What do you think?
Rate this book
Becoming Ted
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 ...
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 ...
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 19, 2023
About the author
Matt Cain
10 books514 followersMatt Cain writes humorous, riveting and uplifting novels about self-discovery and self-love.
Born in Bury and brought up in Bolton, Matt was a gay child in the 1980s, a time when boys like him were widely hated. He also had a little-known health condition which meant his heart cut out several times a week. Feeling like a freak, he channelled a fierce desire to prove himself into his schoolwork, then a series of high-profile media jobs - as a documentary director for ITV, arts correspondent on Channel 4 News, and editor of Attitude magazine - before pursuing his dream of writing fiction. But he had to battle through ten years of rejection and crowdfund his breakthrough novel, The Madonna of Bolton. He's since become the author of several bestsellers, including The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, Becoming Ted, One Love, and Game On - a Quick Read and one of the official short novels of World Book Night 2024.
At the age of 37, doctors finally worked out what was wrong with Matt's heart and installed a pacemaker to stop it cutting out. At the age of 44, he bucked decades of romantic failure when he went on a Tinder date and met Harry Glasstone, who he married in 2022. Matt and Harry have since presented their own show on Virgin Radio Pride. They live in London with their cat Nelly, possibly the best loved pet in the world.
Born in Bury and brought up in Bolton, Matt was a gay child in the 1980s, a time when boys like him were widely hated. He also had a little-known health condition which meant his heart cut out several times a week. Feeling like a freak, he channelled a fierce desire to prove himself into his schoolwork, then a series of high-profile media jobs - as a documentary director for ITV, arts correspondent on Channel 4 News, and editor of Attitude magazine - before pursuing his dream of writing fiction. But he had to battle through ten years of rejection and crowdfund his breakthrough novel, The Madonna of Bolton. He's since become the author of several bestsellers, including The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, Becoming Ted, One Love, and Game On - a Quick Read and one of the official short novels of World Book Night 2024.
At the age of 37, doctors finally worked out what was wrong with Matt's heart and installed a pacemaker to stop it cutting out. At the age of 44, he bucked decades of romantic failure when he went on a Tinder date and met Harry Glasstone, who he married in 2022. Matt and Harry have since presented their own show on Virgin Radio Pride. They live in London with their cat Nelly, possibly the best loved pet in the world.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 490 reviews
Read
June 23, 2023I really love Matt Cain (The Madonna of Bolton made me cry buckets of happy tears) and I was hugely looking forward to this. The premise is fab (43yo man is brutally dumped by his husband, reevaluates how much he's been putting himself last for others, and erupts out of chrysalis as drag queen, with new romance) and there's a wonderfully conceived cast, with steadfast if flawed friends, a really moving defiant elderly gay gentleman, and Polish new man with his own heavy baggage. Matt Cain writes defiantly joyful queer books where the majority of people are decent if flawed, and people can be better, and the world is on an upward trajectory, and god knows we need that. I read the whole thing because I was absolutely committed to the story.
Unfortunately it didn't click on a writing level for me due to really not good enough editing on both a development and a copy level. I don't *want* to sit here and enumerate things I didn't like because I loved the heart of this book, but for me, the text really needed a thorough redraft to sing as it should have, and I'm actively cross it didn't get that. I read it with my red pen hand itching throughout because it was so clear what needed to be done and it wouldn't even have been hard. Bloody publishers.
Which said, there's plenty of people who don't read in that way, and those people will roll around in a lovely story of middle-aged queer joy and self-acceptance with immense pleasure.
Unfortunately it didn't click on a writing level for me due to really not good enough editing on both a development and a copy level. I don't *want* to sit here and enumerate things I didn't like because I loved the heart of this book, but for me, the text really needed a thorough redraft to sing as it should have, and I'm actively cross it didn't get that. I read it with my red pen hand itching throughout because it was so clear what needed to be done and it wouldn't even have been hard. Bloody publishers.
Which said, there's plenty of people who don't read in that way, and those people will roll around in a lovely story of middle-aged queer joy and self-acceptance with immense pleasure.
November 9, 2022
My Reviews Can Also Be Found On:
My Blog | Twitter | Amazon | BRC Blog | StoryGraph
Last spring I read and adored The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain and was super excited to get this from NetGalley. I am so pleased to report that Matt Cain has done it yet again with his newest book. I honestly don't know where to start with this book as I just loved it so much.
Last spring I read and adored The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain and was super excited to get this from NetGalley. I am so pleased to report that Matt Cain has done it yet again with his newest book. I honestly don't know where to start with this book as I just loved it so much.
Ted and his husband Giles separate and it starts a shift in Ted, he realizes he has to find out who he REALLY is, without a husband. In my opinion, Giles was abusive, a bit self-possessed, and a lot narcissistic. I think his leaving Ted actually empowered Ted to be true to himself. With the exception of Giles, I loved all the characters in this one. We have three points of view, the story is mainly told from Ted's POV but we also get some from his best friend, Denise, who is going through her own issues. The other point of view is from Oskar, someone Ted meets at the family ice cream shop, which he doesn't want to be part of any longer. (P.S. He hates ice cream! 😲). There is plenty of internal dialogue and angst between the pages and it helps us get into the mind of each character.
The storyline is addictive and captivating. I just wanted to keep reading to see how Ted would fare in his new role and his new life. It was such a joy being on Ted's journey to find his true self and to read about all the amazing people he met along the way. This book is also very funny...I was killing myself laughing at WITH Gail. It is also very joyful and romantic. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the acknowledgments, they are very sweet and gave me goosebumps so please do take the time to read them. This book was a pure pleasure to read. All. The. Stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
#BecomingTed #NetGalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.
#BecomingTed #NetGalley
December 5, 2023
✰ 2 stars ✰
““Human beings are complex, dolly. And what you learn by the time you get to my age is that there are all kinds of reasons good people do bad things.
But usually, it comes down to just being human.”
A paragraph into Becoming Ted I seriously considered not continuing any further. A paragraph in; that has to be a record and a first for me. Sadly, my brain would not allow me to exit, as the ever-pressing question would forever linger in my mind, that perhaps there is a chance it would get better. So I inhaled deeply and read on, cautiously optimistic that my fears would be unwarranted. 🤞🏻
After twenty years of dedicating their life to one person, forty-three year old Ted is dumped by his husband, Giles; it's saddening, absolutely painful and horrible the way Giles treats Ted - during their relationship and leading up to it. 'Their relationship wasn’t enough. Ted wasn’t enough. I’m never enough for anyone, are painful and hurtful thoughts that plague Ted throughout. The amount of gaslighting, disparaging comments and belittling sentiments that crushed Ted's self-esteem and self-worth were truly upsetting and even more painful to see how much Giles refrained Ted from being who he wanted to be. 💔💔 To find pleasure in the simple act that brought him a little happiness - the courage to be something else on stage and win over hearts with his appeal.
“And he realizes that Denise is right—the breakup of his marriage has given him an opportunity to make some changes. This really is his chance to live a life that doesn’t revolve around other people.
And he isn’t going to suppress his dream any longer.”
It truly is never too late to chase your dreams and if Ted's lifelong dream has never been one to continue in his family's ice-cream business, but to be a drag queen, instead - then he's going to see it through head-on and head-strong - even if the path to fame is not without its troubles. 'He’s determined to make the most of it' and with a lot of helpful guidance and brave encouragement he ventures out into that bold and daring and colorful start to his new life. And along the way as he reflects on the moments in his life that led him here, to the good and bad times that he shared with Giles, he also is rewarded with the hopeful flair that perhaps, it may be never too late to find love again, either.
Ted is not the only one on a road to self-discovery in this story of finding oneself and identifying and embracing and loving yourself as who you are. Oskar, the thirty-three year old Polish painter and decorator and potential love interest for Ted, has his own dreams that he wants to fulfill, while also searching for a positive approach to being true to himself as a gay person. 😔 His forty-five year old best friend, Denise, is also hoping and searching for another chance at a relationship with someone who won't be too abusive or offensive towards her own wants or needs. It's how these three lives intertwine, how on their path of a hopeful future and positive outset on life, that made it worth seeing how their stories would unfold.
Ted has a unique relationship with each of them, including his own parents. I liked how Ted slowly shed the pains of his failed marriage, found the strength to gain the confidence needed to perform on stage, to be more comfortable in himself and his personality, and how he was able to instill that same positivity in Oskar and Denise. They each have their own personal demons that they have to shed and it was interesting to see how their conflicts arose with Ted and how they were resolved in a realistic way. 🙏🏻🙏🏻 Denise and Ted had a very strong friendship and I enjoyed how very supportive she was of him and his desire to perform. How she even didn't allow her age to define who she was and ventured the waters to find a way to give meaning to her life was nicely done; I liked how she was able to get the closure she needed.
“Once again, the two men look into each other’s eyes. Oskar is convinced there’s a spark between them. Yeah, I’m pretty sure he’s gay.
He suddenly feels emboldened. “My name’s Oskar,” he blurts out. “Oskar with a K.”
“Pleased to meet you, Oskar with a K. I’m Ted. With a T.”
Also seeing how Ted and Oskar became closer, how they each shared their personal histories, how Oskar reacted to Ted's decision to continue dressing in drag - how it made him unsure of himself and how it allowed for him to better embrace himself as a gay person, despite his reservations, despite his fears of not publicly coming out. Ted's growth as a person, recognizing his true worth, seeing the glimpses of his life showered in mistakes that he hid behind and eventually shedding that cover - and embracing the power to be proud of who you are. It was empowering and encouraging and very honestly and realistically done at how he rid himself of the shame and disgust he had felt for so long about his true nature and finally spread his wings and let go. 👍🏻👍🏻
Sadly, these few worthwhile and notable parts could not be saved from the abysmal and less than appealing way in which it was written. My enemy with Matt Cain was the writing and the choices made to make this story stand out in a positive light, rather than the unsavory results that it garnered for me. 😢
“But Ted didn’t care; they were having fun. So much fun he’d forgotten his parents were downstairs. Until they burst in to the room.
“What’s going on ’ere?” gasped Hilary.
“What are you two playing at?” panted Trevor.”
In sixth grade, our English teacher, Mr. David taught us the many different options we could use in place of the word, 'said'. I would be remiss if I didn't say that I applied the various terms into my own creative writing, as well. But, it was while reading this, that I have never appreciated the word 'said' more. And it's not that I didn't mind the different ways it was not used, it's just that some alternative choices were so poorly applied, it completely took me out of the actual scene!
When Ted is pleading with Giles to not break up with him, to not abandon what they had - if Ted is going to squeal and mewl his pleas - I can not take it seriously. I just can't! 🙅🏻 How can I sympathize with Ted's plight - c'mon - this is meant to be an emotional scene!! - if the choice of words do not do justice to the sentiment?? Especially when Ted does not appear as someone with a high-pitched voice! 😖
This was just the start of some very questionable and poorly advised choice of words for certain ways to express a person's delivery. I mean, I can not understand when a statement is issued calmly by his father, why are you going to use he boomed and she shrieked? Why?? 😭😭 Please explain it to me! From bleats to burbles to tweets to brays to chirps.
