What a sweet adult queer romance! And if you’re thinking to yourself that the look of this book reminds you of RW&RB, you would be correct! There were enough similarities that I would recommend reading this one if you liked that one, but enough differences that it really is it’s own story.

Luc and Oliver were so loveable! I honestly gave this book 4 stars just for them. The fake relationship, the snarky British humor, and the idea of coming to terms with your own flaws and lack of perfection, just worked so well here. Luc is initially a dumpster fire, and Oliver is a very put together lawyer. But as the story unfolds we find that nobody is what they may seem on the outside. Hall was able to weave heavy topics into an easy to read format using well places banter and humor. Just as a side note, the bedroom scenes are of the fade to black variety.

The reason I took off a star was because of the side characters. They all just seemed entirely one dimensional, and we’re only reminded of them when they’re needed fo further the plot. I just wish we had more time with them because they were great characters who I think could have enhanced the story.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and the author for a review copy! This book comes out July 7th, 2020.

This book was so fun to read, but at the same time it manages to talk about very important themes in a "easy" way.
I wanted to read something for pride month and this definitely perfect, if you love the 'fake relationship' trope this is the one for you.
The romance is cute and both the protagonist are cinnamon rolls. The secondary cast is great, it's really various and funny.
As I already wrote it has great romance but also talks about important themes like parent's issues and insecurity. Also I really appreciated that the protagonist is the son of a famous singer so it talks about the media and how much they influence famous people's lives, it's something I almost never see I'm a book.
I think that's it, I know it's not much but these were my general thoughts and I'm not very good at writing reviews of contemporaries.

For the biggest part of this book it felt a lot like a 4 star book but that ending ruined a lot for me. First of all, I already started getting the feeling like we were dragging things out too much and then on top of that the author just needed to add in an unncecary conflict that came absolutely out of nowhere (so uch so that initially I thought it was like a bad dream sequence). For the rest I quite enjoyed this book.. It wasn't perfect but it was a fun, mindless read with a romance that had great chemistry and well developed main characters. The side characters felt a bit more like one dimensional archetypes only remembered when the plot needed them to be there. Now that I say it like that it doesn't sound 4 star worthy does it? Anyway, I did have a great time reading this overall. I was really pulled into the story and liked the dynamics between the main character and his love interest. I love a fake dating trope and the excecution on this on was pretty good. The only thiny complaint I have about it is that it obvious from the beginning to me that they did actually have feelings for each other, especially the main character. There isn't anything wrong with that. It's just my personal prefference when the fake dating doesn't already start with them obviously having feelings for each other.

Boyfriend Material is a tasteful romantic comedy. It is a book that people who loved R,W&RB might get excited about, and I really expected to love it, but in my opinion there aren’t too many similarities outside of ‘genre’ for these two.

Luc is the son of two rock stars, who has spent a lot of his life under media attention, this was made worse when his last boyfriend sold him out to the press. Oliver is a criminal defence lawyer, who takes good care of himself, is well put together and is a bit posh and stuffy. For one reason or another they have both been unlucky in love and have quite a few issues with self-worth and trust.

‘Our donors think I’m a bad gay.’
He frowned. ‘What’s a good gay?’
’Someone like you.’
‘I see.’

When Luc’s image is in dire need of repair a mutual friend sets these two up under the guise of a fake relationship, which despite a few good ‘fake-dating’ jokes, was never really fake at all.

There was quite a lot happening outside of the relationship in this and I can’t say any plot point did it any favours (except Luc’s mum), the best bits were by far when the leads were interacting.

I’m surprised at how it all turned out for me, because I found this really cute and full of good banter in the beginning, but the chemistry just sort of died out before it really began. The angst aspect that you need in fake dating was sort of missing, it almost lacked miscommunication in some parts for the sake of the getting together impact.

