Boyfriend Material spoke to me.

I was truly not expecting to love it. I've had mixed experiences with Alexis Hall in the past, and I honestly didn't know he could be so funny. This book is hilarious, especially if you like kind of snarky, British humor, and I found myself laughing out loud to myself in bed, shoulders positively shaking (my husband did not appreciate this).

But that's how this book gets you. Under the humor lies the feels.

The emotions that I felt for these characters snuck up on me, and before I knew it, I was hooked. I really couldn't stop reading, and I stayed up nearly all night to finish.

I know it sounds cliche, but I laughed, I cried, and I would do it all over again.

It's funny, because plot-wise, nothing much happens in the story. It's sort of a meandering series of events in the MC's life where nothing seems to go quite right. The MC screws everything up time and time again, and puts his foot in his mouth so many times it might as well be permanently lodged there. However, he grows on you. The main characters are so multilayered that they feel like real people, and the secondary characters are so unique and well-conceived that you'll want them to have their own stories.

This story has self-righteous vegans, dung beetles, banana curries, dick pics, posh/idiot co-workers, and humor woven around each and every thing that makes it all come together effortlessly. But while you are laughing, be prepared for the feelings, a surprising amount of angst, and the strong, strong chemistry to hit you right when you least expect it. These guys are great for each other, baggage and all, and I was rooting for them like I haven't in a long time. But don't read this story if you are expecting steam, because this story is fade-to-black. However, I didn't mind the lack of steam with this one.

My favorite Alexis Hall book to date, Boyfriend Material delivered right when I needed it to most. I think the author did something special with this story.

*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*

**I received an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for honest review.**

Alexis Hall's newest release, Boyfriend Material, is a m/m contemporary romance with tons of humor and a fake dating trope tying it all together. Luc O'Donnell is the son of two rock stars, which makes him a frequent subject of the paparazzi. When Luc needs to clean up his reputation in order to keep his job at a charity, he decides that having a normal, straight-laced boyfriend is the way to do so. Enter Oliver Blackwood, defense attorney, and the most perfectly socially acceptable boyfriend one could ask for. When fake dating leads to real feelings, Luc and Oliver are left dealing with past trauma, present problems, and figuring out what they are to each other.

I have been a fan of Alexis Hall's writing for years. This work is a great example of Alexis' attention to character development and the balance of banter with angst. Basically, this book did precisely what I would have hoped for from this trope. I did think that things ran a bit long, but I wasn't upset about it overall. I think this book could really appeal to fans of Red, White, and Royal Blue while completely avoiding some of the cultural issues that were heavily brought up after that release.

I am grateful for the opportunity to have read this book early, and will continue to follow whatever future works Alexis Hall produces in the future.

Lucien, AKA Luc, the son of two aging rock stars, has many forces working against him. His parents make him a person of interest for tabloids, his boring job at a charity for dung beetles doesn't provide him with enough challenge, and his famous father abandoned him when he was three-years-old. After a particularly raucous night at the club, and a not-so-kind article about him in the paper, donors start pulling out of their charity donations because they think Luc doesn't represent the kinds of ideals they want to support. A plan made by his coworkers is formed to get Luc a fake boyfriend. for some positive press coverage A friend of a friend, Oliver, a barrister, is formal and a bit cold at first. But Luc will get him to open up-for the sake of appearances, that is....
The deal benefits both parties and they may not be able to keep their feelings fake for so long. Luc is relatable and funny, a character offset perfectly Oliver. If I'm being honest, my favorite character was Alex! A funny rom-com that will pull in readers.

