Boyfriend Material tells the story of Luc, a C-list celebrity, whose most significant achievement is being the son of a fallen from grace musician. That doesn't stop the tabloids and paparazzi from scrutinizing everything he does and ruining his life. After a new scandal, Luc has to find a fake boyfriend to accomplish a job task.

Unexpectedly, the writing needs some using to. There are many posh British expressions that are hard to follow, and some sentences are unnecessary long. But after some chapters, it flows better. The story is filled with clichês, like a fake relationship, bed-sharing, and meddling friends. It feels like reading fanfiction, which isn't bad. It's what I was expecting going in.

One thing I didn't enjoy was some of the side characters. Two in specific are so weird and alienated from the world, they don't feel believable.

Speaking of characters, Luc and Oliver are messes. In different ways, yes, but they would benefit a lot from some therapy sessions.

Luc is so self-destructive at first, it was too much for me. But given his background, it's understandable. He's deeply affected by the stories the tabloids create and publish about him. So he lives in constant fear of messing up and seeing his life spread out for everyone.

Oliver seems more put together on the surface. But he's always under pressure to meet his family's views of what an accomplished young man should be. He's criticized by his parents and has an unhealthy life competition with his brother.

So when Luc and Oliver come together to fake a relationship, it's hard at first. But with a healthy dose of physical attraction and learning to deal with each other, they start to face their inner demons together. It was so cool to see the lines between the fake and real relationships beginning to merge and fade. But, although there were some highs and lows to keep you entertained, there should have been more pining. Which is the best part of this type of story.

As you can see in this Boyfriend Material book review, this is a story for Red, White & Royal Blue fans. Although the writing can be hard at times, the characters and the story will keep you hooked enough to fly through this book.

This book is a delight! It has been compared to Red, White, and Royal Blue (which I also loved), but other than it being a M/M romance with very appealing characters, I didn't see the resemblance. Both Luc and Oliver seem like real people and I loved watching them navigate their fake relationship as openly as they can while still trying to protect themselves. Very relatable. I read it in a sitting.

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌠
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My thoughts:
Fake boyfriend trope + an awkward, messy, disorganized individual with someone who is super organized & does everything by the rules. This is like the perfect combo. I loved the characters of Luc & Oliver individually but felt like the chemistry between the two was somewhat lacking. I liked the banter between the two & also those between Luc & his gang of friends. They had me laughing a lot & reminded me of my crazy set of friends.😁 Luc's mother was another fun & quirky character that I loved.
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The story was cute, funny & I loved most of the it but overall it just felt like there was something missing to me with regards to the chemistry hence the 3.5🌟's.
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Disclaimer: Thanking Netgalley & the publishers for providing me with an eARC copy of the book in exchange of an honest review. The thoughts expressed in the review are therefore completely my own.

Snarky British humor, not a ton of plot (but that's totally okay) and a main character who definitely charms you as you weave through the book, I really liked this. This was a book that I stayed up very late finishing and usually, that's a great sign for me. This was one of the best "fake-dating" books that I've read.

“It’s easy to be happy when you’re pretending.” Luc O’Donnell is a bit of a mess. He hasn’t seen is rock star father in years. He’s barely holding on to a job at a charity for dung beetles where one more time ending up in the tabloids and he’s done. When he meets barrister Oliver Blackwood they make a pact: Oliver will be the respectable boyfriend for Luc’s charity ball, and Luc will attend Oliver’s parents’ anniversary party.

I consider @whatsjennareading as my ambassador to the romance genre. When she tells me to read something, I will. I preordered this book and started reading it as soon as it came out. I took a break with this one to finish a couple other books but I flew through the last 300 pages. This book is full of so much humor. I loved all of the characters from Luc’s loyal friend circle to his quirky coworkers. The story is told from Luc’s point of view which is inflected with Hall’s wit and humor that made this book hilarious and lovely. I was rooting for Oliver and Luc the whole time and I was not disappointed. I give the author a lot of credit because I think this book could have become one big cliché but it didn’t, and the actual events of the book were more real than I expected. I loved this book. If you’re looking for a great M/M romance without a lot of graphic sex, this is a perfect selection. I hope more people check it out before the summer is over. ★★★★★ ◊ Trade paperback ◊ Fiction - Romance, M/M Romance, LGBT ◊ Published July 7, 2020 by Sourcebooks Casablanca. ◾︎

This was one of my most anticipated romance releases of this year and I had big expectations. From the moment I saw that it was a romance featuring a fake-dating trope and a m/m pairing, I was in. I have to say, I absolutely adored this book in so many ways and I'm so happy to have read it.

