Three Weddings, One Almost Wedding and a Funeral. Felt very rushed and too long all at once. Not enough focus on Luc and Oliver. Sometimes too much banter isn’t a good thing.

I’m sitting here trying to think what to say without being too harsh, but it’s difficult.

I LOVED Boyfriend Material. It’s one of my favourite romance novels. So, naturally, I was stupid excited for Husband Material. I don’t think I could possibly have ended up more disappointed.

Luc and Oliver have somehow ended up having a slightly toxic relationship. Our beloved couple for the first book did not get the sequel they deserved.

This MAY have worked if it had been a 100 page short story. But 400+ pages of repetitive insecurities and bickering got completely exhausting.

Alexis Hall has done a wonderful job of writing a sequel to the much beloved BOYFRIEND MATERIAL and he has proven how much of a fantastic writer he is by making you feel feelings and bring a unique to things that some people simply do not think twice about. This romance definitely managed to sweep me off my feet. I definitely felt that the journey that Hall took us on was unique and even though I knew we should expect a HFN/HEA, I still did not expect the story to go where it did.

I am forever grateful to get the opportunity to read any of Alexis Halls’ book and now that HUSBAND MATERIAL will become a lot of people’s favorite books.

Non spoiler review ahead! Thanks to net galley and Alexis Hall for the galley copy to read in advance for reviews.

SO. I wanted to love this as much as the first book, but.

It starts solid, with Luc being very Luc as he hits that stage in life where it seems all your friends are doing the life goals people are expected to do - marriages, babies, etc. As someone who also identifies as a certified mess, it felt quite familiar. Oliver remains to be Oliver, stalwart and a little aloof to the reader. But it's pretty grand and a good follow up to Boyfriend Material.

I think my problem is that the characters are just that - the exact same. Nothing has really changed from the first book all through the end of this one. Again, no spoilers, but the ending didn't actually feel that satisfying. The characters remain as they are. Kind of a let down.

It was a good ride through 4/5ths of the book tho, so I generally enjoyed it. Just hoping that a third book changes how I feel about the ending.

If you liked Boyfriend Material you'll love this sequel! Oliver and Luc are back & better than ever! This is a touching story about navigating your identity and forming your perfect union. I loved it!

*thank you to sourcebooks casablanca and netgalley for sending me an ARC of husband material in exchange for an honest review*

Let me start this review by saying that the first book, Boyfriend Material, I consider a most beloved book because it sent me down the rabbit hole of discovery of all the other lovely queer romantic stories that have been a balm and a comfort these past two years. For that, I thank it and the author Alexis Hall for the enjoyment this genre has given me over the past 2 years.

In many ways, this is not as an easy book to read because 1.) I am emotionally invested in these characters too damn much and I unapologetically love them, worry for them, and hope the best for them and 2.) they take us on an emotional roller coaster *internal screaming* asdsdkfjjkerjjskjsdfkj

Just like the first book, it is a charming, amusing, hot-ass-mess, and heartfelt story. Bridge and Tom, Luc and Oliver, Priya, the Royce-Royces, CRAPP, are all varying levels of dingbats in love, running all over England doing dingbat things for love of their partner or their life, and every moment is true and messy, and kind of a disaster, which is why I think I like these type of romantic stories the most. They are messy, poor decisions are made, things don't always work out, and they happen as they should, unrelenting, like life, and not as you expect them to in a typical they're-gonna-get-married-at-the-end way and everyone-lived-happily-ever. A friend, who finally started to read Boyfriend Material at my overly enthusiastic suggestion, said to me: "I can see why it is your favorite. Because the characters are messy."

As I started to read it, I messaged another friend, telling them "I'm so happy! Two pages in I am chuckling at this book. Oh how I missed these characters." It was delightful to see them again in all their ridiculous glory as we prepared to celebrate the first of many marriage ceremonies (everyone is getting married, as the back cover says) as well as near disastrous non-gender-specific-bird-dos, minor national security incidents, lost and found wedding dresses, rainbow balloon arches, and bear-mines "that would maul you and explode."

