This is a review for the first five chapters of the novel “Husband Material” by Alexis Hall, provided via NetGally in exchange for an honest review.

Wow it’s great being back in this world! I guess I missed Luc and Oliver.
The first book in the series, ”Boyfriend Material”, I practically devoured about a year ago. I enjoyed the main character and love interest, the witty humor and eventual optimism the book left the reader with.
And like it, it seems that the sequel will be packed with meaningful character interactions, funny jokes and mental health representation.

The first five chapters of “Husband Material” managed to get me invested very quickly back into the friendship dynamics (which were great so far), but mainly in the relationship between Oliver and Luc.

It seems like over the two years between each installment, a lot has changed, and for the better. With both men! the personal growth is very apparent, especially Luc’s.
Previously, I appreciated the realistic depiction of someone with anxiety, depression and past trauma, and how it feels living with it all while trying (and sometimes failing) to get better. This time around, our main character had two years dealing with his problems, with the help of a supportive and stable partner plus good friends. And it shows: he’s now well aware of his state, and actively tries making better choices and take the “right” action. It can be seen when he remarks about how he would have acted in a specific situation a few years ago, but still he chooses a different path, trying to be more considerate.
Now more than ever, Luc is a very relatable to me personally. Having some time to reflect helped me realize that we might be quite alike, even if some of our background and experiences are a bit different.

I love Oliver, our supportive, caring, attentive boyfriend, who’s an even better listener now. He is a great character on his own, and of course a great love interest. He has a well rounded personality, and didn’t receive the “generic partner” treatment many others suffer from. I guess both partners changed (hopefully for the better, mutually benefiting from the relationship).

I like the vegan representation. It seems many paint it at a bad light, even when it’s practiced by someone close. I liked how Luc is so accepting of this life style, and tries so hard to incorporate it into their life together.

So, the big potential trap with romance sequel is how boaring and predictable the “trouble in paradise” trope is. The first installment usually sets up the characters and gets them together after the big finale, the “final boss” if you will. By the end, everything’s great, happy ever after. So what now? What will the next story be, and is there a need for it? That’s the trap: what more plot is there, since the couple are together, having overcome whatever it was that prevented them from being happy. The author needs to make the sequel interesting while not hurting what was built beforehand. Many writers find it harder, for some reason, to write an interesting continuation of an established relationship. Usually there’s some cheap plot device to create drama that really doesn’t make much sense. Or the overdone trope of separation over a misunderstanding/miscommunication, fight or a potential love interest from the past.
Unfortunately, I personally feel that some romance sequels are pointless. That is way I’m very intrigued to see how Alexis Hall has gone about it. I have high expectations, since reading and liking “Something Fabulous”, and of course since the book’s title is very telling, I’d like to see how we get there.

I’m just hoping there won’t be any grossly insensitive sayings of an allo-normative nature. I do want to like this book, and for it to also be a-spec inclusive/sensitive.
Very excited to read the finished copy once it’s published!

i was only given the first 5 chapters, but each one was packed with content that made me laugh and endearingly cringe at luc's antics and miss luc and oliver all the more. love how they've been together for 2 years and almost nothing has changed between them. my favorite boys! i also adore how the author continues not to fetish the love of gay men, like so many women do when writing this genre. so excited to read beyond chapter 5!

I LITERALLY CANNOT CONTAIN MY EXCITEMENT FOR THIS SEQUEL but for the sake of this I will.

I'm still in love with Luc and Oliver's dynamic, and how they are both growing not only in their relationship together but them as individuals as well. Five chapters is obviously not enough to be able to properly review this but I very much liked what I read so far!

I am in love with this preview! I need the rest now, Alexis Hall has done it! You will not be able to put this down once you start!

I have just finished the preview of Husband Material and I am already in love with the story, we can see a more emotionally developed Luc, even though you can still see how untrusty he still is, and we can see Oliver trying to be more spontaneous. The writing is amazing, Alexis was able to continue a narrative that can and will hold its readers until the last page!! I cannot wait to finish the story.

Well, I don't have much to said for 5 chapters, BUT I LOVE IT, I have been waiting for this sequel, and I am pretty sure I'm going to love it for what I read in the preview!!! I'm so excited! <3

Alexis Hall's 'Husband Material' is hands down one of my most anticipated releases, and this preview did not disappoint. We get a nice glance into how our favorite pair have been doing since the end of 'Boyfriend Matieral', along with a set up for what's presumably to come as the main conflict of this book. I'm so excited to read this book and I'm super glad that there was a preview on Netgalley!

