Boyfriend Material, and the angst of twentysomething Brits

As soon as I read the synopsis of Boyfriend Material, I was sold, not least because it sounded like a British take on the hit Red, White and Royal Blue. The story did not disappoint, serving up a slightly more sarcastic and grown-up take on the fake-boyfriend trope, complete with double the angst and break ups of its American pal.

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Although I'm not British myself, I've spent my entire young professional life on the island, which gives me an insider perspective that I lack with stories set in the US. And let me tell you, if you're UK-based, you're guaranteed a bunch of good laughs - Boyfriend Material does not shy away of the dry humour and sarcasm that many young millennials use to communicate.

But it's not just the snarky remarks that make the book so cosy and familiar. There's clubbing, tabloids, tea, cringe-worthy office bonanza, posh public school boys, over-the-top reality TV. Obviously, the tale of two people going from fake to real partners would still hold up even without the little nods to British culture, but having them woven in makes the narrative more immersive, like it's a story your mate is telling you in the pub instead of a far-flung American dream.

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Boyfriend Material is also a great depiction of what being in your mid-late twenties is really like. Far from the glamorous 90s nostalgia picture that Friends paints, Luc and his friends are authentic, diverse, and not entirely put together. I would argue that it's a much better representation, as it doesn't set any unrealistic expectations about owning prime property, spending your days lounging around coffee shops and/or having a glamorous career.

Let's face it - we've all been Luc at some point in the last few years. Whether we've wanted to punch our snotty co-workers, or quit our low-paying, barely rewarding jobs altogether over clients who treat us outrageously, we know the struggle. There's a weird sense of comfort in seeing your life experiences on the page, and knowing that it's okay not to have it all figured out, because many people are in the same boat.

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Now that I've managed to actually lead with the positives (for a change), I have an axe to grind with Oliver's family. We're gonna get into some spoilers, so look away know if you came for a snoop before you've read the book.

Alright then. Oliver's family are the. absolute. fucking. worst. We see the 'horrible/emotionally abusive' parent trope a lot in romance novels, because it's fertile ground for character growth of your protagonists. But homophobic horrible parents just drive me up the wall. I know homophobia is very much still a thing an many LGBTQ people struggle with lack of acceptance from their family, but knowing doesn't make me any less outraged on their behalf.

I'm not gonna repeat any of the awful things Oliver's folks say to him, but I will tell you this - as far as character suffering goes, I would have enjoyed the book just as much without watching the poor boy get gaslit by his loved ones and his bigoted uncles or whatever throw slurs at him.

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While I don't like the Blackwood family dynamic, I can appreciate its importance for Oliver's character development, as well as the overall message of the book. The one thing Boyfriend Material could have done without - or at least eased up on - is all the breaking up. I'm not exaggerating, these two lovebirds break up a lot for a 400-page book.

In keeping with my earlier analogy, it's all very Ross and Rachel, many back and forth moments, buckets of angst and overreaction. I'd expect to see this in a YA novel, because teenagers, but for a story that hold up its more adult tone quite well throughout, this was the one point where it fell short.

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Even though it has not had quite the same hype as Red, White and Royal Blue, Boyfriend Material is an excellent read for romance enthusiasts who like their American cheesiness with a side of British snark. Plus, we get to share in the satisfaction of watching real adults who don't have their lives figured out get their shit together. Yey for being in your twenties!

4/5 stars