I love a good trope lean-in, and “fake boyfriend” gets such great romcom treatment here in Alexis Hall’s BOYFRIEND MATERIAL.
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Luc is only a 2nd-gen celeb: of interest by dint of being the progeny of celebrities, and estranged from his most famous parent at that. But it’s enough for the paparazzi to occasionally fuck up his life. Now an ill-timed photo has put his job at risk. Oliver is a clean-living barrister—a little uptight, but possibly perfect for getting Luc out of the pickle he’s in...assuming they can stand each other that long.
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You know exactly where this book is going the moment you open it, which is the reading experience I am looking for when I can’t sleep between the hours of midnight and 5 a.m. Hall reaches past trope’y fun to engage with the reality of mental health struggles, the need to ‘fix yourself’ to be good/ready/available for another person, and navigating toxic family relationships in ways that are gratifying but never TOO angsty. And there were enough moments of laugh-outloud hilarity to make this emerge from a sea of books I read on an insomniac tear but forget once I re-emerge into the land of the living.
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This was exactly the British romcom I was hoping for when I picked it up, a fab summer read with some meat on its bones and clever dialogue. Fingers crossed we’ll be getting more stories from the colorful cast of supporting characters. Thanks to @runoutofpages for putting it on my radar, @librofm & @dreamscape_media for the ALC (the narration in this one is a friggin’ DELIGHT, 10/10, high rec), and @sourcebookscasa & @netgalley for the dARC. BOYFRIEND MATERIAL is out now!

The first third or so of the book was a bit slow for me, but once I got into it, I really enjoyed the story. Luc and Oliver are complete opposites, but agree to "fake" dating. And as usual, the fake dating evolves into something more.

I loved the relationship between Luc and Oliver and the strong supporting characters. The writing and dialogue were witty and entertaining. It was a great summer read!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

While I enjoyed the romance between the two main characters, I felt as though the conflict came too late in the story. Furthermore, the mini subplots did not seem like a necessary addition, as it seemed contradictory at times.

What a fricken phenomenal book! This was everything I could have hoped for. While the first chapter didn’t captivate me, once I got a few chapters into the story, I became really intrigued and connected with the character. I love the emotional depth to the characters and their stories. They seemed so real and genuine. I loved their relationship, their struggles, and their progression. This is definitely one of my favorites from 2020. I need more from Alexis Hall!

If there's a trope I love, that's the fake relationship one, add it the hate to love one and we have a winner.

Luc is the neglected son of a rockstar, which inevitably makes him a tabloid target. Now he needs to improve his image to keep his job, and the plan to do so is to have a fake relationship with someone respectable. In comes: Oliver, his straight friend's other gay friend. The key is to keep it fake because Luc's past has taught him not to trust easily in anyone, but Oliver is here to bring those walls down.

I was hoping to enjoy this book, but not as much as I did! I laughed so much (British humor is one of my favorites), I swooned along our main characters. The friendships were the best, always supportive through the good and the bad. Luc's mom and her best friend Judy were so refreshing and reliable.

The issues both Oliver and Luc go through are believable, identifiable, and even though they're definitely hard-hitting problems, I'm really glad with the way they were handled in this book.

In some parts the writing style was shockingly beautiful (this is my first time reading this author so I wasn't familiar with his prose) while still using contemporary language and slang that made it flow seamlessly.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review

I wish I could give this book more than five stars - it's definitely one of my favourites (if not my favourite) of the year! It's a genuinely hilarious rom-com (like, laugh out loud funny, which is rarer than it should be!) and the love story between Luc and Oliver was just perfect. The whole cast of characters (with a couple of notable exceptions) were intensely loveable, and I feel like I'm missing them all already. Do not start this book late in the day, as you will stay up all night reading it. It's truly addictive!

This book was so fun and gut wrenching at the same time. I absolutely loved Oliver's quirkiness and Luc's openness. It’s so fun reading the parts of the book where they’re interacting. Their bantering and the addition of their friends, just adds so much to the story. Two of my favorite scenes were at Oliver's parents and the road trip. I’m also really loving the British slang and tidbits, it makes me miss London even more.

This fake boyfriends story has it all and I think anyone who reads it will love it too.

I really enjoyed this book. A lot of very high quality LGBT+ literature has been coming out over the past two to three years, and this, I believe, is one of the best that I have read. The characters are pretty believable, especially for one being the son of a has-been rockstar, and I think that readers can really connect with their vulerability throughout the novel.

I think that people should really care about this book because I think it really humanizes the characters. People see themselves in Luc and Oliver because, again, of their vulnerability, but also because of their self doubt and fears. I especially liked that the book subtly (or not so subtly) pointed out how poorly people often treat members of the LGBT+ community, maybe without even realizing it, or maybe they do realize it or think that their reactions are not noticeable. But people notice how you treat them. Luc certainly noticed when his donors gave him disapproving looks for holding his boyfriend's hand. He and Oliver certainly noticed when Oliver's friends were making comments. When donors pulled out of his fundraiser for his "lifestyle" but claimed that "it had nothing to do with the gay thing." I am not LGBT+, but I have plenty of LGBT+ friends and they have all had similar, or even worse experiences themselves. It is important to show people that their actions matter and that people notice when these things are happening, even if you think you're being sly or not obvious about it.

