super cute, classic hall story. it was exactly what I needed right now!! i recommend this book.!! yay!

Ah, listening to an Alexis Hall audiobook is like visiting with an old friend you haven't seen in awhile. Their writing is so clever and witty, I wonder why I let so much time go by without reading them. Hall has a way of spinning a story that's unlike any other writer. Incorporating friendship and courtship, romance and lust in the most delightful way - I adored Something Extraordinary. Regardless if you read this as a satisfying third episode of the Something Fabulous series, or if you enjoy it as a standalone, you’re in for a magnificent time!

The audio version of Something Extraordinary is beautifully performed by Ell Potter and Steve West.

This is the this installment of the current series by Alexis Hall. It can be read as a standalone.

I enjoyed this one. I like it for its originality and it's strong heroine.

Many thanks to Net Galley and Brilliance Publishing for an audio ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book in the Something Fabulous series- and I’m gonna stay right now, but the first two books are still on my TBR. That being said, I really enjoyed Something Extraordinary and found that the background from the first two books was explained enough and the character cameos were fun nonetheless!

I love the most about this book is the fact that it’s so unconventional. This is a marriage of convenience between Arabella and Sir Horley. Sir Horley happens to be gay and is just about to be forced in a marriage with a woman he doesn’t love and has no interest in being with when his friend Arabella convinces a drunken Horley into a mad cap road trip to Gretna Green in order for these friends to marry each other. Neither is romantically interested in the other, but they do have a great friendship and a love between them in that regard.

Now is this adventure continues this couple ends up adding two more to the group and they all find a happiness and satisfaction together in their own way.

This book was absolutely hilarious in its mad cap road trip and so wonderful in the unique and fulfilling relationships that emerge from their adventure .

I had the pleasure of listening to the audiobook narrated by Ell Potter and Steve West and found myself swept away by their enthusiastic reading. I really enjoyed how both narrator’s voice work, bounced off the other and helped round out the story telling. Overall, great voice work from both narrators that brought this story to life.

I am normally a huge fan of Hall’s writing and all his books - the earlier books in this series are excellent (I might even say Extraordinary), with the second being one of my very favourites and a top read of 2023… but this one felt like it dragged on and was mostly just the two characters talking back and forth endlessly. Just bantering and not even witty and entertaining at that.

I was so very much looking forward to this third installment in the Something Fabulous series, with an Ace/Aro character we fell for in the earlier books, but I found I really didn’t like Arabella Tarleton in this situation, trying to stop her friend from marrying the bride of his Aunt’s choosing (for financial and status reasons), so he could marry her, for an unromantic marriage of convenience (Sir Horley is interested in her brother and she’s not interested in anyone). She’s relentless in her kidnapping and the dash to Gretna Green is literally an annoying little sister talking the whole time (seriously… it’s non-stop her talking and no story).

It’s like a different author took a beloved author’s beloved characters and the LGBTQ+ idea and wrote a really long and drawn out fan fiction, to publish it under his name to get sales - it didn’t read like Hall normally does. I didn’t know if I could keep going the entire 14.5 hours (yeah - it’s super long), but the end was slightly better. I had a hard time getting through, but possibly hard-core fans (more-so than me) will love it more than I could.

Audio may make it easier to reduce the length (I had it sped up as fast as I could, with the accents). I didn’t know Ell Potter or Steve West, but they did help improve the experience a little bit…

Thank you to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the advance listen copy. This is my honest opinion.

On Pause

I’ve heard nothing but good things about Alexis Hall’s historical romances, which is what prompted me to request Something Extraordinary on NetGalley. The cover was adorable, and the premise intrigued me. However, I didn’t realise this was the third book in the series (whoops)

The narration was fantastic, but as someone unfamiliar with these characters, I found myself overwhelmed by the sheer number of names and references to previous plot lines. It’s clear this book builds on what came before, so I think I’ll need to start from the beginning to fully enjoy it.

I’ll return to this one another time!
Big thanks to Brilliance Audio for the ALC. 🎧✨

Sir Horley Comewithers isn't excited about his upcoming nuptials. First, his aunt in all but forcing him, second, he barely knows the bride and she seems spectacularly boring, third, and most importantly, Sir Horley is spectacularly gay. In a bid to save her dear friend from a life of misery, Arabella Tarleton inadvertently kidnaps him (again) in an attempt to talk him into marrying in her. She is not in love with him, but he is her friend and surely a life married to a friend is better than a life with a boring bride your aunt chose. As the friends make their way to Gretna Green, they find that maybe a life with each other won't be the marriage of their dreams- but it can still be beautiful. After all, the only thing better than your dream life is a life you chose with a person you chose. Hall has an astonishing ability to plumb the depths of emotion and navigate a range of human experience that is truly impressive. Every time I read an Alexis Hall book I am stunned by the raw humanity that they are able to inject into their stories. Not only are they emotionally nuanced but the plot is beautifully intertwined with the emotions of the characters. Hall's writing is vivid, captivating, and empathetic. One of my favorite storytellers!

Wow! This is a must read for fans of the found family trope!

