'Boyfriend Material' by Alexis Hall was a breath of fresh air in what otherwise has been a lacklustre 2020. I do not believe that I will have the words to appropriately articulate my thoughts in this review as well as to encompass my love for the characters and the writing. 'Boyfriend Material' was one of my most anticipated books of 2020, and it definitely did not disappoint.

The novel centres on our main protagonist, Luc who is the reluctantly famous son of a rockstar father who abandoned Luc and his mum and thus, has never actually met the man who biologically shares half of his DNA. When Luc's father decides to participate in a reality singing show (think, American Idol), suddenly the world is reminded, yet again, of Luc's existence and his partying ways, shoving him back into the public eye.

After a not so 'appropriate' photo of him does the media rounds, Luc is fighting to save his job. In order to be seen as 'respectable', and for his very rich clients to donate money to the charity organisation Luc works for (I am not going to spoil what that charity organisation is, it needs to be a happy surprise), Luc finds himself in need of a boyfriend. Not just any boyfriend though, a 'respectable' boyfriend. This is where we meet the absolutely wonderful and sweet, Oliver Blackwood, barrister and all round sweetheart. Cue the fake dating and the falling in love.

To say that I adored these two characters would be a gross understatement. The relationship between Luc and Oliver was marvellous to witness because it felt grounded in reality. There was an authenticity to their relationship, to their developing feelings, that I feel most enemies-to-lovers seem to lack. As the readers, we fully witness Luc and Oliver's growing trust between them. We are able to observe how they both went from enemies to a couple. The ups and downs were realistic - as a woman in my mid-twenties, I related so incredibly well to sort-of coming-of-age aspect that these characters go through, throughout the course of the novel.

I also want to briefly articulate how important this book was to me on a personal level. This novel so perfectly captured the emotions that come with being in your mid to late 20s. The insecurity and fear of mediocrity, the fear of not doing anything of 'substance' with your life - those feelings that Luc go through, is so valid to the experience of myself and others. It was the first time that I have read a novel, a romance novel especially, that explore the emotional baggage that can come with growing up. Alexis Hall wrote this chaotically wonderful character in Luc and in turn, captured the chaos of still growing up in your late twenties.

'Boyfriend Material' is one of my absolutely favourite books of all time and I highly recommend it to lovers of contemporary romance, especially the likes of books such as Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston as well as The House in the Ceruelean Sea by T.J. Klune.

I'm not gonna lie--I read fake dating trope and KNEW that I had to read this book.
Also, you know. London.

Luc's parents are famous rockstars, pulling their son unintentionally into a smaller spotlight as well. But when a couple of a couple of nasty tabloid articles threaten Luc's job, the only solution seems this: a reputable and presentable boyfriend to boost his reputation. Enter: Oliver, who incidentally needs a date to his parents' Ruby wedding anniversary. A relationship of convenience, without stakes, because nothing they do or say means anything in the long run. Or does it?

The first thing I'm going to say about this book is that it is hilarious. It had me laughing out loud multiple times in the first chapter alone. The writing is smart, fast-paced, and keeps you glued to the page to find out what happens next. I genuinely could not put this book down.

What starts out as a funny, confusion-and-misunderstanding-filled comedy turns around and punches you right in the gut when it turns into a sweet, supportive and adorable romance that has you rooting for the characters so much. It's such a fantastic read, and I can recommend it so so much!

I loved everything about this book! It was so adorable. I love fake dating tropes! Although the relationship is one of convenience to start out, over time they learn that spending time with each other is more enjoyable than either of them thought it would be.

Luc is such a fun go with the flow personality. He has the best relationship with his mom who is hilarious throughout the book and just loves and supports him to the max. Oliver is a bit on the quiet conservative type who's parents don't really see him for who he truly is and all he's become. Oliver and Luc balance each other out. Oliver grounds Luc when he starts to spiral out while Luc pushes Oliver to be a bit more spontaneous. The two of them together make a perfect pair.

This is definitely one of the best contemporary rom coms I've read this year! It's got the quickly and witty banter I strive for in a good rom com. There's a bit of hate to love within this fake dating trope but you quickly realize that despite how much Oliver and Luc fight their feelings behind the facade of a fake relationship they are totally meant for each other! I highly recommend this one to anyone looking for a fantastic LGBTQ+ Adult Rom Com!