With Luc and Oliver we see how they have grown and changed just by being together, Luc still being snarky and insecure (still a "certified chaos demon"*), but secure in his love of and love from Oliver (also still a "stern brunch daddy"*), and how Oliver in his lovingly logical Oliverness is just as good for Luc as ever. And Luc being generally better and doing more to support and be there for Oliver, even when it gets messy. I love how the friendships between Bridge and Luc and Priya and the Royce-Royces have grown, and the relationships with Luc and his workplace have changed for the better and are still funny as hell.
*author Talia Hibbert's review terms, not mine

Alright, so, this review is kind of a mess, the notes I took on this book as I read it are a mess, (I legit wrote "GROWTH, LUCIEN!!!!" and "Aaaaah you bellend" in the margins of my notes) for sure, but my love of these characters is not, of this book is not. They may not logical, and too full of feelings, and cryptic stuff because I am terrified to spoilers. But they are true, and I thank you if you read them and did not judge me too harshly. (Oh jeez, I am basically Luc, aren't I?)

Another fantastic novel by the amazing Alexis Hall! From the cover, to the main characters and their hilarious antics, this swoony romantic sequel to Boyfriend Material will make you forget anything else exists except for the two of them (and their crazy, lovely group of friends!). I highly recommend rereading the first book if it's been a while to better enjoy this book. It was way different from what I expected and (to me) that’s what made it so exceptional. Thank you so much, Net Galley, for giving me the chance of reading this book, I loved it many many times and it felt like coming home or catching up with old friends, just wonderful.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this sequel, we see what happens with Luc and Oliver after the events of their time ‘fake dating’ escapades in the first novel. Now, the two attend a few weddings, a funeral and then begin to plan their own, but there are quite a few hiccups in-between and along the way.

It was very nice to see character growth and development along the way and also to see how Luc and Oliver’s relationship changed and evolved. It was a very fast paced book though, so blink and you might miss the little tidbits that show that development.

Overall, it was a funny book and was definitely written with millennials in mind, but it didn’t quite catch my attention in the beginning. It did draw back my attention by about the middle of the book and I realized that I just don’t care for weddings. So, if wedding planning and the surrounding drama is your thing, this is the perfect book for you.

Thank you Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this e-arc. All opinions are my own.

Boyfriend Material is one of my all-time favourite books. I could reread it and rate it 5* every day, no problem.
Obviously, my expectations of Husband Material were sky high, unrealistically so.
What I liked about it was mostly Oliver, lovely, stable, insecure, messed up Oliver. He was everything I wanted to read more about, and Alexis Hall portrayed him exactly as anyone could wish for.
Lucien is still a wild mess, albeit less messy than in the previous novel. It felt nice to see that he had matured in the two years between Boyfriend Material and Husband Material.
The writing itself is .. well, a lot.
Some chapters were more like a farce than a humourous story, especially the first part. It was slightly too unrealistic and it annoyed me. From the second wedding on the story improved, although I will never understand why Oliver and Luc attended the wedding of Luc's ex-boyfriend. Closure, how exactly? But okay.
The third wedding was funny and romantic for our heroes, this part had exactly the vibe I was hoping for.
The last part had just too much arguing and angst in it. There was hardly any room for the boys to relax and be happy together. Not enough light banter, or relaxation. It was more drama than comedy, although, to be fair, Alexis Hall is always witty and pretty great with language.
My final problem with Husband Material is that it is very preachy. Clearly Alexis Hall has many opinions about and problems with the heteronormative world we live in, and rightly so. My point is that he went on en on about it, up until the point that the book felt more like a thinly veiled protest than a romcom. And he is already preaching to the choir. Maybe he could have toned down on the opinions a bit. But hopefully that's just me. It's definitely a question of preference and expectations.

