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.

I loved The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain, so when I got the opportunity from NetGalley to read Becoming Ted I was overjoyed. Starting off, I have to say that I absolutely dislike Giles. He was constantly putting Ted down, embarrassing him to get his own way, and completely disregarded everything Ted did for him. This is partially on Ted letting himself become a doormat, but it was so satisfying seeing Ted start to live his dreams and come out of everyone else's shadow. I loved that the side characters weren't just there for Ted, but had their own issues and lives outside of Ted's drama, and that we got to see into those characters' perspectives at times. Oskar was such an interesting character, and I felt for him and his life up to before he met Ted. I wish we'd gotten a chance to see Oskar accomplish his dream, but the fact that he was more himself at the end of the story made me so happy. I could have read a hundred more chapters of this, and was up late when I started to near the end because I couldn't sleep before I finished it! This really just proves that I'll enjoy whatever book Matt Cain decides to release next, because the two I've already read have my heart and places on my bookshelves.

Poor Ted! When we first meet him, he's counting his blessings about being married to a wonderful, handsome man. You know that can't last . . . just as Ted is marveling at his good fortune, Giles, his husband, announces he's met someone else and is leaving. Ted is dumbfounded, then devastated. He'd thought they were happy during their 20 years together, but Giles informs him that Ted, and the sleepy seaside town where the live, are both bland, boring, and dull. Giles is ready for more excitement out of life. As Ted adjusts to his new reality, he begins to see that perhaps things weren't always so rosy in his relationship. Giles tended to have a need to always be in the spotlight, so Ted willingly (or so he told himself) took a back seat. Whenever Ted tried to do something he enjoyed, like singing, Giles was quick to criticize and deflate him. Ted starts to realize that he's been putting his entire life on hold to satisfy everyone else. Not only has he let Giles hold him back, but he has also devoted his life to not disappointing his parents. For his entire life, it's been expected that Ted will work in, and eventually take over, the family ice cream business. After coming out as gay and receiving the full support of his parents, Ted was so grateful that he put aside his own desires and dutifully began working in the family business. There were no similar expectations that his sister Jemima wouldn't get to follow her dreams, however (not that Ted is resentful about that, or so he tells himself).

Once Giles leaves and Ted starts re-examining their relationship, he also begins to evaluate the rest of his life. With the encouragement of his best friend, Denise (who conveniently works at a department store make-up counter), Ted decides to start living out his deepest desire: to be a drag queen. Then there is the cute Polish builder Oskar who is working on a project nearby. Can Ted finally let go of everything that's been holding him back all these years and finally start to live the life he wants? Well, possibly, but then there are the vaguely threatening anonymous letters that start showing up claiming there are family secrets he doesn't know about . . . .

I really enjoyed reading about Ted's journey to find is true self as his world was falling apart. The town, with its cute shops, seaside vibe and accepting residents doesn't sound so boring to me!

Wanted to love this, but was a miss for me. I couldn't get beyond the clunky writing.

A story about taking chances, it seems unrealistic that every risk taken works out 110% for all characters, and nearly instantly. And this is a nit-pick but if it's a story about personal development, then our main character Ted shouldn't still be saying the same irritating catch phrase "Ace" as an adult that he did as a youth. Every time it came up on the page it felt like the author didn't give Ted the attention he deserved. At least use it as a symbol and change his reactions once he blossoms into the person he wants to be.

That being said, good positive representation of LGBTQ+ and the drag communities.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Books for this ARC e-copy of Becoming Ted by Matt Cain.

Ted Ainsworth’s life is utterly perfect—until, one fateful day, it isn’t. After discovering photos of his gorgeous husband Giles entangled with another man, Ted’s decades-long marriage ends, and this forty-something is now a bachelor, forced to start all over… but is that really as bad as it seems? With the help of some friends, both new and old, Ted sets out on a journey of self-discovery, and along the way, pursues a new, exciting dream that he never even considered possible…

“Becoming Ted” is a quick and easy read that makes for the perfect light fare to bridge the gap between darker or thicker novels. While the story glances over serious topics, its focus on self-discovery with a positive attitude is strong. Full of developed characters with different life experiences and struggles (my favorite being Ted’s best friend, Denise), “Becoming Ted” has someone within its pages for everyone to root for. It’s not the best book I’ve ever read—I found the dialogue clunky and the main character frustrating at times—nor my favorite, but the optimistic messaging was enough to keep me around. Actually, my favorite part was the author’s notes, where I got to learn about the author’s real life and inspirations surrounding the novel.

Fans of RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and heartwarming Netflix comedies will enjoy this life-affirming—and very British—slice-of-life story about a middle-aged man finally taking control of his destiny.

☆ ☆ - OKAY

CW: toxic relationships, abortion (coerced), cancer, references to homophobia, mention of suicide

When I first joined NetGalley, I was mistaken about how it worked. I was under the impression that we received physical copies of books. I didn’t realize it was strictly online. So I requested some books thinking I’d be getting them in the mail, and once I figured out how the app works, I realized I had made a mistake. I tried my very best to read these books, but my eyes just can’t handle it. I can’t read a book online. It has to be a physical copy or it hurts my eyes and gives me headaches. From here on out, I will only be requesting graphic novels, comics, and manga. Those don’t hurt my eyes. I will most certainly be buying these books in physical form the very day they are published! And then I will most certainly leave a review on goodreads. I look forward to reading the rest of the books. They are all very good so far, and I can’t wait to finish them! Thank you for this opportunity and I am sorry that I was wrong about how it worked at first. Now I know.