I also particularly enjoyed the Drag Race references.

Lastly - I understand the reasoning for including Luc's father in this book - meeting this man he has never really known and hoping for a relationship - but I don't think it quite did enough for me. I wanted more, or at least a little bit more resolution. This seemed like a under-utilized plot point that was built up but didn't really go anywhere.

I will be reviewing this book on my blog, www.rosiesreads.com, but have not yet had a chance to post my review.

3.5⭐

I was really looking forward to Boyfriend Material, and while it had some really cute and good moments, I was a little disappointed. It didn't really feel like there was enough content for the story to be so long, and it dragged a lot.

It took me a while to get on board with the main character Luc. I liked Oliver and the side characters, though. Luc spends so long in self-sabotaging mode, and is a dick to the people around him, and it was sometimes frustrating to be in his head for an entire book. Even though I had issues, this was still a pretty fun read overall, and I was entertained. I enjoyed the fake dating trope, and there were some sweet moments.

CW - homophobia

Smarting from a broken heart, Luc can hardly be bothered to leave his flat to go to his boring job or to parties where he always gets trolled by the paparazzi. When Luc's boss threatens to fire him due to a string of tabloid exposés, Luc decides to clean up his reputation by dating a sensible, decent man....as long as it's not Oliver Blackwood, the too uptight, too boring (but also HOT) barrister. After a disastrous date, Oliver and Luc, driven by mutual desperation, strike up a fake dating scheme to help each other out, but what happens when verisimilitude starts to feel very real?

I adored Boyfriend Material! It reminded me of Bridget Jones' Diary, and kept me laughing and swooning until the last page. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to escape into a clever, heartwarming novel. <3

As a huge fan of LGBTQ+ stories, I really wanted to love this, but I’m afraid I had to DNF at 20%. I found the main character intolerable, which I know is sort of the point, but I just couldn’t keep reading his internal dialogue. I’m glad so many readers are enjoying this book, though, as I think it’s so important for LGBTQ+ stories to be told. Sadly, though, this one just wasn’t for me.

Luc O'Donnell is a mess. He’s been a mess for as long as he or anyone else can remember. Now that his has-been rock star father is back on TV, suddenly Luc is back in the public eye and it’s threatening his job as the fundraising savior of the Dung Beetle.

After being papped, and, as usual, the story behind the photos being twisted, he’s in need of a public image makeover to save not just those beetles, but also, his job.

Enter Oliver Blackwood—the clean cut, three-piece suit wearing barrister. A friend of a friend, who Luc has interacted with before, but is pretty certain actually detests him. Oliver is also in need; he has some engagements coming up that he doesn’t want to attend alone.

So, these two make a deal: to be fake boyfriends in the hopes it will help Luc improve his image, and help Oliver make it through his parents’ anniversary party with his sanity.

It hurts me to say that this book wasn't what I was hoping for.

I adore the fake boyfriend/girlfriend trope. It might just be one of my favorite things to read. There's usually always lots of feels, and a lot of unresolved tension that eventually goes <i>boom</i>. The buildup. The will he/won’t he. All that makes me a happy reader, most of the time…

Don't get me wrong, there was lots of buildup here; lots of push and pull, and lots of bad behavior by both characters pushing each other away. And I’m usually okay with that, because when they finally do come together? That's my jam.

This time, though... I felt cheated out of the actual good stuff. Like, I want to read <i>that moment</i> when one or the other just can’t control themselves anymore, and gahhhh I’m sad to say Luc and Oliver’s climax was…underwhelming at best, which breaks my heart because I had very high hopes for this one, and it just didn't deliver for me.

I am still newish to the rom-com genre in general so I don’t know how common it is for books featuring LGBTQ+ relationships get published, but this was the first I’ve seen, and I am here for it. Luc and Oliver are so adorable together, but individual messes, which made the story more complex and interesting. Their friend groups and Luc’s co-workers (Alex - OMG!) brought a lot of humor and fun to the story as well. My only notes are that it did feel a tad long and the ending a bit drawn out, but overall I loved it. (P.S. Can Netflix option this book and make the film ASAP, please?)

I both read and listened to this one, and cannot say enough good things about the narration from Joe Jameson - highly recommend!

Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca, Libro.fm, and NetGalley for my gifted copies of this book.

I haven't been able to shut up about this book - or stop smiling. I've read many different "fake boyfriend" stories, but I just fell head-over-heels in love with Luc and Oliver. I loved their back and forth relationship, their supportive friendship, and the way they complement each other.

The basis of the story is that Luc has a bad-boy reputation and its suggested he get a fake boyfriend to repair that prior to a fundraising event. Cue Oliver. He has his own need for a fake boyfriend and together, the plot thickens.

