While I do adore this series of queer found family shenanigans, NGL, I was NOT excited to read an Arabella centric installment because she was often the most chaotic and selfish element of the earlier books in the series. And I found the first third of the book insufferable as Sir Horley, who I enjoyed so far, acts most unlike himself, and him and Belle kept hand wringing circles around who is kidnapping who and who is ruining whose life by doing so. I had to take a long break from it. As much as I adore Horley, this seemed to be largely Belle's stand for independence and aromantic aspirations. That said, her internal monologues were far less annoying than they were in the first two installments. Eventually, other characters show up, like in Something Fabulous, all significantly more interesting. While still meandering, the narrative takes a turn for something almost cathartic -- whether it's in Belle and Rufus's introspections on living with shame and rewriting their internal monologue of what happiness they deserve, or even some interesting explorations of kink and healthy aromantic polycules. Emphasis on SOME, because by the nature of this series, everything has a sheen of unseriousness and while I'm always happy to see celebration of platonic romances, something about Rufus and Belle's dynamics and their version of an HEA didn't really come together for me.
That said, Valentine and Bonny remain extremely silly, and Peggy and Orfeo, still my faves. This is NOT a Regency Romance -- all of the installments are very much subversions of the tropes of that genre, usually the Regency bit, and this one subverts even the Romance but with a largely aromantic relationship at the heart of it. Is it the story I wanted? No. Was it still a fun check in with a crew you find amusing? Yes, timed correctly between heavy reads and during heavy times

Alexis Hall books have always been on my TBR but this is the first I have read by him.

Although this is not a typical romance i.e. two people meet, fall in love, break up for some reason, get back together again, it is no less a love story. In fact I think it might be one of the most honest love stories I have ever read. And it's very very funny.

I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

A really good book, but you should read the firsst two books in the series to fully understand the connections between the characters,
Beside that this was such a fun and good read, I am really happy I read it.

Thanks netgalley and montlake for this eARC!

Sir Horley has been slowly pickling himself in liqour to distract from his upcoming nuptials. Its not the bride, who is lovely and pious; its more that he is EXTREMELY gay, and also feels himself extemely undeserving of happiness. On the brink of despair, he is rescued by the impetuous Arabella Tarleton, an old friend and notorious dramatic, who steals the man bodily from his family home to save him from himself and unhappy future. However, in an unlikely turn of events, the two find themselves embarking on a life together on the road to gretna green.

Well this was a ride. Definitely requested this not fully realizing it was the close of a series, and furiously read through the first two to fully enjoy this book, which may not have been necessary to enjoy this book but 100% added to my understanding of sir horley and belle, and made me invested in their story. The front part of the novel dragged a little for me, and i wondered how we can pull a happy ending out of this for either of these characters, but the genius of hall is that one was found handily, and hilariously. I thought the supporting cast was funny (and spicy 👀) and it was wonderful to catch up on the lives of the other series mains. I also love the "come as you are" message of this book-there can be love in your life if you let it in.

Just enjoyed this fun lil series.

This was slow to grab my attention but it really picks up about halfway through. It is witty, and its cleverness only increases as you read. It's worth pushing through!

Something about Something Extraordinary didn’t quite resonate with me the way the first two books did. The characters just didn’t stick out for me as different enough from the rest to make me attached to their story. I also just wasn’t engaged for too much of the book, maybe the pacing was off? I’ll give it another try after pub day once the audiobook is out and see if that helps!

Delightful, hilarious, and so sweet! Alexis Hall has taken two of my least favorite characters from the series and turned them into my definitive favorites.

Arabella Tarleton has taken it upon herself to rescue Sir Horley from his impending marriage via yet another abduction turned elopement turned abduction turned elopement. It makes sense when you read it. And, of course, Tarleton shenanigans ensue.

You can't fully appreciate the growth that Belle and Rufus go through without reading the first two novels, but having done that, you see how this book is the perfect conclusion to the series. I adore how Belle is aromantic/bisexual and her platonic love is given just as much weight and importance as a romantic love would be. Belle is so encouraging of unconventionality in every format and still struggles to find that acceptance for herself and her journey to get there is just so good.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and publisher for the opportunity to read and review!

I first want to spread some love on this series. I've read them all and absolutely loved them all. One of the most beautiful parts of this series is the different types of love and people that Alexis Hall showcases. It is a STUNNING series and it always just ozzes with love for the LGBTQIA+ community. The books are all always hilarious and unapologetically queer.

Something Extraordinary Truly was something extraordinary! I was a fan of Belle's from the beginning, and I was so happy to see more from her and see her enter a new "era" in her life, and more importantly, getting to see an aromantic MC thrive in a romance book. I loved seeing her grow in the background for the first two books and now she's getting to really thrive as the main heroine of her own book.

One thing I particularly love about this book is its focus on platonic love. Getting to see Bell and Sir Horley (Better known by Rufus now) develop a strong platonic relationship within their marriage of convenience. They also get to explore relationships outside of their marriage and it allows for some fabulous character studies.

Side note but equally important all the side characters were wonderful and hilarious as always.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hard to explain... MF, MM, FF
Historical romance
Sassy FMC
Found family
LGBTQ+

Rating: 4/5 - I will probably reread this one
🌶️: 2/5 - there are a few explicit intimate scenes

TLDR: Great continuation of the series

This series has brought me so much joy. It's funny, ridiculous, and sweet. While you could read this as a standalone book, I think the richest experience comes from reading the entire series in order. It helps with the understanding of the main characters. The main characters grow a lot in this book which I enjoy. The relationship is very unconventional but still so sweet and supportive. I was definitely rooting for them. This is a historical romance but it's not accurate. Alexis Hall bends the rules quite a bit in order to keep the story light hearted. If you liked the first two books, I don't think you'll be disappointed by this one.