Boyfriend Material is listed as one of "Most Anticipated Adult Romances 2020" so of course I was very curious about it and wanted to read it. Fake boyfriend is one of the most popular tropes between romance novels, the books are usually sweet, easy, and have a fast pace. It is the first time I read a book by this author so I didn't know what to expect, I found that I quite like the writing and the characterization of the characters. The book has some funny and sweet moments, I like the interaction of the main characters with their friends but not so much the side characters that are a little caricatural. While I am well aware that this kind of trope has usually a very low angst level this book as several passages where there is an attempt to a more profound emotional situation but that for me it doesn't deliver. More things that may not be well received by other readers that usually enjoy romance is the abundance of internal musing and lack of sex scenes that are usually more prominent in adult romance, I have also read some very good books that do not have explicit sex scenes but it fits with the character history or sexuality while in this case, it feels to me a little odd since the book is written by Lucien point of view.
Overall the book is, in my opinion, enjoyable but not remarkable, it needs a little more something, it needs to make us feel that the love between them is true, honest, and profound. I think I will read something else from this author to try and find a book that I like better.

Boyfriend Material was the M/M rom-com novel that I needed right now. With COVID-19 and a dismal economy, this book really put me in great spirits. Alexis Hall is going to be my new M/M romance novelist, I just know it. Thanks for being there for me when I needed this book the most.

Luc O'Donnell, son of a rocker and tabloid star and a French songwriter, is constantly in the press for his antics ever since his ex boyfriend leaked a story about him for a payout. Vulnerable and depressed, Luc continues to stumble (quite literally) into these public scandals and is more known as a gossip magazine topic than as a fundraiser for a local charity.

After one of his nights out, Luc is put in the press again and this time it's affecting his job. Luc's boss wants him to clean up his act and find a nice, reputable boyfriend to put donors at ease. Luc and his friends decide that they need to find the perfect candidate. And that candidate is Oliver Blackwood—a rigid and uptight, but muscular and sexy, barrister who is the complete opposite of Luc. The plan seems simple, but just one catch—feelings aren't supposed to get involved.

Boyfriend Material is the perfect gay romance novel to get you out of your slump or bad mood, I promise. It's funny, kind of steamy (not explicitly so, so you're ok Karen!), and very relatable. I related to the dynamics between Luc and Oliver a lot and I think whether you're queer or not, you will as well. I loved the nods to pop culture references and true to form romance and not the stereotypical BS that we've come to see in a lot of M/M romance novels. I am unsure if you should consider this as a YA novel, because it's very graphic in terms of language and I would legit cringe seeing a younger family member of mine reading this, but at the same time you won't be clutching your pearls gasping. If you want a gay Christina Lauren rom-com, Boyfriend Material is your best bet! Alexis Hall, thanks for keeping me up until 2:30 AM to finish this wickedly funny and cute book.

*I WAS PROVIDED A DIGITAL EDITION VIA NETGALLEY IN RETURN FOR MY HONEST REVIEW. THIS DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION*

Wow, and to think I was actually going to like this book. 😞

This book started off really well. It was funny, it was--in its own unique way--relatable, and it had a premise that sounded very promising! Then shit hit the fan, and I'm left wondering how it went from "this is going really well!" to "I can't stand this anymore."

For one, the main character is determined to keep his job under his homophobic boss. He goes on and on about how he'll be ruined forever if he doesn't manage to keep his job--thanks to his reputation--but doesn't actually seem to think it entirely through. If I were ever in his shoes and was basically being threatened by my boss, I would make it known that I wouldn't put up with it and quit. There's no realism in his decision whatsoever.

Secondly, this book went from being funny to being "big yikes." Luc makes it very apparent that he's just blatantly an a-hole because people and the press have hurt him. Then, someone comes along who might actually be willing to give him a chance and look past his past dealings, and he just treats them like absolute garbage every time they talk. Honestly, I'm not even sure how his own friends were still friends with him, his character seemed *that* bad.

Now, after all of this, I'm left wondering how I'm going to tell my manager--who I'm buddy reading this book with--that I'm DNFing this book at 22%. 2020 releases just have a passion for letting people down, don't they?