I thoroughly enjoyed Something Extraordinary by Alexis Hall. Ell Potter and Steve West did a delightful job bringing these hot-messes to life. It was refreshing to read a queer historical romance that turned their nose up at propriety in such a fun and inspiring was. Sir Horley Comewithers is gay man who (after a drunkenly agreeing) marries his bisexual aromantic friend, Arabella Tarleton. Their journey to Gretna Green and is full of stumbles and their marriage is no different. But their support of each other is truly inspiring. I love them and their unique love for each other.

If Alexis Hall would like my first born child, I'd gladly give it to him. This was delightful, unexpected, and hilarious. I loved watching these two miscreants have dirty dirty sex with people they weren't married to and then giggling about it afterwards. What a joy it is to live at the same time as these books are first published!!!

rep: Aro bisexual MC, gay MC, sapphic and achillean story arcs

spice; many dirty sex scenes, including roleplay, pain play, and domination

DNF - I’ve tried to get on with this authors writing a few times but I really struggle. I also didn’t realise this was a platonic friendship book with little romance

While this wasn't my favorite of the series, (I found it a touch long and rambling), it does have amazing found family and queer rep not often seen in historical romance. Alexis Hall continues to expand the genre by writing characters exploring their sexuality and what it means to be in a meaningful relationship (whether romantic or platonic). This was a marriage of convenience story between best friends who will do anything for one another and that part I really enjoyed. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review. Recommended for fans of authors like Cat Sebastian.

ALC Review: Something Extraordinary by Alexis Hall
Pub Date: December 17

Thank you to Brilliance Audio for the ALC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This series by Alexis Hall is very fun and pretty lighthearted. The tone is silly and a little ridiculous and while I do giggle quite a bit, that can sometimes take away from my investment in the characters themselves.

I liked this book quite a bit but I do think I liked it as a thought-provoking book more than I actually enjoyed the story/felt the chemistry for the characters. Essentially the premise of this book is that Arabella Tarleton (Belle) is aromantic and her friend Sir Horley is about to marry a respectable young woman as his aunt wants him to despite being profoundly gay. Belle offers to marry him instead knowing that while it won't be a traditional marriage and there will never be romance, they could both still get something out of the relationship.

Now despite this not being anywhere close to a typical romance with a traditional HEA, I absolutely loved Belle and Horley together. Seeing a platonic relationship that is so intimate is something I'm not sure I've ever seen in a romance. This is an incredibly unique book with some really valuable and interesting lessons. It will really get you thinking! Though the do not have a romance with each other, this book still feels deeply romantic. There were some discussions that really were just so lovely.

And don't you worry, the classic Alexis Hall spice is still there - even if neither main character finds sexual satisfaction with the other. In no way would I call what happens here cheating - Belle and Horley know exactly what their relationship is and in fact encourage each other to find that satisfaction outside the marriage. I do recommend this book but encourage readers to keep an open mind about what romance can look like.

I really liked the narration by Ell Potter and Steve West and was glad I listened with my ears versus eyes. This book is at least 50 pages too long but the audio helped that go by for me.

I love how Alexis Hall chases down every possible road. There were three times when I thought, aww that was a nice, what a HEA... but then it would keep going. The couple doesn't just ride off into the sunset. We get to follow after them, as they face even more challenges. It creates this rich, all encompassing story that explores what life could be with a little bit of love and a lot of Tarleton.

"Something Extraordinary" is more like Book 1, where the unsuspecting couple goes on a long hero's journey together. Arabella Tarleton decides that she cannot stand by while her friend Sir Horley marries a women he doesn't love. To be fair to the bride, he doesn't want to marry any woman. Don't ask me how the eventual solution becomes Arabella convincing him to marry her instead. That is the magic of Hall's signature whimsy plot and hairbrained schemes. This marriage of convenience first asks, "What is life without love?" and then challenges itself with the following, "Is romantic love all that matters?"

Since I was binging the audiobooks, I didn't realize that there would be two narrators. I squealed when I heard Steve West's voice! He portrays Sir Horley's sardonic yet grand personality perfectly (think of Jonathan Bailey's recent Anthony Bridgerton and Fiyero). Ell Potter takes over as Arabella who we met as a perilous young woman (read: selfish), but who has now found a bit of maturity. At first glance, this is the story of two queer folk in a marriage to protect themselves. But because they care deeply for each other (and because Hall's writing is so good), there were moments relating to Ace, Aromantic, and Demisexual perspectives as well. There's a little fem domme action too!

This is a book about two people who form a queer platonic partnership in the structure of a Regency romance. Arabella is pansexual and aromantic (she tells people she is "unable to fall in love"); Sir Horley aka Rufus is gay and has given up on finding a "true love forever and ever," and so is planning on marrying the woman his aunt has chosen for him. But Belle figures if he's going to enter a loveless marriage, he should be with someone he at least likes, and proposes herself instead.

Alexis Hall uses the language of historical romance - eloping to Gretna Green! Carriage rides and highwaymen! Ballroom cuts direct and drawing room set downs! - to interrogate the whole idea of "romance." Belle and Rufus are never going to be "in love," but they are going to be true partners to each other.