Ultimately, I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys historical LGBTQ+ stories.

Alexis Hall books always and will always give me so much warm and love, they are truly all comfort books that I van read when things seem horrific and this was no different, I got so much warmth and love from this book

Something Extraordinary by Alexis Hall was an absolutely fantastic and extraordinary read. Alexis Hall knows how to deliver a story that is full of heart, humor and originality. I loved this and found it very entertaining. I caught myself actually giggling out loud, which rarely happens. Overall, a truly entertaining book from a fantastically amazing author.

I love Alexis Hall and would gladly pick up anything he writes, but I believe his talent shines most brightly in contemporary stories, like the Boyfriend Material series or the baking contest books. These settings allow him to be funny while also being utterly British and authentic.

This book is the third in his historical fiction series set in the 19th century. The concept has very little to do with historical accuracy and is more of a fantastic variation on the idea of historical romance. I really enjoyed the premise at the beginning of the series, but after reading this third book, I'm not so sure. It felt somewhat repetitive and didn’t offer much beyond what we’ve already seen in the first two books.

*Something Extraordinary* features characters I liked in previous installments, but I struggled to see them as distinct from the main characters earlier in the series (even though they do have different trajectories and personalities). This is mainly because the humor across all the books feels very similar; every character in this series makes the same kind of jokes. It just wasn’t funny for me anymore. The plot isn’t particularly strong either, as it’s meant to be a silly romp.

That said, I still quite enjoyed reading it and don’t regret picking it up. I think some readers will be more than happy to experience the same formula for the third time because, obviously, humor is subjective.

Extraordinarily queer, quite funny and all around good time romp in Regency England!

Rufus (Sir Horley to you!) and Belle (Arabella Tarleton) meet again - this time to save each other from ruin/marriage, eloping/kidnapping each other to much hilarity.

Of course their journey to Gretna Green is interrupted multiple times by various shenanigans in which we meet a few new characters. Could there be additional books in the series? It makes one wonder.

This book is quite lengthy and at times drawn out but still very enjoyable!

4 stars - I feel so conflicted about this rating because the second half of this book is absolutely a 5 star read!! Any romance that can make me cry because of its gentleness has to be at least a 4.

This book really surprised me. I quickly realized that this was the third book of a series and was kind of confused in the first like 30% of the book. Characters were introduced with very obvious connections that extended to past books and I felt like I was trying to put puzzle pieces together to understand what was going on. There was a lot of internal monologue in the beginning so I don't think it really hindered the overall reading experience, but you will definitely feel like you're missing out on some history in the beginning if you did not read the first 2 books.

With that being said, Alexis is clearly an extraordinary writer. The way they can create such vivd characters with depth made for a rich reading experience. I was grateful there was a bit of internal monologue (which I can quickly grow tired of) because it really allowed me to be in each character's head. Both Rufus and Belle are trying to gain the courage to build their own happily ever after that doesn't look like the typical romances they see around them. Although their end goal is similar, they still have their own individual journey that unfolds and is unique to them. Alexis wrote a beautiful story of found family, and the journey to feeling worthy to receive and show up for love in all forms. Although the first 1/3 felt a bit slow to me, I absolutely adored the second half of this book. It was a complete 180 and I almost DNF'd due to slow pacing at the beginning, but I'm so happy I stuck it out. Excited to read more by them!

Alexis Hall's Something Extraordinary is a delightful and whimsical story that captures the magic of romance and self-discovery. Hall’s charming writing style, filled with wit and warmth, brings the characters to life as they navigate the ups and downs of love, friendship, and embracing one’s true self. The narrative is heartfelt and full of humor, exploring the complexities of relationships with both tenderness and honesty. Something Extraordinary is a feel-good read that leaves you with a smile, reminding us all of the beauty in the ordinary moments that make life special.

Huge thanks to Netgalley for the eARC.

This was an enjoyable read for anyone looking to really delve into queer historical romance. It was a quirky and fast paced romp between two friends on their way to put the seal on their lavender marriage. While enjoyable overall, the characters do come across as rather selfish in their motivations and I'm never really sold on their final resolution.

3/5

Something Extraordinary is the third book in the "Something Something" series and should be read in order. I hadn't read book 2 and one had been quite a while so the reminiscing and the characters' dynamic was a bit more difficult to follow. So: if you haven't, starrt with Something Fabulous where both main characters are introduced.
At times I found the story a little slow paced. Especially the beginning where we had loads of dialogue bavk and forth with the MCs altering their standpoint every couple of pages. The point of conflict: should they, a gay man and a bi, aromantic woman, enter a marriage of convenience. For her it would mean not having to become a spinster living with her parents (19th century setting), he would get his aunt off his back and financial stability. On their way eloping to Scotland, they meet some colourful characters (which do not return for the final part of the story which I found a bit sad).
Overall it is a fun story centering around living happily despite not fitting into the mould of a rigid society and finding one's own family and home

Thank you to NetGalley for this arc!

This is a meditation on friendship, in the funnest of Victorian ways. I didn’t read any of the prior books in the series, but I could appreciate that this was a book that wouldn’t be focused on romance - rather, the meaning of a good, deep friendship that made me think about what it means and feel just a little more lonely in the world.

Such a great read! Highly recommend this one.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

This book is full of twists and turns that made me excited, it's full of clever, funny moments and ultimately it was an enjoyable read. It was an interesting take on one of my favourite tropes; marriage of convenience.

I have read previous books by Alexis, and although this one wasn't quite as gripping as her London Calling series, I still had a great time with it. I did feel a bit lost during the second half of the book, thigs became a little clunky - hence the three stars. But I would still recommend giving it a go!