Something Spectacular

Something Fabulous

By: Alexis Hall

Narrated by: Robyn Holdaway

From the USA Today bestselling author of Boyfriend Material comes a riotous Regency romp full of art, expensive hats, and a love that is nothing short of spectacular.

Peggy Delancey’s not at all ready to move on from her former flame, Arabella Tarleton. But Belle has her own plans for a love match, and she needs Peggy’s help to make those plans a reality. Still hung up on her feelings and unable to deny Belle what she wants, Peggy reluctantly agrees to help her woo the famous and flamboyant opera singer Orfeo.

She certainly doesn’t expect to find common ground with a celebrated soprano, but when Peggy and Orfeo meet, a whole new flame is ignited that she can’t ignore. Peggy finds an immediate kinship with Orfeo, who’s just as nonconforming as she is—and just as affected by their instant connection.

They’ve never been able to find their place in the world, but as the pair walks the line between friendship, flirtation, and something more, they may just find their place with each other.

©2023 Alexis Hall. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Robyn Holdaway's delightful performance shines throughout the second installment of this queer Regency-era romance series.… Holdaway's thoughtful portrayals enliven a range of personalities across social classes.… Listeners hear Peggy's and Orfeo's roiling emotions as the couple explores their relationship. Entertaining and affirming, this audiobook delivers healthy doses of cheeky humor and steamy encounters. Holdaway captivates from start to finish.” —AudioFile Magazine

“Of particular appeal to the LGBTQ community, narrator Robyn Holdaway's storytelling skills are perfectly suited to bringing Something Spectacular to life in an extended 'theatre of the mind' experience from start to finish.” —Midwest Book Review

“Hall is explicitly claiming and making space in the historical romance subgenre for queer people to be main characters on their own terms. Peggy and Orfeo’s tender friendship and romance shows that queer people do not need to justify or explain their presence or identities to find love and that love, in some form or fashion, is for everyone.” —Kirkus Reviews

Genius and hysterical

A classic Alexis Hall book. Filled with major laugh out loud moments and serious and insightful social and personal challenges. This book brings it all. Loved it from beginning to end. Can’t wait for the next installment

A wonderfully pleasant read

Thoroughly enjoyed this one and it was a really good follow-up to the previous book. I am very glad that the story just flowed into this one. The storyline was good but rather new to me. A good recommendation.

excellent excellent excellent

Alexis Hall's typical literary flair is on display here. Such a talented writer. The book grapples with serious social issues while maintaining a wicked sense of humor. There isn't a single hackneyed or cliched phrase in this book. Try it, you won't be disappointed. As someone who studies classical music for a living, I appreciated how Baroque opera is a key element in the story.

Definitely will reread

The narration is wonderful. No cringey mispronounced words or character voices that take you out of the story.

This book mostly follows the same tone of the first book. Lighthearted and ridiculous. There are however a few moments of very serious topics that are quite a bit heavier than the first book. Ultimately if you enjoyed the first book, you'll enjoy this one.

SPECTACULAR! Fun, creative & full of love.

The narrator's performance is incredible! Really brings even more life to an already energitic story.

While it wears the well-loved cloak of a standard romcom, inside are several delightful queer subversions stacked on top of each other. Peggy and Orfeo, our romantic leads, are both nonbinary and their experiences with how people see them vs who they really are is the central conflict of the book. All dealt with love and humor. It's so sweet, smart, and silly in the best ways and at the right moments.

I got teary-eyed multiple times during the most mundane scenes simply from sheer joy and surprise to have this book at all. Most people have their pick of romcoms, but it's not something nonbinary people get as often. To have a queer author as talented as Alexis Hall put his time and effort into a story like this, and have it be so well-written and fun and thoughtful... I'm a little embarrassed how raw and happy this book made me.

In classic Alexis Hall fashion, the themes at the core of the story (accepting oneself, shaping your life how you need, subverting expectations, etc.) are smart and challenging, and he handles them with unapologetic playful, joyous antics. And lots of his usual playful language. I love his writing style.

And although it's Peggy and Orfeo's story, it also stars their extended queer found family. They all come together to support each other and play a significant, lovely role. Every character has their own depth, no one feels 2-dimensional. And they learn so much from each other.