I loved this. Reminded me of the red white and royal blue which I really enjoyed. So if you liked that, I think you’d like this too!

This book was absolutely delightful. I finished and texted my friend to say I had angsty-warm-and-fuzzies. It's such an odd combination, but it wasn't overly sweet but was absolutely tender.

I was really grateful for the length and I was actually surprised at how long it was, in a good way! It was lovely to spend so much time with Luc and Oliver and watch their fake relationship flourish. I think some of the side characters could have used some editing down; they got a bit distracting and confusing and pulled from the story. Also, Luc's self-deprecation got a little tired after a bit, and then when Oliver started doing it too it got to be a bit much, but it was worth seeing their character growth! And all the banter and texting was worth it; I'd read a sequel of just them being happy and texting each other!

I'm a big fan of fake dating that turns into real dating without either party being aware, and throwing in sensitive supposed bad-boy with tight-wad Good Child Syndrome? *chef's kiss*

Really good, romantic, funny and charming. A great read for fans of Casey McQuiston and the forced relationships trope.

This fake dating book is perfect. Hall has penned the perfect fluffy rom-con that also tackles tough subjects. Luc and Oliver are perfect together and watching them find their HEA is the most fun I’ve had in a while.

Why? Why did I wait so long to read this? This is absolutely hilarious with it's dry, sarcastic British humour (my kind of humour). Despite the humourous tone, there is still a lot of heart and seriousness to the book. We deal with self esteem (and how we can have low self esteem depending on who we're around), family, rejection, and friendship. Luc at first feels like a typical brooding character who puts of a bad boy exterior, but we quickly learn that his has a lot of issues he needs to work through. Oliver, the love interest, is serious and caring, but we learn there is more to him than meets the eye. I love both of these characters for very different reasons - as different as their personalities - and I fully ship them!

I can't go much into it without spoilers so gushing about this book is extra hard. It's sweet and funny and it's another book I managed to finish quickly - two sittings *shakes fist* (damn you work schedule) - and I was intrigued the entire way. Hall has such an easy, approachable writing style and I will be picking up anything else he writes! I think if you loved Red, White and Royal Blue then you'll absolutely love this one - just keep in mind the sex scenes are fade to black so no smut in here.

Throughly enjoyed this. Oliver and Lucien have such great chemistry together, each a disaster in his own way. A hilarious set of side characters add laugh-out loud moments. Personally, I like romantic tropes, so the fake dating to real dating plot was enjoyable. Overall, a completely charming book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance copy of this book.

Sometimes second chances are worth it! I tried reading Boyfriend Material a few months back and just couldn’t get past the first couple chapters. The second time around, I flew through it! Honestly, once we met Oliver, I was hooked.

Luc is a bit of a wreck. He’s rash and flighty and just a mess. He’s a bit frustrating and hard to keep up with at times. I found myself constantly frustrated with his self-destructive patterns. It was a relief to see a lot of character growth for Luc throughout the story. Oliver is very well put together. He seems self-assured and mature. He’s a great constant in Luc’s life and I loved seeing their (fake) relationship develop.

The writing was great. I got totally sucked into the story and found myself feeling a full range of emotions as I was reading. I do think the ending was a bit frustrating and seemingly out of character. So much so that I was messaged friends who have read it saying “WTH?!?” But all in all, this was a sweet, enjoyable read.

I’m aware I rarely say this about books, but this was FANTASTIC! Once I started to read “Boyfriend Material” I couldn’t stop anymore and with every chapter I read, I was drawn even more into the story. The conversations between the two MCs, Luc and Oliver, were so much fun and I found myself clutching the pages while laughing out loud.

Sure, not everything in this book is hilarious and Alexis Hall tackles plenty of serious topics as well. The author always does it with a little humour though and this made this a really enjoyable and entertaining read. For instance Luc’s boss is a horrible person. I mean I get it, beetles are important for the environment but boy, does she lack the finesse of human interaction. Some of the things she said at the beginning of the book were flat out rude and inappropriate and if Luc wouldn’t have been such a nice person she probably would have lost her company a long time ago.

The good thing about those moments is that they were all either called out or challenged by some of the characters and I really appreciated this approach. Alexis Hall deals with prejudices, bias and a good dose of discrimination but the author does it in a healthy kind of way. For such a funny book this is quite remarkable and before I dwell on those topics even more I’ll just go for the good stuff! Namely the easy banter of the two MCs , the fact that Luc (whose full name is Lucien btw and we all know about my weakness for that name! ;-P) is a disaster gay and the amazing portrayal of friendships which gave this all such a wholesome and healthy vibe!

