Reviews

Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall

lauramccarthy's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted medium-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

3.25

chloekaiwong's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-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

5.0

maramalade's review against another edition

funny lighthearted medium-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

4.5

I tried to avoid this book for a long time bc it looked too British and from the title it seemed dumb but it got me eventually and man I gotta say I really enjoyed it. At first I was worried the main character would just be a terrible person the whole time, but he almost immediately becomes endearing once he and the love interest start bantering. The coworker with brain damage is down-right delightful as well and I almost never laugh out loud this much with a book so what can I say it was cute and I liked it yay gay rights

curiousgeorge_h's review against another edition

challenging emotional funny hopeful tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

bengaliyaoi's review against another edition

2.0

I’m starting to think the romance genre isn’t for me, because my eyes were just glazing over the entirety of this book, except for the existence of the best character in the book—Alex, of course—who I honestly thought would have been the romantic lead, and I’m gonna be honest, would have been way funnier and interesting to me. Then again, I have no idea what people typically like when it comes to romance, and I can see why people would liken this to RWRB. There’s that style of writing that some people think is funny and charming but I find vaguely irritating in the way I find white people trying to be funny irritating most of the time, there’s the vaguely diverse group of friends that’s there, being vaguely diverse (this just being Priya who is Muslim, which is crazy because Priya is as Hindu a name as I can conceive of, but who cares, there’ve been worse things in life), there’s the snarky main character who’s biracial (like, French and English, which as I understand might as well be vaguely ethnic to British people) and the uptight blonde dude that’s there being sexy and constipated. Interestingly, it also shares a commonality with RWRB in that they both make an off color reference to American imperialism and violence that just jars you, because it reminds you that these books are written for an audience that decidedly excludes people like me and my friends, while also trying to pretend that it isn’t. People of color are largely ornamental here, which I’m not disappointed about and I’ve just sort of expected from books like these written by white queer people—but it feels like there’s a difference between knowing this, and seeing it in action. I’m sure this isn’t the kind of book where I’m even supposed to care about, because who cares about the optics of representation when two white gay dudes are having a go at each other through fake dating tropes or whatever, and I know these books are largely meant to be escapist fantasies. But what kinds of romance books are people escaping into? Books where (ex?)Muslim South Asians lesbians are just inexplicably hanging out with nobody but white people? Books that make a one-liner out of a war? Again, I’m sure I’m hand wringing over things that nobody cares about but me. But I’m starting to think that books written by white queers and touted as feel-good romance books and escapist fantasies are books that are catered to the kind of person that doesn’t want to think about these things, which is a luxury that quite a few people want to enjoy. I won’t begrudge them that. But I will wonder.

Anyways, two stars because I really liked Alex♥️

martapaviaa's review against another edition

5.0

Me ha encantado, porfavor Oliver 1000 puntos por leer La Canción de Aquiles sos. Gracias Luc.

sarahrhea745's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

chychy386's review against another edition

emotional funny medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

I found this book so cute to be honest like I loved how this started off with them having history with knowing each other before they got into this whole mess. I also loved how even tho there was times where they didn’t agree and they got into fights and luc would push away, Oliver would be there for him and not let him pull away in a sense. I also found it so amazing how the book they became better people together to the point that they were fighting for each other. The ending scene where luc came to Oliver’s house and declared his love for him but then got shot down was really sad to read but then Oliver came back and IN THE RAIN might I add to allow himself to feel and be with Luc was so cute it felt like a movie it was just so cute. I really hope they make a movie out of this book. 

callmejillian's review against another edition

funny hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

yourpalmal's review against another edition

funny medium-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

3.75