In this book we follow Luc O’Donnell, the child of two rock stars. The father he hasn’t met for most of his life is making a comeback, which puts Luc in the public eye and when he gets photographed looking a bit worse for wear, his job is put in jeopardy. He needs to find a fake boyfriend that can make him look respectable, and that’s where Oliver Blackwood comes into the picture. Oliver is the epitome of the perfect nice (fake) boyfriend with his job as a barrister, and the two of them couldn’t be more different. But soon enough the fake dating doesn’t feel very fake any more…

Ok, first off I loved this book! It was really f*cking funny and the chemistry between the two leads was amazeballs. The playful and cute way these two interacted was soo good! I loved how some serious topics were broached, and how they were handled. This book also kind of reminded me a bit of Bridget Jones’s Diary (the film, not the book!), in a good way! The pairing of the character who is a bit of a mess (Luc) with the uptight barrister (Oliver), some scenes and characters were also upper-class and some of the humour was derived from this and Luc’s friend group, where all things that reminded me of that film. I also love when characters who seem perfect have flaws, that’s what makes them human (and I’m not going to go into this more, because spoilers!). I kind of wish it would have gone a bit steamier, but I don’t really mind it as I loved so many other things about this book!

This book is definitely a five star read for me!

A big Thank you to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for this ARC! All of my thoughts and opinions are my own.

Though the cover for <i>Boyfriend Material</i> was designed to evoke last summer's big male/male romance hit, Casey McQuiston's <i>Red, White & Royal Blue</i>, versatile Alexis Hall's first book with publisher Sourcebooks doesn't feature a royal romance. Neither is it as sexually explicit or bitingly political as Hall's Arden St. Ives or Spires romances. Instead, Hall gives us his take on a conventional romance trope—fake boyfriend—with trademark self-deprecating but always witty humor, deep emotional resonance, and a light but heartfelt critique of liberal het "tolerance" for gay men who do not fit the unobtrusive mold.

<i>Boyfriend Material</i> opens with twenty-eight-year old white (1/2 English, 1/4 Irish, 1/4 French) Luc (Lucien) O'Donnell failing miserably to hook up during a London party he'd not really wanted to attend ("There should really be a word for the feeling you get when you do a thing you don't particularly want to do to support somebody else but then realise they didn't actually need you and nobody would have noticed if you'd stayed home in your pyjamas eating Nutella straight from the jar"). Given the intrusive publicity he's received over the years as the son of a famous rock star (especially after a former boyfriend sold a tell-all story to the press three years back), Luc tends to lead with prickles and pride rather than smooth seduction, hardly a formula designed for maximum pick-up appeal. And thus the evening ends with Luc leaving the bar alone, and tripping, and falling on his ass. A moment that is inevitably caught on film by a lurking pap.

After the resulting bad publicity, Luc's employer (a hilariously singleminded scientist who runs a charity to save the dung beetle!) warns him to "rehabilitate yourself fast. You need to go back to being the sort of harmless sodomite that Waitrose shoppers can feel good about introducing to their left-wing friends and smug about introducing to their right-wing friends"). Her specific recommendation: find an "appropriate" boyfriend.

Luc tries to address his boss's concern the old fashioned way, by allowing his friend to set him up on a date with a potential boyfriend. But when said date quickly heads south, he blurts out his problem to the man, a super-buttoned-up public defender lawyer named Oliver Blackwood ("a cool, clean modern-art piece of a man entitled Disapproval in Pinstripes," as Luc describes him). To Luc's surprise, Oliver agrees to be his "public boyfriend," if Luc will also attend an event of his and play the same role later in the year.

To Luc's even greater surprise, the self-possessed Oliver ends up doing more than just accompanying the often emotionally clueless and judgmental but likable Luc to his employer's annual charity event. And as Oliver does more than any real boyfriend has ever done to support Luc, Luc in turn gradually discovers that Oliver is not as competent, put-together, or emotionally even-keeled as his public image projects. Can two opposites do more than attract? Can they build a real relationship in the face of their particular, individual emotional hangups, hangups lurking behind their public images as the "bad" and the "good" kind of homosexual?