Another really enjoyable feel good novel fro Matt Cain, this time about discovering yourself and going for your dreams.

There was nothing complicated or off putting in this story, just a really good feel good story, with the ending that you hoped for, and knew would occur.

A great read.

I loved this story! From the very beginning of the book, Ted pulled at my heartstrings and I was rooting for him the entire time. This is a wonderfully realistic story about the struggles of LGBTQIA+ people in all societies and the traumas that people are still experiencing based on who they love. I thought that both the biological and found families in this story were beautifully exemplified. And ultimately, this is a story of one man's self-realization despite the odds, and it was a great ride. I enjoyed every second of it!

I will highly recommend this to readers of LGBTQIA+ fiction.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book!

What I appreciate about this book is that it provides a familiar narrative that resonates with a lot of gay men. Its title character (Ted) could be relocated outside of the coastal UK to practically anywhere in the world, and the same conflict and turmoil could be recognized. That is - in part - because the experience of many gay men is the same as Ted's. The same fears of rejection, the same passing on one's own dreams to secure those of their family, the same taking a second seat in their relationship out of sheer fear of being alone.

Within the first few chapters, you understand that Ted is taking stock of his life. He's finding himself in new founded territory - both emotionally and physically - and starting to question his past. His decisions. His family. His partner. His friendships. And that, paired with an incredible opportunity for exploration and change, is the ride that the author wants to take you on. And he does it successfully.

While many of the pages are filled with timeless camp references and uber-gay pop culture anthems, Matt Cain apparently takes notes from Cher, and ultimately does Believe in "life after love." The book certainly catalogs many of the fears that gay men (of any era) have, but it harmonizes them with recounted memories of better days, reclaiming aspirations from long ago, and finding the strength in ourselves that we always knew was there.

This was my first book to read by Matt Cain, and I look forward to checking out his others.

So first off, let me just say how much I loved that the main character, a middle-aged gay man rebuilding his life, isn't an English teacher. For some reason, soooooo many of these stories revolve around English teacher; as a middle-aged gay English teacher, I was so happy to see Ted worked for his family's ice cream business.

So the book has heart; it's sweet without being saccharine, and it takes time to tell some side character stories alongside Ted's main character arc and that's appreciated. It's not a world free of homophobia, but it certainly presents a more progressive, modern, England (with an acknowledgement to struggles around the world both in the past and present).



*I received a free ARC from netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I was quite excited to get this book, as I so enjoyed the author's previous book, The Secret Life of Albert Entwhistle.

The premise of this sounded great. I wish the execution of this was as good. The cast of characters was initially engaging, the story premise exciting and intriguing but I found the writing bogged me down. I felt it could have done with some more vigorous editing. Parts felt clunky and rushed. It felt like there was a lot more telling than showing in parts. I wish there was deeper characterization for some of the central characters, it felt quite thin for some of the main ones. I found Ted's overall story uplifting but I wish he had been given a richer story development and characterization for the secondary characters. They all deserved that.

my thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this digital ARC. This is my honest review.

If you're a fan of books by Steven Rowley or TJ Klune, give this book a read :)

"Becoming Ted" by Matt Haig is a charming LGBTQ+ romantic comedy that unfolds in the picturesque landscapes of a fictional town in the UK. The novel, while being a quick read, manages to pack a punch with its heartwarming narrative and endearing characters.

The story revolves around Ted, who, after separating from his husband Giles, embarks on a journey of self-discovery and newfound independence, shedding light on the toxic dynamics of his past relationship. Haig navigates the narrative with humor, making it a funny and enjoyable read.The addictive and captivating storyline keeps readers engaged as they follow Ted on his quest for self-realization. The book successfully weaves humor into its fabric, offering moments of laughter and joy throughout the narrative.

However, the only drawback, is that the resolution of the story feels a bit too tidy. While it may be satisfying for some readers, others might find it slightly predictable. Nonetheless, this minor flaw does not overshadow the overall enjoyment of the book.

"Becoming Ted" is a delightful exploration of self-discovery, love, and friendship. Matt Haig's witty and heartwarming storytelling, coupled with a diverse cast of characters, makes this novel a highly enjoyable read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

#BecomingTed #NetGalley

4.25 stars

BECOMING TED is Matt Cain's latest addition to the "uplit"/feel good genre. Ted was just dumped by his toxic husband Giles (good riddance!) for another man, and Ted decides that he wants to become a drag queen - something that he has always wanted to explore but Giles frowned upon. In much of his life, he has put his own interests aside and acquiesced to get along. At the same time that he decided to become a drag queen, he realized that he doesn't want to stay in the family ice cream business. Will Ted be able to realize his potential and find love in the meantime?