Boyfriend Material is the kind of romance book you want all romance books to be. Full of romance, obviously, but also a story with an in-depth plot, complex characters, and plenty of humor. Not only that, but it had some of my favorite tropes such as fake-dating, "there's only one bed," rivals-to-lovers, and grumpy boys who are secretly soft.

I enjoyed every second of this book. I ended up listening to the audiobook and, while I could have smashed it out in 1/3 the time if I had read the ebook, I am so happy that I listened to it this way. Honestly I may have to commit to listening to most romances on audiobook from now on.

I think the main reason I loved the audiobook was because I got to hear and experience the emotions a lot easier and better than if I had read them on a page. Listening to the narrator's voice get loud when the character was frustrated or soft and cracking when he was sad? Perfection. Also, this book takes place in London and getting to experience the story with actual proper accents made it so fun.

This book was so fun and humorous. I already was having to pause the audiobook in chapter 1 because I needed to take a moment just to laugh. There's a good mixture of humor in this book from stupid puns, jokes, sarcasm, embarrassing moments, people poking fun at each other, and even more. I was laughing so many times throughout this book and I truly think that the humor is at least 40% of the reason why I loved this book so much. Of course, even though there was a lot of humor, there were plenty of serious moments as well. I thought that the balance between the humor and the serious emotional scenes was quite well done.

My favorite part of this book, though, had to have been the characters. Luc and Oliver were so much fun to read about. They're both so unique and different from each other in really every way possible. I really loved them together though. Even from the beginning there was never any animosity in their fake dating relationship which was a breath of fresh air. I think the support they have for each other was wonderful and I love each of them so much. We only get Luc's POV throughout the book so I feel like I connected more with him, but I also loved Oliver and think that they're such a cute pairing.

I think that the individual character developments as well as relationship developments were really well done. I really enjoyed getting to see how both Luc and Oliver developed throughout the story and seeing the progress in their relationship from fake-dating to possibly more.

The side characters were also so fun. I did occasionally lose track of who was who with the audiobook but I really liked how well-written the side characters were. I think my favorites were Alex, Bridget, and Luc's mom. I think that the side characters really helped move the story forward and added an extra depth to it.

This book also dealt with some serious topics such as depression, anxiety, and homophobia (throughout) and cancer, borderline abuse, and eating disorders (briefly). I cannot speak on some of these representations but I thought that the depression and anxiety was done in a very realistic and respectful way.

Overall, I just really loved this book. There was the perfect amount of angst, humor, and seriousness while having some of my favorite romance book tropes. I loved the characters and their developments as well as the overall story itself. I loved it so much that I already ordered a physical copy for my shelves and for me to flip through whenever I want. I highly recommend!

Today I finished #BoyfriendMaterial! It was absolutely hilarious and I found myself laughing out loud several times. I really found Luc to be the perfect main character. He was funny and sweet, but also had flaws and I thought he lacked a little ambition. Oliver was the perfect match for Luc because he helped balance him out. I thought Luc’s job was also really interesting and I wondered if there really are dung beetle charities? ⁣
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I’ve seen this compared to Red, White and a Royal Blue a lot and I might have a minority opinion here, but I liked Boyfriend Material a lot more. I thought the writing was sharper, the banter funnier, and I loved all the side characters, particularly Alex and Luc’s mother. ⁣

Thanks to @Libro.fm and @dreamscape_media for the Advanced Listener Copy!

This was a really sweet book. A charming read-alike for Red, White, and Royal Blue or for any fan of contemporary romance.

That second to last chapter though? OLIVER WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! I absolutely ADORED Luc and Oliver’s story. It was completely endearing, quirky, hopeful, and simply lovely. I need to read more books like this one.

