This book got me all heart eyes. I absolutely loved it.
Boyfriend Material made me laugh out loud, cry, smile, be angry,...
In my opinion all characters were unique in their own way. Alex made me laugh most of the time, Lucien made me smile and cry and also laugh with how witty he is, plus he’s super relatable.
Hall’s writing style is very quick to read. It’s clear that a lot of effort has been put in the emotional aspects of this book, the humour aspects of this book, the love aspects of this book,...
I think this might be one of my favourite books of 2020.

Luc is sorta famous, and that means he's fair game to the media. When his newest "indiscretion" threatens to ruin what is left of his life, he has to show the media that he can have a normal relationship with a respectable guy.

I received a free copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Luc is the son of two rock stars - his mother Odile, who stopped music to live off the royalties and raise her son; and his "father" is the infamous Jon Fleming who abandoned his family for the rock n roll life.
Interest in the rockstar hasbeen has increased now that he's joined a reality tv series - which means Luc is under renewed pressure from the media, who already have him pegged as a junkie and sex addict.
The media's coverage of Luc is threatening his job, as he is coming across as "the wrong type of gay". As this is the only place that would even hire him, Luc will do anything to keep his job, including recruiting a fake boyfriend, preferably one that suits the heteronormative ideals that his clients imagine is a "good gay".

Luckily, his friend Bridget has just the guy. Oliver is perfect. He's a middle-class lawyer who charms everyone he meets. He's good-looking, perfectly-respectable, and willing to go ahead with the deal as he needs a fake boyfriend to take to a family event.

OMG this book was hilarious. Perfect British humour - I just wanted to give it a hug.
I completely love Luc's mum, Odile - she is so embarrassing, I loved all of her scenes and was full-on laughing when she got to meet Oliver. (Luckily I was in the house alone, so didn't have to explain what was so funny)

I definitely got vibes of Bridget Jones' Diary, especially with Luc's very loud, very sweary, but would-drive-to-the-ends-of-the-Earth-for-you friends.
With all the group messaging that went on, they did sometimes blur together as background friends, but they all still had their individual character traits.

They all deserve a medal for sticking beside Luc, who has increasingly become a prick over the last five years. But they remember what good-Luc is like, and they are waiting for that version to come back.
It seems like, after the world turned on Luc, he no longer makes any effort to be civil to friends and strangers alike.
I loved that Oliver called him out on his mean-streak, and other little jabs that Luc makes without even thinking about it.

I did feel that the book's climax came mid-way through the book, as Luc's story seems complete. I did keep checking how far through the ebook I was, and I was surprised to see how much was left.

I thought that Oliver's story was tacked on at the end, to mirror Luc's journey.
Don't get me wrong, it was very moving and very well-done, as you realise that Oliver is a product of his family's expectations, and... well, I don't want to say anymore, because it's all worth reading first-hand.
It did change the flow of the book, and was a little slower.

The ending did pick up the pace again, and I really enjoyed Luc's big expression of love, even if it didn't all go to plan.

This book was funny, cute and had emotional depth to boot. I will definitely be looking forward to more of this author's work.

I'm a fan of the fake boyfriend trope in general and this quintessentially British romance is the perfect example of it. While on the surface the funny dialogue and awkward situations make for a hilarious story, underneath is an abundance of feelings and an honest look at the way we present ourselves especially in a relationship. The main characters, Luc and Oliver, are both flawed and realistic, and their worries and fears are illustrated clearly. The romance is a slow-burn - seriously, don't expect anything romantic until at least halfway through the book. But the wait is worth it! That said, I thought the plot is very predictable and the bad guys are kind of stereotypical. I also found the supporting characters to be pretty thin. Except for a character named Alex Twaddle (seriously!) who absolutely needs his own spinoff.

A perfect weekend read. Much funnier than I had expected, sweet and charming with likable characters. A nice cozy romcom that took itself just seriously enough.

Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5

I loved this book and the audio was wonderful!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley but ran behind in my reading and didn't get it read by release day. When I was finally able to read it, I found out that the audiobook was available so I decided to listen to it instead. OMG! The audiobook is fantastic! Joe Jameson sounds so much like another of my newly favorite narrators that I suspect it's the same person. I won't say who because I know some narrators prefer not to have their different personas connected.

I have heard so many good things about Alexis Hall's writing and I even have a few of his books in my gargantuan digital library. However, Boyfriend Material is the first one I've actually read/listened to and now I feel really sad about that. On the other hand, I'm also happy because I can now dive right in to more of his stories.

On to how I felt about the book. I LOVED everything about it except for one tiny thing that I'll get to later. Fake boyfriend stories are among my favorite romance tropes. This one was really funny in places, heartwarming in others, and in a few spots a bit heartbreaking. I always love rooting for the underdog and here we had two of them.

Both Luc and Oliver have had bad luck when it comes to romance. When they agree to fake date each other, readers know that it can only lead to one thing (because this is a romance) and that is a happy ending. It's also pretty safe to assume that the path to the HEA won't be particularly smooth.

The wide cast of secondary characters added so much to this story. Luc's friend Alex was so funny. How he reacted to Luc's jokes would be almost unbelievable if I didn't personally know at least one person like him (really dense when it comes to humor). Joe Jameson's comedic timing throughout the book was spot on. As a US reader/listener who reads and listens to a lot of British authors, I appreciated the humor throughout the story; I thought it was a good blend of British and US wittiness.

I should probably mention that if you're looking for a story with hot, sexy time you might want to pass this one up. Just know that if you do, you'll be missing a fantastic story. Oh, and the one tiny thing I didn't like about this one? I wanted an epilogue so, so much. I'm the type of reader who never wants a good book to end and I really wanted to see how Luc and Oliver are doing a few months, or more, down the road.

This review is already getting too long. The only other thing I can say is: read or listen to this, I don't think you'll regret it a bit.

A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.

This book had me at Brittish MM romance book but it had so much more.

Boyfriend Material had two of my favorite romance book tropes wrapped into one book. It was an opposites attract love story set off with a fake relationship. That was hook enough to have me want to read my first Alexis Hall book. Overall, it delivered with a few hiccups, but it’s worth a read for fans of these romance tropes.

Let me be honest and say that Luc O’Donnell is a bit of a train wreck. He’s been burned (pretty badly) in the past and has had to live in the quasi-famous limelight cast by his famous rock star parents. Since his father is trying to re-invent himself and make a comeback, Luc’s every move is all the more scrutinized (and falsely embellished) in the tabloids. One compromising photo too many however puts his job at a non-profit in jeopardy when donors start backing out of a high-profile event. His one chance at redemption turns out to be a fake relationship with a respectable boyfriend to clean up his image. That “job” falls to Oliver Blackwood, a barrister, who is the opposite of Luc in every way.

Overall, I liked this book but at times the things that I enjoyed went a bit too far making me cringe. For example, I loved the tone and writing style of this author. The witty banter was spot on and there were several clever one-liners, jokes and little tidbits dropped along the way that I enjoyed (like the Marie Kondo reference to spark joy and the clever take on dick pics). Other times however the prose was just too wordy and I found myself skimming.

Luc’s friends were a great group who stood behind him 100% despite his curmudgeon ways. But even their antics were a bit much and over the top when it wasn’t necessary every time they were mentioned. Alex, Luc’s coworker, was a hoot and yet several of his scenes would go on and on long after I was over his nonsense.

There is also a fine line between self-deprecation and depressing and Luc crossed that line a few times for me. I understood that he unfairly had to deal with the ugly side of fame while not personally being famous at all and that really wrecked his self-esteem. But his paranoid, untrusting and unhappy ways often left me just depressed for the guy and questioning what Oliver saw in him to want to deal with that. Yet he had his moments when honesty finally came through, especially when he shared about his ex-boyfriend so you could understand his inability to trust and be vulnerable with another person.