It felt as if the author had been issued a challenge to use a thesaurus and apply ever known alternative to said in his writing! 😣 And the examples I shared aren't even half of them! I was spending more time noting how many different ways the human voice is used, rather than appreciating the writing, itself! To say it was overkill is putting it lightly, and yet it makes me wonder if it was intentionally done this way to show in a satirical manner at how similar humans are to animals. 😩😩
And I have read plenty of books in the present tense - I mean, I'm sure I have; but the minute I read the first sentence, there was something about it that didn't sit right with me. For the life of me, I couldn't put my finger on why it was not working; something about the context of the writing style just seemed off. To make matters worse, the flashbacks happen within the narrative, as Ted reflects on the past, taking a look back in time. The only discerning difference in the writing - the shift to past tense. Why? Why? 😑😑 It really affected the flow of the story, even if I appreciated those insightful moments that it gave, I didn't enjoy how they were delivered.
“The music changes and Denise gives a wistful smile. “Oh, listen to this; it’s that Celine Dion song from Titanic. I love that film.”
“You sound just like my mum,” says Lauria. “It’s one of her favorites too.”
Your mum? Denise tries not to wince.
“I’ve actually never seen Titanic,” Lauria goes on. “It came out before I was born.”
Oh, I felt that jab right in the heart! 😅 Especially, since I have this amazing Titanic calendar from 1998 with stills from the film and historical facts about the Titanic, too. There is a heart-felt and emotional story buried under my very glaring complaints that readers will definitely appreciate and relate to. But, the writing really has to resonate with me; it has to make me feel something and has to be something that is tolerable for my senses! There was too much of what felt wrong that marred my overall appreciation of the story. I really tried to see the positive, but when the negatives are too blatantly obvious for me to ignore, I can only let out a long exhale that the worst is over and hopefully move on. 😞
““Human beings are complex, dolly. And what you learn by the time you get to my age is that there are all kinds of reasons good people do bad things.
But usually, it comes down to just being human.”
A paragraph into Becoming Ted I seriously considered not continuing any further. A paragraph in; that has to be a record and a first for me. Sadly, my brain would not allow me to exit, as the ever-pressing question would forever linger in my mind, that perhaps there is a chance it would get better. So I inhaled deeply and read on, cautiously optimistic that my fears would be unwarranted. 🤞🏻
After twenty years of dedicating their life to one person, forty-three year old Ted is dumped by his husband, Giles; it's saddening, absolutely painful and horrible the way Giles treats Ted - during their relationship and leading up to it. 'Their relationship wasn’t enough. Ted wasn’t enough. I’m never enough for anyone, are painful and hurtful thoughts that plague Ted throughout. The amount of gaslighting, disparaging comments and belittling sentiments that crushed Ted's self-esteem and self-worth were truly upsetting and even more painful to see how much Giles refrained Ted from being who he wanted to be. 💔💔 To find pleasure in the simple act that brought him a little happiness - the courage to be something else on stage and win over hearts with his appeal.
“And he realizes that Denise is right—the breakup of his marriage has given him an opportunity to make some changes. This really is his chance to live a life that doesn’t revolve around other people.
And he isn’t going to suppress his dream any longer.”
It truly is never too late to chase your dreams and if Ted's lifelong dream has never been one to continue in his family's ice-cream business, but to be a drag queen, instead - then he's going to see it through head-on and head-strong - even if the path to fame is not without its troubles. 'He’s determined to make the most of it' and with a lot of helpful guidance and brave encouragement he ventures out into that bold and daring and colorful start to his new life. And along the way as he reflects on the moments in his life that led him here, to the good and bad times that he shared with Giles, he also is rewarded with the hopeful flair that perhaps, it may be never too late to find love again, either.
Ted is not the only one on a road to self-discovery in this story of finding oneself and identifying and embracing and loving yourself as who you are. Oskar, the thirty-three year old Polish painter and decorator and potential love interest for Ted, has his own dreams that he wants to fulfill, while also searching for a positive approach to being true to himself as a gay person. 😔 His forty-five year old best friend, Denise, is also hoping and searching for another chance at a relationship with someone who won't be too abusive or offensive towards her own wants or needs. It's how these three lives intertwine, how on their path of a hopeful future and positive outset on life, that made it worth seeing how their stories would unfold.
Ted has a unique relationship with each of them, including his own parents. I liked how Ted slowly shed the pains of his failed marriage, found the strength to gain the confidence needed to perform on stage, to be more comfortable in himself and his personality, and how he was able to instill that same positivity in Oskar and Denise. They each have their own personal demons that they have to shed and it was interesting to see how their conflicts arose with Ted and how they were resolved in a realistic way. 🙏🏻🙏🏻 Denise and Ted had a very strong friendship and I enjoyed how very supportive she was of him and his desire to perform. How she even didn't allow her age to define who she was and ventured the waters to find a way to give meaning to her life was nicely done; I liked how she was able to get the closure she needed.
“Once again, the two men look into each other’s eyes. Oskar is convinced there’s a spark between them. Yeah, I’m pretty sure he’s gay.
He suddenly feels emboldened. “My name’s Oskar,” he blurts out. “Oskar with a K.”
“Pleased to meet you, Oskar with a K. I’m Ted. With a T.”
Also seeing how Ted and Oskar became closer, how they each shared their personal histories, how Oskar reacted to Ted's decision to continue dressing in drag - how it made him unsure of himself and how it allowed for him to better embrace himself as a gay person, despite his reservations, despite his fears of not publicly coming out. Ted's growth as a person, recognizing his true worth, seeing the glimpses of his life showered in mistakes that he hid behind and eventually shedding that cover - and embracing the power to be proud of who you are. It was empowering and encouraging and very honestly and realistically done at how he rid himself of the shame and disgust he had felt for so long about his true nature and finally spread his wings and let go. 👍🏻👍🏻
Sadly, these few worthwhile and notable parts could not be saved from the abysmal and less than appealing way in which it was written. My enemy with Matt Cain was the writing and the choices made to make this story stand out in a positive light, rather than the unsavory results that it garnered for me. 😢
“But Ted didn’t care; they were having fun. So much fun he’d forgotten his parents were downstairs. Until they burst in to the room.
“What’s going on ’ere?” gasped Hilary.
“What are you two playing at?” panted Trevor.”
In sixth grade, our English teacher, Mr. David taught us the many different options we could use in place of the word, 'said'. I would be remiss if I didn't say that I applied the various terms into my own creative writing, as well. But, it was while reading this, that I have never appreciated the word 'said' more. And it's not that I didn't mind the different ways it was not used, it's just that some alternative choices were so poorly applied, it completely took me out of the actual scene!
When Ted is pleading with Giles to not break up with him, to not abandon what they had - if Ted is going to squeal and mewl his pleas - I can not take it seriously. I just can't! 🙅🏻 How can I sympathize with Ted's plight - c'mon - this is meant to be an emotional scene!! - if the choice of words do not do justice to the sentiment?? Especially when Ted does not appear as someone with a high-pitched voice! 😖
This was just the start of some very questionable and poorly advised choice of words for certain ways to express a person's delivery. I mean, I can not understand when a statement is issued calmly by his father, why are you going to use he boomed and she shrieked? Why?? 😭😭 Please explain it to me! From bleats to burbles to tweets to brays to chirps.
It felt as if the author had been issued a challenge to use a thesaurus and apply ever known alternative to said in his writing! 😣 And the examples I shared aren't even half of them! I was spending more time noting how many different ways the human voice is used, rather than appreciating the writing, itself! To say it was overkill is putting it lightly, and yet it makes me wonder if it was intentionally done this way to show in a satirical manner at how similar humans are to animals. 😩😩
And I have read plenty of books in the present tense - I mean, I'm sure I have; but the minute I read the first sentence, there was something about it that didn't sit right with me. For the life of me, I couldn't put my finger on why it was not working; something about the context of the writing style just seemed off. To make matters worse, the flashbacks happen within the narrative, as Ted reflects on the past, taking a look back in time. The only discerning difference in the writing - the shift to past tense. Why? Why? 😑😑 It really affected the flow of the story, even if I appreciated those insightful moments that it gave, I didn't enjoy how they were delivered.
“The music changes and Denise gives a wistful smile. “Oh, listen to this; it’s that Celine Dion song from Titanic. I love that film.”
“You sound just like my mum,” says Lauria. “It’s one of her favorites too.”
Your mum? Denise tries not to wince.
“I’ve actually never seen Titanic,” Lauria goes on. “It came out before I was born.”
Oh, I felt that jab right in the heart! 😅 Especially, since I have this amazing Titanic calendar from 1998 with stills from the film and historical facts about the Titanic, too. There is a heart-felt and emotional story buried under my very glaring complaints that readers will definitely appreciate and relate to. But, the writing really has to resonate with me; it has to make me feel something and has to be something that is tolerable for my senses! There was too much of what felt wrong that marred my overall appreciation of the story. I really tried to see the positive, but when the negatives are too blatantly obvious for me to ignore, I can only let out a long exhale that the worst is over and hopefully move on. 😞
January 20, 2023
Becoming Ted is the fifth novel by British broadcaster, commentator and author, Matt Cain. At forty-three, Ted Ainsworth feels incredibly lucky to be married to enthralling, charismatic Giles, so when, after twenty years together, Giles says it’s over, Ted is understandably devastated. As Giles packs his things, Ted tries hard not to seem pathetic, but can only just stop from throwing himself at the man’s feet and sobbing.
At first, Ted doesn’t want to face anyone; he just wants to wallow in his grief. He throws himself into his work in the family business, Ainsworth’s Ice Cream, an icon of St Lukes-on-Sea. Then he convinces himself he can win Giles back from his new flame, Javier, but the chai tea latte ice cream Giles used to love is turning out awful.
His parents, his sister and his best friend, Denise all try to provide emotional support and distraction. Hilary Ainsworth books him into a dance-exercise class; during their regular Friday night RuPaul Drag Race viewings, Denise helps him look for silver linings, and suggests this is an opportunity to emerge from Giles’s shadow and to blossom. And that’s when Ted’s epiphany happens: he knows what he wants to do, what he’s wanted to do, deep down, he realises, since he was eight.
While walking their (now his) dog, Lily, Ted is building up the courage to follow his dream. Passing the Memory House retirement flats, he encounters a flamboyantly-dressed elderly gent whose gaydar picks Ted out straight away. Retired gentleman’s outfitter, Stanley Openshaw sadly confides that his fellow residents are disappointingly homophobic.
It's been ten years since painter and decorator, Oskar Kozlowski left Poland, and he feels like Lancashire is home. His dream is to do interior design: he sees the potential in every place he passes; but for now, he’s outfitting the new vegan café on St Lukes High Street. After what happened to drive him out of Poland, Oskar’s been a bit reclusive, but he admits to himself that he’s lonely. One hot Sunday, he decides to try an ice cream at Ainsworth’s…
As Ted agonises about how his parents will react when he reveals what he’d rather be doing than making and selling ice-cream, he’s distracted by a series of anonymous letters that arrive at work, letters vaguely warning him about his family. Is someone trying to sow dissent within the family?
