I really enjoyed BOYFRIEND MATERIAL, the first book in the series, as it was a nice slow burn of two very different people who butt heads, but then end up falling for each other. I had high hopes for HUSBAND MATERIAL, as I love Luc and Oliver as a couple and I love their interactions, and while we still got the nice interactions and cute moments, this one felt a little stilted in some ways. I absolutely appreciated the homage to FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, a classic rom com with an eccentric group of friends at the heart, but at times it felt like the focus was more on the quirky friends as opposed to the core relationship, and when we were focusing on the core relationship Luc and Oliver were having friction and tension that wasn't so much slow burn satisfying as it was a bit tedious. That said, I did like how Hall takes on the ideas of heteronormative monogamy, and this whole idea of how to be the 'right kind of gay person', and how damaging that can be for people. I also still found Luc to be very funny in his catty snark, and Oliver a comfort in his patience and dry humor.

I heard rumor of another book in the series at ALAAC22, and I will probably pick that one up as well as I do really like Luc and Oliver! I hope that if there is another book it won't feel as scattered as this one did at times.

I had mixed feelings about this book. I really loved Boyfriend Material and I was super excited when I got approved for an ARC of Husband Material, but something about it just rubbed me the wrong way.

The characters are interesting and hilarious while also being over-the-top quirky and annoying caricatures. The plot was all vibes in a good way and also made so sense. I laughed a lot while reading this but also skipped a ton of pages because I was bored

I honestly don't know how to describe this book, but it is worth a read.

4/5.

I was so excited to recieve an advance reader copy of this!

This new chapter of Luc and Oliver's story features an incredibly nuanced exploration of queer identity that was genuinely chef's kiss: intriguing, relatable, touching, funny and profoundly sincere. That was truly the crowning jewel of this romantic gem of a book which is an absolute must for anyone who wants more of these two fake-boyfriends-turned-real-boyfriends. It probably doesn't surprise you at this point, but it must nonetheless be said: Alexis Hall has done it again!

In Husband Material, Luc and Oliver have reached that age where everyone around them are getting married, or getting engaged, or thinking about getting engaged. Luc and Oliver are not engaged - in fact, they haven't even discussed it - but their relationship of two years seems to be reaching unprecedented levels of stability, and one can only watch so many friends and colleagues and old exes tie the knot without starting to imagine onself joining their ranks. But the idea of a wedding brings ideas of tradition, or the breaking of it, and a million little decisions to be made in a way that doesn't completely alienate certain family members - not to mention either one of the grooms. Sometimes, planning a wedding is a lot like completing a moomin jigsaw puzzle; how can you make all the pieces fit just right when you're actually not sure whether moomin best represents the heart and soul of your hard-fought, somewhat imperfect yet perfectly wonderful relationship?

Aside from how I'm basically obsessed with the aforementioned take on queer identity in this story, I absolutely adored being reunited with Luc and Oliver. Both of them are instantly recognisable from Boyfriend Material and the amount of times I laughed out loud at their witty back-and-forth in this was many, many times. I'm also a big fan of the supporting cast of characters, including some new faces (I'd pay good money to read a whole spinoff series about Jojo, who deserves every good thing in the universe and must be protected at all costs), who all do their part to bring different perspectives on love and marriage and queer relationships. This is a book for anyone who has thoughts and feelings about being told to conform to norms, or being made to feel like doing so is a bad thing. It's heartwarming and hilarious and made me feel so many good things, and I couldn't seem to turn the pages fast enough. Highly recommended!

A big thanks to Netgalley and Casablanca for providing me with an ARC of this book!

This book was very enjoyable. I loved revisiting Oliver and Luc again. Boyfriend Material was one of my favorite reads back when it was released, because "kind-of-enemies-to-lovers" is one of my favorite tropes, and I had very high expectations ti this one because of that.
I love how Luc and Oliver are both a mess, and yet they still stick together even though they're very different. I love how much they mean to each other, and how they aren't afraid of telling each other exactly that!

