Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for a preview (the first five chapters) of Husband Material!
This book picks up two years after Boyfriend Material, with Luc and Oliver as the cutest couple in love and living together. But, their busy lives seem to leave them with not a lot of time to spend together.
These first few chapters were so fun to read, and I’m so excited to see where this book takes their relationship.

I've missed this cast of characters a ridiculous amount, and even just these few 5 chapters with them felt weirdly like coming home. It was so lovely to see Luc and Oliver two years in to their relationship (since the only thing I was somewhat bummed about with Boyfriend Material was the fact that the book ends right when they truly get together), being sweet and hilarious and domestic. Loved seeing the dick picks joke make a return, as well as the office joke fails at CRAPP. So many things that felt so familiar.

That being said, I must admit that this left off in a terribly rude place, and now I'm just even more desperate for August to get here so that I can keep reading the shenanigans these people find themselves caught up in.

I could not have loved this preview more. I loved being back in this world. I laughed and my heart felt full throughout my reading of this. I want the whole book like yesterday.

I can’t begin to describe my delight at reading this unexpected preview. Reconnecting with these characters felt like being wrapped in a warm, cozy, comforting blanket.

I loved the chance to get a peak into Luc and Oliver’s life, two years into their relationship! The domestic moments - Luc trying to cook an elaborate recipe, LOL - were deeply satisfying. Luc’s inner monologue continues to reveal his insecurities, and it’s clear that though he still has anxieties, it feels like he has grown since the last book ended. Luc and Oliver’s relationship has also clearly evolved, and it was nice to see how they interacted in a few different situations. Oliver’s gentle loving support was so nice to see regarding all the Miles drama, and Luc being able to let himself be cared for was lovely. The romance is still very much alive, and their chemistry continues to sizzle.

It was really fun to get little snippets of Luc and Oliver’s friends. The personalities shone through and the banter was excellent. The t-shirt mishap was a nice call back to one of Bridget’s work crises from the previous book.. Alex Twaddle and Rhys are back with the joke schtick (which I love!) and new social media hijinks. I am very much here for all of that and excited to read more! The sense of humour in this preview was crackling and on par with the previous book.

I continue to remain amazed by the ways that Alexis Hall is able to move from laugh-out-loud, slightly ridiculous moments, to more earnest bits of self-reflection and emotional resonance. I have yet to read another author at this level. He makes it look easy.

I loved Luc’s friendship with Bridget in Husband Material, and I am glad to see that this is shaping up to be an important part of this book as well. I liked seeing Luc step up to be a supportive friend to Bridget when she is in the middle of a crisis, in the same way that she dropped everything to support him before.

The preview ends off with Luc and Oliver in a point of tension, with Oliver reacting badly to Luc cancelling plans and prioritizing his responsibilities to his friend. There are sometimes moments in the series where you think that Oliver might be a bit too perfect, and though I would be happy to have him be the Perfect Book Boyfriend, it’s also good to see some ways in which he is also human and not perfect. I am sure there is something going on that is making him react this way (did he have anything in particular planned for this outing…?), and I look forward to reading the path to resolution in the rest of the book.

As a side bar, I totally want to binge through some old 90s romcoms now!

Thank you Alexis Hall, Casablanca books, Net Galley, and any other people/entities that contributed to sharing this preview so widely and giving me the chance to read it. Very grateful!

Set two years after the events of Boyfriend Material, Hall immerses readers once again in Lucien’s world with a cast of fully realized characters, hilarious banter, and just the right amount of drama.

I can’t wait to get my copy in August. It was a delight to get a preview.

I am so thankful I have gotten to read the preview to Husband Material by Alexis Hall. In a whole the book was very entertaining. I especially liked the beginning of the preview when they all had to wear their sex part party hats. Oliver is wonderful again and I will always love Luc! The problem I had is in the middle of the preview they were standing around telling jokes, like they did in the first book. I did not understand that scene at all and I felt it made so sense. When they got back to the heart of the book it was wonderful again. Alexis is a wonderful writer and looking forward to see how this book ends!! I hope I can get an Arc so until then I have to wait!!!!! In general the book was good and highly recommend!!

THIS IS PERFECTION already. This teaser has me even more excited for the release of the full book. These characters are so special and a wildly good time to immerse myself in.

Husband Material

5.0 stars
The beginning of these 5 chapters of this whole amazing story is brilliant and I loved how the author put it from the end of the last book to the beginning of this one and everything is so beautiful and the writing is so beautiful and I can't wait to have the complete book in my hands

WOW was this great. I enjoyed boyfriend material but felt like it fell a little flat, but the beginning of this book was all the funny, snarky, dialogue-filled goodness I felt like the first was missing. just in the first 50-ish pages, the balance between main and side characters was amazing and Luc's inner dialogue was hilarious. I'm very happy to report that he is just as much of a lovable disaster as ever. this was an incredibly strong start to what I'm sure is going to be an amazing book, and I can't wait to read the rest. I definitely feel like this one is going to work better for me than the last, I think it shows Luc's self-growth and his supportive dynamic with Oliver really well. super excited about the plot too, things got off to an exciting and fast-paced start and I see a lot of potential for the rest of the story :)

Sequels to romance novels are particularly tricky. If it’s truly a romance novel, then the couple ended up together in the first book, presumably living happily ever after. And then a sequel has to have enough material and plot to not just be “the characters were happy and had a lot of high satisfying sex and intimacy” (which, while ideal for them, would not be for the reader) or break the couple up. Obstacles must be placed in the couple’s way but they must make it through in such a way that they reach an even deeper, more lasting level of commitment. It’s a fine line.

