Husband Material (London Calling)

皆さん、こんにちは。さてさて、ちょっと前に２０２２年から積読中で早く読みたかった、私の大好きな作家様Alexis Hall先生の大ヒット作、Boyfriend Materialの第二巻にあたるHusband Material読了しました。感想を書きたい、とこの数日いろいろ考えていたのですが、ムズイです！一言で言えない。まずネタバレしたくないし、筋書きも書くつもりないので、そうなるとすごく難しい。でもぜひとも皆様にご紹介したい。自分の感想をこちらで語りたいということで、たぶんまとまらずなんだかうまく書ける自信がないのでですが、自分の気持ちに正直に以下書かせていただ来ます。本作品、はっきり言って、たぶんMMロマンスじゃないです。Boyfriendは私にとってはMMロマンスでした。作者様本人もロマコメとおっしゃっていたし、その通りと思いましたが、第二巻の本作は、どちらかというと一般小説、Queer部門のフィクション小説といったカテゴリに入ると思います。これ以上あまり内容に触れられないのですが、相変わらずルークの自虐的な内心のつぶやきは絶好調、オリバーとのケミストリーもすごくいいです。二人はほぼ半同棲っぽい感じで一緒に日常を送っているのですが、その描写が最高にいい。これはもう、Alexis先生にしか描けない。その部分はすごーくすごーく堪能しました。しかしながら、ロマンス小説としてのまとまりは、、、、どうだろう、いまいちだったのかもしれません。英語圏のレビューは結構散々な結果で、かなり皆期待して読んだだけにがっかりというのが多かったです。私は読んでいる途中から、特に話が大きく動く５０％以降から、あ、これはもうAlexis先生、商業的な成功とかより、自分が何を言いたいか、読者に訴えたいかに比重を置いたな、と思いました。だから、ロマンスと思わなければ全然いいです。作品のエピソードでかなりイギリスの階級社会への痛烈な批判、特にルークの中での批判精神はたぶんAlexis先生ご自身の主張と重なるのではと思いました。一つだけネタバレいいですか。ルークがものすごく階級批判をオリバーに語って、しかもそのせいでアンハッピーで態度に出た時、ルークが一言、「でもさ、ルシアン、君の両親はお二人とも実はうちの両親より金持ちだし、今ここ（貴族の館での結婚式）にいるゲストの一部の人たちよりもさらに金持ちである可能性あると思うよ」（意訳詳しく覚えてない）といったんですね。これはもうすごく痛烈なオリバーの反撃。オリバーのおうちはすごく素敵な邸宅でお父さんやお母さんも気取ったスノッブな人たちでスノッブなお茶会パーティーみたいなのする人たち。でもオリバーの両親（もちろんオリバーも）完全なるミドルクラスなんですよね。オリバーのお父さんはアカウンタント（私と同業じゃん）でお母さんは経済学の学者になる予定が結婚して専業主婦で、どうあがいても絶対にミドルクラス。そして財産的にはロックスターや元ロックスターのるルークの父や母のほうが金持ち。つまりオリバーは、クールで批判的な目ですべてを見ているルークこそ実はこのクラスと変わらないじゃないか。自分さえその気になれば、この上流クラスに入っているんじゃないか。それを置いといて、または気が付かない（ふり）して、第三者的な目で批判する君こそ偽善者では？と。もちろんそこまでオリバーは言ってなかったと思いますが、私はそう読み取りましたし、たぶんそのなんというか不都合な真実って作者様自身のルークに対する痛烈な批判なんですよね。でも作者様とルークってなんか似ている部分もあるように思えるし、ほんと深いです。アメリカで、成功したアカウンタントで立派な邸宅に住んでいて、自分も優秀な法廷弁護士だったら、あんまり自分や自分たち親家族が中産階級でしかないとか上流階級に絶対に属さないってこと気にしないと思うんですよね。特に金の面で成功していたら。それから、それ以外のいろいろなエピソード（ネタバレできません）私はかなり本作品重くシリアスと思いました。読んでて苦しい気持ちにもなったし。特にオリバーは精神的な問題があり、かなりつらいです。本作はイギリスの現在のQueeer文化、そしてそこに属する人々の意識、感覚、そういったことに深ーく密接に結びついて、その中でのＭＣたちの立ち位置とかそういうのに重きを置かれています。そういう意味でたぶん英語圏での読者たちの批判の大半は、やはりＭＭロマンス読者層は一般的にはストレートな女子が多いので、やはりそこまで深くは理解できないし、実は興味も共感もないから出てくる批判なのかなと思いました。もちろん、私もアメリカ在住のストレートの女子（おば）ですが、それでも私は、なんか、そういう知らない世界、コミュニティにすごく興味あるし、知りたいので、そこまでロマンスとして楽しめなかったとしても本作読んでよかったと思います。私の中でちょっと残念な点は最初の４０％くらい話がなかなか進まず、いつもミニバンに乗ってどこかに移動しているような感じで、ルークとオリバーの話ではなくだれか別の人の話というのが延々と続いたのが、プロット的にあまりよくなかったかなと思いました。話が進まないと読者に感じさせるのはやはり悪手ですよね。しかし最後まで二人がどうなるか全くわからない、ハラハラ、いつ別れるのか、ドキドキはよかった。なんといってもミステリーでも冒険でもスポーツものでもなんでもなくて普通のロマンスで二人がくっついたあとの二巻目は難しいです。本作は私にとっては、今年読んだ作品の中では一番重くシリアス、考えることの多かった作品です。もちろん皆様におすすめいたします。

