“The apotheosis of the rom-com.” —Entertainment Weekly, A+ ReviewNamed a best book of the year by Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Goodreads, The Washington Post, and more!
WANTED:One (fake) boyfriendPractically perfect in every way
Luc O’Donnell is tangentially—and reluctantly—famous. His rock star parents split when he was young, and the father he’s never met spent the next twenty years … rock star parents split when he was young, and the father he’s never met spent the next twenty years cruising in and out of rehab. Now that his dad’s making a comeback, Luc’s back in the public eye, and one compromising photo is enough to ruin everything.
To clean up his image, Luc has to find a nice, normal relationship…and Oliver Blackwood is as nice and normal as they come. He’s a barrister, an ethical vegetarian, and he’s never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. In other words: perfect boyfriend material. Unfortunately, apart from being gay, single, and really, really in need of a date for a big event, Luc and Oliver have nothing in common. So they strike a deal to be publicity-friendly (fake) boyfriends until the dust has settled. Then they can go their separate ways and pretend it never happened.
But the thing about fake-dating is that it can feel a lot like real-dating. And that’s when you get used to someone. Start falling for them. Don’t ever want to let them go.
Discover the LGBT romance about exact opposites falling in perfectly imperfect love that New York Times and USA Today bestselling author CHRISTINA LAUREN calls “hilarious, witty, tender, and stunning.”
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So, Boyfriend Material. I went into this book expecting, or maybe hoping, for a romantic comedy that would take me away for a while. Things are entirely too serious right now, and I could really use some of those deep down belly laughs. From all the hype, I expected just that, and it is amusing, funny even. But I didn’t find those take me away from it all laughs I was looking for. I think this one was just a bit too over the top for me, and it was compounded by a slow burn romance that’s drawn out more than I care for in a RomCom. That’s not to say it’s a bad story – it’s really not. In terms of fake boyfriend romances, it’s got a good premise, and the author does give us plenty of amusing characters in addition to the romantic couple, who are a bit of a hot mess. Maybe this one just wasn’t the book for me right now. It’s certainly been very well received, so I am in the minority, but it is what it is. In the end, this one wasn’t the laugh-fest I was hoping for, but it is an amusing romance, leaving me somewhere in the fair to middlin range.
I absolutely adored this audiobook. I admit to being an Alexis Hall fan. Yet this differs from some of my other favorites in that it is quite a bit lighter and solidly in the RomCom category. This is also a great fit when in the mood for a romance with a little less steam and not as graphically detailed.
Told entirely first person from Luc’s point of view this is a fantastic story of opposites attract, fake boyfriend, personal growth and healing. Add in unique mix of personal angst and laugh out loud situations and I was sucked into the story from the opening chapter. While it wasn’t overly emotional, there were definitely a few tears and general anguish for Luc and Oliver. While friends, family, & coworkers almost verge on being caricatures – the fact is that we all know people exactly like this in our lives and it gives an added level of reality for the listener.
This is the kind of audio that I will happily find myself regularly listening to because of all the amazing feelings it evokes. And because Joe Jameson was absolutely the PERFECT choice for this book. His voices, accents, inflections, and emotions were unique for each character and flawlessly consistent throughout the book. Luc and Oliver managed to be completely distinct yet totally sexy in their own ways.
I listened to the audiobook in two sittings, because I was totally hooked on the humor, the story, and the narrator. The British snark is THE best (says the Brit Girl who has been feeling horribly homesick) and the characters are fabulously quirky and broken. I think BOYFRIEND MATERIAL would appeal to fans of LOVE ACTUALLY and RED, WHITE, AND ROYAL BLUE. I miss Luc and Oliver and their mad friends, and the snappy dialogue. This is COVID escapism at its best, and I laughed out loud so many times I lost count. Thank you, Alexis Hall!
*ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
I’ve been sort of done with the whole “fake relationship” trope. That is until I found out Alexis Hall was releasing Boyfriend Material and well, you know how you tend to make exceptions for authors you like/trust? I made that exception here and let me tell you, I am IN LOVE with Boyfriend Material!!
Boyfriend Material’s charm has everything to do with Hall’s writing. I honestly love the way he writes and phrases things and emotions and moments. Oftentimes they’re amusing anecdotes and other times they’re absolute gems of clarity. In Luc and Oliver, I also saw a little bit of me. Who hasn’t gone through that insecure feeling that they’re not worthy of love and attention? When that kindness is directed at Luc and Oliver, it’s almost an alien-like feeling. Luc has learned to be super protective about himself and is highly cynical of new friendships or attention because he’s been a magnet for the gossip rags. Thanks to the antics of his famous parents, and especially his neglectful father, Luc’s been in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. When that spotlight threatens his job he has to find a way to clean up his image. The problem is solved somewhat when his best friend hooks him up with Oliver, a lawyer whose pedigree and refined mannerisms are the exact opposite of Luc’s. But since they both could use some help with their love life, they go for it – fake dating to appease Luc’s employer and Oliver’s family.
What makes this story standout for me aside from the writing is how Luc and Oliver’s characters are developed. Relationship-averse Luc almost self-sabotages their arrangement a few times but it’s Oliver who redirects with kindness and reassurance. In fact, I was so blown away by how he helped Luc through his more neurotic moments that I might have gotten a little jealous of Luc. Then when the table is turned and Luc is the one providing all the support and encouragement to Oliver … it’s just remarkable how much growth took place for him to even venture outside of his comfort zone to be a friend to Oliver in return.
I’ve been anxious lately about a number of things so I savoured every single second I had reading Boyfriend Material. It was an entirely delightful escape that gave me several moments of laugh out loud joy. I appreciated Luc’s self-deprecating humour, I loved Oliver’s dry retorts to Luc’s silliness. They balanced each other so well and I definitely liked how their relationship gradually deepened. I also enjoyed all the quirky side characters. They just own their quirkiness. I giggled through any scene where Luc interacted with his somewhat dimwitted co-workers because they were so far out there it was hard not to love them.
It’s truly intimidating to write a review after reading something so perfect so I hope it’s sufficient to say that Boyfriend Material is one of my favourites of 2020. Top 5, for sure! It was also educational because it taught me what ‘versimilitude’ is And I do believe that this will be a comfort read for me, one I revisit for its amusing and enigmatic personalities, and its happily ever after!
~ Bel
Thanks to Sourcebooks Casa and NetGalley for the complimentary e-arc of this book. Thanks to libro.fm and Dreamscape Media for the complimentary alc of this book.
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall is an amusing romp with a fun opposites attract, fake relationship story. The story follows Luc O’Donnell, a fundraiser who finds himself the victim of unwanted paparazzi attention, and barrister Oliver Blackwood. The two men are complete opposites and yet both have similar insecurities that plague them. Where this book really shined for me though is in the many amusing supporting characters and their witty dialogue. More than once I found myself laughing aloud.
I would recommend this book to people who like character driven novels. These characters talk a lot. I thought the dialogue was pure gold but if you are a fan of action, or plot driven novels, this may not be your type of book.
Narration: I went back and forth between the e-arc and audiobook on this one. The narration is brilliant. The narrator does a terrific job bringing these characters to life.
I had the pleasure of both reading and listening to this absolutely hilarious fake dating M/M romance. This is my first book by Alexis Hall, but I was immediately drawn in by the witty writing and laugh out loud humor. Luc and Oliver couldn’t be more different, but their opposites attract/forced proximity romance completely worked. I loved seeing them slowly lower their walls and show a more vulnerable side to each other. The relationship grows and builds in the perfect way. It felt honest and true to the characters and I appreciated that the misteps were included right along with the milestones. I found this closed door romance incredibly sexy and sweet.