Don’t get me wrong I was obsessed with Luc, he was such a beautiful boy, I loved their sleepovers, the whole opposites attract thing. It just sort of all fell flat at/after their first kiss and in the entire last third in general was boring. The sex was private and while that really suits me, I didn’t feel it or connect before the fade away so I found that disappointing.

I am so excited by Hall in general, this is my first book of his and I loved the writing style and characterisation. I am glad I read this and hope to find a favourite amongst his backlist.

(ARC kindly provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review)

Very sweet new adult queer romance. Always a fan of the fake dating trope which worked fabulously here. Liked the portrayal of two anxious young men learning how to trust and love each other. Loved the English banter/slang which added lots of humor and strong character setting.

Boyfriend Material spoke to me.

I was truly not expecting to love it. I've had mixed experiences with Alexis Hall in the past, and I honestly didn't know he could be so funny. This book is hilarious, especially if you like kind of snarky, British humor, and I found myself laughing out loud to myself in bed, shoulders positively shaking (my husband did not appreciate this).

But that's how this book gets you. Under the humor lies the feels.

The emotions that I felt for these characters snuck up on me, and before I knew it, I was hooked. I really couldn't stop reading, and I stayed up nearly all night to finish.

I know it sounds cliche, but I laughed, I cried, and I would do it all over again.

It's funny, because plot-wise, nothing much happens in the story. It's sort of a meandering series of events in the MC's life where nothing seems to go quite right. The MC screws everything up time and time again, and puts his foot in his mouth so many times it might as well be permanently lodged there. However, he grows on you. The main characters are so multilayered that they feel like real people, and the secondary characters are so unique and well-conceived that you'll want them to have their own stories.

This story has self-righteous vegans, dung beetles, banana curries, dick pics, posh/idiot co-workers, and humor woven around each and every thing that makes it all come together effortlessly. But while you are laughing, be prepared for the feelings, a surprising amount of angst, and the strong, strong chemistry to hit you right when you least expect it. These guys are great for each other, baggage and all, and I was rooting for them like I haven't in a long time. But don't read this story if you are expecting steam, because this story is fade-to-black. However, I didn't mind the lack of steam with this one.

My favorite Alexis Hall book to date, Boyfriend Material delivered right when I needed it to most. I think the author did something special with this story.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

**I received an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Alexis Hall's newest release, Boyfriend Material, is a m/m contemporary romance with tons of humor and a fake dating trope tying it all together. Luc O'Donnell is the son of two rock stars, which makes him a frequent subject of the paparazzi. When Luc needs to clean up his reputation in order to keep his job at a charity, he decides that having a normal, straight-laced boyfriend is the way to do so. Enter Oliver Blackwood, defense attorney, and the most perfectly socially acceptable boyfriend one could ask for. When fake dating leads to real feelings, Luc and Oliver are left dealing with past trauma, present problems, and figuring out what they are to each other.

I have been a fan of Alexis Hall's writing for years. This work is a great example of Alexis' attention to character development and the balance of banter with angst. Basically, this book did precisely what I would have hoped for from this trope. I did think that things ran a bit long, but I wasn't upset about it overall. I think this book could really appeal to fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue while completely avoiding some of the cultural issues that were heavily brought up after that release.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have read this book early, and will continue to follow whatever future works Alexis Hall produces in the future.

Lucien, AKA Luc, the son of two aging rock stars, has many forces working against him. His parents make him a person of interest for tabloids, his boring job at a charity for dung beetles doesn't provide him with enough challenge, and his famous father abandoned him when he was three-years-old. After a particularly raucous night at the club, and a not-so-kind article about him in the paper, donors start pulling out of their charity donations because they think Luc doesn't represent the kinds of ideals they want to support. A plan made by his coworkers is formed to get Luc a fake boyfriend. for some positive press coverage A friend of a friend, Oliver, a barrister, is formal and a bit cold at first. But Luc will get him to open up-for the sake of appearances, that is....
The deal benefits both parties and they may not be able to keep their feelings fake for so long. Luc is relatable and funny, a character offset perfectly Oliver. If I'm being honest, my favorite character was Alex! A funny rom-com that will pull in readers.