Once again, Cain gives the reader a cast of characters who appeal for all their very human flaws. It’s delightful to see, in the friendships: Denise and Ted, Oskar and Marina, how they have each other’s backs, commiserating, cheering on and supporting emotionally. And it’s lovely to see the kindness that goes both ways between Ted and those who encourage him to follow his dream.
Cain gives his characters wise words and insightful observations: Ted eventually understands that he shouldn’t have to feel gratitude for being accepted for what he is; Denise tells Ted “You can only really be in love with someone when you’re not afraid to be your true self around them.” This is a wonderfully heart-warming tale and more from Matt Cain will be most welcome.
This unbiased review is from an e-copy provided by The Pigeonhole and Headline
At first, Ted doesn’t want to face anyone; he just wants to wallow in his grief. He throws himself into his work in the family business, Ainsworth’s Ice Cream, an icon of St Lukes-on-Sea. Then he convinces himself he can win Giles back from his new flame, Javier, but the chai tea latte ice cream Giles used to love is turning out awful.
His parents, his sister and his best friend, Denise all try to provide emotional support and distraction. Hilary Ainsworth books him into a dance-exercise class; during their regular Friday night RuPaul Drag Race viewings, Denise helps him look for silver linings, and suggests this is an opportunity to emerge from Giles’s shadow and to blossom. And that’s when Ted’s epiphany happens: he knows what he wants to do, what he’s wanted to do, deep down, he realises, since he was eight.
While walking their (now his) dog, Lily, Ted is building up the courage to follow his dream. Passing the Memory House retirement flats, he encounters a flamboyantly-dressed elderly gent whose gaydar picks Ted out straight away. Retired gentleman’s outfitter, Stanley Openshaw sadly confides that his fellow residents are disappointingly homophobic.
It's been ten years since painter and decorator, Oskar Kozlowski left Poland, and he feels like Lancashire is home. His dream is to do interior design: he sees the potential in every place he passes; but for now, he’s outfitting the new vegan café on St Lukes High Street. After what happened to drive him out of Poland, Oskar’s been a bit reclusive, but he admits to himself that he’s lonely. One hot Sunday, he decides to try an ice cream at Ainsworth’s…
As Ted agonises about how his parents will react when he reveals what he’d rather be doing than making and selling ice-cream, he’s distracted by a series of anonymous letters that arrive at work, letters vaguely warning him about his family. Is someone trying to sow dissent within the family?
Once again, Cain gives the reader a cast of characters who appeal for all their very human flaws. It’s delightful to see, in the friendships: Denise and Ted, Oskar and Marina, how they have each other’s backs, commiserating, cheering on and supporting emotionally. And it’s lovely to see the kindness that goes both ways between Ted and those who encourage him to follow his dream.
Cain gives his characters wise words and insightful observations: Ted eventually understands that he shouldn’t have to feel gratitude for being accepted for what he is; Denise tells Ted “You can only really be in love with someone when you’re not afraid to be your true self around them.” This is a wonderfully heart-warming tale and more from Matt Cain will be most welcome.
This unbiased review is from an e-copy provided by The Pigeonhole and Headline
January 20, 2023
Becoming Ted is the fifth novel by British broadcaster, commentator and author, Matt Cain. The audio version is narrated by Samuel Barnett. At forty-three, Ted Ainsworth feels incredibly lucky to be married to enthralling, charismatic Giles, so when, after twenty years together, Giles says it’s over, Ted is understandably devastated. As Giles packs his things, Ted tries hard not to seem pathetic, but can only just stop from throwing himself at the man’s feet and sobbing.
At first, Ted doesn’t want to face anyone; he just wants to wallow in his grief. He throws himself into his work in the family business, Ainsworth’s Ice Cream, an icon of St Lukes-on-Sea. Then he convinces himself he can win Giles back from his new flame, Javier, but the chai tea latte ice cream Giles used to love is turning out awful.
His parents, his sister and his best friend, Denise all try to provide emotional support and distraction. Hilary Ainsworth books him into a dance-exercise class; during their regular Friday night RuPaul Drag Race viewings, Denise helps him look for silver linings, and suggests this is an opportunity to emerge from Giles’s shadow and to blossom. And that’s when Ted’s epiphany happens: he knows what he wants to do, what he’s wanted to do, deep down, he realises, since he was eight.
While walking their (now his) dog, Lily, Ted is building up the courage to follow his dream. Passing the Memory House retirement flats, he encounters a flamboyantly-dressed elderly gent whose gaydar picks Ted out straight away. Retired gentleman’s outfitter, Stanley Openshaw sadly confides that his fellow residents are disappointingly homophobic.
It's been ten years since painter and decorator, Oskar Kozlowski left Poland, and he feels like Lancashire is home. His dream is to do interior design: he sees the potential in every place he passes; but for now, he’s outfitting the new vegan café on St Lukes High Street. After what happened to drive him out of Poland, Oskar’s been a bit reclusive, but he admits to himself that he’s lonely. One hot Sunday, he decides to try an ice cream at Ainsworth’s…
As Ted agonises about how his parents will react when he reveals what he’d rather be doing than making and selling ice-cream, he’s distracted by a series of anonymous letters that arrive at work, letters vaguely warning him about his family. Is someone trying to sow dissent within the family?
Once again, Cain gives the reader a cast of characters who appeal for all their very human flaws. It’s delightful to see, in the friendships: Denise and Ted, Oskar and Marina, how they have each other’s backs, commiserating, cheering on and supporting emotionally. And it’s lovely to see the kindness that goes both ways between Ted and those who encourage him to follow his dream.
Cain gives his characters wise words and insightful observations: Ted eventually understands that he shouldn’t have to feel gratitude for being accepted for what he is; Denise tells Ted “You can only really be in love with someone when you’re not afraid to be your true self around them.” This is a wonderfully heart-warming tale and more from Matt Cain will be most welcome.
This unbiased review is from an audio copy provided by NetGalley and Headline
At first, Ted doesn’t want to face anyone; he just wants to wallow in his grief. He throws himself into his work in the family business, Ainsworth’s Ice Cream, an icon of St Lukes-on-Sea. Then he convinces himself he can win Giles back from his new flame, Javier, but the chai tea latte ice cream Giles used to love is turning out awful.
His parents, his sister and his best friend, Denise all try to provide emotional support and distraction. Hilary Ainsworth books him into a dance-exercise class; during their regular Friday night RuPaul Drag Race viewings, Denise helps him look for silver linings, and suggests this is an opportunity to emerge from Giles’s shadow and to blossom. And that’s when Ted’s epiphany happens: he knows what he wants to do, what he’s wanted to do, deep down, he realises, since he was eight.
While walking their (now his) dog, Lily, Ted is building up the courage to follow his dream. Passing the Memory House retirement flats, he encounters a flamboyantly-dressed elderly gent whose gaydar picks Ted out straight away. Retired gentleman’s outfitter, Stanley Openshaw sadly confides that his fellow residents are disappointingly homophobic.
It's been ten years since painter and decorator, Oskar Kozlowski left Poland, and he feels like Lancashire is home. His dream is to do interior design: he sees the potential in every place he passes; but for now, he’s outfitting the new vegan café on St Lukes High Street. After what happened to drive him out of Poland, Oskar’s been a bit reclusive, but he admits to himself that he’s lonely. One hot Sunday, he decides to try an ice cream at Ainsworth’s…
As Ted agonises about how his parents will react when he reveals what he’d rather be doing than making and selling ice-cream, he’s distracted by a series of anonymous letters that arrive at work, letters vaguely warning him about his family. Is someone trying to sow dissent within the family?
Once again, Cain gives the reader a cast of characters who appeal for all their very human flaws. It’s delightful to see, in the friendships: Denise and Ted, Oskar and Marina, how they have each other’s backs, commiserating, cheering on and supporting emotionally. And it’s lovely to see the kindness that goes both ways between Ted and those who encourage him to follow his dream.
Cain gives his characters wise words and insightful observations: Ted eventually understands that he shouldn’t have to feel gratitude for being accepted for what he is; Denise tells Ted “You can only really be in love with someone when you’re not afraid to be your true self around them.” This is a wonderfully heart-warming tale and more from Matt Cain will be most welcome.
This unbiased review is from an audio copy provided by NetGalley and Headline
July 27, 2024
3.5⭐️ It’s funny how a raft of characters simultaneously solve all their deep seated issues without the aid of a therapist and only with the imagination and research of an author.
It’s nice, but didn’t quite hold my attention. My favorite bits of the story revolved around Ted pursuing his dream.
The Acknowledgments and Fun Facts by the author should not be missed. 👏
It’s nice, but didn’t quite hold my attention. My favorite bits of the story revolved around Ted pursuing his dream.
The Acknowledgments and Fun Facts by the author should not be missed. 👏
August 6, 2024
This is a book with a positive message about how it's never too late to embrace who you are or what you want. Aside from Ted, who is trying to rebound from his husband's betrayal, there is Oskar, a Polish immigrant who is dealing with some issues of his own, Ted's bestie Denise, his flamboyant, elderly neighbor Stanley, and Ted's parents whose expectations that Ted will take over the ice cream business he hates (not that he's ever told them that) are keeping him standing still. There is also a bit of a mystery subplot as Ted begins to receive anonymous messages about his family.
This book is very sweet, considering the angsty premise and the baggage the characters carry. It was also a slow-paced story. While I enjoyed both Ted's and Oskar's journey, it took me a while to get through it. I had trouble connecting with Ted and found Oskar to be a more relatable character as Ted was too deferential for his own good IMO. The mystery also didn't work for me and the resolution, while a surprise, left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
The ending leaves all the characters heading in a positive direction even though there was one of them who I didn't think deserved to be there. In any event Ted is a sweet, uplifting tale the suffered from pacing issues.
This book is very sweet, considering the angsty premise and the baggage the characters carry. It was also a slow-paced story. While I enjoyed both Ted's and Oskar's journey, it took me a while to get through it. I had trouble connecting with Ted and found Oskar to be a more relatable character as Ted was too deferential for his own good IMO. The mystery also didn't work for me and the resolution, while a surprise, left me with a bad taste in my mouth.
The ending leaves all the characters heading in a positive direction even though there was one of them who I didn't think deserved to be there. In any event Ted is a sweet, uplifting tale the suffered from pacing issues.
January 21, 2023
It’s not long before the reader learns the nature of Ted’s dream but although the destination may be clear, it’s the journey that Ted goes on to reach it that is at the heart of the book. It’s a journey the author makes us want to accompany Ted on as he battles with the low self-esteem resulting from being dumped, quite out of the blue, by Giles, his partner of twenty years, and the responsibility he feels towards his parents to be part of the family business, famous for its ice cream. It’s a feeling partly born out of gratitude for his parents’ wholehearted acceptance of his sexuality.