The entire cast of characters was delightful. Even Jon Fleming played his role perfectly and I fell even more in love with Oliver during that first meeting with Luc’s father. Luc’s group of friends, coworkers, and mother were an absolute highlight of the book and so many times I laughed out loud while reading and listening. They were all so loyal and supportive in the most goofy ways and I’m pretty sure I cackled every time Odile was on the page.
The narration by Joe Jameson could not have been more perfect and I am incredibly impressed by his performance. He gave each character (male and female) a wonderfully unique voice that truly fit with their personality and I had no trouble differentiating between who was speaking. His comedic timing was spot on and his delivery really made the audiobook truly one of the best I’ve listened to.
Boyfriend Material was exactly the book my heart needed!
Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5+ stars
Story 4 stars
*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book. Thank you Libro.fm, Dreamscape Media, and Sourcebooks Casablanca.*
I had an awesome time reading this one and it was exactly what I needed. It made me feel good and that is always a big plus in my book 😉
I loved the writing style of this one and being new to Alexis Hall, this is good news, because this means I can now start a whole new list of books to my TBR list.
Now as funny as this book was to me, it’s not all there is to it. There were definitely some other emotions involved while I read this one, though the snark and banter were my favorite 😛
It took a while for the characters to grow on me, but once they did, I was all in. I could have done with an epilogue though… It is one of my pet peeves, I just NEED one 😉
All in all an awesome read and I will definitely be checking out more work by this author.
Audio Review
Overall – 5
Performance – 5
Story – 5
I loved this book and the audio was wonderful!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley but ran behind in my reading and didn’t get it read by release day. When I was finally able to read it, I found out that the audiobook was available so I decided to listen to it instead. OMG! The audiobook is fantastic! Joe Jameson sounds so much like another of my newly favorite narrators that I suspect it’s the same person. I won’t say who because I know some narrators prefer not to have their different personas connected.
I have heard so many good things about Alexis Hall’s writing and I even have a few of his books in my gargantuan digital library. However, Boyfriend Material is the first one I’ve actually read/listened to and now I feel really sad about that. On the other hand, I’m also happy because I can now dive right in to more of his stories.
On to how I felt about the book. I LOVED everything about it except for one tiny thing that I’ll get to later. Fake boyfriend stories are among my favorite romance tropes. This one was really funny in places, heartwarming in others, and in a few spots a bit heartbreaking. I always love rooting for the underdog and here we had two of them.
Both Luc and Oliver have had bad luck when it comes to romance. When they agree to fake date each other, readers know that it can only lead to one thing (because this is a romance) and that is a happy ending. It’s also pretty safe to assume that the path to the HEA won’t be particularly smooth.
The wide cast of secondary characters added so much to this story. Luc’s friend Alex was so funny. How he reacted to Luc’s jokes would be almost unbelievable if I didn’t personally know at least one person like him (really dense when it comes to humor). Joe Jameson’s comedic timing throughout the book was spot on. As a US reader/listener who reads and listens to a lot of British authors, I appreciated the humor throughout the story; I thought it was a good blend of British and US wittiness.
I should probably mention that if you’re looking for a story with hot, sexy time you might want to pass this one up. Just know that if you do, you’ll be missing a fantastic story. Oh, and the one tiny thing I didn’t like about this one? I wanted an epilogue so, so much. I’m the type of reader who never wants a good book to end and I really wanted to see how Luc and Oliver are doing a few months, or more, down the road.
This review is already getting too long. The only other thing I can say is: read or listen to this, I don’t think you’ll regret it a bit.
A review copy was provided by the publisher via NetGalley but this did not influence my opinion or rating of the book.
Boyfriend Material had two of my favorite romance book tropes wrapped into one book. It was an opposites attract love story set off with a fake relationship. That was hook enough to have me want to read my first Alexis Hall book. Overall, it delivered with a few hiccups, but it’s worth a read for fans of these romance tropes.