I was keen to pick up Boyfriend Material because I’m a fan of Alexis Hall’s Kate Kane series. I was a little unsure if it would really click for me, since contemporary romance isn’t usually my thing, but I’m head over heels for this book!

I love the fake-dating trope, so was really hooked. I got serious Bridget Jones Diary vibes from Luc and his friends, except modernized, queerer, and just generally better. Set in London, it’s definitely got the British sense of humour and quirky but lovable characters you’d expect. You’ve got dung-beetle fundraisers, french toast (which you will be craving), an aging rocker, and curry nights watching Drag Race.

The book is hilarious, both in the thing’s Luc manages to get himself into and in the voice in which the novel is written. It’s also incredibly heart-felt and touching. It manages to touch on some pretty serious topics — different types of parental neglect, homophobia, eating disorders — with a light touch that somehow makes it all the more impactful.

The two main characters — Luc and Oliver — are both wonderfully, willfully blind when it comes to each other. They’re both wonderfully fucked up and complex but in ways that completely complement each other.

If you liked the hit Red, White and Royal Blue, you absolutely have to pick up Boyfriend Material.

You should read Boyfriend Material either way, honestly.

Boyfriend Material is a perfect standalone, but I’ll be first in the queue if Hall ever decides to follow up with a sequel. I’ve ordered myself a physical copy, and I’ll be rereading once it arrives.

SO. DAMN. GOOD. Alexis Hall sure knows how to write a sweet sexy snarky romcom. Luke has a problem he has a bit of a bad boy reputation, and that is not flying well at his job. He needs a reputable boyfriend and he needs him stat! Oliver is a successful barrister the perfect respectful fake boyfriend for Luke. But now Luke has another problem... he cannot stand Oliver. I just loved absolutely EVERYTHING about this book! Luke was such an adorable character flaws and all. Oliver was a great character as well something about him touched me deep down in my soul. Luke and Oliver had amazing friends, the kind you want to go hang with yourself. Real friends, the kind that support you no matter what, but still tell you when you’re being a complete shit. Luke’s coworkers added lots of humor to the story, I was seriously laughing so hard I was crying during some of the interactions between Luke and his coworkers. Loved all the witty banter in this book especially that between Luke and Oliver. And the chemistry between these two can I just say H.O.T.! The audiobook was narrated by Joe Jameson Who did a stellar job! He really has a swoony voice, definitely listening to more books from him! An exceptional romcom that is promptly being put on my faves shelf!

*** Big thank you to Source Books and Libro FM for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***

'Boyfriend Material' by Alexis Hall was a breath of fresh air in what otherwise has been a lacklustre 2020. I do not believe that I will have the words to appropriately articulate my thoughts in this review as well as to encompass my love for the characters and the writing. 'Boyfriend Material' was one of my most anticipated books of 2020, and it definitely did not disappoint.

The novel centres on our main protagonist, Luc who is the reluctantly famous son of a rockstar father who abandoned Luc and his mum and thus, has never actually met the man who biologically shares half of his DNA. When Luc's father decides to participate in a reality singing show (think, American Idol), suddenly the world is reminded, yet again, of Luc's existence and his partying ways, shoving him back into the public eye.

After a not so 'appropriate' photo of him does the media rounds, Luc is fighting to save his job. In order to be seen as 'respectable', and for his very rich clients to donate money to the charity organisation Luc works for (I am not going to spoil what that charity organisation is, it needs to be a happy surprise), Luc finds himself in need of a boyfriend. Not just any boyfriend though, a 'respectable' boyfriend. This is where we meet the absolutely wonderful and sweet, Oliver Blackwood, barrister and all round sweetheart. Cue the fake dating and the falling in love.

To say that I adored these two characters would be a gross understatement. The relationship between Luc and Oliver was marvellous to witness because it felt grounded in reality. There was an authenticity to their relationship, to their developing feelings, that I feel most enemies-to-lovers seem to lack. As the readers, we fully witness Luc and Oliver's growing trust between them. We are able to observe how they both went from enemies to a couple. The ups and downs were realistic - as a woman in my mid-twenties, I related so incredibly well to sort-of coming-of-age aspect that these characters go through, throughout the course of the novel.

