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theespressoedition's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
In September 2021, I listened to the audiobook for Boyfriend Material and completely fell in love with the story. It was clever, witty, and adorable. Not long after reading that novel, I learned that there would be a sequel and I immediately added it to my TBR. I was so excited when I was approved for the audio ARC of Husband Material.
To start with, let me just say that the narration was fantastic! Just like the first, this one was performed by Joe Jameson who is absolutely ideal for the characters of Oliver and Luc. Truly, I don't think anyone could portray them as well as Joe does. Not only that, but Joe performs the other characters magnificently - no matter their sexual identity. That's not something that every voice actor can do well, so, major props!
The way that the plot was set up for Husband Material was much more predictable than its predecessor, in my opinion. From the weddings at the beginning, to the lack of confidence on Luc's part, to the desire to conform to a social construct and get married. Unfortunately, for me, it lacked the emotional depth that I was hoping for. That's not to say that there was a lack of emotion in general, but when things got challenging and conflict began to arise, rather than it being handled in a mature way, all of the characters took an almost comically immature and selfish approach. This threw me off just a little bit.
There was a very, very heavy storyline in the middle of the book and while there were elements of it that were navigated really well, so much of it made me feel like it wasn't serious enough? Obviously, that's a very personal feeling and I'm quite sure that others would've handled similar situations with the same approach that Luc and Oliver (and the rest of the gang) did. But for me, it seemed like some of the depth was missing.
For the majority of Husband Material, I felt as though the primary focus was the "miscommunication trope." Now, this is quite possibly the most disliked trope across the board for bookworms. It's frustrating and the whole time, you're pulling your hair, wishing that the characters would just talk with each other, already! So, I wrestled with the story as a whole.
As with the first book, I loved the characters. I appreciate the growth that some of them went through, and there were many excellent discussions about sexuality that I really have no business touching on because it would not be OwnVoices. However, I appreciated the way that they were brought up because it provided more information to keep in my own back pocket. The CRAPP gang was especially hilarious with their ridiculous hijinks, and I absolutely loved learning more about Priya, Bridget, and the James Royce Royces. These characters were what kept me invested in the book more than anything else.
The ending is a HFN (happily-for-now). To some, that would be frustrating, but I found it to be more realistic. While the last few chapters seemed a bit rushed, I did like the very end much more than I expected to, considering my slightly frustrated feelings throughout the majority of the book.
This sequel isn't one that I would find myself reading again, but I did like finding out what was going on in the lives of the London Calling gang!
To start with, let me just say that the narration was fantastic! Just like the first, this one was performed by Joe Jameson who is absolutely ideal for the characters of Oliver and Luc. Truly, I don't think anyone could portray them as well as Joe does. Not only that, but Joe performs the other characters magnificently - no matter their sexual identity. That's not something that every voice actor can do well, so, major props!
The way that the plot was set up for Husband Material was much more predictable than its predecessor, in my opinion. From the weddings at the beginning, to the lack of confidence on Luc's part, to the desire to conform to a social construct and get married. Unfortunately, for me, it lacked the emotional depth that I was hoping for. That's not to say that there was a lack of emotion in general, but when things got challenging and conflict began to arise, rather than it being handled in a mature way, all of the characters took an almost comically immature and selfish approach. This threw me off just a little bit.
There was a very, very heavy storyline in the middle of the book and while there were elements of it that were navigated really well, so much of it made me feel like it wasn't serious enough? Obviously, that's a very personal feeling and I'm quite sure that others would've handled similar situations with the same approach that Luc and Oliver (and the rest of the gang) did. But for me, it seemed like some of the depth was missing.
For the majority of Husband Material, I felt as though the primary focus was the "miscommunication trope." Now, this is quite possibly the most disliked trope across the board for bookworms. It's frustrating and the whole time, you're pulling your hair, wishing that the characters would just talk with each other, already! So, I wrestled with the story as a whole.
As with the first book, I loved the characters. I appreciate the growth that some of them went through, and there were many excellent discussions about sexuality that I really have no business touching on because it would not be OwnVoices. However, I appreciated the way that they were brought up because it provided more information to keep in my own back pocket. The CRAPP gang was especially hilarious with their ridiculous hijinks, and I absolutely loved learning more about Priya, Bridget, and the James Royce Royces. These characters were what kept me invested in the book more than anything else.
The ending is a HFN (happily-for-now). To some, that would be frustrating, but I found it to be more realistic. While the last few chapters seemed a bit rushed, I did like the very end much more than I expected to, considering my slightly frustrated feelings throughout the majority of the book.
This sequel isn't one that I would find myself reading again, but I did like finding out what was going on in the lives of the London Calling gang!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Misogyny, Homophobia, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol, Religious bigotry, and Vomit
readingthroughinfinity's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Homophobia, Grief, and Cursing
Minor: Abandonment, Alcohol, and Emotional abuse
miriam_in_life's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent and Grief
Moderate: Homophobia and Vomit
Minor: Eating disorder, Toxic relationship, and Transphobia
craftyhilary's review against another edition
emotional
funny
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
In preparation for reading this book (thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for this honest review!), I re-read Boyfriend Material, which definitely holds up. It's one of the few books that caused me to genuinely laugh out loud repeatedly, and even though I knew what was coming this time, I still found the humor hilarious and the emotional stuff intense.
