BOYFRIEND MATERIAL by Alexis Hall
I'm at a bit of a loss as to how to string words together in the shadow of its excellence so just consider this me sounding my enthusiastic yawp of approval for a book that invites you to laugh, cry, & remember that we're each worthy of love & celebration for exactly who we are.
An opposites attract, fake dating romance, Boyfriend Material sparkles with all the wit, banter, & tropey goodness of favorite 90s romcoms but none of the gender stereotyping or heteronormativity that can diminish their shine.
Luc, from whose POV the story is told, is lost in the false reflections of himself engendered by a rock star father who abandoned him, a lover who exploited him, and a lifetime of tabloid stories portraying him as a ne'er-do-well shadow of his famous father. Ostensibly Oliver is his polar opposite: responsible, driven & 'practically perfect in every way.' In truth, despite their differences, both are so fearful of repeating past hurts, they keep much of themselves tucked away. Navigating issues of trust & self-worth is a journey each has to make & one the novel explores with insight & sensitivity.
The deeper themes are balanced with tremendous humor. Luc is endearing even at his most maddening thanks to a gift for sarcasm & a self-effacing wit, while Oliver surprises with pithy rejoinders & unexpected playfulness.
Adding to the hilarity are a cast of secondary characters from a posh but obtuse officemate Luc befuddles daily with knock knock jokes to the scattered but insightful token straight friend who sets the pair up. Hall is so deft with his characterizations that even when they're over the top, they feel real.
But more than comic relief, they offer evidence of a truth Luc & Oliver are struggling to internalize, that (to paraphrase Luc's mom) you should live your life the way you fucking well want to because the people who matter will love you anyway. Watching Luc & Oliver learn to value themselves, be vulnerable with each other & trust in their inherent lovability is a swoony delight & Boyfriend Material easily one of my favorite books of the year.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐(A+)
Oliver Inspired Vegan Bircher Muesli
⅓ cup old-fashioned oats
1-2 tablespoon dried cherries (sub raisins or dried cranberries if you prefer)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon almond butter (HeSaid prefers peanut butter)
2 tablespoons applesauce
⅓ almond milk (my—& I think Oliver’s—choice, but any milk will do)
1 medium Granny Smith apple
Chopped pecans (or nut of choice)
Drizzle of maple syrup
CW: homophobia (challenged on page), cancer scare, gaslighting, parental manipulation and abandonment
Disclosure: eARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
