A witty and interesting queer regency romance novel. I didn’t really connect with the characters or the plot. It just wasn’t for me.

I know that Alexis Hall writes across several genres, but I truly believe that queer historical romance is where they shine. This book was absolutely magnificent. I love how Hall weaves stories that seamlessly integrate queer characters and classic tropes without queerness being the main conflict. Something Fabulous did have an aspect of self discovery, but it was just one part of the story and not the entire plot. The nods to classic Austen novels were also brilliant.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for my copy to review.

Whimsical, witty, and perfectly queer. The writing of the characters was so beautifully done. Dare I say - this book is sexy and cute at the same time. Alexis Hall is one author that I’ll always read.

2/5 stars

Oh boy, this one started off fun, but quickly the characters got annoying and the humor was less funny and more flat out ridiculous. This story was mostly Bonny overreacting, his sister Arabella being an idiot that hated Valentine because he proposed (when all she had to do was say no in the first place), and Valentine who should've jumped off the crazy train instead of chasing a relationship he never wanted. It was over the top humor and got a bit frustrating. Hopefully, the next read will be more my cup of tea.

Something Fabulous starts off somewhat ridiculously, and continues to keep that same level of ridiculous all the way through. Valentine, Duke of Malvern, proposed to a woman the previous night to fulfill some duty to their fathers. However, he’s woken in the morning by his betrothed’s twin brother. They go on to search for Bella and bring her back so the pair can be married.

I didn’t love this book. The writing was clean and easy to follow along with for a historical romance. The parts that distressed me were that Bonnie got to flirt his entire way across England, thinking with his lower brain, and Valentine was maligned by every single person he met. No one gave him the opportunity to explain that he was trying to be a good person and it just went too far.

Admittedly historical romance isn’t my favorite, but I hope those who do like it will get a kick out of it. I think had I gone into it more feeling like it was satire or a play on HR I might have enjoyed it better. I would have liked to be in on the joke.

4.5 rounded up.
Great read. Alexis Hall never misses. He is great in weaving in complex well fleshed out characters with interesting back stories. The coming together and the romance felt very organic and real. It was a bit too long and dragged in places but overall I enjoyed my time with this.

I started this book and found that I really could not connect with it. I feel like it may have been one of those “right book wrong time” situations where it wasn’t what I needed, but I chose to put it down. Therefore, I cannot give a true star rating.

This was such a fun and heartwarming tale! I loved the diversity in this queer Regency romance. The writing was fun, so much banter and lots of laugh out loud moments.

Something Fabulous is the biggest, gayest regency romance I didn't know I needed. Was it ridiculous, yes, but in all the fun ways! Alexis Hall has a wonderfully breezy writing style that I could read endlessly. I absolutely recommend this for a fun, feel-good, story!

Historical male/male romance. This was an open door romance which I wasn't expecting for this time period. Overall this was a very funny read, recommended for fans of historical romance that wished there was a bit more spice to them.

Alexis Hall can do no wrong. This author is versatile and dynamic creating interesting and unique stories set in different times and with a divers set of characters. It is no surprise that this book was a dream to read.

This story had great banter and there were times I wanted to pull a character aside and talk them out of whatever nonsense they were pulling so clearly the author had me on the line and I was all in with the story.

Big fan of Boyfriend Material and was thus extremely excited about this book not only because of the author but because the premise sounds amazing! Sadly I couldn't even finish this book because of the frankly annoying banter and then the incessant humiliation of the main character! I was fuming and this is supposed to be a romance??? No thanks

I just truly did not like this book - mainly because Belle was just the worst and I found very few redeeming qualities in her. I know it was intended to be funny, but the humor did not land for me at all. It could be me and not the book as the farce also did not work for me.

I really enjoyed this, I was a bit apprehensive after reading some other reviews but maybe I just didn't take it as seriously as some because I found it amusing and quite sweet. I loved both Bonny and Valentine, I definitely related to Valentine and felt he represented demisexuality quite well but I'm not sure if that is what the author was going for so won't say 100% that is what he is. But yeah I enjoyed a lot. I love Alexis Halls writing style, I find it so easy to read.

As the first book I’ve read/listened to by Alexis, I was delighted to do so.

I had run out of audiobooks on Libby that intrigued me, so I checked out Kindle Unlimited and it didn’t disappoint.

As a huge regency era fan, in all forms, I have never read anything that was solely LGBTQIA+. It is becoming my duty to consume all and any form of LGBTQ and this was the best way to start.

The narrator was exceptionally brilliant. They definitely understood the assignment.

Bonny is the most charismatic and lovable character. Valentine is grumpy and a wonderful character.

I have come to the conclusion that I waited too long to read anything by Alexis and that’s a shame so prior to this review, I’ve preordered the next 2 books that come out this year. And all seems right in the world 🥹

Everyone is absolutely mean and horrid and this is truly an unpleasant book to try and read. I love Alexis books normally but not this one

I was thirsty for a fun og dry wit historical romance and then I saw that this book also was a queer book, I was sold.

This book made me laugh out loud and shed a few tears along the way. SOMETHING FABULOUS has a brilliant comedic timing and a lot of ridiculous scenes, but also tender moments and a vulnerable personal journey for the main character.

I loved Valentine and how I wanted to slap Valentine upside the head and shake him, but Valentine also broke my heart repeatedly.

And then where was Bonny. Bonny was just such a warm, lively and kind person, who was made of a lot of romance, hopes and dreams.

I fell in loved with Valentine and Bonny and their relationship and I fell in loved with SOMETHING FABULOUS.

I've really enjoyed many of Alexis Hall's contemporary romances, so I was really excited for Something Fabulous. Unfortunately, I really am just not a historical romance reader so this one ultimately did not work for me. I will be looking forward to reading more of his contemporary work in the future.

I feel like my expectations were way too high when it comes to Alexis Hall books after the ridiculously wonderful Boyfriend Material, which is probably the reason why I was left slightly disappointed by Something Fabulous.
It was a fun time, full of banter and fabulous (pun intended) moments, but overall I just needed more from it.

I’m really torn about how to rate this one. On the one hand, I love Alexis Hall’s writing. Witty, fast dialogue and adventure abound here. I could imagine this making for a really, really fun movie. I also loved Valentine and Bonny! Give me a stuck-up duke and a free-spirited romantic, and I’m all in.

The book’s general treatment of Valentine got on my nerves, however. At first, I enjoyed the ‘gothic heroine parody’ that was Arabella’s character. The further into the novel I got, though, the more frustrated I grew with her vilifying of Valentine (and the way others bought into it). It felt excessive. Which I realize was the point. But it wasn’t much fun to read about at a certain point.

Those frustrations aside, this was a very fun historical rom com romp that I’d recommend to any romance reader.