Not sure whether to round up to four stars or down to three as, while a fun, fluffy, Bridget-Jones read, there are things in here that felt off and didn’t sit well. Maybe I should drop it down to two stars as the more I think about the issues I have with it, the more annoyed and frustrated I become...

Let's stick to three as a happy medium.

***eProof given by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction***

I am very torn on how I feel about Boyfriend Material as, on the one hand, this does exactly what it says on the tin. This is a beach read of a gay romcom (nearly in the style of Bridget Jones) with a huge sense of humour, touching on issues such as low self-esteem while using the worn-out troupe of the "fake boyfriend" and running with it for all its worth.

However (and of course, there is an however. This is me we're talking about), there are several things that I find a little problematic. This book touches on issues that either don't work, isn't really touched upon and examined or feel very out of place.

An example is bad parenting g. Both Luc and Oliver's have really awful parents (barring Luc's mum). Luc's dad - a famous rock star - left him and his mum when Luc was young. No connect for years, but suddenly, he's back in Luc's life after being told that he has cancer. Now, this could be an really interesting and sensitive storyline. But, it's not. Luc meets his dad three times throughout the book and, guess what. The dad discovers at the end that he doesn't have cancer and drops Luc like a stone. So... what was the point of the story? Luc discovering his own self-worth? He was discovering that via other story arcs, meaning this story wasn't needed or required.

And the reason for the fake boyfriend? The charity Luc is working for has donors removing themselves from the charity's list because they don't like his "alternative lifestyle" and the charity threatens/non-threaten to fire him. That's right. Because he's gay and people feel uncomfortable about how open he lives it, he might get fired. And though it's referenced by his friends and several people he work that that Luc could sue the charity, Luc decides a fake boyfriend to make himself "a respectable, non-threatening gay" and get donors back to a job that, at the start of the book, he kinda hates.

Now, this last thing I knew as I saw in an a review is the mention of Oliver having an eating disorder. I saw this and read the book with care, trying to see evidence of Oliver and his relationship with food. Now, I don't have an eating disorder so maybe I missed the triggers that made Luc say his worries (in the last 5-10% of the book where he's begging Oliver to undump him and make their fake relationship real! In the "I want us!" speech we all know from every romcom we read/watch, no less), but if I hadn't seen this in another review, this statement/reveal would have come out of nowhere and it felt, as if, the author was trying to go "Look! Oliver isn't perfect! He has awful parents, is a bit of a control freak and he might have an eating disorder! He's just as damaged as Luc is!" and this left a nasty taste in my mouth.

On the one hand, this is doing what the book said it was going to do. A light, fluffy, slightly zany, summery romcom of the book with a dash of humour and nice character growth. But, on the other, some of the issues and sideplots raised in this book don't feel like that they are being tackled in a respectful way, or felt like they were add-on to cause conflict or the cause emotionally0-growth, which still would be there if these plots weren't here, just over a longer period of time.

Boyfriend Material was a perfect escape read during quarantine. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and this one just does it so well. I love that moment when the two characters realize they are starting to actually fall for each other. Luc and Oliver were adorable and I definitely laughed out loud several times. I also liked that this book included that found family can be just as important as actual family and that you shouldn't allow your family to make you miserable just because they're related to you.

This book is an absolute delight!

First of all, and I think most importantly, I could not get enough of the two main characters and their romance.

Luc has never felt like he was worth much of anything, between his former rockstar father abandoning him, and his ex-boyfriend selling their story to the tabloids. Since he doesn't feel worthwhile, he hasn't cared for his reputation either, which has landed him in hot water at his job (working for a charity for the preservation of dung beetles). Major donors are pulling out of their biggest fundraiser, and the only way to lure them back in and save his job is to make it look as if he's turned his life around-hence the need for a fake respectable boyfriend.

Enter Oliver, who Luc's friend has been trying to set him up with for ages. Luc thinks Oliver hates him, Oliver thinks Luc hates him, but Oliver also needs a fake boyfriend so he doesn't have to attend his parents' anniversary party alone. Both agree that they will bring their fake romance to an end as soon as both events are over, but then real feelings get involved.