I swear Luc and Oliver were such a formidable couple! Yes, they might have started fake-dating because at that point of their lives they both needed it to save their reputation; they were always honest and forthright though! And this was so, so, so, so refreshing!!! Most of the conflicts in “Boyfriend Material” didn’t come into being because of some miscommunication between the MCs but because the characters were used to deal with their problems on their own. They were stuck in their habits and problems and had a tough time letting anyone in, which considering both of their backstories was actually pretty relatable.

As were their friendships! I loved Bridge and the funny dynamic between Luc and his other friends. They were exactly like you’d expect good friends to be and their support for Luc was amazing! Funnily enough I even liked Alex, Luc’s gullible, innocent and totally clueless co-worker who wouldn’t even notice if he would put his foot in his mouth. Let’s just hope the Alex’s of this world will never be confronted with harsh reality. XD

This said, the only thing I didn’t like were the two storylines about Luc’s father and Oliver’s family. Whilst the plot that dealt with Luc’s father might have been dissatisfying but realistic, the part that focused on Oliver’s family fell short for me. I really wish we would have gotten more of his storyline throughout the entire book and not only on the last 30 pages. I get why Alexis Hall did it that way and I appreciate the point the author made, but for me this came out of the blue and kind of spoiled the ending.
I guess this might be a typical "it's not the book, it's me" situation though. Well, at least so far no other reviewer seems to have mentioned it.

All told I really enjoyed “Boyfriend Material” and had a more than just tough time to put it down. The hilarious humour and easy banter made it really addicting and before I even knew it I found myself rushing through the pages. If you’re looking for a sweet rom-com that isn’t afraid to tackle a few serious topics and will make you laugh out loud, this might be exactly the right book for you! ;-) Happy reading!

4.5 ⭐️

I really enjoyed The Boyfriend Material! It was funny and romantic and thought-provoking and entertaining. It’s definitely over-the-top at times but those scenes made me laugh. Other times I just wanted to hug the characters and tell them that it’ll be ok.
I loved the writing style and Luc’s point of view. He was funny and sarcastic but also very loving and protective. He also had amazing character development! I also really enjoyed the relationship between Luc and Oliver. It progressed realistically and the fake dating trope was executed perfectly.
The Boyfriend Material was a book that I could not put down and that I’ll definitely have to read again in the future because I already miss the characters!

This was a fun and enjoyable read. Definitely a great read a like for Red White and Royal Blue. Will be recommending to my book club. Ordered copies for N.H. downloadable books and my library. Thank you!

4.5 stars! I can’t believe I was sitting on this ARC since this summer and just read it now! This book made me laugh out loud on multiple occasions! I read this on my kindle and also listened to the audio and while I recommend both, I think I actually preferred the audiobook! The narration was excellent and think it made certain parts of the book come to life. I absolutely loved the characters. The storyline was good but it’s the characters (and the writing) that made this book an excellent read! I especially loved Luc’s mother! I would definitely recommend checking out this one!!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

When I first read the synopsis, I immediately requested this one to review. Male on male, fake boyfriends and British humor – sign me up. But to be honest, I didn’t like it all that much. If I hadn’t had to review it and I’d believe in DNF’s, I probably would have put the book away halfway through.

I had a tough time finding into the story and an even harder time connecting with the characters. While Lucien is an interesting character and very different from everything I’ve ever read before, at times, I was thinking, “oh boy – here we go again.” I simply didn’t click with him at all. His counterpart and fake boyfriend Oliver is a very straightforward and somewhat cool character. He has a clear idea about everything, and that’s also sort of his problem. The weird thing is that I really liked them as a couple, and I can totally see why they’re good for each other, but I felt so detached from the whole thing I couldn’t even enjoy it. I feel like I hardly know them, and when you follow characters through an entire book, that’s generally bad.

About halfway through, it seemed like it was getting better, but then it didn’t. It was like watching a movie without audio – you see, but you don’t connect to the characters or the story at all. I kept hoping for the sparks they were supposedly feeling to reach me, but there were only a few selected scenes where that was the case. My ratings are rarely this low, but I honestly wasn’t feeling this one at all. That has never happened to me before with a fake boyfriend romance kind of thing because usually, I’m total trash for this. But I felt like I was crawling through the second half of the book.

To my surprise, I liked the ending a lot better than I expected, given my feelings throughout the book. Suddenly the missing emotions were there. There’s a bit more character development on Lucien’s side, but they both eventually acknowledge their respective issues, paving the way for a better future. So, plot-wise, it was very traditional and exactly what you expect, picking up this sort of story.

Long story short, this one didn’t really work for me. When I read romance, I need to connect to the characters, and I need to feel the love, and for whatever reason, that didn’t happen. And I’m super bummed that I didn’t enjoy it as much as I hoped I would. It’s exam season, so maybe I wasn’t able to relax into it enough?

