The recap
Luc O'Donnell is the only child of two 1980s rock stars, which has left him with a famous surname, an unwanted tabloid profile and a deep suspicion of being loved. When an unflattering photo of him lands in the gossip pages, the dung-beetle conservation charity where he works starts worrying about its donors. Luc needs to look respectable, quickly, and his friends know just the man: Oliver Blackwood, a barrister so polished and principled he seems to belong to another decade. Their first meeting goes badly. Their arrangement, however, makes perfect sense on paper: Oliver will play Luc's steady boyfriend at work events, and Luc will accompany Oliver to his parents' anniversary party. Alexis Hall runs the fake-dating setup with real comic flair, from mortifying fundraisers to a gloriously chaotic circle of friends, but the jokes are balanced by tenderness about anxiety, family wounds and the fear of being truly seen. It is a London romantic comedy in the classic British mold, and every bit as warm.
Why read it
For anyone who grew up on Richard Curtis-era British romcoms and wants one with a queer heart, sharp one-liners and real emotional stakes.
Fun facts
- 01
Hall has said the book is explicitly inspired by the British romantic comedies of roughly 1995 to 2004, the era of Richard Curtis and Hugh Grant.
- 02
Beyond the films, Hall has named 1990s British TV comedies such as Blackadder and Red Dwarf as influences on the novel's humor.
- 03
Publishers Weekly singled out a work lunch scene as a highlight, comparing its comic style to P.G. Wodehouse.
- 04
Entertainment Weekly listed it among the ten best romance novels of 2020.
- 05
It opened Hall's London Calling series; the sequel, Husband Material, followed in 2022 and is set two years later.
