business?

<B>Boyfriend Material</b> doesn't feel fresh or new, and it's a surprising misfire from this wonderful author. A bummer for sure.

Was this review helpful?

I was almost halfway through yet have no connection to the characters or feel the need to keep reading. The dialogue is a bit hard to read at times, and the characterizations are too well established (like, I get it. He’s stuck up!!), so that got annoying.

This was my personal preference! You might like it (m/m fake dating), so please don’t let my opinion stop you from reading this.

Was this review helpful?

With a light and funny humor, this book takes us to a romance you won't forget. With characters that will captivate you from the first pages. Luc with his dramatic soul, but resistance of steel; and Oliver with his perfectionism that makes him imperfect. A romance that makes you laugh and scream with an amazing ending.

The best part was discovering the complexities of each characters and understanding their emotional dramas and how the love that flourishes between them becomes a medicine for two very broken hearts. Absolutely wonderfull.

The relationship between these two flows naturally and it's impossible not to grind your teeth hoping that this dumb boys realize the love they have for each other. It's a fun, fresh book with secondary characters that are just as charming as the protagonists.

I loved the awkwardness between Luc and Oliver and the misunderstanding and obviously the bad jokes. My stomach hurt from laughing so much

Totally recommended and I hope to read more from the author.

Was this review helpful?

This book is utterly charming, funny, and appealing! Luc and Oliver are endearingly human and each is messed up in his own way. They both are in need of a fake boyfriend, but of course one thing leads to another and they soon find everything becoming only too real. I laughed out loud and had tears in my eyes, and really, what else do you want from a romantic comedy? Author Alexis Hall is someone to watch! Highly recommended.

Was this review helpful?

Alexis Hall’s ‘Boyfriend Material’ is equal parts hilarious and heartfelt.

Luc O’Donnell is kind of a mess. The product of two famous rock stars, he constantly finds himself on the wrong side of the paparazzi. In order to save his reputation and his job, he needs to find a fake boyfriend who is stable and… normal. Oliver Blackwood is all of those things, and, he inexplicably agrees to Luc’s plan. Though neither seem to have much in common beyond the fact that they’re both single, the longer they are in their fake relationship, the more real it becomes. Can they both overcome their insecurities to give it a real go? Or will they go their separate ways as initially planned?

‘Boyfriend Material’ is one of the wittiest, funniest novels that I’ve read in a long time. Hall’s writing is razor sharp, and his dialogue is a joy to read. The development of Luc and Oliver’s relationship feels so authentic that you feel that you know the characters in real life. I thought the narrative decision to write in first person from Luc’s perspective was perfect for the story. I also enjoyed the friendships and other relationships that were depicted in the book.

In all, I think 'Boyfriend Material' is one of the best romances of 2020 that I’ve read thus far.


Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Was this review helpful?

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was like an LGBTQ+ modern romance that reminds a person of the movie Notting HIll. Oliver and Luc are likable characters and the plot is well paced. Love in the age of social media and consumer culture is well remarked upon in this novel but not in a preachy way. Besides the excellent love story the way that the author illustrated the ever frustrating and hurtful casual homophobia in current times is just so real it made me want to shout louder for the people in the back. Oliver and Luc are perfect for each other not because they complete each other or are yin and yang but because they accept the worst of each other, play up the good bits of one another and realize that all of this together makes the measure of the man no matter what people and parents say.

Was this review helpful?

Contains all of the things I love in a romcom - banter, drama, humor, chemistry, and lots of sweet, charming moments. This was very engaging and gave me lots of squealy feels.

Was this review helpful?

this was a cute, easy read with one my all-time favourite tropes - fake dating! the book follows our main man luc o'donnell, son of two semi-celebrities who has his image ruined by one poorly timed picture. to get his reputation back on track, luc pretends to date oliver blackwood, a friend of a friend and all-around Good Guy.

i enjoyed reading about luc and oliver and watching how their relationship developed, slowly moving from barely tolerating each other, to becoming friends, to developing feelings. their interactions were fun and the banter throughout the book was top-notch millennial material. though i have to say my biggest pet peeve (and i appreciate that this happens in 99% of romance books) is when two people just don't communicate properly. there wasn't a whole ton of angst in this one but the drama there was could have been avoided by having a conversation. that aside the book is humorous, witty and serious where it needs to be, and obviously very diverse.

the reason it only gets 3 stars is i just think it was too long. almost 400-odd pages could have probably been cut down by 50 pages if that one scene with luc and oliver and oliver's rich Super British friends didn't go on for half an hour. also i get the 'super posh' british thing is satirical and exactly the kind of thing we mock ourselves here but at times the hyperbole just felt like.. too much. i make fun of those people but even i wanted it to end. i enjoyed the book a lot and read it quickly but i think some of the tangential side-character conversations could have been cut for length.

that aside, would definitely recommend if you enjoyed red, white & royal blue in the past year as they have similar tones!

Was this review helpful?

This book was a soothing balm in weary times. The characters were flawed in a way that made them feel real, and family structures also felt real and believable.

Was this review helpful?