Oliver was my favorite. He was such a nice guy. He was so empathetic and understanding with Luc and yet he didn’t let Luc walk all over his feelings. His stuffy vocabulary made me smile and I loved the way he stood up for Luc when others were not so kind. Toward the end we learn more about him and his motivations which made my heart hurt for him. It was nice to see the role reversal when Luc stood up for him.

As a newbie to Hall’s stories I enjoyed this book. Was it the best of the year, no, but fans of Brittish rom-coms and fake relationship romances will find it a good read.

*Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This book is a great time, while Luc is the main character, Oliver feels like the more intriguing character that keeps you reading.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing this copy to review.

Representation: Two gay MCs, several queer supporting characters, one of them a Muslim woman

Luc O'Donnell is semi-famous--not by choice. Both of his parents are former rock stars, his father hasn't been in his life at all since he was little. Luc has been appearing in tabloids and the such, which isn't much of an issue... Until donors to the charity he works at start to pull out their money because of his "gay lifestyle," and Luc has to fix his image or lose his job. Desperate, he turns to his friends and ends up making a decision he doesn't particularly like. He goes on a date with Oliver Blackwood, who is the perfect person to buff Luc's image. They don't like each other, but agree to fake date for a while since they both need one for a big event. Of course, the line between fake and real starts to blur, and there's FEELINGS!

Rating: 5/5 I LOVED THIS! I've seen quite a few people compare this to Red, White & Royal Blue, and I can see why, but I feel like they're also completely different. To start, in BM only one of them is famous, and semi-famous at that, while in RWRB, they're both world-famous. To use Hank Green's tiers of fame, Luc is tier 2, Notoriety, and Oliver isn't even in the tiers. For both of the boys in RWRB, they're tier 4, True Fame. Also, I wonder if people are making this connection a lot because this is set in England? Moving on, I just said it's set in England. With that, this book has a TON of British humor, and I laughed and smiled a lot while reading this! I actually read this in one sitting, and was up until around 4AM to finish it, I was enjoying it that much. Now, I don't want to mislead you and make you think this is all sappy and happy, because it's not. That's another difference between this and RWRB. Both of the men in BM have a lot of emotional baggage, and Luc is pretty messed up for various reasons. He constantly puts his foot in his mouth, is a little self-destructive, and very snarky as a defense mechanism. Buuuuut! This book is SO good with all of the layers, having growth for both of them, showing them learning how to work through things rather than just giving up. Luc learns how to manage his destructive behaviors, and becomes a better person for it while still acknowledging he'll probably still mess up. I really appreciated how fleshed out the supporting characters were. I could see their personality, and they didn't feel like they were filler just for Luc and Oliver to exist. Last thing, the pacing. Mostly, it's good! But sometimes it felt like it was dragging on sliiiightly too long, a few paragraphs weren't really necessary, and I wasn't completely satisfied with the ending. It's very open-ended, so if that bothers you, well. I don't know what to tell you. Overall, I seriously *loved* this book and would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves a queer fake-to-love dating trope, especially because this one has its own little twist on it.

I need to start my review by saying that I was initially interested in this book because of the cover. There was something about it that drew me in and made me read the synopsis and I’m so glad that I did!

In case you did not know, this book follows Luc, whose rock star father abandoned him when he was a toddler. Unfortunately this means that Luc is constantly in the press because he’s related to someone famous, and the papers have had quite a bit of fun questioning his life choices. In an effort to reform his image so that he won’t get fired, Luc ends up pretending to date Oliver, a pretentious lawyer that seems to be Luc’s complete opposite. And as is usual with fake dating, they might end up having feelings for one another that aren’t quite fake which they then must navigate!

If you looked at the cover and were immediately smacked in the face with its British look, that’s for a reason! This book is packed with delightful British humor (or should I say, humour)! I’ll talk about it a little more when I talk about the fantastic characters, but this book had me hooked from the beginning from the humor alone!

