Something Extraordinary by Alexis Hall is a delightful Regency romp filled with humor, charm, and a unique twist on the historical romance genre. Sir Horley and Arabella’s unconventional friendship drives the story as they embark on a wild journey to escape societal expectations. The witty banter and absurd situations—questionable innkeepers and amateur highwaymen—are highly entertaining, and appearances from characters in previous books add a nostalgic touch. However, while the humor and chemistry shine, the narrative sometimes feels repetitive, which detracts from the overall experience. Despite that, it’s an enjoyable read for fans of quirky, character-driven romance with a historical flair.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC

I have been impatiently awaiting Something Extraordinary, eager to dive into Belle’s personality and see an aromantic character. I’ve also really enjoyed the questions posed by the series so far, e.g. who gets to write a person’s story and do we ever truly shape our narratives alone. In Something Extraordinary, Belle finds there’s context all around her, and it’s immensely satisfying to read about her deconstructing the stories she’s read and the ones she’s told herself. The parts of her journey that result in seeing her full humanity as well as others’ “in glittering mosaic” are truly lovely.

On a long and occasionally absurd trip to Gretna Green, two friends go on personal and shared emotional journeys that emphasize the importance of friendship and platonic love while exploring what Love is in all its spectral glory. I enjoy a lot in this book, from the aromantic rep (mostly), the extensive queerness (highly), and the fundamental proposition that the rich are meant to be eaten (supremely). The book’s focus on found family and finding that family is charming, and the prose can be laugh-out-loud funny. The writing makes insightful comments on the human condition and eschatology, and then it calls people a “pissjester.”

There are crises of identity and of purpose. There are killer lines like “He is a fop and a formidable man.” There are lines that made me cry (“‘Whatever our circumstances, I am glad we would find our way to equity.’” and “And what a peculiar cruelty it was, a wasp sting from the world at large, to be someone who required explanation.”) There are also incomplete character arcs and improper uses of Orfeo.

Without getting deep into spoilers, there are parts of this book that fundamentally irritate me. Belle’s obstinacy that she doesn’t know how to love is depressing and—for me—insufficiently challenged in a book that is otherwise so obvious in its ethical message that it approaches preaching at points. It’s possible that the book’s occasional statements about godly love encompassing all forms, the incorrect (and challenged) framing of a patron’s and guardian’s abuses as love, and the false erasure of platonic love in favor of sexual and romantic attractions do enough to belie Belle’s insecurities. She is afterall not always a reliable narrator. But I fear that Belle’s insistence on being “simply not made to love” could come across poorly because it’s never directly challenged in dialogue or really by anything other than inference, she is already predisposed to being The Bad GuyTM, and aromanticism is not widely understood. If requiring an explanation is a wasp sting, then this aro rep's reliance on extrapolative assumption is an anvil to the face.

Smaller issues are around character dynamics. Using one character to further the MC’s narrative is fine on the surface—it’s not like they’re anything beyond narrative devices anyway—but I’m not confident that certain scenes in Something Extraordinary do so in a way that matches the narrative kindness I’ve come to expect from an AJH book. The issues between Valentine and Belle that have now spanned three books continue to feel unresolved, and I think concluding those issues here would have suited the book better than some avenues chosen.

Something Extraordinary is, at its core, a thesis about what love is. It's insightful and amusing. But I’m not convinced it fully made its point.

While this wasn't my favorite of the series, (I found it a touch long and rambling), it does have amazing found family and queer rep not often seen in historical romance. Alexis Hall continues to expand the genre by writing characters exploring their sexuality and what it means to be in a meaningful relationship (whether romantic or platonic). This was a marriage of convenience story between best friends who will do anything for one another and that part I really enjoyed. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review. Recommended for fans of authors like Cat Sebastian.

ARC Review: Something Extraordinary by Alexis Hall
Pub Date: December 17

Thank you to Montlake for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This series by Alexis Hall is very fun and pretty lighthearted. The tone is silly and a little ridiculous and while I do giggle quite a bit, that can sometimes take away from my investment in the characters themselves.