I confess Ted’s dream took me into a world I knew little about, not being familar with the TV programme he and his best friend Denise enjoy watching over a glass (or four) of ‘seccy’. In this respect I was in a similar position to Oskar, a young Polish man, who is on his own personal journey. The author has a real knack for creating memorable characters and I absolutely adored Oskar. For instance, I loved that, in an effort to improve his English, he learns a new word every day including some peculiar to Lancashire. There’s also a tender moment involving him at the end of the book that provoked the same reaction in me as does that scene at the end of the film, The Railway Children.
Denise has her own experience of toxic relationships but is an instantly enthusiastic supporter of Ted’s dream offering much needed emotional and practical assistance to help him achieve it. Initially I thought Stanley, an older gay man with a love of wearing pink and listening to Barbra Streisand, was a bit of a stereotype but in fact what he tells Ted about his experiences of being gay in the 1950s at a time when homosexuality was illegal acts as a serious reminder of what a long fight it has been to gain acceptance. Oskar’s story also highlights the homophobia that some gay people still face today.
I liked how we see Ted grow in confidence, learn to stand up for himself and reject taking the easy way out when it is offered. He has a dream and this time he’s not going to let anyone stop him achieving it, not even that inner voice that tells him maybe he’s just not good enough. As it turns out, he’s a natural.
The uplifting, joyful message of the book is perhaps summed up by Denise. ‘She catches a tiny glimpse of a future that might just involve happiness, that might just involve love.’
I confess Ted’s dream took me into a world I knew little about, not being familar with the TV programme he and his best friend Denise enjoy watching over a glass (or four) of ‘seccy’. In this respect I was in a similar position to Oskar, a young Polish man, who is on his own personal journey. The author has a real knack for creating memorable characters and I absolutely adored Oskar. For instance, I loved that, in an effort to improve his English, he learns a new word every day including some peculiar to Lancashire. There’s also a tender moment involving him at the end of the book that provoked the same reaction in me as does that scene at the end of the film, The Railway Children.
Denise has her own experience of toxic relationships but is an instantly enthusiastic supporter of Ted’s dream offering much needed emotional and practical assistance to help him achieve it. Initially I thought Stanley, an older gay man with a love of wearing pink and listening to Barbra Streisand, was a bit of a stereotype but in fact what he tells Ted about his experiences of being gay in the 1950s at a time when homosexuality was illegal acts as a serious reminder of what a long fight it has been to gain acceptance. Oskar’s story also highlights the homophobia that some gay people still face today.
I liked how we see Ted grow in confidence, learn to stand up for himself and reject taking the easy way out when it is offered. He has a dream and this time he’s not going to let anyone stop him achieving it, not even that inner voice that tells him maybe he’s just not good enough. As it turns out, he’s a natural.
The uplifting, joyful message of the book is perhaps summed up by Denise. ‘She catches a tiny glimpse of a future that might just involve happiness, that might just involve love.’
August 21, 2023
⭐️ 5 ⭐️
I fell in love with Albert Entwistle in 2021 and this year Ted Ainsworth has successfully stolen another piece of my heart.
Becoming Ted is beautifully written and features a fabulous, diverse cast. Matt Cain creates the most wonderful, credible characters, they always feel so real and totally relatable. I adored Ted (a kind, gentle soul), his bubbly friend Denise, spectacular Stanley, and the rest of the motley crew.
The dialogue shared by the characters is fluid and realistic, and the hilarious, observational humour and laugh-out-loud one-liners throughout the book are pure comedy gold.
We follow Ted on his journey of self-discovery and self-belief. With the help and support of his friends and family, he finally finds the strength and confidence to be true to himself and fulfil his lifelong dream, to become the real Ted.
I was totally captivated by Ted’s story and slowly savoured the last few chapters because I genuinely didn’t want the journey to end. Becoming Ted is a glorious read, a story of identity and belonging, of friendship and love — it’s a touching, joyous, heartwarming hug-in-a-book.
What are you waiting for? Add it to your list immediately!
Huge thanks to the publisher for my proof copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
I fell in love with Albert Entwistle in 2021 and this year Ted Ainsworth has successfully stolen another piece of my heart.
Becoming Ted is beautifully written and features a fabulous, diverse cast. Matt Cain creates the most wonderful, credible characters, they always feel so real and totally relatable. I adored Ted (a kind, gentle soul), his bubbly friend Denise, spectacular Stanley, and the rest of the motley crew.
The dialogue shared by the characters is fluid and realistic, and the hilarious, observational humour and laugh-out-loud one-liners throughout the book are pure comedy gold.
We follow Ted on his journey of self-discovery and self-belief. With the help and support of his friends and family, he finally finds the strength and confidence to be true to himself and fulfil his lifelong dream, to become the real Ted.
I was totally captivated by Ted’s story and slowly savoured the last few chapters because I genuinely didn’t want the journey to end. Becoming Ted is a glorious read, a story of identity and belonging, of friendship and love — it’s a touching, joyous, heartwarming hug-in-a-book.
What are you waiting for? Add it to your list immediately!
Huge thanks to the publisher for my proof copy in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
Read
June 2, 2024I will say this much, I am surprised to learn that this is not a debut.
With this book’s premise, I think I understand what the author was trying to do, but style and plot choices were made that didn't quite work for me. Prose in present tense, multiple POVs, the almost unnecessary plot twist of Ted’s parents cheating on each other, and the bizarre comments that read as almost problematic but I think were intended to bring some levity maybe? Like the way Ted’s parents assumed that bc he’s gay he’d move cross country where the clubs are better? Okay. ig it happens, but it’s not, like, compulsory.
So while there was an attempt and though I was glad this book ended with Ted living his best life, in the end, I don't think this author's style is for me.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
With this book’s premise, I think I understand what the author was trying to do, but style and plot choices were made that didn't quite work for me. Prose in present tense, multiple POVs, the almost unnecessary plot twist of Ted’s parents cheating on each other, and the bizarre comments that read as almost problematic but I think were intended to bring some levity maybe? Like the way Ted’s parents assumed that bc he’s gay he’d move cross country where the clubs are better? Okay. ig it happens, but it’s not, like, compulsory.
So while there was an attempt and though I was glad this book ended with Ted living his best life, in the end, I don't think this author's style is for me.
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 26, 2023
I’m not sure if cosy romance is a genre but if it is, this is it.
Ted’s boyfriend of 20 years breaks up with him and Ted goes on a journey of self discovery that includes becoming a drag Queen, shattering family expectations, and finding new love.
It’s a very sweet story and quite enjoyable. Some of the one liners in Ted’s drag act are piss-snort funny. But mostly it’s a slow burn. I never quite believed in Oskar, somehow, although I really wanted to.
So it wasn’t quite a five star read but it was very enjoyable and if you’re looking for something sweet to read as a palette cleanser, this is a great option.
Ted’s boyfriend of 20 years breaks up with him and Ted goes on a journey of self discovery that includes becoming a drag Queen, shattering family expectations, and finding new love.
It’s a very sweet story and quite enjoyable. Some of the one liners in Ted’s drag act are piss-snort funny. But mostly it’s a slow burn. I never quite believed in Oskar, somehow, although I really wanted to.
So it wasn’t quite a five star read but it was very enjoyable and if you’re looking for something sweet to read as a palette cleanser, this is a great option.
August 3, 2023
De 43-jarige Ted Ainsworth leidt een onopmerkelijk maar ogenschijnlijk gelukkig leven in het kleine kustplaatsje waar hij is opgegroeid, samen met zijn man Giles en hun hond Lily. Hij is zachtaardig, verlegen, bescheiden en onzeker, hij zet zijn dierbaren altijd op de eerste plek waardoor hij zichzelf en zijn wensen heeft weggecijferd en omdat hij zijn ouders niet wil teleurstellen werkt hij al jaren in de ijssalon van zijn familie terwijl hij eigenlijk helemaal niet van ijs houdt. Toch zal hij zijn leven opnieuw moeten opbouwen wanneer Giles hem na ruim 20 jaar samen verlaat voor een ander en al zijn zekerheden als een kaartenhuis in elkaar storten. Wordt het nu dan eindelijk tijd om zijn diep weggestopte dromen te gaan volgen?
De ontwikkeling van Ted is origineel en sterk beschreven en op zijn reis naar zichzelf wordt hij vergezeld door verschillende kleurrijke mensen. Sommige personages hebben wel behoorlijk stereotype kenmerken meegekregen en zijn nogal uitvergroot neergezet, wat volgens mij lang niet altijd nodig was om hun karakters authentiek weer te geven, maar ze dragen wel ieder op hun eigen manier iets bij aan het verhaal. Zijn beste vriendin Denise wil er voor Ted zijn maar heeft haar eigen geheimen, de oude Stanley heeft een mooie en scherpe kijk op het leven, ik snap niet hoe Ted het zo lang heeft uitgehouden met de denigrerende Giles en de Poolse Oskar heeft een belangrijke rol, omdat hij ook een bijzonder en ontroerend verhaal heeft, wat het geheel versterkt.
In het begin komt Ted soms nog wat zwaarmoedig over, vult hij veel voor anderen in en mag hij best meer vertrouwen hebben in de steun van zijn dierbaren, maar uiteindelijk wordt zijn groei goed neergezet, gaat hij stralen, bevrijdt hij zich van de verwachtingen van anderen en volgt hij zijn hart. Zijn reis naar geluk is verrassend, hij blijkt vol grote dromen en verlangens te zitten, hij krijgt hier en daar een liefdevol duwtje in de goede richting, hij wordt aangemoedigd, beseft steeds beter dat hij er mag zijn en hij durft zich verder open te stellen zodra hij zijn zelfvertrouwen hervindt.
Dit is een warm, gevoelig en humoristisch verhaal over hechte vriendschap, familie, relaties, vertrouwen, communicatie en je dromen achternagaan, over trouw zijn en jezelf écht leren kennen. Een verhaal over vallen en opstaan, ontwikkeling, een interessante nieuwe carrière en bevrijding, dat de mooie boodschap dat het nooit te laat is om eindelijk jezelf te worden en alles waar je blij van wordt te omarmen bevat. Deze krachtige zoektocht naar identiteit, acceptatie en liefde is dan ook zeker het lezen waard!
3.5⭐️
De ontwikkeling van Ted is origineel en sterk beschreven en op zijn reis naar zichzelf wordt hij vergezeld door verschillende kleurrijke mensen. Sommige personages hebben wel behoorlijk stereotype kenmerken meegekregen en zijn nogal uitvergroot neergezet, wat volgens mij lang niet altijd nodig was om hun karakters authentiek weer te geven, maar ze dragen wel ieder op hun eigen manier iets bij aan het verhaal. Zijn beste vriendin Denise wil er voor Ted zijn maar heeft haar eigen geheimen, de oude Stanley heeft een mooie en scherpe kijk op het leven, ik snap niet hoe Ted het zo lang heeft uitgehouden met de denigrerende Giles en de Poolse Oskar heeft een belangrijke rol, omdat hij ook een bijzonder en ontroerend verhaal heeft, wat het geheel versterkt.
