Becoming Ted by Matt Cain

 

Becoming Ted by Matt Cain.

Published 19th January 2023 by Headline.

From the cover of the book:

A charming, joyful and surprising story about love, friendship and learning to be true to yourself, Becoming Ted will steal your heart.

Ted Ainsworth has always worked at his family's ice-cream business in the quiet Lancashire town of St Luke's-on-Sea.

But the truth is, he's never wanted to work for the family firm - he doesn't even like ice-cream, though he's never told his parents that. When Ted's husband suddenly leaves him, the bottom falls out of his world.

But what if this could be an opportunity to put what he wants first? This could be the chance to finally follow his secret dream: something Ted has never told anyone...

***********

Forty-one-year-old Ted finds himself at a crossroads when his husband, Giles, leaves him for another man. Working in his family's ice-cream business has never been what he wanted to do with his life, but somehow he has never had the heart to tell his parents how he feels - or even that he has never actually liked ice cream.

Boyed on by his enthusiastic best friend Denise, Ted begins to drag himself out the rock-bottom place he is in, and gradually reassess what he wants from life. Was his relationship with Giles really as happy as he thought? Has he spent his life living by the rules of others, rather than being himself? It is time to dust off the secret that he has kept for far too long, and follow his dream!

Becoming Ted is a lovely tale of finding the courage to be yourself, and I am going to be very careful about what I give away here, because where Matt Cain takes you in this follow-up to The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle is an emotional adventure you really need to take for yourself - I promise, it is worth every moment.

Ted is in a low place at the beginning of this tale. His all consuming journey to happiness, through rediscovering his self-confidence and remembering who he is inside, is the spine of this story. However, he has a helping hand from an enchanting cast of characters, who work through their own issues and insecurities along the way too. My favourites are his conflicted friend Denise, who is determined to help Ted achieve his dream, even if her methods might be a little suspect; wise old Stanley, who gives Ted perspective on his problems; and most importantly, Oskar, running from his past in Poland, and with his own journey to make too. The separate threads of their experiences weave together with accomplished flair from Cain, and bring real poignancy and depth to the story. Each character helps Ted find a way to move on from the pain of his past to achieve his destiny, and I love how they all manage to reach a better place by the end of the book too.

Cain writes with heart, humour, and honesty. He weaves some dark themes in this novel around control, betrayal, prejudice, loss, and abandonment; but he balances them beautifully with warmth, love, and friendship. There are secrets, lies, and many misunderstandings to be overcome, but the most uplifting of endings brings romance, forgiveness and reconciliation to the fore in a way that makes your heart sing - and your eyes brim over with tears. Treat yourself to some life affirming loveliness with this warm hug of a book!

Becoming Ted is available to buy now in hardcover, ebook and audio formats.

Thank you to Headline for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Matt Cain is a writer, broadcaster, and a leading commentator on LGBT+ issues.

He was Channel 4’s first Culture Editor, Editor-In-Chief of Attitude magazine, has written for all the major national newspapers, and presented the flagship discussion show on Virgin Radio Pride. He's also an ambassador for Manchester Pride and the Albert Kennedy Trust, plus a patron of LGBT+ History Month.

Matt's first two novels, Shot Through the Heart and Nothing But Trouble, were published by Pan Macmillan. His third, The Madonna Of Bolton, became Unbound’s fastest crowdfunded novel ever before its publication in 2018. His latest, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, was published by Headline Review in May 2021 and Becoming Ted will follow in January 2023.

Born in Bury and brought up in Bolton, Matt now lives in London with his partner, Harry, and their cat, Nelly.