I also want to briefly articulate how important this book was to me on a personal level. This novel so perfectly captured the emotions that come with being in your mid to late 20s. The insecurity and fear of mediocrity, the fear of not doing anything of 'substance' with your life - those feelings that Luc go through, is so valid to the experience of myself and others. It was the first time that I have read a novel, a romance novel especially, that explore the emotional baggage that can come with growing up. Alexis Hall wrote this chaotically wonderful character in Luc and in turn, captured the chaos of still growing up in your late twenties.

'Boyfriend Material' is one of my absolutely favourite books of all time and I highly recommend it to lovers of contemporary romance, especially the likes of books such as Red, White and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston as well as The House in the Ceruelean Sea by T.J. Klune.

I'm not gonna lie--I read fake dating trope and KNEW that I had to read this book.
Also, you know. London.

Luc's parents are famous rockstars, pulling their son unintentionally into a smaller spotlight as well. But when a couple of a couple of nasty tabloid articles threaten Luc's job, the only solution seems this: a reputable and presentable boyfriend to boost his reputation. Enter: Oliver, who incidentally needs a date to his parents' Ruby wedding anniversary. A relationship of convenience, without stakes, because nothing they do or say means anything in the long run. Or does it?

The first thing I'm going to say about this book is that it is hilarious. It had me laughing out loud multiple times in the first chapter alone. The writing is smart, fast-paced, and keeps you glued to the page to find out what happens next. I genuinely could not put this book down.

What starts out as a funny, confusion-and-misunderstanding-filled comedy turns around and punches you right in the gut when it turns into a sweet, supportive and adorable romance that has you rooting for the characters so much. It's such a fantastic read, and I can recommend it so so much!

I loved everything about this book! It was so adorable. I love fake dating tropes! Although the relationship is one of convenience to start out, over time they learn that spending time with each other is more enjoyable than either of them thought it would be.

Luc is such a fun go with the flow personality. He has the best relationship with his mom who is hilarious throughout the book and just loves and supports him to the max. Oliver is a bit on the quiet conservative type who's parents don't really see him for who he truly is and all he's become. Oliver and Luc balance each other out. Oliver grounds Luc when he starts to spiral out while Luc pushes Oliver to be a bit more spontaneous. The two of them together make a perfect pair.

This is definitely one of the best contemporary rom coms I've read this year! It's got the quickly and witty banter I strive for in a good rom com. There's a bit of hate to love within this fake dating trope but you quickly realize that despite how much Oliver and Luc fight their feelings behind the facade of a fake relationship they are totally meant for each other! I highly recommend this one to anyone looking for a fantastic LGBTQ+ Adult Rom Com!

Not sure whether to round up to four stars or down to three as, while a fun, fluffy, Bridget-Jones read, there are things in here that felt off and didn’t sit well. Maybe I should drop it down to two stars as the more I think about the issues I have with it, the more annoyed and frustrated I become...

Let's stick to three as a happy medium.

***eProof given by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review/reaction***

I am very torn on how I feel about Boyfriend Material as, on the one hand, this does exactly what it says on the tin. This is a beach read of a gay romcom (nearly in the style of Bridget Jones) with a huge sense of humour, touching on issues such as low self-esteem while using the worn-out troupe of the "fake boyfriend" and running with it for all its worth.

However (and of course, there is an however. This is me we're talking about), there are several things that I find a little problematic. This book touches on issues that either don't work, isn't really touched upon and examined or feel very out of place.

An example is bad parenting g. Both Luc and Oliver's have really awful parents (barring Luc's mum). Luc's dad - a famous rock star - left him and his mum when Luc was young. No connect for years, but suddenly, he's back in Luc's life after being told that he has cancer. Now, this could be an really interesting and sensitive storyline. But, it's not. Luc meets his dad three times throughout the book and, guess what. The dad discovers at the end that he doesn't have cancer and drops Luc like a stone. So... what was the point of the story? Luc discovering his own self-worth? He was discovering that via other story arcs, meaning this story wasn't needed or required.