Boyfriend Material is listed as one of "Most Anticipated Adult Romances 2020" so of course I was very curious about it and wanted to read it. Fake boyfriend is one of the most popular tropes between romance novels, the books are usually sweet, easy, and have a fast pace. It is the first time I read a book by this author so I didn't know what to expect, I found that I quite like the writing and the characterization of the characters. The book has some funny and sweet moments, I like the interaction of the main characters with their friends but not so much the side characters that are a little caricatural. While I am well aware that this kind of trope has usually a very low angst level this book as several passages where there is an attempt to a more profound emotional situation but that for me it doesn't deliver. More things that may not be well received by other readers that usually enjoy romance is the abundance of internal musing and lack of sex scenes that are usually more prominent in adult romance, I have also read some very good books that do not have explicit sex scenes but it fits with the character history or sexuality while in this case, it feels to me a little odd since the book is written by Lucien point of view.
Overall the book is, in my opinion, enjoyable but not remarkable, it needs a little more something, it needs to make us feel that the love between them is true, honest, and profound. I think I will read something else from this author to try and find a book that I like better.

Boyfriend Material was the M/M rom-com novel that I needed right now. With COVID-19 and a dismal economy, this book really put me in great spirits. Alexis Hall is going to be my new M/M romance novelist, I just know it. Thanks for being there for me when I needed this book the most.

Luc O'Donnell, son of a rocker and tabloid star and a French songwriter, is constantly in the press for his antics ever since his ex boyfriend leaked a story about him for a payout. Vulnerable and depressed, Luc continues to stumble (quite literally) into these public scandals and is more known as a gossip magazine topic than as a fundraiser for a local charity.

After one of his nights out, Luc is put in the press again and this time it's affecting his job. Luc's boss wants him to clean up his act and find a nice, reputable boyfriend to put donors at ease. Luc and his friends decide that they need to find the perfect candidate. And that candidate is Oliver Blackwood—a rigid and uptight, but muscular and sexy, barrister who is the complete opposite of Luc. The plan seems simple, but just one catch—feelings aren't supposed to get involved.

Boyfriend Material is the perfect gay romance novel to get you out of your slump or bad mood, I promise. It's funny, kind of steamy (not explicitly so, so you're ok Karen!), and very relatable. I related to the dynamics between Luc and Oliver a lot and I think whether you're queer or not, you will as well. I loved the nods to pop culture references and true to form romance and not the stereotypical BS that we've come to see in a lot of M/M romance novels. I am unsure if you should consider this as a YA novel, because it's very graphic in terms of language and I would legit cringe seeing a younger family member of mine reading this, but at the same time you won't be clutching your pearls gasping. If you want a gay Christina Lauren rom-com, Boyfriend Material is your best bet! Alexis Hall, thanks for keeping me up until 2:30 AM to finish this wickedly funny and cute book.

*I WAS PROVIDED A DIGITAL EDITION VIA NETGALLEY IN RETURN FOR MY HONEST REVIEW. THIS DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION*

Wow, and to think I was actually going to like this book. 😞

This book started off really well. It was funny, it was--in its own unique way--relatable, and it had a premise that sounded very promising! Then shit hit the fan, and I'm left wondering how it went from "this is going really well!" to "I can't stand this anymore."

For one, the main character is determined to keep his job under his homophobic boss. He goes on and on about how he'll be ruined forever if he doesn't manage to keep his job--thanks to his reputation--but doesn't actually seem to think it entirely through. If I were ever in his shoes and was basically being threatened by my boss, I would make it known that I wouldn't put up with it and quit. There's no realism in his decision whatsoever.

