You would think that it would be easy to say what a book called "Boyfriend Material" was about. Surely, a romance about a fake relationship that starts to become very real would have a pretty straightforward plot, right? And yet a straightforward answer seems to allude me.

The premise is easy enough. Luc needs to "clean up" his image if he's to keep his job at the place he attests is the only place that would have him in the first place. Due to his estranged, has-been-but making a comeback father, Luc has been the subject of more than a few unflattering and often untrue tabloid stories. The attention is losing is causing the donors he needs for his nonprofit workplace to back out of donating. To try to mitigate the tabloid issue, Luc needs a respectable boyfriend to make him look more respectable. But dating and relationships have been unbearable disasters, and he doesn't think there's any hope left for him. Enter Oliver, a lawyer and a friend of Luc's best friend who could also use a no-pressure date to a family event he has coming up soon. They strike a deal to pretend to be in a relationship and do what it takes to make their fake relationship look real. While the two seem to be opposites in many ways, they soon find themselves connecting much more deeply than either of them anticipated.

"Boyfriend Material" is also one of, if not the, funniest books I have ever read. Ever. I laughed so hard, I:

1) Couldn't breathe
2) Choked on my spit
3) Gave myself a coughing fit
4) Became the new image for the crying-laughing emoji
5) Scared my dogs... and the neighbor's dogs
6) Startled coworkers in the break room
7) Annoyed my family
8) Woke up the neighbors

Okay, maybe not that last one. I read this over the 4th of July weekend, and constant fireworks were probably keeping the neighborhood awake at all hours of the night. Still, this book is hilarious. I tried to read one part aloud when someone asked me what was so funny, but all I could do was half wheeze out the words. I let them read the section for themselves in the end.

But don't let the fact that it's a hilarious romantic comedy of a book fool you into thinking the story has no depth. The book is so much bigger than a fake-relationship-turned-real romance story. Luc is depressed, closed off from the world, and falling apart at the seams. Barely disguised homophobia from his donors does not make things easier for him, but his self-esteem and confidence were nonexistent even before this work crisis. Oliver, too, is not as confident or in control as he appears, and both are grappling with a world of hurt in their own ways. In the end, I cried from overwhelming emotions almost as often I as I cried from laughing.

In some ways, it doesn't seem like there is a lot of plot because, in a sense, it's a slice-of-life type of book, which may be why it's so hard to describe.

In the end, I've found that the best way to describe the plot of "Boyfriend Material" is to use someone else's words about life and love. "we believe that unconditional love means not seeing anything negative about someone, when it really means pretty much the opposite: loving someone despite their infuriating flaws and essential absurdity [and] if we want the rewards of being loved we have to submit to the mortifying ordeal of being known (https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/06/15/i-know-what-you-think-of-me/)." In all its many forms, love is terrifying and messy and dangerous, but oh so glorious when it’s real. And that is what "Boyfriend Material" is really about.

This book made me endlessly happy. I joke I'm just going to drop everything and start it all over again, but, like, I might. It's exactly what I needed.

Luc and Oliver are both grumpy messes and I loved watching them together. Their friends are all terrible in the best ways. I wish we had gotten a bit more of Oliver's friends, but I just love both of these friend groups. They're the kind of friends that will tease you to the end of the world but will also stand up for you and push you in the right direction and come over and clean up your disastrous flat.

Luc’s daily jokes with his coworker brought me ridiculous amounts of joy. There's just so many tidbits in this story that made me so happy.

I love how they go into this fake relationship with eyes wide open, but they're still incredibly messy about it. They break up, they get back together, they pretend for longer than is normal, but they're just so freaking cute.

I don't know that anything I say is going to be enough to tell you how much I loved this book, but I did. I finished it a little over an hour ago and the smile still hasn't left my face.

3.5 Stars

It’s like Bridget Jones turned into a man, except more neurotic and hopeless when it comes to love… le sigh!

Lucien O’Donnell couldn’t keep a boyfriend if he tried. Bad enough he’s the son of two musician’s way past their glory days, but still enough famous that one step wrong and his picture lands in the paper or an article is written online. When a damning photo, taken out of context, puts the charity he works for in the spotlight (the wrong way), Luc is forced to go on the hunt for a boyfriend if he wants to keep the only job that will hire him.

