Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall // Book Review

I started reading this book because I was a little bit in my head. The past couple of days have been tough for me, so I decided to give myself a break and read something lighthearted and fun. This book did not disappoint!

Here’s More About Boyfriend Material

Wanted:
One (fake) boyfriend
Practically perfect in every way

Luc O’Donnell is tangentially–and reluctantly–famous. His rock star parents split when he was young, and the father he’s never met spent the next twenty years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad’s making a comeback, Luc’s back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything.

To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice, normal relationship…and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He’s a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and he’s never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. In other words: perfect boyfriend material. Unfortunately apart from being gay, single, and really, really in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common. So they strike a deal to be publicity-friendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust has settled. Then they can go their separate ways and pretend it never happened.

But the thing about fake-dating is that it can feel a lot like real-dating. And that’s when you get used to someone. Start falling for them. Don’t ever want to let them go.

My Thoughts

Why do I find the books I really love the most difficult to review? This was such a funny and light read filled with lots of emotions and heart. It reminded me a lot of Bridget Jones’ Diary. Except instead of it being Bridget falling in love with Mark Darcy, it’s Luc falling in love with Mark Darcy. Of course, it’s not entirely like Bridget, but it has a lot of the same characterizations. It features a messy Luc who’s trying to figure out his life, but also needing a boyfriend for the big non profit dinner. It has the straight-laced Oliver (who is also a barrister like Mark Darcy) who has one of those personalities that makes you surprised that he’s fallen in love with someone. Then, it’s got the cast of secondary characters that really bring this book to life. I loved the secondary characters as much as I loved Luc and Oliver.

And let me tell you, folks. We must protect Luc and Oliver with everything we have! Their relationship throughout the novel was really the star of the show. I know there’s some side story with Luc and his parents, but it really was Luc and Oliver that I was looking for in every chapter. I loved how they grew from two very opposite people to people who love each other for it. Luc is kinda messy while he’s trying to figure out the next part of his life. Oliver is so grown up and serious, but also opens up like a big old sunflower.

But I think what I absolutely loved was the tenderness between these two. As their charade continues, you start to see Luc and Oliver fall in love a little. You see Luc get a little bit more awkward trying to impress Oliver and you see Oliver open up from his uptight persona. There was a caring between these two that made me so jealous. Even the sex scene was more romantic than the sex scenes of my real life. Gah, I have to admit I was falling in love with love with this book.

I laughed so hard at this book too. This is one of those books that are supported by the secondary characters. There were so many funny lines and scenes. I mean even calling Luc’s job a non-profit support “beetles that eat shit” is hilarious. OMG, I must give props to a book that uses “bellend” throughout the novel. I mean, it’s an English story so I’m not surprised that it’s used, but I’ve never heard anyone outside of Jeremy Clarkson on Top Gear use it. LOL! Yup, that’s the humor in this book, folks.

Of course, lots of representation in this book as well. I loved that Alexis Hall made this feel like a book in England with all the different faces and people that inhabit the story. And he didn’t skimp on bringing these characters to life. Each was so real to me and made the story much more fun and interesting to read.

Overall, a lovable story with so much queer joy. I’ve never read anything else by Alexis Hall, but this has most definitely put him on my radar.