Secondly, this book went from being funny to being "big yikes." Luc makes it very apparent that he's just blatantly an a-hole because people and the press have hurt him. Then, someone comes along who might actually be willing to give him a chance and look past his past dealings, and he just treats them like absolute garbage every time they talk. Honestly, I'm not even sure how his own friends were still friends with him, his character seemed *that* bad.

Now, after all of this, I'm left wondering how I'm going to tell my manager--who I'm buddy reading this book with--that I'm DNFing this book at 22%. 2020 releases just have a passion for letting people down, don't they?

In this book we follow Luc O’Donnell, the child of two rock stars. The father he hasn’t met for most of his life is making a comeback, which puts Luc in the public eye and when he gets photographed looking a bit worse for wear, his job is put in jeopardy. He needs to find a fake boyfriend that can make him look respectable, and that’s where Oliver Blackwood comes into the picture. Oliver is the epitome of the perfect nice (fake) boyfriend with his job as a barrister, and the two of them couldn’t be more different. But soon enough the fake dating doesn’t feel very fake any more…

Ok, first off I loved this book! It was really f*cking funny and the chemistry between the two leads was amazeballs. The playful and cute way these two interacted was soo good! I loved how some serious topics were broached, and how they were handled. This book also kind of reminded me a bit of Bridget Jones’s Diary (the film, not the book!), in a good way! The pairing of the character who is a bit of a mess (Luc) with the uptight barrister (Oliver), some scenes and characters were also upper-class and some of the humour was derived from this and Luc’s friend group, where all things that reminded me of that film. I also love when characters who seem perfect have flaws, that’s what makes them human (and I’m not going to go into this more, because spoilers!). I kind of wish it would have gone a bit steamier, but I don’t really mind it as I loved so many other things about this book!

This book is definitely a five star read for me!

A big Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for this ARC! All of my thoughts and opinions are my own.

Though the cover for <i>Boyfriend Material</i> was designed to evoke last summer's big male/male romance hit, Casey McQuiston's <i>Red, White & Royal Blue</i>, versatile Alexis Hall's first book with publisher Sourcebooks doesn't feature a royal romance. Neither is it as sexually explicit or bitingly political as Hall's Arden St. Ives or Spires romances. Instead, Hall gives us his take on a conventional romance trope—fake boyfriend—with trademark self-deprecating but always witty humor, deep emotional resonance, and a light but heartfelt critique of liberal het "tolerance" for gay men who do not fit the unobtrusive mold.

<i>Boyfriend Material</i> opens with twenty-eight-year old white (1/2 English, 1/4 Irish, 1/4 French) Luc (Lucien) O'Donnell failing miserably to hook up during a London party he'd not really wanted to attend ("There should really be a word for the feeling you get when you do a thing you don't particularly want to do to support somebody else but then realise they didn't actually need you and nobody would have noticed if you'd stayed home in your pyjamas eating Nutella straight from the jar"). Given the intrusive publicity he's received over the years as the son of a famous rock star (especially after a former boyfriend sold a tell-all story to the press three years back), Luc tends to lead with prickles and pride rather than smooth seduction, hardly a formula designed for maximum pick-up appeal. And thus the evening ends with Luc leaving the bar alone, and tripping, and falling on his ass. A moment that is inevitably caught on film by a lurking pap.

After the resulting bad publicity, Luc's employer (a hilariously singleminded scientist who runs a charity to save the dung beetle!) warns him to "rehabilitate yourself fast. You need to go back to being the sort of harmless sodomite that Waitrose shoppers can feel good about introducing to their left-wing friends and smug about introducing to their right-wing friends"). Her specific recommendation: find an "appropriate" boyfriend.

Luc tries to address his boss's concern the old fashioned way, by allowing his friend to set him up on a date with a potential boyfriend. But when said date quickly heads south, he blurts out his problem to the man, a super-buttoned-up public defender lawyer named Oliver Blackwood ("a cool, clean modern-art piece of a man entitled Disapproval in Pinstripes," as Luc describes him). To Luc's surprise, Oliver agrees to be his "public boyfriend," if Luc will also attend an event of his and play the same role later in the year.