When I read Boyfriend Material, I’m addition to loving it, I was immediately frustrated that it ended when it did because dammit, I wanted more Luc and Oliver. I wanted to see their day-to-day life. I wanted to see their banter and their text messages. I’ve reread Boyfriend Material a couple of times since then, and my desire for more hasn’t gone away. To say that I have eagerly anticipated Husband Material would be a big understatement. But I was also worried that it would affect my love of the first book (see Bridget Jones: Edge of Reason).

I’ve only read the first five chapters of Husband Material but I’m pretty sure that my worries are unfounded. Luc is Luc and Oliver is Oliver and they’re together and it’s not perfect because that’s not how real life is, but they’re a delight. Lucy’s progress toward self-acceptance in Boyfriend Material hasn’t gone away, but he’s still a bundle of neuroses prone to self-sabotage. He’s still working through dad issues. It looks like Bridget and their friends will feature heavily in Husband Material, and they’re a welcome sight. August cannot come soon enough so I can read the whole book.

*Received an ARC preview of the first five chapters from NetGalley. All opinions are mine*

I absolutely cannot wait for the whole book! I had forgotten how much I ADORE the chaos best friends surrounding both Luc and Oliver. While I love watching the "falling in love" part of romance, I LIVE for the "what happens after riding off into the sunset" and the "making it work" parts of a love story, that that is what we are getting here!

Is it August yet?

This is the first book I've read of this duology and I LOVED it. The first five chapters made me fall in love with the characters and the storyline, which surprisingly picks up almost immediately, leaving you turning the pages incessantly! The author truly writes beautifully and makes you love the whole book in only this preview, which is remarkable. The second I finished reading the 5 chapters I picked up boyfriend material and am already halfaw through! I cannot wait for august 2nd to be able to read the full novel!

Reading this preview sampler, I was reminded of how much I loved Boyfriend Material. It is of course ridiculously funny, but also it's so nice to see the contrast of acknowledged disaster Luc in a stable long-term relationship. And Also Oliver, who is a bit of a disaster on the inside. In Boyfriend Material they're in the messy beginning stages of a relationship, but a two-year relationship is a different beast and it's so interesting to see the same dynamic (because they're obviously still very them) in a different setting. There are definitely some cracks developing as we get to the end of the sampler and I can't wait to see how it all plays out. The humor, though, is perfection and I can't get enough.

Thanks to SOURCEBOOKS Casablanca and NetGalley for providing a preview arc to review.

I really hope Joe Jameson will be doing the audiobook because that is who I hear when I'm reading.

My expectations are high and these first 5 chapters simply make me wish I could read the rest immediately. Its great to see Luc and Oliver doing well - and them maybe not quite so well as it first seemed. These introductory chapters just show the beginning of issues that have been papered-over (Luc's lack of confidence and Oliver's family) allowing for some cracks to appear. I'm sure it will be quite aride.

Reading the first five chapters of HUSBAND MATERIAL was glorious and also makes it so much harder to wait for the full book. The sequel starts two years after the end of BOYFRIEND MATERIAL but otherwise picks up right where the last book left off: Luc and Oliver are both working on themselves and their relationship, becoming better partners to each other every day; the old wounds persist but the emotional growth is TANGIBLE baby; the goofy and hilarious friend gang and coworkers are all still around (god I didn’t realize how much I missed them); and the premise of the boys being confronted with multiple weddings to attend while also figuring out how to take the next step in their own relationship is setting up beautifully. Hall is, of course, a fantastic romance writer and the pages are bursting with humor and heart. Thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the preview!

I was already excited for Husband Material, and this snippet only added to that. It was so refreshing to dip back into the world of Luc and Oliver, which almost makes it worse that this was only a preview because of how much more I wanted the full book after. Already, it feels like Alexis Hall is doing a good job of continuing the character arc’s begun in Boyfriend Material, while also making sure that this book doesn’t feel too repetitive. I’m not sure what’s next for Luc and Oliver, but I am incredibly excited to read it.

Received the first five chapters as a free preview from NetGalley. Based on those five chapters, I fully expect to give this book 5 stars, 10 if Goodreads makes that available! Luc and Oliver are such a wonderful characters, and I am so excited at the prospect of spending more time with them. Will update this review once the full book becomes available.

While this is just the first 5 chapters, it's pure Alexis Hall wonderfulness. It is the continuing story of the Boyfriend Material. Laughter, romance, and snarkiness ensues. Now to wait for the full release.

Well, that was a treat! This little snippet reminded just how much I enjoy Hall's writing, and has me actively looking forward to the book's release in August. It's so rare that you get to properly see rom-com characters after their grand finale, and being back with Luc and Oliver as they continue to evolve is a great feeling.

All my favorite things from Boyfriend Material in the first few chapters of Husband Materials. Weird work colleagues, emotional friendship moments and the cute dynamic of Luc and Oliver. I want more Luc and Oliver and I can't wait to read more.