But in case you just thought this book was filled with laughs, think again! Because this is one of the most complexly written romances I’ve read! Both main characters, Luc and Oliver, are fleshed out, three dimensional characters with different interests, behaviors, and struggles. there is such growth from two of them, and I loved the support system that they became for one another, while never falling into a codependent relationship. The two had their disagreements and their differences in opinions, but they both eventually came to understand that they were great both on their own and as a unit.

I think one of the aspects I liked about this book the most was that the characters, especially Luc, allowed themselves to be vulnerable with one another. There were many times where Luc wasn’t quite ready to verbally discuss things, but that was okay because Oliver would give him a hug in order to show that he would be there for Luc whenever he was ready. That’s what made this romance stand out to me. The relationship progressed in such wonderful small, subtle ways, but also in such big ways, and the mixture of the two made their relationship feel very natural. (As a side note, their relationship reminded me a lot of David and Patrick’s relationship from Schitt’s Creek, so if you like that show, I’d recommend this book!)

The familial relationships in this book were complex, and not always great, but both Luc and Oliver had amazing friends, and in Luc’s case he also had a fantastic mother as well. But while were on the subject of side characters I love how each side character had a very distinct personality! Yes, they weren’t as fleshed out as the main characters, but that was exactly the point! Each one of them were designed in a way to make you laugh because of the hijinks they got up to or the things they said. There’s a completely oblivious colleague of Luc’s who was my absolute favorite, and I also adored his best friend who initially set up the couple!

There really was only one thing about this book that I didn’t like, and it has to do with the ending so I’ll be vague. What it sums up to is drama. I’ve mentioned close to one thousand times that I hate drama in books, and this book was no exception. As in many romances, some drama occurred near the end. I’ve grown accustomed to that, so I don’t know how much I would have minded, if not for the fact that it made the ending feel really abrupt. I would have loved another chapter (or 5), or even just an epilogue. There was something missing for me about the last 30% of the book, which made me really sad because of how much I adored reading the first 70%.

I’d definitely recommend this book for the characters and humor alone! I think that my issue is a personal one, and that if you like angst and drama you’ll enjoy this one a bit more than I did. And while I know this is already getting recommended as a book similar to Red, White, & Royal Blue (which I totally get), this one is a lot less steamy, so if the steaminess of Red, White, & Royal Blue bothered you, but you loved everything else, definitely check this one out!

Luc is one of my favorite characters I've read in a long time. Like, maybe since Portia absolutely blew me away in <i>A Duke by Default</i>, which is basically the highest praise I could possibly give. This book showcases Luc being a hot mess of epic proportions and being loved and supported along the way and that's basically everything I could ever want out of a book. But then, there's also fake dating. Like... Does it get better? No.

This book is told entirely from Luc's perspective as our child of two rockstars is being told that his messiness, his being a "bad gay", could get him fired. He shockingly listens to one of his co-workers who is bafflingly dim at times that having a respectable boyfriend could turn him back into a "good gay" that the high class people they need to donate money to his charity would provide. So he agrees, rather reluctantly, to allow his friend Bridget to set him up with Oliver, a boring barrister who he's previously not had great interactions with.

It is absolutely brilliant. I don't want to spoil any of this book for you, but Oliver is the best and Luc is everything. This book is funny at times and at others my heart hurt. Luc has some issues with his absentee father who walked out on him and his mom when Luc was a toddler to continue being a rockstar. Now the world is letting him have a redemption narrative even though he's still the worst dad. His mom is a lovely, lovely woman.

My only complaint is that I felt like the book ended beautifully but abruptly. Like, I want a sequel kind of abrupt because I feel like we're missing out on a lot about Oliver still. Even still, this book is incredible and one of my favorites of the year.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC even though I only made it two chapters in before leaving my house to go get a physical copy because (a) I'm behind and (b) I LOVED this book.