Let me be honest and say that Luc O’Donnell is a bit of a train wreck. He’s been burned (pretty badly) in the past and has had to live in the quasi-famous limelight cast by his famous rock star parents. Since his father is trying to re-invent himself and make a comeback, Luc’s every move is all the more scrutinized (and falsely embellished) in the tabloids. One compromising photo too many however puts his job at a non-profit in jeopardy when donors start backing out of a high-profile event. His one chance at redemption turns out to be a fake relationship with a respectable boyfriend to clean up his image. That “job” falls to Oliver Blackwood, a barrister, who is the opposite of Luc in every way.
Overall, I liked this book but at times the things that I enjoyed went a bit too far making me cringe. For example, I loved the tone and writing style of this author. The witty banter was spot on and there were several clever one-liners, jokes and little tidbits dropped along the way that I enjoyed (like the Marie Kondo reference to spark joy and the clever take on dick pics). Other times however the prose was just too wordy and I found myself skimming.
Luc’s friends were a great group who stood behind him 100% despite his curmudgeon ways. But even their antics were a bit much and over the top when it wasn’t necessary every time they were mentioned. Alex, Luc’s coworker, was a hoot and yet several of his scenes would go on and on long after I was over his nonsense.
There is also a fine line between self-deprecation and depressing and Luc crossed that line a few times for me. I understood that he unfairly had to deal with the ugly side of fame while not personally being famous at all and that really wrecked his self-esteem. But his paranoid, untrusting and unhappy ways often left me just depressed for the guy and questioning what Oliver saw in him to want to deal with that. Yet he had his moments when honesty finally came through, especially when he shared about his ex-boyfriend so you could understand his inability to trust and be vulnerable with another person.
Oliver was my favorite. He was such a nice guy. He was so empathetic and understanding with Luc and yet he didn’t let Luc walk all over his feelings. His stuffy vocabulary made me smile and I loved the way he stood up for Luc when others were not so kind. Toward the end we learn more about him and his motivations which made my heart hurt for him. It was nice to see the role reversal when Luc stood up for him.
As a newbie to Hall’s stories I enjoyed this book. Was it the best of the year, no, but fans of Brittish rom-coms and fake relationship romances will find it a good read.
Check out this review and all my romance book reviews and romance book lists on my book blog, She Reads Romance Books: https://www.shereadsromancebooks.com/
If it feels like simply too long since you read Red, White, & Royal Blue, then this book should fill the void.
Luc, our narrator is the son of a famous rock star in the midst of rehabilitating his career, and can’t seem to keep himself out of the press in less-than-flattering image-ruining situations (however true, untrue, or merited these instances may be). In order to rehabilitate his image and keep his job as a fundraiser at a charity (for dung beetles!), he needs a respectable boyfriend and STAT! His friends set him up with seeming Prince Charming, Oliver, a good-looking, well-dressed lawyer. Lucky for Luc, despite an immediate lack of romantic feelings between the two, Oliver needs a date of his own for an upcoming event. It couldn’t hurt to play pretend boyfriends for a few months, could it…?
The classic fake-dating romance trope is amped up a notch by two absolutely adorable male leads, hilarious supporting characters (is anyone REALLY as dumb as Alex? good thing it seems he’s found his soulmate), cheeky writing, and a dash of rock star fame. This book is light and frothy and a perfect summer read. As much as I hated Luc’s dad, I could have used more fame/paparazzi/rock star moments to really bring this book to another level. At times, it seemed like a hard sell that Luc’s life was really that impacted by his parents’ fame and run-ins with the paparazzi seemed to conveniently show up for plot points, rather than being interspersed more realistically. A more larger-than-life universe would have just given it more excitement. Despite this complaint, I overall LOVED the book and would highly recommend it.
The story is simple here — Luc, a gregarious party boy needs to clean up his image with a stable boyfriend. Barrister Oliver needs a boyfriend for a party. So they start fake-dating, and if you read romance, you know how that ends up.
