A Netgalley audiobook ARC was received for free in exchange for a review.

Joe Jameson was a great narrator for Boyfriend Material, and he is just as good in Husband Material. In terms of plot though, I liked Husband Material better than Boyfriend Material. Husband Material begins after Luc and Oliver have been together two years. Throughout the book, they attend various weddings and contemplate the future of their relationship. Husband Material really does focus on their relationship and personal struggles which is why I liked it, but that does mean this book feels a lot calmer, less dramatic, and less eventful than the first one. However, I enjoyed the realistic portrayal of their relationship and the relationships between various other characters.

What really brings this book down from five stars for me is the ending. I in theory like the decision Luc and Oliver make at the end; however, it did feel abrupt and unfulfilling. I wish we had seen a little more of the characters after the decision they made.

Definitely want to start this review off by saying that I didn’t quite love Boyfriend Material as many others have, but I really wanted to give this story another go in their sequel, Husband Material. From beginning to end, all the thoughts were just stacking on top of each other and not in the best way, so here we go. I’ll do my best to keep this spoiler-free.

I think the biggest advice I’d share for this one is that if you were completely happy with the way things were in Boyfriend Material, I’d skip out on this one. The tone in Husband Material is not an all-around happy one and sadly, there wasn’t a lot of focus on the romance. The focus, to me, seemed to be on outside parties instead of their own.

When you start this one, Oliver and Luc have been together for over two years and maybe it was a bad assumption on my part, but I figured their relationship would be more solid. But instead, we get what felt like they’ve taken major steps backward and struggled to communicate. And it’s persistent throughout most of the book.

Around halfway through, there were some heavier topics that I didn’t quite seem coming and that threw things off a bit for me, and couldn’t recover from it.

And then there’s the ending, usually when I read a romance I tend to have a happier feeling and we’re usually left in a good place about the couple we’re reading about. But I felt like they would have been better off apart. Wasn’t the ending I hoped for and wished we got a different story overall.

My favorite parts were when Oliver and Luc could just BE together, in their own moments. It was really sweet and I was eager for more of that.

Listening to the audiobook really helped me get through this one, I loved the narration and was so happy they kept Joe Jameson on from Boyfriend Material. I’ll definitely be going to their backlist and listening to more.

This didn’t quite hit the mark with me, but you definitely might have a different experience.

I was lucky to receive both the audiobook and the ebook to review, and I actually switched between audiobook and ebook. At the moment I don’t have time to listen to an audiobook outside of my commute, and when the weekend came around, I just picked up the ebook and continued where I left off.

Luc and Oliver together are just something special.

I love how they are both so very individual in everything they do. They are opposite in so many things, but they still make it work. I loved seeing how their relationship grew and how comfortable they were with each other. Their banter was as always on point. Loved dry witted Oliver and flirty Luc. Loved the teasing, the banter.

What I didn’t love was that even after 2,5 years of being together, they still had so many arguments. The constant bickering about needless conflicts was tiring and not what I expected to get from this sequel. I found some of the plot quite unnecessary and not helpful to the story, and some conflicts repeated themselves over and over. The pressure of doing it “right” was insane in Husband Material. And the continuous questioning of how to be the right way of gay was exhausting.

So, it’s with no surprise that my feelings for this book are all over the place.

I love these two. Luc and Oliver are such a lovely and interesting couple. They made me so proud at times. How they stood up for themselves and each other. There were so many scenes that made me laugh, and chuckle. But on the other hand the book was also mentally draining. Honestly at times all they did was arguing, if not with each other than with Oliver’s parents and brother. Drama and conflict from beginning to end. It wasn’t a happy book, and definitely not the book I was hoping for.

And as with Boyfriend Material, the book ended way too abruptly, and if I didn’t already know that a third book was coming I would be deeply disappointed.

About the audiobook:

The narration was on point and it was easy to keep the different characters separate. Especially Luc and Oliver, from dry witted to flirty, the narration was really well done.

