Becoming Ted by Matt Cain

At forty-three Ted Ainsworth is content with his life. He's been happily married to Giles for twenty years and is employed in the family ice-cream business. When Giles suddenly announces he's leaving, Ted begins to question whether he genuinely is content.

Earlier this year I read The Secret Life Of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain and fell in love with the wonderful Albert, therefore I was really keen to read Becoming Ted. Thankfully I enjoyed this book just as much as I did the previous one.

It's difficult not to make comparisons between the main character in this book, Ted, and Albert from the previous book. Both are gay men, going through drastic changes in their lives. Both have a host of wonderful characters supporting them. I didn't love Ted as much as I did Albert but I didn't dislike him. 

Ted's dilemma is that he's always put other people in his life first, diminishing his own dreams. Husband Giles is horrible; self-centred, arrogant and fickle. Giles leaving is just the catalyst Ted needs to realise he needs to put "Ted First". This act of rebellion leads Ted to admit he has always wanted to be a drag queen. He also has to find the courage to admit to his family that he doesn't like ice-cream.

In order to fulfill his dream Ted is helped along by best friend Denise and pensioner Stanley. Denise is a larger than life character who only has Ted's best interests at heart. Along the way we discover that Denise is also lonely following a disastrous relationship. The description of Denise's experience with dating apps certainly raises an eye.

Flamboyant Stanley is probably the star of this story. In his nineties Stanley is now living in a retirement home. Unfortunately some of the other residents are making his life uncomfortable because he's gay. Stanley refuses to be cowed by them, having fought hard for gay rights as a younger man he refuses to give in to homophobic abuse. We learn how gay men were hounded and abused in the 1950's and 1960's. It makes you realise how far society has come since then, although there are instances in the story that show we still have a way to go in some parts of society.

We have numerous happy endings, as you would expect from a feel good story. A story about acceptance; acceptance of each other and, more importantly, of ourselves.

Becoming Ted by Matt Cain will be published in hardback, ebook and audio format on 19th January 2023. My thanks to NetGalley and Headline publishers for a review copy.