My impression of Luc lay in a healthy dose of empathy because though Luc has never gone without food or shelter, his parent’s presence in his life (lack of a father figure) has left him vulnerable and then a relationship turned bad made things worse. Trust issues are at the top of the list, followed by his lack of drive – I mean he works for a non-profit hell-bent on saving the dung beetle and they are called CRAPP. Luc himself constantly states he has low standards and that made my heart ache. When his friend Bridget *scratches head* says she has the perfect possible boyfriend, Luc jumps on it, reluctantly.

Cue entrance of barrister Oliver Blackwood. He sounds positively stiff and proper, and he is (squee) Oliver has had similar relationship issues, he’s not sure why, but it’s always him. He’s not good enough for some reason. Him and Luc on date seems fine enough, but I quickly discovered these two are like oil and water, nothing in common besides some attraction. Oliver has a V-cut *fans self*. Though they share no common interests, Oliver and Luc quickly become engaged in the art of faking it.

That’s what this whole book is about, a fake relationship which is a cat-nip trope that sucks me in often against my will. The story is told solely in Luc’s point of view. No thoughts from Oliver except what he confesses to. At times I felt like Luc broke the fourth as well. This budding romance comes with plenty of drama, tension, and sweet moments that made me wonder how the hell Oliver is still single. A topic that Luc contemplates a lot.

As far as tension, there is a lot, stemming around Luc and Olive learning their environments, how to be around each other and navigating a fake relationship without kissing or sex. Luc’s not very good at this by the way because he has constantly assuaged his need for connection with meaningless one-night stands. While are uptight Oliver wants things to mean something before, he just takes a romp in the hay. Once this hurdle is passed it’s all sweet, delicious romantic satisfaction, but this is like getting in the bedroom door only to be kicked out once the action gets going.

While both heroes have tons of baggage, watching them fall for each other bit-by-bit involved plenty sighing and quick page turns. I was emotionally engaged enough to keep going even when Luc got a little long-windy about describing things around him or acting over-the-top with theatrics. Luc does get wordy and tends to overthink things.

Overall, if you want a nice read to get lost in, a slow burn story about something fake becoming all-too-real, then Boyfriend Material is definitely for you. I would also recommend this book to readers who haven’t take the plunge into M/M romance. This one isn’t super vulgar or spicy as far as the intimate scenes go, so if you were wanting to dip your toe into the genre you can’t wrong starting with this one.

~ Landra

Luc O’Donnell is the son of two famous musicians who had a rocky relationship. He grew up with his mother never having connected with his father. His father is known for his wild and crazy ways and now that he is trying to clean up his act and make a comeback the tabloids are focusing on Luc and just how much like his father they think he is. This doesn’t bode well for his life and threatens to throw what little his has going for himself down the drain. He decides that in order to make himself look better and not put everything in his life in jeopardy he needs to be seen in a more mature adult romance with a normal, boring guy even if that relationship is fake…enter Oliver Blackwood, who is as mature and normal as you can get. As luck may have it Oliver is also in need of a fake boyfriend for an event. And we all know what fake dating can lead to.

I was really excited for this book…tight lace man falls for son of rock royalty…I was expecting this fake dating to include hate to love and be everything I wanted….but in reality it wasn’t even much of fake dating. Almost everybody in Luc’s life knows it’s fake, only Oliver’s friends and family don’t know. I wasn’t expecting to like Luc…I figured he might be a little hard to like at first but in all honesty I don’t know if I ever really got to a point where I liked him at all. He was unnecessarily rude and I can understand he was going through some stuff but like he knew he was being rude while he was doing it. Also at one point Luc realizes he doesn’t know much about Oliver and admits that to himself that he was too focused on himself at first, later Oliver mentions that Luc doesn’t really know him and then Luc disagrees? But he mentioned it first?

Now aside from Luc I actually like most of the other characters...Luc’s friends and family and Oliver’s friends made me laugh out loud and I found their quirkiness a confusing mix of endearing and annoying…which I think might be the point? I also really enjoyed Oliver’s character and I definitely feel like he put more into the relationship than he was getting out of it. I liked that he was starting to let himself be less in control when he was with Luc (and although I didn’t like Luc or how he sometimes treated Oliver) I can admit that it seemed they were good for each other….although for a fake relationship they really did seem to break up an awful lot. Even though the romance did end up being cute and making me smile for the most part I feel like it dragged on a bit…thanks a lot to the aforementioned breakups and made this book seem a lot longer than it needed to be.

