The story is simple here -- Luc, a gregarious party boy needs to clean up his image with a stable boyfriend. Barrister Oliver needs a boyfriend for a party. So they start fake-dating, and if you read romance, you know how that ends up.

Alexis Hall gives good banter in this M/M romance and I found myself along for the ride with these two and invested enough to want to know how they would deal with their developing feelings. The focus is more on this aspect of their relationship rather than the physical and I liked that about it.

This was a fun read. Writing romcom isn't easy and I found myself smiling as I was reading. I liked Luc and his self-depracating humor. I also liked the gang of friends. Overall, no big surprises, but if you are looking for a standalone M/M romcom, you might want to check this one out.

An ARC was provided. This is my honest review.

*DNF*

Copy kindly received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the sound of this, but I just couldn't get into it. I got to 13% and decided to put it down. I just couldn't find myself able to like the main character and the way they spoke.

I've seen a heap of great reviews for this book, and one of my close friends really loved it, so its obviously just not for me.

I hope others enjoy this one, even if I didn't find it to my liking.

It’s hard to find something more to say other than: I loved this so much! It promised to be a hilarious romcom with one of my favorite tropes (fake dating) and the execution totally did justice to the premise.

I fell deeply in love with both main characters, although we only get Luc’s POV throughout the novel. While reading or while listening to the audiobook I always had the feeling that Luc’s emotions were passing onto me by osmosis and I felt all he felt, whether he was happy or sad or a lot of things in between. I also really liked his friends and his mom in particular, and even his coworkers. I think especially his interactions with the coworkers made for some of the most hilarious scenes and I found myself laughing out loud more than once (or… more than fifteen times probably).

Despite the truly hilarious moments, that are frankly the majority, you should also expect heartfelt scenes that truly show that this is, under a really funny veil, an emotionally deep book about accepting your flaws and seeing that perhaps you’re not as broken as you thought. I really think Alexis Hall did a wonderful job at portraying a realistic protagonist in his late twenties that struggles with expectations and past trauma and the idea of himself that the world reflects back to him. Oliver’s character likewise showed more depth than initially would appear, and the two complement each other fantastically and you could feel through every page how good their were for each other.

I don’t think saying more would be doing a favor to anyone who wants to read this book for themselves, so let me just say that if you’re a romance reader who’s looking for an inclusive m/m romance this is for you, and if you don’t read a lot of romance but like to make an exception once in a while this might be the book you’re looking for.

Rep: gay men (MC and LI), gay side characters, bi side character, South Asian Muslim lesbian side character

TWs: homophobia, mentions of cancer, mild depictions and mention of eating disorder, mentions and depictions of emotional abuse (parent to child)

Luc and Oliver find themselves in need of boyfriends to accompany them to upcoming events - Luc, a work party; Oliver, his parents' anniversary party. They strike a business deal to become fake boyfriends, but, of course, things don't go exactly as they plan.

Boyfriend Material is a hilarious queer romantic comedy about fake boyfriends and so much more! Alexis Hall writes about topics like mental illness and what it's like to strive to love yourself even when those closest to you try to tear you down with a brutal honesty.

Luc clearly struggles with depression and anxiety due in large part to his rockstar father abandoning him when he was a small child. Oliver's struggles hide behind a fit facade of perfection, showing that even the most put together people can be maskng pain. The two of them come together in a beautiful relationship about acceptance and loving one another, flaws and all.

This book is a beautiful mix of comedy, romance, friendship, and family drama. With hilarious, messy but charming main characters and a quicky cast of supporting characters, this book is perfect for anyone looking for an honest love story with tons of LGBT+ representation and the added fun of fanfiction tropes. I highly recommend it!

Boyfriend Material is a sweet new adult coming of age story. The banter between both the protag/love interest and the protag and his friends/family is strong and witty, and I really appreciated the realness of the relationships. That said, it's very long for a romance novel and maybe could've been stronger with a bit of thinning. It would be an excellent beach read but it might require multiple days on the beach to get through.