I have my fingers crossed that this first book with a big traditional publisher will win Hall the broader audience his outstanding writing so clearly deserves.

Boyfriend Material is the new queer rom-com from Alexis Hall. The story is about Lucien O'Donnell, who's gained a bit of fame due to his father even if he never wanted it. In order to survive his father's latest comeback attempt he'd decided a nice stable boyfriend will help him clean up his image. Enter Oliver Blackwood, a nice responsible barrister, and the epitome of stable boyfriend material. The two strike a deal to be boyfriends on paper only, but what happens when real feelings start to confuse the issue?
This book was pure light and fluffy rom-com, and if you're looking for a book that gives you the feeling of movies like Four Weddings and a Funeral then this is the book for you. However, if you're someone that wants some depth, passion, or angst with your romance and humor then this book will leave you sadly wanting. I chose to pick up this book because previous offerings from Hall had delivered on that passion and depth I adore in romance. I wanted to give this rom-com a try because I knew Hall to be a good writer that had delivered excellent stories in the past.
And this book it good, don't get me wrong all of the reasons I've liked Hall's writing before are here in the excellent characters and sharp wit. What was missing was any depth to the emotion or love story between Luc and Oliver. All of the chances to really examine Oliver's feelings of inadequacy or Luc's anger at the fame machine were glossed over, I think in a bid to keep the lighter tone. I am just growing tired of this recent crop of rom-coms that pull punches when it comes to examining anything that feels like real human emotion.
If you're into "chick-lit" or fluff then definitely give this a try. There's nothing too earth shattering here to make even the most fragile of readers squirm. If you're like me and want more passion, humanity, and grit from your books then I suggest picking up Hall's other title For Real, which is a good showcase for what this author is capable of.

5⭐️.

​Fake dating; opposites attract.

Q: who is your fave uptight hero?

All the praise hands to books that make us happy during this time and Alexis Hall’s Boyfriend Material is one of them for me. I love this book so and it’s going on my shelves as soon as I can get my grabby hands on it.

Luc is the son of two 80s rockers, one of whom abandoned him when he was 3. As a minor celebrity he garners his fair share of paparazzi coverage & it’s always negative. But one particular article puts his job at a charity in jeopardy & to save it he asks an uptight barrister with a good reputation to be his fake boyfriend.

Oliver is said barrister. And *be still my heart* because I am a fiend for an uptight hero. You know the type: they’re so proper and often seen as stiff, condescending, & judgmental (and sometimes they are!) but they’re also—at least in Oliver’s case—protective & loving & find it difficult to express their feelings. Ahhhhh!

I’d also like to take this opportunity to say that Luc is *not* uptight but he is so yearning & he loves his mother; he’s often snarky & not always the nicest, even to his friends, but he has a big heart & does some hard emotional work & deserves a million Oliver snuggles, okay?!

Boyfriend Material is so so so funny and Alexis Hall’s portrayal of friendship is divine. I love when friends are loving & supportive and also not 100% perfect. Even the loveliest of friends don’t always say or do the right things (and can sometimes push on our bruises unintentionally). But they can also read your heart & accompany you on road trips so you can chase your heart’s desire.

As funny as this book is it’s also not afraid to explore hurt and insecurity, but in a way that didn’t leave me feeling emotionally devastated.

In closing I’d like to say again: I love this book so much. I do wish there had been a (totally) on the page love scene and an Epilogue because as a previous review established, my soul is thirsty, but this book is also so wonderful as is & I would like to hug Luc and Oliver forever.

Boyfriend Material is out on 07/07. Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca & Netgalley for the complimentary ARC. All opinions provided are my own.

Boyfriend Material was advertised to me as the British answer to Red, White and Royal Blue. I wasn’t inclined for a minute to believe that could be the case, but this really was a super entertaining, emotional, adorable romance that you need in your life for summer 2020.