I was terrified when I couldnt get a tracking number but I got the book after about 2 weeks, book came in perfect condition

o que aconteceu neste livro? e que final pavoroso

I loved Boyfriend Material but what happened here? I didn't even bother to finish Husband Marerial. After one third i stopped because I was too bored and annoyed by all the many superficial sidestories without a real catching main story.

(This is quite long. Oops.)This was an amazing sequel to Boyfriend Material. I didn't read anything going into it - didn't read the blurb or any reviews, so I was surprised by all the weddings lol. Anyway, I was also really surprised by the relatively low ratings and poor reviews. After reading several of them, it seems like some people are disappointed by the "plot twist" at the end of the book. I wanted to argue against some of the things that were mentioned.First, not in regards to the plot twist, I wanted to talk about how some people felt like Luc and Oliver were arguing too much/not having enough lovey fuzzy moments for a two-year-old relationship. I totally see it. I love sweet and caring moments in romances and usually wish for there to be much more. I didn't have that thought this time though. I will say that the first argument (non-argument) in the book where Luc has to cancel (for very understandable reasons) was rather upsetting for me, but I found the rest of the book to be much better. I think maybe 90% of the arguments and non-arguments in this book are about the wedding or funeral, which means we're seeing a temporary rough time in their relationship, not how their relationship is on a regular basis. It doesn't mean they haven't grown since the first book, like one reviewer said. In fact, I noticed many moments throughout the book that show how much growth they've both had, how they acted differently than they would have in the first book, and it made me happy to see. I also did see many lovely couple moments between Oliver and Luc, some big and many small, that for me were enough to show me they were quite happy together and in a great relationship.Another thing before talking about the big plot twist (which I'm saving for the end because it'll have spoilers) is people saying the ending feels abrupt. Again I agree. But I'm on a Alexis Hall reading spree and have just finished Paris Daillencourt and Boyfriend Material, and they both have similarly abrupt endings. To me, they're great, and I couldn't think of a better ending. I do end up feeling rather bereft after I finish the book though. They're great books, which already makes it hard to move on from, and the sudden ending makes it worse. But it's such a movie-like, artistic ending. Hall doesn't do the gentle wind-down that many romance authors do, where after the climax, you're slowly glided down and are gently set on the ground by means of an epilogue and/or seeing how the characters live after the big moment and how the dust settles. Alexis Hall's style seems to be that you're sent soaring into sky as everything becomes bright and whites out in one glorious moment. You don't see the aftermath for a gentle landing (or see any of those nice cozy fuzzy couple moments) but to me this matches with the author's style. He's a great author in that you don't see anything superfluous. Every scene and moment has its purpose, whether it's major plot and character stuff or a funny or sweet moment. I wouldn't have been mad at a nice extra scene at the end (quite the contrary), but this was a beautiful, perfect ending to me.Finally, the "plot twist." Stop reading now if you don't want spoilers. Or keep reading if you like spoilers so you can enjoy the book more and read without fear.I understand why a lot of people had a hard time with this. What I'm surprised at is that some people were surprised. They decide not to get married. Looking back, it's clear it was always leading up to this. From the first unplanned proposal to the real proposal, and Oliver's reaction to the proposals, it's clear in hindsight that neither of them were super into the idea. Those first few proposal/wedding-related scenes, I thought it was just the