I liked this book quite a bit but I do think I liked it as a thought-provoking book more than I actually enjoyed the story/felt the chemistry for the characters. Essentially the premise of this book is that Arabella Tarleton (Belle) is aromantic and her friend Sir Horley is about to marry a respectable young woman as his aunt wants him to despite being profoundly gay. Belle offers to marry him instead knowing that while it won't be a traditional marriage and there will never be romance, they could both still get something out of the relationship.

Now despite this not being anywhere close to a typical romance with a traditional HEA, I absolutely loved Belle and Horley together. Seeing a platonic relationship that is so intimate is something I'm not sure I've ever seen in a romance. This is an incredibly unique book with some really valuable and interesting lessons. It will really get you thinking! Though the do not have a romance with each other, this book still feels deeply romantic. There were some discussions that really were just so lovely.

And don't you worry, the classic Alexis Hall spice is still there - even if neither main character finds sexual satisfaction with the other. In no way would I call what happens here cheating - Belle and Horley know exactly what their relationship is and in fact encourage each other to find that satisfaction outside the marriage. I do recommend this book but encourage readers to keep an open mind about what romance can look like.

This third book in Alexis Hall’s Something Fabulous series of (faux) Regency romps is very much a love story – but not a genre romance. Rather, it celebrates platonic love – and does it incredibly well - and tells the story of two dear friends who, as the synopsis indicates, prove that a bumpy road is better than an unhappy destination.

I really liked Sir Horley Comewithers, louche man-about-town, in the other books in the series, and was pleased when I learned he’d be getting a book of his own. I didn’t, however, realise that the other protagonist would be Awful Arabella (Tarleton), whom I disliked intensely. I admit that I wasn’t at all sure I’d be able to make it through a book in which she was one of the leads but I decided to give it a try – and it seems that in the time that has elapsed between the events of Something Fabulous and Something Spectacular, Arabella has grown up a bit. She’s still prickly, forthright and demanding, and time hasn’t softened any edges, but she’s a lot more self-aware and more focused on trying to do good things for the people she cares about. Long story short – she isn’t as totally obnoxious as she was before.

Note: This is the third book in a connected series of standalones, although I would recommend reading the other two first so as to get a better handle on the characters and their previous interactions. There are spoilers for those books in this review.

When Something Extraordinary begins, Arabella is trying to persuade her very good and extremely drunk friend, Sir Horley, that he really doesn’t have to marry the woman chosen for him by his overbearing aunt. Sir Horley, who relies on his aunt for financial support, doesn’t see that he has any other choice, but Arabella isn’t having any of his self pity, and doesn’t baulk at his attempts at rudeness. She eventually suggests that if a wealthy wife is what he needs, then he might as well marry her as anyone. She’s well aware that he’s not interested in women as sexual partners and is coming to terms with the fact that romantic love is something she has no interest in, so if Horley is going to have to get married, why not marry his best friend? Many marriages have been founded on less.

You will never desire me. I will never fall in love with you. Does that not seem a wonderfully comfortable arrangement?

Thus begins probably the most inept elopement in the history of inept elopements. After making a prompt exit from his aunt’s home (following an act that can only be described as self-defenstration on Horley’s part), he and Bella head off to the inn she’s staying at with her brother Bonny and his ducal lover, Valentine. These early scenes – especially the ones that take place at the inn – often had me giggling out loud; the quickfire dialogue and deadpan observational humour I always enjoy about Alexis Hall’s books is sharp, insightful and frequently hilarious, and it’s the best kind of farcical – silly, yes, but genuinely funny as well (rather than just being silly!).

After assuring Bonny and Valentine that this is what she wants, Bella and a still inebriated Sir Horley leave her brother and his duke to face down a very angry aunt and a solicitous (ex)fiancée, and depart for Gretna Green.