Fake dating trope but make it gay? When it comes to the the fake dating trope, I anticipate angst and tension and a sense of yearning. This was lacking in that department and when things happened, fade to black scenes to finish. I didn't believe that there was chemistry between the two characters.

I did connect to the themes of self-love, self-worth, family relationships, running from your past. The British humor was a great addition although I found the main character and his foul language to be a bit abrasive at times. The ending was a little messy and filled with unnecessary drama.. Overall, an enjoyable rom-com romance.

3.75/5 Stars!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks for providing me with an early e-copy of Boyfriend Material!

Boyfriend Material is an adorable love story with one of my favourite troupes, fake dating! Following the son of a rockstar, Luc who never had a relationship with his father but is always being tracked down by the paparazzi and gets all his worst moments posted about online and a lawyer named Oliver who lives what looks to be a “perfect life”.

This book was adorable, I absolutely loved our two main characters. The banter between Luc and Oliver was just incredible, their relationship going from this “hate” (use that word lightly) to them slowly growing closer was just so well done. Also one of my absolute favourite aspects of this book was the British humour! There is nothing better in books then some dry humour and listening to it on audio just translated so well. I also have to say there were parts of this book that had me so shocked and gasping out loud. This book was just such a wonderful ride, if you want something that will have you laughing, crying, and falling head over heels in love then check out this title!

Sadly this wasn’t a perfect book for me. There’s a plot device that is used in a lot of romances and unfortunately I can’t say what it is since it’s a huge spoiler! That being said I just really don’t like whenever this device is used, I feel like it is a bit over used in the romance genre, but that being said I do see how it helped bridge the middle of this store to the ending, but personally I just never mesh with a book when it’s used so I did drop my rating from a 4 to a 3.75 (so not too much of a change haha!)

All that being said I am so happy I was able to check out this book. I will definitely be checking out more from Alexis in the future!

Once again a huge thank you to Sourcebooks and NetGalley

My (late) Pride Month read - this was quite a charming little romcom set in London, the kind you see being optioned for a Netflix movie starring some adorable young Brits. No real surprises here but a fun read.

You know how some people say something’s a romcom but when you go read it, it’s… just not funny? And it takes itself much too seriously? And then you sit there wondering if, five months into this pandemic, you’re just a soulless husk of a person now? OK, well, this book is not that. This is the laugh-out-loud, can’t put down, still-deals-with-serious-issues-but-god-so-well all-the-feels real deal. Plus, it’s got my favorite trope – fake relationship – and that makes this an absolutely stellar read.

“Oh hello, rock bottom. Nice to see you again. Do you want to be my boyfriend?”


As the son of two famous rock stars, Luc’s had a rough time with the associated fame. When a chance paparazzi photo goes viral for all the wrong reasons, his boss gives him an ultimatum – shape up his image for their squeamish donors or he’s fired. But how’s he going to find someone that perfect who’s still going to be willing to date him? Enter Oliver, straight-laced barrister and snazzy dresser. Luc and Oliver will pretend to date, and Luc will get the “good gay” press coverage he needs as well as a straight-acceptable date for his work fundraiser, while Oliver will have a date for his parents’ wedding anniversary party. Sure even two such very different people can pretend to get along for that long?

“I increasingly think some people are meant to be lonely. I’m lonely because I’m a wreck and nobody wants me. He’s lonely because he’s awful and nobody wants him.”
“See. You do have something in common.”


Alexis Hall has the ability to write a character who is, by his own admission, an absolute prick at the start of the book but also completely sympathetic. Luc’s the type of guy to lie about speaking French to his date, then when his date (predictably) starts trying to talk to him in it, spouts out the only phrase he knows – “where’s the bathroom?” – and then feels obligated to go to said bathroom after Oliver answers. Basically, Luc’s a hot mess, and things become even more complicated when his estranged father reaches out to him. On the other hand, Oliver’s… boring. Boring and a bit judgmental and uptight. He doesn’t actually see himself as judgmental – despite such doozies as “you shouldn’t eat meat because of the environment” and “you shouldn’t use Uber because of workers’ rights” – until Luc points it out, but at heart he’s quite the sweet person. Luc also envies his apparently perfectly normal childhood with his perfectly normal set of parents.