I feel like this book would've been just as perfect as the first one if it had been a bit shorter (200-300 pages). At first I was a bit bored since it felt like the first few parts didn't do much for the story, and character development. If all those wedding parts had been one shorter part it would've been absolutely perfect.

The things I loved about it was definitely meeting these two guys again. I always enjoyed Alexis Halls writing style, and I've been looking forward to get back into the messy world also known as Luc and Oliver's messy lives. They do bring the best out in each other, and they are (mostly) supportive. Telling each other that they've become the better versions of themselves because of each other melts my heart every time, because it's true. They make each other more confident, and they trust each other. This book will teach you that love is love, no matter how different you are!

A few things I wasn't the biggest fan of was how they both kind of refused to meet halfway! They were both to focused on what they wanted themselves instead of finding out how to make it perfect for both of them. Their disagreements would be so easy to solve if they just listened to each other and agreed to disagree.
If you really love someone, then you're definitely more willing to compromise.

I'm happy that both of them came to the same conclusion in the end. Letting a wedding (or your own idea of how it should be) ruin something you want to cherish would be ridiculous, and they proved that to themselves and each other in the end.

I'm giving this book 3.5 stars rounded up to 4!
(Review will be posted on Instagram and goodreads very soon)

I was afraid that I wouldn't like the second book as much as the first, but it blew me away!
amazing read! I loved it and can't wait to have my physical copy of it

lovely sequel. The dynamic between Lucian and Oliver is amazing as ever and I love their interactions. I will say that I was stressed from start to finish with this book.

tw: parental death, funeral planning, homophobic comments

this book was one of my most anticipated reads for 2022 and i’ve enjoyed reading what comes out of oli and luc’s life in the future….well i guess it’s technically THEIR present but i digress

alexis hall’s writing style is still prominent in this book. their use of voice is my personal favorite trait throughout their books—it draws you in and makes you feel like you’re getting a REAL sense of how the character is…..in this case the narrator is luc. it feels like you’re having a conversation with him while also getting an inside glance of how his kind works (internal dialogue and ALL). it was really engaging and fun to read.

this book is hilarious and slightly more serious than the first book. i liked seeing this couple grow as individuals and together. i loved their use of communication and how they were able to disagree on things while not overtly disrespecting the other; while also efficiently practicing effective listening skills.

we get to see oliver learn to become more of himself and less of the people pleasing guy we met in the first book.

this was a nice book overall to read and an unconventional totally unexpected ending for our couple—luc and oliver…..but c’mon what do you expect? it’s luc and oliver!!!

3/5 stars

I didn't think I could love Luc and Oliver more than I already did but I stand corrected. 'Husband Material' was the PERFECT sequel. It had all the banter and characters I had come to love in the first book but I got to know them better and grew to love them even more. Alexis Hall executed all plot twist perfectly, giving you just enough foreshadow to know that something big is coming but without being able to pinpoint exactly what. I especially loved the ending! And if you want to avoid spoilers, I suggest you stop reading the review now!
[SPOILER ALERT]
I absolutely adored that Luc and Oliver ended up realising that, although their love for one another is deep and true, that they are 'it' for each other, marriage isn't for them. Because it isn't. They had grown enough in themselves to know that they want to spend the rest of their lives together but without being married, too much commitment for Luc and too tied in to pleasing people for Oliver.
It was a fun, at times tear-jerking read that I enjoyed from page one to the very last one. I look forward to getting a physical copy of the book as well as reading over and over again!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for giving me a chance to read Husband Material in exchange for an honest review!

Firstly and most importantly, I am so incredibly proud of Oliver. Three times, each time thinking I couldn’t be more thrilled with his development, he continued to show how he’s grown during his relationship with Luc.

With Luc…. ah, Luc! I’ve seen some criticism about how he doesn’t seem like he’s grown that much, but I think the issue is that Luc’s low self-image means that we’re viewing him through the worst lens:his own. Being in a healthy relationship doesn’t heal him of his baggage. He doesn’t notice the ways he’s been able to grow and be there for Oliver, brushing them off as just part of the day.

Alexis Hall expanded further on Luc’s friends and as usual, they remain to be my favorite part. Luc’s relationships with them remain deep and loving, and through them, is another look at Oliver’s struggles.