Along the way and having finally sobered up, Horley – whom Arabella has decided should use his second name, Rufus, because it suits him better - makes the mistake of voicing the thought that even if they hadn’t agreed to marry, they’d have to get married now anyway, given the length of time they’ve spent travelling alone in a closed carriage. Bella isn’t pleased about that; it’s one thing to make a marriage of convenience in order to rescue a friend from a lifetime of misery; it’s quite another to be forced into it because of society’s dictats - and, being Arabella, decides to make a point by running away (with the aid of a murderous inkeeper!). When, the next morning, Rufus has escaped from said inkeeper, he’s forlornly trudging along trying to work out what to do next when he happens upon the carriage by the side of the road, where his recalcitrant bride-to-be is waiting for him. With breakfast. Misunderstandings corrected, and in harmony once more, they recommence their journey – only to be held up at gunpoint by a rather nervous highwayman.

Something Extraordinary is a lot of fun, but there’s also a more serious story here about the importance of finding the path that suits you and, if you are so inclined, finding the right person to walk it with you. Arabella has struggled with the fact that she doesn’t want what everyone else around her seems to want – sweeping, romantic love – and she’s starting to realise that not wanting it doesn’t make her wrong – just different – and she’s set on making a life that works for her. Sir Horley – Rufus – appeared, in the previous books, to be a devil-may-care type with a wicked sense of humour and no morals, although in Something Spectactular, there were hints at a darker side to him, and in this book, we get to see some more of that. After a life of mistreatment and disappointment, he’s convinced he’s broken and insists that he’s not the man Belle thinks he is and that he’s not worth her affection and friendship. But she refuses to give up on him, and helps him to realise that he’s not worthless and that he does deserve happiness and good things in life. His character development is probably not as significant as Belle’s, but I really liked the way he accepts Belle for everything she is and just rolls with the punches without ever seeming like a doormat.

They make a good couple – they share a determination and practicality to shape their own destinies that is admirable, and their marriage brings both of them a great deal of contentment. It’s not conventional, to be sure, but it works extremely well for them, and I really appreciated the inclusion of this queerly platonic relationship story in a romance series. Because platonic love doesn’t get enough, well, love.

I enjoyed the story a lot more than I thought I would, although things started to fizzle out around three quarters of the way in and never really picked up again, which dented my overall grade a bit. And - and this may be on me because I didn’t have time to re-read the other books – I don’t remember the friendship between Rufus and Arabella being such a close one as is described in this book. The way Bella talks and thinks about it makes it sound as though they were soulmates and I honestly don’t remember that at all.

None of the books in this series are historically accurate and they’re not supposed to be; instead, they belong firmly under the umbrella of ‘historical fantasy’, with their tongue-in-cheek commentary on the ridiculousness of nineteenth century social convention and characters who are making life and love work for them on their own terms. And only Alexis Hall could come up with the nineteenth century’s version of TripAdvisor!

If you’re looking for a conventional historical romance, you won’t find it here, but if you’re looking for something funny, moving, thought-provoking and ultimately uplifting, then Something Extraordinary is definitely worth a few hours of anyone’s time.

Note: There are several sex scenes in the book (m/m, f/f, and m/f), but none featuring Rufus and Belle together – which is exactly how they like it.

Book 3 in Alexis Hall’s Something Something series makes me so very happy. All 3 of these delightful anachronistic Regency romps have provided so many laugh out loud moments, comfort, and exploration of relationships and identity. From his first appearance in Something Fabulous, Sir Horley Comewithers has been a scene stealer; charming, wicked, and a true friend. In Something Extraordinary we pick up from where we left him in Something Spectacular, miserably engaged to a woman he does not want to marry in order to please his terrible aunt.

Enter Arabella Tartleton, very much over her too dramatic heroine era, now entering her eat cheese era - and most importantly build-a-life-she-wants-for-herself era. She is still a fan of ridiculous schemes (never completely gives up on some drama - she is a Tarleton after all) and concocts an abduction and elopement to Gretna Green. Their road trip includes some of my favorite moments in the book as they encounter questionable pies (Mrs. Lovett would approve), a run-in with “the worst highwayman in the history of larceny,” and jilted fiancées.