“He was gazing at me, with this terrible earnestness, meaning every word. And, y’know, it was fine, I could cope with this, I could have feelings, it was fine. Never mind that there was this sense of nakedness settling over me, strangely independent of the fact that I was actually naked. And never mind that every time he touched me it was like he was unmaking me with tenderness. And definitely never mind that I needed this so badly I wasn’t sure how to have it.”


The story is told solely from Luc’s first person POV, so the reader has a front row seat to not only all of Luc’s mess-ups with Oliver but also the confusing attraction he feels for him, not to mention having to deal with the fact that the most functional relationship Luc’s ever had is with this fake boyfriend. The way Luc slowly accepts that he’s worthy of having that kind of relationship – that Oliver’s worthy of that kind of relationship – is just heartwrenchingly sweet. So was watching them learn to lean on and support each other. There’s a particular moment near the end of the book – the moment that leads directly into the dark moment – where I was literally crying with how proud I was of Luc for standing up for Oliver, and by extension, himself. Their relationship is an all-the-feels rollercoaster and it is delightful.

Of course, all those feels are perfectly balanced by the humor. There were several points where I literally laughed out loud, sometimes directly after tearing up due to the already mentioned feels. The secondary characters are absolutely hilarious and well done. There’s the posh aristocrat Luc works with who, for example, confuses jury trials with badgers (“terrible for dairy farmers”) or the fact that two of Luc’s friends were named James Royce who, after their marriage, are now referred to as the James Royce-Royces. Luc’s mom is an absolute treasure, doling out the perfect amount of support and advice with a hilarious twist. Even Luc’s estranged father, who could easily have been written as a cardboard villain, is nuanced and flawed in very specific ways that help highlight Luc’s own messiness.

Overall, easily 4.5 stars and most likely the funniest book I will read this year. Alexis Hall is an absolute master of the rom-com and I am very much looking forward to whatever he writes next. Highly recommended!

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Right now, this is the kind of book we all need. So many feels for Oliver and Luc. I can't wait to recommend this to my romance readers - a really great read.

I liked Boyfriend Material. The characters are fun, it’s set in London, and it’s a romcom. I love a romcom with a big boisterous friend group and it had a lot of funny moments. This was a very serviceable, heartwarming distraction with all the elements for a fluffy read—what’s not to like, right?

Well, I did have some quibbles. I yearned for clear consistent writing that didn’t take me on a loop de loop through the author’s meandering thoughts. I found myself confused and annoyed at times reading paragraphs like this: ‘The constantly being in the main character’s head and the...you know...thoughts? That like he expressed in a way that was a way a thought would be expressed if I knew how to express it? Was so tiring.’ A TOUCH of that would have added to the character but doing it so often took me out of the book multiple times.

And while I liked the characters (mostly) and the story arc, the real tender raw moments didn’t have me feeling fully invested. Some of the bits, like how stupid one of the characters was, also would have been much funnier in smaller doses. When it was drawn out and repetitive it was too much. It also didn’t seem real and so again it took me out of the moment. The main character was also such a jerk, repeatedly and deeply, that it made me not care much about him. His redemption arc didn’t quite get there for me.

In short, I was not invested in the way I should have been. I will happily overlook plot holes in a romcom but the plot for this one was just a little too thin and didn’t have the motivation it needed—and then suffocated under the weight of the main character.

Final Verdict: Would I pick up Boyfriend Material for a beach read? Go for it. Something tells me it would also be good on audio, where someone can act out all the main character’s thoughts so you don’t have to do the work of wading through them.

When he hit rock bottom, he faceplanted and has the tabloid picture to prove it. Desperation and the aid of friends has him grasping at a unique solution- a fake boyfriend. I have enjoyed Alexis Hall’s books in the past and thought this fake relationship romance between opposites sounded like just the thing.
Review

Boyfriend Material opens with Luc O’Donnell discovering that a really crappy life can get worse. Tripping outside a club dressed in masquerade lands him in the tabloids and his job at the charity in jeopardy. He’s been in the tabloids before as the son of an aged rockstar after an ex splashed his personal life all over the gossip rags, but his rep is now hurting the charity and he’s been given an ultimatum. Find a way to save the fundraiser or lose his job. His friends decide that a solid relationship with a solid guy should do the trick. The only solid guy willing to give his snarky hot mess a chance is staid, boring Oliver Blackwood. At least Luc thought that until he spends time with Oliver who makes him uncomfortable and not because he’s a bore.