Listen, this book was a hell of a ride for me before I even began reading it.
First, I was SO SO SO excited for it because: fake dating, London setting, pining... it just all gives me LIFE and it is exactly what I want in a book. And then there was the fact that one of the characters is vegetarian, which made me fall in love with this book even more. Also, the cover. Gorgeous. So, so gorgeous.
But I digress.
So, I was incredibly excited for this book to come out. Then, I was warned by some people who have read the ARC before me that I - as a convinced vegan for the animals - would have serious issues with this book. I head about the non-vegetarian being annoyed at the vegetarian for being one. I heard that the non-vegetarian would almost force the vegetarian to eat bacon.
And I was shook. And appalled. And sad. Because all I want in life are more (ideally) vegan characters.
And then, Netgalley and the Publisher gave me an ARC of this to read so I sort of couldn't ignore it any longer.
(I am sorry for the long intro btw, I am getting at something, I promise)

And then I read it. And I have a lot of thoughts about "the veggie issue" which will be discussed later on.
But spoiler: This is a solid five star read for me and I just added it to my Goodreads shelf of all time favourites. I even ordered a hardcopy while only being halfway through, that's how much I loved this book.

Let me tell you why. And I will repeat myself because it is literally exactly what made me go for it in the first place:
The pining.
The fake relationship.
The London setting.

Bloody chef's kiss.

It was made even better by characters that are endearing but have obvious flaws. There are only a hand full of characters in this book I actively didn't like, which were Oliver's parents (abusive idiots) and Luc's father (just an idiot. I think).

Everyone else? Is basically a variation of the 100-emoji. Starting with Oliver and Luc who are both just amazing and I wish I could wrap them in blankets and make them hot cocoa. Both have their issues and are just so amazingly human that it was so easy to connect with them. All of their friends were just a delight and I had more than one loud laugh, when there was banter among them as it is only possible between people who deeply care for each other and know each other really well. Luc's mother and friend with their Drag Race watching and special Curry eating are one of my favourite things about this novel.

Luc's co-workers - especially posh Alex - was so hilariously inapt at... everything, that I wish he was my co-worker. Even though I bet I couldn't be bothered to think of a new joke to tell him every day.

The story was everything I needed and more. As I already said - twice - fake dating and pining are my jam. I love it so much. And this was peak fake dating and pining. There were so many feelings in here, so much of being human and trying to be with another human, so much being in love and just noticing the little things about each other and supporting each other when it's needed. I loved that they just accepted each other with all their quirks and issues because it was "fake", but it was noticable that the respect for each other - even though there was some teasing - was very much real.

All I can say is: READ THIS BOOK, if you want to just feel warm and happy like in a perfect hug.

Now.
Coming to the scenes surrounding vegetarianism and veganism in this book.
Yes, I am a vegan and take it incredibly seriously. I am vegan because I think that we shouldn't treat other breathing, feeling, intelligent beings like we currently are. It makes me sad and I am 100% convinced that this is the right thing to do because I feel it in my heart. Sure, I wish there were more vegans. Sure I WISH there were more vegan characters because reading about how amazing chicken is gets super super tired.

But let me tell you something.

Oliver is not my kind of vegetarian. Yes, he thinks it's the right thing to do. On paper. Its like me being against Amazon and not buying from them while writing this review on an Amazon-owned website. Because I know that I shouldn't. I know that their business ethics are horrible. But it's not something I carry deeply in my heart to the point that it's a part of me. Oliver tries so hard to do the things he thinks are right. He doesn't use Uber for the business practices. He doesn't eat meat because he thinks it's the right thing to do for his health, for the environment and yeah, probably also for the animals. But there's a difference between him and me. For me, this is part of my life. It is who I am. For him, he feels like it's expected from him to do the best he can. And so he does, to the best of his ability. And I think that is incredibly honourable.

He eats meat twice in this book. Nobody forces him to do it but he is given a choice.