We follow Luc, son of two 80s icons, though his father walked out on him and his wonderfully eccentric mother when he was young and he’s not seen him since. In person anyway- his father’s comeback is plastered over screens everywhere. This element to the plot examines the harsh realities of growing up as the son of a celebrity, with every gossip rag hoping for a scandal. The tear-down nature of the british media is really explored here, giving personality and a sympathetic nature to the target of gossip ‘news’.

When Luc needs the perfect date to present to high-profile work clients that he is a fully reformed, well behaved, unintimidating gay, in walks Oliver Blackwood. Think young, sexy, gay Mark Darcy. Who also Luc also happens to hate. This book is PACKED with delicious romance tropes – I’m talking enemies-to-friends-to-lovers, fake dating, THERE WAS ONLY ONE BED! So tasty.

Through putting a gay couple, trying to present the ‘perfect’ image, this book really focuses on the unrealistic expectations that are put on gay couples to meet society’s ideals – they can’t be too gay, but also need to fit a heteronormative idea of their relationship dynamics. Being gay is enough of a scandal already, so don’t draw any more attentuon. This comes both from Luc’s need to present himself positively to the media, and also Oliver’s need to present the perfect relationship to his highly strung parents. However, throughout this book Oliver and Luc go on an immense personal journey to realise that they do not need to appease anyone other than themselves.

There’s definitely an element in this book of comparisons of different parental relationships- whilst Luc’s parental relationships seem very disfunctional on the surface, Luc’s mother is incredibly loving though very odd (shoutout to Luc’s mother who is supportive and loving, and has a beautiful platonic companionship with another older woman) and he comes to appreciate this throughout the book. Whilst Oliver’s parents encourage success and provide only the best for their son, but their attitudes are incredibly judgemental and they can be very emotionally manipulative with how they withhold love and praise to bend Oliver to their will.

I would proceed with caution at times though, because the behaviour of Luc’s father is very much emotionally abusive. There’s a lot of gaslighting and manipulation. This is also true of Oliver’s parents.

This truely is story full of really beautiful character growth. The changes in Luc’s mental health and self-worth are so touching, I actually got a little teary. I also laughed and celebrated with our characters. Hall’s writing style is almost painfully quirky at times, and at first I was really unsure, but it quickly became charming and I really fell in love with this caricature of Britain and its inhabitants. It truly was like reading a modern, queer Bridget Jones. If you’re looking for a quintessentially British summer rom-com, then you must pick this up!

This is a "fake dating" trope, so it's pretty obvious what's going to happen, right? I mean, I was totally prepared to be underwhelmed, but I ended up completely charmed!

Our MC Lucien is a freaking hot mess. I really wanted to not like him, but he quickly grew on me and I absolutely fell hard for him! And dude has jokes! Like, I seriously laughed and snorted my way through this book listening to his stream of consciousness! And the quotes!! So many profound and witty statements in here, I love them all!!

And Luc's relationship with perfectly flawed Oliver was such a nice slow burn and achingly sweet and just <sigh>!

So yeah, predictable, but the ride was oh so fun! The supporting cast was amazing, the witty banter was superb and just everything added up to such an entertaining and light read! Absolutely loved it!

What I loved:

- the humor in this book is *chefs kiss*!!! It made the reading experience a million times better.
- the romance! It took me a liiiiittle longer than expected to like their (fake-lol-it's-actually-not-fake) romance, but once I was, I was rooting alllllll the way. Oliver and Luc won my heart and wouldn't give it back!!! Honestly they're so cute. Ahhhhh
- The character development. Both of the main characters have some pretty bad issues, and seeing them grow during the book was amazing. Of course, it's not an easy road and by the end of the book they aren't perfect, but you can tell they're on their way to getting there!
- the characters. While Oliver and Luc were both every once in a while during the book and a lot at the very beginning of said book very annoying, I came to love their annoyingness. huh. And honestly, all the side characters were well rounded and so fun to read about!
- The plot. Just, the plot. I had an amazing time reading the whole entire time. Reading Experience? 1000000/10