Important, too, are the different ways that the men view their expressions of queerness, their comfort in consumerist queer culture, and themselves as a part of greater queer communities. This is a chief discourse the two have— it is, and cannot be solved by one conversation, or having been in a relationship.

I liked their struggles, which seemed realistic and true to life. I loved their decisions, their dynamic, and how they endeavored to be true to themselves.

Alexis Hall is a gem of a human being. His writing always leaves me with a smile, and Husband Material is a perfect follow-up to his beloved Boyfriend Material. More Luc and Oliver was just what the doctor ordered, and I can't stop thinking about my favorite boys and their hilarious group of friends. I think that's what makes Hall's books so endearing. All of his characters are so uniquely charming. The James Royce-Royces (married with a new baby, also named James), Bridget and her overly dramatic relationship with Tom, Priya and her surly kindness, even all of Luc's hilarious co-workers and their foibles. He works for a charity called CRAPP, for heaven's sake!

Luc and Oliver are both still hot messes in this heartwarming sequel, but they're hot messes working through their messiness to become better people and supporting each other along the way. They're still very much in love and committed to each other, despite the ups and downs and ins and outs. I had just recently reread Boyfriend Material, and I loved how this new installment really showed their mutual growth. Luc is more self-aware of his destructive tendencies and is better able to regulate his reactions to things, and Oliver is working on his own issues in therapy. I love books that normalize taking care of your mental health. Alexis Hall always does such a wonderful job with this. This book was an emotional rollercoaster, but it was worth the ride in the end.

Luc and Oliver are the fictional equivalent of the heart eyes emoji. I will never not love them.

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for my advance review copy.

Luc and Oliver are back and still as broken as ever. With all their friend around them getting married it only makes sense that their relationship of two years might be ready for the next step. Yet can both Luc and Oliver get over their own challenges in time to make it down the aisle, or are there some things that even love will not be able to overcome?

As much as I loved the first book in this series this book started out super strong and slowly lost wind. Which makes my heart so sad. I love this author and I love this couple, so I wanted to love this book as much as I adored the first one. The journey both Luc and Oliver go on though is so real which does make the slow part a bit easier to get through. I don’t want to ruin the ending, so I will just state that I am so happy they both found a way to be happy, and it was what they both truly wanted in the long run. I do hope they are able to come back and that we get to see them again. Overall, I would rate this book at 3.5 stars.

Thank you so very much to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title. This book truly meant so much to me to be able to read it early.

I received my digital copy while on a phone call with a friend yesterday and honestly? almost cried. I had been waiting for this oh my god thank you netgalley(&Alexis Hall+team my beloved) my finals depression needed this.
Okay now, I HAD MISSED MY BABIES (aka the entire gang) missed what it was like to have a family honestly. THE FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL PATTERN that i noticed after wedding two (miles, i still don't like you buddy) i was dreading the funeral oh my god i was so scared, but yes i felt alot of things for the first book, i felt more for this one. normally, sequels suck but no this was perfect. It's nice watching love conquer all (trauma cocktail included) i have so many feelings and i can't really express them but if you're wondering if you should read this you definitely should <3

I loved this book as it was funny, witty, entertaining and heartwarming. It was beautiful to see the relationship and love grow between Luc and Oliver.

ARC provided in exchange for honest review (thank you)


DEFINITELY THIS IS MY MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR!

My connection with Boyfriend Material and with Luc was instant, so much so that the wait for Husband Material felt like forever, so when they gave me the arc it was like coming home. Starting with reading Husband Material was a bit like "breathe, you're home, please prepare yourself because throughout the book, you will be on a rollercoaster of emotions"

I was a little afraid that the book would not meet my expectations and that i would not was on the level of Boyfriend Material, BUT, i must say that Husband Material definitely met my expectations and if i could give it six or ten stars, i would.

I think mainly that this book is about growth: personal growth, self-realization, growth as a couple. Husband Material shows a clear perspective of what love is like in real life and it is so wonderful to read something so realistic that the reader can relate to it. This book shows us that happy endings are not always like that. Not everything is smiles and romance in a relationship. There are always obstacles, but the important thing is to know how to face them with your head held high.