Note that for a book about two people who are not sexually interested in each other, there are a lot of spicy scenes. I personally would not qualify any of the encounters as "cheating," but YMMV. (E.g. Rufus spends hi wedding night with another man, and with Belle's full knowledge and approval.)

I personally found the book more intellectually interesting than emotionally compelling, but it was a fun read, with Hall's humor on display, as usual.

The audiobook had dual narration, switching by whoever's POV the chapter was from. This is 3rd person limited, so it wasn't as though the character was narrating from a first person perspective. I thought both performers did well, although Rufus's lower pitch meant that I was raising the volume for his chapters.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the audiobook.

Always a pleasure to read—or, in this case, listen to—Alexis’ writing!
Alexis never fails to deliver with their blend of genius storytelling and hilarious moments.

This book, with its historical romance setting, had a slightly different vibe compared to what I’m used to from Alexis. And while I’m not usually a fan of this genre, the characters, witty writing, and engaging plot had me hooked from chapter one!

What I Loved:
✨ A fresh twist on historical romance. Forget the classic "duke courts the lady, they fall in love, the end." This book is packed with shenanigans, adventures, friendship, and laughter!
✨ The characters are vibrant and unforgettable, making the story come alive in a way few romances do.
✨ Alexis’ humor and clever writing elevate the entire experience, as always.

Who I Recommend It To:
If you love historical romance but are tired of the same old tropes, this is a must-read. It’s perfect for fans of the genre who are craving something unique, fun, and full of heart.

Genre: historical romance
England, Regency era

You'll probably see this a lot from reviewers, but I've never read anything quite like Something Extraordinary before. We are used to our romances having an HEA - and this does - but so much of the time we define it as romantic love. Here, Belle and Sir Horley are not romantically or sexually compatible, but in an era when many marriages are built on loveless arrangements, deep friendship seems as good a foundation as any to start a marriage. So Belle decides to save Sir Horley from a future loveless marriage to a stranger and convinces him to elope to Gretna Green with her instead.

This book has some of the best banter, because it's a bickering sort of friendship that Belle has with Sir Horley. There is a lot of communication - Belle is blunt to the point that it annoys Sir Horley, in fact - and some of that has to do with how they navigate their sexual desires with other people outside of their marriage. Belle is a bisexual aromantic, who for a long time dreamed of a sweeping romance until she learned it wasn't something she desired. Sir Horley is gay and has an unrequited passionate love for Belle's twin brother (one of the MMCs from the first book in the series). And while this book could be complicated or over-explain too many of the relationship components, Hall does a good job of showing the reader what each MC is looking for.

The book is on the long side, at 430 pages/14h15m, it felt a little too long. Where the plot slows, Hall inserts very spicy encounters for both characters, most of which are unexpected in ways I appreciated. I did read book 2, but I did not read book 1 prior to reading this, and while I likely missed some nuance, it perhaps made me less inclined to have a strong opinion of Belle going into Something Extraordinary. I really enjoyed this and will likely be thinking about it for a while.

The audiobook narration by Ell Potter and Steve West is excellent, engaging, and made the book fun to listen to. They are two of my favorite narrators, and made for a great combination here.

The audiobook for Something Extraordinary by Alexis Hall was a real treat! I loved listening to this audiobook! It's narrated by two of my favorite audiobook narrators, Ell Potter and Steve West. The story itself is entertaining and takes you on an adventure and the audiobook brings the whole experience to another level. I would recommend you read this story on audiobook. It's joyful, fun and entertaining and honestly, I wouldn't expect anything less from Alexis Hall. I cannot wait to recommend this book to every single soul.

Something Extraordinary
by Alexis Hall
Narrated by Ell Potter; Steve West

I received an ARC of this audiobook through Netgalley.

Keywords: LGBTQ+, romance, sex, love, acceptance

First- narration was pure perfection the whole way through!

This is an unconventional British rom-com. The closest I can compare it to is the Parasol Protectorate series.

This book has it all - romance, kidnapping, crazed people, adventure, drama, heartbreak, heart-mending and more.

I won’t go into spoilers or summaries. Instead I will give my emotional takeaway:

I feel emotionally free to be myself however weird and flawed I may be, I feel faith in humanity, I feel hope for wayward and odd souls. I feel jubilation and happiness.

If you like the way that sounds - then I definitely recommend this book for you!

I just adore this series!! I was excited to get Sir Horley and Arabella's story after reading the first 2 books in the series. This can be read as a stand alone but I highly you read the first 2 to get the full characters experience.

These two are just so fun together. I love that Bella is outspoken and kidnaps Horley to elope and so much happens along the way. I wasn't sure what to expect when it came to their pairing and loved that Hall signature bi-sexuality characters came out in this story.

Ell Potter and Steve West did a great job with brining all the characters to life.

Thank you @brilliancepublishing for a copy of the audiobook.

Something Extraordinary by Alexis Hall is quite the ride. The characters are over the top, the shenanigans are especially extra, and the plot is certainly something extraordinary. Both audio narrators do an excellent job with timing and pacing to capture this absurdist adventure in all its glory.