What I didn't love so much:

- the semi relevant Cam guy we say at the beginning of the book? I thought he was going to be a much bigger deal since we did spend a reasonable amount of time with him, and was very confused when it turned out not to be the case.
- as a non-British english speaker, sometimes the words used were just too much. When even my kindle dictionary can't tell me what a word means and I have to constantly google things... not a good sign. I'm sure this is fine for British people, but there are more common words the author could use that would make it easier for the general non-British public to read the book.
- I'm not sure if this will be fixed in the finished copy, but the constant typo of the french words "mon cher" – as a native french speaker – really got on my nerves. That, and the amount of french stereotypes used to write Luc's mother.
- as much as I really, truly, loved the humor in this book, I found some jokes were a bit overused and got old toward the end.

In conclusion, even if this wasn't perfect, the things I loved outweigh by FAR those I didn't. I absolutely loved this book and I loved reading it. The characters, the plot, the humor, the romance, made this book, and I absolutely recommend it!!!

luc o'donnell is kind of a disaster. the long-ignored son of a british rockstar and reclusive french singer, he's caught by the paparazzi falling into a ditch and appearing to be drug-addled and on a bender. the reality is more that he tripped while walking home while intoxicated by one margarita too many. but then his job is put on high alert unless he can clean up his reputation and seem like a sober, dependable fellow. and so the boyfriend scheme comes to light.

when his pushy friend bridget suggests he hook up with her other gay friend, oliver, luc is less than enthused. his previous interactions with oliver hadn't gone well. and neither does the date that they attempt. but when luc admits he needs a fake boyfriend, oliver admits he needs one too.

and thus the boyfriend pact is borne. but neither luc nor oliver are quite sure what makes a guy boyfriend material. they're complete opposites, but they also make one another feel supported and whole and less like unmitigated disaster humans. it takes a while to see beneath oliver's façade, you see. but at heart, he's as much a mess as luc. he is just better at hiding it.

once they get their wires uncrossed and realize some hard truths about themselves, they realize that maybe this fake boyfriend thing isn't so much fake after all. and it is delightful.

**boyfriend material will publish on july 7, 2020. i received an advance reader copy courtesy of netgalley/sourcebooks casablanca in exchange for my honest review.

I first picked up Boyfriend Material because @theliteraryheroine said it was a RW&RB readalike and y'all - it did not disappoint! This book was a JOY to read. It has banter, it has friendship, it has heart, it has emotional support sandwiches - and what's more, it's an incredibly moving story about people who are flawed and funny and working to become better. I grinned and laughed out loud so much while reading this that my face hurt. I love Luc's voice and the nods to TV and books (I'm a pop culture junkie). I love how socially aware the book is, and how it reminds us that there's no one right way to be (insert identity here). I love that it's built on one of my favorite romantic tropes: a fake relationship. To borrow from the supreme R. Eric Thomas, Luc is a choas muppet, and I was absolutely delighted to follow his journey. I can only hope that Hall will grace us with more of his writing - I'm here for a sequel to this book, or perhaps a book from one of Luc or Oliver's friends!

Thanks to @netgalley for an advance copy of this book.

I'm a huge fan of the fake dating trope so when I saw that was part of the plot, I knew I had to read this. It's also set in England so I had high hopes for this and was not let down.

Luc O'Donnell is the son of a famous musician. Even though he doesn't have a relationship with his father, that doesn't stop people (including paparazzi) from being interested in his. After ending up in a bit of a scandal, Luc starts to fake date Oliver Blackwood to help clean up his image. Oliver is a type A, lawyer and seemingly exactly what Luc needs.