I shipped these two so hard from the moment they shared the page together. I was so invested in them getting and staying together I almost skipped to the end to make sure everything ended up okay (and this is a thing I never ever do). Their relationship developed so naturally despite the outrageous circumstances.

Also, this book is really, really funny. There are so many hilarious moments, many brought into play by the fantastic cast of highly unique supporting characters. Luc's friends are a stitch, and there is a great running gag where every day Luc tells a joke to his co worker, who doesn't understand what a joke is and instead tries to puzzle them out through logic every time.

I absolutely recommend this book. It was a real moment of joy in the midst of these difficult times.

This was everything I knew I needed and more. After seeing the hype on Instagram, one of my friends also recommend it to me. I, of course, trust Christina Lauren with all my heart, but seeing the recommendation from my book twin, I knew it would be awesome. Holy hell, it did not disappoint. I'm so dang excited about it, still. It was perfect. I can't even begin to break down the plot or characters, because like I said, its perfect. I cannot wait to get into work and staff pick it and gush about it!!!

Funny, charming and real. The amazing cast of characters made the story full and rich. I had incredible fun reading this. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it didn't disappoint.

British enemies turned fake boyfriends turned lovers. You had me at hello! I laughed out loud, the characters grew and changed in ways that felt plausible, and despite their flaws I rooted for them to get together throughout the book.

I truly wanted to love this book. I normally enjoy stories about fake relationships or hate to love stories. Unfortunately I had a really hard time to go through this book.

I did like Luc and Oliver as our main characters. When it comes to their character building I did like to see some of their background and meet their families to sort of see where they come from and what things from the past have shaped their character.

However the book was very boring for me, I did not like how some topics were addressed in one way and then in another without consistency. The romantic partes were alright but the sex scenes for me had no chemistry and I did not enjoy them at all. They felt cold and not real.

I do like the idea for the book and like I said I do like the main characters and the different backgrounds they come from but this was just a big no for me.

I was hoping it was going to be another one I would love similar to Red, White & Royal Blue but it did not work for me.

Thank you netgalley and publisher for providing with a free copy via an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book surpassed my expectations. It is full of snarky British humor and will get you all in your feelings. It is funny, angsty, romantic, sweet, devastating, and so many other things.

The main character is a hot mess but grows on you as the novel progresses. I love all of the flawed characters.

I highly reccomend checking out this book!!! Looking forward to reading more from Alexis Hall.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I'd been having trouble finding something that could hold my attention, despite this being quarantine and all, and I managed to finish this book in about a day, so I suppose I found it.

This was a fun and fast read. I enjoy the enemies to lovers/fake dating trope, so right away, the plot appealed to me. It also seemed like something that would appeal to fans of Casey McQuiston's Red, White, and Royal Blue - which I also am.

I got quite a few good snorts out of some of the humor and the ongoing 'dick pic' joke - though for something that is not YA and has a fair bit of (what some would consider) ‘vulgar’ humor, it’s quite tame.

While I did enjoy the book, I ultimately found the story and its characters to be a bit less developed and much more obvious/predictable than those in RWRB. The main character, Luc, often seems to be in a repetitive storytelling loop, some of which I understand is part of his character’s issues, but also winds up making him come across as whiny and childish, and without much growth until the very end of the story. His group of friends seem to have been lifted from one of the Bridget Jones books/films and plonked right onto the page.

Gripes aside, I can’t say I wasn’t entertained. I did, after all, read it pretty much straight though in nearly a single sitting.

I really loved reading this book! I guess you'd classify it as a gay rom-com but it shouldn't be confined to that narrow interest category. Alexis Hall gives us a funny, endearing tale of some fascinating, wacky characters, led by the brilliantly written Luc and Oliver. This book is full of quirky goodness. I love how Hall developed the characters so fully and made them believable.

It took me a few pages to become absorbed in the author's word-style-- the British vs. American language is slightly different. I always find the British style a refreshing change from all the American authors I read.

Even though the story centers around the 'fake relationship' of Luc and Oliver-- and they alone would be enough-- the beautiful cast of characters Hall has employed, bring a high level of layered story development. I loved each and every character as they related to the story.

Sure the 'fake boyfriend' concept has been done before, but Hall offers it here in an effortless way that enhances but is not the only story focus. This worked for me on all levels and provided hours of enjoyment.

