Recommended Read, Review

Review: What Happens in Scotland by Jennifer McQuiston (2013)

Second Sons, Book 1

Heat Factor: She’s a slow burn, friends

Character Chemistry: They have shockingly fantastic chemistry, and the way this was executed was superb and that’s my thesis

Plot: Georgette wakes up in Scotland smelling of brandy, unable to remember anything from the night before, and is clearly married to a handsome Scot. James is a second son, deeply invested in becoming a solicitor his town (and family) might respect, and is also suddenly unable to remember anything about the night before. The two of them have to retrace their steps to figure out what happened, save Georgette, and see if they have something worth saving together.

Overall: Obsessed.

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Review

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

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Review

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:

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. The last paragraph is perfect

Just trust me on this one.

Read on for Erin’s review.

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Recommended Read, Review Revisited

Review Revisited: Holly’s Take on Boyfriend Material by Alexis Hall (2020)

So, Erin has been yelling at us about Boyfriend Material and how it’s her favoritest most funniest book ever for a while now, so I figured I should read it. 

Erin and I do not have exactly the same sense of humor, because I was not laughing so hard that my husband had to check on me to make sure I was ok. (Maybe also she laughs harder at things than I do.) And there were some scenes where I could tell that we were going for humor, but it was too over-the-top for me to get a giggle out of it. (Erin and I had similarly divergent reactions to Something Fabulous.) 

BUT. The bit where Luc is telling his coworkers the “interrupting cow” knock-knock joke is fucking hilarious. Alex Twaddle 4-EVA!

I will also say that I read this as part of a larger Alexis Hall binge, which really highlighted to me that his books are not for everyone. They are thoughtful and absolutely brilliantly written, but I find them incredibly stressful to read. The protagonists tend to be messy and unlikable; therefore, being in their heads is not always a pleasant experience.

Read on for all the deets (and lots of squeeing) from Erin.

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Review

Review: Before Dawn by Laura F. Murphy (2022)

Heat Factor: It’s closed door, so although the subject matter is really gritty and juicy, you won’t find descriptions of heat here.

Character Chemistry: Max and Smith’s relationship is very steady and tender, which is good for Max considering how intense every other aspect of her life is.

Plot: Max is in a 6 year relationship with a married man who is 14 years her senior. Literally her entire life falls apart, and throughout the fall out and all the repair work, her friend Smith slowly turns into someone really special.

Overall: This is a really intense, smut-adjacent book about a woman going through just the absolute worst life has to offer, but at least she’s got a loving family and a hot boyfriend.

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