Husband Material made me laugh, cry and feel tremendous anguish. But it is a book and a series of books worth reading. The beauty of this book is that it makes you feel embraced with its dose of reality, love and fluff. Alexis Hall, thank you for making me feel so much with this wonderful book

i have no idea where to start with reviewing this, so i might as well go with the beginning. i read the first book, thought it was a lovely and lighthearted read and very character driven which are all things i like, so i requested the second book to read as an ARC, hoping that the sequel would improve on my one major gripe with the first book, which was that the pacing of the relationship was off and needed to be explored more.

what i got out of reading this book was actually something that i found to be terrible the whole way through, filled with bad examples of miscommunication and stereotypes that made this story feel like a jumbled mess.

1) what on earth was the reasoning for luc deciding to go to his ex's wedding? in the story it was tried to be explained away that it was for luc to prove that he was truly over it and everything was okay now, but the whole time there was this undercurrent of i am doing this to try and make my ex feel jealous that my life is so perfect now which made it feel icky. that was only further reinforced at the end of the wedding when he tells miles they will never be friends. it said to me that luc was never in that situation to improve his own wellbeing, which is toxic and which was never really addressed after that storyline was over.

2) next we have bridget and luc immediately assuming that bridget's husband is cheating from a single photo!!! and then instead of behaving rationally in any way just deciding to immediately go and stalk him on his work trip for more evidence about said cheating. the cheating was then revealed to be a secret undercover MI5 operation???? which was glossed over, never spoken about again and to which there were no long lasting consequences for the major drug bust being potentially exposed.

2b) luc and oliver have been dating for two whole years at this point, but olivers reaction to luc cancelling their date to go comfort his best friend was So strange. he was so upset about it, but instead of saying that to luc he just said it was okay and let everyone feel shitty in that situation. while i feel like there were 100 other decisions that luc could have made that would have been a better compromise, i also feel like if you've been dating someone for two years that you would be much more in tune with their emotions and feelings and that you would be able to tell someone when things are important.

3) and on the topic of luc's friends, they all felt way more stereotyped than the last book. the james royce-royce gag was okay in the last book, but the fact they named their kid james royce-royce as well???? are they setting that kid up to be bullied in school????? but also seriously it was very hard to keep track of which james was which, which pulled me out of the story a little bit.

4) luc attempting to police oliver's supposed internalised homophobia because he didn't like rainbow capitalism was so annoying. holy mother of god. i absolutely completely 100% disagree that oliver's dislike of the rainbow balloon arch was internalised homophobia, and instead was just a personal preference and not something that empowered him. luc's lack of understanding of that however, was one of the worst parts of this book. it made the two of them feel so disjointed as a relationship and also was not nice to read as a fellow queer person who also does not like rainbow capitalism for no other reason than it just doesn't empower me either.

5) why did luc contact his dad for help with a wedding venue just to have him never call back. i completely forgot that happened until the dad popped back up later.

6) oliver's father. while the funeral monologue would have worked significantly better as a full visual spectacle in specifically a bbc live action miniseries, it definitely was a highlight of this book. it was a great exploration of how the way you view relationships with those who have passed change dramatically after you die, and how you now have to make peace with the lack of closure you will now have to live with forever. however, the interactions between luc and oliver and the death in general were so tonally strange that it felt a bit like the death was shoehorned in just to add more conflict and societal pressure for the two of them to get married. also the homophobic uncle coming out also felt terrible and shoved in.

the main criticism i have is that it feels like even though they've been dating for so long, that they are trying so hard to be perfect versions of themselves for each other, and that in doing so they are hiding their emotions and failing to communicate. this really reduced the impact of their declarations of love, where they say things like how this relationship has freed them and changed them and whatnot, because the way they interact with each other and especially luc's internal monologue makes it feel like he is being disingenuous with his boyfriend almost all the time. it was never the two of them against the problem, it was always them fighting with each other, and that really showed to me that the two of them were actually incompatible unless they could learn how to come together as a team, which they never did.

the ending really highlighted that, with them both deciding that they couldn't get married literally 10 minutes before they were supposed to walk down the aisle. both of them had bottled up their feelings about marriage and that not really being for them, so now in the last two pages there was finally communication and resolution, but that catharsis of this is really their authentic selves came so late in the book it was almost too late.

the only other highlight of this book to me was the CRAPP team. every interaction they had made me physically laugh out loud. they really saved the book for me. besides my frustrations in the character narratives and the story decisions, the actual writing of the book was solid in a way that means my dislike is solely personal preference. i hope other readers enjoy this book a lot more than i did.