I received a copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy.

3.5/5

This book was exactly what I was looking for in a contemporary romcom. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and it worked so well with these two characters. Luc and Oliver are so different and have a hard time understanding each other, but they slowly grow to learn each other's quirks which is my favorite part of a good fake dating scenario. The banter between the two is very fun. Luc is so sarcastic and snarky and I loved that aspect of his character. The humor is pretty dry and got a little exhausting by the end of the book, but overall it was entertaining. Luc's friend group was a great addition to the story and I especially loved the interactions between him and his friend Bridget who is constantly dealing with some sort of publishing emergency. Oliver's struggle with his family broke my heart, as did Luc's fraught relationship with his father. There were some scenes that I thought could have been cut or combined to cut down on the length, but overall this is a very fun book and a great romance.

Omg. What a cute, lil, queer, enemies to lovers, romcom?! This book was a wild rollercoaster of emotions. Will they? Won't they? Do they and then it goes wrong? This was just such a pleasant reading experience, getting to witness both Luc and Oliver want to be better for each other, but also completely accepting each other, flaws and all.

My only compliant is that it felt a bit long, so it dragged in some places. However, I was so invested in these characters and their relationship that I continued forward - and didn't have any thoughts of DNFing.

We need more queer love stories. And this is that - but also a hilarious romcom with endearing characters and British humor!

This book grabbed my attention from the first page, mostly because I found Luc to be so endearing, but also because this book was funny! The fake dating trope is one of my favourites, and this book did it so well! Luc and Oliver are total opposites, so seeing their relationship evolve and becoming real was both so funny and heartwarming!

The hype was not wrong. Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall is a delightful book. I loved every minute of it. The writing is hilarious and sweet and tender and clever and wonderfully British. I laughed aloud, I swooned, and I highlighted so many lines that it seemed like whole pages were pink. The cover art is also eye-catching and gorgeous.

Luc is such a defensive hot mess that it took awhile for me to warm up to him and to the sweet heart underneath all the attitude and misbehavior. But I loved grumpy, uptight earnest perfectionist Oliver from the very first time I encountered him. And the two of them are so very very right together, despite, or perhaps because of, their respective huge personal issues. The supporting cast are mostly hilariously funny, aside from the respective parents, who are a bit more complex and given to causing angst, although sometimes also funny, especially Luc’s mom. Luc’s coworker, the blue blooded incredibly stupid but hilarious Alex, was one of my favorites. He and his girlfriend Miffy were hysterically funny. The scenes with Luc and those two read like modern P.G. Wodehouse, and I was dying laughing.

Diversity wasn’t bad in Boyfriend Material. While the main characters and their family are definitely white Britons, their immediate circle includes Black and Asian friends, people of a variety of genders, and many LGBTQ+ friends as well. While the overall economic status of all the characters is comfortably wealthy, there’s a wide range within that, from obscenely wealthy high class British old money to new money celebrities and their offspring to upwardly mobile working professionals–lawyers, artists, publishers, etc. There’s also one of the most thoughtful depictions of a vegetarian I’ve ever read. Far too often vegetarians and vegans get to be the brunt of cruel, lazy jokes and caricatures in books, but Oliver’s choices are depicted as inextricably linked to his high standards of personal ethics. Even when Luc and other real friends don’t agree with Oliver’s choices, it’s never depicted as irrational or ridiculous. Rather, those who mock it are the ones who are in the wrong. I thought that was a breath of fresh air. I loved that this story respected its characters even when they didn’t always respect themselves.

I wasn’t sure what to expect, heat-wise, in this story. My previous experience with m/m romance has mostly been books written by cis hetero white women authors that verge on fetishing gay men and gay sex and are written in scorching hot detail. In contrast, Boyfriend Material has considerably less sex, both from a teasing slow burn in the first part of the story, and from a partially closed door approach when sex scenes do finally happen. What is featured is tender and sweet and hot, with pent up passion and deep emotions. But it’s more romance than erotic romance, and while I enjoy both subgenres, I was fine with that. I especially loved how Oliver restricts sex to meaningful relationships, and how every kiss with him means something. Not only did it seem true to Oliver’s character, but it made each moment between Lucien and Oliver more special.