I really enjoyed this followup to Boyfriend Material. It was great to revisit these characters! Luc and Oliver are definitely the definition of “opposites attract” and I love them for it!! I loved how this explored what it means to be a queer person while also doing justice to who the characters were at the end of the first book. This was like a warm hug from a friend!

2.5/5 stars. Overall enjoyed this sequel, but the ending was disappointingly short.

I was really vibing with this book. Luc and Oliver were one of my favorite queer literary relationships and it was nice to hear more of their story. There is some BRILLIANT commentary about queer-ness/community/identity (Luc is very rainbow balloon arch and Oliver isn't), an incredible Oliver scene where he gives an EPIC speech, and all the fresh toast making we could ever need.

Buuuuuut the ending, the last chapter, the last few paragraphs were so rushed; we're talking whiplash speed. I feel cheated out of a brilliant ending. The last sentence is poetic, it was a big moment that didn't feel... well, BIG! It closed it feeling angry at the editors for just dropping the reader off the closest bus stop.

Also, I hate to say this, but for the first time, I did not find Luc's sassy-ness charming; his disagreements and lack of resolutions with Olive seemed super harmful and very hypocritical; 9/10 Luc got his way. I kind of wish the entire thing had been written from Oliver's point of view instead and that Luc could have had some redeeming qualities at the end.

Overall, I am thankful to Netgalley for the eARC and I'm glad I got a chance to read this one. I really hope the ending gets some major reworking before pup date, but I'm not sure if that will happen. I would still recommend Boyfriend Material.

Luc and Oliver are back in this amazingly funny sequel, and so are all the characters we know and love from Boyfriend Material!

Luc is chosen as the maid of honor for Bridget's wedding, so he's responsible for all the planning. Right at the beginning of the story, he runs into his ex-boyfriend Miles, who sold him out to the media, and gets introduced to Miles' new fiancé, JoJo. The happy couple invite Luc to their wedding. Amidst all of this wedding planning, Luc and Oliver's own relationship is put to the test.

All characters are just as chaotic and loveable as before. Luc still works at the Dung Beetle Charity and his relationship to his co-workers remains as funny as ever. I still laugh every time Luc tries and fails to deliver a joke to Alex Twaddle.

Luc's friend group might be even more quirky than his co-workers and they cause just as much chaos as you would expect them to.

I really liked how realistically Luc's and Oliver's relationship was portrayed. Their story isn't just rainbows and butterflies, instead they have ups and downs like every other couple. While it was uncomfortable to read about them fighting because I love seeing them happy together, it also felt necessary.

Just like in "Boyfriend Material," many important topics are mentioned and both Luc and Oliver have to learn a few lessons about themselves and their relationship. It also raises the question of whether marriage is the right option for every couple, which I think is an important topic.

I did think the story was a tad too long but I didn't really mind because I love reading about these characters.

Everyone who loved "Boyfriend Material" should definitely check out this sequel because it is just as good!

Disclaimer: I did not read Boyfriend Material before this book!
So I enjoyed this one, mainly because it gave me very strong Bridget Jones' Diary vibes. It was fast paced, and lots of dialogue. While I was slightly lost at first because I hadn't read the first book, I did start to piece things together and by the middle of the book, I felt caught up enough.
Mainly I just loved the friend group. It felt real, but also kooky enough that it made a good story. It was like Bridget Jones and Notting Hill. A fun, light read with an interesting ending. Wondering if there will be another book after this one?

This book was very well written and the characters were superb but it wasn’t as…good?…as the first book, Boyfriend Material (at least for me). I don’t even think good is the correct word, it WAS good, maybe just not for me?

The same cast of characters are back from the first story- Luc is full of the same wit, sarcasm, and messiness while Oliver is still orderly, uptight, and a perfect match to Luc. The story was in parts with each taking place during one of multiple weddings and a funeral. Luc and Oliver did a lot of work on themselves and there was a lot of inner dialogue.