In het begin komt Ted soms nog wat zwaarmoedig over, vult hij veel voor anderen in en mag hij best meer vertrouwen hebben in de steun van zijn dierbaren, maar uiteindelijk wordt zijn groei goed neergezet, gaat hij stralen, bevrijdt hij zich van de verwachtingen van anderen en volgt hij zijn hart. Zijn reis naar geluk is verrassend, hij blijkt vol grote dromen en verlangens te zitten, hij krijgt hier en daar een liefdevol duwtje in de goede richting, hij wordt aangemoedigd, beseft steeds beter dat hij er mag zijn en hij durft zich verder open te stellen zodra hij zijn zelfvertrouwen hervindt.
Dit is een warm, gevoelig en humoristisch verhaal over hechte vriendschap, familie, relaties, vertrouwen, communicatie en je dromen achternagaan, over trouw zijn en jezelf écht leren kennen. Een verhaal over vallen en opstaan, ontwikkeling, een interessante nieuwe carrière en bevrijding, dat de mooie boodschap dat het nooit te laat is om eindelijk jezelf te worden en alles waar je blij van wordt te omarmen bevat. Deze krachtige zoektocht naar identiteit, acceptatie en liefde is dan ook zeker het lezen waard!
3.5⭐️
January 2, 2023
I’d like to thank Joe Thomas from Headline for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for sending me a proof copy. I was a huge fan of Matt Cain’s book, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, and could not wait to read his latest creation.
I have to say that Matt Cain has done it again and created a character that is so loveable that you can’t help but be invested in his journey. At the start of the book Ted is in somewhat of a crisis and struggling to find his way. He has a lot to carry on his shoulders, with helping his parents run the family business and adapting to a new way of life. Luckily he has the lovely Denise guiding him along the way. The friendship between these two characters was honestly beautiful, The encouragement and respect they have for each other proves to defy all odds and it’s clear from the start, just how much their friendship means.
It was pure joy to see Ted go from his vanilla lifestyle, where he’s is putting everyone else but himself first, to a knickerbocker glory sundae with all the trimmings, finally embracing who he is meant to be. The stories about his childhood made the journey feel all the more special, you could see how much he had suppressed for fear of letting people down or not being good enough. Seeing his personality shine and taking brave and bold steps towards his future, warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes.
Another special ability Matt Cain has is to bring the secondary characters into the story and let them steal a small piece of your heart. Whether it’s Stanley and his words of encouragement to Ted or Oskar and his troubling past, trying to find his place in the world, there is a lot of heart to be found.
This book will resonate with so many people, whether you are LGBTQ+ or not there is so much to take away from Matt’s wise words. We are transported to a whole new POV and some of it is very hard hitting, Oskar’s story in particular. I’d like to think we have all had moments in our lives where we’ve felt lost or unsure of what to do next and this book tells you that you’re not alone. It’s never to late to follow that dream or change your life, with a bit of self belief and confidence we can do anything. If it does all go bottoms up then there’s always the back up plan…ice cream!
I have to say that Matt Cain has done it again and created a character that is so loveable that you can’t help but be invested in his journey. At the start of the book Ted is in somewhat of a crisis and struggling to find his way. He has a lot to carry on his shoulders, with helping his parents run the family business and adapting to a new way of life. Luckily he has the lovely Denise guiding him along the way. The friendship between these two characters was honestly beautiful, The encouragement and respect they have for each other proves to defy all odds and it’s clear from the start, just how much their friendship means.
It was pure joy to see Ted go from his vanilla lifestyle, where he’s is putting everyone else but himself first, to a knickerbocker glory sundae with all the trimmings, finally embracing who he is meant to be. The stories about his childhood made the journey feel all the more special, you could see how much he had suppressed for fear of letting people down or not being good enough. Seeing his personality shine and taking brave and bold steps towards his future, warmed my heart and brought tears to my eyes.
Another special ability Matt Cain has is to bring the secondary characters into the story and let them steal a small piece of your heart. Whether it’s Stanley and his words of encouragement to Ted or Oskar and his troubling past, trying to find his place in the world, there is a lot of heart to be found.
This book will resonate with so many people, whether you are LGBTQ+ or not there is so much to take away from Matt’s wise words. We are transported to a whole new POV and some of it is very hard hitting, Oskar’s story in particular. I’d like to think we have all had moments in our lives where we’ve felt lost or unsure of what to do next and this book tells you that you’re not alone. It’s never to late to follow that dream or change your life, with a bit of self belief and confidence we can do anything. If it does all go bottoms up then there’s always the back up plan…ice cream!
January 20, 2023
This is the story of Ted, a 43 year old gay man and his journey of fulfilling his dream of becoming a drag queen, following the breakdown of his marriage. More than this, it is the story of all the characters who impact his existence, whether family or friends, and their backstories. Sometimes good people do bad things and sometimes we have to decide whether what they've done is a dealbreaker or worthy of forgiveness. My favourite character is Stanley, a colourful, wise old soul whose honesty stole my heart. Easy to read, while this centers predominantly on gay relationships, it has a message for anyone who has suffered in a relationship, anyone who has had good intentions but delivered a message foolishly, anyone thinking about following a dream. Actually, this is a book for everyone. Congratulations to the author. I look forward to your next book. 5 stars.
April 3, 2024
Reading like a gay version of Shirley Valentine infused with heavy doses of Everybody's Talking about Jamie - Ted's slow but steady journey toward greater self awareness and discovery proved charming and kept my attention throughout (mostly). There are however quite a few 'side plots' which - whilst essential to fleshing out MCs Ted and Oskar's familial backstories - also proved somewhat distracting, with additional secondary character's also being given center-stage at times (Denise, Stanley). Almost a 5 star-read but the author's kindly aim to neatly/nicely tie-up all relational dramas by book's end felt slightly rushed and possibly unnecessary - 4.5 stars overall.
November 9, 2023
Another fantastic book - Matt Cain really knows how to pull at heartstrings
June 4, 2024
In Becoming Ted, our title character is a 43 year old gay man, married to the husband of his dreams, living in a small British seaside town and working for his fourth generation family run ice cream business. Sounds ideal, right?! Unless you secretly dislike ice cream and your husband of nearly 20 years ups and leaves you for another man…
In the process, Ted is forced to self-reflect and decide what is important in his life, and what the future looks like from here. Through the help of his longtime friend Denise and some new allies he picks up along the way, Ted is able to realize maybe his marriage wasn’t just as great as he thought it was. He starts putting Ted first, and the growth and journey we get to join him on is so fun. If you’re a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race, then you will definitely love this book!
It was truly heartwarming to see Ted go from being broken with zero self confidence, to finding his voice and learning to shine on his own. There is growth across the supporting characters as well, and the cast offers diverse British perspectives from an elderly gay male, cis hetero female, immigrants, divorcees etc.
I really connected with the storyline of Ted’s family owning an ice cream business and him not liking ice cream. My Dad spent his whole career working for Land O’ Lakes making cheese, butter and milk and I’m lactose intolerant and couldn’t eat any of it 🤣 The only part that was a little off for me here was the mystery storyline thrown in… didn’t really seem to fit in the narrative and I didn’t love the result of it.
Overall, a super quick, fun read about discovering what makes you happy and embracing the chances to make your dreams come true! Fun way to kick off my Pride reads, thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the advanced copy.
In the process, Ted is forced to self-reflect and decide what is important in his life, and what the future looks like from here. Through the help of his longtime friend Denise and some new allies he picks up along the way, Ted is able to realize maybe his marriage wasn’t just as great as he thought it was. He starts putting Ted first, and the growth and journey we get to join him on is so fun. If you’re a fan of RuPaul’s Drag Race, then you will definitely love this book!
It was truly heartwarming to see Ted go from being broken with zero self confidence, to finding his voice and learning to shine on his own. There is growth across the supporting characters as well, and the cast offers diverse British perspectives from an elderly gay male, cis hetero female, immigrants, divorcees etc.
I really connected with the storyline of Ted’s family owning an ice cream business and him not liking ice cream. My Dad spent his whole career working for Land O’ Lakes making cheese, butter and milk and I’m lactose intolerant and couldn’t eat any of it 🤣 The only part that was a little off for me here was the mystery storyline thrown in… didn’t really seem to fit in the narrative and I didn’t love the result of it.
Overall, a super quick, fun read about discovering what makes you happy and embracing the chances to make your dreams come true! Fun way to kick off my Pride reads, thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the advanced copy.
January 20, 2023
Matt Cain really knows how to dish out the feel good vibes with love at factor 1000 to leave a reader glowing with happiness and romance.
Much of the book features circumstances falling happily into place in a nice, neat orderly way but the best bits are where things don't come easily or glide into the groove too smoothly as it makes the story more realistic and for me, I enjoy that added layer, a new emotional dimension that makes you think and feel whilst still being hugely entertained by vivid and loveable characters.
Ted is the main character, a gay man reflecting on his marriage, his relationships with his parents, trying to fulfil expectations and held back by an overwhelming sense of duty.
When life suddenly takes an unexpected turn, Ted is forced to re-evaluate his priorities and make some changes. Will he be brave , or will he cave in to family pressures?
Alongside Ted is a Polish painter and decorator Oskar, living in a caravan, hiding away and full of shame.
Set by the sea in St Lukes and featuring an ice cream business Ainsworth's, the emotional journey these men take is full of humour, sadness, and forgiveness.
With the help of Marina, Denise, and octogenarian flamboyant Stanley, will life's new route be built on pride or will Ted and Oskar flounder by the wayside?
Hugely readable and entertaining and also full of love, warmth and inspiration, thr previous novel The Secret Life of Albert Entwhistle is still the better of the two Matt Cain novels I have read, just. However when I see the author's name, I instantly want to read what he has written.
Thanks to Pigeonhole for making Becoming Ted available to read. I am already looking forward to the next Cain novel, a standalone or a sequel?
Much of the book features circumstances falling happily into place in a nice, neat orderly way but the best bits are where things don't come easily or glide into the groove too smoothly as it makes the story more realistic and for me, I enjoy that added layer, a new emotional dimension that makes you think and feel whilst still being hugely entertained by vivid and loveable characters.
Ted is the main character, a gay man reflecting on his marriage, his relationships with his parents, trying to fulfil expectations and held back by an overwhelming sense of duty.
When life suddenly takes an unexpected turn, Ted is forced to re-evaluate his priorities and make some changes. Will he be brave , or will he cave in to family pressures?
Alongside Ted is a Polish painter and decorator Oskar, living in a caravan, hiding away and full of shame.
Set by the sea in St Lukes and featuring an ice cream business Ainsworth's, the emotional journey these men take is full of humour, sadness, and forgiveness.
With the help of Marina, Denise, and octogenarian flamboyant Stanley, will life's new route be built on pride or will Ted and Oskar flounder by the wayside?
Hugely readable and entertaining and also full of love, warmth and inspiration, thr previous novel The Secret Life of Albert Entwhistle is still the better of the two Matt Cain novels I have read, just. However when I see the author's name, I instantly want to read what he has written.
Thanks to Pigeonhole for making Becoming Ted available to read. I am already looking forward to the next Cain novel, a standalone or a sequel?
January 30, 2023
read for free on the pigeonhole
it's not you, it's me
but it's also kind of you
I know there are some people who will read this and rate it 5 stars. It's a book that definitely has an audience, but that audience is not me.
