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A review by vibrantcolours
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
emotional
funny
hopeful
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I went into this one without checking plot or reviews, and I was <b>surprised in such a good way</b>. Basically everything I hope for in a rom-com was there, and the aspects I’d rather avoid were absent. In short: this was funny, warm-hearted (but not without teeth), and surprisingly moving and full of growth.
This was one of my favourite narrators in a long time. The dry humour, wordplay, and witty metaphors also had me laughing out loud while reading, which rarely happens. Like, I was over here highlighting lines. Humour is so personal & socially based, so your mileage may vary.
Beyond the style, I also loved how Luc was… such a mess, and aware he was a mess, but somehow still likeable—and yet he also got stronger in a convincing and likeable way? His POV was fun and I feel like I’ve seen comparable narrations really fall flat in a way this didn’t. I also have no idea how I evaded feeling secondhand embarrassment for Luc; maybe his intense self-awareness ends up redirecting the “oh no” to empathy. Like, he’s not a super “nice” person all the time, but he consciously takes steps to be better to the people in his life. It helps that the narration isn’t trying to take itself too seriously, even as it touches on actual issues and feelings.
The relationship was also lovely. I thought the initial buildup was a nice balance of <i>they obviously like each other</i> (and realize they like the other person) but there’s enough plausible deniability there it makes sense they wouldn’t believe the other person likes them, exactly.
I love that yes, they’re obviously into each other (even if it’s not entirely clear at first), but that their relationship is built out of emotional intimacy and domesticity without the pressure of it being “real”. For example, the part of inviting Oliver to casual time with Luc’s mom and Judy was so sweet. When they finally, <i>finally</i> have a couple of key conversations (namely in the cleaned house and later the positive one through a bathroom door) it is cathartic.
I didn’t really enjoy the final-act disasters, namelythe family dinner from hell and the harsher breakup , but I understand it’s an important plot beat, and I like that this time’s breakup & reconciliation sort of fixed a potential power imbalance & helped them see each other more fully . Also, Luc’s friends are so there for him.
Returning to character development, I really liked Luc’s growth throughout the book (helped by Oliver but also his friends) and how he becomes more comfortable in his skin enough to let people in in a different way, unsharpening his edges a little bit (except for when it’s all in good fun). Like, “jerk with banter who dgaf” is fun to read, but later we actively see him decide when it’s a good time to prod, and when he wants to support someone with a bit of extra sensitivity etc. And omg if the cleaning with friends montage didn’t just warm my little heart. But I also like that Oliver obviously had his own stuff as well and that he got to address that a bit as well.
Tropes etc.:fake dating, slow burn, sort of famous MC, pining, miscommunication (less than I’d expect), only one bed. A little spicy later but essentially fade to black.
In terms of subverting tropes: I’m neutral to fake dating, butI really liked that we avoided an “omg it’s actually fake!!” reveal or an overwrought one-sided “he thinks this is fake but I love him” thing. Like, Luc is in denial but aware he’s drawn to Oliver, and surprisingly early they have a mature “this feels real to both of us, how will we move forward etc.” convo . I was surprised at the father subplot resolution but I thought it worked.
Boundaries etc.:That first, brief kiss without consent gave me the ick, but I really like how it wasn’t brushed off immediately - it was addressed multiple times, like how it wasn’t intended that way but also really wasn’t okay, and both people were super clear on boundaries and consent afterwards. It was also very much a character moment for both of them rather than a “just because” moment.
In short, I vaguely expected an okay rom-com... but I read this in 2 seconds flat and ended up really vibing with the writing, characters, and development.
This was one of my favourite narrators in a long time. The dry humour, wordplay, and witty metaphors also had me laughing out loud while reading, which rarely happens. Like, I was over here highlighting lines. Humour is so personal & socially based, so your mileage may vary.
Beyond the style, I also loved how Luc was… such a mess, and aware he was a mess, but somehow still likeable—and yet he also got stronger in a convincing and likeable way? His POV was fun and I feel like I’ve seen comparable narrations really fall flat in a way this didn’t. I also have no idea how I evaded feeling secondhand embarrassment for Luc; maybe his intense self-awareness ends up redirecting the “oh no” to empathy. Like, he’s not a super “nice” person all the time, but he consciously takes steps to be better to the people in his life. It helps that the narration isn’t trying to take itself too seriously, even as it touches on actual issues and feelings.
The relationship was also lovely. I thought the initial buildup was a nice balance of <i>they obviously like each other</i> (and realize they like the other person) but there’s enough plausible deniability there it makes sense they wouldn’t believe the other person likes them, exactly.
I love that yes, they’re obviously into each other (even if it’s not entirely clear at first), but that their relationship is built out of emotional intimacy and domesticity without the pressure of it being “real”. For example, the part of inviting Oliver to casual time with Luc’s mom and Judy was so sweet. When they finally, <i>finally</i> have a couple of key conversations (namely in the cleaned house and later the positive one through a bathroom door) it is cathartic.
I didn’t really enjoy the final-act disasters, namely
Returning to character development, I really liked Luc’s growth throughout the book (helped by Oliver but also his friends) and how he becomes more comfortable in his skin enough to let people in in a different way, unsharpening his edges a little bit (except for when it’s all in good fun). Like, “jerk with banter who dgaf” is fun to read, but later we actively see him decide when it’s a good time to prod, and when he wants to support someone with a bit of extra sensitivity etc. And omg if the cleaning with friends montage didn’t just warm my little heart. But I also like that Oliver obviously had his own stuff as well and that he got to address that a bit as well.
Tropes etc.:
In terms of subverting tropes: I’m neutral to fake dating, but
Boundaries etc.:
In short, I vaguely expected an okay rom-com... but I read this in 2 seconds flat and ended up really vibing with the writing, characters, and development.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content