'Boyfriend Material' by Alexis Hall is a very cute New Adult romance that's surprisingly deep and relatable.
My favorite part about this book was the exploration of how we can't let our past, and misfortunes dictate who we are and our future. Through the main characters, especially Luc, Alexis Hall imparts amazing life lessons on mental health, and healthy relationships. And I loved it! I also loved the main characters and their romance, which was incredibly cute and heartwarming.
I enjoyed that Luc's an "unlikable" character and that he's aware of this. It is rare for MCs to have deep flaws like Luc does which I appreciated since, in real life, nobody is perfect. I enjoyed reading about his growth and setbacks. And although his mistakes sometimes aggravated me, they made it incredibly rewarding to see him overcome them. I also loved Oliver's character, and I wish we had seen more of him. I don't think we get to know him as deeply as we got to do Luc, which is a shame. He had some of my favorite quotes and stands in this book and I can't wait to see more of him in the sequel. I also deeply enjoyed reading about Luc and Oliver's troubles with their family and friends. I found them to be realistic and relatable despite the fact that their parents are famous and rich. I also enjoyed exploring the contrast between how they were both raised and how that influenced their personalities.
However, while I deeply enjoyed the developing romance and the character's personal conflicts, I wasn't a huge fan of the pacing. Especially since, in my opinion, the book was way longer than necessary. I also believe that the "fake-dating" part of the romance was unnecessary since the MCs acted as if they were really dating from the very beginning. In my opinion, a friends-with-benefits to lovers scenario would have been more appropriate.
Overall, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a cute non-YA romance that explores a more mature relationship. However, please keep in mind that the pacing is slightly slower than most romance books.
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