Becoming Ted centres on Ted Ainsworth, a 43 year-old ice cream maker from a fictional seaside town in Lancashire. Ted is a middle-aged white gay man, and the book very much looks at queerness through a white gay lens. The story kicks off with Ted being dumped by his husband, a man he's been with for 20 years, and this event is the catalyst for Ted to make changes in his life; losing weight, finding love and becoming a drag queen.
The amount of references to RuPaul's Drag Race was ridiculous. We get it, that's how you know about drag, but again the drag that's shown in this is a very specific kind of drag. It's more middle aged gay white men with a particular sense of humour that they think constitutes 'reading for filth' and singing songs from 20+ years ago. The newest cultural reference I can think of was Roar by Katy Perry, a song that came out 10 years ago. It just feels very dated even though it's set now (the pandemic is referenced several times). I know there are people out there who will deeply relate to Ted, and I'm glad this book exists for them, but it very much feels like Matt Cain is simply writing what he knows from also being a middle-aged white gay man from Lancashire.
Both of Ted's romances were not great. Giles is by far the worst character in the book, and he's meant to be to help the reader root for Ted moving on and for his new romance, but it made me wonder why Ted was with him for 20 years in the first place. How did they last that long? How could Ted put up with him? How did Giles not cheat and leave sooner? It didn't feel entirely believable. The same was true of his romance with Oskar as well. Oskar is a 33 year old gay man from Poland, but you could easily change his name and where he says he's from and absolutely nothing about his character would be different. He doesn't feel Polish, he doesn't feel like an immigrant, he just doesn't feel developed enough full stop. Their romance is very much telling and not showing - for a book that's 466 pages long, I don't feel like they interacted enough. We're told that they love each other but we barely see them together so the admission seems quite sudden. It's the same for Oskar's sudden switch of supporting Ted doing drag, to saying he doesn't like it and that he wants Ted to stop, to then supporting him again. It's addressed that Oskar has internalised homophobia, but his actions because of it don't feel consistent.
Pretty much everything within the book seems to happen on a superficial level and it made it hard for me to connect with any of the characters or what was happening to them.
It's revealed in the story This is revealed slowly throughout the book in a series of anonymous notes, but it doesn't actually add anything to the story. I liked the themes of putting yourself first, doing things you enjoy and being comfortable in your own skin, but that's pretty much one of the only reasons why I didn't rate this one star. A lot of humour as well were essentially jokes putting other people down. It wasn't funny to me and in some cases felt a bit mean-spirited which diminished my enjoyment as well.
Also Ted does 2 drag shows and decides he wants to go full time with it which is fine. The fact that he doesn't seem to have any plan on how to do this and basically quits his job didn't seem sensible. But it's all okay because he does his first pro show and then is invited to go on tour straight away, which is of course totally realistic and how it works for people who are new to drag. It just honestly all seems too easy.
For as book as long as it was, it genuinely felt like the different elements of the book could've been fleshed out more (though who knows how long this book would've been if that had happened). Becoming a drag queen itself could be one book. Getting over his ex and finding love again could be a book. Having both going on and not balancing them properly means neither lives up to it's possible potential.
I think Matt Cain very much has a certain writing style and going off this book, it's absolutely not for me.
Other notes:
- The word ace is used way too much
- Boys do not have to be gay just because you think they're effeminate
- Men also don't have to be gay because they like Steps and interior design
- Sorry, but some of the ideas of what it means to be gay were really stereotypical
it's not you, it's me
but it's also kind of you
I know there are some people who will read this and rate it 5 stars. It's a book that definitely has an audience, but that audience is not me.
Becoming Ted centres on Ted Ainsworth, a 43 year-old ice cream maker from a fictional seaside town in Lancashire. Ted is a middle-aged white gay man, and the book very much looks at queerness through a white gay lens. The story kicks off with Ted being dumped by his husband, a man he's been with for 20 years, and this event is the catalyst for Ted to make changes in his life; losing weight, finding love and becoming a drag queen.
The amount of references to RuPaul's Drag Race was ridiculous. We get it, that's how you know about drag, but again the drag that's shown in this is a very specific kind of drag. It's more middle aged gay white men with a particular sense of humour that they think constitutes 'reading for filth' and singing songs from 20+ years ago. The newest cultural reference I can think of was Roar by Katy Perry, a song that came out 10 years ago. It just feels very dated even though it's set now (the pandemic is referenced several times). I know there are people out there who will deeply relate to Ted, and I'm glad this book exists for them, but it very much feels like Matt Cain is simply writing what he knows from also being a middle-aged white gay man from Lancashire.
Both of Ted's romances were not great. Giles is by far the worst character in the book, and he's meant to be to help the reader root for Ted moving on and for his new romance, but it made me wonder why Ted was with him for 20 years in the first place. How did they last that long? How could Ted put up with him? How did Giles not cheat and leave sooner? It didn't feel entirely believable. The same was true of his romance with Oskar as well. Oskar is a 33 year old gay man from Poland, but you could easily change his name and where he says he's from and absolutely nothing about his character would be different. He doesn't feel Polish, he doesn't feel like an immigrant, he just doesn't feel developed enough full stop. Their romance is very much telling and not showing - for a book that's 466 pages long, I don't feel like they interacted enough. We're told that they love each other but we barely see them together so the admission seems quite sudden. It's the same for Oskar's sudden switch of supporting Ted doing drag, to saying he doesn't like it and that he wants Ted to stop, to then supporting him again. It's addressed that Oskar has internalised homophobia, but his actions because of it don't feel consistent.
Pretty much everything within the book seems to happen on a superficial level and it made it hard for me to connect with any of the characters or what was happening to them.
It's revealed in the story This is revealed slowly throughout the book in a series of anonymous notes, but it doesn't actually add anything to the story. I liked the themes of putting yourself first, doing things you enjoy and being comfortable in your own skin, but that's pretty much one of the only reasons why I didn't rate this one star. A lot of humour as well were essentially jokes putting other people down. It wasn't funny to me and in some cases felt a bit mean-spirited which diminished my enjoyment as well.
Also Ted does 2 drag shows and decides he wants to go full time with it which is fine. The fact that he doesn't seem to have any plan on how to do this and basically quits his job didn't seem sensible. But it's all okay because he does his first pro show and then is invited to go on tour straight away, which is of course totally realistic and how it works for people who are new to drag. It just honestly all seems too easy.
For as book as long as it was, it genuinely felt like the different elements of the book could've been fleshed out more (though who knows how long this book would've been if that had happened). Becoming a drag queen itself could be one book. Getting over his ex and finding love again could be a book. Having both going on and not balancing them properly means neither lives up to it's possible potential.
I think Matt Cain very much has a certain writing style and going off this book, it's absolutely not for me.
Other notes:
- The word ace is used way too much
- Boys do not have to be gay just because you think they're effeminate
- Men also don't have to be gay because they like Steps and interior design
- Sorry, but some of the ideas of what it means to be gay were really stereotypical
July 27, 2024
What’s a guy to do when his husband of many years ups and leaves? Ted’s about to find out and goes on one reflective and startling heartwarming journey along the way.
The Secret Life of Albert Entwhistle caught my eye when it published and I thought I would enjoy Matt Cain’s writing, but not until Becoming Ted came into my grasp did I get the chance to read the author’s books. This turned out to be a delightful surprise when I finished Becoming Ted in two-sittings after only planning to give the first few chapters a try and ended up over half-way through before I knew it.
So, Ted…
After twenty years of marriage, his husband walks away. Ted is left with the painful, stunned feelings of grief and loss for a relationship abruptly ending. The shock of it is what it takes to push Ted out of his rut. He’s been bending over backwards to please his folks and work in their ice cream business (and, shocker, he doesn’t like ice cream). He’s more than gone the distance in a marriage relationship that was, quite frankly, abusive in a subtle gaslighting way. Pretty much anyone can put upon Ted and he’s gone with it. Ted lost himself long ago and is now just realizing it. He had other dreams and he definitely had different expectations of his life.
However, a drastic change in life gives him the opportunity reset in his forties. Ted does it in baby steps, but he does it. He leads a double life as he gets into drag queen-ing with the help of supportive friends and he slowly gets assertive, most obviously at work. He meets Oskar and their tentative road to romance is slow as Oskar’s not out, but is edging that way and Ted’s getting over Giles. Meanwhile, Oskar, a Polish artist, and Denise, Ted’s best friend who also share some of the narration are also on personal journeys to figure out their lives.
Becoming Ted really hit the spot and, though I have little in points in common with Ted and the others, their stories resonated with me. This is more than a second chance after a relationship breaks up when it comes to romance, but a second chance with family expectations and getting lots of unresolved family undercurrents resolved and a second chance at being himself. I was cheering Ted on when Gail, his drag queen side, came to life. So fun and entertaining. There are flaws and vulnerability in all the characters, but the hopeful and heartwarming tone made the harder stuff feel less of burdens and more like challenges.
So, this was fiction with a good side helping of romance for all three main characters. The story was about every day folks, but had good rising action and tension. There were big late story blow ups, but some triumphant emotional highs and resolutions afterward. Definitely one I’d recommend.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 7.17.24.
The Secret Life of Albert Entwhistle caught my eye when it published and I thought I would enjoy Matt Cain’s writing, but not until Becoming Ted came into my grasp did I get the chance to read the author’s books. This turned out to be a delightful surprise when I finished Becoming Ted in two-sittings after only planning to give the first few chapters a try and ended up over half-way through before I knew it.
So, Ted…
After twenty years of marriage, his husband walks away. Ted is left with the painful, stunned feelings of grief and loss for a relationship abruptly ending. The shock of it is what it takes to push Ted out of his rut. He’s been bending over backwards to please his folks and work in their ice cream business (and, shocker, he doesn’t like ice cream). He’s more than gone the distance in a marriage relationship that was, quite frankly, abusive in a subtle gaslighting way. Pretty much anyone can put upon Ted and he’s gone with it. Ted lost himself long ago and is now just realizing it. He had other dreams and he definitely had different expectations of his life.
However, a drastic change in life gives him the opportunity reset in his forties. Ted does it in baby steps, but he does it. He leads a double life as he gets into drag queen-ing with the help of supportive friends and he slowly gets assertive, most obviously at work. He meets Oskar and their tentative road to romance is slow as Oskar’s not out, but is edging that way and Ted’s getting over Giles. Meanwhile, Oskar, a Polish artist, and Denise, Ted’s best friend who also share some of the narration are also on personal journeys to figure out their lives.
Becoming Ted really hit the spot and, though I have little in points in common with Ted and the others, their stories resonated with me. This is more than a second chance after a relationship breaks up when it comes to romance, but a second chance with family expectations and getting lots of unresolved family undercurrents resolved and a second chance at being himself. I was cheering Ted on when Gail, his drag queen side, came to life. So fun and entertaining. There are flaws and vulnerability in all the characters, but the hopeful and heartwarming tone made the harder stuff feel less of burdens and more like challenges.
So, this was fiction with a good side helping of romance for all three main characters. The story was about every day folks, but had good rising action and tension. There were big late story blow ups, but some triumphant emotional highs and resolutions afterward. Definitely one I’d recommend.