It’s not a new story between the fake mates and the opposites attract, but Alexis Hall has a gift for wry humor and characterization that makes it fresh, funny, and loaded with feels. Luc is not an easy guy to like or even want to root for in the beginning. He makes an Olympic sport of wallowing and self-destructing. He creates many of his own problems and is as prickly as they come. I found the early chapters a struggle as a result. That said, I pitied him and was curious to see what had caused him to be this way and the transformation that would pick him up again. His story comes out and it’s not easy and neither is what he has to do. First, he gets the job ultimatum and has to buck up and start fixing it as he pretends with Oliver and there is also the sucker punch of his absentee dad wanting back into his life. I enjoyed having the author bring me around when it came to Luc.

And, just when I thought Oliver was too perfect, the story takes a turn and suddenly Luc isn’t the only one who floundered. I like seeing this because then there is more balance in the relationship and I lost my doubts that these opposites would work out. In the end, I loved this pair together.

All through this story, I enjoyed seeing Luc figure his life out and fall in love for real, but the funniest parts were seeing him with his zany French mom and his friends who were an eclectic group who made every scene they are in dazzling.

All in all, it was another Alexis Hall winner. Those who enjoy m/m romcoms with a lot of character growth, emotion and a snarky amusing hero should give this a try.

My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing this book in exchange for an honest review.

I adored Boyfriend Material! If you liked Red, White, and Royal Blue, you will definitely love this book. It's got a fake relationship between a buttoned up lawyer and the feckless son of rock royalty, hilarious friend groups, and a quirky parent. This book has a sweet love story, fantastic supporting characters, and dialogue that will make you laugh out loud. One of my favorite books this year!

Boyfriend Material is an absolutely brilliant read. It's full of humour, has characters you connect with so very easily. It's an absolutely perfect read, that you'd be hard-pressed to find fault with if you are looking to pick up a book to lose yourself in for a few hours,

Boyfriend Material takes familiar tropes and executes them to perfection. Alexis hall gave us a stunning fake dating featuring chaotic wholesome gays and its the best damn book I've read this year. The dialogue is hilarious, the side characters a delight and you will root for both our MC's. I cannot wait for more from Alexis, there's not one thing about the book that didn't speak to my heart.

3.5 rating

I can say I ended liking this book. It had a bit of a slow start. and it took me a bit to see where we were going and to appreciate Luc and Oliver.
What I did like was the humour and the relationship between Oliver and Luc. They were making me swoon and root for them. I didn’t know that a fake boyfriend relationship turning into a real relationship, was a thing I’d actually enjoy but I did! It was really cute.
I only really liked the main characters though, and Luc’s mom. The friends and coworkers annoyed me. I even wondered if there are people like that in real life. I wouldn’t be able to stand them.
Lots of the conversations I thought pointless, and even skipped. It was the type of read I didn’t have to think too much about and exactly what I needed in that moment. The ending was a bit disappointing and not very impressive. I felt it was wrapped up in a rush and missed that je ne sais quoi I thought their relationship deserved.
It was still a nice quick romance..

If you enjoy British humor and witty banter, this rom-com is right up your alley. Even with the f-bombs and discussion of sex and sex related topics, this is actually a very clean M/M novel. It's very well versed and even had me reaching for a dictionary! Would highly recommend!

Boyfriend Material was so delightful and an enjoyable read. It read more like fanfiction (which I love reading) in that it didn't feel like there was any major conflict. But it was so cute, and I kept finding myself laughing out loud! I'll definitely be recommending it!

