'Boyfriend Material' by Alexis Hall follows the story of Luc O'Donnell, a minor celebrity trying to improve his reputation to save his job. Luc agrees to fake date Oliver Blackwood, who also needs a fake boyfriend, leading to a predictable yet fast-paced plot filled with tension and hilarious interactions between a cast of quirky characters. The book explores themes of self-worth, family bonds, and personal growth, all wrapped up in a charming rom-com narrative with witty banter and emotional depth.
Genres:
Tropes/Plot Devices:
Topics:
Notes:
Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings
Triggers include discussions of mental health issues, homophobia, and dysfunctional family dynamics.
Has Romance?
Yes, the romance is central to the story and well-developed.
From The Publisher:
It's a fun, frothy quintessentially British romcom about a certified chaos demon and a stern brunch daddy with a heart of gold faking a relationship.-New York Times bestselling author Talia Hibbert
AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH
Named a best book of the year by Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Goodreads, The Washington Post, and more
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.
Discover the LGBT romance about exact opposites falling in perfectly imperfect love that New York Times and USA Today bestselling author CHRISTINA LAUREN calls hilarious, witty, tender, and stunning.
Ratings (133)
Incredible (19) | |
Loved It (45) | |
Liked It (43) | |
It Was OK (11) | |
Did Not Like (13) | |
Hated It (2) |
Reader Stats (238):
Read It (126) | |
Currently Reading (1) | |
Want To Read (55) | |
Did Not Finish (5) | |
Not Interested (51) |
5 comment(s)
First five star review of 2023
The only complaint I have is that I can only read this book for the first time once.
I read this book coming off a book full of dark, heavy topics. The idea, based purely on the cover and the genre, was that this was an expected palate cleanser. Something to wash out the darkness and make room for something with more meat to it. In a way, it did exactly that but also more. Yes, the book is a lot more lighthearted and yes, I think it lives up to its genre. But additionally, the book is also just really incredibly well written. I cannot think of a single book in which the characters had life so vibrantly breathed into them. They were relatable, perfectly imperfect, and still largely likable. Luc and Oliver are real. I could have met them on the street. They're a bit strange, a bit out of reach in a way that fictional characters are allowed to be, but the writing portrays them in a uniquely intimate way that invites you to get to know them as friends rather than page through their lives as a voyeur.
The plot can get away from the story sometimes. For the most part, I found this a bit endearing. Things didn't exactly work out in the way that I expected them to for the sake of narrative effect, but rather how they would likely work out in the real world. Imperfectly, messily, and chaotically - all staples of Luc's personality.
I think the tropes were done well, with enough twist on them to be fresh. Hall does a fantastic job of refusing to let their use sink into the realm of cliche and I can only be incredibly grateful. The book wouldn't be the same without the effort of keeping the story true to its heart. Amidst the romance is a lot of deep thought and personal, non-romantic character growth for both characters.
Favorite read this year so far, and favorite read in a long, long time.
The pacing could’ve been a lot faster
good humor, good queer rep, opposites attract trope
Just a wonderful British RomCom! I love the characters and it was so funny!
Snarky
What can you read after
Boyfriend Material?
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.