I thought that the ending was the weakest part of the story, a bit over the top silliness that was one of many nods to ninties rom-coms throughout the book. I would go so far as to say that this book felt like an homage to Bridget Jones’ Diary, only with deeper characters and more emotions and more clever writing, not to mention two males protagonists. But even the weakest part of this story is still leagues ahead of so many other romances I’ve read.

I loved Boyfriend Material so much. I couldn’t put it down. I didn’t want it to end. I loved Luc and Oliver together, and loved some of their friends. I wanted to share a clever linefrom the book to really convince others of how great this is, but couldn’t decide which of the fifty lines I’ve highlighted to share. So I will instead repeat that this is a delightful love story, full of heart and humor and clever lines, wrapped up in a gorgeous cover. It is absolutely worth picking up a copy to read and to share.

Thank you very much to #NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for allowing me to read a free advanced copy of #BoyfriendMaterial . These are my honest opinions.

I was really hoping this book would be a bit like Red White and Royal Blue, but alas, it wasn't. I enjoyed the characters here, but much of the sex was behind closed doors. That is not my style at all, which is disappointing, I love rom coms, but this is not enough rom for me to put it in that category.

Honestly, what an amazing experience this book was! I am very grateful that I was given an ARC of this through Netgalley and was ecstatic to read it! I had a feeling I was going to absolutely love the story and, well, let's just say it exceeded that expectation! This review is going to contain spoilers because I need to express myself right now, and it's going to be an utter mess of a review because I'm having so many thoughts about the book that I don't know how to cohesively lay them all down.

To begin with, the story follows Luc O'Donnell who is the son of two widely known singers. Unfortunately, we find out pretty early on that Luc's father left him and his mom at a young age, and now Luc, understandably, hates him for it. Because both of his parents are famous, he, by default, is in the eye of the media and is pretty much cautious of the media at all times. This is one of the main reasons why I thought his relationship with Oliver was so special because you could see how someone who wasn't planning on using him for personal gain was incredibly important for Luc's mental stability. Oliver's influence on Luc was so important to Luc's character growth, which was another thing I adored about this book! I loved to see Luc become a better person to his friends, his family, Oliver, and, most importantly himself.

Speaking of Oliver, he was such a sweet character! The entire time I was reading the book I just wanted to give him a hug for being so amazing and pure. The way he cared about Luc even while they were pretend dating was so precious and I can only hope everyone on this earth can find their own Oliver one day if that day hasn't already arrived. He is, in my mind, the perfect boyfriend.

I also want to quickly bring up Luc's colleague Alex. I cannot comprehend how someone can be that sophisticated and yet that clueless! There were so many scenes that actually had me laughing out loud because he did something so outrageous and hilarious! Also, on the complete other end of the spectrum, Alex made me a little uncomfortable in a sort of homophobic way despite being clearly quite fine with Luc being gay, and it was a confusing experience. I guess it was just the one scene with Miffy, Luc, and Oliver that got to me and I can't quite put my finger on what exactly it was that made me uncomfortable, but I thought it was an emotion worth sharing.

I think it's pretty clear that the characters were probably my favourite part of the book, but I do want to talk about the writing as well. I loved the narration, it was a very fluid log of thoughts in Luc's head and I think it was a great choice. We got to see Luc's character growth through the eyes and mind of Luc himself, which was great because while he may have not noticed some of the ways he grew we certainly could! The only part of the writing I could maybe criticise was the use of UK specific colloquial terms and phrases because it made it harder for me, an Australian reader, to comprehend some lines of dialogue. But, to be honest, this is a stretch because it also made the story feel a lot more alive and really helped with the setting and hearing the accents in my mind. So in a way, my one criticism is actually a pro and not a con!

So, I've decided to give this book 5 stars. The big factor that influenced this decision was that the entire time I was reading the book, even from the very beginning, I kept thinking to myself 'gosh I can't to read this again.' Any book that makes me want to read it again only 50 pages in deserves 5 stars. And yes, I will be reading it again, and I'll look forward to it every single day until I get the chance!

Did you read Red White and Royal Blue ? Did you love it ? Because i you did, you have to read Boyfriend Material, it's a cute light novel, it's placed in london, so .... You're really going to love this one, to cry, to laught, to giggle, to sight.