First, let me say that I literally screeched in excitement when this audiobook hit my Netgalley shelf. Boyfriend Material was one of my favorite books and I've had the release date for Husband Material on my calendar for months.

Even knowing how excited I was about this book I had forgotten exactly much I loved Luc, Oliver and their little slice of London. It all came back within a couple of chapters, especially when Luc readied his first joke of the day for the team at CRAPP, and I was immediately transported back into the lives of these rich characters.

This sequel was everything I had hoped it would be and more. I adore the witty humor that's woven into every moment. And I was surprised by the twists and turns of the plot even though I knew that there would be four weddings and a funeral.

Joe Jameson had quickly become one of my favorite narrators. Each character has such a distinctive voice and accent that it feels like I'm listening to a full cast of actors. It's truly a delightful auditory experience.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advance audiobook.

Husband Material had already earned 5 stars in my book, but this was even better the second time around. Joe Jamison skillfully brings these characters to life with a beautiful range of emotion and expression (and singing!) and deserves 5 stars of his own.

10 out of 5—will absolutely, joyfully be listening again. This is my new comfort read.

2.5-3⭐️
I think this was a very interesting angle for the sequel and it did it's job peaking my interest in the next book; that being said I still don't love this series and ultimately am pretty indifferent about both books in this series so far. I also don't hate the ending and I've seen a lot of people upset about it but I honestly didn't mind.

I found the reading experience of husband material fairly similar to boyfriend material in the way it kept me engaged; I wished the audio player could go faster....(the entire time I listened I had to be doing something else or I got annoyed) this is not a book I think I would be able to finish without the audiobook and it more then likely would've had to a dnf if I hadn't got audio, just because of the writing style. No hate to this book but, the best way I can explain how I PERSONALLY feel about the series is that, it feels like sitting on the couch when my mom is watching young and the restless... I am following along and kinda invested but if I miss a bunch of stuff in the middle or it randomly gets turned off I really don't care because I'm not that invested.... I'd maybe listen to the next book through netgalley or the library/scribd to see how it continues but I am painfully indifferent about this book and series and don't see myself spending money just on them.

Luc and Oliver on their own and together get on my nerves at times and luc's friends aren't my favourite, I don't particularly like the majority of the characters.... My 'favourite' character in this entire series is Olivers co-worker, alex I believe, I find him pretty relatable with the *everything goes over his head-ness* and makes me giggle (could be my particular style of drier autistic humor but I enjoy his appearances) but those bits can seem long and based off the way that part of my humor is perceived I know it is VERY hit or miss so like...🤷🏼 if you like boyfriend material you probably would like this but I will probably never re read this...

This was my first time listening to an audiobook and while I thoroughly enjoyed the experience, I do not think I will repeat it as I have the attention span of a child. I kept getting distracted and having to go back to listen to entire chapters. The narrator, Joe Jameson, did an amazing job, it sometimes went slower than I would like and would spead it up. He did such an incredible job at giving each character their unique voice and expressed their emotions flawlessly!
The book itself is just as good as the first one! 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!

I'm so sad to finish this one. I haven't laughed this much reading a book in a very long time. Hall's banter is the best banter. This sequel is perfection.

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.

AND OMG. If you love audiobooks, you'll love Joe Jameson's delightful narration. He also narrated the first book, too, and I was so excited to hear him bring Hall's characters to life once again. I can't say enough good things about this audiobook. I'm an avid audiobook reader, and Joe Jameson is one of the best!

Thank you so much to Sourcebooks Casablanca and Netgalley for my advance review copy, as well as Dreamscape Media for my advance listening copy.

This book was nothing like I expected and I don’t know if that’s good or bad.
If Boyfriend Material was Bridget Jones this was Four weddings and a funeral.
It’s not really a book either, it’s written in 5 parts, 4 weddings and a funeral. It felt more like a collection of short stories about Luc and Oliver after Boyfriend material to be honest.