I give this book a 3 out of 5 stars.

This is a very sweet and funny story about a relationship of convenience that turns into something deeper. Two men in London with important events looming on the horizon allow themselves to be set up by a friend who concludes they are perfect for each other because they are the only two single homosexual males she knows. Luc is trying to escape his rockstar father’s dubious legacy and infuriating comeback. Oliver seems perfect, almost icy, but has family baggage that could ruin everything. Recommended for fans of Casey McQuiston

What a delight - I absolutely loved reading Boyfriend Material. Luc O'Donnell is reluctantly famous and in the public eye, thanks to a rock star dad he's never met who's making a comeback. To make himself outwardly appear like he's got his life together, Luc hatches a plan, which involves fake-dating a normal guy. Enter barrister, Oliver Blackwood. These two are complete opposites, but that's what makes their relationship and dynamic so compelling and irresistible.

One of the main reasons why I adored Boyfriend Material so much was the humour and Luc's witty remarks. The dad jokes he (attempts to) tell his workmate had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions. There was also a slew of hilarious loveable supporting characters, including his colleagues and friends. I honestly have no complaints and will be recommending Boyfriend Material to everyone.

Y'all I was not prepared for how much I enjoyed this book. Luc is heartbreaking in a pathetic kind of way and Oliver is the button up barrister that I never knew I needed. There is something to be said about being the son of two former rock stars, and even though he's never met his dad Luc comes with ALL the burdens that entails. Hall does an amazing job of writing interesting characters that feel real and not just filled with cookie-cutter tropes and no actual character traits.

Oliver and Luc aren't just the cutest fake dating couple I've ever read but they are the cutest and so full of heart and heartache. Perfect for fans of Red White and Royal Blue, Oliver and Luc's drama and banter will leave you full of warm fuzzies and laughing out loud long after you stop reading.

I was given this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This book was not perfect but passing the flaws you'll find love. This is how I'd sum u this book. Despite the questionable main character Luc and the things he does, you'll come to appreciate the difference of the two characters.

Funny, sexy, and heartwarming, "Boyfriend Material" was a nice vacation from the harsh realities of the current pandemic-ridden world. It had fun romantic tropes, excellent sense of humor with great dialogue, it was an enjoyable ride. Highly recommend.

Boyfriend Material had everything I'm looking for, and more, when I'm reading a rom-com. It made me laugh out loud, groan in frustration at the characters, and root for both Luc and Oliver. It also included one of my favorite romance tropes of all -- fake dating. Oliver and Luc decide it would be in their best interest to be each other's fake boyfriend to help ease some problems in their lives. I wanted to see where this fake dating would lead Luc and Oliver. Could they get over their insecurities and find happiness? Or was faking it the best both of them could do? I loved the characters in this story. They all had multiple dimensions and added zest to the story. I love it when a book has a great supporting cast of characters, and this one definitely did. This was a very enjoyable read. I do wish, however, that it had an epilogue, but that is probably a personal preference.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book!

Funny, sexy, endearing... so many words that describe this book. I was captured from the very first page and spent the entire time reading snippets of it out loud to anyone who would listen (and a lot of people who didn't actually volunteer to listen). Every single thing about it was amazing, from the dialogue to the descriptions to the character development for both Luc and Oliver. I had a feeling I knew where the storyline with Luc's father was going, but it didn't stop me from investing in it. I especially loved the depth in both characters and the crazy cast of friends and family members that surrounded them. Luc's charity job was *just* this side of cheesy and made the whole thing 100x better. I can't recommend this book enough!

4.5 Stars. I loved this book! I will ship Luc and Oliver forever! I started this book really unsure about Luc, he didn't seem likeable. But boy did I really start rooting for his happiness and success. The personal growth of both Luc, Oliver and the growth of their relationship was fantastic. I really enjoyed the secondary characters as well, their snark combined with their support was very endearing. I loved especially how they helped each other navigate their family relationships, and fought for one another when they couldn't fight for themselves. Hall did a great job of portraying a real relationship, the hardships you go through and how past relationships can make moving forward challenging. Would love to watch this romcom! Warning: language

I. LOVED. THIS. BOOK. I am obsessed with Luc and Oliver. I seriously felt all of the ups and downs of their relationship. Fake dating is such a fun trope but this stressed me out. I didn't want it to be fake. I wanted them to be in love for real. I read this in two days. I couldn't put it down.

