Heternormative HEAs and Husband Material…Podcast Edition
We’re trying something new! Instead of transcribing and blogifying our conversations about romance, we’re giving this whole podcast thing ago.
For our first episode, we’re continuing the Great Smut Debate. This month, we’re tackling Heternormative HEAs and the question of what makes a hero good husband material.
Give us a listen, and let us know what you think in the comments—especially if you want to see more content like this from us!
Episode 1: Heteronormative HEAs and Husband Material – The Smut Report Podcast
Erin, Holly, and Ingrid talk about heteronormative happy endings after reading a whole bunch of books called HUSBAND MATERIAL.Full show notes at smutreport.com
Review: Husband Material by Megumu Minami (2021)
Original novel by Emma Goldrick (1996)
Heat Factor:
Character Chemistry: What even is consent?
Plot: Anything I say will make it sound significantly less bananas than it actually was
Overall: There is basically nothing okay about any of this and I enjoyed myself hugely
Continue reading “Review: Husband Material by Megumu Minami (2021)”Review: Husband Material by Brenda Jackson (2020)
Heat Factor: It’s hot. There’s lots of booty.
Character Chemistry: This is fully established physically, but (likely due to length) the emotional chemistry is less developed.
Plot: Carmen and her ex, Matthew, end up stuck sharing their beach house for the summer. When both decide to punish the other through seduction, they cave almost instantly and rekindle their relationship.
Overall: It’s not fully fleshed out but there’s flesh out. (See what I did there?)
Review: Husband Material by Emily Belden (2019)
Heat Factor: Barely kisses
Character Chemistry: I remain unconvinced
Plot: Charlotte finally comes to term with her husband’s death
Overall: Exceptionally irritating but, for some reason, I read the whole thing
Review Revisited: Holly’s Take on Husband Material by Alexis Hall (2022)
We’re trying something a little different this week, where we read different books that all have the same title. Our first contender in Who Wore It Best: Smut Edition? Husband Material.
To properly kick off Husband Material week, I figured I should read the book that inspired us to do this in the first place: the version written by Alexis Hall that Erin squeed over.
Her review is below, but here are three additional things that you should know about this book:
- It does not stand alone
You *definitely* have to read Boyfriend Material first. There are approximately a million characters who are vaguely introduced, but the expectation is that the reader already knows what Luc’s job is and who his coworkers are, who his besties are, and the general outline of his history. Luc’s friends Bridge and Priya get the most page time of the secondary characters and feel the most fully fleshed out, but if I hadn’t read Boyfriend Material, I would have been very confused with every interaction Luc has with his fellow CRAPPers.
- I would maybe call this book smut-adjacent
Not because of the non-heteronormative HEA, but because I thought it read kind of day-in-the-life women’s fic-y. The focus of most of the book is not Luc and Oliver’s relationship, because their relationship is great, but on the stuff going on around them that’s making them process their various messes.
On the other hand, the conflict and resolution at the very end of the book may have changed my mind about this statement.
- The last paragraph is perfect
Just trust me on this one.
Read on for Erin’s review.
Continue reading “Review Revisited: Holly’s Take on Husband Material by Alexis Hall (2022)”
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