It was a great, fun summer read and perfect for pride month.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

What can I say about this book without sounding like a totally big fan?

I mean, I loved it, I really really did.

Read it in one day, I was obsessed with it, once I started reading it I couldn't stop and it felt so good! To be so immersed in a book again after so long, to be able to enjoy all the fluffy moments all the dramatic moments and the funny ones as well.

Oliver and Luck were amazing characters, both were very well developed and we could see their growing as the book progressed, they both had so much in common from the get go but it was hard to see because the author does an amazing work of writing for each character and giving them their time to shine and grow, I thought I was all invested in Luc (poor tortured soul) but then Oliver gave me quite a shock and so I was totally involved in him and then their relationship kept getting better and better and I just . . . Loved It!

This was one of the cutest most hilarious books I've ever read and I absolutely loved every second of it!!!!!!!!!!

Luc's character, British dry humour and overall existence are on point. I loved how flawed he is, and how throughout the book you get to see his ups and downs. I am LIVING for his relationships with his mother and his friends.

The writing style was great, I flew through the pages and didn't even feel the time pass by.

Overall this was an amazing book and I'm really happy I got the chance to read it!

Boyfriend Material
This book really pulled me in right from the start. Luc O’Donnell’s reputation in the press starts getting the wrong attention at work. The only solution: find a fake boyfriend who can help repair the damage. Luc and Oliver both need fake dates for upcoming events with the caveat that their relationship looks real but stays fake. But what happens when they start having very real feelings for each other?

I really enjoyed this book. The first draw: the gorgeous cover. Second: It has fake dating, one of my favourite romance tropes. I think it’s great when they start realizing they have feelings but then think that’s the worst thing ever because this is all for show and has to end. When it really doesn’t have to.

I also adored Oliver. He’s so stoic and put together and Luc really balances him out well. Together, they’re pretty wonderful.
This book has lots of great moments with the side characters, too. Luc’s mom is hilariously eccentric and all of his friends are wild. And the WhatsApp group names were iconic: “Queer Comes the Sun” and “One Gay More” among others.

The one downside for me: I felt that there were too many moments where they break up and then get back together almost immediately. I get that they had issues to deal with, but it was a lot of back and forth.

All in all, this was a great romance with a really great cast of characters.

*Review copy provided via NetGalley.

I have so much love for this book! I don’t have much time to read when I’m in class, but I stayed up late two nights in a row to finish Boyfriend Material.
Having a rock star for a father isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Luc O’Donell will end a relationship before it starts. It’s better to end it before he winds up in the tabloids with the world wondering how much further he could fall. When his job is at risk, he’ll do whatever he can to keep it. Oliver is the perfect person to help him clean up his image and save his job. Scandal doesn’t happen to Oliver, the barrister and vegetarian. They couldn’t be more different from each other, but they both need someone to take as a plus one.
Luc, bless it, I just wanted to tell him, “It’s okay to be who you are and to live your life.” He doesn’t trust anyone and it’s entirely understandable. He’s had some of his worst moments plastered across the tabloids. Oliver, goodness, he needed all the hugs. He strives to be the best and nothing but the best.

I think why I enjoyed their story so much was because I relate so much to both Luc and Oliver. I don’t trust easily, and I’m awkward and odd. I have my own way of doing things and I don’t appreciate people trying to change that.

The arrangement becomes beneficial and is the worst kept secret. It cracked me up with how many people knew they were fake boyfriends. Despite all the fakery, Luc and Oliver had a legitimate connection with each other. They challenged each other to be better and to learn how to trust again.

I think one of my favorite parts was at Oliver’s parents Ruby Anniversary. Luc makes this amazing gesture and I was sitting in my bed sitting up straight and cheering him on. Someone needed to do this for Oliver. He was worth having someone on his side like Luc was.

There were misunderstandings, through the course of things, but the chemistry and attraction between them, even as fake boyfriends? It burned intense and brightly. It was so damn good when they were together.