Slight detour in my review here to discuss the bookseller. Flirting over rare books might be a very small sliver of romance readers but anyone who incorporates conversations about etching, books of hours, and sharing of books…well, ahem, I am here for it.

Right, back to the review. What’s lovely about Belle and Sir Horley’s book is their friendship. They create a queer platonic relationship that works best for them both - full of love, mutual respect, and friendship. Their discussions about friendship, pain, and loss are so moving. They also find what I think is the through line of this series the joy of living the life you want to live with the people you love. And the ending is chef’s kiss.

A somewhat ridiculous, but very fun, romp through Regency England.

Sir Horley Comewithers really doesn't want to get married to a respectable lady, particularly because he's gay. Arabella Tarleton decides that Sir Horley can't have a lifetime of misery, and therefore abducts him on the night before his wedding. They travel to Gretna Green to get married themselves (after all, Belle has no time for romance), and they run into a menagerie of chaos along the way. But has they spend time together, Belle and Sir Horley discover that marriage to someone you choose might not be so bad after all.

First off, this entire series requires a lot of suspension of disbelief, but that definitely results in some fun reads. At every turn, this story has shenanigans afoot, but somehow it doesn't feel like anyone is in real danger. It is very much a romcom, and I love it for that. Belle and Sir Horley are sarcastic and silly, and I enjoy seeing what happens when they team up.

To me, I think the book sometimes borders on too silly, but I also can't fault it for providing a fun plot and an enjoyable read. I think this version of Regency England would have been much more exciting than the real one.

Overall, I definitely recommend this book (although I recommend reading the series in order). It's a great vacation read or perfect for when you need something lighthearted and fun.

That's what friends are for...

My first book by Alexis Hall. I came in knowing the hype. It delivers. Its a quirky caper, road trip, with Belle and Harley. Its an unconventional, in the best way, Balances humor, sensitivity, friendship and really seeing another person and accepting them. Belle is determined to save Harley from himself and marriage to another woman, as he is gay.
Recommend.

Something Extraordinary is an unconventional look at romance, friendship, and what constitutes an HEA. Along with a thought-provoking plot, Alexis Hall also provides the fantastic banter and snarky humor that makes this entire series so much fun to read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Arabella “Belle” Tarleton feels it’s her duty to extract her longtime friend Sir Howley Comewithers from his impending marriage. After all, he’s very gay and has never shown any interest in marriage to a woman before. Of course, in true Tarleton fashion, the plan goes awry, and somehow the pair end up a journey to Gretna Green to elope themselves. Will these two actually get married? And can they make it through this extended road trip without driving each other mad?

I wouldn’t categorize this book as a typical romance. Sure, the characters are great—even Belle, who I didn’t love in the earlier books—and the snarky humor and modern asides are a hoot. And like the rest of this series, it’s assumed that everyone involved is queer. There are plenty of moments where it’s hard to tell where the story is going, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable.

The idea that love doesn’t have to look one particular way is intriguing in a romance, especially when the genre tends towards very specific rules for HEAs. And, I understood Belle’s character better when the story looked at what she actually controls in her life vs her sense of powerlessness as a woman of her time. While this book could be read as a standalone, I definitely recommend reading the first two books first, since previous events and characters are vital to this plot.

Something Extraordinary is an interesting romance. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting, but I enjoyed spending more time in this world with these characters. And as always, Alexis Hall writes the best quips around, no matter what year the book is set in.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This is a book about two people who form a queer platonic partnership in the structure of a Regency romance. Arabella is pansexual and aromantic (she tells people she is "unable to fall in love"); Sir Horley aka Rufus is gay and has given up on finding a "true love forever and ever," and so is planning on marrying the woman his aunt has chosen for him. But Belle figures if he's going to enter a loveless marriage, he should be with someone he at least likes, and proposes herself instead.

Alexis Hall uses the language of historical romance - eloping to Gretna Green! Carriage rides and highwaymen! Ballroom cuts direct and drawing room set downs! - to interrogate the whole idea of "romance." Belle and Rufus are never going to be "in love," but they are going to be true partners to each other.

