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luxxltyd's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Graphic: Grief, Homophobia, and Death of parent
Minor: Eating disorder and Sexual content
booksthatburn's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I especially like how this deals with grief, and the complex emotions of losing someone who has been a major force in one's life, especially when they've mostly been a negative influence. Someone can be terrible and important, and that's often hard to deal with. The shape of their absence can leave an enormous wound, even if their presence was slow suffering.
HUSBAND MATERIAL could kind of make sense for someone who hadn't read BOYFRIEND MATERIAL, but the emotional roller coaster of the first book means that a lot of processing and establishing of various relationship dynamics took place in BOYFRIEND MATERIAL, with the characters moving forward here after a time jump and a new status quo to be disrupted by all these weddings.
I like the ending, it fits Oliver and Luc as individuals and as a couple. They are figuring out their relationship, not anyone else's, but it takes a while for them to understand what they actually want from the socially proscribed steps and ceremonies on the relationship escalator.
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Infidelity, Homophobia, Grief, Abandonment, Death of parent, Cursing, and Death
Minor: Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, Transphobia, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Body horror, and Excrement
levilore_'s review against another edition
- 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
Now the ending.
Throughout the different weddings, Luc and Oliver obviously have different opinions about what marriage means and in Oliver's case, he is still figuring out what being queer means for him. The other weddings celebrate the joy of marriage and how individualized the experience is for each couple. My main takeaway from the book was that for Luc and Oliver, the act of marriage isn't, well, that important. For them, not being married is more important because it's an act of protest. Neither of them really talk about why they want to be married, rather they are both focused on the expectations that they should want to get married. They already do all the things that a life partner does for each other. Luc shows this when he supports Oliver through his dad's death. Oliver supports Luc when they go to Miles' wedding. The only time their communication fully breaks down is when they are trying to plan an event neither of them want. For the characters, the ending makes sense. Is it extremely dramatic and surprising? Absolutely. But through that act, through their complete honesty with each other, they are able to have their version of what love means, which is them bailing on their own wedding, running into the rain, and making out. (I really enjoyed the sweet touch of the rainbow umbrellas)
In a larger context, I enjoyed this book because it explores the complexity of queerness and marriage. They talk about how marriage is an important right for queer people, but there is no right way to be queer. Having that conventional expression of love, for a relationship that started and continues to be unconventional, just doesn't work for them. And that's the point of the ending. Did it annoy me that they wasted all that time and money just to not get married? Yes, it did. Do I think they could have just had a big party and skipped the ceremony? Absolutely. But I think that's the whole point. From the outside, them running off looks absolutely ridiculous and stupid, but character wise it makes sense because honestly they are both kind of ridiculous and stupid. People want everything to be wrapped up in this beautiful bow of marriage = happiness but I think Alexis Hall uses this book to show how true queerness is about accepting that not being married, not having the flashy rainbow ceremony, should be just as beautiful as all those things. The idea of "love is love" should not just be "love is love if you follow the traditional normative conventions of how love should be expressed", but rather "love is complex and weird and that is beautiful too". And I personally think that is more impactful than them getting married in the first place.
Moderate: Death of parent, Cursing, Eating disorder, Body shaming, Sexism, Grief, Homophobia, Classism, Abandonment, Alcohol, Fatphobia, and Sexual content
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Gaslighting, Injury/Injury detail, Racism, Transphobia, Vomit, Cancer, Infidelity, and Excrement
its_vendetta's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Graphic: Death of parent and Homophobia
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Emotional abuse
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Eating disorder
bimblebop's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
The main character stayed equally insufferable (which retroactively made him more bearable with the time to adjust), but the male lead went from polite to a little stuffy. Which is all intentional, so there's that.
It was okay. It felt like one big LGBTQ+ party (I'm saying this as a lesbian) and in those ways it's always nice. But I don't feel like this book had anything special for me. It was more like catching up on my friends' and their friends' lives but I don't actually know them so I don't really care.
Moderate: Homophobia and Eating disorder
ruththereader96's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
. Lighthearted and funny, great to see the main characters and explore their friends a bit more as well
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Eating disorder
babyleo's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, and Sexual content
Minor: Racial slurs, Toxic relationship, Eating disorder, and Homophobia
kathis_wonderland's review against another edition
- 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
4.0
After absolutely loving the first book in this series, I was equally excited to read this one. Right at the beginning I have to say that the first book was so much better than the second book, but I am a sucker for the fake-dating trope. Still, I really enjoyed this book. It was good the read about their relationship going quite well (most of the times). Luc is still quite immature, which already annoyed me in the first book.
Throughout the book I was quite scared of the ending.
Now I am quite excited to read the third and last book in this series. I don't have the highest of hopes for the next book, but I enjoy these books. The writing style is different to those that I am used to and I like that. I still am a massive fan of the first book and will recommend that one whenever someone asks of my opinion.
Graphic: Cursing, Death of parent, Grief, and Homophobia
Moderate: Emotional abuse and Alcohol
Minor: Gaslighting, Vomit, Eating disorder, and Sexual content
amyteurhour's review against another edition
4.75
I enjoyed that Luc continued to grow and develop as a character in this book. I also think his friend group is fleshed out and less frustrating to read about. The ending, similar to Book 1, seemed a bit rushed and uneven.
Graphic: Homophobia and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity and Eating disorder
sam_gartley91's review against another edition
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Moderate: Vomit, Death of parent, and Homophobia
Minor: Sexual content and Eating disorder