I was under the impression that Luc "forces" Oliver to have the bacon sandwich before reading the scene. He definitely isn't. However, he is encouraging him. Which to me, is absolutely fine. He tries to be there for the person he loves and tries to make him feel better after having been verbally abused by his parents. And if Oliver wants bacon, Oliver should have bacon. Because Luc knows exactly why Oliver is a vegetarian. And he is super supportive.

In the beginning, there is a scene where Oliver tells Luc about his vegetarianism and Luc reacts in a way that I thought was a little much at the time and I found myself to be a little annoyed. Getting to know Luc more, I know that he was annoyed at Oliver for trying to "do the right thing" because Luc can't. There is probably a healthy dose of doesn't want to and wouldn't in there as well but Luc actually, really, can't. He has so many issues, with himself, with his family, with his job. He feels absolutely overwhelmed with his life. Of course he doesn't have the headspace to deal with the wellfare of animals on top of that.
(This is not me saying that we shouldn't think about animals if/when we have a lot going on because we definitely should, but getting to know Luc just made it clear that he was absolutely overwhelmed as it was. Without thinking about baby chicks being shredded after birth because they're not useful to us).

Luc seems open and accepting of a vegan or vegetarian lifestyle, which becomes apparent when he goes to a vegan cafe and meets the chef. Yes, he'd rather have a burger - with dead cow - instead of the offered tofu or jackfruit, but his conversation with the chef is just that. Two people agreeing to disagree. They still get on well. He even takes Oliver to the cafe later on because he knows Oliver would like it and he himself is all for the vegan brownies (which, totally understandable, vegan brownies are the best). At Oliver's friend's party, he goes for the vegetarian dish as well, because he doesn't want Oliver to be the only one eating the mushroom. And in his inner monologue I couldn't find a trace of hating every second of it.

Generally, this book is the most informed book on vegetarianism and veganism that I've ever read while the character's aren't vegan. I thought veganism was well represented (except for the two pretentious clients of Luc's who were absolute idiots, but hey, bad (vegan) eggs everywhere, as it were, eh?). The information on vegetarianism and veganism was nice to see in a book and while I felt the book being a little judgemental in the beginning, I didn't think so anymore in the end. I would love to know how the author actually feels on the topic because it's clear that Luc is very much not here for it, Oliver is a vegetarian because he thinks it's the right thing to do and the vegan chef is... well... a vegan chef who is absolutely convinced of her choice.

To conclude, I loved this book. Veggie issues or no. It's a great read and you should definitely read it. And then come talk about your thoughts about the veggie issues with me. I'm curious. Especially if you're vegan/vegetarian.

I have only one word for Luc and Oliver - ADORABLE!

We have Luc O'Donnell; his parent are 80's rockstars, and hence he gets a lot of attention from the press (not exactly positive fame!). Due to some hilariously terrible events, Luc's reputation is in tatters in the papers and he needs to quickly clean up his image, else there will be dire consequences! The solution for this problem is - get a respectable guy to be Luc's fake boyfriend for some duration.

Enter Oliver Blackwood. He's respectable, well mannered, a criminal barrister (extra points for being so smart) and insanely handsome (extra extra points).

I have read the "fake dating" trope a lot of times in a many books, but this book did it so right, I just loved it!
Luc and Oliver are polar opposites who just complement each other so superbly! I loved to see them stumble through their "fake" relationship. Somehow, their relationship being fake just eases off the pressure of expectations and they both are just themselves; their real, honest selves; when they are with each other. Luc's life is a train wreck and Oliver gives him solid support to lean on whenever his life becomes more of a mess than usual. Oliver is just so hardworking and strict on himself, that being with Luc helps him relax a bit and enjoy small things in life.

Luc's pov was so entertaining, endearing and so damn hilarious to follow! He is just so funny and sarcastic and direct and witty and he is also a complete drama queen, I just loved him! Oliver is just so prim and proper and such a control freak. It was so much fun to see Luc poke fun at Oliver's proper character and rattle him a bit!

