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.

As a thank you to Netgalley and the publisher ( Casablanca Books) for a copy of Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall. The story begins with Luc O Donnell famous by proxy and a need to improve his public image decides to form a fake relationship with polished barrister Oliver Blackwood. These two men are vastly different yet have both agreed to be in a fake relationship assisting facets of their public and private lives. The novel kept my attention, had me rooting for not only the main characters but the secondary ones as well. One aspect that kept my attention was the characterization of the couple and ability to psychologically show where they were as the relationship progressed. I recommend this to fans of Casey Mc Quiston’s Red White and Royal Blue or The Wedding date Jasmine Guillory.. Out of 5 stars on goodreads I give it a full five out of five stars.

I had to dnf this book. Honestly I'm not for sure what the author was thinking when they wrote the first chapter. The entire time I was wondering what the hell I was reading. The grammar and sentence structure was killing me. The inner dialogue of the main character was cringing.

Not quiiiiite as good as Red, White, and Royal Blue, but definitely some similar vibes if you’re looking for a next read!⁣
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(Thanks to @netgalley for this one!)⁣
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Luc needs a fake boyfriend to help boost his image for the sake of his nonprofit work, and finds one in Oliver, but— surprise surprise— things don’t stay fake for long. (SHOCKING, RIGHT?!?)⁣
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This one was fun and fluffy and an easy weekend read!⁣
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⭐️⭐️⭐️— liked it.

I've been on something of a rom-com kick lately, but 'Boyfriend Material' is really standing out from the crowd. There's a snappy edge to the book, in part because it doesn't just "say" its characters are flawed - it really shows it. Luc, the nonprofit worker who's famous for being the son of two music stars, is the more obvious mess, but his outwardly-perfect fake boyfriend Oliver is just as much so, if not even more. The problem with too many romances is that they pay lip service to their characters' flaws but never really dig into what makes these people so hard on themselves and others. This book doesn't do that, and it's all the better for it.

Don't get me wrong - it's still a funny, flirty, quippy story. And who doesn't love a really good use of the fake-dating trope? But the handling of the two main characters is the kind of writing we don't always get in rom-coms, and it makes it even more satisfying to see how they grow as people and grow together. It's messy in all the best ways, and I'd gladly read it again and again.

This book was provided as a free ARC via Netgalley for my honest review.

At some point while reading this, I texted a friend and wrote "This is a book that sounds like it was written by someone who spends a lot of time on Tumblr." Lo and behold, I was right a few Tumblr references later. (I actually hadn't read an Alexis Hall book before, so only bothered to look up if they were actually British or just a Tumblr Anglophile until half-way through the book. Actually British, as it turns out! That surprised me, because Luc at times feels like an American's idea of a British person.)

I wanted to like this book far more than I did. I can see why people compared it to Red, White, and Royal Blue in some vague broad strokes: they both involve British love interests of some fame, they both have a plethora of cheesy Romance tropes, and they both have one hot-head character and one buttoned up character. They both feel very "of their era" in terms of writing. But frankly, RW&RB pulled all of it off in a way that Boyfriend Material just never did for me. There were some delightful bits, but it became pretty clear when I was six chapters in and hadn't met the other romantic lead that this was going to be a bit rocky as a rom-com, and not quite a romance.

I also nearly Did Not Finish rather early on, when it became clear the impetus of Luc needing to "fake date" was that his boss said she'd fire him if he, essentially, continued to publicly be a "bad gay" in front of paparazzi (by tripping into a gutter while wearing bunny ears) because it could threaten the fundraiser for their charity foundation called CRAPP. For saving Dung Beetles. It put a hell of a bad taste in my mouth and put a damper on my enjoyment of a trope-y premise I am extremely fond of (fake dating/relationship!). I wish I'd clued in a little more before diving right on in, so I thought I'd mention it for anyone else reading. This isn't just casual or passing homophobia, it's job threatening homophobia, and in the case of Oliver emotionally abusive homophobia that pretends it isn't. It sucks, and it's hard to read.

I did like some things - from time to time Luc and Oliver have a tension and banter that really shines. Oliver can be bossy/dominant, and it sounds like this kind of attitude is better explored in Hall's other books/characters (How to Bang a Billionaire series, apparently?). I like that Luc has a difficult, imperfect relationship with his famous father who abandoned him which isn't just fixed neatly. I love when Oliver stands up to Luc's father to push against some of his flippancy and emotional detached-ness. I especially love Luc and Oliver's mutual straight friend who is always putting out some Publishing fire - possibly also literally at least once!