There are an assortment of instrumental characters in this novel: Ted's supportive friend Denise, stranger Oskar that Ted will meet at his family's store, older homosexual Stanley who lives in a retirement home, and Ted's parents.

I feel this novel did a number of things well:
* Showed a character who had been beaten down could pick themself up, dust themself off, and seize what they are wanting.
* Showed behind the scenes with drag queens, made a more niche LGBTQ topic more mainstream
* Through the character of Stanley, it gave a multitude of positive messages and historical homosexual context.
* Plenty of humor, heart, and passion

I feel this novel had just a few deficits:
* Very low stakes: Ted is already out of the closet and has supportive parents. Denise is supportive.
* Quick resolution of each of the plot points, including the mysterious letters, tying every plot point up with a bow. Hence, that's why I give this the uplit label. It's not the most realistic ending.

This is a charming, feel-good novel that I recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for another delightful eARC! The gorgeous cover drew me in and I'm so glad it did.

While reading Becoming Ted, I felt my heart fill with joy. As someone in mid-life, nothing makes me happier than to read about people over 40 finding love, discovering their true passions, and confronting the things that have held them back in life. Ted is such a sweet, wholesome character. I really enjoyed getting to know both him and his much sassier drag persona.

We make so many assumptions about our families and our place in the world. Becoming Ted was a good reminder that we need to question those assumptions in order to make sure they are not holding us back from true happiness.

Ted works in a charming ice cream parlor owned by his family in a quaint seaside town. He has a handsome husband, a cute dog, and friends who care about him. Sounds perfect, right? Maybe not if it's the life that other people have decided would be best for you.

I learned a lot about drag culture from this book, and there was some interesting and heartbreaking history of what it was like to be gay generations ago in both England and Poland. Matt Cain balanced that well with Ted's self-discovery, his drag journey, and his complicated relationship with his family.

I particularly enjoyed the romance, which was understated and sweet, just like the characters. I give this book a 9/10 and recommend it to anyone who loves a marshmallow main character or who enjoys watching a 40-something get his groove back.

I was laughing out loud and smiling through so much of this book. Having absolutely adored The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, I was very excited for this novel. It did take me a while to get through the first few chapters - I didn't really warm up to Ted at first, which was my main issue. However, seeing as Ted is in a pretty awful place to start with, that's understandable, and once he comes into his own, I started absolutely loving him. I'm so glad I kept on though, because it was well worth it.
I'm so glad Matt Cain is writing books with older queer MCs. As someone who came out later in life, it makes me so glad to see these character flourish and become, as one of the characters puts it, second act sensations.

A sweet story, but not quite well-written enough to lift it above cliche.

Pros: great representation of the drag scene, presented from an emotional rather than a performative point of view. Nice to see a coming-of-age story featuring someone middle-aged.

Cons: I found it hard to feel connected to the characters, as the emotions were 'told' rather than 'shown.'

While I tend to enjoy lgbtq novels, just as a matter of course, I especially like ones that explore history along with the rest of the story taking place. And although this book takes place in a made up village along a coast near Manchester, UK, the parts that take place in Manachester are very real, so much so that I had to look up Canal Street, and the Gay Village are of the city. And I even went into google maps to find that there was a statue of Alan Turing in Sackville Park, which is right off of Canal street.

You might well ask, what does that have to do with the story. Well, part of the story, as I have said, takes place there, and one of the characters in the story has a boyfriend whose fate sounds very similar to that of Alan Turning who committed suicide after he was chemically castrated for being Gay.

The story follows Ted, who has been married to his husband for over 20 years, until said husband figures he can find someone better and leaves him. So Ted realizes that he should take the time to follow his dreams.

I love how the author gets the voices so distinctive. There is an elderly gay man that Ted befriends, who really sounds like an old queen. It is quite sweet.

Very enjoyable book as Ted realizes that his marriage wasn’t all it was cracked up to be, and how much more fun he can have doing drag, then hiding this love.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review. This book comes out in the US on the 21st of May 2024. It is already out in the UK.

✰ 2.25 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.

ea

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. 😞

Matt Cain does an excellent job at writing characters that make me root for them from the first page. I wanted Ted to ditch everything about his life and start over and make himself happy, and I really enjoyed seeing him go for it.

The characters were really fun (adored Stanley!) and it's always nice seeing older characters live their best lives, something Cain does exceptionally well.

I did think this story was a bit long for my taste, however. It wasn't my favorite from Cain, but still a heartwarming, fun read.

Ever since I finished reading The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, I wanted more books written by Matt Cain! I adore his writing style, his wonderful characters, and his plots. It is as simple as that. He creates a world in his books that I want to dive into and experience all that he has to offer.

I thought that Becoming Ted would be a great story and I was correct. My heart broke at times. Then my emotions were soaring in happiness for Ted, who definitely became much more than a character in a book to me.

Matt Cain is an excellent storyteller, and I love this book and cannot wait to see what will be next!

I want to thank Kensington Books (A John Scognamiglio Book) and NetGalley for giving me the pleasure of reading the advance reader copy, with no obligation to write a review. My review is written freely as a hobby, and is totally my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC.