Husband Material by Alexis Hall | Book Review
The great rainbow balloon arch debate
I read Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall in 2021 and enjoyed it, giving it a solid three-star rating. Browsing the romance section on Libby, I found the follow-up, Husband Material, and excitedly checked it out. I almost wish I hadn’t.
The premise of the book is that all of Luc’s friends (and enemies) are getting married, which somehow peer pressures him to propose to Oliver while he’s deep cleaning the kitchen cupboards. Oliver says yes (despite not actually wanting to, we later find out) and as they plan their wedding they begin to argue more frequently, discovering their incompatibilities. If Boyfriend Material was an enemies-to-lovers romance, Husband Material was its lovers-to-enemies antithesis.The unnecessary sequel is 400 pages of arguing, attending random weddings, and self-loathing internal monologues. The protagonist, Luc, has had no discernible character development from the first book, despite the two year time lapse. Luc is painfully both too self-aware and yet not self-aware enough. Throughout the book Luc is selfish and flaky, reflects on his behavior, declares “I suck” over and over until his boyfriend, Oliver, has to tell him “No, you don’t”. It’s emotional manipulation but nobody calls him out on it.
Something Alexis Hall does really well is writing humorous friendship dynamics; this book’s only saving grace. I love the witty, British banter and sarcastic quips that are on nearly every page. This is what I enjoyed about the first book in the London Calling series, and what I looked forward to in its sequel. I plan to read more of Hall’s work in the future (he has a sapphic romance about fae that I want to check out), but this is where my compliments to the chef end.
No plot, just vibes should have been the tagline because other than arguing and going to random weddings (and a funeral) nothing fucking happens. One of the first weddings they go to is of Miles, Luc’s horrible ex-boyfriend from the first book. There is absolutely no good reason for him to have gone to Miles’ wedding, and calling it “closure” is, in my opinion, lazy writing. Miles’ wedding is a stereotypical “gay wedding” with a drag queen vicar and lots of rainbow tat. The next wedding they go to—for his very posh co-worker, Alex—is very traditional and, daresay, heterosexual. Predictably, Luc prefers the former while Oliver the latter. This is what ignites the great rainbow balloon arch debate. Throughout the entire novel the couple argue if their wedding should have a rainbow balloon arch; Luc being yay while Oliver is nay. Luc is very proud to be a part of the LGBT+ community, loves rainbow merch and pride flags. Oliver feels alienated by the LGBT+ community, finds rainbow pride merch to be capitalistic and slightly tacky. Luc is convinced the rainbow arch is, or course, an allegory for repressed sexuality and internalized homophobia. This argument should have lasted only a couple pages; not be the backbone of the novel. While it’s reasonable Luc is proud of his community and wants to be with somebody who is too, him constantly trying to force it upon Oliver is infuriating. You chose a boring, beige boyfriend. You must suffer the consequences, not him.
Spoiler alert: the last chapter ends with Oliver telling Luc he cannot marry him ten minutes before the wedding. This isn’t as heartbreaking as it sounds because, surprise!, Luc also does not want to get married, and had been too scared to say anything, because he is the poster-boy for emotional immaturity. They inform their wedding guests that marriage is just not for them and they run away together in the rain.
I don’t understand the point of this book. The message being that marriage isn’t for everyone is clear, but the execution was muddy. Luc’s reasoning for not wanting to marry Oliver is he’s afraid their relationship will change once married, while Oliver is aware of their differences and does not want a wedding that cannot represent both of them (again, the fucking rainbow arch). These are still issues they’ll face as boyfriends so the resolution—and everything leading up to it—feels futile.
I enjoy Hall’s writing style but this was a story that simply did not need to be told. Husband Material by Alexis Hall: 2.25 stars.