But there's not much detail in the sex scenes, the tension of "fake!" dating isn't really fully delved into and by God Luc is just barely not-insufferable half the time. I mean, his coworkers call him a bellend for a reason. He's a dick. And he only sort of improves throughout. The characters spend a lot of time telling each other who they are and what flaws they have, and the pacing just feels a bit rushed and over-stuffed towards the end. It's not a terrible book, but it tries very hard to be clever, and our point of view hero is kind of an immature asshole for a grown adult, so it can at times feel frustrating in a way that overshadows the ways I *want* to feel frustrated by a fake dating romance (I should be frustrated every time they don't kiss! Instead I'm more annoyed any time Luc just decides to be mean and self-destructive, without really getting anything satisfying from his "tragic failed romance" reveal.)

This book has so many romantic novel tropes in it, I was concerned. But the author successfully pulls it off and delivers a fantastic book. Lucien "Luc" is loved by the tabloids because he is the son of two famous musicians and he can't seem to keep his social life under control. Too much partying and bad decisions make Luc a target for the paparazzi. Luc and uptight lawyer Oliver agree to enter into a fake relationship in order to help Luc save his job and his reputation. Oliver needs a date for his parents anniversary party, so they will both benefit from the arrangement. Of course, they develop romantic feelings for each other. At what point is it safe to say this fake romance has turned real?

This book is laugh out loud funny. I love the characters, from Luc and Oliver to Luc's circle of friends. Luc's mum is just the best! They are all endearing and I loved spending time with them. This British rom-com is the perfect mix of British, romance, and comedy. I recommend this book to fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Boyfriend Material is a fun, enemies to lovers, fake dating romance that is impossible to put down. But it also explores serious topics including parental abandonment, dysfunctional and abusive family relationships, depression and anxiety.

What I enjoyed most about this book was how relatable the main characters Luc and Oliver are. Throughout the book Luc is dealing with and working through lots of uncomfortable emotions like depression and anxiety that lots of readers will be able to connect with.

While reading this book I was constantly amazed to see my own experiences with depression and anxiety mirrored in Luc and even at times with Oliver. Our circumstances couldn’t be more different but seeing Luc struggle with keeping his apartment clean, and staying in touch with his friends, or watching Oliver have to defend his career and other life choices to his family, was very relatable and it was wonderful to connect with these characters through these experiences.

From start to finish Hall does an excellent job balancing serious topics with all the fun and messy emotions that come with falling in love, creating a perfect romantic adventure.

Before I read this book I was stuck in a rut, starting books but never getting hooked and promising myself I'd go back. And then I read Boyfriend Material. It was so delightful, funny and moving. As soon as I finished it, I wanted to start over again. I literally bought my friend a copy because I wanted to talk about it with her, I wish there were more books like this.

Luc O'Donnell is a bit of a messed up bad-boy who's hit rock bottom and is about to be fired, spiraling after having to deal with being constantly harassed by the tabloids and paparazzi because his dad is a famous rock star making a comeback on reality TV. Oliver is trying desperately to be perfect, and live up to his own unrealistic ideals, whilst always falling short of what his parents think he should be. Together they make an agreement to have a fake-relationship to present the image of a normal couple.

Since we know in advance this is pure romance, you can guess what happens, but it's a wonderful journey of touching moments, with a light-hearted tone of exaggerated comedy. A few obstacles crop up along the way and I couldn't stop turning the pages to see how these guys were going to sort themselves out.

Boyfriend Material is an absolutely hilarious romcom that still sensitively touches on friendship, romance, issues with our parents and most of all - learning to love and believe in yourself. I was smiling or laughing on almost every page, with a whole host of larger than life characters from the adorable Luc and Oliver, to their friends and family.

A page-turning must read for anyone who likes romantic comedy.

3.5 stars

Well, I think a lot of the semi-disappointment was due to the overwhelming hype. I’ve heard so many people screaming about this book and I couldn’t wait to jump in...the fact that it took me 4 days to read speaks volumes.

I liked Oliver much more than I liked Luc. Oliver is stuffy and standoffish and is overflowing with hidden passion. Luc is messy and maybe a little childish and I struggled a bit with being in his head. There’s a pretty big group of friends, but I didn’t have any feelings either way about anyone.

Plot wise, it meant well. There’s a lot of inner monologue and I need dialogue. And while I know the main portion of this book was their fake relationship becoming real, I wanted more of them officially together.

