This is a refreshing take on gender identity and uprooting societal norms. Both Peggy and Orfeo are nonconformists. They are kindred spirits who must find a way to "something better."I didn't read Something Fabulous, but I will definitely go back and read it. I want to get the full enjoyment of Belle, Bonny, and Peggy. This book isn't for everyone, but keep an open mind and be ready for some great quips and humor.

Alexis Hall's Regency romps are amongst my favorite read in these times: heartwarming, funny, and well plotted.
The style of writing is tongue-in-cheek and I love the well plotted characters.
This is highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this arc, all opinions are mine

Alexis Hall has become a new favorite on my bookshelf due to his gender-expansive historical romances, and SOMETHING SPECIAL is no different.

This is an incredibly earnest, and well-written tale that is both hilarious and heartwarming. While I am not familiar with the previous novel, that did not affect my enjoyment of this narrative.

Overall, I highly enjoyed it!

Alexis Hall is one of my favorite writers and I love his book! I truly enjoyed Something Fabulous, so I have been eagerly awaiting Something Spectacular. This book did not disappoint! I rate this book five stars!

Alexis Hall has a brilliant way of writing which gives very descriptive settings and fully rounded and well-written characters. This book certainly maintained this standard! The representation in the LGBTQIA+ romance was wonderful and something that is certainly needed!

Peggy and Orfeo were magical together, and I completely got swept up in their story. Even though they were originally on two different paths, I was supporting and cheering on their romance from the start! They drew me in, made me laugh, made me cry, and overall just made me a huge fan! I was so happy to see more of Valentine and Bonny as well. I hope Sir Horley and Arabella do eventually find happiness in their lives.

I enjoyed the liberties with history and just enjoyed the fun of this historical romance. So much fun and joy to be had in this book along with the dramatic journey we're taken on. I highly recommend this book!

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Peggy Delancy is in love with her best friend, Arabella Tarleton, but Belle does not share her feelings. Belle wants to fall in love and hopes Peggy will help her fall in love with a beautiful opera singer named Orfeo. But when Peggy hears their beautiful soprano voice, and sees their face, she begins to realize that she's falling for the person Belle was going to find love with, and she has to find a way to get past it, or risk her friendship with Belle.

It's a Regency Romance. There is... so much to unpack here. Okay, quick character breakdown. Peggy is a cross-dressing woman, kind of proto-trans because she doesn't FEEL like one or the other gender, and doesn't want to just act like a woman because she's got the parts. Orfeo is her love interest, and they are a person who was an Italian castrated boy forced into operatic life who lives their life in servitude to others. Belle turns out to be ace. Belle's brother Bonny is married to the local Duke, Valentine. There are a bunch of background characters as well. I think there MAY be one straight lady, but her husband is definitely bi, as is his side piece, and she is thankful that her husband realized who he truly was because then she doesn't have to constantly have to go to bed with him. And I'm fairly certain the rest of the characters were all somewhere in the rainbow of the LGBTQ+ existence.

I think my cis white straight married-lady brain just couldn't get aligned here. I liked the writing, because I really enjoy the work of Alexis Hall. He is wonderful. And his usual sharp-tongued characters shone through again. But I had such a hard time connecting with anyone in this cast.

I still love Alexis Hall, for sure, but I think the combo of regency plus the very explicit LGBTQ+ romance scenes threw this into a not-easy-to- read space for me. It was definitely not written for me. However, this book was not written for someone like me. It was written for a totally different audience. I'm quite sure that those it was written for will definitely enjoy it.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity!

Alexis Hall has done it again.

"Something Spectacular" is every bit as deliciously indecent as "Something Fabulous," and introduces yet another unforgettable character in Orfeo, a virtuoso opera singer and castrato who acts as a love interest for Peggy.

Hall elevates the inclusivity from his first Regency Romp by adding yet another bold non-binary character, and continues to develop his his poly-sexual and aromantic story lines skillfully.

Scintillating and scandalous. You'll have a blast with this one, I guarantee.

Had heard good things about Hall's other books, particularly the first in this Regency series, which is a genre of romance I have been wanting to get more into. However, I found the writing style to not be my favourite, and actually quite confusing at times in trying to keep track of everything.

