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A review by thestorydragon
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
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
4.0
Pros:
✨Authentic Romance
✨Queer Representation
✨Character Development and Relationships
✨Interwoven Plots
✨Easy Read
Cons:
✨Spotty Pacing
✨Chaotic Character Voice (Could not have read this without the audio narration)
This was yet another fast, easy, cute read, which is par the course for a rom-com. We follow chaotic, eccentric, anxiety-ridden Luc O’Donnell who, despite only being famous-by-association, must navigate the world of the recognized while hating the attention. When a drunken escaped leads to donors pulling out of the charity drive for his non-profit gig, he fake dates put-together, tight-laced Barrister, Oliver Blackwood. Despite quite enjoying this read, I don’t think I would have made it through the frenzied voice of Luc without the audiobook version. I cannot praise Joe Jameson enough. He brought Luc to life, and it truly felt like this was a real person relaying his life to us, not a character from a book.
Though the plot here was meh, I found myself taken by the characters and their relationships. Luc and his mother were adorable and absolute treasures together. The people Luc worked with at the dung beetle nonprofit were absolute characters, and I cackled at basically every interaction between them all. I also enjoyed the thought-provoking interactions between Luc and his dad, which were messy and complicated and that(in my opinion, rightfully so) left this parental figure as a villain who weaponized manipulation and gaslighting . Oliver and Luc slotted together so well, not only because they balanced one another out personality wise, but because, as people who communicated quite differently, they still managed to communicate thoroughly. Even when there were misinterpretations, each character would actually hear out the other character as they tried to explain how they messed up and the thought process that led them to such disastrous choice. There really was so much to enjoy here, even if the pacing did flag in places.
✨Authentic Romance
✨Queer Representation
✨Character Development and Relationships
✨Interwoven Plots
✨Easy Read
Cons:
✨Spotty Pacing
✨Chaotic Character Voice (Could not have read this without the audio narration)
This was yet another fast, easy, cute read, which is par the course for a rom-com. We follow chaotic, eccentric, anxiety-ridden Luc O’Donnell who, despite only being famous-by-association, must navigate the world of the recognized while hating the attention. When a drunken escaped leads to donors pulling out of the charity drive for his non-profit gig, he fake dates put-together, tight-laced Barrister, Oliver Blackwood. Despite quite enjoying this read, I don’t think I would have made it through the frenzied voice of Luc without the audiobook version. I cannot praise Joe Jameson enough. He brought Luc to life, and it truly felt like this was a real person relaying his life to us, not a character from a book.
Though the plot here was meh, I found myself taken by the characters and their relationships. Luc and his mother were adorable and absolute treasures together. The people Luc worked with at the dung beetle nonprofit were absolute characters, and I cackled at basically every interaction between them all. I also enjoyed the thought-provoking interactions between Luc and his dad, which were messy and complicated and that