Becoming Ted

LoveReading Says

If you liked Matt Cain’s previous novels (especially his 2021 novel The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle, about an older gay postman in a quiet Northern town) then you’ll be in for a treat with Becoming Ted, a later-in-life coming-of-age novel with the same tender tone and heart-warming sensitivity, this time about a gay ice-cream seller in the quiet Lancashire town of St Luke’s-On-Sea.

Docile and uncomplaining, the very gentle Ted has his life shaken upside-down when his charismatic (read: mean and selfish!) husband Giles leaves him for another man. But as we’d hope from a novel with a lovely rainbow sun and pink high heel on the front, this break-up leads to Ted finally pursue his own dream: to be a Drag Queen. And all the while he’s followed by his very cute dog Lily (named after Ted’s favourite drag queen).

Embedded within this story, we see flashbacks to Ted and Giles’ past relationship (including some rather steamy moments against the ice-cream making machine!), and some chapters dip into the lives of other people and friends in the quiet Lancashire town of Luke’s-On-Sea so it’s great if you like the feeling of head-hopping through the world of a character. It’s even illustrated with cute ice-creams between scenes, so it’ll be perfect for a beach read (when we finally get to Summer again!) 

Lily Lindon

Find This Book In