“You know you are the truest thing I have ever dared choose for myself. And we are the only thing I’ve ever had that I haven’t let other people define for me.”

It’s incredibly difficult to write a sequel to a romance novel that has achieved a fanbase as rabid as BOYFRIEND MATERIAL has: we readers want to read something familiar yet surprising, angsty while still comforting, all without the traditional narrative fixture of a romance novel (i.e. the couple getting together) - and of course, we are seriously attached to the characters, who’ve lived rent-free in our heads for months or years. With HUSBAND MATERIAL, Hall has achieved the near-impossible: a romance novel that simultaneously sweeps you off your feet and makes you feel right at home, with a twist at the end that made my little gay heart burst with glee.

The premise of the sequel is this: Luc and Oliver, our fake-dating-turned-real-lovers from the first book, are two years into a happy, fulfilling relationship, both working on their emotional baggage (yay therapy!) and falling more in love every day. When it suddenly seems like everyone around them is getting married, from best friends to coworkers to ex-boyfriends, Luc and Oliver start to consider moving their relationship to the next level  - and what it might mean for them in particular. Along the way, there are plenty of wedding-related shenanigans, a fair bit of emotional tumult and existential dread, and an intimate romance that managed to sweep me off my feet all over again.

I don’t usually worry too much about giving away spoilers for a romance novel (we all know it ends with a happily ever after, duh), but the path this particular story takes felt so fresh and unique to me, I really don’t want to take the fun of the journey out of it for anyone. I do want to say that this novel means so, so much to me as a queer person. On top of the joys of being back with our gay disaster Luc, our stern daddy Oliver, and their entire gang of quirky and beloved community (friends, colleagues, and of course Luc’s mom & Judy, my actual BFFs), Hall has created a book that gets right to the heart of two prickly issues that come up in queer relationships: our connections (or lack thereof) to popular queer culture and our engagement with the institution of marriage.

HUSBAND MATERIAL asks questions that so many queers can relate to: What does it mean to be a queer person when you don’t see major parts of yourself represented by mainstream queer culture, and when the understood markers of queerness don’t fit with how you express yourself? What does it mean if your partner loves rainbow balloon arches and bucking social conventions and you don’t? How do you try to fit your partnership into that established relationship trajectory of living together, getting married, having kids, etc., when aspects of that pathway have been (or still are) denied to us as queer people? How do we arrive at those benchmarks when for many of us, for much of our lives, we haven’t been able to imagine achieving such things, and the things themselves have often been used as a tool to exclude us? HUSBAND MATERIAL hits the questions on the head, and it hits hard.

I started off reading this thinking of it as pure joyful romance candy, adoring being immersed in Luc’s hilarious and insightful narrative voice again, before sinking my teeth into the deep, meaningful core of this novel and realizing just how much Hall has to offer with this sequel. I laughed, I cried, I laughed again, I strongly considered becoming a vegan for ethical reasons, and I felt the warm embrace of seeing conversations I’ve had with my girlfriend and feelings I’ve struggled to articulate represented in print.

In sum, HUSBAND MATERIAL is many things: it’s a 100K post-canon domestic fanfic with all the angst and comfort you could want, it’s a completely absurd and utterly delightful queer homage to “Four Weddings and a Funeral”, it’s the extended BOYFRIEND MATERIAL epilogue of our dreams, it’s a deep exploration of the intersections of queerness, relationships, and culture, and I adored every minute of it. Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the ARC and to Dreamscape Media for the ALC; the audiobook narration by Joe Jameson (same performer as BOYFRIEND MATERIAL) is fantastic. This book is out in August.