I’m sure that a lot of you will love this book. If it sounds good to you, don’t be discouraged because I didn’t like it. If you do end up reading it, definitely let me know what you think.

I barely have words for how much I enjoyed this book. Luc and Oliver may have nothing in common but the chemistry between them leaps off the page!

I nearly didn't finish this book. I was so turned off by the behavior of the main character that I just didn't think I could stick with it, and I am so very glad that I did. Otherwise, I would have missed out on one of the must fun books I read this year.

This book is just wonderful. Funny, endearing, tear-jerking, and lovely. Well developed characters that grab you by the hand and take you along for a bumpy ride.

I recommend it to anyone, but especially those looking for LGBTQ, contemporary romance, humor, or family drama.

4.5/5 stars

A complimentary copy was provided in exchange for an honest review.

This was cute! And also dramatic! I wasn't expecting the story to unfold the way it did though I shouldn't be surprised because Alexis Hall is very good about giving the reader the full spectrum of emotion - comedy to crying. :D Though I didn't actually cry, it was still hard to see these characters struggle.

Luc is trying to save his job and clean up his image. Oliver is trying to find a buffer between him and his parents. They decide to help each other out by being fake boyfriends but thing get complicated when FEELINGS get involved! I really, really, really like Oliver. He is super adorable and his button up attitude just made me love him more because I knew he needed it and also needed to be set free so he can be himself. Luc helps with that, and Oliver helps Luc not to be so, so, well, not to be so stressed and worried about what people think about him. Luc's father is a famous rock star who abandoned him when he was a kid, and suddenly shows back up in his life, creating all kinds of crap drama for Luc. But with Oliver's help he manages to work his way through that drama and not break down when the shit hits the fan with dear old dad. What a wanker!

Anyway, Luc and Oliver start to have feelings and kind of agree to try and have a real relationship, sort of - it's complicated. I enjoyed reading about them falling in love and chasing after each other. That was some dedication on Luc's part, whew! These characters are nice and sweet and loving; I really liked them and would love to see them again. The ending was a little less than I wanted; I would have at least like to have seen Luc and Oliver go back up to Luc's flat to see if Priya (Luc's friend) would let them in, lol, since Luc didn't have his key.

Overall a very cute story and I do recommend. 4 stars

P.S. There is kind of a lot of telling not showing, but there is still a lot of story to enjoy.

I received a complimentary copy of Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall from Sourcebooks Casablanca through Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Boyfriend Material came out in July 2020!

Luc is in the unfortunate position of being quasi-famous. As the adult son of two rock stars, he finds himself subjected to public scrutiny and paparazzi capturing and sharing his most embarrassing moments. When one such incident causes him to lose a ton of donors for the charity he works for, his boss tells him he needs to find a respectable boyfriend and clean up his image for their upcoming charity event if he wants to keep his job. Oliver is the perfect solution. He's a barrister, a vegetarian, and generally respectable. Luckily, Oliver also needs a date for a family event and is willing to pretend to be Luc's boyfriend until the dust has settled. Although they have nothing in common, Luc and Oliver's fake relationship begins to feel very real.

I really enjoyed Boyfriend Material! Luc and Oliver are complex and entirely loveable. I ended up actually listening to this one on audio and I'd highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good audiobook! Boyfriend Material uses the fake dating trope really well. The way their fake relationship slowly became something real felt natural even though it was a bumpy road. This is a very British romantic comedy and it definitely made me laugh quite a bit. Although it is a comedy, Boyfriend Material still deals with some heavy issues like complicated family relationships and past trauma. I'd recommend this book to anyone interested in a gay romantic comedy!

I really enjoyed this book.
It has everything a romcom should have!
I laughed out loud a bunch of times and I liked the slow burn romance. The writing was good and I enjoyed all the English slang.

It took me a lot longer than normal to read it though, I do think there was some scenes we could have done without.
That’s what stops me from giving it 5 stars.

I also felt like the ending was a bit rushed, I wanted to know more.
Overall I really liked the book and look forward to more by this author.

This was the best book I've read this year, hands down. Alexis Hall is able to infuse such a lighthearted fun into his every word, and I was in desperate need of that this year. His dialogue is so funny and genuine, and his two main characters are so sincere and well-rounded, and feel like actual people. I loved all the pop-culture references, and I loved being inside Luc's head. I cannot wait for Hall's next book!

Side Note: I reread this as an audiobook and is there any accent that Joe Jameson cannot do??

Thank you so much to Alexis Hall, Sourcebooks Casablanca, and NetGalley for sending me the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

LOVE!!
This was such a cute read and it made me laugh and smile in nearly every chapter.
Great cast of characters, and love that the two mains both had great character development.