author showing maybe a more realistic, chill proposal between people who already felt settled and that they were never going to leave each other, so they didn't have huge emotional reactions. Then when Luc's mother suggested marriage might not be for them, I immediately saw that was the direction the book was probably heading, and honestly, by the time they had their bachelor parties, I was surprised they hadn't had that conversation and called it off by then. At every point in the book when they talk about the wedding or do something for the wedding, they don't have any of the joy or excitement they should have. None of those moments are shown as particularly magical either. They're just kind of clomping along and doing what is expected. So for me, I don't think it was a big plot twist.As for people being upset that they don't get married, I get it. And Hall could've written a totally(ish) different book, where they go to different weddings (and a funeral) and in between they happily and excitedly get engaged and plan a wedding and get married, maybe with a few fights and twists along the way. And he's a great author, so it would've been great, I'm sure. But the whole point of this story, I think, is that although they're an amazing couple who love each other and fully feel they want to be together forever, they figure out that for some reason, marriage-marriage just doesn't feel right to their relationship. To be honest, it's a bit hard for me to empathize with them. BUT!This is a Thing. I've encountered in other places (books? online?) some LGBTQ+ people who, whether or not are in a serious, monogamous relationship, just don't feel like marriage is for them. It feels too much like a... straight institution. An institution that wasn't made for them, and to this day doesn't fully accept them. Queer people have their own history and culture, in which traditionally "marriage" was simply a lifelong, private commitment. For some people, marriage-marriage just feels too straight. It has too many straight cooties attached to it and it gives them the ick. I'll say now that I'm queer, but I only have medium license to talk about this because I'm not super well-informed about people who feel this way. I just mean to say that some reviewers seemed to feel that this is a big radical statement about heteronormativity, which I suppose it is, but it wasn't as radical an idea as they seemed to think. The author is a gay man (or queer? unsure exactly how he identifies), and if you've read his other books, it's clear he's very knowledgeable about the queer community and various subsets of the community, including the people who feel icky about marriage. This is an author writing authentically about his community.So I understand the shock and disappointment of the ending, especially if this was your first time hearing about queer people who feel uncomfy about Marriage. But what makes this story beautiful is that they love each other so much. The author shows the reader that several times throughout the book. And the book ends very happily for Oliver and Luc. The last scene is such a beautiful, joyous moment! It's just not how the average reader would expect it. I think the author does a great job carrying various themes throughout the book, and I loved the conversations about Oliver's relationship with his community and what it means to be a "good gay." And while there were a number of arguments and non-arguments between Oliver and Luc, I didn't feel like it was too much. Or at least, there were so many sweet and funny moments, and all of those arguments ended in a lovely way.It's not the most cozy, comforting book, but it's a very entertaining read, and the conflicts and unhappy parts are meaningful and well balanced with the funny and lovely parts.Maybe on the second read, when one knows what to expect (or if you've somehow managed to actually read this whole review), people will absorb more of the good bits and not be as weighed down by the bad.Lovely book, very entertaining and funny, great read, very meaningful and interesting. Great sequel. 5/5And 5 gold stars to you for reading this whole review. My god.

I’m so sad, i really enjoyed boyfriend material and was so exited to read husband material but this book just completely disappointed me.

I loved Boyfriend Material so I was really excited for this book to come out and I wasn't disappointed. This is an amazing sequel that is just as funny and deep as the first book. Made me laugh out loud and cry. Devoured it in pretty much one sitting. Just like the first one! Highly recommend!

Ein weiterer zweiter Teil. Nachdem ich BOYFRIEND MATERIAL überraschend gut fand, habe ich mich sehr auf HUSBAND MARERIAL gefreut. Leider leider blieb es für mich etwas hinter den Erwartungen zurück. Der Humor aus Teil 1 ist genauso da, die wunderbar skurrilen Nebencharaktere auch und wir begleiten Luc und Oliver in ihrer Beziehung, in der plötzlich jeder um sie herum heiratet und jede Hochzeit birgt ihre eigenen Tücken. Und plötzlich sind auch unsere beiden Herren verlobt, denn das ist ja der erwartete Weg oder? Auch hier bekommen wir mit, wie es in Luc und Oliver aussieht, aber während Luc diesmal nahezu zahm wird, ist es diesmal Oliver der richtig kaputt geht und fast zerbricht. Sein Ausbruch bei seinen Eltern ist grandios für seinen Charakter, hat aber ein für ihn übles Nachspiel. HUSBAND MATERIAL ist ein gutes Buch, bleibt für mich aber etwas hinter BOYFRIEND MATERIAL zurück, und noch weiß ich nicht, ob mir der Schluss so gefällt. Aber wer weiß, vielleicht bekommen wir ja bald noch ein DADDY MATERIAL?

Ok, wow. I didn't expect this. So, "Boyfriend Material" was one of the best audiobooks I listened to this year and I was ecstatic to see there would be a sequel. Both books are expertly read by a phenomenal voice actor.I loved, loved LOVED the first 13 hours of "Husband Material". Luc and Oliver continue their journey together and grow both individually and as a couple. It was such a joy to listen to.So why only one star? The very mildly spoilery answer: the ending.The massive spoilery answer below (do NOT READ the next paragraph if you don't want to be spoiled for the VERY last chapter of the book!!!):What the actual f....?! Yes, marriage is not for everyone. It might not be for Luc and Oliver. But I just spent literally 13 hours with these two, figuring out what a life together meant, their motives and identity, what they want from a wedding, finding compromises, working together, looking forward to it.... only to find out in the very last chapter, 10 minutes before the big event, "Yeah no, sorry. I don't want to marry you. Marriage is too heteronormative for me. For you too? Awesome, let's not do this." I have no words for my disappointment. I had to turn off the audio and come back to the last freaking ten minutes a bit later, when I had calmed down enough, hating every second of it. And to be clear: I would not have minded this being the story being told. But the whole book was LITERALLY a story about them figuring out how to have a non heteronormative wedding that represented them. This last minute bait-and-switch (ooooh, drama!) just felt like a slap in the face. It's rushed, messy and comes out of nowhere. Such a disservice to the build-up.

Schon der erste Teil war wunderbar zu lesen und war eine der schönsten Liebesgeschichten, die ich in letzter Zeit gelesen habe. Daher war ich auf die Fortsetzung gespannt. Aber Luc und Oliver sind sich treu geblieben!Dieses Buch enthält alles was man braucht: Witz, Überraschung und Liebe.Ich kann es nur wärmstens jedem ans Herz legen, es lohnt sich gelesen zu werden.