Alexis Hall gives good banter in this M/M romance and I found myself along for the ride with these two and invested enough to want to know how they would deal with their developing feelings. The focus is more on this aspect of their relationship rather than the physical and I liked that about it.
This was a fun read. Writing romcom isn’t easy and I found myself smiling as I was reading. I liked Luc and his self-depracating humor. I also liked the gang of friends. Overall, no big surprises, but if you are looking for a standalone M/M romcom, you might want to check this one out.
An ARC was provided. This is my honest review.
Boyfriend Material is my third book by Alexis Hall. That was a bonus surprise, because when I requested this book I didn’t even look at the author’s name. I saw the cover, read the synopsis, and thought to myself “Man, that looks cute!”
I was right, too. It’s adorable!
I’ve read other authors who base their stories in the UK, but none of them feel as realistic as a story written by Alexis Hall. Don’t get me wrong, I have no idea how accurate the descriptions and terminology were, but it feels legit. It was especially perfect with Oliver’s stuffiness, and Luc’s sarcasm. Their relationship dynamic was a refreshing departure from what’s “normal” in this genre. Usually one character is grumpy and gruff, where the other is a gentle soul. In this case neither Luc nor Oliver fit those descriptions. There was something sweet and vulnerable in both of them, and I loved it. He’s good at breaking the mold, though. It’s the author’s strength.
Alexis Hall took a few departures from his normal too.
For instance, this was the first Alexis Hall I read without sex scenes. Sex is hard to write, but I wouldn’t say Alexis Hall was bad at it. In fact, I distinctly remember loving the sexual relationship in For Real. I tried to go back to read my review, but alas, it is lost forever. What I can say is, I loved the romantic fade to black scenes between Oliver and Luc. We got just enough, and it was good, before the door closed on us peeping Tom’s, leaving Oliver and Luc to their own private moment. It was gloriously done.
In fact, the writing style reminded me a lot of TJ Klune.
It wasn’t only the “romance over sex” style, but it was also in the way the characters interacted. It was in the crazy groups of friends with the quick witty one liners flinging back and forth. Alexis Hall wrote with a whimsy I don’t remember in his previous books, and it worked.
Clearly it works for me, anyway.
Seeing as TJ is my fav.
If he keeps it up, I’ll likely read more of these newer books. And, since I lost my review, I’m going back to reread For Real too! Humph.
Boyfriend Material is the joyfully queer British romcom escape book I didn’t know I needed. It’s absurdly funny and swoonily romantic, with a sharp edge of wit and observation that keeps the story bounding along. An unbridled ‘one-more-chapter-oh-no-it’s-3am’ delight.
Ooooh I loved this one! A seriously witty M/M read that punched me in the feels. It’s packed with dry humour, fantastic characters and a plot that had me flipping through the pages to see what would happen next. It was my first read from this author and definitely won’t be my last.
Who would need a fake date except total losers? “Boyfriend Material,” Alexis Hall’s offering to the “fake boyfriend” trope, brings a raw, realistic tilt. Forgoing his traditional kinky fare for an (almost) PG rendition of love as it emerges from the seeds of self-destruction, Mr. Hall sets the bar high, creating two walking, breathing disasters.
Meet Luc, who has ultimately claimed the very persona paparazzi once made up. As he thinks of himself, “His career’s in the toilet? That’s Luc, he’s not had a stable relationship for five years? That’s Luc, where did it all go wrong?” Luc is still mistreated by his rock-star dad, a man who abandoned Luc and his song-writer mother, while foisting second-hand celebrity on Luc. It’s unconducive to Luc’s job as a fundraiser for a respectable charity. But, as person after person betrays him to the tabloids, he’s lost his self-respect. “Giving up, it’s my single biggest talent.”
Stuffy barrister Oliver can attract relationships, but is a rigid do-gooder who works too hard and is a vegan who offers unsolicited opinions to others, causing all his boyfriends to run. At one point, he snaps at Luc, “‘What the fuck is wrong with you? I thought we’d established that…I’m pompous, boring and desperate. Nobody else will have me.’” Their grumpy defensiveness leaves them rightfully isolated.