My full review will post at Books of My Heart on 7.17.24.
January 22, 2023
Ted is happily married to Giles (or so he thinks) but when his heart is broken, he must find a way to live his own life and follow his own dreams, dreams which have been put aside by feelings of duty and of not feeling good enough.
Ted works for the family business, making ice cream. Unfortunately he doesn’t even like ice cream – he never has although he has never voiced this to his family (whose motto is ‘Family First’) – guilt and duty keeping him silent. He would love to follow a different path in life but how to tell his parents when they are expecting him to take over from them, having invested so much of their life into it and are struggling with the business financially.
Oskar (‘with a k’) is Polish, working as a builder but with dreams of being an interior designer – an area where he is clearly talented. He is rather a complex character, struggling with his sexuality against the background of family history and the social politics of his native country which have caused so much heartache. He keeps himself to himself, his only happiness for the moment being his bicycle rides together with his determination to learn a new English word every day.
Both Ted and Oskar are constrained – Ted by family duty and Oskar by guilt and uncertainty. If they are each to find happiness, they must both make changes to their lives and put themselves first.
I took both Ted and Oskar to my heart. Both are fabulous characters, quite different in temperament with Ted trying to find the courage to make changes to follow his life’s dream and also finding his self worth after being made to feel a support act in an apparently rather toxic relationship. Supporting characters were just wonderful, including nonagenarian Stanley, feeling ostracised in his care home but opening up to Ted and reminiscing about his younger life when being gay was illegal and the sacrifices that were made. Ted’s best friend Denise with her support and encouragement. There is drama elsewhere too which all adds to Ted feeling conflicted and angry.
Becoming Ted is an uplifting story, written with warmth and humour, with characters and some difficult backstories where you just hope they will overcome obstacles and find the happiness and contentment they deserve. . I loved it and although I haven’t yet read Matt Cain’s previous book, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, this is on my reading list.
Does Ted get to live his best life? You will have to read the book and find out. Definitely recommended.
Ted works for the family business, making ice cream. Unfortunately he doesn’t even like ice cream – he never has although he has never voiced this to his family (whose motto is ‘Family First’) – guilt and duty keeping him silent. He would love to follow a different path in life but how to tell his parents when they are expecting him to take over from them, having invested so much of their life into it and are struggling with the business financially.
Oskar (‘with a k’) is Polish, working as a builder but with dreams of being an interior designer – an area where he is clearly talented. He is rather a complex character, struggling with his sexuality against the background of family history and the social politics of his native country which have caused so much heartache. He keeps himself to himself, his only happiness for the moment being his bicycle rides together with his determination to learn a new English word every day.
Both Ted and Oskar are constrained – Ted by family duty and Oskar by guilt and uncertainty. If they are each to find happiness, they must both make changes to their lives and put themselves first.
I took both Ted and Oskar to my heart. Both are fabulous characters, quite different in temperament with Ted trying to find the courage to make changes to follow his life’s dream and also finding his self worth after being made to feel a support act in an apparently rather toxic relationship. Supporting characters were just wonderful, including nonagenarian Stanley, feeling ostracised in his care home but opening up to Ted and reminiscing about his younger life when being gay was illegal and the sacrifices that were made. Ted’s best friend Denise with her support and encouragement. There is drama elsewhere too which all adds to Ted feeling conflicted and angry.
Becoming Ted is an uplifting story, written with warmth and humour, with characters and some difficult backstories where you just hope they will overcome obstacles and find the happiness and contentment they deserve. . I loved it and although I haven’t yet read Matt Cain’s previous book, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, this is on my reading list.
Does Ted get to live his best life? You will have to read the book and find out. Definitely recommended.
January 18, 2023
❤️ Ted has never had the courage to follow his dream. Until now….. ❤️
The prologue opens up this joyous story perfectly, setting the scene for what is to follow with the hint of a success. I instantly endeared to the adorable Ted and was applauding for him all the way through his emotional story.
Even though the main story is about Ted realising who he really is inside and his journey to achieving his dream, there are some very important side stories too. Emotional abuse, infidelity, friendships, marriage breakdowns and parental pressure, along with the issue of how sadly homophobia is still prevalent in some countries, play huge roles within Ted’s story.
The joy this book brought me with Stanley and his Polari vocabulary, Gail, Peg Legge and Pussy Squat and their flamboyancy and the setting of an ice cream shop in a seaside town in Lancashire, was just priceless. I also loved getting into the minds of Ted, Denise and Oskar and hearing their thoughts as they each played their role in the story.
Honestly, what was there not to enjoy with this book?! I delighted in the becoming of Ted, it was a true feel good story, courageous and heartwarming and although at times my heart broke for him, rest assured it repaired itself by the end of the book!
❤️ A charming new story of love, friendship and learning to be true to yourself ❤️
Matt Cain is an author, leading commentator on LGBT+ issues and a former journalist. Born in Bury and brought up in Bolton, he now lives in London.
#BecomingTed - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Joe Thomas at Headline for inviting me on this tour and for my copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.
The prologue opens up this joyous story perfectly, setting the scene for what is to follow with the hint of a success. I instantly endeared to the adorable Ted and was applauding for him all the way through his emotional story.
Even though the main story is about Ted realising who he really is inside and his journey to achieving his dream, there are some very important side stories too. Emotional abuse, infidelity, friendships, marriage breakdowns and parental pressure, along with the issue of how sadly homophobia is still prevalent in some countries, play huge roles within Ted’s story.
The joy this book brought me with Stanley and his Polari vocabulary, Gail, Peg Legge and Pussy Squat and their flamboyancy and the setting of an ice cream shop in a seaside town in Lancashire, was just priceless. I also loved getting into the minds of Ted, Denise and Oskar and hearing their thoughts as they each played their role in the story.
Honestly, what was there not to enjoy with this book?! I delighted in the becoming of Ted, it was a true feel good story, courageous and heartwarming and although at times my heart broke for him, rest assured it repaired itself by the end of the book!
❤️ A charming new story of love, friendship and learning to be true to yourself ❤️
Matt Cain is an author, leading commentator on LGBT+ issues and a former journalist. Born in Bury and brought up in Bolton, he now lives in London.
#BecomingTed - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to Joe Thomas at Headline for inviting me on this tour and for my copy of the book in return for an honest and unbiased opinion.
January 29, 2023
I was really enamoured with Matt Cain's, The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle and I absolutely adored Becoming Ted. For me this glorious tale is all about accepting yourself as well as reaching for your dreams. I fully expected the characterisation to be first-class and it was. Extra special was the character of Stanley who gives Ted perspective regarding his problems. Ted himself was such a sweet, gentle man that you had to root for him.
Matt Cain writes so beautifully, with heart and humour. He masterfully interlaces some dark themes in this novel around prejudice, control and betrayal, among many others, however, they are balanced accordingly with friendship and warmth. The uplifting ending is delightful. I’m massively keen to read more from Matt Cain and Becoming Ted is a 2023 favourite, already.
A special thank you to Headline, Matt Cain, NetGalley and Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read. This review is my unbiased opinion.
Matt Cain writes so beautifully, with heart and humour. He masterfully interlaces some dark themes in this novel around prejudice, control and betrayal, among many others, however, they are balanced accordingly with friendship and warmth. The uplifting ending is delightful. I’m massively keen to read more from Matt Cain and Becoming Ted is a 2023 favourite, already.
A special thank you to Headline, Matt Cain, NetGalley and Pigeonhole for the opportunity to read. This review is my unbiased opinion.
April 1, 2024
Matt Cain’s Becoming Ted is sweet and cozy, following titular character Ted as his life is shattered and he can’t afford to not put himself first. Which is tough, because he’s always put others first including the cast of characters he calls his family, his ex and friends, and tender Oskar, a Polish ex-pat who struggled with his coming out fleeing his homeland.
While I enjoyed my time with Ted, it has its issues with its pacing which made it hard for me to ultimately connect to the characters and story. One particular plot line involving letters warning of deceit felt tacked on in an already stuffed book (adding to my earlier pacing issues).
However, Becoming Ted is a story people should read. The themes of self-discovery and acceptance are needed in today’s world more than ever. While some may find it corny, it’s a touching story that I know a majority of folks who stick through the story will enjoy. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC.
While I enjoyed my time with Ted, it has its issues with its pacing which made it hard for me to ultimately connect to the characters and story. One particular plot line involving letters warning of deceit felt tacked on in an already stuffed book (adding to my earlier pacing issues).
However, Becoming Ted is a story people should read. The themes of self-discovery and acceptance are needed in today’s world more than ever. While some may find it corny, it’s a touching story that I know a majority of folks who stick through the story will enjoy. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for the ARC.
November 6, 2022
Massive thank you to NetGalley and Headline publishing house for accepting me as a pre-publication reviewer. This has proved to be one of my favourite books of the year and it’s not even out yet!
TW: there are mentions of homophobia, toxic relationships, hate crime, gaslighting and other topics BUT it is so so so good
Quick plot summary: forty three year old Ted is living a rather pleasant life: has a husband of twenty years, a loving dog, a great best friend, a stable job working for his family’s ice cream shop in a little Lancashire seaside town. But how great is it really? Especially when he’s had to hide his true passion throughout his whole life. When his husband confesses he’s been having an affair and wants to split up, Ted cannot see anything good coming his way… but how wrong he was. Finally he gains the courage - with the help of many great people in his life - to pursue his dream of becoming a drag queen and fully comprehend his (dull, reserved and unauthentic) life before. In doing so, he embarks on the journey of ‘Becoming Ted’.
That was a *very* short summary and there’s a *lot* more that goes on, sub-plots and character storylines but I so wholeheartedly 1000% recommend picking this book up I don’t want to spoil anything and Yhh, you need to experience it first hand I think to truly get the most out of this book. But continue reading I won’t spoil anything, it’s all praise trust me.
Now whilst there was some plot points I personally didn’t like that much, I do appreciate it as a whole and how they lead to certain things happening and just Awgh I cannot get over how satisfied I was with this book. It also deals with many topics; specifically toxic relationships and gaslighting techniques which Ted learns was apparent in his marriage (and with other characters) and has flashbacks to points in time which were done exceptionally well - you are transported back, it makes sense immediately what is happening, you don’t lose sight of the present-day plot and I dunno just wow I loved them and how they’re demarcated with little ice creams!!!! No words. So yes, this exploration of relationships dynamics and understanding possible trauma is handled very well, it’s eye-opening, emotional and gripping. Additionally, homophobia is a present theme both externally in how Ted thinks back to school but mainly with Oskar and Andrzej with the scenes in Poland in the further and more recent past - mentioning LGBT-free zones and Anti-gay protests/marches - but a major part is internal homophobia and how one overcomes it. The fact it’s definitely not an easy ride, with ups and downs, movements forwards and back and how no matter how much you might love someone and want what’s best for them, they need to come to terms with themselves first and truly appreciate they are who they are. Once again I don’t want to explain too much as this self-discovery aspect of the book is a prominent motif in many different ways and to read and understand it first hand is much more impactful.