Amazing! I loved the first book in this series so I went it with high expectations and I couldn't be happier it was this good! I loved the characters so much, I just want to hug all of them. The humor is great, as all of Alexis's books.

3,5 stars.
First of all, kudos on the representation! I had fun reading this, what with the antics and anachronisms, and loved both main characters. I thought they had crazy good chemistry (especially in the first half). My main issue perhaps, rests with Arabella, who is just spectacularly annoying in both books. Otherwise, Alexis Hall remains an auto-read/buy author.

DNF at 20%

I have been trying to read this book for over a month and I finally have to throw in the towel. I really enjoyed Something Fabulous, minus the insufferable Arabella. Unfortunately, the first 20% of Something Spectacular has a lot of Arabella and her shenanigans and I just can’t take it anymore. I’m seeing a lot of reviews in which readers are saying it took a while for them to get out of Arabella’s orbit and into the Peggy / Orfeo romance, so perhaps I will try to take another stab at this book in the future.

Something Spectacular By Alexis Hall

I liked this sequel to Something Fabulous a lot. It was interesting to learn more about Peggy and enjoy seeing many of the original book's characters pop up again. Before starting this second book in the series, I would advise reading Something Fabulous first so you are familiar with the characters.Orfeo and Peggy alone are perhaps my favourite characters in this novel. I like their relationship's development and dynamic. Both individually and together, I adore them. I appreciated how well they interacted with one another and how, when they are together, they support one another's development while also being considerate of one another's personal space. My favourite was definitely Peggy's unconditional support of Orfeo, no matter what he wanted to accomplish. I like how the romance in it centres around two genderfluid characters, which I haven't really read before.

Das ist sogar besser als das erste Buch. Diese Geschichte war lustiger, weil Bonny an vorderster Front steht, mich bestimmt zum Lachen bringt. Dieser hat mehr Drama und Angst. Orpheo ist charmant und genauso verrückt wie Belle, also kann ich definitiv sagen, dass Peggy recht hat, sie hat einen Typ. Ich kann es kaum erwarten zu sehen, was als Nächstes passiert, und ich möchte bitte mehr Bücher.

Viel Spaß beim Selberlesen!

My thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I loved the charm, humor and whimsy of Something Fabulous and was very excited to revisit that world again. You don't have to read the first to follow along, but it's well worth it.

This book follows Peggy as she tries to sort out her life post Arabella Tarleton (book 1 angst). She's does this, ironically, by following Arabella into another scheme. She meets a castrato named Orfeo and promptly falls head over heels. Peggy, bless her, has a TYPE! dramatic, wounded souls. Orfeo is equal parts vulnerable and world weary, believing he can only be a performer. (Flops on divan with arm over face)

On the way to HEA, there are illogical melodramatic Tarleton schemes, heartfelt conversations, and revisiting most of Book 1 cast. There are several conversations about what it is to be what people expect and what you want to be. I found it relatable and thoughtful without being a personal essay, if that makes sense? It felt natural for characters to have these conversations, is I think what I mean.

Along with the found family of book 1, we are introduced to some new friends who are equal parts endearing and funny. The Duke and Duchess of Marshalsea in particular. There are also some memorable scenes such as the poetry salon and that last chapter. One was very funny and the other, well, you should read it and find out.

I liked it so much I'm re-reading on audio through KU.

#SomethingSpectacular #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this follow up to Something Fabulous. It was fun to get to know Peggy better and see many of the characters from that first book return in this story. I would recommend reading Something Fabulous first so that you are familiar with the characters before diving into this second book in the series.

My favorite thing about this story was the uprooting of societal norms, particularly with regards to gender identity. Both of the main characters, Peggy and Orfeo, are outside the gender binary, though that exact term isn't used. They are neither this nor that, and they both struggle to express themselves authentically in a world that wants to box them in. I loved seeing them find a kindred spirit in each other and figure out how to live the lives they wanted!

There are so many queer characters and relationships in this book, which is a delight. Mythology references are sprinkled throughout, starting with Orfeo's name (Orpheus), but you don't need to understand a thing about mythology to enjoy this story. It's witty, full of banter and fun, but also introspective and thoughtful.