I liked to see their character development and how their collective life was after Boyfriend material. I was hoping for a sequel, because to me the ending of BM was a little sudden and they still had a lot to work out together.
In this book you’ll see that they still do.

Don’t get me wrong, this was just as funny and brilliantly written as BM, I loved to go back to this friend group, the main characters and the whole Britishness of it all. I also loved the narrator, I’m so glad they picked the same one again! He’s simply perfect for these books.
But it just didn’t really have a plot like a book.
It was fun to read, but did I need this? I don’t know.
I’d have loved to see more of Luc and Oliver’s life together instead of just these four scenes. And I mean cute, happy ones. Instead there was a lot of really big arguments. This book somehow leaves me with more bad feelings than good ones. And that’s not what I expected.
I know they’re a rather unconventional couple, they’re really an opposites attract and they have different opinions on a lot of things, which makes everything a bit more complicated. But they somehow work and find a middle ground. We just don’t see a lot of scenes like that in this one. The romance part was really lacking for me.
It just didn’t really give me a lot. It somehow still leaves me at the point where Boyfriend Material left me.
The most that happened was Oliver working some things out for himself. Luc is still same old Luc, just more put together and more emotionally stable.
In this book they’re together since two years, in their early 30s. But sometimes, or more most time, it felt like they still don’t know each other too well and they still haven’t worked out how to talk to each other.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the ending either, because somehow everything was happening in these last chapters.
I don’t know if it’s too realistic to have a couple being together for years and (mostly) living together and not talking about stuff.
Again, a kind of sudden ending that leaves me wanting.

My favourite part of this was the funeral part and seeing how Oliver develops.
I think there was a lot of potential for a real plot in this, it just didn’t happen. And somehow this made me put down the book a lot, not feeling the urge to continue.
I don’t think this will be a reread book for me like Boyfriend Material is.
I really loved that they took the same narrator as BM again though! He is simply perfect for these books.

This audiobook was fabulous! I absolutely love Oliver and Lucy’s relationship and I Lo Ed seeing how they have grown both as individuals and as a couple.

I was not expecting the ending, but found it made perfect sense!
This story is full of drama written perfectly!

Thank you NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for an advance audiobook. This is my voluntary honest review.

I FINISHED MY MOST ANTICIPATED READ OF 2022. The biggest thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for making this happen 2 weeks prior to release date through their audiobook ARC. <3

Okay soooo where do I even start? In this sequel to Boyfriend Material we follow Luc and Oliver through 5 major events in their lives - 4 weddings and one funeral. This very much reads like a collection of novellas, though there is consistency throughout (so you KNOW you are reading a full-fledged book, it just feels a bit novella-y because of the 5 big parts of it). We really dive deep into Luc and Oliver's relationship in this one - and like in Boyfriend Material, it is not perfect. There are fights and insecurities, BUT my favourite part of this series is that Luc and Oliver are strong not despite or because of these - they just ARE, because they love each other above all else.
And I love them.

As it says in the title itself, marriages and weddings play a BIG part of this book. There are three of them (all completely different from one another) in the first three parts of the book and they are just as full of ridiculousness and heart as we've come to expect from Luc and Oliver (and Alexis, of course)..
Now for some SPOILERS:
Luc and Oliver always seemed to me like the kind of couple that didn't really do marriages and kids. I loved that about them (cause same AND because we so rarely see that in romcoms). So, I was a bit surprised when they were suddenly engaged (ngl, Luc being peak Luc) - and I anticipated this book might NOT end in a wedding and a marriage. I was very happy to see that I was right, cause that just felt like Luc and Oliver. The ending of this book FELT like them. Messy and imperfect and always, always full of dedication to one another and just endless love. Even if they don't always see eye to eye. Even if they have *different gay "aesthetics"*.
END OF SPOILER