This is not your typical fake dating story were our two main leads pretend to be together and then they suddenly realize one day that they are love. Luc and Oliver make a lot of mistakes, big and small, and they both mess up a lot! But they always support and help each other and even reprimand each other when needed. There's no sugarcoating between them. They always make each other see the realities of their behavior. I loved Luc and Oliver's character arc throughout this book. They still have many many flaws, but they come to understand how to deal with them while being with each other. It was not about one sudden moment of realization of love between these two. There were many small, sweet moments that made my heart go all mushy.

I loved all the supporting characters of this book as well - all of Luc's friends and Oliver's friends and Luc's work colleagues. None of them felt unnecessary or extra. In fact, they all added more fun and emotions to the story. Luc's Mom is an amazing woman; headstrong, independent, whimsical but so unapologetically herself, I couldn't help but admire her! Bridget is the best friend that everyone must have! She is completely crazy, but very insightful and supportive and she's that kind of friend who will just make you do things that you really did want to do secretly but were too hesitant to do it yourself. I just loved her a lot!

I also loved that the author has broken quite a few stereotypes in this. There are so many situations in this book where Luc and Oliver were subjected to casual and sometimes, blatant homophobia and I loved Luc's response to every such situation. There is also an emphasis on lifestyle choices. You can follow whatever lifestyle you want if it something of your own choosing and liking. But if that is just done to meet other's expectations of you, then that will just harm you eventually.

I just loved everything about this book and Luc and Oliver are one of my favorite couples of the year!

Thank you for providing me with the ebook. The above words reflect my honest opinion. I will be posting the above review on my Instagram handle - @a.perennial.reader, today(12 July 2020). The same will be posted on Amazon. I will be leaving the links for both below.

This one had been on my 2020 most anticipated reads and for me, it lived up to all the hype!

I will say that in terms of plot and tropes, it’s a pretty standard MM romance. And occasionally when your read a lot of MM romances, they can blend in together. Boyfriend Material was one that stood out from the crowd and honestly I think that comes down to the fact that it was incredibly well written. It was engaging, utterly hilarious, and I always new where we were set without a lot of heavy introduction of slang or accents.
The romance was also a massive highlight. I’m a sucker for a good “enemies” to lovers and they definitely played into all my favourite tropes.
Boyfriend Material was a quick fun read, that will make you smile and definitely leave you with that lovely MM romance satisfaction. Highly recommend

Do you want a romcom that will make you forget the real world for a bit and laugh out loud? Boyfriend Material is exactly what you’re looking for. Thank you to Sourcebooks, Netgalley and Libro.fm for the advance reading and listening copies.

I am always ready to jump in to a fake relationship story and I saw this one described by the author as “Fake dating. But queer AF.” That’s enough to sell me on it. Luc and Oliver agree to a fake relationship - each with their own reasons - even though they have nothing in common. I loved watching them get to know each other and grow and change together.

The audiobook is excellent and I think adds a lot to the story - especially when it comes to some of my favorite parts which were interactions with Luc’s mom. Highly recommend!

I was unsure of this book for the first 1/3 or so, but it really won me over for the rest. The characters are a great amount of frustrating and the burn is SO slow. Sometimes I think the snarkiness was a little over the top, but if you’re not looking for an over the top experience, this is definitely not the romance for you. Every character is larger than life, but it’s a fun ride nonetheless.

Just delightful! Funny and sweet and charming - you can't go wrong with a romance by Alexis Hall.

Luc needs the veneer of respectability to keep his job as a fundraiser for a dung beetle charity (yes, that's right, dung beetles need love too). Being the son of a famous rock star who abandoned him as a toddler still leaves him on the B-list of celebrity material and hounded by paparazzi so mistakes he makes are amplified by bad press, leaving him to find a reputable fake boyfriend to redeem himself.