To Luc's even greater surprise, the self-possessed Oliver ends up doing more than just accompanying the often emotionally clueless and judgmental but likable Luc to his employer's annual charity event. And as Oliver does more than any real boyfriend has ever done to support Luc, Luc in turn gradually discovers that Oliver is not as competent, put-together, or emotionally even-keeled as his public image projects. Can two opposites do more than attract? Can they build a real relationship in the face of their particular, individual emotional hangups, hangups lurking behind their public images as the "bad" and the "good" kind of homosexual?

I have my fingers crossed that this first book with a big traditional publisher will win Hall the broader audience his outstanding writing so clearly deserves.

Boyfriend Material is the new queer rom-com from Alexis Hall. The story is about Lucien O'Donnell, who's gained a bit of fame due to his father even if he never wanted it. In order to survive his father's latest comeback attempt he'd decided a nice stable boyfriend will help him clean up his image. Enter Oliver Blackwood, a nice responsible barrister, and the epitome of stable boyfriend material. The two strike a deal to be boyfriends on paper only, but what happens when real feelings start to confuse the issue?
This book was pure light and fluffy rom-com, and if you're looking for a book that gives you the feeling of movies like Four Weddings and a Funeral then this is the book for you. However, if you're someone that wants some depth, passion, or angst with your romance and humor then this book will leave you sadly wanting. I chose to pick up this book because previous offerings from Hall had delivered on that passion and depth I adore in romance. I wanted to give this rom-com a try because I knew Hall to be a good writer that had delivered excellent stories in the past.
And this book it good, don't get me wrong all of the reasons I've liked Hall's writing before are here in the excellent characters and sharp wit. What was missing was any depth to the emotion or love story between Luc and Oliver. All of the chances to really examine Oliver's feelings of inadequacy or Luc's anger at the fame machine were glossed over, I think in a bid to keep the lighter tone. I am just growing tired of this recent crop of rom-coms that pull punches when it comes to examining anything that feels like real human emotion.
If you're into "chick-lit" or fluff then definitely give this a try. There's nothing too earth shattering here to make even the most fragile of readers squirm. If you're like me and want more passion, humanity, and grit from your books then I suggest picking up Hall's other title For Real, which is a good showcase for what this author is capable of.

5⭐️.

​Fake dating; opposites attract.

Q: who is your fave uptight hero?

All the praise hands to books that make us happy during this time and Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material is one of them for me. I love this book so and it’s going on my shelves as soon as I can get my grabby hands on it.

Luc is the son of two 80s rockers, one of whom abandoned him when he was 3. As a minor celebrity he garners his fair share of paparazzi coverage & it’s always negative. But one particular article puts his job at a charity in jeopardy & to save it he asks an uptight barrister with a good reputation to be his fake boyfriend.

Oliver is said barrister. And *be still my heart* because I am a fiend for an uptight hero. You know the type: they’re so proper and often seen as stiff, condescending, & judgmental (and sometimes they are!) but they’re also—at least in Oliver’s case—protective & loving & find it difficult to express their feelings. Ahhhhh!

I’d also like to take this opportunity to say that Luc is *not* uptight but he is so yearning & he loves his mother; he’s often snarky & not always the nicest, even to his friends, but he has a big heart & does some hard emotional work & deserves a million Oliver snuggles, okay?!

Boyfriend Material is so so so funny and Alexis Hall’s portrayal of friendship is divine. I love when friends are loving & supportive and also not 100% perfect. Even the loveliest of friends don’t always say or do the right things (and can sometimes push on our bruises unintentionally). But they can also read your heart & accompany you on road trips so you can chase your heart’s desire.

As funny as this book is it’s also not afraid to explore hurt and insecurity, but in a way that didn’t leave me feeling emotionally devastated.