This book raised some GREAT questions about the LGBTQAI+ culture in general and it was interesting to see how both Luc AND Oliver thought about it all. Also can we talk about the fact that Oliver is THE GENTLEST SOUL EVER???? How he makes sure his language is always inclusive, regardless of who he is talking to, that he will be careful not to use any ableist language and words that people usually throw around all the time? I also loved seeing that Oliver now has a therapist and is dealing with his ED, even if it's gonna be a long road. This feels very true to the mental health struggles in general and I am very grateful we got rep like that. Oliver is still struggling, but he is trying, every day. Mam, I love him. I love BOTH of them so much - Oliver and his gentle but strict ways, Luc and his insecurities and quiet but fierce love. I could read endless books about these two and knowing that I am saying goodbye to them with this one actually hurts. *wipes away tears* *FOR REAL*

My only wish was that we got a biiiit more in the end - this ending felt much like the one in Boyfriend Material did. Full of anxiety (for me and them, god) and what ifs - all being wrapped up in the end but I just wanted 5 more pages to calm my fraying nerves. I am getting old, Alexis, I can't deal with stress like that. Luc would understand.

So, yeah. Husband Material gave me LIFE: I'll be rereading it forever, even if I'll need to put my head between my legs in that last chapter and breathe deeply, telling myself ALL IS WELL, ALL IS WELL.
I could probably say more about what I loved about this sequel but honestly, I binged read it and it lowkey feels like my head is about to fall off. Just know I have a lot of feels and endless love for Luc and Oliver. <3

Now we wait for book three to see what that twat is up to.. And to see if we'll glimpse Oliver and Luc again.(*prays to Alexis Hall*)

I have such a soft spot for Boyfriend Material, I couldn't wait to read the sequel, and it did not disappoint! Luc and Oliver are complete opposites, but insanely sweet together I couldn't stop smiling while listening. I loved the side characters, loved the antics and Luc's dramatics. It's just all sound a fantastic read/audio!

Same wit and charm that was in the first book.

Luc and Oliver are polar opposites but they just work. Their petty arguments are silly but their love is so lovely. (last 30 mins of the audiobook almost killed me *ahem* ALEXIS YOU REALLY KNOW HOW TO PULL MY HEARTSTRINGS.)

The charm to Alexis Hall books really lies with the side characters. They are hilarious, unique, supportive and so much fun. I'm looking forward to book 3, not focused on Luc and Oliver!

Boyfriend Material was one of my favorite reads of 2021, and I loved it even more when I read it again earlier this year in preparation for Husband Material. When I was approved for an ALC of this one, I was absolutely ecstatic to get more of Luc and Oliver. It absolutely did not disappoint.

Husband Material was an emotional rollercoaster, and I loved every minute of it. This one is different from the first as we get to see Luc and Oliver as a couple from the very beginning. I loved the fake dating trope in the first one, but I loved seeing them be open with their feelings for each other in this one. As was the case with the first one Husband Material had me audibly laughing at the situations and shenanigans that Luc, Oliver, and the rest of the characters found themselves involved in. I loved seeing things through Luc's perspective, and this one definitely did not shy away from heavy topics just like Boyfriend Material. All the characters are flawed and so relatable that it is sometimes scary how much I could see me in them.

My only complaint was that the ending felt a little rushed. I would have liked for it to be longer and a bit slower since I felt like it moved very quickly. However, it is a very fitting style of ending for Luc and Oliver, so it was not enough to drop even half of a star.

Husband Material felt almost like the author deliberately taking a lot of what made BM great and setting out to ruin it. Is that harsh? Yeah sure, but it felt like that to me.

I don't know that I've ever felt so betrayed by a book. I've definitely never felt as let down by an anticipated release as I did by Husband Material. This book is the reason I got on bookstagram, it's been my most anticipated release this year, and the follow up to one of my all-time favourite books Boyfriend Material.

