Boyfriend Material

By: Alexis Hall

Narrated by: Joe Jameson

Length: 13 hrs and 11 mins

Publisher's summary

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 20 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 someone who has never inspired a moment of scandal in his life. In other words, he’s 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 settles. 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.

©2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC (P)2020 Dreamscape Media, LLC

The right material!

Boyfriend Material hit the right note of fun & funny yet serious enough to care.

I’ve been in a reading slump recently. It’s been hard to find a romance with real emotional growth from trying situations that aren’t so tragic that they’re too much to take because 2020 is a dumpster fire. I completely forgot about social distancing while watching Luc deftly schmooze donors for CRAPP. I liked Oliver enthusing about his career & making sure jokes weren’t mean spirited. I cheered when the hotelier refused to give out personal information about a guest. It was great that no one went stalker - they said their piece & took no for an answer. The solid couple of chapters full of parents and (appropriate) F-words were tense and interesting and healthy. I liked the use of internet grammar (such van, much emergency; clean all the things: we baconed in silence) and supportive friends.

I agree with the SBTB review that suggested a longer or additional final scene or epilogue would be in order. Not so much because they were lacking, but because I wanted more time with Oliver and Luc being together & good for each other. Revisiting the hedgehog boxers was a nice touch, but what I like about fake relationships is how they nudge the characters back together again and again until they catch their groove. There was so much good togetherness in the book as a whole, after a couple chapters of apartness (forgive me), I wanted more time with them being together again.

If you want a comedic romance that has light & fluffy moments, a running side gag of escalating book emergencies, good & bad parents, and emotion enough to tug the heartstrings, read Boyfriend Material. (If you haven’t belly laughed by the ~3rd page/chapter, it’s not your kind of humor. It is exactly the kind of humor I enjoy so I LOLed a lot.)

Steam: Low. The M/M sexytimes were slow to get going then off page.

Narration: Generally well done. Narrator used different voices for dialogue. Some of the choices made for female voices seemed a tad odd but overall it was pleasant listening. Good audio quality.

I love the audible voice so much!

There should be an award given to Joe Jameson for his performance because his voice range was exquisite! The MCs were adorable. The writing was clear, crisp and descriptive. My only issue was the abrupt ending.

Another win for Alexis Hall!

The narration was on point.

I fell in love with out imperfect Oliver and Luc were as individuals and a couple. It was a perfect love, but it was a right love. Their inside joke with “dick” pics had me laughing every time.

Just another win for Alexis Hall and I can’t wait for more from this author!

Fun and sweet

I really enjoyed the humor in this book and the narrator delivers it well. It’s a fun ride with lovable characters that you are rooting for.

ending was kinda abruptly

i equally liked and disliked Luke, his mother was fantastic though, every thing out of her mouth was gold

Laugh Out Loud

I loved For Real, but was pleasantly surprised by this book by Alexis Hall. Still insightful and honest, but much funnier, Boyfriend Material is the kind of m/m romance you can recommend.

great book. I loved every moment of it.

love the book. it kept me on edge the whole time. it was a welcome change from my other books.

Clichéd without being Cliched

The book was sweet, romantic, and healthy levels of fucked up in terms of the characters lives. my headline meaning they do involve and talk about very clichéd things for a romance story, but the outcomes aren't exactly what the cliche formula would produce. So that adds a little humor and makes it predictable in someway but also comfortably surprising and it works to make a rather pleasant listen. Also, for me I just have to say the narrators Oliver voice is just ugh wonderfully pleasant with seductive low bass.

Must listen

Hilarious! Heartwarming! Angsty at times! Well developed characters! I’m in love! The audio quality and narration is also great.

Highly Recommended!

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to this book. The narrator and his narration is just superb! He captured all the nuances and the insecurities of the characters. The authors have mafe all the dialogues so enjoyable and funny. Highly recommend this book.