The supporting cast of characters was amazing as well. Each well defined and comedic in their own way and added to the story. Ultimately though, it was the writing that had me nearly in tears and constantly with the smile on my face. I couldn't stop laughing out loud. Alexis Hall's witty writing was hilarious and heartfelt at the same time. I genuinely was rooting for everyone involved.

I'd have to say that Luc's mother was my favorite character, by the way. She was so supportive and hilarious! Brig might be a close second! Her friendship with Luc was fabulous and her husband sweet and understanding!

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this treasure and give my honest opinion! I hope there is more to this series!!!

I have only finished about 50% of this book, but I've already recommended it to any coworker that is willing to listen to me rant about it (positively!) for more than two seconds. Boyfriend Material initially reminded me Red, White, and Royal Blue -- in tone, general milieu, and pacing -- but personally I find Boyfriend Material more enjoyable. I would attribute this to our main leads, Luc and Oliver. They are both nuanced in ways that are hard for the other to understand because neither of them are used to making themselves vulnerable. Reading BM through Luc's POV gives us a look at his thought process and his observations are equal parts hilarious and tragic. I haven't finished the book yet, and I normally don't leave reviews until I have, but this book has made me smile and laugh through my lunch breaks despite being screamed at all day by library patrons, so I thought it deserved a fast response.

READ THIS BOOK. IT'S SO WORTH IT. I mean, I've already got a copy and I'm still going to spend money on a physical one, so you *know* it's good.

I'm at a bit of a loss as to how to string words together in the shadow of its excellence so just consider this me sounding my enthusiastic yawp of approval for a book that invites you to laugh, cry, & remember that we're each worthy of love & celebration for exactly who we are.⁠
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An opposites attract, fake dating romance, Boyfriend Material sparkles with all the wit, banter, & tropey goodness of favorite 90s romcoms but none of the gender stereotyping or heteronormativity that can diminish their shine.⁠
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Luc, from whose POV the story is told, is lost in the false reflections of himself engendered by a rock star father who abandoned him, a lover who exploited him, and a lifetime of tabloid stories portraying him as a ne'er-do-well shadow of his famous father. Ostensibly Oliver is his polar opposite: responsible, driven & 'practically perfect in every way.' In truth, despite their differences, both are so fearful of repeating past hurts, they keep much of themselves tucked away. Navigating issues of trust & self-worth is a journey each has to make & one the novel explores with insight & sensitivity.⁠
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The deeper themes are balanced with tremendous humor. Luc is endearing even at his most maddening thanks to a gift for sarcasm & a self-effacing wit, while Oliver surprises with pithy rejoinders & unexpected playfulness. ⁠
Adding to the hilarity are a cast of secondary characters from a posh but obtuse officemate Luc befuddles daily with knock knock jokes to the scattered but insightful token straight friend who sets the pair up. Hall is so deft with his characterizations that even when they're over the top, they feel real.⁠
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But more than comic relief, they offer evidence of a truth Luc & Oliver are struggling to internalize, that (to paraphrase Luc's mom) you should live your life the way you fucking well want to because the people who matter will love you anyway.⁠ Watching Luc & Oliver learn to value themselves, be vulnerable with each other & trust in their inherent lovability is a swoony delight & Boyfriend Material easily one of my favorite books of the year.⁠

Thank you Sourcebooks and Netgalley a for a copy of Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall for review.

Boyfriend Material is so cute. Much more to a fade to black sex scene type romance than I have read recently (though still a language warning because they swear and talk about sex), the banter made this such a fun read. Both Luc and Oliver are highly flawed individuals but both have a heart of gold underneath it and the way they help each other and fight through is adorable. Also, this is a fake dating trope and we all know how much I swoon for those! Get this one on your list, especially if you are less excited by sex scenes and just want two men fake dating and learning to love.

DNF@ 20%

Unfortunately, the writing style did not appeal to me very much. More so, it was the main character who was annoying and hard to deal with and way too judgemental for me to continue reading long enough for any of his negative traits to be redeemed. The love interest also did not seem too interesting, while he was much better than the MC himself.

Luc and Oliver are more Odd Couple than perfect match, yet when they decide to fake a relationship to please everyone else, they discover that they might be good for each other after all. Luc needs the paparazzi off his tail, and Oliver needs his parent's approval, so when their mutual friend pushes them together, they agree. With the pressure of a real relationship off the table, they're more honest and vulnerable than they typically would be in a new relationship. Turns out, it's a great foundation for a lasting partnership. But, they each have their own foibles, and have to work through them together. A humorous rom-com, with surprisingly deep character development, this one will be sure to win over even the most reluctant of romance readers.

This is a new to me author and I was excited to read Boyfriend material. I love the premise and thought it was enjoyable however I quickly lost interest. It started out very funny and quirky. I loved Oliver being a bit stiff and Luc being a mess. This opposite attraction worked but I found that it dragged on for far too long. They were together than not then together than not.
The author also used a lot of British slang which I had a hard time relating to. I don't mind a bit here and there but it interrupted my interested constantly.

Again the concept was interesting but it didn't work for me.I

I received a copy of this book for a honest review.