Note that for a book about two people who are not sexually interested in each other, there are a lot of spicy scenes. I personally would not qualify any of the encounters as "cheating," but YMMV. (E.g. Rufus spends hi wedding night with another man, and with Belle's full knowledge and approval.)

I personally found the book more intellectually interesting than emotionally compelling, but it was a fun read, with Hall's humor on display, as usual.

This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the audiobook.

Another charming book from Alexis Hall, who takes us on a romp filled with friends, lovers, would-be highwaymen and all the hijinks and swoony moments you'd expect. A fitting bookend to a beloved series (and a joy to see the characters from the first two continuing to be their unadulterated, imperfectly perfect selves here too!)

Genre: historical romance
England, Regency era

You'll probably see this a lot from reviewers, but I've never read anything quite like Something Extraordinary before. We are used to our romances having an HEA - and this does - but so much of the time we define it as romantic love. Here, Belle and Sir Horley are not romantically or sexually compatible, but in an era when many marriages are built on loveless arrangements, deep friendship seems as good a foundation as any to start a marriage. So Belle decides to save Sir Horley from a future loveless marriage to a stranger and convinces him to elope to Gretna Green with her instead.

This book has some of the best banter, because it's a bickering sort of friendship that Belle has with Sir Horley. There is a lot of communication - Belle is blunt to the point that it annoys Sir Horley, in fact - and some of that has to do with how they navigate their sexual desires with other people outside of their marriage. Belle is a bisexual aromantic, who for a long time dreamed of a sweeping romance until she learned it wasn't something she desired. Sir Horley is gay and has an unrequited passionate love for Belle's twin brother (one of the MMCs from the first book in the series). And while this book could be complicated or over-explain too many of the relationship components, Hall does a good job of showing the reader what each MC is looking for.

The book is on the long side, at 430 pages/14h15m, it felt a little too long. Where the plot slows, Hall inserts very spicy encounters for both characters, most of which are unexpected in ways I appreciated. I did read book 2, but I did not read book 1 prior to reading this, and while I likely missed some nuance, it perhaps made me less inclined to have a strong opinion of Belle going into Something Extraordinary. I really enjoyed this and will likely be thinking about it for a while.

I have really enjoyed the farcical nature of this series. It’s fun and silly. I loved that this focused on a lavender marriage and how complicated that could be.
It was not my favorite. There are parts that were great but other parts drug.

I absolutely adored Something Extraordinary. To be fair, I’m a bit of an Alexis Hall fan girl, but I really believe this book is truly something extraordinary (sorry, I’ll see myself out).
When I first found out who the MCs of the book were, I was a little apprehensive as one of them (Belle) is aro and the other (Sir Horley/Rufus) is gay. But also I knew that if anyone could pull this off, it would be AH. And I was right.

This series is set in a fantasy Regency world where most people are queer in some way. It also mixes gloriously silly drama with much heavier topics. Where the second book in the series (Something Spectacular) explores gender identity, this third one looks at what makes a love story and an HEA. In my opinion, it really pushes the boundaries of what constitutes a romance, without compromising the HEA/HFN. It’s done so well and cleverly. For me, it’s the perfect balance of fun and silly with angst. So yes, while Belle has matured a bit, she’s still Belle and therefore involved in tarletonian drama such as kidnapping and getting shot by a fake highwayman. At the same time, she and Sir Horley/Rufus spend a lot of time together and discuss their (upcoming) marriage from all viewpoints. Both are presented multiple times with an opportunity to stop the proceedings without either of them experiencing any backlash. Their interactions and the way they both grow, thanks to each other and their unconditional acceptance of each other, are just *chef’s kiss*.

I felt the last part of the book was a little fragmented with big time jumps between scenes. I initially also thought the third act break-up was a little too dramatic (but then, a Tartleton can’t be stopped tartletonning), but the resolution was just perfection so in the end I loved it regardless.