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
This enemies to lovers romance was so sweet and so well-written. I loved the character of Luc and the mental chaos he seemed to dwell on, and Oliver was the perfect antidote. He's calm, steady, and reliable, but is amazingly funny without seeming to realize it. They play off of each other so well and when their doubts and insecurities come to light it’s fascinating to see how they react and try to resolve any conflicts. I loved their sincere desire to be the best person they could be for the other and that they both had issues to work through. The steam factor was sweet and gentle leaving most to the imagination which was perfect for this story.
The secondary characters were so well-written that I felt like they were my friends too. I loved the quick wit, the teasing, and the sarcasm. Their genuine love for each other was felt, and the one for all and all for one attitude was exactly what I appreciate in my own friends.
I listened to this book on librofm and I cannot stress enough how delightful the audio is for this book. The narrator does a fantastic job creating unique voices for each character and having them stay true throughout. His delivery was so spot on and I laughed out loud many times! I'm glad that I have the book as well though, because this is one that I’m going to want to read over and over!
Thank you to Sourcebooks, Net Galley, and Libro Fm for my gifted copies in exchange for this honest review.

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall is THE BEST. I am such a fan of sad, messy boys and that is exactly who Luc is. Except he's also so much more. Hounded by his rock star parents' legacy, the betrayal of an ex, his bad choices, and the paparazzi, Luc is trying to hang onto his job at CRAPP, a nonprofit for dung beetle preservation. When his bad boy rep threatens his job, Luc is forced to take drastic measures and find a suitable boyfriend. His problem? Lack of trust in a potential partner and, oh yeah, he's undateable. With the help of his friends, Luc finds the perfect man to fake date, Oliver. Despite their awkward history and early antagonism, Oliver agrees to fake date Luc.

I love this book so much! I instantly loved Luc; his narration is hilarious, sarcastic, and filled with so many fandom references that I was continually flailing. I also loved his supportive and quirky friends, his mom, and his ridiculous coworkers. Oliver is a delight and I loved getting to know him! I could write an essay about him and Luc but spoilers.

I'm actually not a huge fan of fake dating but this book 1000% changed my mind. I was totally hooked from page one and stayed up all night reading. This book is sweet, laugh out loud funny, and it delves into all the complicated facets of adult life (work, family, friends, love). Sometimes romance books get very centered on romantic love and/or sex to the exclusion of all else and I was so pleased that this lovely romcom went above and beyond to show us that life is about more than romance and that falling in love and making a relationship work takes effort, honesty, and self-awareness. Highly recommend!

Luc O'Donnell is in his late 20s and son of 80s rockers. His parents never married, and he never actually met his father, Jon Fleming, who'd moved on and toured with a different band, making a tabloid nuisance of himself for the most of Luc's youth. His last serious boyfriend sold stories of their relationship, including compromising pictures, for an interview, and it's left Luc feeling emotionally violated and preternaturally suspicious of any man who might take an interest. Now, Jon Fleming is back on the British music scene as an advisor to rock wannabees on a reality show. And, Luc's many foibles are prime for the tabloids to print. Luc works as a fundraising manager for an obscure dung beetle charity, and this miserable job is in jeopardy when some of the usual donors take offense to the sensationalized antics that Luc hasn't really committed, but are now in the papers.

He's got to find a respectable boyfriend to win back the snooty donors, or find a new job. But who will hire this pariah? Better yet, who would really date him?

Luc's friend sets his up with Oliver Blackwood, a decent and ethical vegan barrister who Luc is sure looks down on him from his moral high ground. Oliver is in dire need of a partner for his parents' anniversary luncheon, and he's willing to become part of Luc's circus life to make this onerous occasion palatable. Luc tells the story so we get a lot of his emotional issues, but he begins to see that Oliver's seemingly perfect life is a carefully constructed facade to paper over the isolation he's long felt in his family.