I fell so in love with Luc and Oliver in BM, and I adored the writing, the quirky humour, Luc being a chaotic disaster trying his best, and Oliver being wonderful yet also deeply flawed. I felt like they were so good for each other and I was so beyond happy when I found out there'd be a sequel. Then I read it.

SPOILERS AHEAD

The book is sort of like Hall's take on Four Weddings and a Funeral, and so Husband Material is divided into 5 parts, each of them focusing on its own event. Right away the plot seems overly ridiculous but not in the funny, unhinged way Hall managed with Something Fabulous, rather like he just needed to create conflict for the sake of having a plot point and it shows. There seemed to be little purpose to this book which meant the conflicts often felt contrived and inauthentic. While it did have some great humour throughout, a lot more of it felt way off which isn't what I'd usually expect from Hall.

Luc and Oliver find themselves in a really toxic relationship two years after BM and I tried so hard to root for them but about halfway through the book, my most frequent reaction was "what does Oliver get out of this relationship? Why does he stay with Luc?" which broke my heart to even think and I tried unsuccessfully to suppress it.

Luc consistently takes Oliver for granted, he cancels on him, expects him to go along with all of Luc's ideas regardless of whether they make sense or not, and just isn't a great boyfriend. All of that I could be willing to overlook, and I did try. But Luc is downright cruel a lot of the times, his reactions often seem comically out of proportion, and he is constantly using what he's learned are things Oliver is sensitive about against him. Oliver is no saint and he's nowhere near perfect but he at least seems to be trying, and it's clear he adores Luc.

How do you manage to make your narrator that unlikeable? How does he not come off better than he does since we have more insight into his thoughts and motivations? It baffles me and seems almost designed to make us dislike him. Luc's constant nagging of Oliver and disregard for his views, opinions, and feelings got real old real fast, and I particularly didn't care for how he continuously made clear that Oliver wasn't gay enough/gay in the right way, no matter how often Luc denied that's what he was doing. I honestly wasn't even sure if he wanted to marry Oliver which makes sense since Luc also constantly went back and forth on this. You'd think that after two years, they'd learned to communicate and that they'd have grown some but not so much.

There were some really sweet scenes in this book and some great stuff in it for sure. I think the setup had a lot of potential and could have worked really well, which to be fair, it did at times. It had a lot of the Alexis Hall trademark humour, and I appreciated the insight into Oliver's relationship with his family. It also was really interesting to see him trying to work on himself and questioning previously held beliefs. The audiobook narrator was great and he really hit the humour the right way.
Husband Material also had some amazing moments between Luc and Oliver that I loved and around part 4, I was thinking there might be a small chance this could all be salvaged somewhat and that this was a real chance for some self-reflection and insight for both of them.

Then part 5 happened and any goodwill I had was crushed. Any hope I had for them went out the window and I was legitimately hoping they'd break up. I cannot believe I'm saying that, I *hate* that I'm even thinking that, it's absolutely crushing and I wish I'd loved this book. I wish I'd even liked it somewhat or been able to just put it behind me as something that didn't quite work for me but instead it's tainted my love for the prequel and I'm left reeling.

I'm honestly just so upset and I kind of wish I hadn't read this book. I know being this invested in characters and books seems ridiculous to some, but I can't help it. So when you feel like you got screwed over like this, it hurts.

Husband Material by Alexis Hall // ⭐⭐ of 5

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Husband Material is out August 2.

the only way i know how to begin is by going back to the start - boyfriend material. i know boyfriend material like the back of my hand, instinctively reaching for it whenever life gets too much. i see disastrous luc as one of the most intimate mirrors of myself - oh the joy and also the mortifying ordeal of being known.

i’d like to think that after many impulse rereads of boyfriend material (still cannot believe it was on my spotify wrapped please do not perceive me) and falling in head over heels love with so many of his other books, i know alexis hall’s voice. its one of my favorites, a place of comfort, a little bit of home i carry in my chest.