Content warnings: homophobia, minor incarceration, death of a parent, self-harm

This book has everything you love from Boyfriend Material...the characters, the charm, the wit...and of course, Oliver, Luc and their quirks. I was laughing and smiling from the first page all the way up until the very end. This book tugged at my heart, and I wanted to wrap Oliver up in so many hugs. And while the ending felt a bit rushed to me, it was the ending that was perfect for Oliver and Luc <3 Any fan of Boyfriend Material will enjoy this book!

While this was not the book I was expecting to read, and perhaps not the book I hoped to read, I have great respect for the author for taking the story in this direction. I think this will be a marmite kind of book. Two years have passed since Luc and Oliver went from fake dating to falling in love. With all their friends getting married, Luc is feeling pressured to propose to Oliver, and in this loose play on Four Weddings and a Funeral, we're taken on the stormy journey of that fateful question.

Oof. So. Feelings? Many; complicated. I love Boyfriend Material, the first book in this series. It's one of my favourite books, and I think it's objectively an excellent novel. Some of the strengths of Boyfriend Material follow through in this sequel, namely Oliver and Luc's playful dynamic; Alex's ridiculously upper-class British humour; Luc's chaotic disaster personality and how it is soothed by Oliver's steadfast calm. By far I thought the strongest part of the story was the section that focused on the funeral. I found the monologue powerful and affecting, not to mention the unexpected exploration of isolation in the older gay community. When Luc and Oliver were doing well, they were beautifully supportive of one another. When they weren't... it felt a bit like pulling up the floorboards and finding all the hidden unpleasant secrets hidden below. I guess it wasn't what I wanted to read? But in some ways it was, important ways. It's realistic and quite creatively brave.

What Husband Material lacks compared to Boyfriend Material is a clear, purposeful storyline. In BF, you've got your fake dating enemies-to-lovers grumpy/sunshine dynamics all over the place, and no matter how messy Luc is, you're on his side, because he's been dealt such a rough hand, and then Oliver starts defrosting and it's all handled beautifully well. With HM, for much of the book, I felt Luc and Oliver's page time was pushed out of focus to spend time with all the side characters and their various mishaps and wedding escapades. With the best will in the world, I want Luc and Oliver first and foremost, because they're the strongest characters in the book, and I'm invested in them most. I'll say again that I respect the author for making both characters intensely messy, and making clear there's no magical HEA without constant challenges. I really like that both Luc and Oliver appear to have been in therapy (unconfirmed for Luc? but I felt it was implied at least), and we get to see exactly how Oliver has been damaged by his strained relationship with his parents. The ending... that was certainly a decision. I'm inclined to say I think it was the right one? all things considered? plus a beautiful final line.

Overall my feelings are complicated. Probably 2* for overall enjoyment of the story, boosted to 3* in respect for the author going there with that ending. It won't work for everyone but I can see how it's appropriate, based on the story. I just wish the story had been a bit different! :|

I am grateful to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC of Husband Material. These opinions are my own.

Wanted:
One (very real) husband
Nowhere near perfect but desperately trying his best

Two years ago, Luc O'Donnell and Oliver Blackwood met, pretended to fall in love, fell in love for real, dealt with heartbreak and disappointment and family and friends...and somehow figured out a way to make it all work.

Now it seems like everyone around them is getting married, and Luc's feeling the social pressure to propose. That's what you do when you love someone this desperately, right? But it'll take more than four weddings, a funeral, and a hotly contested rainbow balloon arch to get this semi disgraced son of former rock stars and his tightly buttoned up boyfriend from I don't know what I'm doing to 'I do'.

Good thing Oliver is such perfect husband material.
A really enjoyable read totally recommend
Thank You NetGalley and SourceBooks Casablanca
I just reviewed Husband Material by Alexis Hall. #NetGalley

This was one of my favorite books I've read so far this year! I forgot how much I loved not only Oliver and Luc, but all of the side characters too. This book had me laughing out loud the whole time reading it. I can't wait till it comes out so I can buy a physical copy!