Luc and Oliver are the sweetest men, both needing love and reassurance that they aren't making horrible messes of their lives. Fleming's not only on the telly, he's making in-roads with Luc's mum and seems to want to make amends to Luc, as well. Luc's horrified by the tawdriness of the situation, and leans heavily on Oliver's steadfastness to survive some of these encounters. Oliver is a great guy, noble yet a little sanctimonious, but he treats Luc better than a boyfriend, and Luc strives to be even half as good. Their communication becomes more necessary than perfunctory, and they develop a bond that neither wants to acknowledge in total--because they believe this is a meant to be temporary.

I love fake boyfriend tropes, and this one is extremely well-done. The friends and family drama is on point, and Luc's self-deprecating humor is a constant delight. His sensitivity and emotional vulnerability are so raw, and I was glad that a good man like Oliver was there to help him patch himself up. Their sexytimes are tentative, at first, but tender and loving as they gain a keen interest in one another.

I honestly fell hard for Luc, and his quest to live a decent life and have a decent guy was so engaging. He's got a brain that never shuts off, and it was a bit of a thrill ride as his feelings for Oliver ramped up. It was hysterical how Luc figuratively and literally cleaned up his life--including his apartment, because he wanted to be someone that Oliver could admire--not even realizing how much Oliver admired him already. I loved how he stood up for Oliver, especially against Oliver's own family who all treat him rather shabbily. There's a big conflict near the end, where Luc needs to make a grand gesture and it surely goes to heck in a handbasket, but he still ends up winning Oliver back for a happy ending.

I finished reading this a couple of months ago, but re-read it so it would be fresh for the release. It's a book worth reading over again, and I still laughed out loud repeatedly as I absorbed Luc's deep-seated self-consciousness for the second time. I loved these guys and was only sad to see the book end.

Things I loved about this book: It was funny and snarky; I lived for the banter! The chemistry between Oliver + Luc was wonderful; I really feel like they complimented each other well and drew each other to become the best versions of themselves.

Things I didn't love: I think part of this is because I do not completely understand British humor, but some of the dialogue went over my head. And Luc's self-depricating manner started grating on my nerves after a while.

I would recommend this book for anyone who loves witty British romances + the fake romance trope.

Boyfriend Material is, dare I even say it, what I'd consider a perfect contemporary romance. It managed take me by surprise in such complete manner; a promise of fake boyfriend trope and British setting drew me in, but the story is so much more than that. Yes, it is a fine specimen of a fake boyfriend with real feelings trope and the Britishness made it so much more delightful. However, it is remarkably like a deep character analysis. Luc, the main character, is introduced, dismantled and knitted back together in such manner that reader is left feeling raw because so much soul is revealed.

Luc is a son of two 80's rock stars and he's spend much of his adult life on the pages of tabloids, which he hates with passion and past events have made it difficult for him to trust anyone. His estranged father is making a comeback and Luc needs to clean up his act so that he won't lose his job as a charity fund raiser - hence a need for a fake boyfriend. Oliver, who's a barrister and ethical vegetarian, is ideal for it and luckily for Luc, Oliver needs a date for his parents anniversary party. Plenty of funny and heartfelt moments ensue, when Luc and Oliver try to navigate a fake relationship and improve Luc's public image.

A tremendous story of Luc and Oliver, both full of flaws and somewhat destructive habits, and how they learn to make each other better people. And despite this sounding so serious, Boyfriend Material is a romcom. There's plenty of hilarious moments and funny characters along with all the serious, full of feels moments. It has the perfect balance of both. I dare say, Boyfriend Material is a new favourite and I'll definitely need to buy a paperback so I can re-read it again and again. Needles to say, I highly recommend it - a stunning contemporary romance, this will charm so many readers.

“What you think pushes people away is what lets them in. And, God I sound like an inspirational Instagram post, but not letting people in is what pushes them away.”

Luc O’Donnell is sorta famous. After his parents whirlwind romance, featuring a collaborative and two break up albums, low budget news outlets follow him and document his disasters and mishaps in his personal life. But when the stories begin to threaten the charity fundraiser he works for, Luc needs to find someone who makes him look better for the gossip news outlets instead of the disaster he is.

Enter Oliver, a barrister who seems to have his life together and who Luc has had two unfortunate encounters. Though they don’t have anything in common, they agree to fake date for Luc’s public appearance and a family get together Oliver has to go to. But as they spend more and more time together, Luc worries his feelings for Oliver might be developing into something more. Something he’s not sure he’s able to handle.

