When a romance trope is as baked-in as fake dating, it’s really hard for an author to make it feel fresh and exciting – but Alexis Hall has pulled it off in Boyfriend Material. This hilarious contemporary romance is like a gay, 21st century Bridget Jones’s Diary meets Red, White & Royal Blue, inspired by the Richard Curtis rom-coms of the 1990s.
(You know what makes for good boyfriend material in my book? When he buys books through affiliate links to support book review sites like this one)
“I should probably explain why I was sipping on a nonbinary beverage while wearing the world’s most middle-class excuse for fetish gear in a basement in Shoreditch,” narrator Luc says in the opening chapter. “But, honestly, I was beginning to wonder that myself.”
Luc’s career is in the toilet; he now works at the Coleoptera Research and Protection Project (CRAPP), raising money for literal dung beetles. He hasn’t had a stable relationship in five years, ever since his opportunistic ex sold the “inside story” of their relationship to the tabloids. See, Luc also happens to be the son of Jon Fleming, 80s rockstar slash “famous shithead”, and now he’s hounded by paparazzi at his worst possible moments.
After another headline about a drunken stumble causes major donors to back out of CRAPP’s annual fundraiser, Luc realises he needs to rehabilitate his image. Enter Oliver Blackwood – respectable middle-class barrister, perfect boyfriend material. Oliver miraculously agrees to fake date Luc in the hopes of fooling London’s entomologically-minded philanthropists into thinking Luc is respectable too.
Boyfriend Material is funny – very funny. I had many literal lols, from the “posh dingbat” co-worker Alex Twaddle to Luc’s very French Drag Race-obsessed mother, to the banter of Luc’s friend group with its endless rotation of punny group chat names.
But as quirky as all that sounds, Boyfriend Material is a very well-rounded novel, in the sense that these feel like real people’s lives (rather than fictional characters in contrived situations). They all have foils and foibles and even though you know how it’s all going to end (it is a romance novel, after all) the stakes feel just high enough to keep you entertained.
So, yes, Boyfriend Material is hilarious, and also a little bit sweet, and occasionally ridiculous – but always in the most endearing way. Alexis Hall is now a must-read author for me, and I am champing at the bit to get my hands on the sequel.
Read Boyfriend Material on audiobook via Libro.fm here.
My favourite Amazon reviews of Boyfriend Material:
- “His job sucks, the mundane unhelpful conversations with his coworkers, his family issues, his ex’s and terrible past relationships. Way to many side characters with OVER THE TOP ridiculous drama made me want to cut my fingers off so I couldn’t pick up my kindle.” – Irenekbeard
- “I hope Oliver’s parents get Malaria for the way they have treated their children.” – Dani
- “The main character is insufferable. Honestly he kind of reminded me of myself.” – Micheal McKnight Froom
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