I think I could honestly write about this book for ages but I don’t want to give things away so I’ll try and stop myself.
But not until I talk about the characters. Awghhhhhh omfg I loved them so much like just wow wow wow!!! Firstly, yes they all have some flaws and nuances (except Lilly the dog - she’s perfect) but this adds to their lovableness and realness too. First off, our ‘main character’ (I did it in ‘’ because he is definitely the mc buttt as it’s written in third person - something I though was slightly a wrong choice as I started reading thinking it would be great in first - with most chapters from Ted’s POV, his bestie Denise and Oskar have their own chapters too where the narrator narrates what is happening with italics representing what that character is thinking in their head. I hope I explained this well and understandable but like once again this was super great and I just loved how we sort of got these other views and then more insight into these characters lives) Ted is so likeable, he’s sweet and kind, funny, just great and you feel for him so much. You experience so much of what he goes through and there are so many relatable and just lovable aspects to his character. Denise is yes flawed but she’s such a great friend and personality, has dealt with a lot and so you understand her outlook. Oskar is just the sweetest omg I can’t. He had to deal with so much trauma growing up and internal hatred and just finding himself. Stanley is purely fantabulosa, he’s just an icon, super super lovable and funny, a great personality but we too get to see some of his painful past. Ted’s parents Hilary and Trevor (and sister Jemima) are the most nuanced I’d say as in you do like them but also some things they have done is a bit ‘ehh’-ey but like you do understand their reasonings and things… I dunno what to feel? I would say I do still like them. Quick fire shout out to these other great characters: Alison, Marina, Mick, Peg Legge, Pussy Squat, Mick and Andrzej too. Giles was by far the most unlikable (well actually Karl is) but then again he has some redeeming qualities and Yhh… read it to see why I don’t hate hate him.
The writing is so great too. It’s super addictive, making you read on and fully encapsulating you. It was honestly physically straining to put it away and do what I needed to do at times. I also just didn’t want to let the characters go so I was in a major predicament of either binging it or spending more time with these icons? And I mostly binged but I can (and will!) give it a reread to revisit St-Luke’s-on-Sea and all it’s fabulous residents. I wouldn’t say the writing is particularly outstanding but it’s very readable and there are some lovely descriptive passages. The dialogue is super realistic, sharp, witty, humorous and Yhh honestly just great. There were also a few great quotes and many many takeaways.
If you didn’t guess already but I loved this book! Like honestly I’m in such awe of these characters, the plot and meanings portrayed. It’s exceptional. I will very likely be placing an order for the physical copy when it becomes available and in the meantime hope to read some more of Matt Cain’s works. bring it on!
P.S. the acknowledgments were super sweet and so much meaning - read them too!
TW: there are mentions of homophobia, toxic relationships, hate crime, gaslighting and other topics BUT it is so so so good
Quick plot summary: forty three year old Ted is living a rather pleasant life: has a husband of twenty years, a loving dog, a great best friend, a stable job working for his family’s ice cream shop in a little Lancashire seaside town. But how great is it really? Especially when he’s had to hide his true passion throughout his whole life. When his husband confesses he’s been having an affair and wants to split up, Ted cannot see anything good coming his way… but how wrong he was. Finally he gains the courage - with the help of many great people in his life - to pursue his dream of becoming a drag queen and fully comprehend his (dull, reserved and unauthentic) life before. In doing so, he embarks on the journey of ‘Becoming Ted’.
That was a *very* short summary and there’s a *lot* more that goes on, sub-plots and character storylines but I so wholeheartedly 1000% recommend picking this book up I don’t want to spoil anything and Yhh, you need to experience it first hand I think to truly get the most out of this book. But continue reading I won’t spoil anything, it’s all praise trust me.
Now whilst there was some plot points I personally didn’t like that much, I do appreciate it as a whole and how they lead to certain things happening and just Awgh I cannot get over how satisfied I was with this book. It also deals with many topics; specifically toxic relationships and gaslighting techniques which Ted learns was apparent in his marriage (and with other characters) and has flashbacks to points in time which were done exceptionally well - you are transported back, it makes sense immediately what is happening, you don’t lose sight of the present-day plot and I dunno just wow I loved them and how they’re demarcated with little ice creams!!!! No words. So yes, this exploration of relationships dynamics and understanding possible trauma is handled very well, it’s eye-opening, emotional and gripping. Additionally, homophobia is a present theme both externally in how Ted thinks back to school but mainly with Oskar and Andrzej with the scenes in Poland in the further and more recent past - mentioning LGBT-free zones and Anti-gay protests/marches - but a major part is internal homophobia and how one overcomes it. The fact it’s definitely not an easy ride, with ups and downs, movements forwards and back and how no matter how much you might love someone and want what’s best for them, they need to come to terms with themselves first and truly appreciate they are who they are. Once again I don’t want to explain too much as this self-discovery aspect of the book is a prominent motif in many different ways and to read and understand it first hand is much more impactful.
I think I could honestly write about this book for ages but I don’t want to give things away so I’ll try and stop myself.
But not until I talk about the characters. Awghhhhhh omfg I loved them so much like just wow wow wow!!! Firstly, yes they all have some flaws and nuances (except Lilly the dog - she’s perfect) but this adds to their lovableness and realness too. First off, our ‘main character’ (I did it in ‘’ because he is definitely the mc buttt as it’s written in third person - something I though was slightly a wrong choice as I started reading thinking it would be great in first - with most chapters from Ted’s POV, his bestie Denise and Oskar have their own chapters too where the narrator narrates what is happening with italics representing what that character is thinking in their head. I hope I explained this well and understandable but like once again this was super great and I just loved how we sort of got these other views and then more insight into these characters lives) Ted is so likeable, he’s sweet and kind, funny, just great and you feel for him so much. You experience so much of what he goes through and there are so many relatable and just lovable aspects to his character. Denise is yes flawed but she’s such a great friend and personality, has dealt with a lot and so you understand her outlook. Oskar is just the sweetest omg I can’t. He had to deal with so much trauma growing up and internal hatred and just finding himself. Stanley is purely fantabulosa, he’s just an icon, super super lovable and funny, a great personality but we too get to see some of his painful past. Ted’s parents Hilary and Trevor (and sister Jemima) are the most nuanced I’d say as in you do like them but also some things they have done is a bit ‘ehh’-ey but like you do understand their reasonings and things… I dunno what to feel? I would say I do still like them. Quick fire shout out to these other great characters: Alison, Marina, Mick, Peg Legge, Pussy Squat, Mick and Andrzej too. Giles was by far the most unlikable (well actually Karl is) but then again he has some redeeming qualities and Yhh… read it to see why I don’t hate hate him.
The writing is so great too. It’s super addictive, making you read on and fully encapsulating you. It was honestly physically straining to put it away and do what I needed to do at times. I also just didn’t want to let the characters go so I was in a major predicament of either binging it or spending more time with these icons? And I mostly binged but I can (and will!) give it a reread to revisit St-Luke’s-on-Sea and all it’s fabulous residents. I wouldn’t say the writing is particularly outstanding but it’s very readable and there are some lovely descriptive passages. The dialogue is super realistic, sharp, witty, humorous and Yhh honestly just great. There were also a few great quotes and many many takeaways.
If you didn’t guess already but I loved this book! Like honestly I’m in such awe of these characters, the plot and meanings portrayed. It’s exceptional. I will very likely be placing an order for the physical copy when it becomes available and in the meantime hope to read some more of Matt Cain’s works. bring it on!
P.S. the acknowledgments were super sweet and so much meaning - read them too!
July 5, 2024
Gay lad lit from a gay, British author
The publisher's blurb gives the impression that this novel is a sweet gay romance. Yes, Ted's love interest, Oskar, does get a POV, which is an important feature of an actual romance novel, but so does Ted's female BFF, Denise, which is not typical of romance. In addition, the story spends a great deal of page space on Ted's failed marriage of 20 years, via a series of flashbacks, which grind the already slow forward progression of the novel to a screeching halt every time one pops up.
This novel is actually structured like "lad lit," the male version of chick lit. Rather than focusing on a spark-filled courtship, which is the emphasis of the romance genre, lad lit, like chick lit, turns a spotlight on the theme of, "the worm that turned." All three POV characters have the same growth arc, from being downtrodden doormats to eventually, at long last, manifesting a backbone. Unfortunately, it felt like, to me personally, that Ted, Oskar and Denise are, with unnecessary redundancy, treading along the same path. For this to be an actual romance, the three of them would need to be conflated into one MC, who is paired with a romantic partner whose personality is both different and complementary.
The publisher's blurb gives the impression that this novel is a sweet gay romance. Yes, Ted's love interest, Oskar, does get a POV, which is an important feature of an actual romance novel, but so does Ted's female BFF, Denise, which is not typical of romance. In addition, the story spends a great deal of page space on Ted's failed marriage of 20 years, via a series of flashbacks, which grind the already slow forward progression of the novel to a screeching halt every time one pops up.
This novel is actually structured like "lad lit," the male version of chick lit. Rather than focusing on a spark-filled courtship, which is the emphasis of the romance genre, lad lit, like chick lit, turns a spotlight on the theme of, "the worm that turned." All three POV characters have the same growth arc, from being downtrodden doormats to eventually, at long last, manifesting a backbone. Unfortunately, it felt like, to me personally, that Ted, Oskar and Denise are, with unnecessary redundancy, treading along the same path. For this to be an actual romance, the three of them would need to be conflated into one MC, who is paired with a romantic partner whose personality is both different and complementary.
May 16, 2024
A lovely story about shedding expectations & duty to others in order to become your truest, fullest self.
The writing style wasn’t my favorite, but I found the characters to be charming & the heart of this novel is inspiring.
Thanks to the publisher for an early copy!
The writing style wasn’t my favorite, but I found the characters to be charming & the heart of this novel is inspiring.
Thanks to the publisher for an early copy!
September 24, 2024
Think this is my favourite Matt Cain book. Storyline was touching, fun and so good to have an original idea. Heartbreaking in places but also funny in others. Such good imagery painted through out ( the cher fitness video scene 💯🤣). Listened on audio and the performance was excellent too, really captured the characters I'd say. ☺️.
May 3, 2024
Loved this really easy, feel-good story. I fell in love with Ted and Oskar and enjoyed following their journeys in self-discovery. I want to go to a drag show now 💕
January 24, 2024
First of all, thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
I thoroughly enjoyed Becoming Ted. I enjoyed the insights multiple perspectives that Matt brought into this book. I enjoyed the character and scene building. Following along and seeing Ted’s confidence and self-love grow was great. With that said, the story line was a little on the predictable side and I did think the timeline could have flowed a bit better, but overall this was a very enjoyable book.
#NetGalley #BecomingTed
I thoroughly enjoyed Becoming Ted. I enjoyed the insights multiple perspectives that Matt brought into this book. I enjoyed the character and scene building. Following along and seeing Ted’s confidence and self-love grow was great. With that said, the story line was a little on the predictable side and I did think the timeline could have flowed a bit better, but overall this was a very enjoyable book.
#NetGalley #BecomingTed
Displaying 1 - 30 of 490 reviews