In closing I’d like to say again: I love this book so much. I do wish there had been a (totally) on the page love scene and an Epilogue because as a previous review established, my soul is thirsty, but this book is also so wonderful as is & I would like to hug Luc and Oliver forever.

Boyfriend Material is out on 07/07. Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Boyfriend Material was advertised to me as the British answer to Red, White and Royal Blue. I wasn’t inclined for a minute to believe that could be the case, but this really was a super entertaining, emotional, adorable romance that you need in your life for summer 2020.

We follow Luc, son of two 80s icons, though his father walked out on him and his wonderfully eccentric mother when he was young and he’s not seen him since. In person anyway- his father’s comeback is plastered over screens everywhere. This element to the plot examines the harsh realities of growing up as the son of a celebrity, with every gossip rag hoping for a scandal. The tear-down nature of the british media is really explored here, giving personality and a sympathetic nature to the target of gossip ‘news’.

When Luc needs the perfect date to present to high-profile work clients that he is a fully reformed, well behaved, unintimidating gay, in walks Oliver Blackwood. Think young, sexy, gay Mark Darcy. Who also Luc also happens to hate. This book is PACKED with delicious romance tropes – I’m talking enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, fake dating, THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED! So tasty.

Through putting a gay couple, trying to present the ‘perfect’ image, this book really focuses on the unrealistic expectations that are put on gay couples to meet society’s ideals – they can’t be too gay, but also need to fit a heteronormative idea of their relationship dynamics. Being gay is enough of a scandal already, so don’t draw any more attentuon. This comes both from Luc’s need to present himself positively to the media, and also Oliver’s need to present the perfect relationship to his highly strung parents. However, throughout this book Oliver and Luc go on an immense personal journey to realise that they do not need to appease anyone other than themselves.

There’s definitely an element in this book of comparisons of different parental relationships- whilst Luc’s parental relationships seem very disfunctional on the surface, Luc’s mother is incredibly loving though very odd (shoutout to Luc’s mother who is supportive and loving, and has a beautiful platonic companionship with another older woman) and he comes to appreciate this throughout the book. Whilst Oliver’s parents encourage success and provide only the best for their son, but their attitudes are incredibly judgemental and they can be very emotionally manipulative with how they withhold love and praise to bend Oliver to their will.

I would proceed with caution at times though, because the behaviour of Luc’s father is very much emotionally abusive. There’s a lot of gaslighting and manipulation. This is also true of Oliver’s parents.

This truely is story full of really beautiful character growth. The changes in Luc’s mental health and self-worth are so touching, I actually got a little teary. I also laughed and celebrated with our characters. Hall’s writing style is almost painfully quirky at times, and at first I was really unsure, but it quickly became charming and I really fell in love with this caricature of Britain and its inhabitants. It truly was like reading a modern, queer Bridget Jones. If you’re looking for a quintessentially British summer rom-com, then you must pick this up!

Boyfriend Material - Alexis Hall

Rating: 4,5☆/5☆

Tropes: MM, fake dating

Thoughts:
Ahhh, this book! I've been seeing it everywhere and I was so happy when I got an arc! And gosh, how I adored it.

Luc's character first came across as not that likeable and really selfcentred but he redeemed himself. He had so much growth throughout the story, which was just fabulous.
I also found that the story being only in his POV was amazing. He's such a funny, sarcastic character and I saw a lot of me in him. I just wanted to hug him and make all of his inner struggles go away.

And Oliver, awww he's so cute. He comes off as a prude and way to serious, but after Luc spends some time with him, he comes around.
I only wished we could've seen more of Oliver after he had the fight with his parents (how he deals with it, what's going on with his brother, etc.)

The book is also really British, which I just loved. Some of the characters, especially Lucs co-workers seem a bit over the top.
This and that we don't get an epilogue is the reason that I can't give the book 5 stars.
Overall, I really loved the story and the characters.

Also is it just me or did this book have major Bridget Jones vibes?