Husband Material is, in many ways, a very different book. We get the same large and delightful cast of characters, which was wonderful. But rather than a single narrative arc, it uses the "four weddings and a funeral" model (quite literally), in which a series of major events cause the main characters to more fully examine their relationship and how it fits (or doesn't) within cultural norms.
I don't remember if I had this initial reaction to Boyfriend Material, but I found Husband Material incredibly stressful, to the point that I skimmed some bits because my anxiety was spiraling. Luc and Oliver are such a wonderful couple that I was desperately worried about them every time they had a disagreement.
I think the questions raised here -- the heteronormative nature of traditional marriage, the communities with which we do or don't identify, the fraught relationships we have even with family we love -- are fascinating and well-expressed. That said, this felt a bit disjointed as a side effect of the narrative structure, and I felt as if we kept revisiting and not resolving a lot of questions till the end, where things were wrapped up a bit too neatly for me.
All that said, I enjoyed Husband Material a great deal, and I suspect I'll like it even better on the re-read, when I won't be so stressed out about everyone's happiness!
Husband Material is, in many ways, a very different book. We get the same large and delightful cast of characters, which was wonderful. But rather than a single narrative arc, it uses the "four weddings and a funeral" model (quite literally), in which a series of major events cause the main characters to more fully examine their relationship and how it fits (or doesn't) within cultural norms.
I don't remember if I had this initial reaction to Boyfriend Material, but I found Husband Material incredibly stressful, to the point that I skimmed some bits because my anxiety was spiraling. Luc and Oliver are such a wonderful couple that I was desperately worried about them every time they had a disagreement.
I think the questions raised here -- the heteronormative nature of traditional marriage, the communities with which we do or don't identify, the fraught relationships we have even with family we love -- are fascinating and well-expressed. That said, this felt a bit disjointed as a side effect of the narrative structure, and I felt as if we kept revisiting and not resolving a lot of questions till the end, where things were wrapped up a bit too neatly for me.
All that said, I enjoyed Husband Material a great deal, and I suspect I'll like it even better on the re-read, when I won't be so stressed out about everyone's happiness!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent, Homophobia, and Grief
purplepenning's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Luc and Oliver, four weddings and a funeral style? Absolutely charming and funny.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Homophobia
dododenise's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Update: Review of the whole book
Frankly, this book left me conflicted. Coming fresh out of the ending I completely understand why it is the way that it is. And yet I wish it was different. And I wish it wasn’t as rushed and I could be in the moment of the meaning of that ending more.
But I need to talk about the rest of the book as well. And I really enjoyed that. Alexis’ writing is so much fun. It’s amusing and weird and it makes me smile. I don’t really care about any of these characters to be honest, but the way this is written is enough for me to enjoy myself.
Luc is a mess. Oliver is a mess. They are a wonderful mess together that somehow (sometimes) works. And I’m glad I read this second book and look into their characters more. Because even though I might not like them all that much, Alexis makes me want to read about them anyway.
————
I only read the first five chapters as a preview!
Husband Material is a wonderful continuation of the story of Boyfriend Material. If you liked Boyfriend Material, you will like this one as well. It feels very much the same. Luc is very much the same disaster he has ever been, but happier and with slightly better coping mechanisms. And Oliver is still the same dream boyfriend who is quietly trying to deal with his problems. Of course, in these first five chapters, many more problems arise which feel very much like a continuation of Boyfriend Material. Especially the character arcs had room to be expanded after the first book and so far it very much looks like that is what is happening for this one.
When I first heard about a second part coming out I wasn't sure whether I needed a sequel. I was happy with the ending of Boyfriend Material. This preview, however, is making me question that. Some interesting arcs are being opened and I am curious to see how they will develop.
Frankly, this book left me conflicted. Coming fresh out of the ending I completely understand why it is the way that it is. And yet I wish it was different. And I wish it wasn’t as rushed and I could be in the moment of the meaning of that ending more.
But I need to talk about the rest of the book as well. And I really enjoyed that. Alexis’ writing is so much fun. It’s amusing and weird and it makes me smile. I don’t really care about any of these characters to be honest, but the way this is written is enough for me to enjoy myself.
Luc is a mess. Oliver is a mess. They are a wonderful mess together that somehow (sometimes) works. And I’m glad I read this second book and look into their characters more. Because even though I might not like them all that much, Alexis makes me want to read about them anyway.
————
I only read the first five chapters as a preview!
Husband Material is a wonderful continuation of the story of Boyfriend Material. If you liked Boyfriend Material, you will like this one as well. It feels very much the same. Luc is very much the same disaster he has ever been, but happier and with slightly better coping mechanisms. And Oliver is still the same dream boyfriend who is quietly trying to deal with his problems. Of course, in these first five chapters, many more problems arise which feel very much like a continuation of Boyfriend Material. Especially the character arcs had room to be expanded after the first book and so far it very much looks like that is what is happening for this one.
When I first heard about a second part coming out I wasn't sure whether I needed a sequel. I was happy with the ending of Boyfriend Material. This preview, however, is making me question that. Some interesting arcs are being opened and I am curious to see how they will develop.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Death of parent, Grief, Homophobia, Cursing, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Racism, Eating disorder, and Vomit
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