Boyfriend Material

by Alexis Hall

[lessthelonely]

-- 2nd Review --
While this book is on the longer side, and I'd definitely cut one or two storylines from it (mainly, the whole daddy issues thing), it's an enjoyable book. It made me more than chuckle, even if the brand of humor often relies on cringe, which I admit is a brand of humor I specifically don't enjoy much. However, it's not all it is.

The romance is very sweet, and I do think it's one of the few books that makes a 3rd act breakup work, mainly because "breakups" are part of the plot. I enjoy it. I have the 3rd book in the universe ready to read in my nightstand but I might take a while. I also am thinking of buying the 2nd book to see what it's all about, I guess.

All and all, it's a good romantic comedy, emphasis on comedy, and it's pretty fun! While the book speaks to me in a very personal manner, I also think a bit of what I would consider very important for a romance is kept out. I also think the consumation of the romance, while very wholesome, left me wanting a bit more, even if I could appreciate it.

Because of that, I guess I'mma give it 4.5/5, but rounded down, for once.

-- 1st Review --
I never expected to like this book so much.

I don't want to take anything out of anyone's plate, but as a gay man, I usually find MLM Romance to be extremely lacking - my theory is that, because it's a genre DOMINATED by women, it always feels awfully fetishizing to read sex-related motions described to great and usually also graphic detail. Here's the thing: obviously not all MLM books are written by women, and not all MLM books written by women even get to lean on the fetishistic side...

But I guess I grew disillusioned with the MLM Contemporary Romance genre because the books in it tend to feel highly fetishizing or severely lacking in depth and flavor: either the relationship is set up way too quickly so the book can enter its sex descriptions, which I notice a lot of women enjoy and good for them, I guess; or... it does the exact same thing to make a plot out of breaking and resetting the relationship.

Now, I had on my mind this book was written by a woman. Why did I assume that? Well, because it's usually what happens. The name Alexis Hall did seem female, but then I reached the final page of this book and realized it was actually written by a queer man, and boy does it make sense!

This book will probably be seen as formulaic by many and, sorry to say, I'm pretty sure it is. I haven't read that many MLM Adult Romances because, as stated, I'm usually underwhelmed by them and I find a lot of interesting ones in the Young Adult genre... but this one knocked it out of the park. And I regret I didn't read it sooner, though I also don't regret it, because now it's time to wait for the sequel.

So, as I usually do, I'm going to go into technicals: this is a fake dating romance. People loved those and I decided to try one of them. It's now one of my favorite tropes, not only because of the execution of it in this book but also because I see its IMMENSE potential. In just this book, I understood why fake dating is a great trope, at least for me: it makes for the perfect internal conflict of I shouldn't, but I want to, and as Miss Natalie Wynn once said, That's how you build a plotline, kids. And that is captivating and enticing, since it is one of my favorite types of pining. Not being able to have someone just builds into the tension of wanting them, making it grow and grow. Truly great stuff.

Granted, there are some choices I don't get in this book: this could've gone for an awkward-but-hilarious-first-kiss but it didn't, though it didn't do so as a showcase of Luc's character. Oh, and on the topic of plotline... this book has none, but it truly goes to show that what I've recently seen Shonda Rhimes say about writing stories: If you base it on character, you can get away with anything. This book has no plot, but it's never boring. Is that allowed? Yeah, apparently. It's got great banter, though there were some British mannerisms I truly had to reread to understand from time to time, all was still very fun! Another choice I would like to complain about but kind of won't since I ate it the fuck up - that's how invested I was - were the little temporary roadblocks. They felt realistic and unnecessary, and I had a heart attack with each one, because if the book ended on a bad note I was going to riot as it'd all been fine a few pages ag- OK, I'll just stop there and leave it at that.

This book is hilarious and it has a couple of things I'd call gimmicks, like puns and infuriating characters who never get them - seriously, Alex, what the fuck is wrong with you? - though I guess that was the point. I felt for Luc at every single point of his struggles and Oliver... You're an S Tier love interest, character, person, man. And the fact that their banter was DELICIOUS to read and the best part of the book - and be sure to know that it all pays off in some of the best romance writing I've ever read so far... - made me want them to like each other from their very first non-date.

Side characters are also very much interesting, specially each of the lovebird's friend squad and Luc's mother.