I recommend this book to someone who wants to read about queer characters finding their way in the world, discovering love, being silly, passionate, even ridiculous at times. It's joyful and loving and delightful.

This is a tough review to write because I’m still not sure of my feelings on this book. On one hand, the gender and queer rep is fantastic and important. On the other, I almost DNFed it multiple times and really only got into the book in the final third of the story. I think this will be a great book if you adore Alexis Hall and their writing style and a bit of a chore if you don’t. I’m squarely in the middle. I’ve read some Alexis Hall books that gripped me from the start and others that I had to force myself to finish. Both Peggy and Orfeo were great characters and the plot of this book was very interesting. It just took me a long while to connect with the story.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced readers copy! All views and opinions here are my own.

My favorite part of this book is probably just Orfeo and Peggy. I liked their dynamic, and the way their romance progresses. I love them as their individual characters but also together. I liked how they communicated with each other too and how when they're with each other they help each other grow and yet still respects each other's spaces. My favorite is probably Peggy just being so supportive of Orfeo regardless of what Orfeo want to do. This is my first Alexis Hall book (and probably not my last) but I like how the romance in this one is focused on two genderfluid characters which I haven't really read before.

Honestly, I had a hard time starting this, due to the suddenness of the plot and the introduction of the characters. To be fair, it is definitely my fault for getting this without reading the first book of the series. But at the time, I have read lots of romance series out of order and since I thought this one is okay to read as a standalone, I decided to trudge on anyway, not knowing that the first book is necessary to understand this book better. I also didn't like Arabella that much, who appeared first in this book and therefore made me question whether I want to continue with this book or not so I was glad that the spotlight is on Peggy instead of her (yes I didn't read the synopsis I'm sorry). I also found myself not liking/vibing with the historical-esque writing and some of the words used to show the period so those also contributes to me not being able to give this more than a 3 star. I did however like some of the banter and quips that the characters made in this one though.

I love Alexis Hall's writing so much. He has truly never let me down. This is no exception! A super fun and delightfully queer regency romance with found family is so up my alley and I'm delighted to have gotten to read this book. I love the way all of these characters interact with each other, love each other and trust each other. Peggy and Orfeo's love story was a joy to read, and it was also great to get some glimpses of Bonny and Valentine. I really hope there are more books set in this world in the future!

I very much enjoyed getting to hear Peggy's story. I'm definitely a soft touch for someone growing into their own self-confidence. This was the familiar, and often silly and serious, world we were introduced to in Something Fabulous, through new eyes. I'm thrilled to see all the characters growing in affection, communication, backgboundary setting, and most importantly, joy.

3.5

Thanks to Montlake Publishing for gifting me a free e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t know much about this book before picking it up other than 1. it’s queer, 2. it’s a historical romance, 3. it’s written by Alexis Hall. I’ve read three books by this author previously, and while I enjoyed some more than others, the main reason why I enjoyed them was how funny they were, and this book certainly didn’t disappoint on that front. The banter and relationships between the characters were definitely the highlights of this book for me.

Something Spectacular follows Peggy, who is in love with her best friend, Belle. Belle wants Peggy to help Orfeo, an opera singer, to fall in love with Belle. As if this isn’t complicated enough, Peggy herself ends up falling for Orfeo, and as you can imagine, chaos ensues.

I enjoyed the beginning of this book very much. It was funny and witty and quite unlike anything else I’d ever read. However, as the story progressed, I found myself losing interest in it. There were a lot of different side plots that I think took away from the main story, and as a result, the relationship between Peggy and Orfeo didn’t feel very well fleshed out to me. This book is also incredibly dialogue-heavy, and I felt like the characters kept having the same conversations and arguments all the time.

However, it was a lot of fun to be able to experience a queer historical romance. The characters were hilarious and this book often took me by surprise. The ending came as quite a shock to me, but I think it’s very much suited to the book. This is a book all about queer representation, and I think the message that nothing – not gender, or sexuality, or even relationships – can be placed into a box was expertly executed.

So, while this may not have been the perfect book for me, I’m very happy that I read it, and I will continue to pick up books by this author if only because I find them very entertaining.

I’ve read the first few chapters but I will 100% finish the KU edition because I love Alexis Hall and this is no different. Hall writes such great queer romances and this is 100% no different and is amazing so far!