Husband Material

London Calling, Book 2

By: Alexis Hall

Narrated by: Joe Jameson

Length: 13 hrs and 35 mins

Publisher's summary

In Boyfriend Material, Luc and Oliver met, pretended to fall in love, fell in love for real, dealt with heartbreak and disappointment and family and friends...and somehow figured out a way to make it work. Now it seems like everyone around them is getting married, and Luc's feeling the social pressure to propose. But it'll take more than four weddings, a funeral, and a bowl full of special curry to get these two from "I don't know what I'm doing" to "I do".

Good thing Oliver is such perfect Husband Material.

©2022 Alexis Hall (P)2022 Dreamscape Media, LLC

ok so some thoughts

- love the characters. this is a fantastic character-driven story where the changes in perspective and the relationships with others are the core of the story, with some plot in there to create momentum

- luc and oliver are perfect for each other. I so so love how well they work despite their sometimes huge differences

- I really liked seeing luc take such big risks. while risks come with, well, risks, they are also a sign of growth that you’re willing to go big for the possibility of something greater

- the end is what got to me. I’m a gay married man. I honestly was left with feelings of questioning my own marriage at the end. it’s not that I needed the ending to go the predictable way - the curveball in the eleventh hour had it’s own logic to it that seemed to fit their growth and maturation as a couple. but what I needed was a sense that they would be ok together and that they are in a strong, not fragile, place. SPOILERS FROM HERE ON.
.
.
.
.
I think what would have saved the end was adding another chapter or an epilogue. from a literary devices standpoint, I understand why them running out from their wedding and laughing and kissing under arcs of rainbow umbrellas was perfect. but the anxiety of everything just before had no time to breathe, which left such a shocking and abrupt end to an otherwise beautiful journey between luc and oliver.

literally just one chapter that was like them 6 months later laughing about the wedding, showing how they had grown past their inner insecurities at being with each other, would have really made the book perfect. perhaps a future edition of the book will include something like this as an epilogue

I know there is a sequel in the works where I’m assuming they decide if they’re having kids, which implies they do a happily ever after. but it’s going to be 2 years until it comes out and I’m still sitting with the anxiety of this book’s ending.

anyways - overall - I love boyfriend material and husband material. the highs and lows are extremely nuanced and really do point to very specific and unique feelings doubts and anxieties that come with being a queer adult coming into your own. it’s not a coming of age in being ok with yourself as gay or whatnot, it’s everything that comes after as you forge and start to build a life that’s you as you get older. it hits especially home thinking about my own experiences, which I think is a lot of why the ending had such an emotional impact

anyways it’s absolutely worth a read just be prepared for the ups and downs and know the ending may shake you. not that that’s bad, just setting an expectation

Don’t worry about the negative reviews

I’ll admit I’m glad I had some preparation for the ending having a little twist, but it certainly didn’t kill the book for me. Alexis Hall always injects some realism into his characters and this book is no exception. But his signature blend of sex, romance and relatable characters is exactly why we all love him, right?

Also, this narrator is a frickin genius. I had to remind myself that a single person invented all of those voices. Amazing, gifted performance.

I just went through a breakup w/ my ex fiance

my heart hurts. I listen to this audiobook on and from my way from work. on my weekend i drink and I listen to this book for hrs. . and it makes me laugh. these characters make me laugh. they feel real. and it helps. honestly wish Oliver was real because I would soooooooooooo marry him. my heart hurts, but the laughs and naturalness of this series does help. thank you.

4 weddings and a funeral?

Having just recently finished Boyfriend Material, I was happy to find that this book was coming out as I was not ready to leave Oliver and Luc.
This story starts nearly 3 yrs later and the guys are trying to figure out the ends and out of being committed. I love their relationship and how they deal with the day in and day out issues. Don’t want to spoil it but the guys look into getting married, but do they?

Love, love, LOVE Luke and Oliver

and the rest of Alexis Hall’s delightfully endearing gang! I’m grateful that this marvelously clever, wonderfully gifted wordsmith delved back into the land of CRAPP and barristers, Twaddles and rainbow arches to bring us this wonderful sequel. It’s as funny, topical, thought provoking and heart wrenching as the first (with an extra scoop or five of the latter) and I’m just sad that I’ve already consumed it! A HEAP of kudos, too, upon Joe Jamison whose top notch vocal talents fuse with Hall’s unique way with words to bring these delicious characters to life. I adore them all and wish someone would option the whole lot and create a series so I could tune in and keep tabs on them all! (And, if someone hasn’t started a Rhys Jones Bowen IG, [or only fans!] yet… what’re they waiting for?!)

I perfect follow up!

I love these characters, so happy to catch up with them, and revisit their fabulously flawed lives.

disappointing....

this started out good but then it got so strange....imagine a more satisfying sweet gay 4 Weddings & a Funeral style sequel to Boyfriend Material.....except Oliver & Lucien have some really weird fights that are Almost good but then they fall short of the resolutions I was waiting for. ugh :(( still fun though but that ending was dumb

Brilliant

Another wild ride from Alexis Hall , and the wonderful world of Luc and Oliver. Mr. Jameson is an excellent, exceptional narrator.

Overall pretty good book

Well I love the first book, this book is alright. The book is made up of 5 parts. The first 4 parts were great 5 out of 5 starts, however part 5 I give 1 out of 5 stars.

Perfect for some

Not the perfect, fairy-tale Happy Ending that I was hoping for, but it works for them.
It certainly was a journey though!