I loved this book so much I read it twice in the same week! I both laughed out loud and had some tears. Luc and Oliver had a refreshing spin on a tale we've seen before - pretending to date someone to fulfill some outside obligations and falling for the person you'd agreed you were only pretending to date. After reading this for a second time, I wanted to re-read "Red, White, and Royal Blue". I give this a big two thumbs up, and highly recommend!

Who would need a fake date except total losers? “Boyfriend Material,” Alexis Hall’s offering to the “fake boyfriend” trope, brings a raw, realistic tilt. Forgoing his traditional kinky fare for an (almost) PG rendition of love as it emerges from the seeds of self-destruction, Mr. Hall sets the bar high, creating two walking, breathing disasters.

Meet Luc, who has ultimately claimed the very persona paparazzi once made up. As he thinks of himself, “His career’s in the toilet? That’s Luc, he’s not had a stable relationship for five years? That’s Luc, where did it all go wrong?” Luc is still mistreated by his rock-star dad, a man who abandoned Luc and his song-writer mother, while foisting second-hand celebrity on Luc. It’s unconducive to Luc’s job as a fundraiser for a respectable charity. But, as person after person betrays him to the tabloids, he’s lost his self-respect. “Giving up, it’s my single biggest talent.”

Stuffy barrister Oliver can attract relationships, but is a rigid do-gooder who works too hard and is a vegan who offers unsolicited opinions to others, causing all his boyfriends to run. At one point, he snaps at Luc, “‘What the fuck is wrong with you? I thought we’d established that…I’m pompous, boring and desperate. Nobody else will have me.’” Their grumpy defensiveness leaves them rightfully isolated.

Yet it’s thoroughly entertaining to watch them spar. “‘I don’t think you’re a pompous arse,’” Luc tells Oliver… “‘Well, I wouldn’t say you were a full-on pompous arse. Maybe more of a supercilious butt cheek.’” And, uh, oh, we know Luc, the commitment-phobe, is in trouble when he thinks of Oliver, “who else could be that annoying and thoughtful. And protective. And secretly kind of funny. And-bugger.”

Of course, Alexis Hall’s stellar phrasing is a major attraction. Here’s Luc, at his low, thinking about his problems. “They were just a few more dead seabirds bobbing on the outskirts of the oil spill that was my life.” The author’s dialogue is equally amazing. When Luc talks to his mom about heartbreak, he asks, “‘Will it…will it ever stop hurting?’” “‘Non.’ Mum shook her head. ‘But it will stop mattering.’” Mr. Hall doesn’t skirt the suffering required to outgrow self-loathing, letting readers dive headlong into the pain alongside Luc. Thus, we see we’d survive, as well. What a gift!

Alexis Hall shares stunning insights. “Everybody tells you that when you’re young, you think you’ll live forever. What they don’t tell you is that when you’re old, you think the same. It’s just everything starts reminding you that it’s not true.” Unfortunately, Luc’s father offers this as a bald excuse for being selfish. As Luc, the author shows readers that everyone, even the most virtuous, is sometimes hypocritical.
And Mr. Hall’s thesis is praise-worthy. “‘What you think pushes people away is what lets them in.’” Luc tells Oliver. “‘And, God I sound like an inspirational Instagram post, but not letting people in is what pushes them away.’”

Lest readers think Alexis Hall is a moralizing clod like Oliver, the author loves on his readers with a comic wit that left me wet, from eyes, nose, mouth and other unmentionable orifices. The banter between Luc and Oliver is like the most beautiful foil on the best wrapped chocolate truffle. “‘You do seem’ (Oliver) said dryly, ‘to be markedly less intransigent when you have an erection.’” “‘Yes, It’s my Achilles’ penis,’” Luc responds. Mr. Hall plunges the depth of comedy from knock-knock jokes (and characters too clueless to understand them) to satire, as when Oliver tells Luc, “‘You really do own your illiteracy, don’t you?’” And Luc answers, “‘Yeah, I’m thinking about moving to America and running for public office.’”

If, like me, you’re envious of authors who prove wittier, better read, more perceptive and possibly kinder than you, grab the tissues and baby wipes and dive on into Alexis Hall’s “Boyfriend Material.” Quite selfishly, I wish Mr. Hall a long, productive life.