Yet it’s thoroughly entertaining to watch them spar. “‘I don’t think you’re a pompous arse,’” Luc tells Oliver… “‘Well, I wouldn’t say you were a full-on pompous arse. Maybe more of a supercilious butt cheek.’” And, uh, oh, we know Luc, the commitment-phobe, is in trouble when he thinks of Oliver, “who else could be that annoying and thoughtful. And protective. And secretly kind of funny. And-bugger.”
Of course, Alexis Hall’s stellar phrasing is a major attraction. Here’s Luc, at his low, thinking about his problems. “They were just a few more dead seabirds bobbing on the outskirts of the oil spill that was my life.” The author’s dialogue is equally amazing. When Luc talks to his mom about heartbreak, he asks, “‘Will it…will it ever stop hurting?’” “‘Non.’ Mum shook her head. ‘But it will stop mattering.’” Mr. Hall doesn’t skirt the suffering required to outgrow self-loathing, letting readers dive headlong into the pain alongside Luc. Thus, we see we’d survive, as well. What a gift!
Alexis Hall shares stunning insights. “Everybody tells you that when you’re young, you think you’ll live forever. What they don’t tell you is that when you’re old, you think the same. It’s just everything starts reminding you that it’s not true.” Unfortunately, Luc’s father offers this as a bald excuse for being selfish. As Luc, the author shows readers that everyone, even the most virtuous, is sometimes hypocritical.
And Mr. Hall’s thesis is praise-worthy. “‘What you think pushes people away is what lets them in.’” Luc tells Oliver. “‘And, God I sound like an inspirational Instagram post, but not letting people in is what pushes them away.’”
Lest readers think Alexis Hall is a moralizing clod like Oliver, the author loves on his readers with a comic wit that left me wet, from eyes, nose, mouth and other unmentionable orifices. The banter between Luc and Oliver is like the most beautiful foil on the best wrapped chocolate truffle. “‘You do seem’ (Oliver) said dryly, ‘to be markedly less intransigent when you have an erection.’” “‘Yes, It’s my Achilles’ penis,’” Luc responds. Mr. Hall plunges the depth of comedy from knock-knock jokes (and characters too clueless to understand them) to satire, as when Oliver tells Luc, “‘You really do own your illiteracy, don’t you?’” And Luc answers, “‘Yeah, I’m thinking about moving to America and running for public office.’”
If, like me, you’re envious of authors who prove wittier, better read, more perceptive and possibly kinder than you, grab the tissues and baby wipes and dive on into Alexis Hall’s “Boyfriend Material.” Quite selfishly, I wish Mr. Hall a long, productive life.
I have so much love for this book! I don’t have much time to read when I’m in class, but I stayed up late two nights in a row to finish Boyfriend Material.
Having a rock star for a father isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Luc O’Donell will end a relationship before it starts. It’s better to end it before he winds up in the tabloids with the world wondering how much further he could fall. When his job is at risk, he’ll do whatever he can to keep it. Oliver is the perfect person to help him clean up his image and save his job. Scandal doesn’t happen to Oliver, the barrister and vegetarian. They couldn’t be more different from each other, but they both need someone to take as a plus one.
Luc, bless it, I just wanted to tell him, “It’s okay to be who you are and to live your life.” He doesn’t trust anyone and it’s entirely understandable. He’s had some of his worst moments plastered across the tabloids. Oliver, goodness, he needed all the hugs. He strives to be the best and nothing but the best.
I think why I enjoyed their story so much was because I relate so much to both Luc and Oliver. I don’t trust easily, and I’m awkward and odd. I have my own way of doing things and I don’t appreciate people trying to change that.