So charming. Really glad I decided to pick this up! I think readers will enjoy this lighthearted romance a lot.

Was this review helpful?

Have you ever read a book that sucked you in at page one and kept you going until you looked up when it was all over and suddenly it's been hours? This book was IT for me.

In this time of covid19 and well, everything else, I needed something to cheer me up and this book took my mind off everything the whole time I was reading it. It's not just that Alexis Hall has such a way with words and comedic timing, it's that he writes such compelling characters.

Our romantic leads are Luc and Oliver, Both of them are stuck in a rut and flawed in their own ways but they're also trying to live life as best as they know how. It's just, sometimes, the life you're living might not be what you want, and the thing stopping you from reaching for better are your fears and past hurts. And let's be honest, who among us haven't held back out of fear?

Woven through the narrative of Luc and Oliver falling in love are other subplots like Luc's absent father and Oliver's family. Something I appreciated about this novel was the message that you don't have to fix everything. Sometimes, the best thing you can do for yourself is to come to terms with a bad situation and move on. Luc and Oliver don't magically fix everything about each other's lives, but they give each other the courage and strength to face their own flaws and move past them.

This review would not be complete without mentioning Luc's friends who are, frankly, fucking amazing. They will do things like drive Luc hours to another town (which is apparently a big deal in the UK???) to get him with his man. Bridget, his best friend, is some kind of publishing guru who always seem to be handling disasters at work, and honestly, I could read a whole book about her job.

10/10 would read again.

Was this review helpful?

The Wedding Date meets Red, White, and Royal Blue. 

Fake-Dating, Oops-Theres-Only-One-Bed, Enemies(ish)-To-Lovers; Boyfriend Material is a tropes heaven. All romcoms should aspire to the standard of this book, regardless of what Luc tells you. I've seen some mixed reviews about it, and sure, it's not a perfect book, but it's highly enjoyable and I think that's what counts. Despite having a 'fake' plot, the story felt real and not at all overly cheesy.

(Quote)“Are we really bad at this?” I asked. 
“We’ve been fake dating for three days and we’ve already fake broken up once.” 
“Yes, but we fake resolved our difficulties and fake got back together, and I’m hoping it’s made us fake stronger.”(Quote)

Boyfriend Material is a story about two lonely complicated people, Luc and Oliver, who are just trying to get through each day the best they can. They attempt to fake a relationship to appease those around them but it quickly becomes chaotic and messy and confusing and maybe a little too real because of course it does. There's also lots of friendship, sarcasm, British slang, ridiculous coworkers, ridiculous family members, an a bug (not a typo) fundraiser to help with, y'know, all the complicatedness.

I laughed and smiled until my face hurt and then did it some more. I hope there's an audiobook release for Boyfriend Material because I absolutely need to hear this story again out loud. Boyfriend Material was the exact lighthearted comfort read I needed right now with the IRL current events. 


***Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a review copy.***

Was this review helpful?

Loved this book. A,great enemies to lovers romance. Oliver and Lucien are well crafted characters and their romance is well written. Such a fun read.

Was this review helpful?

It took me quite a while to really get into this and I couldn't be happier that I kept going: each direction the story took felt satisfying and the development of the characters, their relationships with each other and those around them were a delight to follow through their journey. Altogether a wonderful read.

Was this review helpful?

Lots of people will love this book! It just wasn't for me. I found it a bit exhausting how much Hall was trying to be funny and cute in terms of writing style, which is just a personal preference, so people who like really cutesy chick lit books will probably love that! I also really couldn't get over the fact that every supporting character was such a one dimensional character. And while I liked Oliver a lot as a character, he had a lot of issues (like a probable eating disorder) that weren't brought up at all until the very end and then only briefly, which felt like those issues were being treated too flippantly.

Was this review helpful?

This book was del;ightful, one of the best books Ive gotten from this site. It was funny, well written, heartfelt. The main couple was adorable and I enjoyed every minute of this.

Was this review helpful?

Luc is working for a charity who does not appreciate seeing his mistakes in the gossip rags. While he does try his best, his semi-famous father is trying to make a comeback that is putting him in the sort of spotlight. His friends and co-workers think he should try to date someone respectable and fix his good name.

Oliver has always been interested in Luc. This chance to get to know him, and play his significant other is not one he could pass up. Knowing it won't be easy they agree and get on with their lives. Then the hard part happens......

I liked that this story told the truth. Each characters felt real, open, dark, and rich at the same time. I also loved the friendships, and I cringed at the families who made them hurt. I also really liked the banter and sexy heat.


***This ARC copy was given by Netgalley and its publisher, in exchange for an honest review only.

Was this review helpful?

I love Alexis Hall, so of course I was going to jump on this as soon as possible. Once again, one of my favorite romance novelists, knocks it out of the park with this hilarious and wonderful rom com. Hall knows how to build and develop big messy emotions and he does it well in this new novel. I loved Luc and Oliver so damn much I wanted more, even when their story came to a satisfying conclusion. I really hope this makes it big like you saw from last year's Red, White, and Royal Blue, because it's entirely worth becoming mainstream.

Was this review helpful?