Overall, I loved the idea of this and I did like some of the sweet parts, but it didn’t have the spark for me that it seemed to have for everyone else.

**Huge thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing the arc free of charge**

So, Boyfriend Material. I went into this book expecting, or maybe hoping, for a romantic comedy that would take me away for a while. Things are entirely too serious right now, and I could really use some of those deep down belly laughs. From all the hype, I expected just that, and it is amusing, funny even. But I didn't find those take me away from it all laughs I was looking for. I think this one was just a bit too over the top for me, and it was compounded by a slow burn romance that's drawn out more than I care for in a RomCom. That's not to say it's a bad story - it's really not. In terms of fake boyfriend romances, it's got a good premise, and the author does give us plenty of amusing characters in addition to the romantic couple, who are a bit of a hot mess. Maybe this one just wasn't the book for me right now. It's certainly been very well received, so I am in the minority, but it is what it is. In the end, this one wasn't the laugh-fest I was hoping for, but it is an amusing romance, leaving me somewhere in the fair to middlin range.

I DID NOT WANT THIS BOOK TO END. I loved it-well-drawn characters that I just fell in love with, great dialogue, believable problems....and my favorite trope, fake dating! I guess I never really thought about my favorite trope, but this is it, folks! Of course, the whole Notting Hill, bring-all-your-friends to profess your dying love had a great twist. I'm looking forward to reading more by this author.

I had a hard time getting into the story at first. It was all pretty wordy in a casual kind of way which I am not used to. But the more I read, the easier it became for me.

When I learned about Luc O’Donnell’s famous rock star dad, I already had a pretty accurate picture of him in my mind: I was picturing an arrogant, aloof prick with an ego the size of Big Ben. I couldn’t have been more wrong. Luc was a loving, smart, and funny guy and didn’t like to be seen as “that 80s rock star kid”. He was also alone, self-conscious, and confused. He took a few wrong turns along the road and couldn’t seem to find his way back. Not even with the help of his hilarious, French mother or his friends. Enter Oliver Blackwood.

Oliver was amazing. He was a calm anchor and a rational kind of guy who had his life – mostly – figured out. There was more to the quiet, polite barrister than initially assumed, though. The more the story progressed, the more we learned about Oliver and found out that he had to deal with his own issues and insecurities. Here, I wished Hall had decided for a double POV. I would have loved to read about Oliver’s thoughts and feelings instead of guessing his train of thoughts.

Then there were Luc’s friends and co-workers. They were all pretty weird and really annoying if I’m being honest. I would have been okay with less friends/co-worker scenes. Less is more.

I really liked Luc and Oliver’s story which was more than just your typical M/M Romance. Hall set great value on self-love and self-acceptance which made the story that more real and honest.

“You should never let anyone tell you it is wrong to be how you are.”

Luc is in need of a pretend boyfriend. Oliver is in need is a pretend boyfriend. The rest as they say is a perfectly balanced, hilarious yet incredibly heartwarming and touching history that is impossible for me to have loved more.

The characters were all spot on. From Luc's daft/posh work friends, his academically clever but socially challenged boss, his wonderfully funny mum and his squabbling gaggle of friends, who all are in need of their own individual books because they were just so brilliant.

Luc isn't likeable and he's fully aware of that fact, but he is so unbelievably messed up, insecure and funny that I honestly can't think of a POV character I've enjoyed reading more. Oliver is absolutely imperfectly perfect and I wish I actually was friends with literally all of these people.

5 MASSIVE STARS!!

Thank you Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing me with a free digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much @SourceBooksCasa, @SourceBooks & @NetGalley for giving me a copy of this eARC in exchange for my honest and unbiased review (Release Date | 07 July 2020)

SYNOPSIS | Luc O'Donnell comes from two rockstar parents who split when he was young and unfortunately he has a reputation for going off the rails a bit. He works at a dung beetle charity and is at risk of losing some high profile donors if he doesn't clean up his act. Oliver Blackwood on the other hand is a barrister who has never inspired a moment of scandal in his life e.g. he is the perfect boyfriend material. A fake-dating situation ensues except fake-dating starts to feel a lot like real-dating.

WHAT I LIKED:
- Luc is actually rather insufferable, but Luc & Oliver are precious and without realising it they grew on me like a fungus
- the fake-dating trope
- slow burn romance
- the ridiculously snarky British humour had me scoffing out loud on multiple occasions to the point where my husband asked me if I was okay

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
- commentary on celebrity culture (I just don't really care about any celebrities...)