This is truly an exceptional book and it’s going to make think about what makes a romance or relationship or HEA/HFN for quite some time.

I don’t think it ever happened to me before that I started reading a book in the middle (or at the end, rather) of a series, but I managed to do it twice this year. Go me. 🙄 While Something Extraordinary can be read as a standalone if you really want to, I would advise starting with book 1, Something Fabulous. Each of the 3 books tells the story of one couple, but the people are connected across the trilogy, and I think in some cases extra context goes a long way. While I understood everything, and Hall did a good job at giving us just enough details of past events, I would still recommend starting from the beginning.

Alexis Hall is a fairly new author to me – as in, I only discovered him this year when I was looking for M/M romance novels similar (but better) to Red, White & Royal Blue. I found Boyfriend Material and within a weekend I also devoured Husband Material and have been waiting for Father Material ever since. When I saw Something Extraordinary on NetGalley I thought it would be a good way to tide me over until such time. And once again, I didn’t really pay attention, and thus I can only blame myself. Anyway, no real harm was done, so whatever. Personally, I’m not super crazy about Regency settings, but I’m not against them either. I think I slightly prefer contemporary settings when it comes down to it, though.

I say this every once in a while, but I genuinely think that this is going to be one of the hardest reviews to write, ever. And even as I’m writing it, I still can’t decide how I feel about Something Extraordinary. Did I like it? Did it confuse me? Did it make me think a lot? Did it frustrate me? Yes to all of that. Did I enjoy it? I’m not sure. Despite the fact that I read it in a weekend, and highlighted so many paragraphs, for Hall’s sharp wit with which he is writing is top-notch.

“Unfortunately, she’d found it too unpleasant to stick to. Which was yet further evidence – as if she didn’t have enough already – that characters in novels didn’t know what the fuck they were about.”

Nonetheless, it’s still hard to express some of the things/feelings going through my head while reading. And I’m not sure if my lack of experience when it comes to LGBTQ matters is the one to blame or just my general ignorance. Or probably both. If I take one thing away from this book then it’s that I have a lot to learn about love (not that it surprises anyone, really) and all the forms it can take. I also need to take a long, long look into myself.

But we are not reviewing my personal failings here, so let’s move to the book. Something Extraordinary focuses on Arabella Tarleton and Sir Horley Comwithers’ relationship. Sir Horley is about to marry according to his aunt’s wishes (who is not too fond of him), despite the fact that he is attracted to men. Belle, having strong opinions on everything and considering him a friend even though things went a bit awry between them, thinks he is making a mistake and plans to rescue him, by way of proposing a marriage to him. Belle is not one for romantic notions, and even though she tried to fall in love before, she is content to marry her friend, which could be beneficial for them both. She could have a family of her own, someone she could belong to, and Sir Horley could be free of the bonds of his aunt. And since they don’t share an attraction, they could have relationships with anyone they wish.

But of course things are never so simple. Sir Horley, for one thing, is completely out of his wits when accepting the proposal and already halfway to Gretna Green when he sobers up. Secondly, his dream is a fairytale-like love, such as the one Belle’s twin brother has with their mutual duke friend. It doesn’t help that several hurdles are between them and Gretna Green, not least the aunt and his ex-fiancé who is chasing them. They also have a number of misunderstandings, and since they both are prone to theatrics, and not being able to communicate their feelings very well, all kinds of misfortune befalls them.

The story in itself is not really complicated – although, at times it felt like Hall did overcomplicated the plot – and while there are a lot of fun moments, and some quite graphic sex scenes, there was still something missing for me. I was struggling a bit to connect with the characters, or even like them. And I’m not sure I can put my finger on why. There were times I sympathized with Belle, who wants her freedom and a home to call her own with a partner who would not abandon her, or make her feel like a burden, as pretty much everyone else does around her.

“…But they’ll never understand you. They’ll dismiss you as foolish and selfish, or shrill and wilful, or whatever other words they find for women they can’t fit in a box, and all because your pain isn’t the same as their pain, and the world isn’t made for people like us.”