The arrangement becomes beneficial and is the worst kept secret. It cracked me up with how many people knew they were fake boyfriends. Despite all the fakery, Luc and Oliver had a legitimate connection with each other. They challenged each other to be better and to learn how to trust again.
I think one of my favorite parts was at Oliver’s parents Ruby Anniversary. Luc makes this amazing gesture and I was sitting in my bed sitting up straight and cheering him on. Someone needed to do this for Oliver. He was worth having someone on his side like Luc was.
There were misunderstandings, through the course of things, but the chemistry and attraction between them, even as fake boyfriends? It burned intense and brightly. It was so damn good when they were together.
Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read an advanced reader copy for review.
I can’t imagine having my life documented by the media to the masses like Luc or dissected by my family like Oliver. With lives like those I can completely understand how they find themselves needing to fake-date. I think that way of spending time together was the best way to finally get to let their walls down and get to know each other and themselves.
This is my first book from this author so I was really excited to read this m/m romance story. However, it let me down. I really tried to find something to enjoy about this story but honestly, there was nothing. I found that the pace of the story was just too darn slow and it made everything seem slow. The whole story was slow! There was nothing interesting about the characters and I didn’t care for Luc at all. There’s nothing wrong with being awkward but he was rude more than a few times for no reason. His witty comments were okay at best but I’m sorry to say that this story just wasn’t the one for me. It’s not often that I rate a book less than 3 stars but it does happen and it doesn’t mean other readers shouldn’t give it a try. It just means that it wasn’t the book for me.
What can I say about this book without sounding like a totally big fan?
I mean, I loved it, I really really did.
Read it in one day, I was obsessed with it, once I started reading it I couldn’t stop and it felt so good! To be so immersed in a book again after so long, to be able to enjoy all the fluffy moments all the dramatic moments and the funny ones as well.
Oliver and Luck were amazing characters, both were very well developed and we could see their growing as the book progressed, they both had so much in common from the get go but it was hard to see because the author does an amazing work of writing for each character and giving them their time to shine and grow, I thought I was all invested in Luc (poor tortured soul) but then Oliver gave me quite a shock and so I was totally involved in him and then their relationship kept getting better and better and I just . . . Loved It!
5 Stars *****
This was my first book I read by Alexis Hall and I assure you it won’t be my last.
Luc has zero self esteem and at first glance appears to be a carefree and happy buffoon that parties too much without taking responsibility for his life. Well it is a part of who he is, rash and ridiculous. When you learn more about Luc you find the caring man that is buried underneath years of neglect and abandonment of his famous musician father and others he had wrongfully trusted. Trying to run from his hurt and turning the anger towards himself he has become a self fulfilling prophecy. He expects so little for his future and has zero expectations. Luc has settled for a life of mediocrity and works as a fund raiser for one of the strangest charities in existence. He somehow manages to create public nightmares for himself by getting caught by the paparazzi while doing “stupid things”. He has set up so many invisible barriers to stave off anymore hurt, I actually ached for him.
He once again gets photographed in a compromising position and the donors from his job are backing out. Here is where the fake boyfriend angle comes in. He needs to associate himself with a respectable man to regain their trust. Yes this plot has been done over and over so imagine my surprise when the fake boyfriend scenario actually was believable and realistic!
This probably has a lot to do with the already established chemistry between Luc and the quiet unassuming lawyer Oliver .The noble and ethical barrister is just the best and the key to this story is will Luc finally accept that he really does deserve happiness. Delving further into this story Luc is not the only one with serious issues but I don’t want to give away any spoilers.
Luc has a very large and comical posse of friends, some annoying and some endearing and that alone tells you how special Luc really is. The pace is fast and I laughed out loud more times then I can count. Both men equally deserve a life filled with love and acceptance. I found myself desperately rooting that these two mismatched yet perfectly balanced men will take a chance on each other. I strongly urge you to read this tender and sweet book that made me forget the real world for awhile.
Copy provided to me for my reading pleasure by NetGalley, a review wasn’t a requirement.