This little preview sets up the novel wonderfully! Luc and Oliver are going strong but it seems like Bridge's relationship might be failing apart! Plus, Luc's backstabbing ex is back in the picture, asking Luc to attend his wedding so they can bury the hatchet. Luc is still super insecure and anxious and Oliver can be incredibly high strung. It's everything Boyfriend Material was and more, with what I can only hope is a happy ending.

This excerpt was a good taster for what was to come. It is nice to see the continuing dynamic of our two male leads as they continue on in their relationship asfter a period of time has passed.

Their dynamic was always one that I enjoyed, with relalistic themes portrayed in each individual whilst learning to coincide mentally. This small exceprt left much to desire, only in terms of content because I need more but in terms of knowing where the story is going.

So far I enjoyed the content delivered and hope their is further growth and development with our guys.

This preview made me both excited and anxious to read the rest of this book! I cannot wait for the full book! This felt like a continuation or Boyfriend Material and I adored that book so much. Cannot wait to read the rest of this book.

The excerpt I read was a lovely continuation of Boyfriend Material. The heart, the humor, the quirky cast of characters were all there. It was so difficult to start reading because I knew I only had 5 chapters and normally I would devour the whole book in one sitting. But it was completely worth getting a small taste of this delightful book. Can't wait to read the whole thing!


*Review on the first 5 Chapters of Husband Material provided by NetGalley

I'll go hide my head in shame
I didn't care for the writing in this it felt otp. Like omg by amazing barrister boyfriend. My barrister boyfriend ...why couldn't they just use their basic names instead of full blown descriptions every time.
Exerpt below
My amazing barrister boyfriend who still felt like an amazing barrister boyfriend after two whole years. My amazing barrister boyfriend who— on account of the amazing barrister part rather than the boyfriend part—was currently running late.
I just don't think the writing is for me I love a good mm but this was a no for me

Boyfriend Material was one of my top 3 favorite books that I read last year, so I was thrilled to learn a sequel is coming. Oh my goodness, this teaser did not disappoint! Hall's writing continues to be laugh out loud funny, the back and forth banter is still incredible, Luc's inner monologues are amazing and even further develops his character, and all of the supporting characters are back and better than ever. Not only does Luc have a great group of friends, but his work colleagues may be even more fun to read about. I just can't get enough of these characters!

I cannot recommend Boyfriend Material enough, and it seems like Husband Material may be on the same level - cannot wait to read the full book!

I was nervous that I wouldn’t remember enough about the cast of characters from Boyfriend Material to truly enjoy the sequel, but the five chapters in this preview thankfully seem crafted with this worry in mind. The glimpse of Husband Material did a great job of reminding me what I loved about the original book, as well as getting me invested in the plot of the sequel. The humor in particular was fantastic, and I can’t wait to read more of the witty writing when the full book is released.

This preview made me so nervous for this book! I've been looking forward to it, but the issues in the first few chapters between Luc and Oliver feel very false for a couple with their emotional intimacy or any couple who'd been together that long and Luc seems to have done a lot of reverting from the character growth he'd achieved by the end of Boyfriend Material. Hopefully the whole book will resolve everything gracefully but this preview really tempered my enthusiasm for the release of the full book.

Husband Material is a wonderful continuation of the story of Boyfriend Material. If you liked Boyfriend Material, you will like this one as well. It feels very much the same. Luc is very much the same disaster he has ever been, but happier and with slightly better coping mechanisms. And Oliver is still the same dream boyfriend who is quietly trying to deal with his problems. Of course, in these first five chapters, many more problems arise which feel very much like a continuation of Boyfriend Material. Especially the character arcs had room to be expanded after the first book and so far it very much looks like that is what is happening for this one.

When I first heard about a second part coming out I wasn't sure whether I needed a sequel. I was happy with the ending of Boyfriend Material. This preview, however, is making me question that. Some interesting arcs are being opened and I am curious to see how they will develop.

I just read the first five chapters (thanks NetGalley for the preview!) and I'm so eager to read this book. Just from these chapters, I can see how it brings in the best parts of Boyfriend Material while introducing equally silly but heavy obstacles for Luc and Oliver. Looking forward to August!

This preview had left me wanting more of the story and honestly I can’t wait to read the full story on these two characters and their adventures!

This just cemented my love for Boyfriend Material! It felt like I didn’t even take a break between the two! Hall had me laughing from the first page. I need more!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for sending me the first 5 chapters of this book.
The first 5 chapters just leave you wanting more. I'm beyond excited for this release and already have it on pre order. New favorite couple? ✓
I can't wait to read what happens next.