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review

(INSTAGRAM POST AND AMAZON REVIEW WILL FOLLOW CLOSER TO RELEASE DATE!!)

This is a "fake dating" trope, so it's pretty obvious what's going to happen, right? I mean, I was totally prepared to be underwhelmed, but I ended up completely charmed!

Our MC Lucien is a freaking hot mess. I really wanted to not like him, but he quickly grew on me and I absolutely fell hard for him! And dude has jokes! Like, I seriously laughed and snorted my way through this book listening to his stream of consciousness! And the quotes!! So many profound and witty statements in here, I love them all!!

And Luc's relationship with perfectly flawed Oliver was such a nice slow burn and achingly sweet and just <sigh>!

So yeah, predictable, but the ride was oh so fun! The supporting cast was amazing, the witty banter was superb and just everything added up to such an entertaining and light read! Absolutely loved it!

What I loved:

- the humor in this book is *chefs kiss*!!! It made the reading experience a million times better.
- the romance! It took me a liiiiittle longer than expected to like their (fake-lol-it's-actually-not-fake) romance, but once I was, I was rooting alllllll the way. Oliver and Luc won my heart and wouldn't give it back!!! Honestly they're so cute. Ahhhhh
- The character development. Both of the main characters have some pretty bad issues, and seeing them grow during the book was amazing. Of course, it's not an easy road and by the end of the book they aren't perfect, but you can tell they're on their way to getting there!
- the characters. While Oliver and Luc were both every once in a while during the book and a lot at the very beginning of said book very annoying, I came to love their annoyingness. huh. And honestly, all the side characters were well rounded and so fun to read about!
- The plot. Just, the plot. I had an amazing time reading the whole entire time. Reading Experience? 1000000/10

What I didn't love so much:

- the semi relevant Cam guy we say at the beginning of the book? I thought he was going to be a much bigger deal since we did spend a reasonable amount of time with him, and was very confused when it turned out not to be the case.
- as a non-British english speaker, sometimes the words used were just too much. When even my kindle dictionary can't tell me what a word means and I have to constantly google things... not a good sign. I'm sure this is fine for British people, but there are more common words the author could use that would make it easier for the general non-British public to read the book.
- I'm not sure if this will be fixed in the finished copy, but the constant typo of the french words "mon cher" – as a native french speaker – really got on my nerves. That, and the amount of french stereotypes used to write Luc's mother.
- as much as I really, truly, loved the humor in this book, I found some jokes were a bit overused and got old toward the end.

In conclusion, even if this wasn't perfect, the things I loved outweigh by FAR those I didn't. I absolutely loved this book and I loved reading it. The characters, the plot, the humor, the romance, made this book, and I absolutely recommend it!!!

luc o'donnell is kind of a disaster. the long-ignored son of a british rockstar and reclusive french singer, he's caught by the paparazzi falling into a ditch and appearing to be drug-addled and on a bender. the reality is more that he tripped while walking home while intoxicated by one margarita too many. but then his job is put on high alert unless he can clean up his reputation and seem like a sober, dependable fellow. and so the boyfriend scheme comes to light.

when his pushy friend bridget suggests he hook up with her other gay friend, oliver, luc is less than enthused. his previous interactions with oliver hadn't gone well. and neither does the date that they attempt. but when luc admits he needs a fake boyfriend, oliver admits he needs one too.

and thus the boyfriend pact is borne. but neither luc nor oliver are quite sure what makes a guy boyfriend material. they're complete opposites, but they also make one another feel supported and whole and less like unmitigated disaster humans. it takes a while to see beneath oliver's façade, you see. but at heart, he's as much a mess as luc. he is just better at hiding it.

once they get their wires uncrossed and realize some hard truths about themselves, they realize that maybe this fake boyfriend thing isn't so much fake after all. and it is delightful.

**boyfriend material will publish on july 7, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/sourcebooks casablanca in exchange for my honest review.