sequels can be scary, especially one for a book so widely beloved. boyfriend material ended with a beginning: now that pretending to fall in love has turned into falling in love for real, what’s next for luc and oliver?

despite that, i never quite worried about husband material. i trust alexis and true enough, here’s his voice shining through the pages again - that gorgeous wit and banter, the snark that masks raw vulnerability and emotion.

husband material felt like reconnecting with a dear old friend. a sweet hello, a teary “i missed you”, a heartfelt “i’m so glad i know you”. this is the disastrous yet endearing luc and oliver we fell in love with. this is their chaotic group of friends, holding hands in their late twenties and stumbling through life together.

if boyfriend material was about falling in love and working through baggage, husband material is an ode to love and relationships. the people who matter, those who Know our most raw, intimate selves and still stay.

and at the same time, we’re taken down a path that is so fresh and unexpected. as a queer person, this book wedged itself in my heart. it was so unexpected and when it hit me, i broke down. i still lie awake at night thinking about it.

husband material is the extended epilogue of my dreams, but beyond that it is an exploration. it asks you what it means to be a queer person when you don’t see yourself in the prominent culture, when it doesn’t fit the way you express yourself. it’s about not feeling queer enough for queer spaces, and instead watching from afar.

it’s an exploration of relationships - what it is, what it means, what are these feelings that come with conventions that have been exclusionary in the past and still are now. it brought to the surface all these things i hadn’t fully articulate to myself, but the sheer relief and validation washed over me.

and through it all, husband material is overwhelmingly filled with love, with luc and oliver holding my hand each step of the way. how loved we are, despite being flawed and messy.

I love that boyfriend material had a sequel. I got to be honest, I loved this book but I was so stressed the whole time lolz. I would highly record though.

Very rarely does a romance novel require a sequel, this is a situation where it did not.

I loved Boyfriend Material, it was charming and quirky, and Luc does this running commentary of anxiety that embodies how so many 20 something's feel (any probably at every other age) even when pretending to have it all figured out. Unfortunately Husband material was large filler.

The story picks up 2 years later, Luc and Oliver and getting along well, they have fallen into comfortable routine, but relationship development wise, they haven't actually moved since we left off (they still live separately, see each other when they are able, see friends separately). When Luc is preoccupied with everyone else's weddings, only then he starts to think of he and Oliver moving forward and suddenly it's a mad rush brought on by his surroundings. Hence we spend a great deal of the story without Oliver, as Luc carries on helping his friends out in scenes that almost all could have been cut.

Luc is as personable as ever, but we don't get enough of Oliver. Oliver comes off the perfect understanding boyfriend. We know from the last book that Oliver has his flaws, their relationship is built on both people involved bringing their own issues to the table and working to counter balance them together, but we just don't see that in this story.

Overall it was lovely to be in Luc's head again, but this was a story we just didn't need.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media for providing an ALC and Sourcebooks Casablanca for providing an ARC!

Pub date: 8/2/22
Genre: romcom
Series: Boyfriend Material, book 2
In one sentence: 2 years after their fake dating turned real, Luc and Oliver must decide whether to take the next step - marriage.
Do I need to read book 1 (Boyfriend Material) first? YES. No discussion needed.

Boyfriend Material is one of my fave romcoms - especially the audio narrated by Joe Jameson. I think Boyfriend Material fans will enjoy this one - Luc and Oliver are charming as always, and I loved seeing more time devoted to some of their friends. Bridget's wedding was predictably a disaster, and the CRAPP crew continued to amuse. I do think the book could have been tightened up a bit - it's a bit of a slow starter. But I love the way narrator Jameson handles Hall's complex dialogue and banter, so I still enjoyed this one a lot. I appreciated how Hall discussed differences within the queer community and how these impacted Luc and Oliver's relationship.

If you're interested in what happens after an HEA, I think this is a good depiction of a great but flawed relationship between two people who are still trying to figure themselves out. It's not all sunshine and roses, but it's a fun ride, and there's a lot to love.