After falling in love with "Boyfriend Material" when it was published, I was looking forward to reading the second book in the series, "Husband Material", which was my most anticipated read this year. I am not exaggerating, I had it marked down in my calendar and a countdown set for its release date. I was THAT excited."Boyfriend Material" has been my comfort read for quite some time now. There are only a few books which hold that special place and status in my heart. This book has been my go-to read when I need to find a place of comfort. It is filled with so much humor that I find myself laughing during so many scenes. I always cherish the little moments filled with social awkwardness which are totally a mirror for my own self. I see myself represented in it and I honestly can say that I have found comfort in Alexis Hall‘s books and voice.I have been counting the days for the release of "Husband Material" and I never once worried about what it would be, or how it would be. I truly trust Alexis Hall in this. A voice of comfort which will never disappoint me. It felt like I am reconnecting with old friends, with my comfort zone. Therefore, I had extremely high expectations - and after reading it now I can honestly say that I loved every single moment of this book.In "Husband Material", the book focuses on true love. In the first book, the two main characters pretend to fall in love and then suddenly realize that they are actually in love. So this book now therefore starts with the real love perspective. They have fallen in love, so what is next? Oliver and Luc have been dating each other for quite some time now, have experienced the ups and downs together and now are planning their own wedding which leads to even more chaos than you can already expect from both of them.This book has been a true masterpiece for me, like the first book in the series, but I expected nothing less than a true masterpiece. It focuses on different really important topics - expressing yourself as a queer person when you cannot identify yourself with everything rainbow-colored. When you feel like you are part of something that does not feel like coming home. Social norms and the pressure that comes with it. But also just being loved while being flawed and messy. The first book felt flirty and sexy. "Husband Material" feels more personal, mature and domestic. I absolutely loved every single sentence I have read, all the characters involved into the story, the humor, the laughter, and for me, the coming home. The writing style was as phenomenal as expected and the end had me screaming since I did not expect something like this to happen AT ALL! Also, how can it end here and now I have to wait and suffer while waiting for the next book?Hands down, "Husband Material" has been my most anticipated read this year and I was not disappointed at all. Instead, it became one of my favorite reads this year and deserves more than 5 stars (but unfortunately this is the limit on here). It was truly amazing and I will keep recommending it to everyone!

I was looking forward to reading it for so long, but the closer it got to its release date the more anxious I got I wouldn't like it. Because, ya know, I usually aren't a huge fan of sequels to romcoms. And I read reviews about people not liking it at all...BUT I LOVED IT.I loved everything about it. From the hilarious way some events are written to Luc's sarcasm/ silly jokes to Oliver's speech and obsessive cleaning (can he come to my house please), and from their sweet moments together to their perfectly unperfect relationship, which makes it absolutely perfect. I also love that they are each their own person, that they are different, but also support each other through everything.I read some reviews in which people said they (still) didn't like Luc because he supposedly treats Oliver badly. I honestly don't know where that's coming from. I have loved him since the beginning of Boyfriend Material, but I also think he's grown so much since then. And yes, he's still struggling and yes, he can still react badly at times (so does Oliver and the rest of the world), but he does take responsibility for his actions (mostly) and makes things right (and it usually doesn't even take him that long to realise he has too). Same with Oliver. So yep, I feel like I just jumped into PROTECT LUC AND OLIVER AT ALL COST mode, so I should probably skip to the end.That reminds me... THE ENDING... oh my goodness, the ending. I won't spoil anything, but I think it was perfect. And there's a certain moment very close to the ending where Oliver says something (I can't say what bc huge spoiler) and it made me feel so understood I kind of cried and smiled at the same time (think perfect 'one single film worthy tear slides down cheek while smiling like a fool' moment).I think the message of the book (or at least that's what I got from it) is that everyone is different, and it is OKAY to do things your own way, even if that means you are doing the exact opposite of what everyone else is doing. I think it came exactly at the right time, not so much because I didn't know this already, but because I've been thinking about stuff a lot lately, realising some things about myself, and it's so nice to somehow get that validation from one of your fav authors through two of your fav characters.So, to now really end my review, I loved Husband Material to bits and it made me so incredibly happy.