Oh boy, was this a ride. Luc was such an excellent character to read about. His voice was strong and distinct, and I found myself laughing quite frequently at his inner monologue. I think he was the perfect kind of self-deprecating and aware while also recognizing his own personal faults and working through them in a reflective way. I absolutely loved Luc.

The side characters were written well, too. The relationship Luc had with his friends and co-workers seemed genuine and hilarious. Some scenes lasted longer than I thought necessary and didn’t help develop the story in any way I could discern, but I liked Luc’s friends a lot. Their personalities were a bit exaggerated, as if they didn’t have any depth to them the way our main character did, but this also read like a rom-com so I didn’t mind the excessive witty banter and over the top conversations.

I also really enjoyed the romance aspect of this novel. Luc and Oliver’s relationship didn’t have that typical pining that usually accompanies the fake dating trope, but I did love witnessing them lean on one another when they were struggling or standing up for each other when the other was obviously being hurt, but couldn’t speak up for themselves. Their relationship felt more like a slow burn than fake dating, but I didn’t mind at all.

As for the plot, it definitely felt very typical for a romance, but the ending stuck out as being different than normal. It showed Luc’s character growth but did also feel a bit drawn out. That is a minor complaint, though, as the rest of the story flowed naturally with normal twists and turns.

Overall, I liked this one a lot. It was funny with excellent characters and a well-written relationship. And what more could you ask for with a romance novel?

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall was released on July 7th, 2020.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest and thoughtful review.

Though I was fortunate enough to receive an advanced copy of this book for the purpose of review, I had so much faith that I’d like it that I pre-ordered it for myself the instant I heard it was being published. And I’m thrilled that I did, because Boyfriend Material is a marvelous gift of a story. Having said that, I had to rework quite a bit of what I’d originally written, since, as has been the case with everything else I’ve read by Mr. Hall, there was more to consider than was initially evident.

On its surface, Boyfriend Material is an absolutely hilarious tale about two people falling in love. I can honestly affirm that I haven’t laughed this hard while reading a story in years. Not just a random snort or giggle, either. I mean the eye-watering, tea-aspirating laughter that’s rare enough to be kind of magical. And laughing that much was so welcome and felt so good that I’m still grateful I was able to have it.

While Luc and Oliver certainly have their share of funny moments together, Boyfriend Material wouldn’t be as wonderful without the vast majority of the additional characters. It won’t even do any good to name my favorites, since the list would just keep growing until I’d included nearly every one. Save for Bridget, who gets a special mention because—she’s Bridget. Still, I thought they were riotously diverting and bright and glorious, and the difference between them and the few that were fairly loathsome was unquestionably stark.

I think what makes the comedic elements even better is that, though they own a significant place in the story, they are never used to trivialize the other matters of the heart the main characters are navigating. Luc and Oliver are so different that there are legitimate reasons to assume their relationship can’t possibly work. Except that it very much does—wonderfully so. Where I believe they’re similar, however, is that their most pressing problem doesn’t seem to be a mutual struggle to love, but to allow themselves to be loved.

Despite having very different histories of hurts and betrayals, the resulting wariness and skepticism was much the same for Oliver and Luc, and broke my heart for them both. Luc’s preferred means of self-defense is to stick to casual sex and be generally and preemptively awful, while Oliver doesn’t seem to do casual anything and hides behind a diligently maintained exhibition of control. Regardless of the catalysts, Luc and Oliver share a certainty that being themselves within a fictitious relationship is safer and therefore preferable to the inevitability of a “real” relationship failing because who they truly are can’t possibly be good enough.

With a completely graceless turn back to the positive aspects of Boyfriend Material, I have to mention that there’s also a delightfully generous reference to Welcome to Night Vale that I literally squealed about and may eventually admit to doing a happy dance over.

I’m always thrilled when an anticipated story not only meets, but surpasses my expectations, and Boyfriend Material did just that with room to spare. Luc and Oliver were an irresistible (if occasionally obscenity-engendering) pleasure, and I ended up thoroughly swoony for them both. Though it wasn’t easy in places, I had a genuinely good time reviewing it and maintain that it was worth every pang of my heart. As much as I appreciated all the different aspects of the narrative (particularly laughing until my back hurt), reading Boyfriend Material made me very happy. I hope it will do the same for someone else.