Cue Oliver, one of his BFF Bridget's gay friends and one Bridget has always thought would be perfect for Luc. Never mind that Oliver had already politely declined an invitation from a drunken Luc for a hookup previously. She thinks they're right for each other.

Though their initial meet up to hash out the terms of fake dating doesn't go that well, they continue to awkwardly work their way into an actually loving and respectful relationship. Oliver is patient and kind and eventually is able to get Luc to feel at ease with him. Luc is prone to making mistakes but sincerely apologizing for them, and Oliver is gracious enough to accept them. Their banter is constant and funny and there are many moments that will catch you snort laughing out loud.

Despite Luc's awkward personality he has some very loyal friends and I loved the friendship scenes as much as the romance. (It reminded me of some of the scenes from Four Weddings and a Funeral). Plus the fact that their friendship group keeps changing the name of their group chat is hilarious. He also has a lovely and supportive mother. Part of the story is him sort of rekindling a relationship with his father though it's an on again/off again thing that causes him a lot of angst. Oliver is there for him through it all.

There's something about the way that Alexis Hall writes that makes his characters seem ever so human and as a reader you can empathize with their failures and cheer for their successes. Though this story has a lower heat level than some of his others, it's perfect for Luc and Oliver. 10/10 would recommend.

Review has been submitted to Barnes and Noble and Amazon.

I won't go into too much detail about the plot, because others have ably done that, and the publisher's description is detailed. The main thing I'd emphasize is that this is the rare rom-com that's as much "com" as "rom." I hate the term "laugh out loud," but this book made me do exactly that, routinely -- from the two men in a relationship who are both named "James Royce" (who then nonsensically took each other's names, resulting in the hyphenated names "James Royce-Royce") to the co-worker, Alex, who is so literal that he can't understand a knock-knock joke. But far more importantly, the gradual softening between the two main characters is believable and affecting.

More 3.5

You want to give me a cute contemporary set in London featuring diverse characters and a m/m romace at the center of it all? I couldn't request this fast enough from Netgalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca. If you are looking for relatably flawed characters, found family in a sense, and quirky humor I think you would really enjoy this one. I struggled a little with the way it was written and the slag used, but that isn't the fault of the book or the author. There were times I was frustrated with the communication; however, for once it was used in a way that shows character development and not just a lack of communication skills. This really had me going until the very end.

I recently finished reading Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall and I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved this book!
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The story follows Luc and Oliver, total opposites in every way as they enter a fake relationship. There was so much laugh-out-loud moments and clever banter between the two. The British charm was seeping through the pages, so rich and delicious. I was the smitten kitten with these two and I could not get enough of them!
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Their story tackled some deeper issues in self-worth, self-esteem, and acceptance. Hall did a wonderful job digging deep with these two and pulling out their insecurities in such a raw and honest way. It was lovely to see these two opposites lean on each other and learn to love and appreciate their differences.
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If you haven’t read this one, I highly recommend it! Thank you to @netgalley and @sourcebooks for providing me an arc in exchange for my honest review. Boyfriend Material is out NOW!

I loved this book and highly recommend it! I fell in love with Luc and Oliver. This is a fake dating romance with a side of opposites attract, and, for me, it was really well done. Luc’s dad, an aging rock star who Luc has never met, is making a come back as a coach on a singing reality show. Because of this, Luc is targeted by paparazzi and this results in an unfortunate photo. In order not to lose his job (he works for a non-profit devoted to supporting dung beetles :-)) he needs to clean up his image. This leads to him asking his friends for help in finding a pretend boyfriend.

Oliver is a barrister who could not appear any more rulebound or uptight. But he has an upcoming family gathering where he also needs a fake boyfriend, so Luc and Oliver make a deal. And it’s lovely to read! Luc and Oliver’s growth, vulnerability, and care with each other along with the humor of the story is what makes this a five star read for me. Plus the supporting characters, especially Luc’s mom and his co-workers, make it even better.

Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.