While the book was superbly written I just didn’t find that I connected with the story like the last one. I was almost bored in parts and was waiting for something more to happen. I also wasn’t a fan of the ending but others might think it’s a perfect ending. Overall if you loved the first book then take a shot on this one.

This is a wild ride of stress/anxiety mixed with fluffiness. Fans of the first book should devour this sequel and be satisfied with the conclusion.

*I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review*

I feel like I have been waiting for this since I finished Boyfriend Material! I honestly loved that book and was extremely excited to receive a copy of its sequel. I love Luc and his "You honestly could do way better than me but we'll figure it out as we go along and also please don't stop loving me because everyone else has and I can't be abandoned again" personality. Also, Oliver coming to his rescue (and vice versa!), and getting to see this couple ACTUALLY BE A COUPLE was everything I wanted.

I absolutely enjoyed reading this so much, but it did feel a little overwhelming at times. Especially as there were 4 weddings, a funeral/wake, and a myriad of smaller disasters all happening back to back. It was a lot. Like, I wanted there to be more calm moments where we could just enjoy Luc and Oliver and not have to worry about what was coming next, or what disaster could possibly happen now. Otherwise, I loved that Lucien got to be the problem solver at times, and that he didn't need Oliver to ALWAYS save the day, that he was learning to save himself at times. Also, the ending was so them that I honestly couldn't believe that I thought it would end any other way.

Boyfriend Material is one of my favorite books, so to say I was looking forward to reading Husband Material understatement! Husband Material definitely lived up to my expectations. I laughed out loud several times (the copier scene had me rolling) and I also have several instances where I just wanted to give Luc and Oliver a hug. I loved being able to visit them and all their friends again!

Husband Material was equally as wonderful as its predecessor and, just as before, I am head over heels in love with Luc and Oliver. Perfect characters, perfect story, perfect ending. I could not be happier.

In preparation for reading this book (thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review!), I re-read Boyfriend Material, which definitely holds up. It's one of the few books that caused me to genuinely laugh out loud repeatedly, and even though I knew what was coming this time, I still found the humor hilarious and the emotional stuff intense.

Husband Material is, in many ways, a very different book. We get the same large and delightful cast of characters, which was wonderful. But rather than a single narrative arc, it uses the "four weddings and a funeral" model (quite literally), in which a series of major events cause the main characters to more fully examine their relationship and how it fits (or doesn't) within cultural norms.

I don't remember if I had this initial reaction to Boyfriend Material, but I found Husband Material incredibly stressful, to the point that I skimmed some bits because my anxiety was spiraling. Luc and Oliver are such a wonderful couple that I was desperately worried about them every time they had a disagreement.

I think the questions raised here -- the heteronormative nature of traditional marriage, the communities with which we do or don't identify, the fraught relationships we have even with family we love -- are fascinating and well-expressed. That said, this felt a bit disjointed as a side effect of the narrative structure, and I felt as if we kept revisiting and not resolving a lot of questions till the end, where things were wrapped up a bit too neatly for me.

All that said, I enjoyed Husband Material a great deal, and I suspect I'll like it even better on the re-read, when I won't be so stressed out about everyone's happiness!

I'm sure that it's tremendously difficult to follow up on the kind of success that BOYFRIEND MATERIAL experienced, but it's still disappointing to see HUSBAND MATERIAL fall so short of the mark. I wanted to like this book. It has Hall's trademark mix of quirky humor, self-deprecation, and fun banter. Only... at the same time, it doesn't. A lot of the humor felt forced. And, to be honest, the characters felt forced too. I imagine that's because BOYFRIEND MATERIAL was written as a standalone, and in order to create a sequel, Hall had to manufacture new problems, with the effect that everything felt stilted. The other effect was to make the characters unlikable, which upset me because I loved them so much by the end of BOYFRIEND MATERIAL.