And the reason for the fake boyfriend? The charity Luc is working for has donors removing themselves from the charity's list because they don't like his "alternative lifestyle" and the charity threatens/non-threaten to fire him. That's right. Because he's gay and people feel uncomfortable about how open he lives it, he might get fired. And though it's referenced by his friends and several people he work that that Luc could sue the charity, Luc decides a fake boyfriend to make himself "a respectable, non-threatening gay" and get donors back to a job that, at the start of the book, he kinda hates.

Now, this last thing I knew as I saw in an a review is the mention of Oliver having an eating disorder. I saw this and read the book with care, trying to see evidence of Oliver and his relationship with food. Now, I don't have an eating disorder so maybe I missed the triggers that made Luc say his worries (in the last 5-10% of the book where he's begging Oliver to undump him and make their fake relationship real! In the "I want us!" speech we all know from every romcom we read/watch, no less), but if I hadn't seen this in another review, this statement/reveal would have come out of nowhere and it felt, as if, the author was trying to go "Look! Oliver isn't perfect! He has awful parents, is a bit of a control freak and he might have an eating disorder! He's just as damaged as Luc is!" and this left a nasty taste in my mouth.

On the one hand, this is doing what the book said it was going to do. A light, fluffy, slightly zany, summery romcom of the book with a dash of humour and nice character growth. But, on the other, some of the issues and sideplots raised in this book don't feel like that they are being tackled in a respectful way, or felt like they were add-on to cause conflict or the cause emotionally0-growth, which still would be there if these plots weren't here, just over a longer period of time.

Boyfriend Material was a perfect escape read during quarantine. Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes and this one just does it so well. I love that moment when the two characters realize they are starting to actually fall for each other. Luc and Oliver were adorable and I definitely laughed out loud several times. I also liked that this book included that found family can be just as important as actual family and that you shouldn't allow your family to make you miserable just because they're related to you.

This book is an absolute delight!

First of all, and I think most importantly, I could not get enough of the two main characters and their romance.

Luc has never felt like he was worth much of anything, between his former rockstar father abandoning him, and his ex-boyfriend selling their story to the tabloids. Since he doesn't feel worthwhile, he hasn't cared for his reputation either, which has landed him in hot water at his job (working for a charity for the preservation of dung beetles). Major donors are pulling out of their biggest fundraiser, and the only way to lure them back in and save his job is to make it look as if he's turned his life around-hence the need for a fake respectable boyfriend.

Enter Oliver, who Luc's friend has been trying to set him up with for ages. Luc thinks Oliver hates him, Oliver thinks Luc hates him, but Oliver also needs a fake boyfriend so he doesn't have to attend his parents' anniversary party alone. Both agree that they will bring their fake romance to an end as soon as both events are over, but then real feelings get involved.

I shipped these two so hard from the moment they shared the page together. I was so invested in them getting and staying together I almost skipped to the end to make sure everything ended up okay (and this is a thing I never ever do). Their relationship developed so naturally despite the outrageous circumstances.

Also, this book is really, really funny. There are so many hilarious moments, many brought into play by the fantastic cast of highly unique supporting characters. Luc's friends are a stitch, and there is a great running gag where every day Luc tells a joke to his co worker, who doesn't understand what a joke is and instead tries to puzzle them out through logic every time.

I absolutely recommend this book. It was a real moment of joy in the midst of these difficult times.

This was everything I knew I needed and more. After seeing the hype on Instagram, one of my friends also recommend it to me. I, of course, trust Christina Lauren with all my heart, but seeing the recommendation from my book twin, I knew it would be awesome. Holy hell, it did not disappoint. I'm so dang excited about it, still. It was perfect. I can't even begin to break down the plot or characters, because like I said, its perfect. I cannot wait to get into work and staff pick it and gush about it!!!

Funny, charming and real. The amazing cast of characters made the story full and rich. I had incredible fun reading this. It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and it didn't disappoint.

British enemies turned fake boyfriends turned lovers. You had me at hello! I laughed out loud, the characters grew and changed in ways that felt plausible, and despite their flaws I rooted for them to get together throughout the book.