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A review by alizirrah
Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Well, that was... fine. I enjoy the fake dating trope, especially with a heap of mutual pining, and this certainly has that. There were quite a few sweet and funny moments. But the ending fizzled a bit for me, and there were just a tad too many abrupt and unrealistically dramatic misunderstandings.
Some other issues I had with it:
* The James Royce-Royce thing was supposed to be funny I think, but there was no real way of differentiating between them so it kind of blobbed into one character.
* Several of the characters, especially Luc's coworkers, are very neurodivergent-coded and kind of bullied and made the butt of the joke a lot. Made me a bit uncomfortable.
The side-plot of the emotionally immature and neglectful parents was somewhat compelling (if frustrating), but I don't know if that pulls the rest of it up enough. So. Three stars it is? Doubtful that I'll read the sequel.
Some other issues I had with it:
* The James Royce-Royce thing was supposed to be funny I think, but there was no real way of differentiating between them so it kind of blobbed into one character.
* Several of the characters, especially Luc's coworkers, are very neurodivergent-coded and kind of bullied and made the butt of the joke a lot. Made me a bit uncomfortable.
The side-plot of the emotionally immature and neglectful parents was somewhat compelling (if frustrating), but I don't know if that pulls the rest of it up enough. So. Three stars it is? Doubtful that I'll read the sequel.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Homophobia, Abandonment, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Sexual content, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Emotional abuse
Minor: Cancer