Even though she is incapable of love – though I think she *is* capable of love, just not the kind everyone seems to dream about. Sometimes, a companion and friend can be more satisfactory. I think what she needs is emotional security with someone, and she sees that in Sir Horley, with whom she built a friendship. I think this is where my error comes into play – since I missed out on the first two books, I have little context as to why Belle insists on saving Sir Horley, or even what she sees in him. Eventually, I do see why she chose him and he kind of grew on me as he started to come out of his shell and started to realize his own worth.

But I struggled sometimes with Belle’s reasonings, and choices, especially when it came to starting sexual relationships out of the blue. But again, this could be a completely me issue than anything else. Something Extraordinary still was an interesting experience for me, as this was the first romance novel I read with an ace (I think? I’m sorry if I’m mislabeling!) MC, and it certainly was eye-opening. And even though it was a mixed bag for me, I still recommend it for those who love queer romance novels and found family themes sprinkled with humor.

Ok so. Confession: I loathe Belle. Truly. Deeply. Have since her overdramatic and unforgiving (yet very demanding of the same things she denies others) self flounced into the plot of book 1 in this series. But this is Alexis Hall, and if anyone can make me care, well. Here we are.

I do absolutely love how Belle and Sir Horley/Rufus explore what exactly love is and isn't for them, how they grow (ish) and develop. I really really do. The exploration of aromantic and platonic love is so incredibly sweetly done, and I just loved watching them figure things out together.

Belle's antics however, I still dislike, and a few of them I find very much not funny, but seeing as how the majority of readers does find it funny. Eh.

I would still recommend this series as a whole to anyone who wants to see more overlooked kinds of love. The kind where you believe the friendship and heart that connects them all and see a diverse cast of characters grow and carve out their own version of happiness. That is perhaps my favorite thing about Alexis Halls books (certainly not that he -ugh- makes me feel things...), and something that really shines in this book.

Something Extraordinary is the laugh-out-loud, insanely tender story of Arabella, an aromantic cis woman, and Rufus, a cis gay man—who elope to Gretna Green for an anvil marriage of convenience. The convenience being that they are two humans simply choosing each other. It explores how sometimes the absolute strongest and deepest connections are between two friends who decide to navigate their own stories together.

Arabella and Rufus have previously provided much of the drama in the previous Simply Fabulous stories, but here you get to really explore the pasts that have shaped them and how their bond provides the ideal environment for their growth. They are truly each other's champions, vocally denying the other's self flagellation in an attempt to uncover their inherent goodness.

You can expect all of your favorite characters from the previous installments of the Something Fabulous series (including Peggy and Orfeo's adorable little hellion) wrapped up in the incredibly smart and witty writing that Alexis Hall consistently delivers. I probably highlighted about 30% of this book, and that's not even hyperbole. The first 40 chapters were an absolute joy to read, and chapter 41 sneaks up to strike you directly in the heart. The only reason it ended up being a 4.5 instead of 5 stars for me were a few bantery scenes that felt a little unnecessarily long. Do not get me wrong, they were delightful and well-written, but they felt like a distraction or detour from the larger story.

I already loved this series so much, and I absolutely adored this novel.

4.5/5 stars

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.

This book is the perfect escape for anyone craving a Regency romp with more modern mindsets while keeping the focus on the true meaning of friendship and love. Highly recommend for fans of sharp dialogue and wonderfully over-the-top adventures!

Sir Horley is a gay man who feels that he must marry to satisfy his family, even if it is a miserable match, but on the eve of his wedding Arabella Tarleton, his aromantic friend, convinces him to elope with her instead. I loved the platonic relationship between Sir Horley and Belle. It was unlike any other romance novel I've read, and I would have happily read so much more about them building a life together that suits them both. This ended up being my favorite book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley and Montlake publishing for a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was very well written but I had a hard time focusing and connecting with the characters. This being said after some time I did DNF this title. I loved the premise of the story and the cover but the writing wasn’t my style and I was unable to continue reading.